Numbers 22:1-41 
Context22:1 1 The Israelites traveled on 2 and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River 3 across from Jericho. 4 22:2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 22:3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.
22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people 5 will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. 22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam 6 son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River 7 in the land of Amaw, 8 to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face 9 of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 22:6 So 10 now, please come and curse this nation 11 for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them 12 and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, 13 and whoever you curse is cursed.”
22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported 14 to him the words of Balak. 22:8 He replied to them, “Stay 15 here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 22:9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 22:10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, 22:11 “Look, a nation has come out 16 of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them 17 and drive them out.” 18 22:12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, 19 for they are blessed.” 20
22:13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, 21 for the Lord has refused to permit me to go 22 with you.” 22:14 So the princes of Moab departed 23 and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
22:15 Balak again sent princes, 24 more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 25 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming 26 to me. 22:17 For I will honor you greatly, 27 and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”
22:18 Balaam replied 28 to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment 29 of the Lord my God 30 to do less or more. 22:19 Now therefore, please stay 31 the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” 32 22:20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 22:21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled 33 because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose 34 him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 22:23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with 35 his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.
22:24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path 36 among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side. 37 22:25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again. 38
22:26 Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff.
22:28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish 39 there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.” 22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted 40 to treat you this way?” 41 And he said, “No.” 22:31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. 42 22:32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing 43 is perverse before me. 44 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If 45 she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” 22:34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. 46 So now, if it is evil in your sight, 47 I will go back home.” 48 22:35 But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak 49 the word that I will speak to you.” 50 So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory. 22:37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again 51 to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” 52 22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able 53 to speak 54 just anything? I must speak 55 only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 22:39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 22:40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some 56 to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 22:41 Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. 57 From there he saw the extent of the nation.
Psalms 62:1--63:11
ContextFor the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
62:1 For God alone I patiently wait; 59
he is the one who delivers me. 60
62:2 He alone is my protector 61 and deliverer.
He is my refuge; 62 I will not be upended. 63
62:3 How long will you threaten 64 a man?
All of you are murderers, 65
as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence. 66
62:4 They 67 spend all their time planning how to bring him 68 down. 69
They love to use deceit; 70
they pronounce blessings with their mouths,
but inwardly they utter curses. 71 (Selah)
62:5 Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! 72
For he is the one who gives me confidence. 73
62:6 He alone is my protector 74 and deliverer.
He is my refuge; 75 I will not be upended. 76
62:7 God delivers me and exalts me;
God is my strong protector and my shelter. 77
62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people!
Pour out your hearts before him! 78
God is our shelter! (Selah)
62:9 Men are nothing but a mere breath;
human beings are unreliable. 79
When they are weighed in the scales,
all of them together are lighter than air. 80
62:10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! 81
Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! 82
If wealth increases, do not become attached to it! 83
62:11 God has declared one principle;
two principles I have heard: 84
God is strong, 85
62:12 and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love. 86
For you repay men for what they do. 87
A psalm of David, written when he was in the Judean wilderness. 89
63:1 O God, you are my God! I long for you! 90
My soul thirsts 91 for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched 92 land where there is no water.
63:2 Yes, 93 in the sanctuary I have seen you, 94
and witnessed 95 your power and splendor.
63:3 Because 96 experiencing 97 your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
63:4 For this reason 98 I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands. 99
63:5 As if with choice meat 100 you satisfy my soul. 101
My mouth joyfully praises you, 102
63:6 whenever 103 I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
63:7 For you are my deliverer; 104
under your wings 105 I rejoice.
63:8 My soul 106 pursues you; 107
your right hand upholds me.
63:9 Enemies seek to destroy my life, 108
but they will descend into the depths of the earth. 109
63:10 Each one will be handed over to the sword; 110
their corpses will be eaten by jackals. 111
63:11 But the king 112 will rejoice in God;
everyone who takes oaths in his name 113 will boast,
for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up. 114
Isaiah 11:1--12:6
Context11:1 A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s 115 root stock,
a bud will sprout 116 from his roots.
11:2 The Lord’s spirit will rest on him 117 –
a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, 118
a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, 119
a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord. 120
11:3 He will take delight in obeying the Lord. 121
He will not judge by mere appearances, 122
or make decisions on the basis of hearsay. 123
11:4 He will treat the poor fairly, 124
and make right decisions 125 for the downtrodden of the earth. 126
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, 127
and order the wicked to be executed. 128
11:5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist,
integrity will be like a belt around his hips. 129
11:6 A wolf will reside 130 with a lamb,
and a leopard will lie down with a young goat;
an ox and a young lion will graze together, 131
as a small child leads them along.
