Joshua 18:1--19:51 
Context18:1 The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting. 1 Though they had subdued the land, 2 18:2 seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land. 3 18:3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying 4 the land the Lord God of your ancestors 5 has given you? 18:4 Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me. 6 18:5 Divide it into seven regions. 7 Judah will stay 8 in its territory in the south, and the family 9 of Joseph in its territory in the north. 18:6 But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God. 18:7 But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord. 10 Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land 11 east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”
18:8 When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.” 18:9 The men journeyed 12 through the land and mapped it and its cities out into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 18:10 Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.
18:11 The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin 13 by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph. 14 18:12 Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho 15 on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven. 18:13 It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel), 16 and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon. 18:14 It then turned on the west side southward from the hill near Beth Horon on the south and extended to Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city belonging to the tribe 17 of Judah. This is the western border. 18 18:15 The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. 18:16 The border then descended to the edge of the hill country near the Valley of Ben Hinnom located in the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. It descended through the Valley of Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites to the south and then down to En Rogel. 18:17 It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass 19 of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 18:18 It crossed to the slope in front of the Arabah to the north and descended into the Arabah. 18:19 It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea 20 at the mouth of the Jordan River. 21 This was the southern border. 18:20 The Jordan River borders it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans. 22
18:21 These cities belonged to the tribe 23 of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, 24 Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 18:22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 25 18:23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 18:24 Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba – a total of twelve cities and their towns.
18:25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 18:26 Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, 18:27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 18:28 Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city 26 (that is, Jerusalem), 27 Gibeah, and Kiriath – a total of fourteen cities and their towns. 28 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin 29 by its clans.
19:1 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 30 19:2 Their assigned land included 31 Beer Sheba, 32 Moladah, 19:3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 19:4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 19:5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 19:6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen – a total of thirteen cities and their towns, 19:7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan – a total of four cities and their towns, 19:8 as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 33 19:9 Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah. 34
19:10 The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun 35 by its clans. The border of their territory 36 extended to Sarid. 19:11 Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near 37 Jokneam. 19:12 From Sarid it turned eastward 38 to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. 19:13 From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. 19:14 It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 19:15 Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; 39 in all they had twelve cities and their towns. 40 19:16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun 41 by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
19:17 The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar 42 by its clans. 19:18 Their assigned land 43 included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 19:21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 19:22 Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns. 19:23 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar 44 by its clans, including the cities and their towns.
19:24 The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher 45 by its clans. 19:25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 19:26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath. 19:27 It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as the Valley of Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north 46 19:28 and on to Ebron, 47 Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 48 19:29 It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, 49 turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib, 19:30 Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had 50 twenty-two cities and their towns. 19:31 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher 51 by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
19:32 The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali 52 by its clans. 19:33 Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum, 53 and ended at the Jordan River. 54 19:34 It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan 55 on the east. 19:35 The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 19:36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 56 19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 19:38 Yiron, 57 Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had 58 nineteen cities and their towns. 19:39 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali 59 by its clans, including the cities and their towns.
19:40 The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan 60 by its clans. 19:41 Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 19:42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 19:43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 19:45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 19:46 the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa. 19:47 (The Danites failed to conquer their territory, 61 so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it 62 Dan after their ancestor. 63 ) 19:48 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan 64 by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
19:49 When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land. 65 19:50 As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested – Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it.
19:51 These are the land assignments which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders 66 made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 67 So they finished dividing up the land.
Psalms 149:1--150:6
Context149:1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Praise him in the assembly of the godly! 69
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in their Creator!
Let the people 70 of Zion delight in their king! 71
149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing!
Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!
149:4 For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he exalts the oppressed by delivering them. 72
149:5 Let the godly rejoice because of their vindication! 73
Let them shout for joy upon their beds! 74
149:6 May they praise God
while they hold a two-edged sword in their hand, 75
149:7 in order to take 76 revenge on the nations,
and punish foreigners.
