Deuteronomy 18:1-22 
Context18:1 The Levitical priests 1 – indeed, the entire tribe of Levi – will have no allotment or inheritance with Israel; they may eat the burnt offerings of the Lord and of his inheritance. 2 18:2 They 3 will have no inheritance in the midst of their fellow Israelites; 4 the Lord alone is their inheritance, just as he had told them. 18:3 This shall be the priests’ fair allotment 5 from the people who offer sacrifices, whether bull or sheep – they must give to the priest the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach. 18:4 You must give them the best of your 6 grain, new wine, and olive oil, as well as the best of your wool when you shear your flocks. 18:5 For the Lord your God has chosen them and their sons from all your tribes to stand 7 and serve in his name 8 permanently. 18:6 Suppose a Levite comes by his own free will 9 from one of your villages, from any part of Israel where he is living, 10 to the place the Lord chooses 18:7 and serves in the name of the Lord his God like his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord. 18:8 He must eat the same share they do, despite any profits he may gain from the sale of his family’s inheritance. 11
18:9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must not learn the abhorrent practices of those nations. 18:10 There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, 12 anyone who practices divination, 13 an omen reader, 14 a soothsayer, 15 a sorcerer, 16 18:11 one who casts spells, 17 one who conjures up spirits, 18 a practitioner of the occult, 19 or a necromancer. 20 18:12 Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord and because of these detestable things 21 the Lord your God is about to drive them out 22 from before you. 18:13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God. 18:14 Those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to omen readers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not given you permission to do such things.
18:15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you – from your fellow Israelites; 23 you must listen to him. 18:16 This accords with what happened at Horeb in the day of the assembly. You asked the Lord your God: “Please do not make us hear the voice of the Lord our 24 God any more or see this great fire any more lest we die.” 18:17 The Lord then said to me, “What they have said is good. 18:18 I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command. 18:19 I will personally hold responsible 25 anyone who then pays no attention to the words that prophet 26 speaks in my name.
18:20 “But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized 27 him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. 18:21 Now if you say to yourselves, 28 ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’ 29 – 18:22 whenever a prophet speaks in my 30 name and the prediction 31 is not fulfilled, 32 then I have 33 not spoken it; 34 the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”
Psalms 105:1-45
Context105:1 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
105:2 Sing to him!
Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
105:3 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
105:4 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
105:5 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed, 36
105:6 O children 37 of Abraham, 38 God’s 39 servant,
you descendants 40 of Jacob, God’s 41 chosen ones!
105:7 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth. 42
105:8 He always remembers his covenantal decree,
the promise he made 43 to a thousand generations –
105:9 the promise 44 he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
105:10 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise, 45
105:11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
105:12 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and resident aliens within it,
105:13 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another. 46
105:14 He let no one oppress them;
he disciplined kings for their sake,
105:15 saying, 47 “Don’t touch my chosen 48 ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth;
he cut off all the food supply. 49
105:17 He sent a man ahead of them 50 –
Joseph was sold as a servant.
105:18 The shackles hurt his feet; 51
his neck was placed in an iron collar, 52
105:19 until the time when his prediction 53 came true.
The Lord’s word 54 proved him right. 55
105:20 The king authorized his release; 56
the ruler of nations set him free.
105:21 He put him in charge of his palace, 57
and made him manager of all his property,
105:22 giving him authority to imprison his officials 58
and to teach his advisers. 59
105:23 Israel moved to 60 Egypt;
Jacob lived for a time 61 in the land of Ham.
105:24 The Lord 62 made his people very fruitful,
and made them 63 more numerous than their 64 enemies.
105:25 He caused them 65 to hate his people,
and to mistreat 66 his servants.
105:26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
105:27 They executed his miraculous signs among them, 67
and his amazing deeds in the land of Ham.
they did not disobey his orders. 69
105:29 He turned their water into blood,
and killed their fish.
105:30 Their land was overrun by frogs,
which even got into the rooms of their kings.
105:31 He ordered flies to come; 70
gnats invaded their whole territory.