11:7 A cow and a bear will graze together,
their young will lie down together. 132
A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.
over the hole of a snake; 134
over the nest 135 of a serpent
an infant 136 will put his hand. 137
11:9 They will no longer injure or destroy
on my entire royal mountain. 138
For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty,
just as the waters completely cover the sea. 139
11:10 At that time 140 a root from Jesse 141 will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, 142 and his residence will be majestic. 11:11 At that time 143 the sovereign master 144 will again lift his hand 145 to reclaim 146 the remnant of his people 147 from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, 148 Cush, 149 Elam, Shinar, 150 Hamath, and the seacoasts. 151
11:12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations;
he will gather Israel’s dispersed people 152
and assemble Judah’s scattered people
from the four corners of the earth.
11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, 153
and Judah’s hostility 154 will be eliminated.
Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah,
and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.
11:14 They will swoop down 155 on the Philistine hills to the west; 156
together they will loot the people of the east.
They will take over Edom and Moab, 157
and the Ammonites will be their subjects.
11:15 The Lord will divide 158 the gulf 159 of the Egyptian Sea; 160
he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River 161 and send a strong wind, 162
he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, 163
and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria
for the remnant of his people, 164
just as there was for Israel,
when 165 they went up from the land of Egypt.
12:1 At that time 166 you will say:
“I praise you, O Lord,
for even though you were angry with me,
your anger subsided, and you consoled me.
12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! 167
I will trust in him 168 and not fear.
For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; 169
he has become my deliverer.” 170
12:3 Joyfully you will draw water
from the springs of deliverance. 171
12:4 At that time 172 you will say:
“Praise the Lord!
Ask him for help! 173
Publicize his mighty acts among the nations!
Make it known that he is unique! 174
12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things,
let this be known 175 throughout the earth!
12:6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion,
for the Holy One of Israel 176 acts mightily 177 among you!”
James 5:1-20
Context5:1 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud 178 over the miseries that are coming on you. 5:2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 5:3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! 179 5:4 Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5:5 You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 180 5:6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you. 181
5:7 So be patient, brothers and sisters, 182 until the Lord’s return. 183 Think of how the farmer waits 184 for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient 185 for it until it receives the early and late rains. 5:8 You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near. 5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, 186 so that you may not be judged. See, the judge stands before the gates! 187 5:10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, 188 take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. 5:11 Think of how we regard 189 as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. 190 5:12 And above all, my brothers and sisters, 191 do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment.
5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. 5:14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint 192 him with oil in the name of the Lord. 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 193 5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. 194 5:17 Elijah was a human being 195 like us, and he prayed earnestly 196 that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! 5:18 Then 197 he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
5:19 My brothers and sisters, 198 if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 5:20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path 199 will save that person’s 200 soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
1 sn The fifth section of the book (22:1-33:56) traces the Israelite activities in Transjordan. It is hard to determine how long they were in Transjordan, but a good amount of time must have elapsed for the number of moves they made and the wars they fought. There is a considerable amount of information available on this section of the book. Some of the most helpful works include: H. C. Brichto, The Problem of “Curse” in the Hebrew Bible (JBLMS); E. Burrows, The Oracles of Jacob and Balaam; G. W. Coats, “Balaam, Sinner or Saint?” BR 18 (1973): 21-29; P. C. Craigie, “The Conquest and Early Hebrew Poetry,” TynBul 20 (1969): 76-94; I. Parker, “The Way of God and the Way of Balaam,” ExpTim 17 (1905): 45; and J. A. Wharton, “The Command to Bless: An Exposition of Numbers 22:41–23:25,” Int 13 (1959): 37-48. This first part introduces the characters and sets the stage for the oracles. It can be divided into four sections: the invitation declined (vv. 1-14), the second invitation extended (vv. 15-21), God opposes Balaam (vv. 22-35), and Balaam meets Balak (vv. 36-41).
2 tn The verse begins with the vav (ו) consecutive.
3 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
4 map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
5 tn The word is simply “company,” but in the context he must mean a vast company – a horde of people.
6 sn There is much literature on pagan diviners and especially prophecy in places in the east like Mari (see, for example, H. B. Huffmon, “Prophecy in the Mari Letters,” BA 31 [1968]: 101-24). Balaam appears to be a pagan diviner who was of some reputation; he was called to curse the Israelites, but God intervened and gave him blessings only. The passage forms a nice complement to texts that deal with blessings and curses. It shows that no one can curse someone whom God has blessed.
