Joshua 7:1-26 
Context7:1 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches. 1 Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, 2 son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches. 3 The Lord was furious with the Israelites. 4
7:2 Joshua sent men from Jericho 5 to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel 6 ) and instructed them, “Go up and spy on the land.” So the men went up and spied on Ai. 7:3 They returned and reported to Joshua, 7 “Don’t send the whole army. 8 About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. 9 Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.” 10
7:4 So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai. 7:5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures 11 and defeated them on the steep slope. 12 The people’s 13 courage melted away like water. 14
7:6 Joshua tore his clothes; 15 he and the leaders 16 of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening 17 and threw dirt on their heads. 18 7:7 Joshua prayed, 19 “O, Master, Lord! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us? 7:8 If only we had been satisfied to live on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated 20 before its enemies? 7:9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us 21 from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?” 22
7:10 The Lord responded 23 to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down? 24 7:11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment! 25 They have taken some of the riches; 26 they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions. 27 7:12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation. 28 I will no longer be with you, 29 unless you destroy what has contaminated you. 30 7:13 Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord God of Israel says, “You are contaminated, 31 O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.” 32 7:14 In the morning you must approach in tribal order. 33 The tribe the Lord selects 34 must approach by clans. The clan the Lord selects must approach by families. 35 The family the Lord selects must approach man by man. 36 7:15 The one caught with the riches 37 must be burned up 38 along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
7:16 Bright and early the next morning Joshua made Israel approach in tribal order 39 and the tribe of Judah was selected. 7:17 He then made the clans of Judah approach and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He made the clan of the Zerahites approach and Zabdi 40 was selected. 41 7:18 He then made Zabdi’s 42 family approach man by man 43 and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 7:19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor 44 the Lord God of Israel and give him praise! Tell me what you did; don’t hide anything from me!” 7:20 Achan told Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel in this way: 45 7:21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon, 46 two hundred silver pieces, 47 and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.”
7:22 Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent. The things were hidden right in his tent, with the silver underneath. 48 7:23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed 49 it before the Lord. 7:24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster. 50 7:25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster 51 on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.) 52 7:26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day 53 ) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.
Psalms 137:1--138:8
Context137:1 By the rivers of Babylon
we sit down and weep 55
when we remember Zion.
137:2 On the poplars in her midst
we hang our harps,
137:3 for there our captors ask us to compose songs; 56
those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying: 57
“Sing for us a song about Zion!” 58
137:4 How can we sing a song to the Lord
in a foreign land?
137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand be crippled! 59
137:6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
and do not give Jerusalem priority
over whatever gives me the most joy. 60
137:7 Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell. 61
They said, “Tear it down, tear it down, 62
right to its very foundation!”
137:8 O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! 63
How blessed will be the one who repays you
for what you dished out to us! 64
137:9 How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies
and smashes them on a rock! 65
By David.
138:1 I will give you thanks with all my heart;
before the heavenly assembly 67 I will sing praises to you.
138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name,
because of your loyal love and faithfulness,
for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky. 68
138:3 When 69 I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me. 70
138:4 Let all the kings of the earth give thanks 71 to you, O Lord,
when they hear the words you speak. 72
138:5 Let them sing about the Lord’s deeds, 73
for the Lord’s splendor is magnificent. 74
138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly,
and recognizes the proud from far away.
138:7 Even when I must walk in the midst of danger, 75 you revive me.
You oppose my angry enemies, 76
and your right hand delivers me.