149:8 They bind 77 their kings in chains,
and their nobles in iron shackles,
149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies 78 have been sentenced. 79
All his loyal followers will be vindicated. 80
Praise the Lord!
150:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength! 82
150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts!
Praise him for his surpassing greatness!
150:3 Praise him with the blast of the horn!
Praise him with the lyre and the harp!
150:4 Praise him with the tambourine and with dancing!
Praise him with stringed instruments and the flute!
150:5 Praise him with loud cymbals!
Praise him with clanging cymbals!
150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Jeremiah 9:1-26
Context9:1 (8:23) 83 I wish that my head were a well full of water 84
and my eyes were a fountain full of tears!
If they were, I could cry day and night
for those of my dear people 85 who have been killed.
9:2 (9:1) I wish I had a lodging place in the desert
where I could spend some time like a weary traveler. 86
Then I would desert my people
and walk away from them
because they are all unfaithful to God,
a congregation 87 of people that has been disloyal to him. 88
“These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows.
Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies. 90
They have become powerful in the land,
but they have not done so by honest means. 91
Indeed, they do one evil thing after another 92
and do not pay attention to me. 93
9:4 Everyone must be on his guard around his friends.
He must not even trust any of his relatives. 94
For every one of them will find some way to cheat him. 95
And all of his friends will tell lies about him.
9:5 One friend deceives another
and no one tells the truth.
These people have trained themselves 96 to tell lies.
They do wrong and are unable to repent.
9:6 They do one act of violence after another,
and one deceitful thing after another. 97
They refuse to pay attention to me,” 98
says the Lord.
9:7 Therefore the Lord who rules over all says, 99
“I will now purify them in the fires of affliction 100 and test them.
The wickedness of my dear people 101 has left me no choice.
What else can I do? 102
9:8 Their tongues are like deadly arrows. 103
They are always telling lies. 104
Friendly words for their neighbors come from their mouths.
But their minds are thinking up ways to trap them. 105
9:9 I will certainly punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord.
“I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this!” 106
“I will weep and mourn 108 for the grasslands on the mountains, 109
I will sing a mournful song for the pastures in the wilderness
because they are so scorched no one travels through them.
The sound of livestock is no longer heard there.
Even the birds in the sky and the wild animals in the fields
have fled and are gone.”
“I will make Jerusalem 111 a heap of ruins.
Jackals will make their home there. 112
I will destroy the towns of Judah
so that no one will be able to live in them.”
“Who is wise enough to understand why this has happened? 114
Who has a word from the Lord that can explain it? 115
Why does the land lie in ruins?
Why is it as scorched as a desert through which no one travels?”
9:13 The Lord answered, “This has happened because these people have rejected my laws which I gave them. They have not obeyed me or followed those laws. 116 9:14 Instead they have followed the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts. They have paid allegiance to 117 the gods called Baal, 118 as their fathers 119 taught them to do. 9:15 So then, listen to what I, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all, 120 say. 121 ‘I will make these people eat the bitter food of suffering and drink the poison water of judgment. 122 9:16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors 123 have known anything about. I will send people chasing after them with swords 124 until I have destroyed them.’” 125
9:17 The Lord who rules over all 126 told me to say to this people, 127
“Take note of what I say. 128
Call for the women who mourn for the dead!
Summon those who are the most skilled at it!” 129
9:18 I said, “Indeed, 130 let them come quickly and sing a song of mourning for us.
Let them wail loudly until tears stream from our own eyes
and our eyelids overflow with water.
9:19 For the sound of wailing is soon to be heard in Zion.
They will wail, 131 ‘We are utterly ruined! 132 We are completely disgraced!
For our houses have been torn down
and we must leave our land.’” 133
“So now, 135 you wailing women, hear what the Lord says. 136
Open your ears to the words from his mouth.
Teach your daughters this mournful song,
and each of you teach your neighbor 137 this lament.
9:21 ‘Death has climbed in 138 through our windows.
It has entered into our fortified houses.