7 tn Heb “by the river”; in most contexts this expression refers to the Euphrates River (cf. NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
8 tn Heb “in the land of Amaw” (cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV); traditionally “in the land of the sons of his people.” The LXX has “by the river of the land.”
9 tn Heb “eye.” So also in v. 11.
10 tn The two lines before this verse begin with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), and so they lay the foundation for these imperatives. In view of those circumstances, this is what should happen.
11 tn Heb “people.” So also in vv. 10, 17, 41.
12 tn The construction uses the imperfect tense אוּכַל (’ukhal, “I will be able”) followed by the imperfect tense נַכֶּה (nakkeh, “we will smite/attack/defeat”). The second verb is clearly the purpose or the result of the first, even though there is no conjunction or particle.
13 tn The verb is the Piel imperfect of בָּרַךְ (barakh), with the nuance of possibility: “whomever you may bless.” The Pual participle מְבֹרָךְ (mÿvorakh) serves as the predicate.
14 tn Heb “spoke.”
15 tn The verb לִין (lin) means “to lodge, spend the night.” The related noun is “a lodge” – a hotel of sorts. Balaam needed to consider the offer. And after darkness was considered the best time for diviners to consult with their deities. Balaam apparently knows of the
16 tn In this passage the text differs slightly; here it is “the nation that comes out,” using the article on the noun, and the active participle in the attributive adjective usage.
17 tn Here the infinitive construct is used to express the object or complement of the verb “to be able” (it answers the question of what he will be able to do).
18 tn The verb is the Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. It either carries the force of an imperfect tense, or it may be subordinated to the preceding verbs.
19 tn The two verbs are negated imperfects; they have the nuance of prohibition: You must not go and you must not curse.
20 tn The word בָּרוּךְ (barukh) is the Qal passive participle, serving here as the predicate adjective after the supplied verb “to be.” The verb means “enrich,” in any way, materially, spiritually, physically. But the indication here is that the blessing includes the promised blessing of the patriarchs, a blessing that gave Israel the land. See further, C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).
21 tc The LXX adds “to your lord.”
22 tn The main verb is the Piel perfect, “he has refused.” This is followed by two infinitives. The first (לְתִתִּי, lÿtitti) serves as a complement or direct object of the verb, answering the question of what he refused to do – “to give me.” The second infinitive (לַהֲלֹךְ, lahalokh) provides the object for the preceding infinitive: “to grant me to go.”
23 tn Heb “rose up.”
24 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys. It uses the Hiphil preterite of the verb “to add” followed by the Qal infinitive “to send.” The infinitive becomes the main verb, and the preterite an adverb: “he added to send” means “he sent again.”
25 tn Heb “than these.”
26 tn The infinitive construct is the object of the preposition.
27 tn The construction uses the Piel infinitive כַּבֵּד (kabbed) to intensify the verb, which is the Piel imperfect/cohortative אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’akhabbedkha). The great honor could have been wealth, prestige, or position.
28 tn Heb “answered and said.”
29 tn Heb “mouth.”
30 sn In the light of subsequent events one should not take too seriously that Balaam referred to Yahweh as his God. He is referring properly to the deity for which he is acting as the agent.
31 tn In this case “lodge” is not used, but “remain, reside” (שְׁבוּ, shÿvu).
32 tn This clause is also a verbal hendiadys: “what the
33 sn God’s anger now seems to contradict the permission he gave Balaam just before this. Some commentators argue that God’s anger is a response to Balaam’s character in setting out – which the Bible does not explain. God saw in him greed and pleasure for the riches, which is why he was so willing to go.
34 tn The word is שָׂטָן (satan, “to be an adversary, to oppose”).
35 tn The word has the conjunction “and” on the noun, indicating this is a disjunctive vav (ו), here serving as a circumstantial clause.
36 tn The word means a “narrow place,” having the root meaning “to be deep.” The Greek thought it was in a field in a narrow furrow.
37 tn Heb “a wall on this side, and a wall on that side.”
38 tn Heb “he added to beat her,” another verbal hendiadys.
39 tn The optative clause is introduced with the particle לוּ (lu).
40 tn Here the Hiphil perfect is preceded by the Hiphil infinitive absolute for emphasis in the sentence.
41 tn Heb “to do thus to you.”
42 tn The Hishtaphel verb חָוָה (khavah) – שָׁחָה (shakhah) with metathesis – has a basic idea of “bow oneself low to the ground,” and perhaps in some cases the idea of “coil up.” This is the normal posture of prayer and of deep humility in the ancient religious world.
43 tn Heb “your way.”
