2 Samuel 23:1-39 
Context23:1 These are the final words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man raised up as
the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob, 1
Israel’s beloved 2 singer of songs:
23:2 The Lord’s spirit spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
23:3 The God of Israel spoke,
the protector 3 of Israel spoke to me.
The one who rules fairly among men,
the one who rules in the fear of God,
23:4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up,
a morning in which there are no clouds.
He is like the brightness after rain
that produces grass from the earth.
23:5 My dynasty is approved by God, 4
for he has made a perpetual covenant with me,
arranged in all its particulars and secured.
He always delivers me,
and brings all I desire to fruition. 5
23:6 But evil people are like thorns –
all of them are tossed away,
for they cannot be held in the hand.
23:7 The one who touches them
must use an iron instrument
or the wooden shaft of a spear.
They are completely burned up right where they lie!” 6
23:8 These are the names of David’s warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers. 7 He killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle. 8 23:9 Next in command 9 was Eleazar son of Dodo, 10 the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated, 11 23:10 he stood his ground 12 and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it 13 seemed stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.
23:11 Next in command 14 was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, 15 where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines. 23:12 But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended 16 it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.
23:13 At the time of 17 the harvest three 18 of the thirty leaders went down to 19 David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim. 23:14 David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. 20 23:15 David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!” 23:16 So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord 23:17 and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! 21 It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” 22 So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors. 23
23:18 Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. 24 He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three. 25 23:19 From 26 the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three.
23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior 27 from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. 28 He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day. 23:21 He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian. 29 The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attacked 30 him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 23:22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors. 23:23 He received honor from 31 the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
23:24 Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, 32 23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, 23:27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 23:29 Heled 33 son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, 23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, 23:31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan 23:33 son of 34 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, 23:34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 23:35 Hezrai 35 the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 23:36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (the armor-bearer 36 of Joab son of Zeruiah), 23:38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite 23:39 and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven.
Galatians 3:1-29
Context3:1 You 37 foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell 38 on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed 39 as crucified! 3:2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law 40 or by believing what you heard? 41 3:3 Are you so foolish? Although you began 42 with 43 the Spirit, are you now trying to finish 44 by human effort? 45 3:4 Have you suffered so many things for nothing? – if indeed it was for nothing. 3:5 Does God then give 46 you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law 47 or by your believing what you heard? 48
3:6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, 49 3:7 so then, understand 50 that those who believe are the sons of Abraham. 51 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, 52 saying, “All the nations 53 will be blessed in you.” 54 3:9 So then those who believe 55 are blessed along with Abraham the believer. 3:10 For all who 56 rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.” 57 3:11 Now it is clear no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by faith. 58 3:12 But the law is not based on faith, 59 but the one who does the works of the law 60 will live by them. 61 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming 62 a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) 63 3:14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, 64 so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.
3:15 Brothers and sisters, 65 I offer an example from everyday life: 66 When a covenant 67 has been ratified, 68 even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it. 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. 69 Scripture 70 does not say, “and to the descendants,” 71 referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” 72 referring to one, who is Christ. 3:17 What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, 73 so as to invalidate the promise. 3:18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave 74 it to Abraham through the promise.
3:19 Why then was the law given? 75 It was added 76 because of transgressions, 77 until the arrival of the descendant 78 to whom the promise had been made. It was administered 79 through angels by an intermediary. 80 3:20 Now an intermediary is not for one party alone, but God is one. 81 3:21 Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? 82 Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 83 3:22 But the scripture imprisoned 84 everything and everyone 85 under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulness 86 of Jesus Christ – to those who believe.
3:23 Now before faith 87 came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners 88 until the coming faith would be revealed. 3:24 Thus the law had become our guardian 89 until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous 90 by faith. 3:25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 91 3:26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. 92 3:27 For all of you who 93 were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave 94 nor free, there is neither male nor female 95 – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, 96 heirs according to the promise.