O Lord, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made! 78
Jeremiah 1:1-19
Context1:1 The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. 79 He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. 1:2 The Lord 80 began to speak to him 81 in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah. 1:3 The Lord also spoke to him when Jehoiakim son of Josiah ruled over Judah, and he continued to speak to him until the fifth month of the eleventh year 82 that Zedekiah son of Josiah ruled over Judah. That was when the people of Jerusalem 83 were taken into exile. 84
1:4 The Lord said to me,
1:5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb 85 I chose you. 86
Before you were born I set you apart.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
1:6 I answered, “Oh, Lord God, 87 I really 88 do not know how to speak well enough for that, 89 for I am too young.” 90 1:7 The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go 91 to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 1:8 Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, 92 for I will be with you to protect 93 you,” says the Lord. 1:9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. 94 1:10 Know for certain that 95 I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be 96 uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.” 97
1:11 Later the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” 1:12 Then the Lord said, “You have observed correctly. This means 98 I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out.” 99
1:13 The Lord again asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water; it is tipped toward us from the north.” 100 1:14 Then the Lord said, “This means 101 destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land. 1:15 For I will soon summon all the peoples of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord. “They will come and their kings will set up their thrones 102 near the entrances of the gates of Jerusalem. 103 They will attack all the walls surrounding it, and all the towns in Judah. 104 1:16 In this way 105 I will pass sentence 106 on the people of Jerusalem and Judah 107 because of all their wickedness. For they rejected me and offered sacrifices to other gods, worshiping what they made with their own hands.” 108
1:17 “But you, Jeremiah, 109 get yourself ready! 110 Go and tell these people everything I instruct you to say. Do not be terrified of them, or I will give you good reason to be terrified of them. 111 1:18 I, the Lord, 112 hereby promise to make you 113 as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in 114 the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land. 1:19 They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you,” says the Lord.
Matthew 15:1-39
Context15:1 Then Pharisees 115 and experts in the law 116 came from Jerusalem 117 to Jesus and said, 118 15:2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their 119 hands when they eat.” 120 15:3 He answered them, 121 “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 15:4 For God said, 122 ‘Honor your father and mother’ 123 and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ 124 15:5 But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” 125 15:6 he does not need to honor his father.’ 126 You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. 15:7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,
15:8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart 127 is far from me,
15:9 and they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” 128
15:10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, 129 “Listen and understand. 15:11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what 130 comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” 15:12 Then the disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that when the Pharisees 131 heard this saying they were offended?” 15:13 And he replied, 132 “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 15:14 Leave them! They are blind guides. 133 If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, 134 both will fall into a pit.” 15:15 But Peter 135 said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 15:16 Jesus 136 said, “Even after all this, are you still so foolish? 15:17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer? 137 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. 15:19 For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 15:20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.” 138
15:21 After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre 139 and Sidon. 140 15:22 A 141 Canaanite woman from that area came 142 and cried out, 143 “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” 15:23 But he did not answer her a word. Then 144 his disciples came and begged him, 145 “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” 15:24 So 146 he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 15:25 But she came and bowed down 147 before him and said, 148 “Lord, help me!” 15:26 “It is not right 149 to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” 150 he said. 151 15:27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, 152 “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 15:28 Then 153 Jesus answered her, “Woman, 154 your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
15:29 When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down. 15:30 Then 155 large crowds came to him bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others. They 156 laid them at his feet, and he healed them. 15:31 As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.
15:32 Then Jesus called the 157 disciples and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry since they may faint on the way.” 15:33 The disciples said to him, “Where can we get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy so great a crowd?” 15:34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven – and a few small fish.” 15:35 After instructing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 15:36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds. 158 15:37 They 159 all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 15:38 Not counting children and women, 160 there were four thousand men who ate. 161 15:39 After sending away the crowd, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. 162
1 tn Heb “But the sons of Israel were unfaithful with unfaithfulness concerning what was set apart [to the
2 tn 1 Chr 2:6 lists a “Zimri” (but no Zabdi) as one of the five sons of Zerah (cf. also 1 Chr 7:17, 18).
3 tn Heb “took from what was set apart [to the
4 tn Heb “the anger of the
sn This incident illustrates well the principle of corporate solidarity and corporate guilt. The sin of one man brought the
5 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
6 map For the location of Bethel see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
7 tn Heb “and they returned to Joshua and said to him.”
8 tn Heb “Don’t let all the people go up.”
9 tn Heb “Let about two thousand men or about three thousand men go up to defeat Ai.”
10 tn Heb “all the people for they are small.”
11 tn The meaning and correct translation of the Hebrew word שְׁבָרִים (shÿvarim) is uncertain. The translation “fissures” is based on usage of the plural form of the noun in Ps 60:4 HT (60:2 ET), where it appears to refer to cracks in the earth caused by an earthquake. Perhaps deep ravines or gorges are in view, or the word is a proper noun (“all the way to Shebarim”).
12 sn The precise geographical location of the Israelite defeat at this “steep slope” is uncertain.
13 tn Or “army’s.”
