Joshua 10:1-43 
Context10:1 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, 1 heard how Joshua captured Ai and annihilated it and its king as he did Jericho 2 and its king. 3 He also heard how 4 the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them. 10:2 All Jerusalem was terrified 5 because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors. 10:3 So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon: 10:4 “Come to my aid 6 so we can attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 10:5 So the five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and all their troops gathered together and advanced. They deployed their troops and fought against Gibeon. 7
10:6 The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon 8 your subjects! 9 Rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.” 10 10:7 So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal. 11 10:8 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. 12 Not one of them can resist you.” 13 10:9 Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal. 14 10:10 The Lord routed 15 them before Israel. Israel 16 thoroughly defeated them 17 at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass 18 of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 10:11 As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from 19 Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, 20 all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.
10:12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: 21
“O sun, stand still over Gibeon!
O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”
10:13 The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. 22 The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. 23 10:14 There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord obeyed 24 a man, for the Lord fought for Israel! 10:15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
10:16 The five Amorite kings 25 ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 10:17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 10:18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it. 26 10:19 But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! 27 Don’t allow them to retreat to 28 their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.” 29 10:20 Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities. 30 10:21 Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. 31 No one 32 dared threaten the Israelites. 33 10:22 Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings 34 out of the cave to me.” 10:23 They did as ordered; 35 they brought the five kings 36 out of the cave to him – the kings of Jerusalem, 37 Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 10:24 When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he 38 summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here 39 and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up 40 and put their feet on their necks. 10:25 Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! 41 Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight. 10:26 Then Joshua executed them 42 and hung them on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening. 10:27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. 43 They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.) 44
10:28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah and put the sword to it and its king. He annihilated everyone who lived in it; he left no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho. 45
10:29 Joshua and all Israel marched from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against it. 46 10:30 The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel 47 put the sword to all who lived there; they 48 left no survivors. They 49 did to its king what they 50 had done to the king of Jericho. 51
10:31 Joshua and all Israel marched from Libnah to Lachish. He deployed his troops 52 and fought against it. 10:32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel and they 53 captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah. 10:33 Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck down him and his army 54 until no survivors remained.
10:34 Joshua and all Israel marched from Lachish to Eglon. They deployed troops 55 and fought against it. 10:35 That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they 56 annihilated it just as they 57 had done to Lachish.
10:36 Joshua and all Israel marched up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. 10:37 They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they 58 left no survivors. As they 59 had done at Eglon, they 60 annihilated it and all who lived there.
10:38 Joshua and all Israel turned to Debir and fought against it. 10:39 They 61 captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they 62 left no survivors. They 63 did to Debir and its king what they 64 had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron. 65
10:40 Joshua defeated the whole land, including the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, 66 the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivors. He annihilated everything that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 10:41 Joshua conquered the area between Kadesh Barnea and Gaza and the whole region of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon. 67 10:42 Joshua captured in one campaign 68 all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 10:43 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
Psalms 142:1--143:12
ContextA well-written song 70 by David, when he was in the cave; 71 a prayer.
142:1 To the Lord I cry out; 72
to the Lord I plead for mercy. 73
142:2 I pour out my lament before him;
I tell him about 74 my troubles.
142:3 Even when my strength leaves me, 75
you watch my footsteps. 76
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
142:4 Look to the right and see!
No one cares about me. 77
I have nowhere to run; 78
no one is concerned about my life. 79
142:5 I cry out to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my security 80 in the land of the living.”
142:6 Listen to my cry for help,
for I am in serious trouble! 81
Rescue me from those who chase me,
for they are stronger than I am.
that I may give thanks to your name.
Because of me the godly will assemble, 83
for you will vindicate me. 84
A psalm of David.
143:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for help!
Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me!
143:2 Do not sit in judgment on 86 your servant,
for no one alive is innocent before you. 87
143:3 Certainly 88 my enemies 89 chase me.
They smash me into the ground. 90
They force me to live 91 in dark regions, 92
like those who have been dead for ages.
143:4 My strength leaves me; 93
I am absolutely shocked. 94
143:5 I recall the old days; 95
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments. 96
143:6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer; 97
my soul thirsts for you in a parched 98 land. 99
143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!
My strength is fading. 100
Do not reject me, 101
or I will join 102 those descending into the grave. 103
143:8 May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, 104
for I trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, 105
because I long for you. 106
143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!
