1 Kings 11:1-43 
Context11:1 King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. 11:2 They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! 1 If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” 2 But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them. 3
11:3 He had 700 royal wives 4 and 300 concubines; 5 his wives had a powerful influence over him. 6 11:4 When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to 7 other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. 8 11:5 Solomon worshiped 9 the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. 10 11:6 Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight; 11 he did not remain loyal to 12 the Lord, like his father David had. 11:7 Furthermore, 13 on the hill east of Jerusalem 14 Solomon built a high place 15 for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh 16 and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. 17 11:8 He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods. 18
11:9 The Lord was angry with Solomon because he had shifted his allegiance 19 away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him on two occasions 20 11:10 and had warned him about this very thing, so that he would not follow other gods. 21 But he did not obey 22 the Lord’s command. 11:11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, 23 I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. 11:12 However, for your father David’s sake I will not do this while you are alive. I will tear it away from your son’s hand instead. 11:13 But I will not tear away the entire kingdom; I will leave 24 your son one tribe for my servant David’s sake and for the sake of my chosen city Jerusalem.”
11:14 The Lord brought 25 against Solomon an enemy, Hadad the Edomite, a descendant of the Edomite king. 11:15 During David’s campaign against Edom, 26 Joab, the commander of the army, while on a mission to bury the dead, killed every male in Edom. 11:16 For six months Joab and the entire Israelite army 27 stayed there until they had exterminated every male in Edom. 28 11:17 Hadad, 29 who was only a small boy at the time, escaped with some of his father’s Edomite servants and headed for Egypt. 30 11:18 They went from Midian to Paran; they took some men from Paran and went to Egypt. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, supplied him with a house and food and even assigned him some land. 31 11:19 Pharaoh liked Hadad so well 32 he gave him his sister-in-law (Queen Tahpenes’ sister) as a wife. 33 11:20 Tahpenes’ sister gave birth to his son, 34 named Genubath. Tahpenes raised 35 him in Pharaoh’s palace; Genubath grew up in Pharaoh’s palace among Pharaoh’s sons. 11:21 While in Egypt Hadad heard that David had passed away 36 and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead. So Hadad asked Pharaoh, “Give me permission to leave 37 so I can return to my homeland.” 11:22 Pharaoh said to him, “What do you lack here that makes you want to go to your homeland?” 38 Hadad replied, 39 “Nothing, but please give me permission to leave.” 40
11:23 God also brought against Solomon 41 another enemy, Rezon son of Eliada who had run away from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah. 11:24 He gathered some men and organized a raiding band. 42 When David tried to kill them, 43 they went to Damascus, where they settled down and gained control of the city. 11:25 He was Israel’s enemy throughout Solomon’s reign and, like Hadad, caused trouble. He loathed 44 Israel and ruled over Syria.
11:26 Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon’s servants, rebelled against 45 the king. He was an Ephraimite 46 from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. 11:27 This is what prompted him to rebel against the king: 47 Solomon built a terrace and he closed up a gap in the wall of the city of his father David. 48 11:28 Jeroboam was a talented man; 49 when Solomon saw that the young man was an accomplished worker, he made him the leader of the work crew from the tribe 50 of Joseph. 11:29 At that time, when Jeroboam had left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road; the two of them were alone in the open country. Ahijah 51 was wearing a brand new robe, 11:30 and he grabbed the robe 52 and tore it into twelve pieces. 11:31 Then he told Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Look, I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and I will give ten tribes to you. 11:32 He will retain one tribe, for my servant David’s sake and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 11:33 I am taking the kingdom from him 53 because they have 54 abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They have not followed my instructions 55 by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations, like Solomon’s father David did. 56 11:34 I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand. I will allow him to be ruler for the rest of his life for the sake of my chosen servant David who kept my commandments and rules. 11:35 I will take the kingdom from the hand of his son and give ten tribes to you. 57 11:36 I will leave 58 his son one tribe so my servant David’s dynasty may continue to serve me 59 in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as my home. 60 11:37 I will select 61 you; you will rule over all you desire to have and you will be king over Israel. 11:38 You must obey 62 all I command you to do, follow my instructions, 63 do what I approve, 64 and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; 65 I will give you Israel. 11:39 I will humiliate David’s descendants because of this, 66 but not forever.” 67 11:40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam escaped to Egypt and found refuge with King Shishak of Egypt. 68 He stayed in Egypt until Solomon died.
