1 Kings 6:1-38 
Context6:1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, during the month Ziv 1 (the second month), he began building the Lord’s temple. 6:2 The temple King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet 2 long, 30 feet 3 wide, and 45 feet 4 high. 6:3 The porch in front of the main hall of the temple was 30 feet 5 long, corresponding to the width of the temple. It was 15 feet 6 wide, extending out from the front of the temple. 6:4 He made framed windows for the temple. 6:5 He built an extension all around the walls of the temple’s main hall and holy place and constructed side rooms in it. 7 6:6 The bottom floor of the extension was seven and a half feet 8 wide, the middle floor nine feet 9 wide, and the third floor ten and a half 10 feet wide. He made ledges 11 on the temple’s outer walls so the beams would not have to be inserted into the walls. 12 6:7 As the temple was being built, only stones shaped at the quarry 13 were used; the sound of hammers, pickaxes, or any other iron tool was not heard at the temple while it was being built. 6:8 The entrance to the bottom 14 level of side rooms was on the south side of the temple; stairs went up 15 to the middle floor and then on up to the third 16 floor. 6:9 He finished building the temple 17 and covered it 18 with rafters 19 and boards made of cedar. 20 6:10 He built an extension all around the temple; it was seven and a half feet high 21 and it was attached to the temple by cedar beams.
6:11 22 The Lord said 23 to Solomon: 6:12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow 24 my rules, observe 25 my regulations, and obey all my commandments, 26 I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David. 27 6:13 I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”
6:14 So Solomon finished building the temple. 28 6:15 He constructed the walls inside the temple with cedar planks; he paneled the inside with wood from the floor of the temple to the rafters 29 of the ceiling. He covered the temple floor with boards made from the wood of evergreens. 6:16 He built a wall 30 feet in from the rear of the temple as a partition for an inner sanctuary that would be the most holy place. 30 He paneled the wall with cedar planks from the floor to the rafters. 31 6:17 The main hall in front of the inner sanctuary was 60 feet long. 32 6:18 The inside of the temple was all cedar and was adorned with carvings of round ornaments and of flowers in bloom. Everything was cedar; no stones were visible. 33
6:19 He prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord could be placed there. 6:20 The inner sanctuary was 30 feet 34 long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He plated it with gold, 35 as well as the cedar altar. 36 6:21 Solomon plated the inside of the temple with gold. 37 He hung golden chains in front of the inner sanctuary and plated the inner sanctuary 38 with gold. 6:22 He plated the entire inside of the temple with gold, as well as the altar inside the inner sanctuary. 39
6:23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubs of olive wood; each stood 15 feet 40 high. 6:24 Each of the first cherub’s wings was seven and a half feet long; its entire wingspan was 15 feet. 41 6:25 The second cherub also had a wingspan of 15 feet; it was identical to the first in measurements and shape. 42 6:26 Each cherub stood 15 feet high. 43 6:27 He put the cherubs in the inner sanctuary of the temple. 44 Their wings were spread out. One of the first cherub’s wings touched one wall and one of the other cherub’s wings touched the opposite wall. The first cherub’s other wing touched the second cherub’s other wing in the middle of the room. 45 6:28 He plated the cherubs with gold.
6:29 On all the walls around the temple, inside and out, 46 he carved 47 cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom. 6:30 He plated the floor of the temple with gold, inside and out. 48 6:31 He made doors of olive wood at the entrance to the inner sanctuary; the pillar on each doorpost was five-sided. 49 6:32 On the two doors made of olive wood he carved 50 cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom, and he plated them with gold. 51 He plated the cherubs and the palm trees with hammered gold. 52 6:33 In the same way he made doorposts of olive wood for the entrance to the main hall, only with four-sided pillars. 53 6:34 He also made 54 two doors out of wood from evergreens; each door had two folding leaves. 55 6:35 He carved cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom and plated them with gold, leveled out over the carvings. 6:36 He built the inner courtyard with three rows of chiseled stones and a row of cedar beams.
