2 Samuel 8:1--9:13 
Context8:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah 1 from the Philistines. 2 8:2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. 3 The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. 4 8:3 David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish 5 his authority 6 over the Euphrates 7 River. 8:4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers 8 and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 9 8:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 8:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected 10 David wherever he campaigned. 11 8:7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 12 8:8 From Tebah 13 and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.
8:9 When King Toi 14 of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 8:10 he 15 sent his son Joram 16 to King David to extend his best wishes 17 and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. 18 He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 19 8:11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord, 20 along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from 21 all the nations that he had subdued, 8:12 including 22 Aram, 23 Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amelek. This also included some of the plunder taken from 24 King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.
8:13 David became famous 25 when he returned from defeating the Arameans 26 in the Valley of Salt, he defeated 27 18,000 in all. 8:14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, 28 and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 8:15 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people. 29
8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of 30 the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary; 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar 31 were priests; Seraiah was scribe; 8:18 Benaiah son of Jehoida supervised 32 the Kerithites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests. 33
9:1 34 Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family 35 of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”
9:2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.” 36 9:3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, 37 that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 9:4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.
9:5 So King David had him brought 38 from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in 39 Lo Debar. 9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground. 40 David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.” 41
9:7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. You will be a regular guest at my table.” 42 9:8 Then Mephibosheth 43 bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?” 44
9:9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson. 9:10 You will cultivate 45 the land for him – you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce 46 and it will be 47 food for your master’s grandson to eat. 48 But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
9:11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest 49 at David’s table, 50 just as though he were one of the king’s sons.
9:12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 9:13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, 51 for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.
2 Corinthians 2:1-17
Context2:1 So 52 I made up my own mind 53 not to pay you another painful visit. 54 2:2 For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad 55 but the one I caused to be sad? 2:3 And I wrote this very thing to you, 56 so that when I came 57 I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours. 2:4 For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you. 58 2:5 But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate) 59 he has saddened all of you as well. 2:6 This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him, 2:7 so that now instead 60 you should rather forgive and comfort him. 61 This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair. 62 2:8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 63 2:9 For this reason also I wrote you: 64 to test you to see 65 if you are obedient in everything. 2:10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him – for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, 2:11 so that we may not be exploited 66 by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes). 2:12 Now when I arrived in Troas 67 to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened 68 a door of opportunity 69 for me, 2:13 I had no relief in my spirit, 70 because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them 71 and set out 72 for Macedonia.
2:14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession 73 in Christ 74 and who makes known 75 through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place. 2:15 For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing – 2:16 to the latter an odor 76 from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 77 2:17 For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, 78 but we are speaking in Christ before 79 God as persons of sincerity, 80 as persons sent from God.
Ezekiel 16:1-63
Context16:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 16:2 “Son of man, confront Jerusalem 81 with her abominable practices 16:3 and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 16:4 As for your birth, on the day you were born your umbilical cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water; 82 you were certainly not rubbed down with salt, nor wrapped with blankets. 83 16:5 No eye took pity on you to do even one of these things for you to spare you; 84 you were thrown out into the open field 85 because you were detested on the day you were born.
16:6 “‘I passed by you and saw you kicking around helplessly in your blood. I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” 86 16:7 I made you plentiful like sprouts in a field; you grew tall and came of age so that you could wear jewelry. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, but you were still naked and bare.
16:8 “‘Then I passed by you and watched you, noticing 87 that you had reached the age for love. 88 I spread my cloak 89 over you and covered your nakedness. I swore a solemn oath to you and entered into a marriage covenant with you, declares the sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
16:9 “‘Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with fragrant oil. 16:10 I dressed you in embroidered clothing and put fine leather sandals on your feet. I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 16:11 I adorned you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck. 16:12 I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 16:13 You were adorned with gold and silver, while your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You became extremely beautiful and attained the position of royalty. 16:14 Your fame 90 spread among the nations because of your beauty; your beauty was perfect because of the splendor which I bestowed on you, declares the sovereign Lord. 91
16:15 “‘But you trusted in your beauty and capitalized on your fame by becoming a prostitute. You offered your sexual favors to every man who passed by so that your beauty 92 became his. 16:16 You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his. 93 16:17 You also took your beautiful jewelry, made of my gold and my silver I had given to you, and made for yourself male images and engaged in prostitution 94 with them. 16:18 You took your embroidered clothing and used it to cover them; you offered my olive oil and my incense to them. 16:19 As for my food that I gave you – the fine flour, olive oil, and honey I fed you – you placed it before them as a soothing aroma. That is exactly what happened, declares the sovereign Lord.