11:41 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his wise decisions, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of Solomon. 69 11:42 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem 70 for forty years. 11:43 Then Solomon passed away 71 and was buried in the city of his father David. 72 His son Rehoboam replaced him as king. 73
Philippians 2:1-30
Context2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, 74 any affection or mercy, 75 2:2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, 76 by having the same love, being united in spirit, 77 and having one purpose. 2:3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition 78 or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. 2:4 Each of you should be concerned 79 not only 80 about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. 81 2:5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, 82
2:6 83 who though he existed in the form of God 84
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
2:7 but emptied himself
by taking on the form of a slave, 85
by looking like other men, 86
and by sharing in human nature. 87
2:8 He humbled himself,
by becoming obedient to the point of death
– even death on a cross!
2:9 As a result God exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
2:10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow
– in heaven and on earth and under the earth –
2:11 and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.
2:12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, 88 2:13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God. 2:14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 2:15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world 89 2:16 by holding on to 90 the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. 2:17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you. 2:18 And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me.
2:19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you. 2:20 For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you. 91 2:21 Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ. 2:22 But you know his qualifications, that like a son working with his father, he served with me in advancing the gospel. 2:23 So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation, 2:24 though I am confident in the Lord that I too will be coming to see you 92 soon.
2:25 But for now 93 I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, 94 coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger 95 and minister 96 to me in my need. 97 2:26 Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill. 2:27 In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. 98 But God showed mercy to him – and not to him only, but also to me – so that I would not have grief on top of grief. 2:28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, 99 so that when you see him again you can rejoice 100 and I can be free from anxiety. 2:29 So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 2:30 since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me. 101
Ezekiel 41:1-26
Context41:1 Then he brought me to the outer sanctuary, and measured the jambs; the jambs were 10½ feet 102 wide on each side. 41:2 The width of the entrance was 17½ feet, 103 and the sides 104 of the entrance were 8¾ feet 105 on each side. He measured the length of the outer sanctuary as 70 feet, 106 and its width as 35 feet. 107
41:3 Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance as 3½ feet, 108 the entrance as 10½ feet, 109 and the width of the entrance as 12¼ feet 110 41:4 Then he measured its length as 35 feet, 111 and its width as 35 feet, 112 before the outer sanctuary. He said to me, “This is the most holy place.”
41:5 Then he measured the wall of the temple 113 as 10½ feet, 114 and the width of the side chambers as 7 feet, 115 all around the temple. 41:6 The side chambers were in three stories, one above the other, thirty in each story. There were offsets in the wall all around to serve as supports for the side chambers, so that the supports were not in the wall of the temple. 41:7 The side chambers surrounding the temple were wider at each successive story; 116 for the structure 117 surrounding the temple went up story by story all around the temple. For this reason the width of the temple increased as it went up, and one went up from the lowest story to the highest by the way of the middle story.
41:8 I saw that the temple had a raised platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers were a full measuring stick 118 of 10½ feet 119 high. 41:9 The width of the outer wall of the side chambers was 8¾ feet, 120 and the open area between the side chambers of the temple 41:10 and the chambers of the court was 35 feet 121 in width all around the temple on every side. 41:11 There were entrances from the side chambers toward the open area, one entrance toward the north, and another entrance toward the south; the width of the open area was 8¾ feet 122 all around.
