1 Kings 12:1-33 
Context12:1 Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in 1 Shechem to make Rehoboam 2 king. 12:2 3 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since. 4 12:3 They sent for him, 5 and Jeroboam and the whole Israelite assembly came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 12:4 “Your father made us work too hard. 6 Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.” 7 12:5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away.
12:6 King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served 8 his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, 9 “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 12:7 They said to him, “Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward.” 10 12:8 But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. 11 12:9 He asked them, “How do you advise me 12 to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” 13 12:10 The young advisers with whom Rehoboam 14 had grown up said to him, “Say this to these people who have said to you, ‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden.’ 15 Say this to them: ‘I am a lot harsher than my father! 16 12:11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. 17 My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’” 18
12:12 Jeroboam and all the people reported 19 to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, “Return to me on the third day.” 12:13 The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men 12:14 and followed 20 the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. 21 My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.” 22 12:15 The king refused to listen to the people, because the Lord was instigating this turn of events 23 so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made 24 through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
12:16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David, no share in the son of Jesse! 25 Return to your homes, O Israel! 26 Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” 27 So Israel returned to their homes. 28 12:17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 12:18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, 29 the supervisor of the work crews, 30 out after them, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 31 12:19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day. 12:20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one except the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the Davidic dynasty. 32
12:21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from all of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin 33 to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 12:22 But God told Shemaiah the prophet, 34 12:23 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah, and to all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the rest of the people, 12:24 ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”’” 35 They obeyed the Lord and went home as the Lord had ordered them to do. 36
12:25 37 Jeroboam built up Shechem in the Ephraimite hill country and lived there. From there he went out and built up Penuel. 12:26 Jeroboam then thought to himself: 38 “Now the Davidic dynasty could regain the kingdom. 39 12:27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, 40 their loyalty could shift to their former master, 41 King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” 12:28 After the king had consulted with his advisers, 42 he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, 43 “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 12:29 He put one in Bethel 44 and the other in Dan. 12:30 This caused Israel to sin; 45 the people went to Bethel and Dan to worship the calves. 46
12:31 He built temples 47 on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. 12:32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, 48 like the festival celebrated in Judah. 49 On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. 50 In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.
12:33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) 51 Jeroboam 52 offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. 53 He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.
Philippians 3:1-21
Context3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, 54 rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
3:2 Beware of the dogs, 55 beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! 56 3:3 For we are the circumcision, 57 the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, 58 exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentials 59 3:4 – though mine too are significant. 60 If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, 61 I have more: 3:5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. 62 3:6 In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless. 3:7 But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. 3:8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! 63 – that I may gain Christ, 3:9 and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness 64 – a righteousness from God that is in fact 65 based on Christ’s 66 faithfulness. 67 3:10 My aim is to know him, 68 to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, 69 and to be like him in his death, 3:11 and so, somehow, 70 to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
3:12 Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. 71 3:13 Brothers and sisters, 72 I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: 73 Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, 3:14 with this goal in mind, 74 I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God 75 in Christ Jesus. 3:15 Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. 76 If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways. 77 3:16 Nevertheless, let us live up to the standard 78 that we have already attained. 79
3:17 Be imitators of me, 80 brothers and sisters, 81 and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example. 3:18 For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. 3:19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things. 82 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 3:21 who will transform these humble bodies of ours 83 into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.
Ezekiel 42:1-20
Context42:1 Then he led me out to the outer court, toward the north, and brought me to the chamber which was opposite the courtyard and opposite the building on the north. 42:2 Its length was 175 feet 84 on the north side, 85 and its width 87½ feet. 86 42:3 Opposite the 35 feet 87 that belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court, gallery faced gallery in the three stories. 42:4 In front of the chambers was a walkway on the inner side, 17½ feet 88 wide at a distance of 1¾ feet, 89 and their entrances were on the north. 42:5 Now the upper chambers were narrower, because the galleries took more space from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building. 42:6 For they were in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper chambers 90 were set back from the ground more than the lower and upper ones. 42:7 As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, it was 87½ feet 91 long. 42:8 For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet 92 long, while those facing the temple were 175 feet 93 long. 42:9 Below these chambers was a passage on the east side as one enters from the outer court.