16:20 “‘You took your sons and your daughters whom you bore to me and you sacrificed them 95 as food for the idols to eat. As if your prostitution not enough, 16:21 you slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. 96 16:22 And with all your abominable practices and prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, kicking around in your blood.
16:23 “‘After all of your evil – “Woe! Woe to you!” declares the sovereign Lord – 16:24 you built yourself a chamber 97 and put up a pavilion 98 in every public square. 16:25 At the head of every street you erected your pavilion and you disgraced 99 your beauty when you spread 100 your legs to every passerby and multiplied your promiscuity. 16:26 You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your sexually aroused neighbors, 101 multiplying your promiscuity and provoking me to anger. 16:27 So see here, I have stretched out my hand against you and cut off your rations. I have delivered you into the power of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed by your obscene conduct. 16:28 You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your sexual desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied. 16:29 Then you multiplied your promiscuity to the land of merchants, Babylonia, 102 but you were not satisfied there either.
16:30 “‘How sick is your heart, declares the sovereign Lord, when you perform all of these acts, the deeds of a bold prostitute. 16:31 When you built your chamber at the head of every street and put up your pavilion in every public square, you were not like a prostitute, because you scoffed at payment. 103
16:32 “‘Adulterous wife, who prefers strangers instead of her own husband! 16:33 All prostitutes receive payment, 104 but instead you give gifts to every one of your lovers. You bribe them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors! 16:34 You were different from other prostitutes 105 because no one solicited you. When you gave payment and no payment was given to you, you became the opposite!
16:35 “‘Therefore O prostitute, hear the word of the Lord: 16:36 This is what the sovereign Lord says: Because your lust 106 was poured out and your nakedness was uncovered in your prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children you have given to them, 16:37 therefore, take note: I am about to gather all your lovers whom you enjoyed, both all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around, and I will expose your nakedness to them, and they will see all your nakedness. 107 16:38 I will punish you as an adulteress and murderer deserves. 108 I will avenge your bloody deeds with furious rage. 109 16:39 I will give you into their hands and they will destroy your chambers and tear down your pavilions. They will strip you of your clothing and take your beautiful jewelry and leave you naked and bare. 16:40 They will summon a mob who will stone you and hack you in pieces with their swords. 16:41 They will burn down your houses and execute judgments on you in front of many women. Thus I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer give gifts to your clients. 110 16:42 I will exhaust my rage on you, and then my fury will turn from you. I will calm down and no longer be angry.
16:43 “‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth and have enraged me with all these deeds, I hereby repay you for what you have done, 111 declares the sovereign Lord. Have you not engaged in prostitution on top of all your other abominable practices?
16:44 “‘Observe – everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” 16:45 You are the daughter of your mother, who detested her husband and her sons, and you are the sister of your sisters who detested their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 16:46 Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north 112 of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south 113 of you, was Sodom 114 with her daughters. 16:47 Have you not copied their behavior 115 and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time 116 you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were! 16:48 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.
16:49 “‘See here – this was the iniquity 117 of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help 118 the poor and needy. 16:50 They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them. 16:51 Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did. 119 You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done. 16:52 So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior. 120 Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.
16:53 “‘I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters (along with your fortunes among them), 16:54 so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them. 16:55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status, Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status, and you and your daughters will be restored to your former status. 16:56 In your days of majesty, 121 was not Sodom your sister a byword in your mouth, 16:57 before your evil was exposed? Now you have become an object of scorn to the daughters of Aram 122 and all those around her and to the daughters of the Philistines – those all around you who despise you. 16:58 You must bear your punishment for your obscene conduct and your abominable practices, declares the Lord.
16:59 “‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant. 16:60 Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting 123 covenant with you. 16:61 Then you will remember your conduct, and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you. 16:62 I will establish my covenant with you, and then you will know that I am the Lord. 16:63 Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent 124 when I make atonement for all you have done, 125 declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Psalms 58:1--59:17
ContextFor the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; 127 a prayer 128 of David.