41:12 The building that was facing the temple courtyard at the west side was 122½ feet 123 wide; the wall of the building was 8¾ feet 124 all around, and its length 157½ feet. 125
41:13 Then he measured the temple as 175 feet 126 long, the courtyard of the temple and the building and its walls as 175 feet 127 long, 41:14 and also the width of the front of the temple and the courtyard on the east as 175 feet. 128
41:15 Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, with its galleries on either side as 175 feet. 129
The interior of the outer sanctuary and the porch of the court, 130 41:16 as well as the thresholds, narrow windows and galleries all around on three sides facing the threshold were paneled with wood all around, from the ground up to the windows (now the windows were covered), 41:17 to the space above the entrance, to the inner room, and on the outside, and on all the walls in the inner room and outside, by measurement. 131 41:18 It was made with cherubim and decorative palm trees, with a palm tree between each cherub. Each cherub had two faces: 41:19 a human face toward the palm tree on one side and a lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around; 41:20 from the ground to the area above the entrance, cherubim and decorative palm trees were carved on the wall of the outer sanctuary. 41:21 The doorposts of the outer sanctuary were square. In front of the sanctuary one doorpost looked just like the other. 41:22 The altar was of wood, 5¼ feet 132 high, with its length 3½ feet; 133 its corners, its length, 134 and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.” 41:23 The outer sanctuary and the inner sanctuary each had a double door. 41:24 Each of the doors had two leaves, two swinging 135 leaves; two leaves for one door and two leaves for the other. 41:25 On the doors of the outer sanctuary were carved cherubim and palm trees, like those carved on the walls, and there was a canopy 136 of wood on the front of the outside porch. 41:26 There were narrow windows and decorative palm trees on either side of the side walls of the porch; this is what the side chambers of the temple and the canopies were like.
Psalms 92:1--93:5
ContextA psalm; a song for the Sabbath day.
92:1 It is fitting 138 to thank the Lord,
and to sing praises to your name, O sovereign One! 139
92:2 It is fitting 140 to proclaim your loyal love in the morning,
and your faithfulness during the night,
92:3 to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument and a lyre,
to the accompaniment of the meditative tone of the harp.
92:4 For you, O Lord, have made me happy by your work.
I will sing for joy because of what you have done. 141
92:5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your plans are very intricate! 142
92:6 The spiritually insensitive do not recognize this;
the fool does not understand this. 143
92:7 When the wicked sprout up like grass,
and all the evildoers glisten, 144
it is so that they may be annihilated. 145
92:8 But you, O Lord, reign 146 forever!
92:9 Indeed, 147 look at your enemies, O Lord!
Indeed, 148 look at how your enemies perish!
All the evildoers are scattered!
92:10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. 149
I am covered 150 with fresh oil.
92:11 I gloat in triumph over those who tried to ambush me; 151
I hear the defeated cries of the evil foes who attacked me. 152
92:12 The godly 153 grow like a palm tree;
they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon. 154
92:13 Planted in the Lord’s house,
they grow in the courts of our God.
92:14 They bear fruit even when they are old;
they are filled with vitality and have many leaves. 155
92:15 So they proclaim that the Lord, my protector,
is just and never unfair. 156
93:1 The Lord reigns!
He is robed in majesty,
the Lord is robed,
he wears strength around his waist. 158
Indeed, the world is established, it cannot be moved.
93:2 Your throne has been secure from ancient times;
you have always been king. 159
93:3 The waves 160 roar, O Lord,
the waves roar,
the waves roar and crash. 161
93:4 Above the sound of the surging water, 162
and the mighty waves of the sea,
the Lord sits enthroned in majesty. 163
93:5 The rules you set down 164 are completely reliable. 165
1 tn Heb “you must not go into them, and they must not go into you.”
2 tn Heb “Surely they will bend your heart after their gods.” The words “if you do” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
3 tn Heb “Solomon clung to them for love.” The pronominal suffix, translated “them,” is masculine here, even though it appears the foreign women are in view. Perhaps this is due to attraction to the masculine forms used of the nations earlier in the verse.
4 tn Heb “wives, princesses.”
