Deuteronomy 12:1-32 
Context12:1 These are the statutes and ordinances you must be careful to obey as long as you live in the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, 1 has given you to possess. 2 12:2 You must by all means destroy 3 all the places where the nations you are about to dispossess worship their gods – on the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree. 4 12:3 You must tear down their altars, shatter their sacred pillars, 5 burn up their sacred Asherah poles, 6 and cut down the images of their gods; you must eliminate their very memory from that place. 12:4 You must not worship the Lord your God the way they worship. 12:5 But you must seek only the place he 7 chooses from all your tribes to establish his name as his place of residence, 8 and you must go there. 12:6 And there you must take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, 9 your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 12:7 Both you and your families 10 must feast there before the Lord your God and rejoice in all the output of your labor with which he 11 has blessed you. 12:8 You must not do like we are doing here today, with everyone 12 doing what seems best to him, 12:9 for you have not yet come to the final stop 13 and inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. 12:10 When you do go across the Jordan River 14 and settle in the land he 15 is granting you as an inheritance and you find relief from all the enemies who surround you, you will live in safety. 16 12:11 Then you must come to the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to reside, bringing 17 everything I am commanding you – your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, 18 and all your choice votive offerings which you devote to him. 19 12:12 You shall rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God, along with your sons, daughters, male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages 20 (since they have no allotment or inheritance with you). 21 12:13 Make sure you do not offer burnt offerings in any place you wish, 12:14 for you may do so 22 only in the place the Lord chooses in one of your tribal areas – there you may do everything I am commanding you. 23
12:15 On the other hand, you may slaughter and eat meat as you please when the Lord your God blesses you 24 in all your villages. 25 Both the ritually pure and impure may eat it, whether it is a gazelle or an ibex. 12:16 However, you must not eat blood – pour it out on the ground like water. 12:17 You will not be allowed to eat in your villages your tithe of grain, new wine, olive oil, the firstborn of your herd and flock, any votive offerings you have vowed, or your freewill and personal offerings. 12:18 Only in the presence of the Lord your God may you eat these, in the place he 26 chooses. This applies to you, your son, your daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levites 27 in your villages. In that place you will rejoice before the Lord your God in all the output of your labor. 28 12:19 Be careful not to overlook the Levites as long as you live in the land.
12:20 When the Lord your God extends your borders as he said he would do and you say, “I want to eat meat just as I please,” 29 you may do so as you wish. 30 12:21 If the place he 31 chooses to locate his name is too far for you, you may slaughter any of your herd and flock he 32 has given you just as I have stipulated; you may eat them in your villages 33 just as you wish. 12:22 Like you eat the gazelle or ibex, so you may eat these; the ritually impure and pure alike may eat them. 12:23 However, by no means eat the blood, for the blood is life itself 34 – you must not eat the life with the meat! 12:24 You must not eat it! You must pour it out on the ground like water. 12:25 You must not eat it so that it may go well with you and your children after you; you will be doing what is right in the Lord’s sight. 35 12:26 Only the holy things and votive offerings that belong to you, you must pick up and take to the place the Lord will choose. 36 12:27 You must offer your burnt offerings, both meat and blood, on the altar of the Lord your God; the blood of your other sacrifices 37 you must pour out on his 38 altar while you eat the meat. 12:28 Pay careful attention to all these things I am commanding you so that it may always go well with you and your children after you when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.
12:29 When the Lord your God eliminates the nations from the place where you are headed and you dispossess them, you will settle down in their land. 39 12:30 After they have been destroyed from your presence, be careful not to be ensnared like they are; do not pursue their gods and say, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do the same.” 12:31 You must not worship the Lord your God the way they do! 40 For everything that is abhorrent 41 to him, 42 everything he hates, they have done when worshiping their gods. They even burn up their sons and daughters before their gods!