58:1 Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? 129
Do you judge people 130 fairly?
58:2 No! 131 You plan how to do what is unjust; 132
you deal out violence in the earth. 133
58:3 The wicked turn aside from birth; 134
liars go astray as soon as they are born. 135
58:4 Their venom is like that of a snake, 136
like a deaf serpent 137 that does not hear, 138
58:5 that does not respond to 139 the magicians,
or to a skilled snake-charmer.
58:6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths!
Smash the jawbones of the lions, O Lord!
58:7 Let them disappear 140 like water that flows away! 141
Let them wither like grass! 142
58:8 Let them be 143 like a snail that melts away as it moves along! 144
Let them be like 145 stillborn babies 146 that never see the sun!
58:9 Before the kindling is even placed under your pots, 147
he 148 will sweep it away along with both the raw and cooked meat. 149
58:10 The godly 150 will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out;
they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
58:11 Then 151 observers 152 will say,
“Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded! 153
Yes indeed, there is a God who judges 154 in the earth!”
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; 156 a prayer 157 of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him. 158
59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God!
Protect me 159 from those who attack me! 160
59:2 Deliver me from evildoers! 161
Rescue me from violent men! 162
59:3 For look, they wait to ambush me; 163
powerful men stalk 164 me,
but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord. 165
59:4 Though I have done nothing wrong, 166 they are anxious to attack. 167
Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me! 168
59:5 You, O Lord God, the invincible warrior, 169 the God of Israel,
rouse yourself and punish 170 all the nations!
Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers! (Selah)
59:6 They return in the evening;
they growl 171 like a dog
and prowl around outside 172 the city.
59:7 Look, they hurl insults at me
and openly threaten to kill me, 173
for they say, 174
“Who hears?”
59:8 But you, O Lord, laugh in disgust at them; 175
you taunt 176 all the nations.
59:9 You are my source of strength! I will wait for you! 177
For God is my refuge. 178
59:10 The God who loves me will help me; 179
God will enable me to triumph over 180 my enemies. 181
59:11 Do not strike them dead suddenly,
because then my people might forget the lesson. 182
Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down,
O Lord who shields us! 183
59:12 They speak sinful words. 184
So let them be trapped by their own pride
and by the curses and lies they speak!
59:13 Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish!
Let them know that God rules
in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)
59:14 They return in the evening;
they growl 185 like a dog
and prowl around outside 186 the city.
59:15 They wander around looking for something to eat;
they refuse to sleep until they are full. 187
59:16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;
I will praise your loyal love in the morning.
For you are my refuge 188
and my place of shelter when I face trouble. 189
59:17 You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you! 190
1 tn Heb “the bridle of one cubit.” Many English versions treat this as a place name because the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:1 reads “Gath” (which is used by NLT here). It is possible that “the bridle of one cubit” is to be understood as “the token of surrender,” referring to the Philistine’s defeat rather than a specific place (cf. TEV, CEV).
2 tn Heb “from the hand [i.e., control] of the Philistines.”
3 tn Heb “and he measured [with] two [lengths] of rope to put to death and [with] the fullness of the rope to keep alive.”
4 tn Heb “and the Moabites were servants of David, carriers of tribute.”
5 tc The LXX has ἐπιστῆσαι (episthsai, “cause to stand”). See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:3.
6 tn Heb “hand.”
7 tn The MT does not have the name “Euphrates” in the text. It is supplied in the margin (Qere) as one of ten places where the Masoretes believed that something was “to be read although it was not written” in the text as they had received it. The ancient versions (LXX, Syriac Peshitta, Vulgate) include the word. See also the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:3.
8 tc The LXX has “one thousand chariots and seven thousand charioteers,” a reading adopted in the text of the NIV. See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:4.
9 tn Heb “and David cut the hamstrings of all the chariot horses, and he left from them a hundred chariot horses.”
10 tn Or “delivered.”
11 tn Or “wherever he went.”
12 tc The LXX includes seventeen words (in Greek) at the end of v. 7 that are not found in the MT. The LXX addition is as follows: “And Sousakim king of Egypt took them when he came up to Jerusalem in the days of Rehoboam the son of Solomon.” This Greek reading now finds Hebrew support in 4QSama. For a reconstruction of this poorly preserved Qumran text see E. C. Ulrich, Jr., The Qumran Text of Samuel and Josephus (HSM), 45-48.
map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
13 tn Heb “Betah” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV), but the name should probably be corrected to “Tebah.” See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:8.
