2 Kings 15:1-38 
Context15:1 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Amaziah’s son Azariah became king over Judah. 15:2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. 1 His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 15:3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done. 2 15:4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 15:5 The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease 3 until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, 4 while his son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.
15:6 The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 5 15:7 Azariah passed away 6 and was buried 7 with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.
15:8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 8 for six months. 15:9 He did evil in the sight of 9 the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate 10 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam 11 and took his place as king. 15:11 The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 12 15:12 His assassination brought to fulfillment the Lord’s word to Jehu, 13 “Four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” 14 That is exactly what happened. 15
15:13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s 16 reign over Judah. He reigned for one month 17 in Samaria. 15:14 Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to 18 Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh. 19 He killed him and took his place as king. 15:15 The rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 20 15:16 At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender. 21 He even ripped open the pregnant women.
15:17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for twelve years in Samaria. 22 15:18 He did evil in the sight of 23 the Lord; he did not repudiate 24 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 25
During his reign, 15:19 Pul 26 king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid 27 him 28 a thousand talents 29 of silver to gain his support 30 and to solidify his control of the kingdom. 31 15:20 Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took fifty shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria. 32 Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.
15:21 The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 33 15:22 Menahem passed away 34 and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.
15:23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 35 for two years. 15:24 He did evil in the sight of 36 the Lord; he did not repudiate 37 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:25 His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace. 38 Pekah then took his place as king.
15:26 The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 39
15:27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria 40 for twenty years. 15:28 He did evil in the sight of 41 the Lord; he did not repudiate 42 the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:29 During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, 43 Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people 44 to Assyria. 15:30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him 45 and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.
15:31 The rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 46
15:32 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. 15:33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 47 His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 15:34 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. 48 15:35 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple.
15:36 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 49 15:37 In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah. 50 15:38 Jotham passed away 51 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
Titus 1:1-16
Context1:1 From Paul, 52 a slave 53 of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith 54 of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness, 1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began. 55 1:3 But now in his own time 56 he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God our Savior. 1:4 To Titus, my genuine son in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior!
1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 1:6 An elder must be blameless, 57 the husband of one wife, 58 with faithful children 59 who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion. 1:7 For the overseer 60 must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, 61 not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. 1:8 Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. 1:9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, 62 so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching 63 and correct those who speak against it.
1:10 For there are many 64 rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections, 65 1:11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught. 1:12 A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 66 1:13 Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith 1:14 and not pay attention to Jewish myths 67 and commands of people who reject the truth. 1:15 All is pure to those who are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 1:16 They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
Hosea 8:1-14
ContextAn eagle 69 looms over the temple of the Lord!
For they have broken their covenant with me, 70
and have rebelled against my law.
8:2 Israel cries out to me,
“My God, we acknowledge you!”
8:3 But Israel has rejected what is morally good;
so an enemy will pursue him.
8:4 They enthroned kings without my consent! 71
They appointed princes without my approval! 72
They made idols out of their silver and gold,
but they will be destroyed! 73
8:5 O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol!
My anger burns against them!
They will not survive much longer without being punished, 74
even though they are Israelites!
8:6 That idol was made by a workman – it is not God!
The calf idol of Samaria will be broken to bits.
8:7 They sow the wind,
and so they will reap the whirlwind!
The stalk does not have any standing grain;
it will not produce any flour.
Even if it were to yield grain,
foreigners would swallow it all up.
8:8 Israel will be swallowed up among the nations;
they will be like a worthless piece of pottery.
8:9 They have gone up to Assyria,
like a wild donkey that wanders off.
Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers. 75
8:10 Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, 76
I will soon gather them together for judgment. 77
Then 78 they will begin to waste away
under the oppression of a mighty king. 79
8:11 Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings,
these have become altars for sinning!
8:12 I spelled out my law for him in great detail,
but they regard it as something totally unknown 80 to them!
8:13 They offer up sacrificial gifts to me,
and eat the meat,
but the Lord does not accept their sacrifices. 81
Soon he will remember their wrongdoing,
he will punish their sins,
and they will return to Egypt.
8:14 Israel has forgotten his Maker and built royal palaces,
and Judah has built many fortified cities.
But I will send fire on their cities;
it will consume their royal citadels.
Psalms 123:1--125:5
ContextA song of ascents. 83
123:1 I look up 84 toward you,
the one enthroned 85 in heaven.
123:2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, 86
so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.
123:3 Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor!
For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some. 87
of the taunts of the self-assured,
of the contempt of the proud.
A song of ascents, 90 by David.
