1 Kings 2:1-46 
Context2:1 When David was close to death, 1 he told 2 Solomon his son: 2:2 “I am about to die. 3 Be strong and become a man! 2:3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you 4 by following his instructions 5 and obeying 6 his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish, 7 2:4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me, 8 ‘If your descendants watch their step 9 and live faithfully in my presence 10 with all their heart and being, 11 then,’ he promised, 12 ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ 13
2:5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. 14 During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; 15 when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. 16 2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, 17 but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death. 18
2:7 “Treat fairly 19 the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, 20 because they helped me 21 when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.
2:8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, 22 who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. 23 He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised 24 him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down 25 with the sword.’ 2:9 But now 26 don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; 27 make sure he has a bloody death.” 28
2:10 Then David passed away 29 and was buried in the city of David. 30 2:11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem 31 thirty-three years.
2:12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority 32 was firmly solidified.
2:13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.” 33 2:14 He added, 34 “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 2:15 He said, “You know that the kingdom 35 was mine and all Israel considered me king. 36 But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his. 37 2:16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.” 38 She said, “Go ahead and ask.” 39 2:17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.” 40 2:18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine, 41 I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”
2:19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet 42 her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother, 43 and she sat at his right hand. 2:20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor. 44 Please don’t refuse me.” 45 He said, 46 “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.” 2:21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 2:22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him? 47 Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
2:23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely, 48 if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life! 49 2:24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynasty 50 for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 2:25 King Solomon then sent 51 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah. 52
2:26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property 53 in Anathoth. You deserve to die, 54 but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.” 55 2:27 Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, 56 fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli. 57
2:28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported 58 Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he 59 ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 60 2:29 When King Solomon heard 61 that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, 62 “Go, strike him down.” 2:30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply. 63 2:31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family 64 the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds. 65 2:32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; 66 behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he 67 – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 2:33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family, 68 and his dynasty.” 69 2:34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab; 70 he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 2:35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head of 71 the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place. 72
2:36 Next the king summoned 73 Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem 74 and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere! 75 2:37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.” 76 2:38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable. 77 Your servant will do as you say.” 78 So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. 79
2:39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 2:40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath. 2:41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned, 2:42 the king summoned 80 Shimei and said to him, “You will recall 81 that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere, 82 know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’ 83 2:43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?” 84 2:44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David. 85 The Lord will punish you for what you did. 86 2:45 But King Solomon will be empowered 87 and David’s dynasty 88 will endure permanently before the Lord.” 2:46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei. 89
So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom. 90
Galatians 6:1-18
Context6:1 Brothers and sisters, 91 if a person 92 is discovered in some sin, 93 you who are spiritual 94 restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. 95 Pay close attention 96 to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 6:3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 6:4 Let each one examine 97 his own work. Then he can take pride 98 in himself and not compare himself with 99 someone else. 6:5 For each one will carry 100 his own load.
6:6 Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches 101 it. 6:7 Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. 102 For a person 103 will reap what he sows, 6:8 because the person who sows to his own flesh 104 will reap corruption 105 from the flesh, 106 but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 6:9 So we must not grow weary 107 in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. 108 6:10 So then, 109 whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith. 110
6:11 See what big letters I make as I write to you with my own hand!
6:12 Those who want to make a good showing in external matters 111 are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do so 112 only to avoid being persecuted 113 for the cross of Christ. 6:13 For those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh. 114 6:14 But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which 115 the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 6:15 For 116 neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for 117 anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation! 118 6:16 And all who will behave 119 in accordance with this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on the Israel of God. 120
6:17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. 121
6:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be 122 with your spirit, brothers and sisters. 123 Amen.
Ezekiel 33:1-33
Context33:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 33:2 “Son of man, speak to your people, 124 and say to them, ‘Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman. 33:3 He sees the sword coming against the land, blows the trumpet, 125 and warns the people, 126 33:4 but there is one who hears the sound of the trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him away. He will be responsible for his own death. 127 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. 128 If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. 33:6 But suppose the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his iniquity, 129 but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death.’ 130
33:7 “As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman 131 for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf. 33:8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you must certainly die,’ 132 and you do not warn 133 the wicked about his behavior, 134 the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death. 135 33:9 But if you warn the wicked man to change his behavior, 136 and he refuses to change, 137 he will die for his iniquity, but you have saved your own life.