14 tn The name is spelled “Tou” in the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:9. NIV adopts the spelling “Tou” here.
15 tn Heb “Toi.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun in the translation for stylistic reasons.
16 tn The name appears as “Hadoram” in the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:10.
17 tn Heb “to ask concerning him for peace.”
18 tn Heb “and to bless him because he fought with Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer was a man of battles with Toi.”
19 tn Heb “and in his hand were items of silver and items of gold and items of bronze.”
20 tn Heb “also them King David made holy to the
21 tn Heb “with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated from.”
22 tn Heb “from.”
23 tc The present translation follows the MT; a few Hebrew
24 tn Heb “and from the plunder of.”
25 tn Heb “made a name.”
26 tn So NASB, NCV; NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “Edomites” (see the note on “Aram” in v. 12).
27 tn The words “he defeated” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
28 tc The MT is repetitious here: “He placed in Edom garrisons; in all Edom he placed garrisons.” The Vulgate lacks “in all Edom”; most of the Greek tradition (with the exception of the Lucianic recension and the recension of Origen) and the Syriac Peshitta lack “he placed garrisons.” The MT reading appears here to be the result of a conflation of variant readings.
29 tn Heb “and David was doing what is just and fair for all his people.”
30 tn Heb “was over.”
31 tc Here Ahimelech is called “the son of Abiathar,” but NCV, CEV, and REB reverse this to conform with 1 Sam 22:20. Most recent English versions (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) retain the order found in the MT.
32 tc The translation follows the Syriac Peshitta, Targum, and Vulgate in reading “over,” rather than the simple conjunction that appears in MT. See also the parallel passage in 1 Chr 18:17.
33 sn That David’s sons could have been priests, in light of the fact that they were not of the priestly lineage, is strange. One must assume either (1) that the word “priest” (כֹּהֵן, kohen) during this period of time could be used in a broader sense of “chief ruler” (KJV); “chief minister” (ASV, NASB), or “royal adviser” (NIV), perhaps based on the parallel passage in 1 Chr 18:17 which has “the king’s leading officials”, or (2) that in David’s day members of the king’s family could function as a special category of “priests” (cf. NLT “priestly leaders”). The latter option seems to be the more straightforward way of understanding the word in 2 Sam 8:18.
34 sn 2 Samuel 9–20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.
35 tn Heb “house.”
36 tn Heb “your servant.”
37 tn Heb “house.”
38 tn Heb “sent and took him.”
39 tn Heb “from.”
40 tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”
41 tn Heb “Look, your servant.”
42 tn Heb “and you will eat food over my table continually.”
43 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
44 tn Heb “What is your servant, that you turn to a dead dog which is like me?”
45 tn Heb “work.”
46 tn The Hebrew text implies, but does not actually contain, the words “its produce” here.
47 tc The words “it will be,” though present in the MT, are absent from the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate.
48 tn Heb “and he will eat it.”
49 tn Heb “eating.”
50 tc Heb “my table.” But the first person reference to David is awkward here since the quotation of David’s words has already been concluded in v. 10; nor does the “my” refer to Ziba, since the latter part of v. 11 does not seem to be part of Ziba’s response to the king. The ancient versions are not unanimous in the way that they render the phrase. The LXX has “the table of David” (τῆς τραπέζης Δαυιδ, th" trapezh" Dauid); the Syriac Peshitta has “the table of the king” (patureh demalka’); the Vulgate has “your table” (mensam tuam). The present translation follows the LXX.
51 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
52 tc Although usually δέ (de, “now”; found in א A C D1 F G Ψ 0285 Ï lat) should take precedent over γάρ (gar) in textually disputed places in the corpus Paulinum, the credentials for γάρ here are not easily dismissed (Ì46 B 0223 0243 33 1739 1881 al); here it is the preferred reading, albeit slightly.
53 tn Or “I decided this for myself.”
54 tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”
sn Paul was not speaking absolutely about not making another visit, but meant he did not want to come to the Corinthians again until the conflict he mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4-11 was settled.