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men attacked us, 91
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current 92 would have overwhelmed 93 us. 94
124:5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us. 95
124:6 The Lord deserves praise, 96
for 97 he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.
124:7 We escaped with our lives, 98 like a bird from a hunter’s snare.
The snare broke, and we escaped.
124:8 Our deliverer is the Lord, 99
the Creator 100 of heaven and earth.
A song of ascents. 102
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 103
so the Lord surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
125:3 Indeed, 104 the scepter of a wicked king 105 will not settle 106
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly might
do what is wrong. 107
125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
to the morally upright! 108
125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, 109
may the Lord remove them, 110 along with those who behave wickedly! 111
May Israel experience peace! 112
1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
2 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
3 tn Traditionally, “he was a leper.” But see the note at 5:1.
4 tn The precise meaning of בֵית הַחָפְשִׁית (bet hakhofÿshit), “house of […?],” is uncertain. For a discussion of various proposals, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 166-67.
5 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Azariah, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
6 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
7 tn Heb “and they buried him.”
8 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
9 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
10 tn Heb “turn away from.”
11 tc The MT reads, “and he struck him down before the people and killed him” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). However, the reading קָבָל עָם (qaval ’am), “before the people,” is problematic to some because קָבָל is a relatively late Aramaic term. Nevertheless, the Aramaic term qobel certainly antedates the writing of Kings. The bigger problem seems to be the unnecessary intrusion of an Aramaic word at all here. Most interpreters prefer to follow Lucian’s Greek version and read “in Ibleam” (בְיִבְלְעָם, bÿivle’am). Cf. NAB, TEV.
12 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jeroboam, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
13 tn Heb “It was the word of the
14 tn “sons of four generations will sit for you on the throne of Israel.”
sn See the note at 2 Kgs 10:30.
15 tn Heb “and it was so.”
16 sn Azariah was also known by the name Uzziah.
17 tn Heb “a month of days.”
18 tn Heb “and came to.”
19 tn Heb “went up from Tirzah and arrived in Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria.”
20 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he conspired, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
21 tn Heb “then Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, for it would not open, and he attacked.”
tn Instead of “Tiphsah,” the LXX has “Tirzah,” while Lucian’s Greek version reads “Tappuah.” For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 171.
22 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
23 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
24 tn Heb “turn away from.”
25 tc The MT of v. 18 ends with the words, “all his days.” If this phrase is taken with what precedes, then one should translate, “[who encouraged Israel to sin] throughout his reign.” However, it may be preferable to emend the text to בְיֹמָיו (bÿyomav), “in his days,” and join the phrase to what follows. The translation assumes this change.
26 sn Pul was a nickname of Tiglath-pileser III (cf. 15:29). See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 171-72.
27 tn Heb “gave.”
28 tn Heb “Pul.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
29 tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 75,000 pounds of silver (cf. NCV “about seventy-four thousand pounds”); NLT “thirty-seven tons”; CEV “over thirty tons”; TEV “34,000 kilogrammes.”
30 tn Heb “so his hands would be with him.”
31 tn Heb “to keep hold of the kingdom in his hand.”
32 tn Heb “and Menahem brought out the silver over Israel, over the prominent men of means, to give to the king of Assyria, fifty shekels of silver for each man.”
33 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Menahem, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
34 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
35 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
36 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
37 tn Heb “turn away from.”
38 tn Heb “and he struck him down in Samaria in the fortress of the house of the king, Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men from the sons of the Gileadites, and they killed him.”
sn The precise identity of Argob and Arieh, as well as their relationship to the king, are uncertain. The usual assumption is that they were officials assassinated along with Pekahiah, or that they were two of the more prominent Gileadites involved in the revolt. For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 173.
39 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Pekahiah, and all which he did, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
40 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
41 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
42 tn Heb “turn away from.”
43 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.
44 tn Heb “them.”
45 tn Heb “and struck him down and killed him.”
46 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Pekah, and all which he did, look, they are written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel.”
47 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
48 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
49 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jotham, and that which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
50 tn Heb “the
51 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
52 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
53 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
54 tn Grk “for the faith,” possibly, “in accordance with the faith.”
55 tn Grk “before eternal ages.”
56 tn The Greek text emphasizes the contrast between vv. 2b and 3a: God promised this long ago but now has revealed it in his own time.
57 tn Grk “if anyone is blameless…” as a continuation of v. 5b, beginning to describe the elder’s character.
58 tn Or “married only once,” “devoted solely to his wife.” See the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 3:12; 5:9.