33:10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you have said: “Our rebellious acts and our sins have caught up with us, 138 and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”’ 33:11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior 139 and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! 140 Why should you die, O house of Israel?’
33:12 “And you, son of man, say to your people, 141 ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels. 142 As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it. 143 The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness 144 if he sins.’ 145 33:13 Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die. 33:14 Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right. 33:15 He 146 returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, 147 committing no iniquity. He will certainly live – he will not die. 33:16 None of the sins he has committed will be counted 148 against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.
33:17 “Yet your people 149 say, ‘The behavior 150 of the Lord is not right,’ 151 when it is their behavior that is not right. 33:18 When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it. 33:19 When the wicked turns from his sin and does what is just and right, he will live because of it. 33:20 Yet you say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right.’ House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior.” 152
33:21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth of the month, 153 a refugee came to me from Jerusalem 154 saying, “The city has been defeated!” 155 33:22 Now the hand of the Lord had been on me 156 the evening before the refugee reached me, but the Lord 157 opened my mouth by the time the refugee arrived 158 in the morning; he opened my mouth and I was no longer unable to speak. 159 33:23 The word of the Lord came to me: 33:24 “Son of man, the ones living in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land, but we are many; surely the land has been given to us for a possession.’ 160 33:25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: You eat the meat with the blood still in it, 161 pray to 162 your idols, and shed blood. Do you really think you will possess 163 the land? 33:26 You rely 164 on your swords and commit abominable deeds; each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Will you possess the land?’
33:27 “This is what you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die 165 by the sword, those in the open field I will give to the wild beasts for food, and those who are in the strongholds and caves will die of disease. 33:28 I will turn the land into a desolate ruin; her confident pride will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so desolate no one will pass through them. 33:29 Then they will know that I am the Lord when I turn the land into a desolate ruin because of all the abominable deeds they have committed.’ 166
33:30 “But as for you, son of man, your people 167 (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another, 168 ‘Come hear the word that comes 169 from the Lord.’ 33:31 They come to you in crowds, 170 and they sit in front of you as 171 my people. They hear your words, but do not obey 172 them. For they talk lustfully, 173 and their heart is set on 174 their own advantage. 175 33:32 Realize 176 that to them you are like a sensual song, a beautiful voice and skilled musician. 177 They hear your words, but they do not obey them. 178 33:33 When all this comes true – and it certainly will 179 – then they will know that a prophet was among them.”
Psalms 81:1--82:8
ContextFor the music director; according to the gittith style; 181 by Asaph.
81:1 Shout for joy to God, our source of strength!
Shout out to the God of Jacob!
81:2 Sing 182 a song and play the tambourine,
the pleasant sounding harp, and the ten-stringed instrument!
81:3 Sound the ram’s horn on the day of the new moon, 183
and on the day of the full moon when our festival begins. 184
81:4 For observing the festival is a requirement for Israel; 185
it is an ordinance given by the God of Jacob.
81:5 He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph,
when he attacked the land of Egypt. 186
I heard a voice I did not recognize. 187
81:6 It said: 188 “I removed the burden from his shoulder;
his hands were released from holding the basket. 189
81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.
I answered you from a dark thundercloud. 190
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 191 (Selah)
81:8 I said, 192 ‘Listen, my people!
I will warn 193 you!
O Israel, if only you would obey me! 194
81:9 There must be 195 no other 196 god among you.
You must not worship a foreign god.
81:10 I am the Lord, your God,
the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’
81:11 But my people did not obey me; 197
Israel did not submit to me. 198
81:12 I gave them over to their stubborn desires; 199
they did what seemed right to them. 200
81:13 If only my people would obey me! 201
If only Israel would keep my commands! 202
81:14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and attack 203 their adversaries.”