Ezekiel 30:1-26
Context30:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 30:2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Wail, “Alas, the day is here!” 97
30:3 For the day is near,
the day of the Lord is near;
it will be a day of storm clouds, 98
it will be a time of judgment 99 for the nations.
30:4 A sword will come against Egypt
and panic will overtake Ethiopia
when the slain fall in Egypt
and they carry away her wealth
and dismantle her foundations.
30:5 Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the foreigners, 100 Libya, and the people 101 of the covenant land 102 will die by the sword along with them.
30:6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
Egypt’s supporters will fall;
her confident pride will crumble. 103
From Migdol to Syene 104 they will die by the sword within her,
declares the sovereign Lord.
30:7 They will be desolate among desolate lands,
and their cities will be among ruined cities.
30:8 They will know that I am the Lord
when I ignite a fire in Egypt
and all her allies are defeated. 105
30:9 On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten overly confident Ethiopia; panic will overtake them on the day of Egypt’s doom; 106 for beware – it is coming!
30:10 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt,
by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar 107 of Babylon.
30:11 He and his people with him,
the most terrifying of the nations, 108
will be brought there to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt,
and fill the land with corpses.
30:12 I will dry up the waterways
and hand the land over to 109 evil men.
I will make the land and everything in it desolate by the hand of foreigners.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
30:13 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
I will destroy the idols,
and put an end to the gods of Memphis.
There will no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt;
so I will make the land of Egypt fearful. 110
30:14 I will desolate Pathros,
I will ignite a fire in Zoan,
and I will execute judgments on Thebes.
30:15 I will pour out my anger upon Pelusium, 111
the stronghold of Egypt;
I will cut off 112 the hordes of Thebes.
30:16 I will ignite a fire in Egypt;
Syene 113 will writhe in agony,
Thebes will be broken down,
and Memphis will face enemies every day.
30:17 The young men of On and of Pi-beseth 114 will die by the sword;
and the cities will go 115 into captivity.
30:18 In Tahpanhes the day will be dark 116
when I break the yoke of Egypt there.
Her confident pride will cease within her;
a cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.
30:19 I will execute judgments on Egypt.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
30:20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, 117 the word of the Lord came to me: 30:21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm 118 of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 119 Look, it has not been bandaged for healing or set with a dressing so that it might become strong enough to grasp a sword. 30:22 Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, 120 I am against 121 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his arms, the strong arm and the broken one, and I will make the sword drop from his hand. 30:23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among foreign countries. 30:24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and I will place my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan like the fatally wounded before the king of Babylon. 122 30:25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I place my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon and he extends it against the land of Egypt. 30:26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Psalms 78:38-72
Context78:38 Yet he is compassionate.
He forgives sin and does not destroy.
He often holds back his anger,
and does not stir up his fury. 123
78:39 He remembered 124 that they were made of flesh,
and were like a wind that blows past and does not return. 125
78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness,
and insulted him 126 in the desert!
78:41 They again challenged God, 127
and offended 128 the Holy One of Israel. 129
78:42 They did not remember what he had done, 130
how he delivered them from the enemy, 131
78:43 when he performed his awesome deeds 132 in Egypt,
and his acts of judgment 133 in the region of Zoan.
78:44 He turned their rivers into blood,
and they could not drink from their streams.
78:45 He sent swarms of biting insects against them, 134
as well as frogs that overran their land. 135
78:46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
the fruit of their labor to the locust.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail,
and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
78:48 He rained hail down on their cattle, 136
and hurled lightning bolts down on their livestock. 137
78:49 His raging anger lashed out against them, 138
He sent fury, rage, and trouble
as messengers who bring disaster. 139
78:50 He sent his anger in full force; 140
he did not spare them from death;
he handed their lives over to destruction. 141
78:51 He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power 142 in the tents of Ham.