44 tn The verb יָרַט (yarat) occurs only here and in Job 16:11. Balaam is embarking on a foolish mission with base motives. The old rendering “perverse” is still acceptable.
45 tc Many commentators consider אוּלַי (’ulay, “perhaps”) to be a misspelling in the MT in place of לוּלֵי (luley, “if not”).
46 sn Balaam is not here making a general confession of sin. What he is admitting to is a procedural mistake. The basic meaning of the word is “to miss the mark.” He now knows he took the wrong way, i.e., in coming to curse Israel.
47 sn The reference is to Balaam’s way. He is saying that if what he is doing is so perverse, so evil, he will turn around and go home. Of course, it did not appear that he had much of a chance of going forward.
48 tn The verb is the cohortative from “return”: I will return [me].
49 tn The imperfect tense here can be given the nuance of permission.
50 tn The Hebrew word order is a little more emphatic than this: “but only the word which I speak to you, it you shall speak.”
51 tn The emphatic construction is made of the infinitive absolute and the perfect tense from the verb שָׁלַח (shalakh, “to send”). The idea must be more intense than something like, “Did I not certainly send.” Balak is showing frustration with Balaam for refusing him.
52 sn Balak again refers to his ability to “honor” the seer. This certainly meant payment for his service, usually gold ornaments, rings and jewelry, as well as some animals.
53 tn The verb is אוּכַל (’ukhal) in a question – “am I able?” But emphasizing this is the infinitive absolute before it. So Balaam is saying something like, “Can I really say anything?”
54 tn The Piel infinitive construct (without the preposition) serves as the object of the verb “to be able.” The whole question is rhetorical – he is saying that he will not be able to say anything God does not allow him to say.
55 tn The imperfect tense is here taken as an obligatory imperfect.
56 sn The understanding is that Balak was making a sacrifice for a covenant relationship, and so he gave some of the meat to the men and to the seer.
57 sn The name Bamoth Baal means “the high places of Baal.”
58 sn Psalm 62. The psalmist expresses his unwavering confidence in God’s justice and in his ability to protect his people.
59 tn Heb “only for God [is] there silence [to] my soul.”
60 tn Heb “from him [is] my deliverance.”
61 tn Heb “my high rocky summit.”
62 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
63 tn The Hebrew text adds רַבָּה (rabbah, “greatly”) at the end of the line. It is unusual for this adverb to follow a negated verb. Some see this as qualifying the assertion to some degree, but this would water down the affirmation too much (see v. 6b, where the adverb is omitted). If the adverb has a qualifying function, it would suggest that the psalmist might be upended, though not severely. This is inconsistent with the confident mood of the psalm. The adverb probably has an emphatic force here, “I will not be greatly upended” meaning “I will not be annihilated.”
64 tn The verb form is plural; the psalmist addresses his enemies. The verb הוּת occurs only here in the OT. An Arabic cognate means “shout at.”
65 tn The Hebrew text has a Pual (passive) form, but the verb form should be vocalized as a Piel (active) form. See BDB 953-54 s.v. רָצַח.
66 tn Heb “like a bent wall and a broken fence.” The point of the comparison is not entirely clear. Perhaps the enemies are depicted as dangerous, like a leaning wall or broken fence that is in danger of falling on someone (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:69).
67 tn That is, the psalmist’s enemies addressed in the previous verse.
68 tn That is, the generic “man” referred to in the previous verse.
69 tn Heb “only from his lofty place [or perhaps, “dignity”] they plan to drive [him] away.”
70 tn Heb “they delight [in] a lie.”
71 sn The enemies use deceit to bring down their victim. They make him think they are his friends by pronouncing blessings upon him, but inwardly they desire his demise.
72 tn Heb “only for God be silent, my soul.” The wording is similar to that of v. 1a. Here an imperatival form, דּוֹמִּי (dommiy, “be silent”), appears instead of the noun דּוּמִיָּה (dumiyyah, “silence”). The psalmist is encouraging himself to maintain his trust in God.
73 tn Heb “for from him [is] my hope.”
74 tn Heb “my high rocky summit.”
75 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
76 sn The wording is identical to that of v. 2, except that רַבָּה (rabbah, “greatly”) does not appear in v. 6.
77 tn Heb “upon God [is] my deliverance and my glory, the high rocky summit of my strength, my shelter [is] in God.”
78 tn To “pour out one’s heart” means to offer up to God intense, emotional lamentation and petitionary prayers (see Lam 2:19).