81:15 (May those who hate the Lord 204 cower in fear 205 before him!
May they be permanently humiliated!) 206
81:16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat, 207
and would satisfy your appetite 208 with honey from the rocky cliffs.” 209
A psalm of Asaph.
82:1 God stands in 211 the assembly of El; 212
in the midst of the gods 213 he renders judgment. 214
82:2 He says, 215 “How long will you make unjust legal decisions
and show favoritism to the wicked? 216 (Selah)
82:3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! 217
Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!
82:4 Rescue the poor and needy!
Deliver them from the power 218 of the wicked!
82:5 They 219 neither know nor understand.
They stumble 220 around in the dark,
while all the foundations of the earth crumble. 221
82:6 I thought, 222 ‘You are gods;
all of you are sons of the Most High.’ 223
82:7 Yet you will die like mortals; 224
you will fall like all the other rulers.” 225
82:8 Rise up, O God, and execute judgment on the earth!
For you own 226 all the nations.
1 tn Heb “and the days of David approached to die.”
2 tn Or “commanded.”
3 tn Heb “going the way of all the earth.”
4 tn Heb “keep the charge of the
5 tn Heb “by walking in his ways.”
6 tn Or “keeping.”
7 tn Heb “then you will cause to succeed all which you do and all which you turn there.”
8 tn Heb “then the
9 tn Heb “guard their way.”
10 tn Heb “by walking before me in faithfulness.”
11 tn Or “soul.”
12 tn Heb “saying.”
13 tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from upon the throne of Israel.”
14 tn Heb “what he did to the two commanders…and he killed them.”
15 tn Heb “he shed the blood of battle in peace.”
16 tn Heb “and he shed the blood of battle when he killed which is on his waist and on his sandal[s] which are on his feet.” That is, he covered himself with guilt and his guilt was obvious to all who saw him.
17 tn Heb “according to your wisdom.”
18 tn Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”
19 tn Heb “do loyalty with”; or “act faithfully toward.”
20 tn Heb “and let them be among the ones who eat [at] your table.”
21 tn Heb “drew near to.”
22 tn Heb “Look, with you is Shimei….”
23 tn Heb “and he cursed me with a horrible curse on the day I went to Mahanaim.”
24 tn Or “swore an oath to.”
25 tn Heb “kill you.”
26 tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek and the Vulgate have here “you” rather than “now.” The two words are homonyms in Hebrew.
27 tn Heb “what you should do to him.”
28 tn Heb “bring his grey hair down in blood [to] Sheol.”
29 tn Heb “and David lay down with his fathers.”
30 sn The phrase the city of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
31 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
32 tn Or “kingship.”
33 tn Heb “[in] peace.”
34 tn Heb “and he said.”
35 tn Or “kingship.”
36 tn Heb “set their face to me to be king.”
37 tn Heb “and the kingdom turned about and became my brother’s, for from the
38 tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.”
39 tn Heb “She said, ‘Speak!’”
40 tn Heb “Say to Solomon the king, for he will not turn back your face, that he might give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.”
41 tn Heb “[It is] good!”
42 tn Or “meet.”
43 tn Heb “he set up a throne for the mother of the king.”
44 tn Or “I’d like to make just one request of you.”
45 tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.”
46 tn Heb “and the king said to her.”
47 tn Heb “for Adonijah.”
48 tn Heb “So may God do to me, and so may he add.”
49 tn Heb “if with his life Adonijah has not spoken this word.”
50 tn Heb “house.”
51 tn The Hebrew text adds, “by the hand of.”
52 tn Heb “and he struck him and he died.”
53 tn Or “field.”
54 tn Heb “you are a man of death.”
55 tn Heb “and because you suffered through all which my father suffered.”
56 tn Heb “Solomon drove out Abiathar from being a priest to the
57 tn Heb “fulfilling the word of the
58 tn Heb “turned after” (also later in this verse).
59 tn Heb “Joab.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
60 sn Grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. The “horns” of the altar were the horn-shaped projections on the four corners of the altar (see Exod 27:2). By going to the holy place and grabbing hold of the horns of the altar, Joab was seeking asylum from Solomon.