78:52 Yet he brought out his people like sheep;
he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
78:53 He guided them safely along,
while the sea covered their enemies.
78:54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this mountainous land 143 which his right hand 144 acquired.
78:55 He drove the nations out from before them;
he assigned them their tribal allotments 145
and allowed the tribes of Israel to settle down. 146
78:56 Yet they challenged and defied 147 the sovereign God, 148
and did not obey 149 his commands. 150
78:57 They were unfaithful 151 and acted as treacherously as 152 their ancestors;
they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow. 153
78:58 They made him angry with their pagan shrines, 154
and made him jealous with their idols.
78:59 God heard and was angry;
he completely rejected Israel.
78:60 He abandoned 155 the sanctuary at Shiloh,
the tent where he lived among men.
78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; 156
he gave the symbol of his splendor 157 into the hand of the enemy. 158
78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword,
and was angry with his chosen nation. 159
78:63 Fire consumed their 160 young men,
and their 161 virgins remained unmarried. 162
78:64 Their 163 priests fell by the sword,
but their 164 widows did not weep. 165
78:65 But then the Lord awoke from his sleep; 166
he was like a warrior in a drunken rage. 167
78:66 He drove his enemies back;
he made them a permanent target for insults. 168
78:67 He rejected the tent of Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
78:68 He chose the tribe of Judah,
and Mount Zion, which he loves.
78:69 He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above; 169
as secure as the earth, which he established permanently. 170
78:70 He chose David, his servant,
and took him from the sheepfolds.
78:71 He took him away from following the mother sheep, 171
and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people,
and of Israel, his chosen nation. 172
78:72 David 173 cared for them with pure motives; 174
he led them with skill. 175
1 tn Heb “the anointed one of the God of Jacob.”
2 tn Or “pleasant.”
3 tn Heb “rock,” used as a metaphor of divine protection.
4 tn Heb “For not thus [is] my house with God?”
5 tn Heb “for all my deliverance and every desire, surely does he not make [it] grow?”
6 tn Heb “and with fire they are completely burned up in [the place where they] remain.” The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb to emphasize that they are completely consumed by the fire.
7 tn The Hebrew word is sometimes rendered as “the three,” but BDB is probably correct in taking it to refer to military officers (BDB 1026 s.v. שְׁלִישִׁי). In that case the etymological connection of this word to the Hebrew numerical adjective for “three” can be explained as originating with a designation for the third warrior in a chariot.
8 tc The translation follows some LXX
9 tn Heb “after him.”
10 tc This follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
11 tn Heb “went up.”
12 tn Heb “arose.”
13 tn Heb “his hand.”
14 tn Heb “after him.”
15 tn The Hebrew text is difficult here. The MT reads לַחַיָּה (lachayyah), which implies a rare use of the word חַיָּה (chayyah). The word normally refers to an animal, but if the MT is accepted it would here have the sense of a troop or community of people. BDB 312 s.v. II. חַיָּה, for example, understands the similar reference in v. 13 to be to “a group of allied families, making a raid together.” But this works better in v. 13 than it does in v. 11, where the context seems to suggest a particular staging location for a military operation. (See 1 Chr 11:15.) It therefore seems best to understand the word in v. 11 as a place name with ה (he) directive. In that case the Masoretes mistook the word for the common term for an animal and then tried to make sense of it in this context.
16 tn Heb “delivered.”
17 tn The meaning of Hebrew אֶל־קָצִיר (’el qatsir) seems here to be “at the time of harvest,” although this is an unusual use of the phrase. As S. R. Driver points out, this preposition does not normally have the temporal sense of “in” or “during” (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 366).
18 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
19 tn Heb “went down…and approached.”
20 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
21 tn Heb “Far be it to me, O
22 tn Heb “[Is it not] the blood of the men who were going with their lives?”
23 tn Heb “These things the three warriors did.”
24 tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew
25 tn Heb “and he was wielding his spear against three hundred, [who were] slain, and to him there was a name among the three.”