55 tn Or “to cheer me up.” L&N 25.131 translates this “For if I were to make you sad, who would be left to cheer me up?”
56 tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
57 sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.
58 tn Or “the love that I have in great measure for you.”
59 tn Or “(not to say too much)”; Grk “(not to burden you [with words]).”
60 tn Grk “so that on the other hand.”
61 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.
62 tn Grk “comfort him, lest somehow such a person be swallowed up by excessive grief,” an idiom for a person being so overcome with grief as to despair or give up completely (L&N 25.285). In this context of excessive grief or regret for past sins, “overwhelmed” is a good translation since contemporary English idiom speaks of someone “overwhelmed by grief.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the difficulty of expressing a negative purpose/result clause in English, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
63 tn Or “I urge you to show that your love for him is real.”
64 tn The word “you” is not in the Greek text, but is implied (as an understood direct object).
65 tn Grk “to know the proof of you,” that is, to know if the Corinthians’ obedience to Paul as an apostle was genuine (L&N 72.7).
66 tn Or “be taken advantage of.”
67 sn Troas was a city and region in the northwest corner of Asia Minor.
68 tn This has been translated as a concessive participle (“even though”). The passive construction (“a door of opportunity had been opened for me by the Lord”) has been converted to an active one in the translation for clarity.
69 tn Grk “a door”; the phrase ἀνοίγω θύραν (anoigw quran, “to open a door”) is an idiom meaning “to make possible some opportunity” (L&N 71.9).
70 tn Or “I had no peace of mind.”
71 tn Or “I took my leave of them.”
72 tn Since this refers to the outset of a journey, the aorist ἐξῆλθον (exhlqon) is taken ingressively.
73 tn Or “who always causes us to triumph.”
74 tn Or “in the Messiah.”
75 tn Or “who reveals.”
76 tn The same Greek word (ὀσμή, osmh) translated “odor” here (in relation to the stench of death) has been translated “fragrance” in 2:14 and in the next phrase of the present verse. The word itself can describe a smell or odor either agreeable or disagreeable depending on the context (L&N 79.45).
77 sn These things refer to the things Paul is doing in his apostolic ministry.
78 tn The participle καπηλεύοντες (kaphleuonte") refers to those engaged in retail business, but with the negative connotations of deceptiveness and greed – “to peddle for profit,” “to huckster” (L&N 57.202). In the translation a noun form (“hucksters”) has been used in combination with the English verb “peddle…for profit” to convey the negative connotations of this term.
79 tn Or “in the presence of.”
80 tn Or “persons of pure motives.”
81 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
82 tn Heb “in water you were not washed for cleansing” or “with water you were not washed smooth” (see D. I. Block, Ezekiel [NICOT], 1:473, n. 57, for a discussion of possible meanings of this hapax legomenon).
83 sn Arab midwives still cut the umbilical cords of infants and then proceed to apply salt and oil to their bodies.
84 sn These verbs, “pity” and “spare,” echo the judgment oracles in 5:11; 7:4, 9; 8:18; 9:5, 10.
85 sn A similar concept is found in Deut 32:10.
86 tc The translation reflects the Hebrew text, which repeats the statement, perhaps for emphasis. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts, the Old Greek, and the Syriac do not include the repetition. The statement could have been accidentally repeated or the second occurrence could have been accidentally omitted. Based on the available evidence it is difficult to know which is more likely.
87 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a participle.
88 tn See similar use of this term in Ezek 23:17; Prov 7:16; Song of Songs 4:10; 7:13.
89 tn Heb “wing” or “skirt.” The gesture symbolized acquiring a woman in early Arabia (similarly, see Deut 22:30; Ruth 3:9).
90 tn Heb “name.”
91 sn The description of the nation Israel in vv. 10-14 recalls the splendor of the nation’s golden age under King Solomon.
92 tn Heb “it” (so KJV, ASV); the referent (the beauty in which the prostitute trusted, see the beginning of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
93 tc The text as written in the MT is incomprehensible (“not coming [plural] and he will not”). Driver has suggested a copying error of similar-sounding words, specifically לֹא (lo’) for לוֹ (lo). The feminine participle בָאוֹת (va’ot) has also been read as the feminine perfect בָאת (va’t). See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 1:228, n. 15.b, and D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:486, n. 137.