61 tn Heb “and it was related to King Solomon.”
62 tn Heb “so Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying.”
63 tn Heb “saying, “In this way Joab spoke and in this way he answered me.”
64 tn Heb “house.”
65 tn Heb “take away the undeserved bloodshed which Joab spilled from upon me and from upon the house of my father.”
66 tn Heb “The
67 tn Heb “because he struck down two men more innocent and better than he and he killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know.”
68 tn Heb “house.”
69 tn Heb “his throne.”
70 tn Heb “struck him and killed him.” The referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
71 tn Heb “over.”
72 tc The Old Greek translation includes after v. 35 some fourteen verses that are absent from the MT.
73 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
74 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
75 tn Heb “and you may not go out from there here or there.”
76 tn Heb “your blood will be upon your head.”
77 tn Heb “Good is the word, as my master the king has spoken.”
78 tn Heb “so your servant will do.”
79 tn Heb “many days.”
80 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
81 tn Heb “Is it not [true]…?” In the Hebrew text the statement is interrogative; the rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course it is.”
82 tn Heb “here or there.”
83 tn Heb “good is the word; I have heard.”
84 tn Heb “Why have you not kept the oath [to] the
85 tn Heb “You know all the evil, for your heart knows, which you did to David my father.”
86 tn Heb “The
87 tn Or “blessed.”
88 tn Heb “throne.”
89 tn “The king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada and he went out and struck him down and he died.”
90 tn “And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”
91 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
92 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
93 tn Or “some transgression” (L&N 88.297).
94 sn Who are spiritual refers to people who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit.
95 tn Or “with a gentle spirit” or “gently.”
96 tn Grk “taking careful notice.”
97 tn Or “determine the genuineness of.”
98 tn Grk “he will have a reason for boasting.”
99 tn Or “and not in regard to.” The idea of comparison is implied in the context.
100 tn Or perhaps, “each one must carry.” A number of modern translations treat βαστάσει (bastasei) as an imperatival future.
101 tn Or “instructs,” “imparts.”
102 tn Or “is not mocked,” “will not be ridiculed” (L&N 33.409). BDAG 660 s.v. μυκτηρίζω has “of God οὐ μ. he is not to be mocked, treated w. contempt, perh. outwitted Gal 6:7.”
103 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
104 tn BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24;…Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”
105 tn Or “destruction.”
106 tn See the note on the previous occurrence of the word “flesh” in this verse.
107 tn Or “not become discouraged,” “not lose heart” (L&N 25.288).
108 tn Or “if we do not become extremely weary,” “if we do not give out,” “if we do not faint from exhaustion” (L&N 23.79).
109 tn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what Paul has been arguing.
110 tn Grk “to those who are members of the family of [the] faith.”
111 tn Grk “in the flesh.” L&N 88.236 translates the phrase “those who force you to be circumcised are those who wish to make a good showing in external matters.”
112 tn Grk “to be circumcised, only.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with the words “They do so,” which were supplied to make a complete English sentence.
113 tc ‡ Grk “so that they will not be persecuted.” The indicative after ἵνα μή (Jina mh) is unusual (though not unexampled elsewhere in the NT), making it the harder reading. The evidence is fairly evenly split between the indicative διώκονται (diwkontai; Ì46 A C F G K L P 0278 6 81 104 326 629 1175 1505 pm) and the subjunctive διώκωνται (diwkwntai; א B D Ψ 33 365 1739 pm), with a slight preference for the subjunctive. However, since scribes would tend to change the indicative to a subjunctive due to syntactical requirements, the internal evidence is decidedly on the side of the indicative, suggesting that it is original.
114 tn Or “boast about you in external matters,” “in the outward rite” (cf. v. 12).
115 tn Or perhaps, “through whom,” referring to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than the cross.
116 tc The phrase “in Christ Jesus” is found after “For” in some
117 tn Grk “is.”
118 tn Grk “but a new creation”; the words “the only thing that matters” have been supplied to reflect the implied contrast with the previous clause (see also Gal 5:6).