6:37 In the month Ziv 56 of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign 57 the foundation was laid for the Lord’s temple. 6:38 In the eleventh year, in the month Bul 58 (the eighth month) the temple was completed in accordance with all its specifications and blueprints. It took seven years to build. 59
Ephesians 3:1-21
Context3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus 60 for the sake of you Gentiles – 3:2 if indeed 61 you have heard of the stewardship 62 of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3:3 that 63 by revelation the divine secret 64 was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly. 65 3:4 When reading this, 66 you will be able to 67 understand my insight into this secret 68 of Christ. 3:5 Now this secret 69 was not disclosed to people 70 in former 71 generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by 72 the Spirit, 3:6 namely, that through the gospel 73 the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members 74 of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel 75 according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by 76 the exercise of his power. 77 3:8 To me – less than the least of all the saints 78 – this grace was given, 79 to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 3:9 and to enlighten 80 everyone about God’s secret plan 81 – a secret that has been hidden for ages 82 in God 83 who has created all things. 3:10 The purpose of this enlightenment is that 84 through the church the multifaceted wisdom 85 of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. 3:11 This was according to 86 the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 3:12 in whom we have boldness and confident access 87 to God 88 because of 89 Christ’s 90 faithfulness. 91 3:13 For this reason I ask you 92 not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, 93 which 94 is your glory. 95
3:14 For this reason 96 I kneel 97 before the Father, 98 3:15 from 99 whom every family 100 in heaven and on the earth is named. 3:16 I pray that 101 according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, 3:18 you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 102 3:19 and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to 103 all the fullness of God.
3:20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us 104 is able to do far beyond 105 all that we ask or think, 3:21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ezekiel 36:1-38
Context36:1 “As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord! 36:2 This is what the sovereign Lord says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying “Aha!” and, “The ancient heights 106 have become our property!”’ 36:3 So prophesy and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely because they have made you desolate and crushed you from all directions, so that you have become the property of the rest of the nations, and have become the subject of gossip 107 and slander among the people, 36:4 therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the sovereign Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about – 36:5 therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.’
36:6 “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I have spoken in my zeal and in my anger, because you have endured the insults of the nations. 36:7 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow 108 that the nations around you will endure insults as well.
36:8 “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches, and bear your fruit for my people Israel; for they will arrive soon. 109 36:9 For indeed, I am on your side; 110 I will turn to you, and you will be plowed and planted. 36:10 I will multiply your people 111 – the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities will be populated and the ruins rebuilt. 36:11 I will increase the number of people and animals on you; they will increase and be fruitful. 112 I will cause you to be inhabited as in ancient times, and will do more good for you than at the beginning of your history. 113 Then you will know that I am the Lord. 36:12 I will lead people, my people Israel, across you; they will possess you and you will become their inheritance. No longer will you bereave them of their children.
36:13 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Because they are saying to you, “You are a devourer of men, and bereave your nation of children,” 36:14 therefore you will no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the sovereign Lord. 36:15 I will no longer subject you to 114 the nations’ insults; no longer will you bear the shame of the peoples, and no longer will you bereave 115 your nation, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
36:16 The word of the Lord came to me: 36:17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it by their behavior 116 and their deeds. In my sight their behavior was like the uncleanness of a woman having her monthly period. 36:18 So I poured my anger on them 117 because of the blood they shed on the land and because of the idols with which they defiled it. 118 36:19 I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed throughout foreign countries. In accordance with their behavior and their deeds I judged them. 36:20 But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they have departed from his land.’ 36:21 I was concerned for my holy reputation 119 which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.
36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation 120 which you profaned among the nations where you went. 36:23 I will magnify 121 my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the sovereign Lord, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.