It has taken away our children who play in the streets.
It has taken away our young men who gather in the city squares.’
9:22 Tell your daughters and neighbors, ‘The Lord says,
“The dead bodies of people will lie scattered everywhere
like manure scattered on a field.
They will lie scattered on the ground
like grain that has been cut down but has not been gathered.”’” 139
“Wise people should not boast that they are wise.
Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. 141
Rich people should not boast that they are rich. 142
9:24 If people want to boast, they should boast about this:
They should boast that they understand and know me.
They should boast that they know and understand
that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth
and that I desire people to do these things,” 143
says the Lord.
9:25 The Lord says, “Watch out! 144 The time is soon coming when I will punish all those who are circumcised only in the flesh. 145 9:26 That is, I will punish the Egyptians, the Judeans, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and all the desert people who cut their hair short at the temples. 146 I will do so because none of the people of those nations are really circumcised in the Lord’s sight. 147 Moreover, none of the people of Israel 148 are circumcised when it comes to their hearts.” 149
Matthew 23:1-39
Context23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 23:2 “The 150 experts in the law 151 and the Pharisees 152 sit on Moses’ seat. 23:3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 153 23:4 They 154 tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 23:5 They 155 do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries 156 wide and their tassels 157 long. 23:6 They 158 love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 159 23:7 and elaborate greetings 160 in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ 23:8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 23:9 And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 23:10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. 161 23:11 The 162 greatest among you will be your servant. 23:12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
23:13 “But woe to you, experts in the law 163 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! 164 You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! 165 For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.
23:14 [[EMPTY]] 16623:15 “Woe to you, experts in the law 167 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, 168 and when you get one, 169 you make him twice as much a child of hell 170 as yourselves!
23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. 171 But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ 23:17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 23:18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. 172 But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ 23:19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 23:20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 23:21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 23:22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.
23:23 “Woe to you, experts in the law 173 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth 174 of mint, dill, and cumin, 175 yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You 176 should have done these things without neglecting the others. 23:24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! 177
23:25 “Woe to you, experts in the law 178 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, 179 so that the outside may become clean too!
23:27 “Woe to you, experts in the law 180 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. 181 23:28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
23:29 “Woe to you, experts in the law 182 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You 183 build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves 184 of the righteous. 23:30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, 185 we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 23:31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 23:32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 23:33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 186
23:34 “For this reason I 187 am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, 188 some of whom you will kill and crucify, 189 and some you will flog 190 in your synagogues 191 and pursue from town to town, 23:35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, 192 whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 23:36 I tell you the truth, 193 this generation will be held responsible for all these things! 194
23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 195 you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! 196 How often I have longed 197 to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but 198 you would have none of it! 199 23:38 Look, your house is left to you desolate! 23:39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” 200
1 tn Heb “the tent of assembly.”
sn On the tent of meeting see Exod 33:7-11.
2 tn Heb “and the land was subdued before them.”
3 tn Heb “there were left among the sons of Israel who had not divided up their inheritance seven tribes.”
4 tn Heb “How long are you putting off entering and possessing.”
5 tn Or “fathers.”
6 tn Heb “I will send them so they may arise and walk about in the land and describe it in writing according to their inheritance and come to me.”
7 tn Heb “portions.”
8 tn Heb “stand.”
9 tn Heb “the house.”
10 tn Or “the priesthood of the
11 tn Or “inheritance.”
12 tn Heb “went and passed through.”
13 tn Heb “and the lot came up for the tribe of the sons of Benjamin.”
14 tn Heb “and the territory of their allotment went out between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.”
15 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
16 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
17 tn Heb “sons,” here referring to the tribe.
18 tn Or “side.”
19 tn Or “ascent.”
20 sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea.
21 tn Heb “to the tongue of the Salt Sea to the north, to the end of the Jordan to the south.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity (also in the following verse).
22 tn Heb “This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin by its borders round about, by their clans.”
23 tn Heb “the sons,” here referring to the tribe.