I run to you for protection. 107
143:10 Teach me to do what pleases you, 108
for you are my God.
May your kind presence 109
lead me 110 into a level land. 111
143:11 O Lord, for the sake of your reputation, 112 revive me! 113
Because of your justice, rescue me from trouble! 114
143:12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, 115 destroy my enemies!
Annihilate 116 all who threaten my life, 117
for I am your servant.
Jeremiah 4:1-31
Context4:1 “If you, Israel, want to come back,” says the Lord,
“if you want to come back to me 118
you must get those disgusting idols 119 out of my sight
and must no longer go astray. 120
4:2 You must be truthful, honest and upright
when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ 121
If you do, 122 the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are
and will make him the object of their boasting.” 123
4:3 Yes, 124 the Lord has this to say
to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
“Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground,
you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning;
just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted,
you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives. 125
4:4 Just as ritual circumcision cuts away the foreskin
as an external symbol of dedicated covenant commitment,
you must genuinely dedicate yourselves to the Lord
and get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to me, 126
people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.
If you do not, 127 my anger will blaze up like a flaming fire against you
that no one will be able to extinguish.
That will happen because of the evil you have done.”
“Announce 129 this in Judah and proclaim it in Jerusalem: 130
‘Sound the trumpet 131 throughout the land!’
Shout out loudly,
‘Gather together! Let us flee into the fortified cities!’
4:6 Raise a signal flag that tells people to go to Zion. 132
Run for safety! Do not delay!
For I am about to bring disaster out of the north.
It will bring great destruction. 133
4:7 Like a lion that has come up from its lair 134
the one who destroys nations has set out from his home base. 135
He is coming out to lay your land waste.
Your cities will become ruins and lie uninhabited.
4:8 So put on sackcloth!
Mourn and wail, saying,
‘The fierce anger of the Lord
has not turned away from us!’” 136
4:9 “When this happens,” 137 says the Lord,
“the king and his officials will lose their courage.
The priests will be struck with horror,
and the prophets will be speechless in astonishment.”
4:10 In response to all this 138 I said, “Ah, Lord God, 139 you have surely allowed 140 the people of Judah and Jerusalem 141 to be deceived by those who say, ‘You will be safe!’ 142 But in fact a sword is already at our throats.” 143
4:11 “At that time the people of Judah and Jerusalem 144 will be told,
‘A scorching wind will sweep down
from the hilltops in the desert on 145 my dear people. 146
It will not be a gentle breeze
for winnowing the grain and blowing away the chaff. 147
4:12 No, 148 a wind too strong for that will come at my bidding.
Yes, even now I, myself, am calling down judgment on them.’ 149
4:13 Look! The enemy is approaching like gathering clouds. 150
The roar of his chariots is like that of a whirlwind. 151
His horses move more swiftly than eagles.”
I cry out, 152 “We are doomed, 153 for we will be destroyed!”
4:14 “Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil 154
so that you may yet be delivered.
How long will you continue to harbor up
wicked schemes within you?
4:15 For messengers are coming, heralding disaster,
from the city of Dan and from the hills of Ephraim. 155
‘Announce to the surrounding nations, 157
“The enemy is coming!” 158
Proclaim this message 159 to Jerusalem:
“Those who besiege cities 160 are coming from a distant land.
They are ready to raise the battle cry against 161 the towns in Judah.”’
4:17 They will surround Jerusalem 162
like men guarding a field 163
because they have rebelled against me,”
says the Lord.
4:18 “The way you have lived and the things you have done 164
will bring this on you.
This is the punishment you deserve, and it will be painful indeed. 165
The pain will be so bad it will pierce your heart.” 166
“Oh, the feeling in the pit of my stomach! 168
I writhe in anguish.
Oh, the pain in my heart! 169
My heart pounds within me.
I cannot keep silent.
For I hear the sound of the trumpet; 170
the sound of the battle cry pierces my soul! 171
4:20 I see 172 one destruction after another taking place,
so that the whole land lies in ruins.
I see our 173 tents suddenly destroyed,
their 174 curtains torn down in a mere instant. 175
4:21 “How long must I see the enemy’s battle flags
and hear the military signals of their bugles?” 176
“This will happen 178 because my people are foolish.
They do not know me.
They are like children who have no sense. 179
They have no understanding.
They are skilled at doing evil.
They do not know how to do good.”
4:23 “I looked at the land and saw 180 that it was an empty wasteland. 181
I looked up at the sky, and its light had vanished.