119 tn The same Greek verb, στοιχέω (stoicew), occurs in Gal 5:25.
120 tn The word “and” (καί) can be interpreted in two ways: (1) It could be rendered as “also” which would indicate that two distinct groups are in view, namely “all who will behave in accordance with this rule” and “the Israel of God.” Or (2) it could be rendered “even,” which would indicate that “all who behave in accordance with this rule” are “the Israel of God.” In other words, in this latter view, “even” = “that is.”
121 tn Paul is probably referring to scars from wounds received in the service of Jesus, although the term στίγμα (stigma) may imply ownership and suggest these scars served as brands (L&N 8.55; 33.481; 90.84).
122 tn Or “is.” No verb is stated, but a wish (“be”) rather than a declarative statement (“is”) is most likely in a concluding greeting such as this.
123 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
124 tn Heb “sons of your people.”
125 tn Heb “shofar,” a ram’s horn rather than a brass instrument (so throughout the chapter).
126 tn Sounding the trumpet was a warning of imminent danger (Neh 4:18-20; Jer 4:19; Amos 3:6).
127 tn Heb “his blood will be on his own head.”
128 tn Heb “his blood will be on him.”
129 tn Or “in his punishment.” The phrase “in/for [a person’s] iniquity/punishment” occurs fourteen times in Ezekiel: here and in vv. 8 and 9; 3:18, 19; 4:17; 7:13, 16; 18: 17, 18, 19, 20; 24:23; 39:23. The Hebrew word for “iniquity” may also mean the “punishment” for iniquity or “guilt” of iniquity.
130 tn Heb “his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.”
131 sn Jeremiah (Jer 6:17) and Habakkuk (Hab 2:1) also served in the role of a watchman.
132 tn The same expression occurs in Gen 2:17.
133 tn Heb “and you do not speak to warn.”
134 tn Heb “way.”
135 tn Heb “and his blood from your hand I will seek.”
136 tn Heb “from his way to turn from it.”
137 tn Heb “and he does not turn from his way.”
138 tn Heb “(are) upon us.”
139 tn Heb “turn from his way.”
140 tn Heb “ways.” This same word is translated “behavior” earlier in the verse.
141 tn Heb “the sons of your people.”
142 tn Heb “in the day of his rebellion.” The statement envisions a godly person rejecting what is good and becoming sinful. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:247-48.
143 tn Heb “and the wickedness of the wicked, he will not stumble in it in the day of his turning from his wickedness.”
144 tn Heb “by it.”
145 tn Heb “in the day of his sin.”
146 tn Heb “the wicked one.”
147 tn Heb “and in the statutes of life he walks.”
148 tn Heb “remembered.”
149 tn Heb “the sons of your people.”
150 tn Heb “way.”
151 tn The Hebrew verb translated “is (not) right” has the basic meaning of “to measure.” For a similar concept, see Ezek 18:25, 29.
152 tn Heb “ways.”
153 tn January 19, 585
154 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
155 tn Heb “smitten.”
156 tn The other occurrences of the phrase “the hand of the
157 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
158 tn Heb “by the time of the arrival to me.” For clarity the translation specifies the refugee as the one who arrived.
159 sn Ezekiel’s God-imposed muteness was lifted (see 3:26).
160 sn Outside of its seven occurrences in Ezekiel the term translated “possession” appears only in Exod 6:8 and Deut 33:4.
161 sn This practice was a violation of Levitical law (see Lev 19:26).
162 tn Heb “lift up your eyes.”
163 tn Heb “Will you possess?”
164 tn Heb “stand.”
165 tn Heb “fall.”
166 sn The judgments of vv. 27-29 echo the judgments of Lev 26:22, 25.
167 tn Heb “sons of your people.”
168 tn Heb “one to one, a man to his brother.”
169 tn Heb “comes out.”
170 tn Heb “as people come.” Apparently this is an idiom indicating that they come in crowds. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:264.
171 tn The word “as” is supplied in the translation.
172 tn Heb “do.”
173 tn Heb “They do lust with their mouths.”