14 tn Heb “and the heart of the people melted and became water.”
15 sn Tearing one’s clothes was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Gen 37:34; 44:13).
16 tn Or “elders.”
17 tn Heb “and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the
18 sn Throwing dirt on one’s head was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Lam 2:10; Ezek 27:30).
19 tn Heb “said.”
20 tn Heb “turned [the] back.”
21 tn Heb “and cut off our name.”
22 tn Heb “What will you do for your great name?”
23 tn Heb “said.”
24 tn Heb “Why are you falling on your face?”
25 tn Heb “They have violated my covenant which I commanded them.”
26 tn Heb “what was set apart [to the
27 tn Heb “and also they have stolen, and also they have lied, and also they have placed [them] among their items.”
28 tn Heb “they turn [the] back before their enemies because they are set apart [to destruction by the
29 tn The second person pronoun is plural in Hebrew, indicating these words are addressed to the entire nation.
30 tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the
31 tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the
32 tn Heb “remove what is set apart [i.e., to destruction by the
33 tn Heb “by your tribes.”
34 tn Heb “takes forcefully, seizes.”
35 tn Heb “houses.”
36 tn Heb “by men.”
37 tn Heb “with what was set apart [to the
38 tn Heb “burned with fire.”
39 tn Heb “by tribes.”
40 tn See the note on “Zabdi” in 1 Chr 7:1.
41 tn Heb “and he selected Zabdi.” The
42 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Zabdi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
43 tn Heb “by men.”
44 tn Heb “give glory to.”
45 tn Heb “like this and like this I did.”
46 tn Heb “Shinar,” a reference to Babylon (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1). Many modern translations retain the Hebrew name “Shinar” (cf. NEB, NRSV) but some use the more familiar “Babylon” (cf. NIV, NLT).
47 tn Heb “shekels.”
48 tn Heb “Look, [it was] hidden in his tent, and the silver was beneath it.”
49 tn Heb “poured out,” probably referring to the way the silver pieces poured out of their container.
50 tn Or “Trouble” The name is “Achor” in Hebrew, which means “disaster” or “trouble” (also in v. 26).
51 tn Or “trouble.” The word is “achor” in Hebrew (also in the following clause).
52 tc Heb “and they burned them with fire and they stoned them with stones.” These words are somewhat parenthetical in nature and are omitted in the LXX; they may represent a later scribal addition.
53 tc Heb “to this day.” The phrase “to this day” is omitted in the LXX and may represent a later scribal addition.
54 sn Psalm 137. The Babylonian exiles lament their condition, vow to remain loyal to Jerusalem, and appeal to God for revenge on their enemies.
55 tn Heb “there we sit down, also we weep.”
56 tn Heb “ask us [for] the words of a song.”
57 tn Heb “our [?] joy.” The derivation and meaning of the Hebrew phrase תוֹלָלֵינוּ (tolalenu, “our [?]”) are uncertain. A derivation from תָּלַל (talal, “to mock”) fits contextually, but this root occurs only in the Hiphil stem. For a discussion of various proposals, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 236.
58 tn Heb “from a song of Zion.” Most modern translations read, “one of the songs of Zion,” taking the preposition מִן (min, “from”) as partitive and “song” as collective. The present translation assumes the mem (ם) is enclitic, being misunderstood later as the prefixed preposition.
59 tn Heb “may my right hand forget.” In this case one must supply an object, such as “how to move.” The elliptical nature of the text has prompted emendations (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 236). The translation assumes an emendation to תִּכְשַׁח (tikhshakh), from an otherwise unattested root כשׁח, meaning “to be crippled; to be lame.” See HALOT 502 s.v. כשׁח, which cites Arabic cognate evidence in support of the proposal. The corruption of the MT can be explained as an error of transposition facilitated by the use of שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”) just before this.
60 tn Heb “if I do not lift up Jerusalem over the top of my joy.”
61 tn Heb “remember, O
62 tn Heb “lay [it] bare, lay [it] bare.”
63 tn Heb “O devastated daughter of Babylon.” The psalmist dramatically anticipates Babylon’s demise.
64 tn Heb “O the happiness of the one who repays you your wage which you paid to us.”
65 sn For other references to the wholesale slaughter of babies in the context of ancient Near Eastern warfare, see 2 Kgs 8:12; Isa 13:16; Hos 13:16; Nah 3:10.