105:32 He sent hail along with the rain; 71
there was lightning in their land. 72
105:33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees,
and broke the trees throughout their territory.
105:34 He ordered locusts to come, 73
innumerable grasshoppers.
105:35 They ate all the vegetation in their land,
and devoured the crops of their fields. 74
105:36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power. 75
105:37 He brought his people 76 out enriched 77 with silver and gold;
none of his tribes stumbled.
105:38 Egypt was happy when they left,
for they were afraid of them. 78
105:39 He spread out a cloud for a cover, 79
and provided a fire to light up the night.
105:40 They asked for food, 80 and he sent quails;
he satisfied them with food from the sky. 81
105:41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out;
a river ran through dry regions.
105:42 Yes, 82 he remembered the sacred promise 83
he made to Abraham his servant.
105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;
his chosen ones shouted with joy. 84
105:44 He handed the territory of nations over to them,
and they took possession of what other peoples had produced, 85
105:45 so that they might keep his commands
and obey 86 his laws.
Praise the Lord!
Isaiah 45:1-25
Context45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 87 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 88
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 89
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
45:2 “I will go before you
and level mountains. 90
Bronze doors I will shatter
and iron bars 91 I will hack through.
45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, 92
riches stashed away in secret places,
so you may recognize that I am the Lord,
the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize 93 me.
45:5 I am the Lord, I have no peer, 94
there is no God but me.
I arm you for battle, 95 even though you do not recognize 96 me.
45:6 I do this 97 so people 98 will recognize from east to west
that there is no God but me;
I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:7 I am 99 the one who forms light
and creates darkness; 100
the one who brings about peace
and creates calamity. 101
I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.
45:8 O sky, rain down from above!
Let the clouds send down showers 102 of deliverance!
Let the earth absorb it 103 so salvation may grow, 104
and deliverance may sprout up 105 along with it.
I, the Lord, create it. 106
45:9 One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, 107
one who is like a mere 108 shard among the other shards on the ground!
The clay should not say to the potter, 109
“What in the world 110 are you doing?
Your work lacks skill!” 111
45:10 Danger awaits one who says 112 to his father,
“What in the world 113 are you fathering?”
and to his mother,
“What in the world are you bringing forth?” 114
45:11 This is what the Lord says,
the Holy One of Israel, 115 the one who formed him,
concerning things to come: 116
“How dare you question me 117 about my children!
How dare you tell me what to do with 118 the work of my own hands!
45:12 I made the earth,
I created the people who live 119 on it.
It was me – my hands 120 stretched out the sky, 121
I give orders to all the heavenly lights. 122
45:13 It is me – I stir him up and commission him; 123
I will make all his ways level.
He will rebuild my city;
he will send my exiled people home,
but not for a price or a bribe,”
says the Lord who commands armies.
45:14 This is what the Lord says:
“The profit 124 of Egypt and the revenue 125 of Ethiopia,
along with the Sabeans, those tall men,
will be brought to you 126 and become yours.
They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. 127
They will bow down to you
and pray to you: 128
‘Truly God is with 129 you; he has no peer; 130
there is no other God!’”
45:15 Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden,
O God of Israel, deliverer!
45:16 They will all be ashamed and embarrassed;
those who fashion idols will all be humiliated. 131
45:17 Israel will be delivered once and for all by the Lord; 132
you will never again be ashamed or humiliated. 133
45:18 For this is what the Lord says,
the one who created the sky –
he is the true God, 134
the one who formed the earth and made it;
he established it,
he did not create it without order, 135
he formed it to be inhabited –
“I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:19 I have not spoken in secret,
in some hidden place. 136
I did not tell Jacob’s descendants,
‘Seek me in vain!’ 137
I am the Lord,
the one who speaks honestly,
who makes reliable announcements. 138
45:20 Gather together and come!
Approach together, you refugees from the nations!
Those who carry wooden idols know nothing,
those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.
45:21 Tell me! Present the evidence! 139
Let them consult with one another!
Who predicted this in the past?
Who announced it beforehand?
Was it not I, the Lord?
I have no peer, there is no God but me,
a God who vindicates and delivers; 140
there is none but me.