5 sn Concubines were slave women in ancient Near Eastern societies who were the legal property of their master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with their master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. The usage in the present passage suggests that after the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (cf. also 2 Sam 21:10-14).
6 tn Heb “his wives bent his heart.”
7 tn Heb “bent his heart after.”
8 tn Heb “his heart was not complete with the
9 tn Heb “walked after.”
10 tn Heb “Milcom, the detestable thing of the Ammonites.”
11 tn Heb “in the eyes of the
12 tn The idiomatic statement reads in Hebrew, “he did not fill up after.”
13 tn Heb “then.”
14 sn The hill east of Jerusalem refers to the Mount of Olives.
map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
15 sn A high place. The “high places” were places of worship that were naturally or artificially elevated (see 1 Kgs 3:2).
16 tn Heb “Chemosh, the detestable thing of Moab.”
17 tc The MT reads “Molech,” but Milcom must be intended (see vv. 5, 33).
18 tn Heb “and the same thing he did for all his foreign wives, [who] were burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.”
19 tn Heb “bent his heart.”
20 sn These two occasions are mentioned in 1 Kgs 3:5 and 9:2.
21 tn Heb “and had commanded him concerning this thing not to walk after other gods.”
22 tn Or “keep.”
23 tn Heb “Because this is with you, and you have not kept my covenant and my rules which I commanded you.”
24 tn Heb “give.”
25 tn Or “raised up.”
26 tn Heb “when David was [fighting (?)] with Edom.”
27 tn Heb “and all Israel.”
28 tn Heb “until he had cut off every male in Edom.”
29 tn The MT reads “Adad,” an alternate form of the name Hadad.
30 tn Heb “and Adad fled, he and Edomite men from the servants of his father, to go to Egypt, and Hadad was a small boy.”
31 tn Heb “and they arose from Midian and went to Paran and they took men with them from Paran and went to Egypt to Pharaoh king of Egypt and he gave to him a house and food and he said to him, and a land he gave to him.” Something seems to be accidentally omitted after “and he said to him.”
32 tn Heb “and Hadad found great favor in the eyes of Pharaoh.”
33 tn Heb “and he gave to him a wife, the sister of his wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.”
34 tn Heb “bore him Genubath his son.”
35 tc The Hebrew text reads וַתִּגְמְלֵהוּ (vattigmÿlehu, “weaned him”) but a slight alteration of the consonantal text yields וַתִּגְדְלֵהוּ (vattigdÿlehu, “raised him”), which seems to make better sense.
36 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
37 tn Heb “send me away.”
38 tn Heb “Indeed what do you lack with me, that now you are seeking to go to your land?”
39 tn Heb “and he said.”
40 sn So Hadad asked Pharaoh… This lengthy description of Hadad’s exile in Egypt explains why Hadad wanted to oppose Solomon and supports the author’s thesis that his hostility to Solomon found its ultimate source in divine providence. Though Hadad enjoyed a comfortable life in Egypt, when the
41 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Solomon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
42 tn Heb “and he was the officer of a raiding band.”
43 tn The Hebrew text reads “when David killed them.” This phrase is traditionally joined with what precedes. The ancient Greek version does not reflect the phrase and some suggest that it has been misplaced from the end of v. 23.
44 tn The construction (Qal of קוּץ + בְּ [quts + bet] preposition) is rare, but not without parallel (see Lev 20:23).
45 tn Heb “raised a hand against.”
46 tn Heb “Ephrathite,” which here refers to an Ephraimite (see HALOT 81 s.v. אֶפְרַיִם).
47 tn Heb “this is the matter concerning which he raised a hand against the king.”
48 sn The city of his father David. The phrase refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
49 tn Heb “man of strength.”
50 tn Heb “house.”
51 tn The Hebrew text has simply “he,” making it a bit unclear whether Jeroboam or Ahijah is the subject, but in the Hebrew word order Ahijah is the nearer antecedent, and this is followed by the present translation.
52 tn Heb “and Ahijah grabbed the new robe that was on him.”