4:24 I looked at the mountains and saw that they were shaking.
All the hills were swaying back and forth!
4:25 I looked and saw that there were no more people, 182
and that all the birds in the sky had flown away.
4:26 I looked and saw that the fruitful land had become a desert
and that all of the cities had been laid in ruins.
The Lord had brought this all about
because of his blazing anger. 183
4:27 All this will happen because the Lord said, 184
“The whole land will be desolate;
however, I will not completely destroy it.
4:28 Because of this the land will mourn
and the sky above will grow black. 185
For I have made my purpose known 186
and I will not relent or turn back from carrying it out.” 187
4:29 At the sound of the approaching horsemen and archers
the people of every town will flee.
Some of them will hide in the thickets.
Others will climb up among the rocks.
All the cities will be deserted.
No one will remain in them.
4:30 And you, Zion, city doomed to destruction, 188
you accomplish nothing 189 by wearing a beautiful dress, 190
decking yourself out in jewels of gold,
and putting on eye shadow! 191
You are making yourself beautiful for nothing.
Your lovers spurn you.
They want to kill you. 192
4:31 In fact, 193 I hear a cry like that of a woman in labor,
a cry of anguish like that of a woman giving birth to her first baby.
It is the cry of Daughter Zion 194 gasping for breath,
reaching out for help, 195 saying, “I am done in! 196
My life is ebbing away before these murderers!”
Matthew 18:1-35
Context18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 18:2 He called a child, had him stand among them, 18:3 and said, “I tell you the truth, 197 unless you turn around and become like little children, 198 you will never 199 enter the kingdom of heaven! 18:4 Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 18:5 And whoever welcomes 200 a child like this in my name welcomes me.
18:6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 201 it would be better for him to have a huge millstone 202 hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. 203 18:7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It 204 is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come. 18:8 If 205 your hand or your foot causes you to sin, 206 cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have 207 two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have 208 two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell. 209
18:10 “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 18:11 [[EMPTY]] 210 18:12 What do you think? If someone 211 owns a hundred 212 sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? 213 18:13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, 214 he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 18:14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.
18:15 “If 215 your brother 216 sins, 217 go and show him his fault 218 when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 219 18:17 If 220 he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If 221 he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like 222 a Gentile 223 or a tax collector. 224
18:18 “I tell you the truth, 225 whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 18:19 Again, I tell you the truth, 226 if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 227 18:20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”
18:21 Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother 228 who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times! 229
18:23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. 230 18:24 As 231 he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents 232 was brought to him. 18:25 Because 233 he was not able to repay it, 234 the lord ordered him to be sold, along with 235 his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. 18:26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground 236 before him, saying, 237 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ 18:27 The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. 18:28 After 238 he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. 239 So 240 he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, 241 saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 242 18:29 Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 243 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. 18:31 When 244 his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. 18:32 Then his lord called the first slave 245 and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! 18:33 Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’ 18:34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him 246 until he repaid all he owed. 18:35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your 247 brother 248 from your heart.”
1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
2 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
3 tn Heb “as he had done to Jericho and to its king, so he did to Ai and to its king.”
4 tn Heb “and how.”
5 tn This statement is subordinated to v. 1 in the Hebrew text, which reads literally, “When Adoni-Zedek…they feared greatly.” The subject of the plural verb at the beginning of v. 2 is probably the residents of Jerusalem.
6 tn Heb “Come up to me and help me.”
7 tn Heb “and they camped against Gibeon and fought against it.”
8 tn Heb “do not let your hand drop from us.”
9 tn Heb “your servants!”
10 tn Heb “have gathered against us.”
11 tn Heb “And Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the brave warriors.”
12 tn Heb “I have given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.
13 tn Heb “and not a man [or “one”] of them will stand before you.”
14 tn Heb “Joshua came upon them suddenly, all the night he went up from Gilgal.”
15 tn Or “caused to panic.”
16 tn Heb “he.” The referent is probably Israel (mentioned at the end of the previous sentence in the verse; cf. NIV, NRSV), but it is also possible that the
17 tn Heb “struck them down with a great striking down.”
18 tn Or “ascent.”
19 tn Heb “on the descent of.”