12:32 (13:1) 43 You 44 must be careful to do everything I am commanding you. Do not add to it or subtract from it! 45
Psalms 97:1--98:9
Context97:1 The Lord reigns!
Let the earth be happy!
Let the many coastlands rejoice!
97:2 Dark clouds surround him;
equity and justice are the foundation of his throne. 47
97:3 Fire goes before him;
on every side 48 it burns up his enemies.
97:4 His lightning bolts light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of the whole earth.
97:6 The sky declares his justice,
and all the nations see his splendor.
97:7 All who worship idols are ashamed,
those who boast about worthless idols.
All the gods bow down before him. 49
97:8 Zion hears and rejoices,
the towns 50 of Judah are happy,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
97:9 For you, O Lord, are the sovereign king 51 over the whole earth;
you are elevated high above all gods.
97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects 52 the lives of his faithful followers;
he delivers them from the power 53 of the wicked.
97:11 The godly bask in the light;
the morally upright experience joy. 54
97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!
Give thanks to his holy name. 55
A psalm.
98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, 57
for he performs 58 amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm
accomplish deliverance. 59
98:2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; 60
in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.
98:3 He remains loyal and faithful to the family of Israel. 61
All the ends of the earth see our God deliver us. 62
98:4 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
Break out in a joyful shout and sing!
98:5 Sing to the Lord accompanied by a harp,
accompanied by a harp and the sound of music!
98:6 With trumpets and the blaring of the ram’s horn,
shout out praises before the king, the Lord!
98:7 Let the sea and everything in it shout,
along with the world and those who live in it!
98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands!
Let the mountains sing in unison
98:9 before the Lord!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 63
and the nations in a just manner.
Isaiah 40:1-31
Context40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people,”
says your 64 God.
40:2 “Speak kindly to 65 Jerusalem, 66 and tell her
that her time of warfare is over, 67
that her punishment is completed. 68
For the Lord has made her pay double 69 for all her sins.”
40:3 A voice cries out,
“In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord;
construct in the desert a road for our God.
40:4 Every valley must be elevated,
and every mountain and hill leveled.
The rough terrain will become a level plain,
the rugged landscape a wide valley.
40:5 The splendor 70 of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people 71 will see it at the same time.
For 72 the Lord has decreed it.” 73
40:6 A voice says, “Cry out!”
Another asks, 74 “What should I cry out?”
The first voice responds: 75 “All people are like grass, 76
and all their promises 77 are like the flowers in the field.
40:7 The grass dries up,
the flowers wither,
when the wind sent by the Lord 78 blows on them.
Surely humanity 79 is like grass.
40:8 The grass dries up,
the flowers wither,
but the decree of our God is forever reliable.” 80
40:9 Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion!
Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem! 81
Shout, don’t be afraid!
Say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
40:10 Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior; 82
his military power establishes his rule. 83
Look, his reward is with him;
his prize goes before him. 84
40:11 Like a shepherd he tends his flock;
he gathers up the lambs with his arm;
he carries them close to his heart; 85
he leads the ewes along.
40:12 Who has measured out the waters 86 in the hollow of his hand,
or carefully 87 measured the sky, 88
or carefully weighed 89 the soil of the earth,
or weighed the mountains in a balance,
or the hills on scales? 90
40:13 Who comprehends 91 the mind 92 of the Lord,
or gives him instruction as his counselor? 93
40:14 From whom does he receive directions? 94
Who 95 teaches him the correct way to do things, 96
or imparts knowledge to him,
or instructs him in skillful design? 97
40:15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales.
He lifts 98 the coastlands 99 as if they were dust.
40:16 Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; 100
its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings. 101
40:17 All the nations are insignificant before him;
they are regarded as absolutely nothing. 102
40:18 To whom can you compare God?
To what image can you liken him?
40:19 A craftsman casts 103 an idol;
a metalsmith overlays it with gold
and forges silver chains for it.
40:20 To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; 104
he then seeks a skilled craftsman
to make 105 an idol that will not fall over.