53 tn The words “I am taking the kingdom from him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
54 tc This is the reading of the MT; the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate read “he has.”
55 tn Heb “walked in my ways.”
56 tn Heb “by doing what is right in my eyes, my rules and my regulations, like David his father.”
57 tn Heb “and I will give it to you, ten tribes.”
58 tn Heb “give.”
59 tn Heb “so there might be a lamp for David my servant all the days before me in Jerusalem.” The metaphorical “lamp” symbolizes the Davidic dynasty. Because this imagery is unfamiliar to the modern reader, the translation “so my servant David’s dynasty may continue to serve me” has been used.
60 tn Heb “so there might be a lamp for David my servant all the days before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for myself to put my name there.”
61 tn Heb “take.”
62 tn Heb “If you obey.” In the Hebrew text v. 38 is actually one long conditional sentence, which has been broken into two parts in the translation for stylistic purposes.
63 tn Heb “walk in my ways.”
64 tn Heb “do what is right in my eyes.”
65 tn Heb “I will build for you a permanent house, like I built for David.”
66 sn Because of this. Reference is made to the idolatry mentioned earlier.
67 tn Heb “but not all the days.”
68 tn Heb “but Jeroboam arose and ran away to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt.”
69 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Solomon, and all which he did, and his wisdom, are they not written on the scroll of the events of Solomon?”
70 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
71 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
72 sn The city of his father David. The phrase refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
73 tc Before this sentence the Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And it so happened that when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard – now he was in Egypt where he had fled from before Solomon and was residing in Egypt – he came straight to his city in the land of Sarira which is on mount Ephraim. And king Solomon slept with his fathers.”
74 tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.
75 tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.
76 tn Or “and feel the same way,” “and think the same thoughts.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated “and be of the same mind” to reflect its epexegetical force to the imperative “complete my joy.”
77 tn The Greek word here is σύμψυχοι (sumyucoi, literally “fellow souled”).
78 tn Grk “not according to selfish ambition.” There is no main verb in this verse; the subjunctive φρονῆτε (fronhte, “be of the same mind”) is implied here as well. Thus, although most translations supply the verb “do” at the beginning of v. 3 (e.g., “do nothing from selfish ambition”), the idea is even stronger than that: “Don’t even think any thoughts motivated by selfish ambition.”
79 tn On the meaning “be concerned about” for σκοπέω (skopew), see L&N 27.36.
80 tn The word “only” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the ἀλλὰ καί (alla kai) in the second clause (“but…as well”). The bulk of the Western text dropped the καί, motivated most likely by ascetic concerns.
81 tc The bulk of the Western text (D*,c F G K it) dropped καί (kai) here, most likely due to ascetic concerns. Strong external attestation for its inclusion from excellent witnesses as well as the majority (Ì46 א A B C D2 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) also marks it as original.
tn Verses 1-4 constitute one long conditional sentence in Greek. The protasis is in verse 1, while vv. 2-4 constitute the apodosis. There is but one verb not in a subordinate clause in vv. 2-4, the imperative “complete” in v. 2. This is followed by a subjunctive after ἵνα (Jina, translated as an epexegetical clause, “and be of the same mind”) and three instrumental participles. Thus the focus of these four verses is to “be of the same mind” and all that follows this instruction is the means for accomplishing that.
82 tn Grk “Have this attitude in/among yourselves which also [was] in Christ Jesus,” or “Have this attitude in/among yourselves which [you] also [have] in Christ Jesus.”
83 sn This passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.
84 sn The Greek term translated form indicates a correspondence with reality. Thus the meaning of this phrase is that Christ was truly God.
85 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 1:1.
86 tn Grk “by coming in the likeness of people.”
sn The expression the likeness of men is similar to Paul’s wording in Rom 8:3 (“in the likeness of sinful flesh”). The same word “likeness” is used in both passages. It implies that there is a form that does not necessarily correspond to reality. In Rom 8:3, the meaning is that Christ looked like sinful humanity. Here the meaning is similar: Jesus looked like other men (note anqrwpoi), but was in fact different from them in that he did not have a sin nature.