66 sn Psalm 138. The psalmist vows to thank the Lord for his deliverance and protection.
67 tn The referent of the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is unclear. It refers either to the angelic assembly (see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5) or to the pagan gods (see Pss 82:1, 6; 86:8; 97:7), in which case the psalmist’s praise takes on a polemical tone.
68 tc The MT reads, “for you have made great over all your name your word.” If retained, this must mean that God's mighty intervention, in fulfillment of his word of promise, surpassed anything he had done prior to this. However, the statement is odd and several emendations have been proposed. Some read, “for you have exalted over everything your name and your word,” while others suggest, “for you have exalted over all the heavens your name and your word.” The translation assumes an emendation of “your name” to “your heavens” (a construction that appears in Pss 8:3 and 144:5). The point is that God has been faithful to his promise and the reliability of that promise is apparent to all. For a fuller discussion of these options, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 244.
69 tn Heb “in the day.”
70 tn Heb “you made me bold in my soul [with] strength.”
71 tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in the following verse are understood as jussives, for the psalmist appears to be calling upon the kings to praise God. Another option is to take them as imperfects and translate, “the kings of the earth will give thanks…and will sing.” In this case the psalmist anticipates a universal response to his thanksgiving song.
72 tn Heb “the words of your mouth.”
73 tn Heb “ways.”
74 tn Heb “great.”
75 tn Or “distress.”
76 tn Heb “against the anger of my enemies you extend your hand.”
77 tn Heb “avenges on my behalf.” For the meaning “to avenge” for the verb גָּמַר (gamar), see HALOT 197-98 s.v. גמר.
78 tn Heb “the works of your hands.” Many medieval Hebrew
79 tn Or “This is a record of what Jeremiah prophesied and did”; Heb “The words [or affairs] of Jeremiah.” The phrase could refer to either the messages of Jeremiah recorded in the book or to both his messages and the biographical (and autobiographical) narratives recorded about him in the book. Since the phrase is intended to serve as the title or superscription for the whole book and recurs again in 51:64 at the end of the book before the final appendix, it might refer to the latter. The expression “The words of [someone]” is a standard introductory formula (Deut 29:1[28:69]; 2 Sam 23:1; Amos 1:1; Eccl 1:1; Neh 1:1).
80 sn The translation reflects the ancient Jewish tradition of substituting the word for “Lord” for the proper name for Israel’s God which is now generally agreed to have been Yahweh. Jewish scribes wrote the consonants
81 tn Heb “to whom the word of the
82 sn This would have been August, 586
83 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
84 tn Heb “and it [the word of the
85 tn Heb “the womb.” The words “your mother’s” are implicit and are supplied in the translation for clarity.
86 tn Heb “I knew you.” The parallelism here with “set you apart” and “appointed you” make clear that Jeremiah is speaking of his foreordination to be a prophet. For this same nuance of the Hebrew verb see Gen 18:19; Amos 3:2.
87 tn Heb “Lord Yahweh.”
sn The translation follows the ancient Jewish tradition of substituting the Hebrew word for “God” for the proper name Yahweh in this compound name. See the study note on v. 2 for the substitution of “Lord” in a similar kind of situation.
88 tn Heb “Behold, I do not know how to speak.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, commonly rendered “behold”) often introduces a speech and calls special attention to a specific word or the statement as a whole (see IBHS 675-78 §40.2.1).
89 tn The words “well enough for that” are implicit and are supplied in the translation for clarity. Jeremiah is not claiming an absolute inability to speak.
90 tn Heb “I am a boy/youth.” The Hebrew word can refer to an infant (Exod 2:6), a young boy (1 Sam 2:11), a teenager (Gen 21:12), or a young man (2 Sam 18:5). The translation is deliberately ambiguous since it is unclear how old Jeremiah was when he was called to begin prophesying.
91 tn Or “For you must go and say.” The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is likely adversative here after a negative statement (cf. BDB 474 s.v. כִּי 3.e). The
92 tn Heb “be afraid of them.” The antecedent is the “whomever” in v. 7.
93 tn Heb “rescue.”