20 tn Or “heaven” (also in v. 13). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
21 tn Heb “Then Joshua spoke to the
22 tn Heb “Is it not written down in the Scroll of the Upright One.” Many modern translations render, “the Scroll [or Book] of Jashar,” leaving the Hebrew name “Jashar” (which means “Upright One”) untranslated.
sn The Scroll of the Upright One was apparently an ancient Israelite collection of songs and prayers (see also 2 Sam 1:18).
23 tn Heb “and did not hurry to set [for] about a full day.”
24 tn Heb “listened to the voice of.”
25 tn Heb “these five kings.”
26 tn Heb “and appoint by it men to guard them.”
27 tn Heb “But [as for] you, don’t stand still, chase after your enemies and attack them from the rear.”
28 tn Or “enter into.”
29 tn Heb “has given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.
30 tn Heb “When Joshua and the sons of Israel finished defeating them with a very great defeat until they were destroyed (now the survivors escaped to the fortified cities).” In the Hebrew text the initial temporal clause (“when Joshua…finished”) is subordinated to v. 21 (“the whole army returned”).
31 tn Heb “all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua [at] Makkedah [in] peace.”
32 tc Heb “No man.” The lamed (ל) prefixed to אִישׁ (’ish, “man”) is probably dittographic (note the immediately preceding יִשְׂרָאֵל [isra’el] which ends in lamed, ל); cf. the LXX.
33 tn Heb “no man sharpened [or perhaps, “pointed”] his tongue against the sons of Israel.” Cf. NEB “not a man of the Israelites suffered so much as a scratch on his tongue,” which understands “sharpened” as “scratched” (referring to a minor wound). Most modern translations understand the Hebrew expression “sharpened his tongue” figuratively for opposition or threats against the Israelites.
34 tn Heb “these five kings.”
35 tn Heb “they did so.”
36 tn Heb “these five kings.”
37 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
38 tn Heb “Joshua.” The translation has replaced the proper name with the pronoun (“he”) because a repetition of the proper name here would be redundant according to English style.
39 tn Or “Draw near.”
40 tn Or “drew near.”
41 tn Or perhaps “and don’t get discouraged!”
42 tn Heb “struck them down and killed them.”
43 sn For the legal background of the removal of the corpses before sundown, see Deut 21:22-23.
44 tn Heb “to this very day.” The words “They remain” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
45 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
46 tn Heb “Libnah.” Repetition of the proper name here would be redundant according to English style, so the pronoun (“it”) has been employed in the translation.
47 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
48 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
49 tn Heb “He”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
50 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
51 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
52 tn Heb “encamped against it.”
53 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
54 tn Heb “people.”
55 tn Heb “they encamped against it.”
56 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
57 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
58 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
59 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
60 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
61 tn Heb “He”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
62 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
63 tn Heb “He”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
64 tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).
65 tn Heb “as he did to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, and as he did to Libnah and its king.” The clauses have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
66 tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”
67 tn Heb “and Joshua struck them down, from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen, even to Gibeon.”
68 tn Heb “at one time.”
69 sn Psalm 142. The psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
70 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
71 sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm while in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3. See the superscription of Ps 57.
72 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
73 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
74 tn Heb “my trouble before him I declare.”
75 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
76 tn Heb “you know my path.”
77 tn Heb “there is no one who recognizes me.”
78 tn Heb “ a place of refuge perishes from me.”
79 tn Heb “there is no one who seeks for the sake of my life.”
80 tn Heb “my portion.” The psalmist compares the
81 tn Heb “for I am very low.”
82 tn Heb “bring out my life.”
83 tn Or “gather around.”
84 tn The Hebrew idiom גָּמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.
85 sn Psalm 143. As in the previous psalm, the psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
86 tn Heb “do not enter into judgment with.”
87 tn Heb “for no one living is innocent before you.”
88 tn Or “for.”
89 tn Heb “an enemy.” The singular is used in a representative sense to describe a typical member of the larger group of enemies (note the plural “enemies” in vv. 9, 12).
90 tn Heb “he crushes on the ground my life.”
91 tn Or “sit.”
92 sn Dark regions refers to Sheol, which the psalmist views as a dark place located deep in the ground (see Ps 88:6).
93 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
94 tn Heb “in my midst my heart is shocked.” For a similar use of the Hitpolel of שָׁמֵם (shamem), see Isa 59:16; 63:5.
95 tn Or “ancient times”; Heb “days from before.”
96 tn Heb “the work of your hands.”
97 tn The words “in prayer” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the psalmist is referring to a posture of prayer.