40:21 Do you not know?
Do you not hear?
Has it not been told to you since the very beginning?
Have you not understood from the time the earth’s foundations were made?
40:22 He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon; 106
its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. 107
He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain, 108
and spreads it out 109 like a pitched tent. 110
40:23 He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing;
he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.
40:24 Indeed, they are barely planted;
yes, they are barely sown;
yes, they barely take root in the earth,
and then he blows on them, causing them to dry up,
and the wind carries them away like straw.
40:25 “To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?”
says the Holy One. 111
Who created all these heavenly lights? 113
He is the one who leads out their ranks; 114
he calls them all by name.
Because of his absolute power and awesome strength,
not one of them is missing.
40:27 Why do you say, Jacob,
Why do you say, Israel,
“The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me, 115
My God is not concerned with my vindication”? 116
40:28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is an eternal God,
the creator of the whole earth. 117
He does not get tired or weary;
there is no limit to his wisdom. 118
40:29 He gives strength to those who are tired;
to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.
40:30 Even youths get tired and weary;
even strong young men clumsily stumble. 119
40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help 120 find renewed strength;
they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, 121
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired.
Revelation 10:1-11
Context10:1 Then 122 I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped 123 in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire. 124 10:2 He held 125 in his hand a little scroll that was open, and he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. 10:3 Then 126 he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices. 10:4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was preparing to write, but 127 just then 128 I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down.” 10:5 Then 129 the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 10:6 and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay! 130 10:7 But in the days 131 when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed, 132 just as he has 133 proclaimed to his servants 134 the prophets.” 10:8 Then 135 the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak 136 to me 137 again, 138 “Go and take the open 139 scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 10:9 So 140 I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He 141 said to me, “Take the scroll 142 and eat it. It 143 will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10:10 So 144 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste 145 as sweet as honey in my mouth, but 146 when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 10:11 Then 147 they 148 told me: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, 149 languages, and kings.”
1 tn Heb “fathers.”
2 tn Heb “you must be careful to obey in the land the
3 tn Heb “destroying you must destroy”; KJV “Ye shall utterly (surely ASV) destroy”; NRSV “must demolish completely.” The Hebrew infinitive absolute precedes the verb for emphasis, which is reflected in the translation by the words “by all means.”
4 sn Every leafy tree. This expression refers to evergreens which, because they keep their foliage throughout the year, provided apt symbolism for nature cults such as those practiced in Canaan. The deity particularly in view is Asherah, wife of the great god El, who was considered the goddess of fertility and whose worship frequently took place at shrines near or among clusters (groves) of such trees (see also Deut 7:5). See J. Hadley, NIDOTTE 1:569-70; J. DeMoor, TDOT 1:438-44.
5 sn Sacred pillars. These are the stelae (stone pillars; the Hebrew term is מַצֵּבֹת, matsevot) associated with Baal worship, perhaps to mark a spot hallowed by an alleged visitation of the gods. See also Deut 7:5.
6 sn Sacred Asherah poles. The Hebrew term (plural) is אֲשֵׁרִים (’asherim). See note on the word “(leafy) tree” in v. 2, and also Deut 7:5.
7 tn Heb “the
8 tc Some scholars, on the basis of v. 11, emend the MT reading שִׁכְנוֹ (shikhno, “his residence”) to the infinitive construct לְשָׁכֵן (lÿshakhen, “to make [his name] to dwell”), perhaps with the 3rd person masculine singular sf לְשַׁכְּנוֹ (lÿshakÿno, “to cause it to dwell”). Though the presupposed nounשֵׁכֶן (shekhen) is nowhere else attested, the parallel here with שַׁמָּה (shammah, “there”) favors retaining the MT as it stands.
9 tn Heb “heave offerings of your hand.”
10 tn Heb “and your houses,” referring to entire households. The pronouns “you” and “your” are plural in the Hebrew text.