24 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
25 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
26 tn The word “city” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
27 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
28 tn The structure of this list presents problems. In v. 28 no conjunction appears before “Haeleph” or “Kiriath” in the Hebrew text. This suggests they should be compounded with the preceding names, yielding “Zelah Haeleph” and “Gibeah Kiriath” respectively. This results in a list of only twelve cities, however, while the summary statement (v. 28) gives the number fourteen. One should note, however, that the city lists in chap. 15 do not consistently use the conjunction before the name of each city. See also Josh 19:7, where no conjunction appears before “Rimmon,” but the summary assumes that Ain and Rimmon are distinct.
29 tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin.”
30 tn Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”
31 tn Heb “and they had in their inheritance.”
32 tc The MT has “and Sheba” listed after “Beer Sheba.” The LXX suggests “Shema.” The Hebrew text appears to be corrupt, since the form “Sheba” duplicates the latter part of the preceding name. If Sheba (or Shema) is retained, the list numbers fourteen, one more than the number given in the concluding summary (v. 6).
33 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”
34 tn Heb “from the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon for the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them, and the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.”
35 tn Heb “and the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun.”
36 tn Or “inheritance.”
37 tn Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”
38 tn Heb “eastward toward the rising of the sun.”
39 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
40 tn Heb “Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem, twelve cities and their towns.” The words “their territory included” and “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
41 tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun.”
42 tn Heb “the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar.”
43 tn Or “their inheritance.”
44 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar.”
45 tn Heb “and the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
46 tn Heb “left.”
47 tc Some Hebrew
48 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
49 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
50 tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
51 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
52 tn Heb “the sixth lot came out for the sons of Naphtali, for the sons of Naphtali.”
53 tn Heb “and their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim, and Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel to Lakkum.”
54 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.
55 tc The MT reads “Judah, the Jordan”; the LXX omits “Judah.” Perhaps there was a town named Judah, distinct from the tribe of Judah, located near the northern end of the Jordan.
56 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.
57 sn Instead of Yiron some English translations read Iron.
58 tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
59 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali.”
60 tn Heb “the seventh lot came out for the sons of Dan.”
61 tn Heb “the territory of the sons of Dan went out from them.”
62 tn Heb “Leshem.” The pronoun (“it”) has replaced the name “Leshem” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
63 tn Heb “according to the name of their father.”
64 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan.”
65 tn Heb “an inheritance in their midst.”
66 tn Heb “the leaders of the fathers of the tribes.”
67 tn Heb “at the entrance of the tent of assembly.”
sn On the tent of meeting see Exod 33:7-11.
68 sn Psalm 149. The psalmist calls upon God’s people to praise him because he is just and avenges them.
69 tn Heb “his praise in the assembly of the godly ones.”
70 tn Heb “sons.”
71 sn The
72 tn Heb “he honors the oppressed [with] deliverance.”
73 tn Heb “in glory.” Here “glory” probably refers to the “honor” that belongs to the
74 tn The significance of the reference to “beds” is unclear. Perhaps the point is that they should rejoice at all times, even when falling asleep or awaking.
75 tn Heb “[May] praises of God [be] in their throat, and a two-edged sword in their hand.”
76 tn Heb “to do.”
77 tn Heb “to bind.”
78 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the enemies of the people of God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
79 tn Heb “to do against them judgment [that] is written.”
80 tn Heb “it is honor for all his godly ones.” The judgment of the oppressive kings will bring vindication and honor to God’s people (see vv. 4-5).
81 sn Psalm 150. The Psalter concludes with a resounding call for praise from everything that has breath.
82 tn Heb “the sky of his strength.”
83 sn Beginning with 9:1, the verse numbers through 9:26 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 9:1 ET = 8:23 HT, 9:2 ET = 9:1 HT, 9:3 ET = 9:2 HT, etc., through 9:26 ET = 9:25 HT. Beginning with 10:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
84 tn Heb “I wish that my head were water.”