98 tn Heb “faint” or “weary.” See Ps 63:1.
99 tc Heb “my soul like a faint land for you.” A verb (perhaps “thirsts”) is implied (see Ps 63:1). The translation assumes an emendation of the preposition -כְּ (kÿ, “like”) to -בְּ (bÿ, “in,” see Ps 63:1; cf. NEB “athirst for thee in a thirsty land”). If the MT is retained, one might translate, “my soul thirsts for you, as a parched land does for water/rain” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
100 tn Heb “my spirit is failing.”
101 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” (1) can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) can carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
102 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
103 tn Heb “the pit.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit; cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See Ps 28:1.
104 tn Heb “cause me to hear in the morning your loyal love.” Here “loyal love” probably stands metonymically for an oracle of assurance promising God’s intervention as an expression of his loyal love.
sn The morning is sometimes viewed as the time of divine intervention (see Pss 30:5; 59:16; 90:14).
105 sn The way probably refers here to God’s moral and ethical standards and requirements (see v. 10).
106 tn Heb “for to you I lift up my life.” The Hebrew expression נָאָשׂ נֶפֶשׁ (na’as nefesh, “to lift up [one’s] life”) means “to desire; to long for” (see Deut 24:15; Prov 19:18; Jer 22:27; 44:14; Hos 4:8, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 16).
107 tn Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nastiy, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of kaf (כ) and nun (נ) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (’el, “to”) is well-attested.
108 tn Or “your will.” See Ps 40:8.
109 tn Heb “your good spirit.” God’s “spirit” may refer here to his presence (see the note on the word “presence” in Ps 139:7) or to his personal Spirit (see Ps 51:10).
110 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. Taking the statement as a prayer fits well with the petitionary tone of vv. 7-10a.
111 sn A level land (where one can walk free of obstacles) here symbolizes divine blessing and protection. See Pss 26:12 and 27:11 for similar imagery.
112 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
113 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 11-12a are understood as expressing the psalmist’s desire. Note the petitionary tone of vv. 7-10a.
114 tn Heb “by your justice bring out my life from trouble.”
115 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
116 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the mood of the preceding imperfect.
117 tn Heb “all the enemies of my life.”
118 tn Or “If you, Israel, want to turn [away from your shameful ways (those described in 3:23-25)]…then you must turn back to me.” Or perhaps, “Israel, you must turn back…Yes, you must turn back to me.”
119 tn Heb “disgusting things.”
120 tn Or possibly, “If you get those disgusting idols out of my sight, you will not need to flee.” This is less probable because the normal meaning of the last verb is “to wander,” “ to stray.”
121 tn Heb “If you [= you must, see the translator’s note on the word “do” later in this verse] swear/take an oath, ‘As the
122 tn 4:1-2a consists of a number of “if” clauses, two of which are formally introduced by the Hebrew particle אִם (’im) while the others are introduced by the conjunction “and,” followed by a conjunction (“and” = “then”) with a perfect in 4:2b which introduces the consequence. The translation “You must…. If you do,” was chosen to avoid a long and complicated sentence.
123 tn Heb “bless themselves in him and make their boasts in him.”
124 tn The Hebrew particle is obviously asseverative here since a causal connection appears to make little sense.
125 tn Heb “Plow up your unplowed ground and do not sow among the thorns.” The translation is an attempt to bring out the force of a metaphor. The idea seems to be that they are to plow over the thorns and make the ground ready for the seeds which will produce a new crop where none had been produced before.
126 tn Heb “Circumcise yourselves to the
127 tn Heb “lest.”
128 tn The words “The
129 tn It is unclear who the addressees of the masculine plural imperatives are here. They may be the citizens of Jerusalem and Judah who are sounding the alarm to others. However, the first person reference to the
130 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
131 tn Heb “ram’s horn,” but the modern equivalent is “trumpet” and is more readily understandable.
132 tn Heb “Raise up a signal toward Zion.”
133 tn Heb “out of the north, even great destruction.”
134 tn Heb “A lion has left its lair.” The metaphor is turned into a simile for clarification. The word translated “lair” has also been understood to refer to a hiding place. However, it appears to be cognate in meaning to the word translated “lair” in Ps 10:9; Jer 25:38, a word which also refers to the abode of the
135 tn Heb “his place.”
136 tn Or “wail because the fierce anger of the
137 tn Heb “In that day.”
138 tn The words “In response to all this” are not in the text but are supplied in the translation to clarify the connection.