11 tn Heb “the
12 tn Heb “a man.”
13 tn Heb “rest.”
14 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
15 tn Heb “the
16 tn In the Hebrew text vv. 10-11 are one long, complex sentence. For stylistic reasons the translation divides this into two sentences.
17 tn Heb “and it will be (to) the place where the Lord your God chooses to cause his name to dwell you will bring.”
18 tn Heb “heave offerings of your hand.”
19 tn Heb “the
20 tn Heb “within your gates” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “who belongs to your community.”
21 sn They have no allotment or inheritance with you. See note on the word “inheritance” in Deut 10:9.
22 tn Heb “offer burnt offerings.” The expression “do so” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
23 sn This injunction to worship in a single and central sanctuary – one limited and appropriate to the thrice-annual festival celebrations (see Exod 23:14-17; 34:22-24; Lev 23:4-36; Deut 16:16-17) – marks a departure from previous times when worship was carried out at local shrines (cf. Gen 8:20; 12:7; 13:18; 22:9; 26:25; 35:1, 3, 7; Exod 17:15). Apart from the corporate worship of the whole theocratic community, however, worship at local altars would still be permitted as in the past (Deut 16:21; Judg 6:24-27; 13:19-20; 1 Sam 7:17; 10:5, 13; 2 Sam 24:18-25; 1 Kgs 18:30).
24 tn Heb “only in all the desire of your soul you may sacrifice and eat flesh according to the blessing of the Lord your God which he has given to you.”
25 tn Heb “gates” (so KJV, NASB; likewise in vv. 17, 18).
26 tn Heb “the
27 tn See note at Deut 12:12.
28 tn Heb “in all the sending forth of your hands.”
29 tn Heb “for my soul desires to eat meat.”
30 tn Heb “according to all the desire of your soul you may eat meat.”
31 tn Heb “the
32 tn Heb “the
33 tn Heb “gates” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “in your own community.”
34 sn The blood is life itself. This is a figure of speech (metonymy) in which the cause or means (the blood) stands for the result or effect (life). That is, life depends upon the existence and circulation of blood, a truth known empirically but not scientifically tested and proved until the 17th century
35 tc Heb “in the eyes of the
36 tc Again, to complete a commonly attested wording the LXX adds after “choose” the phrase “to place his name there.” This shows insensitivity to deliberate departures from literary stereotypes. The MT reading is to be preferred.
37 sn These other sacrifices would be so-called peace or fellowship offerings whose ritual required a different use of the blood from that of burnt (sin and trespass) offerings (cf. Lev 3; 7:11-14, 19-21).
38 tn Heb “on the altar of the
39 tn Heb “dwell in their land” (so NASB). In the Hebrew text vv. 29-30 are one long sentence. For stylistic reasons the translation divides it into two.
40 tn Heb “you must not do thus to/for the
41 tn See note on this term at Deut 7:25.
42 tn Heb “every abomination of the
43 sn Beginning with 12:32, the verse numbers through 13:18 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 12:32 ET = 13:1 HT, 13:1 ET = 13:2 HT, 13:2 ET = 13:3 HT, etc., through 13:18 ET = 13:19 HT. With 14:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
44 tn This verse highlights a phenomenon found throughout Deuteronomy, but most especially in chap. 12, namely, the alternation of grammatical singular and plural forms of the pronoun (known as Numeruswechsel in German scholarship). Critical scholarship in general resolves the “problem” by suggesting varying literary traditions – one favorable to the singular pronoun and the other to the plural – which appear in the (obviously rough) redacted text at hand. Even the ancient versions were troubled by the lack of harmony of grammatical number and in this verse, for example, offered a number of alternate readings. The MT reads “Everything I am commanding you (plural) you (plural) must be careful to do; you (singular) must not add to it nor should you (singular) subtract form it.” Smr, LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate suggest singular for the first two pronouns but a few Smr
45 sn Do not add to it or subtract from it. This prohibition makes at least two profound theological points: (1) This work by Moses is of divine origination (i.e., it is inspired) and therefore can tolerate no human alteration; and (2) the work is complete as it stands (i.e., it is canonical).