94 tn Or perhaps “and worshiped them,” if the word “prostitution” is understood in a figurative rather than a literal sense (cf. CEV, NLT).
95 sn The sacrifice of children was prohibited in Lev 18:21; 20:2; Deut 12:31; 18:10.
96 tn Heb “and you gave them, by passing them through to them.” Some believe this alludes to the pagan practice of making children pass through the fire.
97 tn The Hebrew גֶּב (gev) may represent more than one word, each rare in the Old Testament. It may refer to a “mound” or to “rafters.” The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate interpret this as a brothel.
98 tn Or “lofty place” (NRSV). See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 1:229, and B. Lang, Frau Weisheit, 137.
99 tn Heb “treated as if abominable,” i.e., repudiated.
100 tn The only other occurrence of the Hebrew root is found in Prov 13:3 in reference to the talkative person who habitually “opens wide” his lips.
101 tn Heb “your neighbors, large of flesh.” The word “flesh” is used here of the genitals. It may simply refer to the size of their genitals in general, or, as the translation suggests, depicts them as sexually aroused.
102 tn Heb “Chaldea.” The name of the tribal group ruling Babylon (“Chaldeans”) and the territory from which they originated (“Chaldea”) is used as metonymy for the whole empire of Babylon.
103 tn The Hebrew term, which also occurs in vv. 34 and 41 of this chapter, always refers to the payment of a prostitute (Deut 23:19; Isa 23:17; Hos 9:1; Mic 1:7).
104 tn The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.
105 tn Heb “With you it was opposite of women in your prostitution.”
106 tn The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.
107 sn Harlots suffered degradation when their nakedness was exposed (Jer 13:22, 26; Hos 2:12; Nah 3:5).
108 tn Heb “and I will judge you (with) the judgments of adulteresses and of those who shed blood.”
109 tn Heb “and I will give you the blood of rage and zeal.”
110 tn The words “to your clients” are not in the Hebrew text but are implied.
111 tn Heb “your way on (your) head I have placed.”
112 tn Heb “left.”
113 tn Heb “right.”
114 sn Sodom was the epitome of evil (Deut 29:23; 32:32; Isa 1:9-10; 3:9; Jer 23:14; Lam 4:6; Matt 10:15; 11:23-24; Jude 7).
115 tn Heb “walked in their ways.”
116 tn The Hebrew expression has a temporal meaning as illustrated by the use of the phrase in 2 Chr 12:7.
117 tn Or “guilt.”
118 tn Heb “strengthen the hand of.”
119 tn Or “you have multiplied your abominable deeds beyond them.”
120 tn Heb “because you have interceded for your sisters with your sins.”
121 tn Or “pride.”
122 tc So MT, LXX, and Vulgate; many Hebrew
123 tn Or “eternal.”
124 tn Heb “and your mouth will not be open any longer.”
125 tn Heb “when I make atonement for you for all which you have done.”
126 sn Psalm 58. The psalmist calls on God to punish corrupt judges because a vivid display of divine judgment will convince observers that God is the just judge of the world who vindicates the godly.
127 tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the heading to Pss 57, 59, and 75.
128 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam) which also appears in the heading to Pss 16 and 56-57, 59-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
129 tn Heb “Really [in] silence, what is right do you speak?” The Hebrew noun אֵלֶם (’elem, “silence”) makes little, if any, sense in this context. Some feel that this is an indictment of the addressees’ failure to promote justice; they are silent when they should make just decisions. The present translation assumes an emendation to אֵלִם (’elim), which in turn is understood as a defectively written form of אֵילִים (’elim, “rulers,” a metaphorical use of אַיִל, ’ayil, “ram”; see Exod 15:15; Ezek 17:13). The rhetorical question is sarcastic, challenging their claim to be just. Elsewhere the collocation of דָּבַר (davar, “speak”) with צֶדֶק (tsedeq, “what is right”) as object means “to speak the truth” (see Ps 52:3; Isa 45:19). Here it refers specifically to declaring what is right in a legal setting, as the next line indicates.
130 tn Heb “the sons of mankind.” The translation assumes the phrase is the object of the verb “to judge.” Some take it as a vocative, “Do you judge fairly, O sons of mankind?” (Cf. NASB; see Ezek 20:4; 22:2; 23:36.)