36:24 “‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land. 36:25 I will sprinkle you with pure water 122 and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. 36:26 I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone 123 from your body and give you a heart of flesh. 124 36:27 I will put my Spirit within you; 125 I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes 126 and carefully observe my regulations. 127 36:28 Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 128 36:29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you. 36:30 I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 36:31 Then you will remember your evil behavior 129 and your deeds which were not good; you will loathe yourselves on account of your sins and your abominable deeds. 36:32 Understand that 130 it is not for your sake I am about to act, declares the sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and embarrassed by your behavior, O house of Israel.
36:33 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will populate the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt. 36:34 The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by. 36:35 They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.” 36:36 Then the nations which remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken – and I will do it!’
36:37 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: 131 I will multiply their people like sheep. 132 36:38 Like the sheep for offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem 133 during her appointed feasts, so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Psalms 86:1-17
ContextA prayer of David.
86:1 Listen 135 O Lord! Answer me!
For I am oppressed and needy.
86:2 Protect me, 136 for I am loyal!
O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!
86:3 Have mercy on me, 137 O Lord,
for I cry out to you all day long!
86:4 Make your servant 138 glad,
for to you, O Lord, I pray! 139
86:5 Certainly 140 O Lord, you are kind 141 and forgiving,
and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
86:6 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
86:7 In my time of trouble I cry out to you,
for you will answer me.
86:8 None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord!
Your exploits are incomparable! 142
86:9 All the nations, whom you created,
will come and worship you, 143 O Lord.
They will honor your name.
86:10 For you are great and do amazing things.
You alone are God.
86:11 O Lord, teach me how you want me to live! 144
Then I will obey your commands. 145
Make me wholeheartedly committed to you! 146
86:12 O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart!
I will honor your name continually! 147
86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me, 148
and will deliver my life 149 from the depths of Sheol. 150
86:14 O God, arrogant men attack me; 151
a gang 152 of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life. 153
86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient 154 and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness. 155
86:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me!
Give your servant your strength!
Deliver your slave! 156
86:17 Show me evidence of your favor! 157
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, 158
for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me. 159
1 sn During the month Ziv. This would be April-May, 966
2 tn Heb “sixty cubits.” A cubit was a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 45 cm. Measurements in vv. 2-10 have been converted to feet in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Heb “twenty cubits.”
4 tn Heb “thirty cubits.”
5 tn Heb “twenty cubits.”
6 tn Heb “ten cubits.”
7 tn Heb “and he built on the wall of the temple an extension all around, the walls of the temple all around, for the main hall and for the holy place, and he made side rooms all around.”
8 tn Heb “five cubits.”
9 tn Heb “six cubits.”
10 tn Heb “seven cubits.”
11 tn Or “offsets” (ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NIV “offset ledges.”
12 tn Heb “so that [the beams] would not have a hold in the walls of the temple.”
13 tn Heb “finished stone of the quarry,” i.e., stones chiseled and shaped at the time they were taken out of the quarry.
14 tc The Hebrew text has “middle,” but the remainder of the verse suggests this is an error.
15 tn Heb “by stairs they went up.” The word translated “stairs” occurs only here. Other options are “trapdoors” or “ladders.”
16 tc The translation reads with a few medieval Hebrew
17 tn Heb “ built the house and completed it.”
18 tn Heb “the house.”
19 tn The word occurs only here; the precise meaning is uncertain.
20 tn Heb “and rows with cedar wood.”
21 tn Heb “five cubits.” This must refer to the height of each floor or room.
22 tc The LXX lacks vv. 11-14.
23 tn Heb “the word of the
24 tn Heb “walk in.”
25 tn Heb “do.”
26 tn Heb “and keep all my commandments by walking in them.”
27 tn Heb “I will establish my word with you which I spoke to David your father.”
28 tn Heb “ built the house and completed it.”
29 tc The MT reads קִירוֹת (qirot, “walls”), but this should be emended to קוֹרוֹת (qorot, “rafters”). See BDB 900 s.v. קוֹרָה.
30 tn Heb “He built twenty cubits from the rear areas of the temple with cedar planks from the floor to the walls, and he built it on the inside for an inner sanctuary, for a holy place of holy places.”