26 tn Or “more than.”
27 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
28 tc Heb “the two of Ariel, Moab.” The precise meaning of אריאל is uncertain; some read “warrior.” The present translation assumes that the word is a proper name and that בני, “sons of,” has accidentally dropped from the text by homoioarcton (note the preceding שׁני).
29 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
30 tn Heb “and he went down to.”
31 tn Or “more than.”
32 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
33 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew
34 tn The Hebrew text does not have “the son of.”
35 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
36 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
37 tn Grk “O” (an interjection used both in address and emotion). In context the following section is highly charged emotionally.
38 tn Or “deceived”; the verb βασκαίνω (baskainw) can be understood literally here in the sense of bewitching by black magic, but could also be understood figuratively to refer to an act of deception (see L&N 53.98 and 88.159).
39 tn Or “publicly placarded,” “set forth in a public proclamation” (BDAG 867 s.v. προγράφω 2).
40 tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law,” a reference to observing the Mosaic law.
41 tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith.”
42 tn Grk “Having begun”; the participle ἐναρξάμενοι (enarxamenoi) has been translated concessively.
43 tn Or “by the Spirit.”
44 tn The verb ἐπιτελεῖσθε (epiteleisqe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534). This is something the Galatians were attempting to do, but could not accomplish successfully.
45 tn Grk “in/by [the] flesh.”
46 tn Or “provide.”
47 tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law” (the same phrase as in v. 2).
48 tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith” (the same phrase as in v. 2).
49 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
50 tn Grk “know.”
51 tn The phrase “sons of Abraham” is used here in a figurative sense to describe people who are connected to a personality, Abraham, by close nonmaterial ties. It is this personality that has defined the relationship and its characteristics (BDAG 1024-25 s.v. υἱός 2.c.α).
52 tn For the Greek verb προευαγγελίζομαι (proeuangelizomai) translated as “proclaim the gospel ahead of time,” compare L&N 33.216.
53 tn The same plural Greek word, τὰ ἔθνη (ta eqnh), can be translated as “nations” or “Gentiles.”
54 sn A quotation from Gen 12:3; 18:18.
55 tn Grk “those who are by faith,” with the Greek expression “by faith” (ἐκ πίστεως, ek pistew") the same as the expression in v. 8.
56 tn Grk “For as many as.”
57 tn Grk “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them.”
sn A quotation from Deut 27:26.
58 tn Or “The one who is righteous by faith will live” (a quotation from Hab 2:4).
59 tn Grk “is not from faith.”
60 tn Grk “who does these things”; the referent (the works of the law, see 3:5) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
61 sn A quotation from Lev 18:5. The phrase the works of the law is an editorial expansion on the Greek text (see previous note); it has been left as normal typeface to indicate it is not part of the OT text.
62 tn Grk “having become”; the participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been taken instrumentally.
63 sn A quotation from Deut 21:23. By figurative extension the Greek word translated tree (ζύλον, zulon) can also be used to refer to a cross (L&N 6.28), the Roman instrument of execution.
64 tn Or “so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.”
65 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
66 tn Grk “I speak according to man,” referring to the illustration that follows.
67 tn The same Greek word, διαθήκη (diaqhkh), can mean either “covenant” or “will,” but in this context the former is preferred here because Paul is discussing in vv. 16-18 the Abrahamic covenant.
68 tn Or “has been put into effect.”
69 tn Grk “his seed,” a figurative extension of the meaning of σπέρμα (sperma) to refer to descendants (L&N 10.29).
70 tn Grk “It”; the referent (the scripture) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The understood subject of the verb λέγει (legei) could also be “He” (referring to God) as the one who spoke the promise to Abraham.
71 tn Grk “to seeds.” See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse. Here the term is plural; the use of the singular in the OT text cited later in this verse is crucial to Paul’s argument.
72 tn See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse.
sn A quotation from Gen 12:7; 13:15; 17:7; 24:7.