85 tn Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the note on the phrase “dear people” there.
86 tn Heb “I wish I had in the desert a lodging place [inn, or place to spend the night] for travelers.”
87 tn Or “bunch,” but this loses the irony; the word is used for the solemn assemblies at the religious feasts.
88 tn Heb “they are all adulterers, a congregation of unfaithful people.” However, spiritual adultery is, of course, meant, not literal adultery. So the literal translation would be misleading.
89 tn The words “The
90 tn Heb “They have readied [or strung] their tongue as their bow for lies.”
91 tn Heb “but not through honesty.”
92 tn Heb “they go from evil to evil.”
93 tn Or “do not acknowledge me”; Heb “do not know me.” But “knowing” in Hebrew thought often involves more than intellectual knowledge; it involves emotional and volitional commitment as well. For יָדַע meaning “acknowledge” see 1 Chr 28:9; Isa 29:21; Hos 2:20; Prov 3:6. This word is also found in ancient Near Eastern treaty contexts where it has the idea of a vassal king acknowledging the sovereignty of a greater king (cf. H. Huffmon, “The Treaty Background of Hebrew yada,” BASOR 181 [1966]: 31-37).
94 tn Heb “Be on your guard…Do not trust.” The verbs are second masculine plural of direct address and there seems no way to translate literally and not give the mistaken impression that Jeremiah is being addressed. This is another example of the tendency in Hebrew style to turn from description to direct address (a figure of speech called apostrophe).
95 tn Heb “cheating, each of them will cheat.”
sn There is perhaps an intentional pun and allusion here to Gen 27:36 and the wordplay on the name Jacob there. The text here reads עָקוֹב יַעְקֹב (’aqob ya’qob).
96 tn Heb “their tongues.” However, this is probably not a natural idiom in contemporary English and the tongue may stand as a part for the whole anyway.
97 tc An alternate reading for vv. 5d-6b is: “They wear themselves out doing wrong. Jeremiah, you live in the midst of deceitful people. They deceitfully refuse to take any thought of/acknowledge me.” The translation which has been adopted is based on a redivision of the lines, a redivision of some of the words, and a revocalization of some of the consonants. The MT reads literally “doing wrong they weary themselves. Your sitting in the midst of deceit; in deceit they refuse to know me” (הַעֲוֵה נִלְאוּ׃ שִׁבְתְּךָ בְּתוֹךְ מִרְמָה בְּמִרְמָה מֵאֲנוּ דַעַת־אוֹתִי). The Greek version reads literally “they do wrong and they do not cease to turn themselves around. Usury upon usury and deceit upon deceit. They do not want to know me.” This suggests that one should read the Hebrew text as שֻׁב׃ תֹּךְ בְּתוֹךְ מִרְ־מָה בְּמִרְ־מָה מֵאֲנוּ דַעַת אוֹתִי הַעֲוֵה נִלְאוּ, which translated literally yields “doing evil [= “they do evil” using the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a finite verb (cf. GKC 346 §113.ff)] they are not able [cf. KBL 468 s.v. לָאָה Niph.3 and see Exod 7:18 for parallel use] to repent. Oppression on oppression [cf. BDB 1067 s.v. תֹּךְ, II תּוֹךְ]; deceit on deceit. They refuse to know me.” This reading has ancient support and avoids the introduction of an unexpected second masculine suffix into the context. It has been adopted here along with a number of modern commentaries (cf., e.g., W. McKane, Jeremiah [ICC], 1:201) and English versions as the more likely reading.
98 tn Or “do not acknowledge me”; Heb “do not know me.” See the note on the phrase “do not take any thought of me” in 9:3.
99 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”
sn For the significance of this title see the notes at 2:19 and 7:3.
100 tn Heb “I will refine/purify them.” The words “in the fires of affliction” are supplied in the translation to give clarity to the metaphor.
101 tn Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the note on the phrase “dear people” there.