94 tn Heb “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.” This is an example of the Hebrew “scheduling” perfect or the “prophetic” perfect where a future event is viewed as so certain it is spoken of as past. The Hebrew particle rendered here “assuredly” (Heb הִנֵּה, hinneh) underlines the certitude of the promise for the future. See the translator’s note on v. 6.
sn The passage is reminiscent of Deut 18:18 which refers to the
95 tn Heb “See!” The Hebrew imperative of the verb used here (רָאָה, ra’ah) functions the same as the particle in v. 9. See the translator’s note there.
96 tn Heb “I appoint you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot….” The phrase refers to the
97 sn These three pairs represent the twofold nature of Jeremiah’s prophecies, prophecies of judgment and restoration. For the further programmatic use of these pairs for Jeremiah’s ministry see 18:7-10 and 31:27-28.
98 tn This represents the Hebrew particle (כִּי, ki) that is normally rendered “for” or “because.” The particle here is meant to give the significance of the vision, not the rationale for the statement “you have observed correctly.”
99 tn Heb “watching over my word to do it.”
sn There is a play on the Hebrew word for “almond tree” (שָׁקֵד, shaqed), which blossoms in January/February and is the harbinger of spring, and the Hebrew word for “watching” (שֹׁקֵד, shoqed), which refers to someone watching over someone or something in preparation for action. The play on words announces the certainty and imminence of the
100 tn Heb “a blown upon [= heated; boiling] pot and its face from the face of the north [= it is facing away from the north].”
101 tn There is nothing in the Hebrew text for these words but it is implicit in the connection. Once again the significance of the vision is spelled out. Compare the translator’s note on v. 12.
102 tn Heb “they will each set up.” The pronoun “they” refers back to the “kingdoms” in the preceding sentence. However, kingdoms do not sit on thrones; their kings do. This is an example of a figure of speech called metonymy where the kingdom is put for its king. For a similar use see 2 Chr 12:8.
103 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
104 tn Or “They will come and set up their thrones in the entrances of the gates of Jerusalem. They will destroy all the walls surrounding it and also destroy all the towns in Judah.” The text of v. 15b reads in Hebrew, “they will each set up his throne [near? in?] the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem and against all its walls…and against all the towns….” Commentators are divided over whether the passage refers to the kings setting up their thrones after victory in preparation for passing judgment on their defeated enemies in the city or whether it refers to setting up siege against it. There is no Hebrew preposition before the word for “the entrance” so that it could be “in” (which would imply victory) or “at/near” (which would imply siege), and the same verb + object (i.e., “they will set up their thrones”) governs all the locative statements. It is most often taken to refer to the aftermath of victory because of the supposed parallel in Jer 43:8-13 and the supposed fulfillment in Jer 39:3. Though this may fit well with the first part of the compound expression, it does not fit well with the latter part which is most naturally taken to refer to hostile attacks against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah. The translation given in the text is intended to reflect the idea of an army setting up for siege. The alternate translation is intended to reflect the other view.
105 tn The Hebrew particle (the vav [ו] consecutive), which is often rendered in some English versions as “and” and in others is simply left untranslated, is rendered here epexegetically, reflecting a summary statement.
106 sn The Hebrew idiom (literally “I will speak my judgments against”) is found three other times in Jeremiah (4:12; 39:5; 52:9), where it is followed by the carrying out of the sentence. Here the carrying out of the sentence precedes in v. 15.
107 tn Heb “on them.” The antecedent goes back to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah (i.e., the people in them) in v. 15.
108 tn I.e., idols.
109 tn The name “Jeremiah” is not in the text. The use of the personal pronoun followed by the proper name is an attempt to reflect the correlative emphasis between Jeremiah’s responsibility noted here and the
110 tn Heb “gird up your loins.” For the literal use of this idiom to refer to preparation for action see 2 Kgs 4:29; 9:1. For the idiomatic use to refer to spiritual and emotional preparation as here, see Job 38:3, 40:7, and 1 Pet 1:13 in the NT.
111 tn Heb “I will make you terrified in front of them.” There is a play on words here involving two different forms of the same Hebrew verb and two different but related prepositional phrases, “from before/of,” a preposition introducing the object of a verb of fearing, and “before, in front of,” a preposition introducing a spatial location.
112 tn See the note on “Jeremiah” at the beginning of v. 17.