31 tc The MT has קְלָעִים (qÿla’im, “curtains”), but this should be emended to קוֹרוֹת (qorot, “rafters”). See BDB 900 s.v. קוֹרָה.
32 tn Heb “and the house was forty cubits, that is, the main hall before it.”
33 tn Heb “Cedar was inside the temple, carvings of gourds (i.e., gourd-shaped ornaments) and opened flowers; the whole was cedar, no stone was seen.”
34 tn Heb “twenty cubits” (this measurement occurs three times in this verse).
35 tn Heb “with plated gold” (or perhaps, “with pure gold”).
36 tn Heb “he plated [the] altar of cedar.”
37 tn Heb “with plated gold” (or perhaps, “with pure gold”).
38 tn Heb “it.”
39 tn Heb “all the temple he plated with gold until all the temple was finished; and the whole altar which was in the inner sanctuary he plated with gold.”
40 tn Heb “ten cubits” (a cubit was a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 45 cm).
41 tn Heb “The first wing of the [one] cherub was five cubits, and the second wing of the cherub was five cubits, ten cubits from the tips of his wings to the tips of his wings.”
42 tn Heb “and the second cherub was ten cubits, the two cherubs had one measurement and one shape.”
43 tn Heb “the height of the first cherub was ten cubits; and so was the second cherub.”
44 tn Heb “in the midst of the inner house,” i.e., in the inner sanctuary.
45 tn Heb “and their wings were in the middle of the room, touching wing to wing.”
46 sn Inside and out probably refers to the inner and outer rooms within the building.
47 tn Heb “carved engravings of carvings.”
48 sn Inside and out probably refers to the inner and outer rooms within the building.
49 tn Heb “the pillar, doorposts, a fifth part” (the precise meaning of this description is uncertain).
50 tn Heb “carved carvings of.”
51 tn Heb “he plated [with] gold” (the precise object is not stated).
52 tn Heb “and he hammered out the gold on the cherubs and the palm trees.”
53 tn Heb “and so he did at the entrance of the main hall, doorposts of olive wood, from a fourth.”
54 tn The words “he also made” are added for stylistic reasons.
55 tc Heb “two of the leaves of the first door were folding, and two of the leaves of the second door were folding.” In the second half of the description, the MT has קְלָעִים (qÿla’im, “curtains”), but this is surely a corruption of צְלָעִים (tsÿla’im, “leaves”) which appears in the first half of the statement.
56 sn In the month Ziv. This would be April-May, 966
57 tn The words “of Solomon’s reign” are added for clarification. See v. 1.
58 sn In the month Bul. This would be October-November 959
59 tn Heb “he built it in seven years.”
60 tc Several early and important witnesses, chiefly of the Western text (א* D* F G [365]), lack ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) here, while most Alexandrian and Byzantine
61 sn If indeed. The author is not doubting whether his audience has heard, but is rather using provocative language (if indeed) to engage his audience in thinking about the magnificence of God’s grace. However, in English translation, the apodosis (“then”-clause) does not come until v. 13, leaving the protasis (“if”-clause) dangling. Eph 3:2-7 constitute one sentence in Greek.
62 tn Or “administration,” “dispensation,” “commission.”
63 tn Or “namely, that is.”
64 tn Or “mystery.”
65 tn Or “as I wrote above briefly.”
sn As I wrote briefly may refer to the author’s brief discussion of the divine secret in 1:9.
66 tn Grk “which, when reading.”
67 tn Grk “you are able to.”
68 tn Or “mystery.”
69 tn Grk “which.” Verse 5 is technically a relative clause, subordinate to the thought of v. 4.
70 tn Grk “the sons of men” (a Semitic idiom referring to human beings, hence, “people”).
71 tn Grk “other.”
72 tn Or “in.”
73 sn The phrase through the gospel is placed last in the sentence in Greek for emphasis. It has been moved forward for clarity.
74 tn Grk “and fellow members.”
75 tn Grk “of which I was made a minister,” “of which I became a servant.”