79 tn Heb “only a breath [are] the sons of mankind, a lie [are] the sons of man.” The phrases “sons of mankind” and “sons of man” also appear together in Ps 49:2. Because of the parallel line there, where “rich and poor” are mentioned, a number of interpreters and translators treat these expressions as polar opposites, בְּנֵי אָדָם (bÿney ’adam) referring to the lower classes and בְּנֵי אִישׁ (bÿney ’ish) to higher classes. But usage does not support such a view. The rare phrase בְּנֵי אִישׁ (“sons of man”) appears to refer to human beings in general in its other uses (see Pss 4:2; Lam 3:33). It is better to understand the phrases as synonymous expressions.
80 tn The noun הֶבֶל (hevel), translated “a breath” earlier in the verse, appears again here.
81 tn Heb “do not trust in oppression.” Here “oppression” stands by metonymy for the riches that can be gained by oppressive measures, as the final line of the verse indicates.
82 tn Heb “and in robbery do not place vain hope.” Here “robbery” stands by metonymy for the riches that can be gained by theft, as the next line of the verse indicates.
83 tn Heb “[as for] wealth, when it bears fruit, do not set [your] heart [on it].”
84 tn Heb “one God spoke, two which I heard.” This is a numerical saying utilizing the “x” followed by “x + 1” pattern to facilitate poetic parallelism. (See W. M. W. Roth, Numerical Sayings in the Old Testament [VTSup], 55-56.) As is typical in such sayings, a list corresponding to the second number (in this case “two”) follows. Another option is to translate, “God has spoken once, twice [he has spoken] that which I have heard.” The terms אַחַת (’akhat, “one; once”) and שְׁתַּיִם (shÿtayim, “two; twice”) are also juxtaposed in 2 Kgs 6:10 (where they refer to an action that was done more than “once or twice”) and in Job 33:14 (where they refer to God speaking “one way” and then in “another manner”).
85 tn Heb “that strength [belongs] to God.”
86 tn Heb “and to you, O Master, [is] loyal love.”
87 tn Heb “for you pay back to a man according to his deed.” Another option is to understand vv. 11b and 12a as the first principle and v. 12b as the second. In this case one might translate, “God has declared one principle, two principles I have heard, namely, that God is strong, and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love, and that you repay men for what they do.”
sn You repay men for what they do. The psalmist views God’s justice as a demonstration of both his power (see v. 11c) and his loyal love (see v. 12a). When God judges evildoers, he demonstrates loyal love to his people.
88 sn Psalm 63. The psalmist expresses his intense desire to be in God’s presence and confidently affirms that God will judge his enemies.
89 sn According to the psalm superscription David wrote the psalm while in the “wilderness of Judah.” Perhaps this refers to the period described in 1 Sam 23-24 or to the incident mentioned in 2 Sam 15:23.
90 tn Or “I will seek you.”
91 tn Or “I thirst.”
92 tn Heb “faint” or “weary.” This may picture the land as “faint” or “weary,” or it may allude to the effect this dry desert has on those who are forced to live in it.
93 tn The Hebrew particle כֵּן (ken) is used here to stress the following affirmation (see Josh 2:4).
94 tn The perfect verbal form is understood here as referring to a past experience which the psalmist desires to be repeated. Another option is to take the perfect as indicating the psalmist’s certitude that he will again stand in God’s presence in the sanctuary. In this case one can translate, “I will see you.”
95 tn Heb “seeing.” The preposition with the infinitive construct here indicates an accompanying circumstance.
96 tn This line is understood as giving the basis for the praise promised in the following line. Another option is to take the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) as asseverative/emphasizing, “Indeed, your loyal love is better” (cf. NEB, which leaves the particle untranslated).
97 tn The word “experiencing” is supplied in the translation for clarification. The psalmist does not speak here of divine loyal love in some abstract sense, but of loyal love revealed and experienced.
98 tn Or perhaps “then.”
99 sn I will lift up my hands. Lifting up one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer (see Ps 28:2; Lam 2:19) or respect (Ps 119:48).
100 tn Heb “like fat and fatness.”
101 tn Or “me.”
102 tn Heb “and [with] lips of joy my mouth praises.”
103 tn The Hebrew term אִם (’im) is used here in the sense of “when; whenever,” as in Ps 78:34.
104 tn Or “[source of] help.”
105 tn Heb “in the shadow of your wings.”
106 tn Or “I.” 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).
107 tn Heb “clings after.” The expression means “to pursue with determination” (see Judg 20:45; 1 Sam 14:22; 1 Chr 10:2; Jer 42:16).
108 tn Heb “but they for destruction seek my life.” The pronoun “they” must refer here to the psalmist’s enemies, referred to at this point for the first time in the psalm.