139 tn Heb “Lord Yahweh.” The translation follows the ancient Jewish tradition of substituting the Hebrew word for God for the proper name Yahweh.
140 tn Or “You have deceived.” The Hiphil of נָשָׁא (nasha’, “to deceive”) is understood in a tolerative sense here: “to allow [someone] to be deceived.” IBHS 446 §27.5c notes that this function of the hiphil describes caused activity that is welcome to the undersubject, but unacceptable or disagreeable to a third party. Jerusalem and Judah welcomed the assurances of false prophets who deceived them. Although this was detestable to God, he allowed it.
141 tn Heb “this people and Jerusalem.”
142 tn Heb “Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace’”; or “You have deceived the people of Judah and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace.’” The words “you will be safe” are, of course, those of the false prophets (cf., Jer 6:14; 8:11; 14:13; 23:16-17). It is difficult to tell whether the charge here is meant literally as the emotional outburst of the prophet (compare for example, Jer 15:18) or whether it is to be understood as a figure of speech in which a verb of direct causation is to be understood as permissive or tolerative, i.e., God did not command the prophets to say this but allowed them to do so. While it is not beyond God to use false prophets to accomplish his will (cf., e.g., 1 Kgs 22:19-23), he elsewhere in the book of Jeremiah directly denies having sent the false prophets to say such things as this (cf., e.g., Jer 14:14-15; 23:21, 32). For examples of the use of this figure of speech, see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 571, 823 and compare Ezek 20:25. The translation given attempts to resolve the issue.
143 tn Heb “touches the throat/soul.” For this use of the word usually translated “soul” or “life” cf. HALOT 672 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 1, 2 and compare the use in Ps 105:18.
144 tn Heb “this people and Jerusalem.”
145 tn Heb “A scorching wind from the hilltops in the desert toward…”
sn The allusion is, of course, to the destructive forces of the enemy armies of Babylon compared above in 4:7 to a destructive lion and here to the destructive desert winds of the Near Eastern sirocco.
146 tn Heb “daughter of my people.” The term “daughter of” is appositional to “my people” and is supplied in the translation as a term of sympathy and endearment. Compare the common expression “daughter of Zion.”
147 tn Heb “not for winnowing and not for cleansing.” The words “It will not be a gentle breeze” are not in the text but are implicit in the connection. They are supplied in the translation here for clarification.
148 tn The word “No” is not in the text but is carried over from the connection with the preceding line “not for…”
149 tn Heb “will speak judgments against them.”
150 tn Heb “he is coming up like clouds.” The words “The enemy” are supplied in the translation to identify the referent and the word “gathering” is supplied to try to convey the significance of the simile, i.e., that of quantity and of an approaching storm.
151 tn Heb “his chariots [are] like a whirlwind.” The words “roar” and “sound” are supplied in the translation to clarify the significance of the simile.
152 tn The words “I cry out” are not in the text, but the words that follow are obviously not the
153 tn Heb “Woe to us!” The words “woe to” are common in funeral laments and at the beginning of oracles of judgment. In many contexts they carry the connotation of hopelessness or apprehensiveness of inevitable doom.
154 tn Heb “Oh, Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil.”
155 tn Heb “For a voice declaring from Dan and making heard disaster from the hills of Ephraim.”
156 tn The words “They are saying” are not in the text but are implicit in the connection and are supplied in the translation for clarification.
157 tn The word “surrounding” is not in the text but is implicit and is supplied in the translation for clarification.
158 tc Or “Here they come!” Heb “Look!” or “Behold!” Or “Announce to the surrounding nations, indeed [or yes] proclaim to Jerusalem, ‘Besiegers…’” The text is very elliptical here. Some of the modern English versions appear to be emending the text from הִנֵּה (hinneh, “behold”) to either הֵנָּה (hennah, “these things”; so NEB), or הַזֶּה (hazzeh, “this”; so NIV). The solution proposed here is as old as the LXX which reads, “Behold, they have come.”
159 tn The words, “this message,” are not in the text but are supplied in the translation to make the introduction of the quote easier.
160 tn Heb “Besiegers.” For the use of this verb to refer to besieging a city compare Isa 1:8.
161 tn Heb “They have raised their voices against.” The verb here, a vav (ו) consecutive with an imperfect, continues the nuance of the preceding participle “are coming.”