45:22 Turn to me so you can be delivered, 141
all you who live in the earth’s remote regions!
For I am God, and I have no peer.
45:23 I solemnly make this oath 142 –
what I say is true and reliable: 143
‘Surely every knee will bow to me,
every tongue will solemnly affirm; 144
45:24 they will say about me,
“Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer.”’” 145
All who are angry at him will cower before him. 146
45:25 All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated by the Lord
and will boast in him. 147
Revelation 15:1-8
Context15:1 Then 148 I saw another great and astounding sign in heaven: seven angels who have seven final plagues 149 (they are final because in them God’s anger is completed).
15:2 Then 150 I saw something like a sea of glass 151 mixed with fire, and those who had conquered 152 the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing 153 by 154 the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God. 155 15:3 They 156 sang the song of Moses the servant 157 of God and the song of the Lamb: 158
“Great and astounding are your deeds,
Lord God, the All-Powerful! 159
Just 160 and true are your ways,
King over the nations! 161
15:4 Who will not fear you, O Lord,
and glorify 162 your name, because you alone are holy? 163
All nations 164 will come and worship before you
for your righteous acts 165 have been revealed.”
15:5 After 166 these things I looked, and the temple (the tent 167 of the testimony) 168 was opened in heaven, 15:6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, dressed in clean bright linen, wearing wide golden belts 169 around their chests. 15:7 Then 170 one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath 171 of God who lives forever and ever, 15:8 and the temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from his power. Thus 172 no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues from the seven angels were completed.
1 tn The MT places the terms “priests” and “Levites” in apposition, thus creating an epexegetical construction in which the second term qualifies the first, i.e., “Levitical priests.” This is a way of asserting their legitimacy as true priests. The Syriac renders “to the priest and to the Levite,” making a distinction between the two, but one that is out of place here.
2 sn Of his inheritance. This is a figurative way of speaking of the produce of the land the
3 tn Heb “he” (and throughout the verse).
4 tn Heb “brothers,” but not referring to actual siblings. Cf. NASB “their countrymen”; NRSV “the other members of the community.”
5 tn Heb “judgment”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “the priest’s due.”
6 tn Heb “the firstfruits of your…” (so NIV).
7 tc Smr and some Greek texts add “before the
8 tn Heb “the name of the
9 tn Heb “according to all the desire of his soul.”
10 tn Or “sojourning.” The verb used here refers to living temporarily in a place, not settling down.
11 tn Presumably this would not refer to a land inheritance, since that was forbidden to the descendants of Levi (v. 1). More likely it referred to some family possessions (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, CEV) or other private property (cf. NLT “a private source of income”), or even support sent by relatives (cf. TEV “whatever his family sends him”).
12 tn Heb “who passes his son or his daughter through the fire.” The expression “pass…through the fire” is probably a euphemism for human sacrifice (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV, NLT). See also Deut 12:31.
13 tn Heb “a diviner of divination” (קֹסֵם קְסָמִים, qosem qÿsamim). This was a means employed to determine the future or the outcome of events by observation of various omens and signs (cf. Num 22:7; 23:23; Josh 13:22; 1 Sam 6:2; 15:23; 28:8; etc.). See M. Horsnell, NIDOTTE 3:945-51.
14 tn Heb “one who causes to appear” (מְעוֹנֵן, mÿ’onen). Such a practitioner was thought to be able to conjure up spirits or apparitions (cf. Lev 19:26; Judg 9:37; 2 Kgs 21:6; Isa 2:6; 57:3; Jer 27:9; Mic 5:11).
15 tn Heb “a seeker of omens” (מְנַחֵשׁ, mÿnakhesh). This is a subset of divination, one illustrated by the use of a “divining cup” in the story of Joseph (Gen 44:5).
16 tn Heb “a doer of sorcery” (מְכַשֵּׁף, mikhashef). This has to do with magic or the casting of spells in order to manipulate the gods or the powers of nature (cf. Lev 19:26-31; 2 Kgs 17:15b-17; 21:1-7; Isa 57:3, 5; etc.). See M. Horsnell, NIDOTTE 2:735-38.