73 tc Most
74 tn On the translation “graciously gave” for χαρίζομαι (carizomai) see L&N 57.102.
75 tn Grk “Why then the law?”
76 tc For προσετέθη (proseteqh) several Western
77 tc παραδόσεων (paradosewn; “traditions, commandments”) is read by D*, while the vast majority of witnesses read παραβάσεων (parabasewn, “transgressions”). D’s reading makes little sense in this context. πράξεων (praxewn, “of deeds”) replaces παραβάσεων in Ì46 F G it Irlat Ambst Spec. The wording is best taken as going with νόμος (nomo"; “Why then the law of deeds?”), as is evident by the consistent punctuation in the later witnesses. But such an expression is unpauline and superfluous; it was almost certainly added by some early scribe(s) to soften the blow of Paul’s statement.
78 tn Grk “the seed.” See the note on the first occurrence of the word “descendant” in 3:16.
79 tn Or “was ordered.” L&N 31.22 has “was put into effect” here.
80 tn Many modern translations (NASB, NIV, NRSV) render this word (μεσίτης, mesith"; here and in v. 20) as “mediator,” but this conveys a wrong impression in contemporary English. If this is referring to Moses, he certainly did not “mediate” between God and Israel but was an intermediary on God’s behalf. Moses was not a mediator, for example, who worked for compromise between opposing parties. He instead was God’s representative to his people who enabled them to have a relationship, but entirely on God’s terms.
81 tn The meaning of this verse is disputed. According to BDAG 634 s.v. μεσίτης, “It prob. means that the activity of an intermediary implies the existence of more than one party, and hence may be unsatisfactory because it must result in a compromise. The presence of an intermediary would prevent attainment, without any impediment, of the purpose of the εἶς θεός in giving the law.” See also A. Oepke, TDNT 4:598-624, esp. 618-19.
82 tc The reading τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou, “of God”) is well attested in א A C D (F G read θεοῦ without the article) Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy co. However, Ì46 B d Ambst lack the words. Ì46 and B perhaps should not to be given as much weight as they normally are, since the combination of these two witnesses often produces a secondary shorter reading against all others. In addition, one might expect that if the shorter reading were original other variants would have crept into the textual tradition early on. But 104 (
83 tn Or “have been based on the law.”
84 tn Or “locked up.”
85 tn Grk “imprisoned all things” but τὰ πάντα (ta panta) includes people as part of the created order. Because people are the emphasis of Paul’s argument ( “given to those who believe” at the end of this verse.), “everything and everyone” was used here.
86 tn Or “so that the promise could be given by faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe.” 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; Eph 3:12; 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 On the phrase because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, ExSyn 116, which notes that the grammar is not decisive, nevertheless suggests that “the faith/faithfulness of Christ is not a denial of faith in Christ as a Pauline concept (for the idea is expressed in many of the same contexts, only with the verb πιστεύω rather than the noun), but implies that the object of faith is a worthy object, for he himself is faithful.” Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.
87 tn Or “the faithfulness [of Christ] came.”
88 tc Instead of the present participle συγκλειόμενοι (sunkleiomenoi; found in Ì46 א A B D* F G P Ψ 33 1739 al), C D1 0176 0278 Ï have the perfect συγκεκλεισμένοι (sunkekleismenoi). The syntactical implication of the perfect is that the cause or the means of being held in custody was confinement (“we were held in custody [by/because of] being confined”). The present participle of course allows for such options, but also allows for contemporaneous time (“while being confined”) and result (“with the result that we were confined”). Externally, the perfect participle has little to commend it, being restricted for the most part to later and Byzantine witnesses.
tn Grk “being confined.”
89 tn Or “disciplinarian,” “custodian,” or “guide.” According to BDAG 748 s.v. παιδαγωγός, “the man, usu. a slave…whose duty it was to conduct a boy or youth…to and from school and to superintend his conduct gener.; he was not a ‘teacher’ (despite the present mng. of the derivative ‘pedagogue’…When the young man became of age, the π. was no longer needed.” L&N 36.5 gives “guardian, leader, guide” here.