109 sn The depths of the earth refers here to the underworld dwelling place of the dead (see Ezek 26:20; 31:14, 16, 18; 32:18, 24). See L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 167.
110 tn Heb “they will deliver him over to the sword.” The third masculine plural subject must be indefinite (see GKC 460 §144.f) and the singular pronominal suffix either representative or distributive (emphasizing that each one will be so treated). Active verbs with indefinite subjects may be translated as passives with the object (in the Hebrew text) as subject (in the translation).
111 tn Heb “they will be [the] portion of jackals”; traditionally, “of foxes.”
112 sn The psalmist probably refers to himself in the third person here.
113 tn Heb “who swears [an oath] by him.”
114 tn The Niphal of this verb occurs only here and in Gen 8:2, where it is used of God “stopping” or “damming up” the great deep as he brought the flood to an end.
115 sn The text mentions David’s father Jesse, instead of the great king himself. Perhaps this is done for rhetorical reasons to suggest that a new David, not just another disappointing Davidic descendant, will arise. Other prophets call the coming ideal Davidic king “David” or picture him as the second coming of David, as it were. See Jer 30:9; Ezek 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos 3:5; and Mic 5:2 (as well as the note there).
116 tc The Hebrew text has יִפְרֶה (yifreh, “will bear fruit,” from פָּרָה, parah), but the ancient versions, as well as the parallelism suggest that יִפְרַח (yifrakh, “will sprout”, from פָּרַח, parakh) is the better reading here. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:276, n. 2.
117 sn Like David (1 Sam 16:13), this king will be energized by the Lord’s spirit.
118 tn Heb “a spirit of wisdom and understanding.” The synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of wisdom he will possess. His wisdom will enable him to make just legal decisions (v. 3). A very similar phrase occurs in Eph 1:17.
119 tn Heb “a spirit of counsel [or “strategy”] and strength.” The construction is a hendiadys; the point is that he will have the strength/ability to execute the plans/strategies he devises. This ability will enable him to suppress oppressors and implement just policies (v. 4).
120 tn Heb “a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.” “Knowledge” is used here in its covenantal sense and refers to a recognition of God’s authority and a willingness to submit to it. See Jer 22:16. “Fear” here refers to a healthy respect for God’s authority which produces obedience. Taken together the two terms emphasize the single quality of loyalty to the Lord. This loyalty guarantees that he will make just legal decisions and implement just policies (vv. 4-5).
121 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “and his smelling is in the fear of the Lord.” In Amos 5:21 the Hiphil of רוּחַ (ruakh, “smell”) carries the nuance of “smell with delight, get pleasure from.” There the Lord declares that he does not “smell with delight” (i.e., get pleasure from) Israel’s religious assemblies, which probably stand by metonymy for the incense offered during these festivals. In Isa 11:3 there is no sacrificial context to suggest such a use, but it is possible that “the fear of the Lord” is likened to incense. This coming king will get the same kind of delight from obeying (fearing) the Lord, as a deity does in the incense offered by worshipers. Some regard such an explanation as strained in this context, and prefer to omit this line from the text as a virtual dittograph of the preceding statement.
122 tn Heb “by what appears to his eyes”; KJV “after the sight of his eyes”; NIV “by what he sees with his eyes.”
123 tn Heb “by what is heard by his ears”; NRSV “by what his ears hear.”
124 tn Heb “with justice” (so NAB) or “with righteousness” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
125 tn Heb “make decisions with rectitude”; cf. ASV, NRSV “and decide with equity.”
126 tn Or “land” (NAB, NCV, CEV). It is uncertain if the passage is picturing universal dominion or focusing on the king’s rule over his covenant people. The reference to God’s “holy mountain” in v. 9 and the description of renewed Israelite conquests in v. 14 suggest the latter, though v. 10 seems to refer to a universal kingdom (see 2:2-4).
127 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and he will strike the earth with the scepter of his mouth.” Some have suggested that in this context אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) as an object of judgment seems too broad in scope. The parallelism is tighter if one emends the word to ץ(י)עָרִ (’arits, “potentate, tyrant”). The phrase “scepter of his mouth” refers to the royal (note “scepter”) decrees that he proclaims with his mouth. Because these decrees will have authority and power (see v. 2) behind them, they can be described as “striking” the tyrants down. Nevertheless, the MT reading may not need emending. Isaiah refers to the entire “earth” as the object of God’s judgment in several places without specifying the wicked as the object of the judgment (Isa 24:17-21; 26:9, 21; 28:22; cf. 13:11).