76 tn Grk “according to.”
77 sn On the exercise of his power see 1:19-20.
78 sn In Pauline writings saints means any true believer. Thus for Paul to view himself as less than the least of all the saints is to view himself as the most unworthy object of Christ’s redemption.
79 sn The parallel phrases to proclaim and to enlighten which follow indicate why God’s grace was manifested to Paul. Grace was not something just to be received, but to be shared with others (cf. Acts 13:47).
80 tn There is a possible causative nuance in the Greek verb, but this is difficult to convey in the translation.
81 tn Grk “what is the plan of the divine secret.” Earlier the author had used οἰκονομία (oikonomia; here “plan”) to refer to his own “stewardship” (v. 2). But now he is speaking about the content of this secret, not his own activity in relation to it.
82 tn Or “for eternity,” or perhaps “from the Aeons.” Cf. 2:2, 7.
83 tn Or “by God.” It is possible that ἐν (en) plus the dative here indicates agency, that is, that God has performed the action of hiding the secret. However, this usage of the preposition ἐν is quite rare in the NT, and even though here it does follow a perfect passive verb as in the Classical idiom, it is more likely that a different nuance is intended.
84 tn Grk “that.” Verse 10 is a subordinate clause to the verb “enlighten” in v. 9.
85 tn Or “manifold wisdom,” “wisdom in its rich variety.”
86 tn Grk “according to.” The verse is a prepositional phrase subordinate to v. 10.
87 tn Grk “access in confidence.”
88 tn The phrase “to God” is not in the text, but is clearly implied by the preceding, “access.”
89 tn Grk “through,” “by way of.”
90 tn Grk “his.”
91 tn Or “faith in him.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pisti" Cristou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view.
sn Because of Christ’s faithfulness. Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.
92 tn Grk “I ask.” No direct object is given in Greek, leaving room for the possibility that either “God” (since the verb is often associated with prayer) or “you” is in view.
93 tn Grk “my trials on your behalf.”
94 sn Which. The antecedent (i.e., the word or concept to which this clause refers back) may be either “what I am suffering for you” or the larger concept of the recipients not losing heart over Paul’s suffering for them. The relative pronoun “which” is attracted to the predicate nominative “glory” in its gender and number (feminine singular), making the antecedent ambiguous. Paul’s suffering for them could be viewed as their glory (cf. Col 1:24 for a parallel) in that his suffering has brought about their salvation, but if so his suffering must be viewed as more than his present imprisonment in Rome; it would be a general description of his ministry overall (cf. 2 Cor 11:23-27). The other option is that the author is implicitly arguing that the believers have continued to have courage in the midst of his trials (as not to lose heart suggests) and that this is their glory. Philippians 1:27-28 offers an interesting parallel: The believers’ courage in the face of adversity is a sign of their salvation.
95 tn Or “Or who is your glory?” The relative pronoun ἥτις (Jhti"), if divided differently, would become ἤ τίς (h ti"). Since there were no word breaks in the original
96 sn For this reason resumes the point begun in v. 1, after a long parenthesis.
97 tn Grk “I bend my knees.”
98 tc Most Western and Byzantine witnesses, along with a few others (א2 D F G Ψ 0278 1881 Ï lat sy), have “of our Lord Jesus Christ” after “Father,” but such an edifying phrase cannot explain the rise of the reading that lacks it, especially when the shorter reading is attested by early and important witnesses such as Ì46 א* A B C P 6 33 81 365 1175 1739 co Or Hier.
99 tn Or “by.”
100 tn Or “the whole family.”
101 tn Grk “that.” In Greek v. 16 is a subordinate clause to vv. 14-15.
102 sn The object of these dimensions is not stated in the text. Interpreters have suggested a variety of referents for this unstated object, including the cross of Christ, the heavenly Jerusalem (which is then sometimes linked to the Church), God’s power, the fullness of salvation given in Christ, the Wisdom of God, and the love of Christ. Of these interpretations, the last two are the most plausible. Associations from Wisdom literature favor the Wisdom of God, but the immediate context favors the love of Christ. For detailed discussion of these interpretive options, see A. T. Lincoln, Ephesians (WBC), 207-13, who ultimately favors the love of Christ.