90 tn Or “be justified.”
91 tn See the note on the word “guardian” in v. 24. The punctuation of vv. 25, 26, and 27 is difficult to represent because of the causal connections between each verse. English style would normally require a comma either at the end of v. 25 or v. 26, but in so doing the translation would then link v. 26 almost exclusively with either v. 25 or v. 27; this would be problematic as scholars debate which two verses are to be linked. Because of this, the translation instead places a period at the end of each verse. This preserves some of the ambiguity inherent in the Greek and does not exclude any particular causal connection.
92 tn Or “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
93 tn Grk “For as many of you as.”
94 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 1:10.
95 tn Grk “male and female.”
96 tn Grk “seed.” See the note on the first occurrence of the word “descendant” in 3:16.
97 tn Heb “Alas for the day.”
98 tn Heb “a day of clouds.” The expression occurs also in Joel 2:2 and Zeph 1:15; it recalls the appearance of God at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:9, 16, 18).
99 tn Heb “a time.” The words “of judgment” have been added in the translation for clarification (see the following verses).
100 tn The same expression appears in Exod 12:38; Jer 25:20; 50:37; Neh 13:3. It may refer to foreign mercenaries serving in the armies of the nations listed here.
101 tn Heb “sons.”
102 tn The expression “sons of the covenant land” possibly refers to Jews living in Egypt (Jer 44).
103 tn Heb “come down.”
104 sn Syene is known as Aswan today.
105 tn Heb “all who aid her are broken.”
106 tn Heb “in the day of Egypt.” The word “doom” has been added in the translation to clarify the nature of this day.
107 tn Heb “Nebuchadrezzar” is a variant and more correct spelling of Nebuchadnezzar, as the Babylonian name Nabu-kudurri-usur has an “r” rather than an “n.”
108 tn The Babylonians were known for their cruelty (2 Kgs 25:7).
109 tn Heb “and I will sell the land into the hand of.”
110 tn Heb “I will put fear in the land of Egypt.”
111 tn Heb “Sin” (so KJV, NASB), a city commonly identified with Pelusium, a fortress on Egypt’s northeastern frontier.
112 tn Or “kill.”
113 tc The LXX reads “Syene,” which is Aswan in the south. The MT reads Sin, which has already been mentioned in v. 15.
114 sn On and Pi-beseth are generally identified with the Egyptian cities of Heliopolis and Bubastis.
115 tn Heb “they will go.” The pronoun and verb are feminine plural, indicating that the cities just mentioned are the antecedent of the pronoun and the subject of the verb. The translation makes this clear by stating the subject as “the cities.”
116 sn In Zeph 1:15 darkness is associated with the day of the
117 tn April 29, 587
118 sn The expression “breaking the arm” indicates the removal of power (Ps 10:15; 37:17; Job 38:15; Jer 48:25).
119 sn This may refer to the event recorded in Jer 37:5.
120 tn The word h!nn@h indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
121 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
122 tn Heb “him”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
123 tn One could translate v. 38 in the past tense (“he was compassionate…forgave sin and did not destroy…held back his anger, and did not stir up his fury”), but the imperfect verbal forms are probably best understood as generalizing. Verse 38 steps back briefly from the narrational summary of Israel’s history and lays the theological basis for v. 39, which focuses on God’s mercy toward sinful Israel.
124 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive signals a return to the narrative.
125 tn Heb “and he remembered that they [were] flesh, a wind [that] goes and does not return.”
126 tn Or “caused him pain.”
127 tn Heb “and they returned and tested God.” The Hebrew verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”) is used here in an adverbial sense to indicate that an earlier action was repeated.
128 tn Or “wounded, hurt.” The verb occurs only here in the OT.