87 tn Grk “and by being found in form as a man.” The versification of vv. 7 and 8 (so also NRSV) is according to the versification in the NA27 and UBS4 editions of the Greek text. Some translations, however, break the verses in front of this phrase (NKJV, NASB, NIV, NLT). The same material has been translated in each case; the only difference is the versification of that material.
sn By sharing in human nature. This last line of v. 7 (line d) stands in tension with the previous line, line c (“by looking like other men”). Both lines have a word indicating form or likeness. Line c, as noted above, implies that Christ only appeared to be like other people. Line d, however, uses a different term that implies a correspondence between form and reality. Further, line c uses the plural “men” while line d uses the singular “man.” The theological point being made is that Christ looked just like other men, but he was not like other men (in that he was not sinful), though he was fully human.
88 tn Grk “with fear and trembling.” The Greek words φόβος and τρόμος both imply fear in a negative sense (L&N 25.251 and 16.6 respectively) while the former can also refer to respect and awe for deity (L&N 53.59). Paul’s use of the terms in other contexts refers to “awe and reverence in the presence of God” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 284; see discussion on 282-84). The translation “awe and reverence” was chosen to portray the attitude the believer should have toward God as they consider their behavior in light of God working through Jesus Christ (2:6-11) and in the believer’s life (2:13) to accomplish their salvation.
89 tn Or “as stars in the universe.”
90 tn Or “holding out, holding forth.”
91 tn Grk “For I have no one who is like-minded who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.”
92 tn The words “to see you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied, and are supplied in the translation for clarity.
93 tn Grk “But.” The temporal notion (“for now”) is implied in the epistolary aorist (“I have considered”), for Epaphroditus was dispatched with this letter to the Philippians.
94 tn Grk “my brother” instead of “For he is my brother.” Verse 25 constitutes one sentence in Greek, with “my brother…” functioning appositionally to “Epaphroditus.”
sn The reason why Paul refers to Epaphroditus as his brother, coworker, fellow soldier, etc., is because he wants to build up Epaphroditus in the eyes of the Philippians, since Paul is sending him back instead of Timothy. This accent on Epaphroditus’ character and service is implied in the translation “For he is…”
95 tn Grk “apostle.”
96 tn The Greek word translated “minister” here is λειτουργός (leitourgo").
97 tn Grk “servant of my need.”
98 tn Grk “For he became ill to the point of death.”
99 tn Grk “I have sent him to you with earnestness.” But the epistolary aorist needs to be translated as a present tense with this adverb due to English stylistic considerations.
100 tn Or “when you see him you can rejoice again.”
101 tn Grk “make up for your lack of service to me.”
102 tn Heb “six cubits” (i.e., 3.15 meters).
103 tn Heb “ten cubits” (i.e., 5.25 meters).
104 tc The translation follows the LXX. The MT reads “the width of the gate was three cubits,” the omission due to haplography.
tn Or “sidewalls.”
105 tn Heb “five cubits” (i.e., 2.625 meters).
106 tn Heb “forty cubits” (i.e., 21 meters).
107 tn Heb “twenty cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
108 tn Heb “two cubits” (i.e., 1.05 meters).
109 tn Heb “six cubits” (i.e., 3.15 meters).
110 tn Heb “seven cubits” (i.e., 3.675 meters).
111 tn Heb “twenty cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
112 tn Heb “twenty cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
113 tn Heb “house” throughout Ezek 41.
114 tn Heb “six cubits” (i.e., 3.15 meters).
115 tn Heb “four cubits” (2.1 meters).
116 tc The Hebrew is difficult here. The Targum envisions a winding ramp or set of stairs, which entails reading the first word as a noun rather than a verb and reading the second word also not as a verb, supposing that an initial mem has been read as vav and nun. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:549.
117 tn The Hebrew term occurs only here in the OT.