17 tn Heb “a binder of binding” (חֹבֵר חָבֶר, khover khaver). The connotation is that of immobilizing (“binding”) someone or something by the use of magical words (cf. Ps 58:6; Isa 47:9, 12).
18 tn Heb “asker of a [dead] spirit” (שֹׁאֵל אוֹב, sho’el ’ov). This is a form of necromancy (cf. Lev 19:31; 20:6; 1 Sam 28:8, 9; Isa 8:19; 19:3; 29:4).
19 tn Heb “a knowing [or “familiar”] [spirit]” (יִדְּעֹנִי, yiddÿ’oniy), i.e., one who is expert in mantic arts (cf. Lev 19:31; 20:6, 27; 1 Sam 28:3, 9; 2 Kgs 21:6; Isa 8:19; 19:3).
20 tn Heb “a seeker of the dead.” This is much the same as “one who conjures up spirits” (cf. 1 Sam 28:6-7).
21 tn Heb “these abhorrent things.” The repetition is emphatic. For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, the same term used earlier in the verse has been translated “detestable” here.
22 tn The translation understands the Hebrew participial form as having an imminent future sense here.
23 tc The MT expands here on the usual formula by adding “from among you” (cf. Deut 17:15; 18:18; Smr; a number of Greek texts). The expansion seems to be for the purpose of emphasis, i.e., the prophet to come must be not just from Israel but an Israelite by blood.
tn “from your brothers,” but not referring to actual siblings. Cf. NAB “from among your own kinsmen”; NASB “from your countrymen”; NRSV “from among your own people.” A similar phrase occurs in v. 17.
24 tn The Hebrew text uses the collective singular in this verse: “my God…lest I die.”
25 tn Heb “will seek from him”; NAB “I myself will make him answer for it”; NRSV “will hold accountable.”
26 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet mentioned in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27 tn Or “commanded” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
28 tn Heb “in your heart.”
29 tn Heb “know the word which the Lord has not spoken.” The issue here is not understanding the meaning of the message, but distinguishing a genuine prophetic word from a false one.
30 tn Heb “the
31 tn Heb “the word,” but a predictive word is in view here. Cf. NAB “his oracle.”
32 tn Heb “does not happen or come to pass.”
33 tn Heb “the
34 tn Heb “that is the word which the Lord has not spoken.”
35 sn Psalm 105. The psalmist summons Israel to praise God because he delivered his people from Egypt in fulfillment of his covenantal promises to Abraham. A parallel version of vv. 1-15 appears in 1 Chr 16:8-22.
36 tn Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”
37 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
38 tc Some
39 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
40 tn Heb “sons.”
41 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
42 tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”
43 tn Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 10-12 make clear.
44 tn Heb “which.”
45 tn Or “eternal covenant.”
46 tn Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”
47 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
48 tn Heb “anointed.”
49 tn Heb “and every staff of food he broke.” The psalmist refers to the famine that occurred in Joseph’s time (see v. 17 and Gen 41:53-57).
50 tn After the reference to the famine in v. 16, v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see Gen 37).
51 tn Heb “they afflicted his feet with shackles.”
52 tn Heb “his neck came [into] iron.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with the suffix could mean simply “he” or “his life.” But the nuance “neck” makes good sense here (note the reference to his “feet” in the preceding line). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 38.
53 tn Heb “word,” probably referring to Joseph’s prediction about the fate of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (see Gen 41:9-14).
54 tn This line may refer to Joseph’s prediction of the famine in response to Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph emphasized to Pharaoh that the interpretation of the dream came from God (see Gen 41:16, 25, 28, 32, 39).
55 tn Heb “refined him.”
56 tn Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”
57 tn Heb “he made him master of his house.”
58 tn Heb “to bind his officials by his will.”
59 tn Heb “and his elders he taught wisdom.”
60 tn Heb “entered.”
61 tn Heb “lived as a resident alien.”
62 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
63 tn Heb “him,” referring to “his people.”
64 tn Heb “his,” referring to “his people.”
65 tn Heb “their heart.”