59 tn Or “believing children.” The phrase could be translated “believing children,” but the parallel with 1 Tim 3:4 (“keeping his children in control”) argues for the sense given in the translation.
60 sn The overseer is another term for the same official position of leadership as the “elder.” This is seen in the interchange of the two terms in this passage and in Acts 20:17, 28, as well as in the parallels between these verses and 1 Tim 3:1-7.
61 tn Grk “as God’s steward.”
62 tn Grk “the faithful message in accordance with the teaching” (referring to apostolic teaching).
63 tn Grk “the healthy teaching” (referring to what was just mentioned).
64 tc ‡ The earliest and best
65 tn Grk “those of the circumcision.” Some translations take this to refer to Jewish converts to Christianity (cf. NAB “Jewish Christians”; TEV “converts from Judaism”; CEV “Jewish followers”) while others are less clear (cf. NLT “those who insist on circumcision for salvation”).
66 sn A saying attributed to the poet Epimenides of Crete (6th century
67 sn Jewish myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; and 2 Tim 4:4.
68 tn Heb “A horn unto your gums!”; NAB “A trumpet to your lips!”
69 tn Or perhaps “A vulture.” Some identify the species indicated by the Hebrew term נֶשֶׁר (nesher) as the griffon vulture (cf. NEB, NRSV).
70 tn Heb “my covenant” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “the covenant I made with them.”
71 tn Heb “but without me”; NCV “without asking my permission”; CEV “without consulting me.”
72 tn Heb “but I did not know”; NRSV “but without my knowledge.”
73 tn Heb “in order to be cut off.” The text gives the impression that they made the idols for this purpose, but the language is ironic and sarcastic, bringing out the futility of their efforts. One could paraphrase, “they made idols…but only so that they might be destroyed.” Though they had other plans for the idols, God’s judgment would bring their intentions to naught.
74 tn Heb “How long will they be able to be free from punishment?” This rhetorical question affirms that Israel will not survive much longer until God punishes it.
75 tn Or “has hired herself out to lovers”; cf. NIV “has sold herself to lovers.”
76 tn Or “they have hired themselves out to lovers”; cf. NASB “they hire allies among the nations.”
77 tn The Piel stem of קָבַץ (qavats) is often used in a positive sense, meaning “to regather” a dispersed people (HALOT 1063 s.v. קבץ 3.a; BDB 868 s.v. קָבַץ 1.α). However, in Hosea 8:10 it is used in a negative sense, meaning “to assemble (people) for judgment” (e.g., Ezek 20:34; Hos 9:6; HALOT 1063 s.v. 3.e.i). Cf. JPS “I will hold them fast” (in judgment, see the parallel in 9:6).
78 tn The vav consecutive + preterite וַיָּחֵלּוּ (vayyakhellu, Hiphil preterite 3rd person common plural from חָלַל, khalal, “to begin”]) denotes temporal subordination to the preceding clause: “then…” (so NLT); cf. TEV, CEV “Soon.”
79 tn Heb “a king of princes” (cf. KJV, NASB); TEV “the emperor of Assyria.”
80 tn Heb “foreign” or “alien”; NASB, NRSV “as a strange thing.”
81 tn Heb “does not accept them”; the referent (their sacrifices) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
82 sn Psalm 123. The psalmist, speaking for God’s people, acknowledges his dependence on God in the midst of a crisis.
83 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
84 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
85 tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12).
86 sn Servants look to their master for food, shelter, and other basic needs.
87 tn Heb “for greatly we are filled [with] humiliation.”
88 tn Heb “greatly our soul is full to it.”
89 sn Psalm 124. Israel acknowledges that the Lord delivered them from certain disaster.
90 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
91 tn Heb “rose up against us.”
92 tn Or “stream.”
93 tn Heb “would have passed over.”
94 tn Heb “our being.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
95 tn Heb “then they would have passed over our being, the raging waters.”
96 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
97 tn Heb “[the one] who.”
98 tn Heb “our life escaped.”
99 tn Heb “our help [is] in the name of the
100 tn Or “Maker.”
101 sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.
102 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
103 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
104 tn Or “for.”
105 tn Heb “a scepter of wickedness.” The “scepter” symbolizes royal authority; when collocated with “wickedness” the phrase refers to an oppressive foreign conqueror.
106 tn Or “rest.”
107 tn Heb “so that the godly might not stretch out their hands in wrongdoing.” A wicked king who sets a sinful example can have an adverse moral and ethical effect on the people he rules.
108 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
109 tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.
110 tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the
111 tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”
112 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).