162 tn Heb “will surround her.” The antecedent is Jerusalem in the preceding verse. The referent is again made explicit in the translation to avoid any possible lack of clarity. The verb form here is a form of the verb that emphasizes the fact as being as good as done (i.e., it is a prophetic perfect).
163 sn There is some irony involved in the choice of the simile since the men guarding a field were there to keep thieves from getting in and stealing the crops. Here the besiegers are guarding the city to keep people from getting out.
164 tn Heb “Your way and your deeds.”
165 tn Heb “How bitter!”
166 tn Heb “Indeed, it reaches to your heart.” The subject must be the pain alluded to in the last half of the preceding line; the verb is masculine, agreeing with the adjective translated “painful.” The only other possible antecedent “punishment” is feminine.
167 tn The words “I said” are not in the text. They are used to mark the shift from the
168 tn Heb “My bowels! My bowels!”
169 tn Heb “the walls of my heart!”
170 tn Heb “ram’s horn,” but the modern equivalent is “trumpet” and is more readily understandable.
171 tc The translation reflects a different division of the last two lines than that suggested by the Masoretes. The written text (the Kethib) reads “for the sound of the ram’s horn I have heard [or “you have heard,” if the form is understood as the old second feminine singular perfect] my soul” followed by “the battle cry” in the last line. The translation is based on taking “my soul” with the last line and understanding an elliptical expression “the battle cry [to] my soul.” Such an elliptical expression is in keeping with the elliptical nature of the exclamations at the beginning of the verse (cf. the literal translations of the first two lines of the verse in the notes on the words “stomach” and “heart”).
172 tn The words, “I see” are not in the text here or at the beginning of the third line. They are supplied in the translation to show that this is Jeremiah’s vision of what will happen as a result of the invasion announced in 4:5-9, 11-17a.
173 tn Heb “my.” This is probably not a reference to Jeremiah’s own tents since he foresees the destruction of the whole land. Jeremiah so identifies with the plight of his people that he sees the destruction of their tents as though they were his very own. It would probably lead to confusion to translate literally and it is not uncommon in Hebrew laments for the community or its representative to speak of the community as an “I.” See for example the interchange between first singular and first plural pronouns in Ps 44:4-8.
174 tn Heb “my.”
175 tn It is not altogether clear what Jeremiah intends by the use of this metaphor. In all likelihood he means that the defenses of Israel’s cities and towns have offered no more resistance than nomads’ tents. However, in light of the fact that the word “tent” came to be used generically for a person’s home (cf. 1 Kgs 8:66; 12:16), it is possible that Jeremiah is here referring to the destruction of their homes and the resultant feeling of homelessness and loss of even elementary protection. Given the lack of certainty the present translation is rather literal here.
176 tn Heb “the sound of ram’s horns,” but the modern equivalent is “bugles” and is more readily understandable.
177 tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation to show clearly the shift in speaker. Jeremiah has been speaking; now the
178 tn Heb “For….” This gives the explanation for the destruction envisaged in 4:20 to which Jeremiah responds in 4:19, 21.
179 tn Heb “They are senseless children.”
180 tn Heb “I looked at the land and behold...” This indicates the visionary character of Jeremiah’s description of the future condition of the land of Israel.
181 tn Heb “formless and empty.” This is a case of hendiadys (two nouns joined by “and” both describe the same thing): one noun retains its full nominal force, the other functions as an adjective. The words תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ (tohu vavohu) allude to Gen 1:2, hyperbolically picturing a reversal of creation and return to the original precreation chaos.
182 tn Heb “there was no man/human being.”
183 tn Heb “because of the
184 tn Heb “For this is what the
185 sn The earth and the heavens are personified here and depicted in the act of mourning and wearing black clothes because of the destruction of the land of Israel.
186 tn Heb “has spoken and purposed.” This is an example of hendiadys where two verbs are joined by “and” but one is meant to serve as a modifier of the other.
187 tn Heb “will not turn back from it.”
188 tn Heb “And you that are doomed to destruction.” The referent is supplied from the following context and the fact that Zion/Jerusalem represents the leadership which was continually making overtures to foreign nations for help.
189 tn Heb “What are you accomplishing…?” The rhetorical question assumes a negative answer, made clear by the translation in the indicative.
190 tn Heb “clothing yourself in scarlet.”
191 tn Heb “enlarging your eyes with antimony.” Antimony was a black powder used by women as eyeliner to make their eyes look larger.
192 tn Heb “they seek your life.”