102 tc Heb “For how else shall I deal because of the wickedness of the daughter of my people.” The MT does not have the word “wickedness.” The word, however, is read in the Greek version. This is probably a case of a word dropping out because of its similarities to the consonants preceding or following it (i.e., haplography). The word “wickedness” (רַעַת, ra’at) has dropped out before the words “my dear people” (בַּת־עַמִּי, bat-’ammi). The causal nuance which is normal for מִפְּנֵי (mippÿne) does not make sense without some word like this, and the combination of רַעַת מִפְּנֵי (mippÿne ra’at) does occur in Jer 7:12 and one very like it occurs in Jer 26:3.
103 tc This reading follows the Masoretic consonants (the Kethib, a Qal active participle from שָׁחַט, shakhat). The Masoretes preferred to read “a sharpened arrow” (the Qere, a Qal passive participle from the same root or a homonym, meaning “hammered, beaten”). See HALOT 1354 s.v. II שָׁחַט for discussion. The exact meaning of the word makes little difference to the meaning of the metaphor itself.
104 tn Heb “They speak deceit.”
105 tn Heb “With his mouth a person speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets an ambush for him.”
106 tn Heb “Should I not punish them…? Should I not bring retribution…?” The rhetorical questions function as emphatic declarations.
sn See 5:9, 29. This is somewhat of a refrain at the end of a catalog of Judah’s sins.
107 tn The words “I said” are not in the text, but there is general agreement that Jeremiah is the speaker. Cf. the lament in 8:18-9:1. These words are supplied in the translation for clarity. Some English versions follow the Greek text which reads a plural imperative here. Since this reading would make the transition between 9:10 and 9:11 easier it is probably not original but a translator’s way of smoothing over a difficulty.
108 tn Heb “I will lift up weeping and mourning.”
109 tn Heb “for the mountains.” However, the context makes clear that it is the grasslands or pastures on the mountains that are meant. The words “for the grasslands” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
110 tn The words “the
111 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
112 tn Heb “a heap of ruins, a haunt for jackals.”
113 tn The words, “I said” are not in the text. It is not clear that a shift in speaker has taken place. However, the words of the verse are very unlikely to be a continuation of the
114 tn Heb “Who is the wise man that he may understand this?”
115 tn Heb “And [who is the man] to whom the mouth of the
116 tn Heb “and they have not walked in it (with “it” referring to “my law”).
117 tn Heb “they have gone/followed after.” See the translator’s note at 2:5 for the idiom.
118 tn Heb “the Baals,” referring either to the pagan gods called “Baals” or the images of Baal (so NLT).
119 tn Or “forefathers,” or “ancestors.” Here the referent could be the immediate parents or, by their example, more distant ancestors.
120 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies, the God of Israel.”
sn See the study notes on 2:9 and 7:3.
121 tn Heb “Therefore, thus says the
122 tn Heb “I will feed this people wormwood and make them drink poison water.” “Wormwood” and “poison water” are not to be understood literally here but are symbolic of judgment and suffering. See, e.g., BDB 542 s.v. לַעֲנָה.
123 tn Heb “fathers.”
124 tn Heb “I will send the sword after them.” The sword here is probably not completely literal but refers to death by violent means, including death by the sword.
125 sn He will destroy them but not completely. See Jer 5:18; 30:11; 46:28.
126 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”
sn For the significance of this title see the notes at 2:19 and 7:3.
127 tn Heb “Thus says Yahweh of armies.” However, without some addition it is not clear to whom the command is addressed. The words are supplied in the translation for clarity and to help resolve a rather confusing issue of who is speaking throughout vv. 16-21. As has been evident throughout the translation, the speaker is not always indicated. Sometimes it is not even clear who the speaker is. In general the translation and the notes have reflected the general consensus in identifying who it is. Here, however, there is a good deal of confusion about who is speaking in vv. 18, 20-21. The Greek translation has the
128 tn Heb “Consider!”
129 tn Heb “Call for the mourning women that they may come and send for the wise/skilled women that they may come.” The verbs here are masculine plural, addressed to the people.