66 tn Or “to deal deceptively.” The Hitpael of נָכַל (nakhal) occurs only here and in Gen 37:18, where it is used of Joseph’s brothers “plotting” to kill him.
67 tn Apparently the pronoun refers to “his servants” (i.e., the Israelites, see v. 25).
68 tn Heb “he sent darkness and made it dark.”
sn He made it dark. The psalmist begins with the ninth plague (see Exod 10:21-29).
69 tn Heb “they did not rebel against his words.” Apparently this refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out God’s orders.
70 tn Heb “he spoke and flies came.”
71 tn Heb “he gave their rains hail.”
72 tn Heb “fire of flames [was] in their land.”
73 tn Heb “he spoke and locusts came.”
74 tn Heb “the fruit of their ground.”
75 tn Heb “the beginning of all their strength,” that is, reproductive power (see Ps 78:51).
sn Verses 28-36 recall the plagues in a different order than the one presented in Exodus: v. 28 (plague 9), v. 29 (plague 1), v. 30 (plague 2), v. 31a (plague 4), v. 31b (plague 3), vv. 32-33 (plague 7), vv. 34-35 (plague 8), v. 36 (plague 10). No reference is made in Ps 105 to plagues 5 and 6.
76 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the
77 tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
78 tn Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”
79 tn Or “curtain.”
80 tn Heb “he [i.e., his people] asked.” The singular form should probably be emended to a plural שָׁאֲלוּ (sha’alu, “they asked”), the vav (ו) having fallen off by haplography (note the vav at the beginning of the following form).
81 tn Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15).
82 tn Or “for.”
83 tn Heb “his holy word.”
84 tn Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”
85 tn Heb “and the [product of the] work of peoples they possessed.”
86 tn Heb “guard.”
87 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
88 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
89 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
90 tc The form הֲדוּרִים (hadurim) makes little, if any, sense here. It is probably a corruption of an original הָרָרִים (hararim, “mountains”), the reduplicated form of הָר (har, “mountain”).
91 tn That is, on the gates. Cf. CEV “break the iron bars on bronze gates.”
92 tn Heb “treasures of darkness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “treasures from dark, secret places.”
93 tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
94 tn Heb “and there is none besides.” On the use of עוֹד (’od) here, see BDB 729 s.v. 1.c.
95 tn Heb “gird you” (so NASB) or “strengthen you” (so NIV).
96 tn Or “know” (NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT); NIV “have not acknowledged.”
97 tn The words “I do this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
98 tn Heb “they” (so KJV, ASV); TEV, CEV “everyone”; NLT “all the world.”
99 tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.
100 tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”
101 sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).
102 tn Heb “let the clouds drip with”; KJV “let the skies pour down.”
103 tn Heb “open up” (so NASB); NIV, NLT “open wide.”
104 tc The plural verb should be emended to a singular form. The vav (ו) ending is probably virtually dittographic (note the yod at the beginning of the following word).
105 tc The Hiphil verb form (תַצְמִיחַ, tatsmiakh) should probably be emended to a Qal (תִצְמַח, titsmakh). The יח sequence at the end of the form is probably due to dittography (note the following יַחַד, yakhad).
106 tn The masculine singular pronominal suffix probably refers back to יָשַׁע (yasha’, “salvation”).
107 tn Heb “Woe [to] the one who argues with the one who formed him.”
108 tn The words “one who is like a mere” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and clarification.
109 tn Heb “Should the clay say to the one who forms it?” The rhetorical question anticipates a reply, “Of course not!”
110 tn The words “in the world” are supplied in the translation to approximate in English idiom the force of the sarcastic question.
111 tn Heb “your work, there are no hands for it,” i.e., “your work looks like something made by a person who has no hands.”
112 tn Heb “Woe [to] one who says” (NASB and NIV both similar); NCV “How terrible it will be.”
113 tn See the note at v. 9. This phrase occurs a second time later in this verse.
114 sn Verses 9-10 may allude to the exiles’ criticism that the Lord does not appear to know what he is doing.