118 tn Heb “reed.”
119 tn Heb “six cubits” (i.e., 3.15 meters).
120 tn Heb “five cubits” (i.e., 2.625 meters).
121 tn Heb “twenty cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
122 tn Heb “five cubits” (i.e., 2.625 meters).
123 tn Heb “seventy cubits” (36.75 meters).
124 tn Heb “five cubits” (i.e., 2.625 meters).
125 tn Heb “ninety cubits” (i.e., 47.25 meters).
126 tn Heb “one hundred cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
127 tn Heb “one hundred cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
128 tn Heb “one hundred cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
129 tn Heb “one hundred cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
130 tc Some Hebrew
131 tc The LXX does not have the word “by measurements.” The word may be a technical term referring to carpentry technique, the exact meaning of which is unclear.
132 tn Heb “three cubits” (i.e., 1.575 meters).
133 tn Heb “two cubits” (i.e., 1.05 meters).
134 tc So the Masoretic text. The LXX reads “base.”
135 tn Heb “turning” leaves.
136 tn Or “railings.” See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:218.
137 sn Psalm 92. The psalmist praises God because he defeats the wicked and vindicates his loyal followers.
138 tn Or “good.”
139 tn Traditionally “O Most High.”
140 tn The words “it is fitting” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Verses 1-3 are actually one long sentence in the Hebrew text, but this has been divided up into two shorter sentences in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
141 tn Heb “the works of your hands.”
142 tn Heb “very deep [are] your thoughts.” God’s “thoughts” refer here to his moral design of the world, as outlined in vv. 6-15.
143 tn Heb “the brutish man does not know, and the fool does not understand this.” The adjective בַּעַר (ba’ar, “brutish”) refers to spiritual insensitivity, not mere lack of intelligence or reasoning ability (see Pss 49:10; 73:22; Prov 12:1; 30:2, as well as the use of the related verb in Ps 94:8).
144 tn Or “flourish.”
145 tn Heb “in order that they might be destroyed permanently.”
sn God allows the wicked to prosper temporarily so that he might reveal his justice. When the wicked are annihilated, God demonstrates that wickedness does not pay off.
146 tn Heb “[are elevated] on high.”
147 tn Or “for.”
148 tn Or “for.”
149 sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “to exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; Lam 2:17).
150 tn The Hebrew verb בָּלַל (balal) usually has the nuance “to mix.” Here it seems to mean “to smear” or “to anoint.” Some emend the form to בַּלֹּתַנִי (ballotaniy; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”
151 tn Heb “my eye gazes upon those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2. The form שׁוּרָי (shuray) should be emended to שׁוֹרְרָי (shorÿray).
152 tn Heb “those who rise up against me, evil [foes], my ears hear.”
153 tn The singular is used in a representative sense, with the typical godly person being in view.
154 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size.
155 tn Heb “they are juicy and fresh.”
156 tn Heb “so that [they] proclaim that upright [is] the
157 sn Psalm 93. The psalmist affirms that the
158 sn Strength is compared here to a belt that one wears for support. The Lord’s power undergirds his rule.
159 tn Heb “from antiquity [are] you.” As the context suggests, this refers specifically to God’s royal position, not his personal existence.
160 tn The Hebrew noun translated “waves” often refers to rivers or streams, but here it appears to refer to the surging waves of the sea (see v. 4, Ps 24:2).
161 tn Heb “the waves lift up, O
162 tn Heb “mighty waters.”
sn The surging waters here symbolizes the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy the order he has established in the world (see Pss 18:17; 29:3; 32:6; 77:20; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). But the Lord is depicted as elevated above and sovereign over these raging waters.
163 tn Heb “mighty on high [is] the
164 tn Traditionally “your testimonies.” The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law. See Ps 19:7.
165 sn The rules you set down. God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
166 sn Holiness refers here to God’s royal transcendence (see vv. 1-4), as well as his moral authority and perfection (see v. 5a).
167 tn Heb “for your house holiness is fitting, O