130 tn The words “And I said, ‘Indeed” are not in the text. They have been supplied in the translation to try and help clarify who the speaker is who identifies with the lament of the people.
131 tn The words “They will wail” are not in the text. They are supplied in the translation to make clear that this is the wailing that will be heard.
sn The destruction is still in the future, but it is presented graphically as though it had already taken place.
132 tn Heb “How we are ruined!”
133 tn The order of these two lines has been reversed for English stylistic reasons. The text reads in Hebrew “because we have left our land because they have thrown down our dwellings.” The two clauses offer parallel reasons for the cries “How ruined we are! [How] we are greatly disgraced!” But the first line must contain a prophetic perfect (because the lament comes from Jerusalem) and the second a perfect referring to a destruction that is itself future. This seems the only way to render the verse that would not be misleading.
134 tn The words “I said” are not in the text. The text merely has “Indeed, yes.” The words are supplied in the translation to indicate that the speaker is still Jeremiah though he now is not talking about the mourning woman but is talking to them. See the notes on 9:17-18 for further explanation.
135 tn It is a little difficult to explain how the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is functioning here. W. L. Holladay (Jeremiah [Hermeneia], 1:311) may be correct in seeing it as introducing the contents of what those who call for the mourning women are to say. In this case, Jeremiah picks up the task as representative of the people.
136 tn Heb “Listen to the word of the
sn In this context the “word of the
137 tn Heb “Teach…mournful song, and each woman her neighbor lady…”
138 sn Here Death is personified (treated as though it were a person). Some have seen as possible background to this lament an allusion to Mesopotamian mythology where the demon Lamastu climbs in through the windows of houses and over their walls to kill children and babies.
139 tn Or “‘Death has climbed…city squares. And the dead bodies of people lie scattered…They lie scattered…but has not been gathered.’ The
140 sn It is not always clear why verses were placed in their present position in the editorial process of collecting Jeremiah’s sermons and the words the
141 tn Or “Strong people should not brag that they are strong.”
142 tn Heb “…in their wisdom…in their power…in their riches.”
143 tn Or “fairness and justice, because these things give me pleasure.” Verse 24 reads in Hebrew, “But let the one who brags brag in this: understanding and knowing me that I, the
144 tn Heb “Behold!”
145 tn Heb “punish all who are circumcised in the flesh.” The translation is contextually motivated to better bring out the contrast that follows.
146 tn Heb “all those who are cut off on the side of the head who live in the desert.” KJV and some other English versions (e.g., NIV “who live in the desert in distant places”; NLT “who live in distant places”) have followed the interpretation that this is a biform of an expression meaning “end or remote parts of the [far] corners [of the earth].” This interpretation is generally abandoned by the more recent commentaries and lexicons (see, e.g. BDB 802 s.v. פֵּאָה 1 and HALOT 858 s.v. פֵּאָה 1.β). It occurs also in 25:33; 49:32.
147 tn Heb “For all of these nations are uncircumcised.” The words “I will do so” are supplied in the translation to indicate the connection with the preceding statement.
sn A contrast is drawn here between circumcision as a mere external cutting of the flesh and a sign of commitment to the covenant and the God of the covenant. The people of these nations practiced circumcision but not as a sign of the covenant. The people of Israel engaged in it as a religious practice but without any obedience to the covenant that it was a sign of or any real commitment to the
148 tn Heb “house of Israel.”
149 tn Heb “And all the house of Israel is uncircumcised of heart.”
150 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
151 tn Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
152 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
153 tn Grk “for they say and do not do.”
154 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
155 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
156 sn Phylacteries were small leather cases containing OT scripture verses, worn on the arm and forehead by Jews, especially when praying. The custom was derived from such OT passages as Exod 13:9; 16; Deut 6:8; 11:18.