113 tn Heb “today I have made you.” The Hebrew verb form here emphasizes the certainty of a yet future act; the
114 tn Heb “I make you a fortified city…against all the land….” The words “as strong as” and “so you will be able to stand against all the people of…” are given to clarify the meaning of the metaphor.
115 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
116 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
117 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
118 tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) has been translated as a finite verb so that its telic (i.e., final or conclusive) force can be more easily detected: The Pharisees and legal experts came to Jesus in order to speak with him.
119 tc ‡ Although most witnesses read the genitive plural pronoun αὐτῶν (autwn, “their”), it may have been motivated by clarification (as it is in the translation above). Several other authorities do not have the pronoun, however (א B Δ 073 Ë1 579 700 892 1424 pc f g1); the lack of an unintentional oversight as the reason for omission strengthens their combined testimony in this shorter reading. NA27 has the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
120 tn Grk “when they eat bread.”
121 tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.”
122 tc Most
123 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.
124 sn A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9.
125 tn Grk “is a gift,” that is, something dedicated to God.
126 tc The logic of v. 5 would seem to demand that both father and mother are in view in v. 6. Indeed, the majority of
tn Grk “he will never honor his father.” Here Jesus is quoting the Pharisees, whose intent is to release the person who is giving his possessions to God from the family obligation of caring for his parents. The verb in this phrase is future tense, and it is negated with οὐ μή (ou mh), the strongest negation possible in Greek. A literal translation of the phrase does not capture the intended sense of the statement; it would actually make the Pharisees sound as if they agreed with Jesus. Instead, a more interpretive translation has been used to focus upon the release from family obligations that the Pharisees allowed in these circumstances.
sn Here Jesus refers to something that has been set aside as a gift to be given to God at some later date, but which is still in the possession of the owner. According to contemporary Jewish tradition, the person who made this claim was absolved from responsibility to support or assist his parents, a clear violation of the Mosaic law to honor one’s parents (v. 4).
127 tn The term “heart” is a collective singular in the Greek text.
128 sn A quotation from Isa 29:13.
129 tn Grk “And calling the crowd, he said to them.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesamenos) has been translated as attendant circumstance. The emphasis here is upon Jesus’ speaking to the crowd.
130 tn Grk “but what.”
131 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
132 tn Grk “And answering, he said.”
133 tc ‡ Most
134 tn Grk “If blind leads blind.”
135 tn Grk “And answering, Peter said to him.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
136 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
137 tn Or “into the latrine.”
138 tn Grk “but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”
139 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
140 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
141 tn Grk “And behold a Canaanite.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
142 tn Grk The participle ἐξελθοῦσα (exelqousa) is here translated as a finite verb. The emphasis is upon her crying out to Jesus.
143 tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
144 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
145 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
146 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The construction in Greek is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the disciples’ request.
147 tn In this context the verb προσκυνέω (proskunew), which often describes worship, probably means simply bowing down to the ground in an act of reverence or supplication (see L&N 17.21).
148 tn Grk “she bowed down to him, saying.”
149 tn Grk “And answering, he said, ‘It is not right.’” The introductory phrase “answering, he said” has been simplified and placed at the end of the English sentence for stylistic reasons. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
150 tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”
sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request.
151 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.
152 tn Grk “she said.”
153 tn Grk “Then answering, Jesus said to her.” This expression has been simplified in the translation.
154 sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.
155 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
156 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
157 tc ‡ Although the external evidence is not great (א W Θ 700 pc), the internal evidence for the omission of αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) after “disciples” is fairly strong. The pronoun may have been added by way of clarification. NA27, however, includes the pronoun, on the basis of the much stronger external evidence.
158 tn Grk “was giving them to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowd.”
159 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
160 tc ‡ Although most witnesses (B C L W Ë13 33 Ï f sys,p,h mae) read “women and children” instead of “children and women,” it is likely that the majority’s reading is a harmonization to Matt 14:21. “Children and women” is found in early and geographically widespread witnesses (e.g., א D [Θ Ë1] 579 lat syc sa bo), and has more compelling internal arguments on its side, suggesting that this is the original reading. NA27, however, agrees with the majority of witnesses.
161 tn Grk “And those eating were four thousand men, apart from children and women.”
162 sn Magadan was a place along the Sea of Galilee, the exact location of which is uncertain.