131 tn The particle אַף (’af, “no”) is used here as a strong adversative emphasizing the following statement, which contrasts reality with the rulers’ claim alluded to in the rhetorical questions (see Ps 44:9).
132 tn Heb “in the heart unjust deeds you do.” The phrase “in the heart” (i.e., “mind”) seems to refer to their plans and motives. The Hebrew noun עַוְלָה (’avlah, “injustice”) is collocated with פָּעַל (pa’al, “do”) here and in Job 36:23 and Ps 119:3. Some emend the plural form עוֹלֹת (’olot, “unjust deeds”; see Ps 64:6) to the singular עָוֶל (’avel, “injustice”; see Job 34:32), taking the final tav (ת) as dittographic (note that the following verbal form begins with tav). Some then understand עָוֶל (’avel, “injustice”) as a genitive modifying “heart” and translate, “with a heart of injustice you act.”
133 tn Heb “in the earth the violence of your hands you weigh out.” The imagery is from the economic realm. The addressees measure out violence, rather than justice, and distribute it like a commodity. This may be ironic, since justice was sometimes viewed as a measuring scale (see Job 31:6).
134 tn Heb “from the womb.”
135 tn Heb “speakers of a lie go astray from the womb.”
136 tn Heb “[there is] venom to them according to the likeness of venom of a snake.”
137 tn Or perhaps “cobra” (cf. NASB, NIV). Other suggested species of snakes are “asp” (NEB) and “adder” (NRSV).
138 tn Heb “[that] stops up its ear.” The apparent Hiphil jussive verbal form should be understood as a Qal imperfect with “i” theme vowel (see GKC 168 §63.n).
139 tn Heb “does not listen to the voice of.”
140 tn Following the imperatival forms in v. 6, the prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive expressing the psalmist’s wish. Another option is to take the form as an imperfect (indicative) and translate, “they will scatter” (see v. 9). The verb מָאַס (ma’as; which is a homonym of the more common מָאַס, “to refuse, reject”) appears only here and in Job 7:5, where it is used of a festering wound from which fluid runs or flows.
141 tn Heb “like water, they go about for themselves.” The translation assumes that the phrase “they go about for themselves” is an implied relative clause modifying “water.” Another option is to take the clause as independent and parallel to what precedes. In this case the enemies would be the subject and the verb could be taken as jussive, “let them wander about.”
142 tc The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult and the meaning uncertain. The text reads literally, “he treads his arrows (following the Qere; Kethib has “his arrow”), like they are cut off/dry up.” It is not clear if the verbal root is מָלַל (malal, “circumcise”; BDB 576 s.v. IV מָלַל) or the homonymic מָלַל (“wither”; HALOT 593-94 s.v. I מלל). Since the verb מָלַל (“to wither”) is used of vegetation, it is possible that the noun חָצִיר (khatsir, “grass,” which is visually similar to חִצָּיו, khitsayv, “his arrows”) originally appeared in the text. The translation above assumes that the text originally was כְּמוֹ חָצִיר יִתְמֹלָלוּ(kÿmo khatsir yitmolalu, “like grass let them wither”). If original, it could have been accidentally corrupted to חִצָּיר כְּמוֹ יִתְמֹלָלוּ (“his arrow(s) like they dry up”) with דָּרַךְ (darakh, “to tread”) being added later in an effort to make sense of “his arrow(s).”
143 tn There is no “to be” verb in the Hebrew text at this point, but a jussive tone can be assumed based on vv. 6-7.
144 tn Heb “like a melting snail [that] moves along.” A. Cohen (Psalms [SoBB], 184) explains that the text here alludes “to the popular belief that the slimy trail which the snail leaves in its track is the dissolution of its substance.”
145 tn The words “let them be like” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The jussive mood is implied from the preceding context, and “like” is understood by ellipsis (see the previous line).
146 tn This rare word also appears in Job 3:16 and Eccles 6:3.
147 tn Heb “before your pots perceive thorns.”
148 tn Apparently God (v. 6) is the subject of the verb here.