46 sn Psalm 97. The psalmist depicts the Lord as the sovereign, just king of the world who comes in power to vindicate his people.
47 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
48 tn Heb “all around.”
49 tn The translation assumes that the prefixed verbal form in the first line is an imperfect (“are ashamed”) and that the ambiguous form in the third line is a perfect (“bow down”) because the psalmist appears to be describing the effect of the
50 tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
51 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
52 tn The participle may be verbal, though it might also be understood as substantival and appositional to “the
53 tn Heb “hand.”
54 tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.
55 tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the
56 sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.
57 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.
58 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.
59 tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.
60 tn Heb “makes known his deliverance.”
61 tn Heb “he remembers his loyal love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel.”
62 tn Heb “the deliverance of our God,” with “God” being a subjective genitive (= God delivers).
63 tn The verbal forms in v. 9 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
64 tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine plural. The identity of the addressee is uncertain: (1) God’s people may be addressed, or (2) the unidentified heralds commanded to comfort Jerusalem.
65 tn Heb “speak to the heart of Jerusalem.” Jerusalem is personified as a woman.
66 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
67 tn Heb “that she is filled [with] her warfare.” Some understand צָבָא (tsavah, “warfare”) as meaning “hard service” or “compulsory labor” in this context.
68 tn Heb “that her punishment is accepted [as satisfactory].”
69 tn Heb “for she has received from the hand of the Lord double.” The principle of the double portion in punishment is also seen in Jer 16:18; 17:18 and Rev 18:6. For examples of the double portion in Israelite law, see Exod 22:4, 7, 9 (double restitution by a thief) and Deut 21:17 (double inheritance portion for the firstborn).
70 tn Or “glory.” The Lord’s “glory” is his theophanic radiance and royal splendor (see Isa 6:3; 24:23; 35:2; 60:1; 66:18-19).
71 tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); NAB, NIV “mankind”; TEV “the whole human race.”
72 tn Or “indeed.”
73 tn Heb “the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
74 tn Heb “and he says.” Apparently a second “voice” responds to the command of the first “voice.”
75 tn The words “the first voice responds” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The first voice tells the second one what to declare.
76 tn Heb “all flesh is grass.” The point of the metaphor is explained in v. 7.
77 tn Heb “and all his loyalty.” The antecedent of the third masculine suffix is בָּשָׂר (basar, “flesh”), which refers collectively to mankind. The LXX, apparently understanding the antecedent as “grass,” reads “glory,” but חֶסֶד (khesed) rarely, if ever, has this nuance. The normal meaning of חֶסֶד (“faithfulness, loyalty, devotion”) fits very well in the argument. Human beings and their faithfulness (verbal expressions of faithfulness are specifically in view; cf. NRSV “constancy”) are short-lived and unreliable, in stark contrast to the decrees and promises of the eternal God.
78 tn The Hebrew text has רוּחַ יְהוָה (ruakh yehvah), which in this context probably does not refer to the Lord’s personal Spirit. The phrase is better translated “the breath of the Lord,” or “the wind of [i.e., sent by] the Lord.” The Lord’s sovereign control over nature, including the hot desert winds that dry up vegetation, is in view here (cf. Ps 147:18; Isa 59:19).
79 tn Heb “the people” (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
80 tn Heb “but the word of our God stands forever.” In this context the divine “word” specifically refers to his decreed promise assuring Jerusalem that her suffering is over and his glorious return imminent (vv. 1-5).