174 tn Heb “goes after.”
175 tn The present translation understands the term often used for “unjust gain” in a wider sense, following M. Greenberg, who also notes that the LXX uses a term which can describe either sexual or ritual pollution. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:687.
176 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
177 tn Heb “one who makes playing music well.”
178 sn Similar responses are found in Isa 29:13; Matt 21:28-32; James 1:22-25.
179 tn Heb “behold it is coming.”
180 sn Psalm 81. The psalmist calls God’s people to assemble for a festival and then proclaims God’s message to them. The divine speech (vv. 6-16) recalls how God delivered the people from Egypt, reminds Israel of their rebellious past, expresses God’s desire for his people to obey him, and promises divine protection in exchange for obedience.
181 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument. See the superscription to Ps 8.
182 tn Heb “lift up.”
183 tn Heb “at the new moon.”
sn New moon festivals were a monthly ritual in Israel (see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 469-70). In this context the New Moon festival of the seventh month, when the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated (note the reference to a “festival” in the next line), may be in view.
184 tn Heb “at the full moon on the day of our festival.” The Hebrew word כֶּסֶה (keseh) is an alternate spelling of כֶּסֶא (kese’, “full moon”).
sn The festival in view is probably the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), which began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month when the moon was full. See Lev 23:34; Num 29:12.
185 tn Heb “because a statute for Israel [is] it.”
186 tn Heb “in his going out against the land of Egypt.” This apparently refers to the general time period of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The LXX reads, “from Egypt,” in which case “Joseph” (see the preceding line) would be the subject of the verb, “when he [Joseph = Israel] left Egypt.”
187 tn Heb “a lip I did not know, I heard.” Here the term “lip” probably stands for speech or a voice. Apparently the psalmist speaks here and refers to God’s voice, whose speech is recorded in the following verses.
188 tn The words “It said” are not included in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarification.
189 sn I removed the burden. The Lord speaks metaphorically of how he delivered his people from Egyptian bondage. The reference to a basket/burden probably alludes to the hard labor of the Israelites in Egypt, where they had to carry loads of bricks (see Exod 1:14).
190 tn Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16).
191 sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at the place called Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.
192 tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Verses 8-10 appear to recall what the
193 tn Or perhaps “command.”
194 tn The Hebrew particle אִם (“if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (GKC 321 §109.b). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.
195 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 9 have a modal function, expressing what is obligatory.
196 tn Heb “different”; “illicit.”
197 tn Heb “did not listen to my voice.”
198 tn The Hebrew expression אָבָה לִי (’avah liy) means “submit to me” (see Deut 13:8).
199 tn Heb “and I sent him away in the stubbornness of their heart.”
200 tn Heb “they walked in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite (“walked”) or a customary imperfect (“were walking”).
201 tn Heb “if only my people were listening to me.” The Hebrew particle לוּ (lu, “if not”) introduces a purely hypothetical or contrary to fact condition (see 2 Sam 18:12).
202 tn Heb “[and if only] Israel would walk in my ways.”
203 tn Heb “turn my hand against.” The idiom “turn the hand against” has the nuance of “strike with the hand, attack” (see Isa 1:25; Ezek 38:12; Amos 1:8; Zech 13:7).
204 tn “Those who hate the
205 tn See Deut 33:29; Ps 66:3 for other uses of the verb כָּחַשׁ (kakhash) in the sense “cower in fear.” In Ps 18:44 the verb seems to carry the nuance “to be weak; to be powerless” (see also Ps 109:24). The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, parallel to the jussive form in the next line.
206 tc Heb “and may their time be forever.” The Hebrew term עִתָּם (’ittam, “their time”) must refer here to the “time” of the demise and humiliation of those who hate the
tn The verb form at the beginning of the line is jussive, indicating that this is a prayer. The translation assumes that v. 15 is a parenthetical “curse” offered by the psalmist. Having heard the reference to Israel’s enemies (v. 14), the psalmist inserts this prayer, reminding the Lord that they are God’s enemies as well.