128 tn Heb “and by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.” The “breath of his lips” refers to his speech, specifically in this context his official decrees that the wicked oppressors be eliminated from his realm. See the preceding note.
129 tn Heb “Justice will be the belt [or “undergarment”] on his waist, integrity the belt [or “undergarment”] on his hips.” The point of the metaphor is uncertain. If a belt worn outside the robe is in view, then the point might be that justice/integrity will be readily visible or that these qualities will give support to his rule. If an undergarment is in view, then the idea might be that these characteristics support his rule or that they are basic to everything else.
130 tn The verb גּוּר (gur) normally refers to living as a dependent, resident alien in another society.
131 tc The Hebrew text reads, “and an ox, and a young lion, and a fatling together.” Since the preceding lines refer to two animals and include a verb, many emend וּמְרִיא (umÿri’, “and the fatling”) to an otherwise unattested verb יִמְרְאוּ (yimrÿ’u, “they will graze”); cf. NAB, TEV, CEV. One of the Qumran copies of Isaiah confirms this suggestion (1QIsaa). The present translation assumes this change.
132 tn Heb “and a cow and a bear will graze – together – they will lie down, their young.” This is a case of pivot pattern; יַחְדָּו (yakhddav, “together”) goes with both the preceding and following statements.
133 tn Heb “one sucking,” i.e., still being nursed by his mother.
134 tn Or perhaps, “cobra” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV); KJV, ASV, NRSV “asp.”
135 tc The Hebrew text has the otherwise unattested מְאוּרַת (mÿ’urat, “place of light”), i.e., opening of a hole. Some prefer to emend to מְעָרַת (mÿ’arat, “cave, den”).
136 tn Heb “one who is weaned” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
137 sn The transformation of the animal kingdom depicted here typifies what will occur in human society under the just rule of the ideal king (see vv. 3-5). The categories “predator-prey” (i.e., oppressor-oppressed) will no longer exist.
138 tn Heb “in all my holy mountain.” In the most basic sense the Lord’s “holy mountain” is the mountain from which he rules over his kingdom (see Ezek 28:14, 16). More specifically it probably refers to Mount Zion/Jerusalem or to the entire land of Israel (see Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; Isa 56:7; 57:13; Ezek 20:40; Ob 16; Zeph 3:11). If the Lord’s universal kingdom is in view in this context (see the note on “earth” at v. 4), then the phrase would probably be metonymic here, standing for God’s worldwide dominion (see the next line).
139 tn Heb “for the earth will be full of knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” The translation assumes that a universal kingdom is depicted here, but אֶרֶץ (’erets) could be translated “land” (see the note at v. 4). “Knowledge of the Lord” refers here to a recognition of the Lord’s sovereignty which results in a willingness to submit to his authority. See the note at v. 2.
140 tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
142 tn Heb “ a root from Jesse, which stands for a signal flag of the nations, of him nations will inquire” [or “seek”].
143 tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
144 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai).
145 tc The Hebrew text reads, “the sovereign master will again, a second time, his hand.” The auxiliary verb יוֹסִיף (yosif), which literally means “add,” needs a main verb to complete it. Consequently many emend שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”) to an infinitive. Some propose the form שַׁנֹּת (shannot, a Piel infinitive construct from שָׁנָה, shanah) and relate it semantically to an Arabic cognate meaning “to be high.” If the Hebrew text is retained a verb must be supplied. “Second time” would allude back to the events of the Exodus (see vv. 15-16).
146 tn Or “acquire”; KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV “recover.”
147 tn Heb “the remnant of his people who remain.”
148 sn Perhaps a reference to Upper (i.e., southern) Egypt (so NIV, NLT; NCV “South Egypt”).
149 tn Or “Ethiopia” (NAB, NRSV, NLT).
150 tn Or “Babylonia” (NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT).
151 tn Or perhaps, “the islands of the sea.”
152 tn Or “the banished of Israel,” i.e., the exiles.
153 tn Heb “turn aside”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “depart.”
154 tn Heb “hostile ones of Judah.” Elsewhere when the substantival participle of צָרָר (tsarar) takes a pronominal suffix or appears in a construct relationship, the following genitive is objective. (For a list of texts see BDB 865 s.v. III צָרַר) In this case the phrase “hostile ones of Judah” means “those who are hostile toward Judah,” i.e., Judah’s enemies. However, the parallel couplet that follows suggests that Judah’s hostility toward Ephraim is in view. In this case “hostile ones of Judah” means “hostile ones from Judah.” The translation above assumes the latter, giving the immediate context priority over general usage.