115 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
116 tc The Hebrew text reads “the one who formed him, the coming things.” Among various suggestions, some have proposed an emendation of יֹצְרוֹ (yotsÿro, “the one who formed him”) to יֹצֵר (yotser, “the one who forms”; the suffixed form in the Hebrew text may be influenced by vv. 9-10, where the same form appears twice) and takes “coming things” as the object of the participle (either objective genitive or accusative): “the one who brings the future into being.”
117 tn Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
118 tn Heb “Do you command me about…?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
119 tn The words “who live” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
120 tn Heb “I, even my hands”; NASB “I stretched out…with My hands”; NRSV “it was my hands that stretched out.” The same construction occurs at the beginning of v. 13.
121 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
122 tn Heb “and to all their host I commanded.” See the notes at 40:26.
123 tn Heb “I stir him up in righteousness”; NASB “I have aroused him.” See the note at 41:2. Cyrus (cf. 44:28) is in view here.
124 tn Heb “labor,” which stands metonymically for the fruits of labor, either “monetary profit,” or “products.”
125 tn Or perhaps, “merchandise” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “the gain of Ethiopia”; CEV “the treasures of Ethiopia.”
126 tn Heb “they will pass over to you”; NASB, NIV “will come over to you”; CEV “will belong to you.”
127 sn Restored Israel is depicted here in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion as an imperial power that receives riches and slaves as tribute.
128 sn Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.
129 tn Or perhaps, “among.” Cf. KJV, ASV “Surely God is in thee.”
130 tn Heb “there is no other” (so NIV, NRSV). The same phrase occurs at the end of v. 18, in v. 21, and at the end of v. 22.
131 tn “together they will walk in humiliation, the makers of images.”
132 tn Heb “Israel will be delivered by the Lord [with] a permanent deliverance.”
133 tn Heb “you will not be ashamed and you will not be humiliated for ages of future time.”
134 tn Heb “he [is] the God.” The article here indicates uniqueness.
135 tn Or “unformed.” Gen 1:2 describes the world as “unformed” (תֹהוּ, tohu) prior to God’s creative work, but God then formed the world and made it fit for habitation.
136 tn Heb “in a place of a land of darkness” (ASV similar); NASB “in some dark land.”
137 tn “In vain” translates תֹהוּ (tohu), used here as an adverbial accusative: “for nothing.”
138 tn The translation above assumes that צֶדֶק (tsedeq) and מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim) are adverbial accusatives (see 33:15). If they are taken as direct objects, indicating the content of what is spoken, one might translate, “who proclaims deliverance, who announces justice.”
139 tn Heb “Declare! Bring near!”; NASB “Declare and set forth your case.” See 41:21.
140 tn Or “a righteous God and deliverer”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “a righteous God and a Savior.”
141 tn The Niphal imperative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the preceding imperative. The Niphal probably has a tolerative sense, “allow yourselves to be delivered, accept help.”
142 tn Heb “I swear by myself”; KJV, NASB “have sworn.”
143 tn Heb “a word goes out from my mouth [in] truth and will not return.”
144 tn Heb “swear” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “confess allegiance.”
145 tn Heb “‘Yes, in the Lord,’ one says about me, ‘is deliverance and strength.’”
146 tn Heb “will come to him and be ashamed.”
147 tn Heb “In the Lord all the offspring of Israel will be vindicated and boast.”
148 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
149 tn Grk “seven plagues – the last ones.”
150 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
151 sn See Rev 4:6 where the sea of glass was mentioned previously.
152 tn Or “had been victorious over”; traditionally, “had overcome.”
153 tn Grk “of his name, standing.” A new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
154 tn Or “on.” The preposition ἐπί (epi) with the accusative case could mean “on, at, by, near”; given the nature of this scene appearing in a vision, it is difficult to know precisely which the author of Revelation intended. See BDAG 363 s.v. ἐπί 1.c.γ, “At, by, near someone or someth.”
155 tn Grk “harps of God.” The phrase τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a genitive of agency.
156 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
157 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
158 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
159 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”
160 tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.