207 tn Heb “and he fed him from the best of the wheat.” The Hebrew text has a third person form of the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive attached. However, it is preferable, in light of the use of the first person in v. 14 and in the next line, to emend the verb to a first person form and understand the vav as conjunctive, continuing the apodosis of the conditional sentence of vv. 13-14. The third masculine singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in v. 6.
sn I would feed. After the parenthetical “curse” in v. 15, the Lord’s speech continues here.
208 tn Heb “you.” The second person singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in vv. 7-10.
209 sn The language in this verse, particularly the references to wheat and honey, is reminiscent of Deut 32:13-14.
210 sn Psalm 82. The psalmist pictures God standing in the “assembly of El” where he accuses the “gods” of failing to promote justice on earth. God pronounces sentence upon them, announcing that they will die like men. Having witnessed the scene, the psalmist then asks God to establish his just rule over the earth.
211 tn Or “presides over.”
212 tn The phrase עֲדַת אֵל (’adat ’el, “assembly of El”) appears only here in the OT. (1) Some understand “El” to refer to God himself. In this case he is pictured presiding over his own heavenly assembly. (2) Others take אֵל as a superlative here (“God stands in the great assembly”), as in Pss 36:6 and 80:10. (3) The present translation assumes this is a reference to the Canaanite high god El, who presided over the Canaanite divine assembly. (See Isa 14:13, where El’s assembly is called “the stars of El.”) In the Ugaritic myths the phrase ’dt ’ilm refers to the “assembly of the gods,” who congregate in King Kirtu’s house, where Baal asks El to bless Kirtu’s house (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 91). If the Canaanite divine assembly is referred to here in Ps 82:1, then the psalm must be understood as a bold polemic against Canaanite religion. Israel’s God invades El’s assembly, denounces its gods as failing to uphold justice, and announces their coming demise. For an interpretation of the psalm along these lines, see W. VanGemeren, “Psalms,” EBC 5:533-36.
213 sn The present translation assumes that the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”) here refers to the pagan gods who supposedly comprise El’s assembly according to Canaanite religion. Those who reject the polemical view of the psalm prefer to see the referent as human judges or rulers (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to officials appointed by God, see Exod 21:6; 22:8-9; Ps 45:6) or as angelic beings (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to angelic beings, see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5).
214 sn The picture of God rendering judgment among the gods clearly depicts his sovereign authority as universal king (see v. 8, where the psalmist boldly affirms this truth).
215 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to indicate that the following speech is God’s judicial decision (see v. 1).
216 tn Heb “and the face of the wicked lift up.”
217 tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 94:6; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
218 tn Heb “hand.”
219 sn Having addressed the defendants, God now speaks to those who are observing the trial, referring to the gods in the third person.
220 tn Heb “walk.” The Hitpael stem indicates iterative action, picturing these ignorant “judges” as stumbling around in the darkness.
221 sn These gods, though responsible for justice, neglect their duty. Their self-imposed ignorance (which the psalmist compares to stumbling around in the dark) results in widespread injustice, which threatens the social order of the world (the meaning of the phrase all the foundations of the earth crumble).
222 tn Heb “said.”
223 sn Normally in the OT the title Most High belongs to the God of Israel, but in this context, where the mythological overtones are so strong, it probably refers to the Canaanite high god El (see v. 1, as well as Isa 14:13).
224 tn Heb “men.” The point in the context is mortality, however, not maleness.
sn You will die like mortals. For the concept of a god losing immortality and dying, see Isa 14:12-15, which alludes to a pagan myth in which the petty god “Shining One, son of the Dawn,” is hurled into Sheol for his hubris.
225 tn Heb “like one of the rulers.” The comparison does not necessarily imply that they are not rulers. The expression “like one of” can sometimes mean “as one of” (Gen 49:16; Obad 11) or “as any other of” (Judg 16:7, 11).
226 tn The translation assumes that the Qal of נָחַל (nakhal) here means “to own; to possess,” and that the imperfect emphasizes a general truth. Another option is to translate the verb as future, “for you will take possession of all the nations” (cf. NIV “all the nations are your inheritance”).