155 tn Heb “fly.” Ephraim/Judah are compared to a bird of prey.
156 tn Heb “on the shoulder of Philistia toward the sea.” This refers to the slopes of the hill country west of Judah. See HALOT 506 s.v. כָּתֵף.
157 tn Heb “Edom and Moab [will be the place of] the outstretching of their hand,” i.e., included in their area of jurisdiction (see HALOT 648 s.v. ח(וֹ)מִשְׁלֹ).
158 tn The verb is usually understood as “put under the ban, destroy,” or emended to חָרָב (kharav, “dry up”). However, HALOT 354 s.v. II חרם proposes a homonymic root meaning “divide.”
159 tn Heb “tongue” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).
160 sn That is, the Red Sea.
161 tn Heb “the river”; capitalized in some English versions (e.g., ASV, NASB, NRSV) as a reference to the Euphrates River.
162 tn Heb “with the [?] of his wind” [or “breath”]. The Hebrew term עַיָם (’ayam) occurs only here. Some attempt to relate the word to an Arabic root and translate, “scorching [or “hot”] wind.” This interpretation fits especially well if one reads “dry up” in the previous line. Others prefer to emend the form to עֹצֶם (’otsem, “strong”). See HALOT 817 s.v. עֲצַם.
163 tn Heb “seven streams.” The Hebrew term נַחַל (nakhal, “stream”) refers to a wadi, or seasonal stream, which runs during the rainy season, but is otherwise dry. The context (see v. 15b) here favors the translation, “dried up streams.” The number seven suggests totality and completeness. Here it indicates that God’s provision for escape will be thorough and more than capable of accommodating the returning exiles.
164 tn Heb “and there will be a highway for the remnant of his people who remain, from Assyria.”
165 tn Heb “in the day” (so KJV).
166 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
167 tn Or “salvation” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).
168 tn The words “in him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
169 tc The Hebrew text has, “for my strength and protection [is] the Lord, the Lord (Heb “Yah, Yahweh).” The word יְהוָה (yehvah) is probably dittographic or explanatory here (note that the short form of the name [יָהּ, yah] precedes, and that the graphically similar וַיְהִי [vayÿhi] follows). Exod 15:2, the passage from which the words of v. 2b are taken, has only יָהּ. The word זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song,” in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing); note that in v. 5 the verb זָמַר (zamar, “sing”) appears. Many recent commentators, however, have argued that the noun is here instead a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v. III *זמר.
170 tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “my savior.”
171 tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); CEV “victory.”
sn Water is here a metaphor for renewed life; the springs symbolize the restoration of God’s favor.
172 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
173 tn Heb “call in his name,” i.e., “invoke his name.”
174 tn Heb “bring to remembrance that his name is exalted.” The Lord’s “name” stands here for his character and reputation.
175 tc The translation follows the marginal reading (Qere), which is a Hophal participle from יָדַע (yada’), understood here in a gerundive sense.
176 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
177 tn Or “is great” (TEV). However, the context emphasizes his mighty acts of deliverance (cf. NCV), not some general or vague character quality.
178 tn Or “wail”; Grk “crying aloud.”
179 tn Or “hoarded up treasure for the last days”; Grk “in the last days.”
180 sn James’ point seems to be that instead of seeking deliverance from condemnation, they have defied God’s law (fattened your hearts) and made themselves more likely objects of his judgment (in a day of slaughter).
181 tn Literally a series of verbs without connectives, “you have condemned, you have murdered…he does not resist.”
182 tn Grk “brothers”; this phrase occurs again three times in the paragraph. See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
183 tn Or “advent”; or “coming” (also in v. 8).
184 tn Grk “Behold! The farmer waits.”
185 tn Grk “being patient.”
186 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
187 sn The term gates is used metaphorically here. The physical referent would be the entrances to the city, but the author uses the term to emphasize the imminence of the judge’s approach.
188 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
189 tn Grk “Behold! We regard…”
190 sn An allusion to Exod 34:6; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15; 102:13; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2.
191 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
192 tn Grk “anointing.”
193 tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”
194 tn Or “the fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”; Grk “is very powerful in its working.”
195 tn Although it is certainly true that Elijah was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") has been translated as “human being” because the emphasis in context is not on Elijah’s masculine gender, but on the common humanity he shared with the author and the readers.
196 tn Grk “he prayed with prayer” (using a Hebrew idiom to show intensity).
197 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events.
198 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
199 tn Grk “from the error of his way” (using the same root as the verb “to wander, to err” in the first part of the verse).
200 tn Grk “his soul”; the referent (the sinner mentioned at the beginning of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