103 tn Or “with.”
104 sn On the power that is working within us see 1:19-20.
105 tn Or “infinitely beyond,” “far more abundantly than.”
106 tn Or “high places.”
107 tn Heb “lip of the tongue.”
108 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
109 tn Heb “they draw near to arrive.”
110 tn Heb “I (am) toward you.”
111 tn Heb “I will multiply on you human(s).”
112 sn These verbs occur together in Gen 1:22, 28; 9:1.
113 tn Heb “your beginning.”
114 tn Heb “cause you to hear.”
115 tc The MT reads תַכְשִׁלִי (takhshiliy), a metathesis for תַשְׁכִלִי (tashkhiliy) from the root שָׁכַל (shakhal) which is used in each of the previous verses.
116 tn Heb “way.”
117 sn See Ezek 7:8; 9:8; 14:19; 20:8, 13, 21; 22:22; 30:15.
118 sn For the concept of defiling the land in legal literature, see Lev 18:28; Deut 21:23.
119 tn Heb “name.”
120 sn In Ezek 20:22 God refrained from punishment for the sake of his holy name. Here God’s reputation is the basis for Israel’s restoration.
121 tn Or “sanctify,” Heb “make holy.”
122 sn The Lord here uses a metaphor from the realm of ritual purification. For the use of water in ritual cleansing, see Exod 30:19-20; Lev 14:51; Num 19:18; Heb 10:22.
123 sn That is, a heart which symbolizes a will that is stubborn and unresponsive (see 1 Sam 25:37). In Rabbinic literature a “stone” was associated with an evil inclination (b. Sukkah 52a).
124 sn That is, a heart which symbolizes a will that is responsive and obedient to God.
125 tn Or “in the midst of you.” The word “you” is plural.
126 tn Heb “and I will do that which in my statutes you will walk.” The awkward syntax (verb “to do, act” + accusative sign + relative clause + prepositional phrase + second person verb) is unique, though Eccl 3:14 contains a similar construction. In the last line of that verse we read that “God acts so that (relative pronoun) they fear before him.” However, unlike Ezek 36:27, the statement has no accusative sign before the relative pronoun.
127 tn Heb “and my laws you will guard and you will do them.” Jer 31:31-34 is parallel to this passage.
128 sn This promise reflects the ancient covenantal ideal (see Exod 6:7).
129 tn Heb “ways.”
130 tn Heb “Let it be known.”
131 tn The Niphal verb may have a tolerative function here, “Again (for) this I will allow myself to be sought by the house of Israel to act for them.” Or it may be reflexive: “I will reveal myself to the house of Israel by doing this also.”
132 sn Heb “I will multiply them like sheep, human(s).”
133 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
134 sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.
135 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
136 tn Heb “my life.”
137 tn Or “show me favor.”
138 tn Heb “the soul of your servant.”
139 tn Heb “I lift up my soul.”
140 tn Or “for.”
141 tn Heb “good.”
142 tn Heb “and there are none like your acts.”
143 tn Or “bow down before you.”
144 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The
145 tn Heb “I will walk in your truth.” The
146 tn Heb “Bind my heart to the fearing of your name.” The verb translated “bind” occurs only here in the Piel stem. It appears twice in the Qal, meaning “be joined” in both cases (Gen 49:6; Isa 14:20). To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for him which in turn motivates one to obey his commands (see Pss 61:5; 102:15).
147 tn Or “forever.”
148 tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
149 tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
150 tn Or “lower Sheol.”
151 tn Heb “rise up against me.”
152 tn Or “assembly.”
153 tn Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.
154 tn Heb “slow to anger.”
155 tn Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.”
sn The psalmist’s confession of faith in this verse echoes Exod 34:6.
156 tn Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the
157 tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.
158 tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.
159 tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the