193 tn The particle כִּי (ki) is more likely asseverative here than causal.
194 sn Jerusalem is personified as a helpless maiden.
195 tn Heb “spreading out her hands.” The idea of asking or pleading for help is implicit in the figure.
196 tn Heb “Woe, now to me!” See the translator’s note on 4:13 for the usage of “Woe to…”
197 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
198 sn The point of the comparison become like little children has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit, as well as willingness to be dependent and receive from others, than any inherent humility the child might possess.
199 tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.
200 tn This verb, δέχομαι (decomai), is a term of hospitality (L&N 34.53).
201 tn The Greek term σκανδαλίζω (skandalizw), translated here “causes to sin” can also be translated “offends” or “causes to stumble.”
202 tn Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Mark 9:42.
sn The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.
203 tn The term translated “open” here (πελάγει, pelagei) refers to the open sea as opposed to a stretch of water near a coastline (BDAG 794 s.v. πέλαγος). A similar English expression would be “the high seas.”
204 tn Grk “For it.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
205 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
206 sn In Greek there is a wordplay that is difficult to reproduce in English here. The verb translated “causes…to sin” (σκανδαλίζω, skandalizw) comes from the same root as the word translated “stumbling blocks” (σκάνδαλον, skandalon) in the previous verse.
207 tn Grk “than having.”
208 tn Grk “than having.”
209 tn Grk “the Gehenna of fire.”
sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
210 tc The most important
211 tn Grk “a certain man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.
212 sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.
213 sn Look for the one that went astray. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.
214 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
215 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. All the “if” clauses in this paragraph are third class conditions in Greek.
216 tn The Greek term “brother” can mean “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a) whether male or female. It can also refer to siblings, though here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God. Therefore, because of the familial connotations, “brother” has been retained in the translation here in preference to the more generic “fellow believer” (“fellow Christian” would be anachronistic in this context).
217 tc ‡ The earliest and best witnesses lack “against you” after “if your brother sins.” It is quite possible that the shorter reading in these witnesses (א B, as well as 0281 Ë1 579 pc sa) occurred when scribes either intentionally changed the text (to make it more universal in application) or unintentionally changed the text (owing to the similar sound of the end of the verb ἁμαρτήσῃ [Jamarthsh] and the prepositional phrase εἰς σέ [eis se]). However, if the
218 tn Grk “go reprove him.”
219 sn A quotation from Deut 19:15.
220 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
221 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
222 tn Grk “let him be to you as.”
223 tn Or “a pagan.”
224 sn To treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector means not to associate with such a person. See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
225 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
226 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
227 tn Grk “if two of you…agree about whatever they ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the pronouns, which change from second person plural to third person plural in the Greek text, have been consistently translated as second person plural.
228 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
229 tn Or “seventy times seven,” i.e., an unlimited number of times. See L&N 60.74 and 60.77 for the two possible translations of the phrase.
230 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
231 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
232 sn A talent was a huge sum of money, equal to 6,000 denarii. One denarius was the usual day’s wage for a worker. L&N 6.82 states, “a Greek monetary unit (also a unit of weight) with a value which fluctuated, depending upon the particular monetary system which prevailed at a particular period of time (a silver talent was worth approximately six thousand denarii with gold talents worth at least thirty times that much).”
233 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
234 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
235 tn Grk “and his wife.”
236 tn Grk “falling therefore the slave bowed down to the ground.” The redundancy of this expression signals the desperation of the slave in begging for mercy.
237 tc The majority of
238 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
239 tn Grk “one hundred denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer; this would be about three month’s pay.
240 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so.” A new sentence was started at this point in the translation in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
241 tn Grk “and he grabbed him and started choking him.”
242 tn The word “me” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
243 tn Grk “begged him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
244 tn Grk “Therefore when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
245 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the first slave mentioned in v. 24) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
246 tn Grk “handed him over to the torturers,” referring specifically to guards whose job was to torture prisoners who were being questioned. According to L&N 37.126, it is difficult to know for certain in this instance whether the term actually envisions torture as a part of the punishment or is simply a hyperbole. However, in light of the following verse and Jesus’ other warning statements in Matthew about “fiery hell,” “the outer darkness,” etc., it is best not to dismiss this as mere imagery.
247 tn Grk “his.” The pronoun has been translated to follow English idiom (the last pronoun of the verse [“from your heart”] is second person plural in the original).
248 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