81 tn The second feminine singular imperatives are addressed to personified Zion/Jerusalem, who is here told to ascend a high hill and proclaim the good news of the Lord’s return to the other towns of Judah. Isa 41:27 and 52:7 speak of a herald sent to Zion, but the masculine singular form מְבַשֵּׂר (mÿvaser) is used in these verses, in contrast to the feminine singular form מְבַשֶּׂרֶת (mÿvaseret) employed in 40:9, where Zion is addressed as a herald.
82 tn Heb “comes as a strong one”; ASV “will come as a mighty one.” The preposition בְּ (bet) here carries the nuance “in the capacity of.” It indicates that the Lord possesses the quality expressed by the noun. See GKC 379 §119.i and HALOT 104 s.v. בְּ.
83 tn Heb “his arm rules for him” (so NIV, NRSV). The Lord’s “arm” symbolizes his military power (see Isa 51:9-10; 63:5).
84 tn As the Lord returns to Jerusalem as a victorious warrior, he brings with him the spoils of victory, called here his “reward” and “prize.” These terms might also be translated “wages” and “recompense.” Verse 11 indicates that his rescued people, likened to a flock of sheep, are his reward.
85 tn Heb “in his bosom” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV), an expression which reflects closeness and protective care.
86 tn The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has מי ים (“waters of the sea”), a reading followed by NAB.
87 tn Heb “with a span.” A “span” was the distance between the ends of the thumb and the little finger of the spread hand” (BDB 285 s.v. זֶרֶת).
88 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
89 tn Heb “or weighed by a third part [of a measure].”
90 sn The implied answer to the rhetorical questions of v. 12 is “no one but the Lord. The Lord, and no other, created the world. Like a merchant weighing out silver or commodities on a scale, the Lord established the various components of the physical universe in precise proportions.
91 tn Perhaps the verb is used metonymically here in the sense of “advises” (note the following line).
92 tn In this context רוּחַ (ruakh) likely refers to the Lord’s “mind,” or mental faculties, rather than his personal Spirit (see BDB 925 s.v.).
93 tn Heb “or [as] the man of his counsel causes him to know?”
94 tn Heb “With whom did he consult, so that he gave discernment to him?”
95 tn Heb “and taught him.” The vav (ו) consecutive with prefixed verbal form continues the previous line. The translation employs an interrogative pronoun for stylistic reasons.
96 tn The phrase אֹרַח מִשְׁפָּט (’orakh mishpat) could be translated “path of justice” (so NASB, NRSV), but in this context, where creative ability and skill is in view, the phrase is better understood in the sense of “the way that is proper or fitting” (see BDB 1049 s.v. מִשְׁפָּט 6); cf. NIV, NCV “the right way.”
97 tn Heb “or the way of understanding causes him to know?”
sn The implied answer to the rhetorical questions in vv. 13-14 is, “No one.” In contrast to Marduk, the creator-god of Mesopotamian myths who receives help from the god of wisdom, the Lord neither needs nor receives any such advice or help. See R. Whybray, Heavenly Counsellor (SOTSMS), 64-77.
98 tn Or “weighs” (NIV); NLT “picks up.”
99 tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV, NLT).
100 tn The words “for a sacrifice” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
101 sn The point is that not even the Lebanon forest could supply enough wood and animals for an adequate sacrifice to the Lord.
102 tn Heb “[as derived] from nothing and unformed.”
103 tn Heb “pours out”; KJV “melteth.”
104 tn The first two words of the verse (הַמְסֻכָּן תְּרוּמָה, hamsukan tÿrumah) are problematic. Some take מְסֻכָּן as an otherwise unattested Pual participle from סָכַן (sakhan, “be poor”) and translate “the one who is impoverished.” תְּרוּמָה (tÿrumah, “contribution”) can then be taken as an adverbial accusative, “with respect to a contribution,” and the entire line translated, “the one who is too impoverished for such a contribution [i.e., the metal idol of v. 19?] selects wood that will not rot.” However, מְסֻכָּן is probably the name of a tree used in idol manufacturing (cognate with Akkadian musukkanu, cf. H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 133). מְסֻכָּן may be a scribal interpretive addition attempting to specify עֵץ (’ets) or עֵץ may be a scribal attempt to categorize מְסֻכָּן. How an idol constitutes a תְּרוּמָה (“contribution”) is not entirely clear.