149 tn Heb “like living, like burning anger he will sweep it away.” The meaning of the text is unclear. The translation assumes that within the cooking metaphor (see the previous line) חַי (khay, “living”) refers here to raw meat (as in 1 Sam 2:15, where it modifies בָּשָׂר, basar, “flesh”) and that חָרוּן (kharun; which always refers to God’s “burning anger” elsewhere) here refers to food that is cooked. The pronominal suffix on the verb “sweep away” apparently refers back to the “thorns” of the preceding line. The image depicts swift and sudden judgment. Before the fire has been adequately kindled and all the meat cooked, the winds of judgment will sweep away everything in their path.
150 tn The singular is representative here, as is the singular from “wicked” in the next line.
151 tn Following the imperfects of v. 10, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive probably indicates a result or consequence of what precedes.
152 tn Heb “man.” The singular is representative here.
153 tn Heb “surely [there] is fruit for the godly.”
154 tn The plural participle is unusual here if the preceding אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is here a plural of majesty, referring to the one true God. Occasionally the plural of majesty does take a plural attributive (see GKC 428-29 §132.h). It is possible that the final mem (ם) on the participle is enclitic, and that it was later misunderstood as a plural ending. Another option is to translate, “Yes indeed, there are gods who judge in the earth.” In this case, the statement reflects the polytheistic mindset of pagan observers who, despite their theological ignorance, nevertheless recognize divine retribution when they see it.
155 sn Psalm 59. The psalmist calls down judgment on his foreign enemies, whom he compares to ravenous wild dogs.
156 tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the superscription to Pss 57-58, 75.
157 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56-58, 60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
158 tn Heb “when Saul sent and they watched his house in order to kill him.”
sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm on the occasion when Saul sent assassins to surround David’s house and kill him in the morning (see 1 Sam 19:11). However, the psalm itself mentions foreign enemies (vv. 5, 8). Perhaps these references reflect a later adaptation of an original Davidic psalm.
159 tn Or “make me secure”; Heb “set me on high.”
160 tn Heb “from those who raise themselves up [against] me.”
161 tn Heb “from the workers of wickedness.”
162 tn Heb “from men of bloodshed.”
163 tn Heb “my life.”
164 tn The Hebrew verb is from the root גּוּר (gur), which means “to challenge, attack” in Isa 54:15 and “to stalk” (with hostile intent) in Ps 56:8.
165 sn The point is that the psalmist’s enemies have no justifiable reason for attacking him. He has neither rebelled or sinned against the
166 tn Heb “without sin.”
167 tn Heb “they run and they are determined.”
168 tn Heb “arise to meet me and see.” The Hebrew verb קָרָא (qara’, “to meet; to encounter”) here carries the nuance of “to help.”
169 tn Heb “
170 tn Heb “wake up to punish” (see Pss 35:23; 44:23).
171 tn Or “howl”; or “bark.”
172 tn Heb “go around.”
173 tn Heb “look, they gush forth with their mouth, swords [are] in their lips.”
174 tn The words “for they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The following question (“Who hears?”) is spoken by the psalmist’s enemies, who are confident that no one else can hear their threats against the psalmist. They are aggressive because they feel the psalmist is vulnerable and has no one to help him.
175 sn Laugh in disgust. See Pss 2:4; 37:13.
176 tn Or “scoff at”; or “deride”; or “mock” (see Ps 2:4).
177 tc Heb “his strength, for you I will watch.” “His strength” should be emended to “my strength” (see v. 17). Some also emend אֶשְׁמֹרָה (’eshmorah, “I will watch”) to אֱזַמֵּרָה (’ezammerah, “I will sing praises [to you]”) See v. 17.
178 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
179 tn Heb “the God of my [Qere (marginal reading); the Kethib (consonantal text) has “his”] loyal love will meet me.”
180 tn Heb “will cause me to look upon.”
181 tn Heb “those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 56:2.
182 tn Heb “do not kill them, lest my people forget.”
sn My people might forget the lesson. Swift, sudden destruction might be quickly forgotten. The psalmist wants God’s judgment to be prolonged so that it might be a continual reminder of divine justice.
183 tn Heb “make them roam around by your strength and bring them down, O our shield, the Lord.”
184 tn Heb “the sin of their mouth [is] the word of their lips.”
185 tn Or “howl”; or “bark.”
186 tn Heb “go around.”
187 tn Heb “if they are not full, they stay through the night.”
188 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
189 tn Heb “and my shelter in the day of my distress.”
190 tn Heb “my strength, to you I will sing praises.”
191 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
192 tn Heb “the God of my loyal love.”