161 tc Certain
162 tn Or “and praise.”
sn Jeremiah 10:7 probably stands behind the idea of fearing God, and Psalm 86:9-10 stands behind the ideas of glorifying God, his uniqueness, and the nations coming to worship him. Many other OT passages also speak about the nations “coming to his temple” to worship (Isa 2:2-3, 49:22-23, 66:23-24; Micah 4:2; Zech 8:20-22). See G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 796-97.
163 sn Because you alone are holy. In the Greek text the sentence literally reads “because alone holy.” Three points can be made in connection with John’s language here: (1) Omitting the second person, singular verb “you are” lays stress on the attribute of God’s holiness. (2) The juxtaposition of alone with holy stresses the unique nature of God’s holiness and complete “otherness” in relationship to his creation. It is not just moral purity which is involved in the use of the term holy, though it certainly includes that. It is also the pervasive OT idea that although God is deeply involved in the governing of his creation, he is to be regarded as separate and distinct from it. (3) John’s use of the term holy is also intriguing since it is the term ὅσιος (Josios) and not the more common NT term ἅγιος (Jagios). The former term evokes images of Christ’s messianic status in early Christian preaching. Both Peter in Acts 2:27 and Paul in Acts 13:35 apply Psalm 16:10 (LXX) to Jesus, referring to him as the “holy one” (ὅσιος). It is also the key term in Acts 13:34 (Isa 55:3 [LXX]) where it refers to the “holy blessings” (i.e., forgiveness and justification) brought about through Jesus in fulfillment of Davidic promise. Thus, in Rev 15:3-4, when John refers to God as “holy,” using the term ὅσιος in a context where the emphasis is on both God and Christ, there might be an implicit connection between divinity and the Messiah. This is bolstered by the fact that the Lamb is referred to in other contexts as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (cf. 1:5; 17:14; 19:16 and perhaps 11:15; G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 796-97).
164 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
165 tn Or perhaps, “your sentences of condemnation.” On δικαίωμα (dikaiwma) in this context BDAG 249 s.v. 2. states, “righteous deed…δι᾿ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος (opp. παράπτωμα) Ro 5:18. – B 1:2 (cp. Wengst, Barnabas-brief 196, n.4); Rv 15:4 (here perh.= ‘sentence of condemnation’ [cp. Pla., Leg. 9, 864e; ins fr. Asia Minor: LBW 41, 2 [κατὰ] τὸ δι[καί]ωμα τὸ κυρω[θέν]= ‘acc. to the sentence which has become valid’]; difft. Wengst, s. above); 19:8.”
166 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
167 tn On this term BDAG 928 s.v. σκηνή 1.b.α states, “ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ μαρτυρίου the Tabernacle or Tent of Testimony (Ex 27:21; 29:4; Lev 1:1; Num 1:1 and oft.…) Ac 7:44; 1 Cl 43:2, 5,” and then continues in section 2 to state, “Rv 15:5 speaks of a ναὸς τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. God’s σκ.= dwelling is in heaven 13:6, and will some time be among humans 21:3.”
168 tn Grk “the temple of the tent of the testimony” (ὁ ναός τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου, Jo naos ths skhnhs tou marturiou). The genitive “of the tent” is probably an appositional genitive and should be rendered as “the temple, which is the tent.” The entire expression, then, would be “the temple which is the tent of testimony,” that is, “the heavenly equivalent of the tent or tabernacle that was with Israel in the wilderness” (G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 801-2).
sn In the OT the expression “tent of the testimony” occurs frequently (130 times in Exodus through Deuteronomy). The “testimony” refers to the ten commandments, i.e., the revelation of the righteous will of God (Exod 16:34; 25:21; 31:18; 32:15; 40:24). It is little wonder that the wrath of God upon an unrighteous, lawbreaking humanity follows in John’s description.
169 tn Or “wide golden sashes,” but these would not be diagonal, as some modern sashes are, but horizontal. The Greek term can refer to a wide band of cloth or leather worn on the outside of one’s clothing (L&N 6.178).
170 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
171 tn Or “anger.”
172 tn Grk “power, and no one.” A new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the temple being filled with smoke.