105 tn Or “set up” (ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NASB “to prepare.”
106 tn Heb “the circle of the earth” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
107 tn The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
108 tn The otherwise unattested noun דֹּק (doq), translated here “thin curtain,” is apparently derived from the verbal root דקק (“crush”) from which is derived the adjective דַּק (daq, “thin”; see HALOT 229 s.v. דקק). The nuance “curtain” is implied from the parallelism (see “tent” in the next line).
109 tn The meaning of the otherwise unattested verb מָתַח (matakh, “spread out”) is determined from the parallelism (note the corresponding verb “stretch out” in the previous line) and supported by later Hebrew and Aramaic cognates. See HALOT 654 s.v. *מתה.
110 tn Heb “like a tent [in which] to live”; NAB, NASB “like a tent to dwell (live NIV, NRSV) in.”
111 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
112 tn Heb “Lift on high your eyes and see.”
113 tn The words “heavenly lights” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the following lines.
114 tn Heb “the one who brings out by number their host.” The stars are here likened to a huge army that the Lord leads out. Perhaps the next line pictures God calling roll. If so, the final line may be indicating that none of them dares “go AWOL.” (“AWOL” is a military acronym for “absent without leave.”)
115 tn Heb “my way is hidden from the Lord” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
116 tn Heb “and from my God my justice passes away”; NRSV “my right is disregarded by my God.”
117 tn Heb “the ends of the earth,” but this is a merism, where the earth’s extremities stand for its entirety, i.e., the extremities and everything in between them.
118 sn Exiled Israel’s complaint (v. 27) implies that God might be limited in some way. Perhaps he, like so many of the pagan gods, has died. Or perhaps his jurisdiction is limited to Judah and does not include Babylon. Maybe he is unable to devise an adequate plan to rescue his people, or is unable to execute it. But v. 28 affirms that he is not limited temporally or spatially nor is his power and wisdom restricted in any way. He can and will deliver his people, if they respond in hopeful faith (v. 31a).
119 tn Heb “stumbling they stumble.” The verbal idea is emphasized by the infinitive absolute.
120 tn The words “for the Lord’s help” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
121 tn Heb “they rise up [on] wings like eagles” (TEV similar).
122 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
123 tn Or “clothed.”
124 tn Or “like fiery pillars,” translating πυρός (puros) as an attributive genitive.
125 tn Grk “and having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”
126 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
127 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
128 tn The words “just then” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
129 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
130 tn On this phrase see BDAG 1092 s.v. χρόνος.
131 tn Grk “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel.”
132 tn The aorist ἐτελέσθη (etelesqh) has been translated as a proleptic (futuristic) aorist (ExSyn 564 cites this verse as an example).
133 tn The time of the action described by the aorist εὐηγγέλισεν (euhngelisen) seems to be past with respect to the aorist passive ἐτελέσθη (etelesqh). This does not require that the prophets in view here be OT prophets. They may actually refer to the martyrs in the church (so G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 129).
134 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
135 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
136 tn The participle λαλοῦσαν (lalousan) has been translated as “began to speak.” The use of πάλιν (palin) indicates an ingressive idea.
137 tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.”
138 tn Grk “again, saying.” The participle λέγουσαν (legousan) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
139 tn The perfect passive participle ἠνεῳγμένον (hnewgmenon) is in second attributive position and has been translated as an attributive adjective.
140 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the voice.
141 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
142 tn The words “the scroll” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
143 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
144 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the angel.
145 tn Grk “it was.” The idea of taste is implied.
146 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
147 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
148 tn The referent of “they” is not clear in the Greek text.
149 tn Grk “and nations,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the next item since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