129 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the
130 tn Heb “his hand,” symbolizing his saving activity and strength, as the next line makes clear.
131 tn Heb “[the] day [in] which he ransomed them from [the] enemy.”
132 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
133 tn Or “portents, omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are referred to here (see vv. 44-51).
134 tn Heb “and he sent an insect swarm against them and it devoured them.”
135 tn Heb “and a swarm of frogs and it destroyed them.”
136 tn Heb “and he turned over to the hail their cattle.”
137 tn Heb “and their livestock to the flames.” “Flames” here refer to the lightning bolts that accompanied the storm.
138 tn Heb “he sent against them the rage of his anger.” The phrase “rage of his anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.
139 tn Heb “fury and indignation and trouble, a sending of messengers of disaster.”
140 tn Heb “he leveled a path for his anger.” There were no obstacles to impede its progress; it moved swiftly and destructively.
141 tn Or perhaps “[the] plague.”
142 tn Heb “the beginning of strength.” If retained, the plural form אוֹנִים (’onim, “strength”) probably indicates degree (“great strength”), but many ancient witnesses read “their strength,” which presupposes an emendation to אֹנָם (’onam; singular form of the noun with third masculine plural pronominal suffix).
143 tn Heb “this mountain.” The whole land of Canaan seems to be referred to here. In Exod 15:17 the promised land is called the “mountain of your [i.e., God’s] inheritance.”
144 tn The “right hand” here symbolizes God’s military strength (see v. 55).
145 tn Heb “he caused to fall [to] them with a measuring line an inheritance.”
146 tn Heb “and caused the tribes of Israel to settle down in their tents.”
147 tn Or “tested and rebelled against.”
148 tn Heb “God, the Most High.”
149 tn Or “keep.”
150 tn Heb “his testimonies” (see Ps 25:10).
151 tn Heb “they turned back.”
152 tn Or “acted treacherously like.”
153 tn Heb “they turned aside like a deceitful bow.”
154 tn Traditionally, “high places.”
155 tn Or “rejected.”
156 tn Heb “and he gave to captivity his strength.” The expression “his strength” refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant, which was housed in the tabernacle at Shiloh.
157 tn Heb “and his splendor into the hand of an enemy.” The expression “his splendor” also refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant.
158 sn Verses 60-61 refer to the Philistines’ capture of the ark in the days of Eli (1 Sam 4:1-11).
159 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
160 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
161 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
162 tn Heb “were not praised,” that is, in wedding songs. The young men died in masses, leaving no husbands for the young women.
163 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
164 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
165 sn Because of the invading army and the ensuing panic, the priests’ widows had no time to carry out the normal mourning rites.
166 tn Heb “and the master awoke like one sleeping.” The
167 tn Heb “like a warrior overcome with wine.” The Hebrew verb רוּן (run, “overcome”) occurs only here in the OT. The phrase “overcome with wine” could picture a drunken warrior controlled by his emotions and passions (as in the present translation), or it could refer to a warrior who awakes from a drunken stupor.
168 tn Heb “a permanent reproach he made them.”
169 tc Heb “and he built like the exalting [ones] his sanctuary.” The phrase כְּמוֹ־רָמִים (kÿmo-ramim, “like the exalting [ones]”) is a poetic form of the comparative preposition followed by a participial form of the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”). The text should be emended to כִּמְרֹמִים (kimromim, “like the [heavenly] heights”). See Ps 148:1, where “heights” refers to the heavens above.
170 tn Heb “like the earth, [which] he established permanently.” The feminine singular suffix on the Hebrew verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish”) refers to the grammatically feminine noun “earth.”
171 tn Heb “from after the ewes he brought him.”
172 tn Heb “to shepherd Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.”
173 tn Heb “He”; the referent (David, God’s chosen king, mentioned in v. 70) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
174 tn Heb “and he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart.”
175 tn Heb “and with the understanding of his hands he led them.”