157 tn The term κράσπεδον (kraspedon) in some contexts could refer to the outer fringe of the garment (possibly in Mark 6:56). This edge could have been plain or decorated. L&N 6.180 states, “In Mt 23:5 κράσπεδον denotes the tassels worn at the four corners of the outer garment (see 6.194).”
sn Tassels refer to the tassels that a male Israelite was obligated to wear on the four corners of his outer garment according to the Mosaic law (Num 15:38; Deut 22:12).
158 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
159 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
160 sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.
161 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
162 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
163 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
164 tn Grk “Woe to you…because you…” The causal particle ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated here for rhetorical effect (and so throughout this chapter).
165 tn Grk “because you are closing the kingdom of heaven before people.”
166 tc The most important
167 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
168 tn Or “one proselyte.”
169 tn Grk “when he becomes [one].”
170 tn Grk “a son of Gehenna.” Expressions constructed with υἱός (Juios) followed by a genitive of class or kind denote a person belonging to the class or kind specified by the following genitive (L&N 9.4). Thus the phrase here means “a person who belongs to hell.”
sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
171 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing.”
172 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing.”
173 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
174 tn Or “you tithe mint.”
175 sn Cumin (alternately spelled cummin) was an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region. Its seeds were used for seasoning.
176 tc ‡ Many witnesses (B C K L W Δ 0102 33 565 892 pm) have δέ (de, “but”) after ταῦτα (tauta, “these things”), while many others lack it (א D Γ Θ Ë1,13 579 700 1241 1424 pm). Since asyndeton was relatively rare in Koine Greek, the conjunction may be an intentional alteration, and is thus omitted from the present translation. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
177 tn Grk “Blind guides who strain out a gnat yet who swallow a camel!”
178 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
179 tc A very difficult textual problem is found here. The most important Alexandrian and Byzantine, as well as significant Western, witnesses (א B C L W 0102 0281 Ë13 33 Ï lat co) have “and the dish” (καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, kai th" paroyido") after “cup,” while few important witnesses (D Θ Ë1 700 and some versional and patristic authorities) omit the phrase. On the one hand, scribes sometimes tended to eliminate redundancy; since “and the dish” is already present in v. 25, it may have been deleted in v. 26 by well-meaning scribes. On the other hand, as B. M. Metzger notes, the singular pronoun αὐτοῦ (autou, “its”) with τὸ ἐκτός (to ekto", “the outside”) in some of the same witnesses that have the longer reading (viz., B* Ë13 al) hints that their archetype lacked the words (TCGNT 50). Further, scribes would be motivated both to add the phrase from v. 25 and to change αὐτοῦ to the plural pronoun αὐτῶν (aujtwn, “their”). Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is not compelling in itself, combined with these two prongs of internal evidence, it is to be slightly preferred.
180 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
181 sn This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (for discussion of a similar metaphor, see L&N 88.234; BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). See Deut 28:22; Ezek 13:10-16; Acts 23:3.
182 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
183 tn Grk “Because you.” Here ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated.
184 tn Or perhaps “the monuments” (see L&N 7.75-76).
185 tn Grk “fathers” (so also in v. 32).
186 tn Grk “the judgment of Gehenna.”
sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
187 tn Grk “behold I am sending.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
188 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
189 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
190 tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
191 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
192 sn Spelling of this name (Βαραχίου, Baraciou) varies among the English versions: “Barachiah” (RSV, NRSV); “Berechiah” (NASB); “Berachiah” (NIV).
193 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
194 tn Grk “all these things will come on this generation.”
195 sn The double use of the city’s name betrays intense emotion.
map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
196 tn Although the opening address (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem”) is direct (second person), the remainder of this sentence in the Greek text is third person (“who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her”). The following sentences then revert to second person (“your… you”), so to keep all this consistent in English, the third person pronouns in the present verse were translated as second person (“you who kill… sent to you”).
197 sn How often I have longed to gather your children. Jesus, like a lamenting prophet, speaks for God here, who longed to care tenderly for Israel and protect her.
198 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
199 tn Grk “you were not willing.”