42:10 At the beginning 94 of the wall of the court toward the south, 95 facing the courtyard and the building, were chambers 42:11 with a passage in front of them. They looked like the chambers on the north. Of the same length and width, and all their exits according to their arrangements and entrances 42:12 were the chambers 96 which were toward the south. There was an opening at the head of the passage, the passage in front of the corresponding wall toward the east when one enters.
42:13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers which face the courtyard are holy chambers where the priests 97 who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will place the most holy offerings – the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, because the place is holy. 42:14 When the priests enter, then they will not go out from the sanctuary to the outer court without taking off their garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they will put on other garments, then they will go near the places where the people are.”
42:15 Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple, he led me out by the gate which faces east and measured all around. 42:16 He measured the east side with the measuring stick 98 as 875 feet 99 by the measuring stick. 42:17 He measured the north side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 42:18 He measured the south side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 42:19 He turned to the west side and measured 875 feet by the measuring stick. 42:20 He measured it on all four sides. It had a wall around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy and common places.
Psalms 94:1-23
Context94:1 O Lord, the God who avenges!
O God who avenges, reveal your splendor! 101
94:2 Rise up, O judge of the earth!
Pay back the proud!
94:3 O Lord, how long will the wicked,
how long will the wicked celebrate? 102
94:4 They spew out threats 103 and speak defiantly;
all the evildoers boast. 104
94:5 O Lord, they crush your people;
they oppress the nation that belongs to you. 105
94:6 They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land,
and they murder the fatherless. 106
94:7 Then they say, “The Lord does not see this;
the God of Jacob does not take notice of it.” 107
94:8 Take notice of this, 108 you ignorant people! 109
You fools, when will you ever understand?
94:9 Does the one who makes the human ear not hear?
Does the one who forms the human eye not see? 110
94:10 Does the one who disciplines the nations not punish?
He is the one who imparts knowledge to human beings!
94:11 The Lord knows that
peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. 111
94:12 How blessed is the one 112 whom you instruct, O Lord,
the one whom you teach from your law,
94:13 in order to protect him from times of trouble, 113
until the wicked are destroyed. 114
94:14 Certainly 115 the Lord does not forsake his people;
he does not abandon the nation that belongs to him. 116
94:15 For justice will prevail, 117
and all the morally upright 118 will be vindicated. 119
94:16 Who will rise up to defend me 120 against the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against the evildoers? 121
94:17 If the Lord had not helped me,
I would have laid down in the silence of death. 122
94:18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your loyal love, O Lord, supports me.
94:19 When worries threaten to overwhelm me, 123
your soothing touch makes me happy. 124
94:20 Cruel rulers 125 are not your allies,
those who make oppressive laws. 126
94:21 They conspire against 127 the blameless, 128
and condemn to death the innocent. 129
94:22 But the Lord will protect me, 130
and my God will shelter me. 131
94:23 He will pay them back for their sin. 132
He will destroy them because of 133 their evil;
the Lord our God will destroy them.
1 tn Heb “come [to].”
2 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Rehoboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tc Verse 2 is not included in the Old Greek translation. See the note on 11:43.
4 tn Heb “and Jeroboam lived in Egypt.” The parallel text in 2 Chr 10:2 reads, “and Jeroboam returned from Egypt.” In a purely consonantal text the forms “and he lived” and “and he returned” are identical (וישׁב).
5 tn Heb “They sent and called for him.”
6 tn Heb “made our yoke burdensome.”
7 tn Heb “but you, now, lighten the burdensome work of your father and the heavy yoke which he placed on us, and we will serve you.” In the Hebrew text the prefixed verbal form with vav (וְנַעַבְדֶךָ, [vÿna’avdekha] “and we will serve you”) following the imperative (הָקֵל [haqel], “lighten”) indicates purpose (or result). The conditional sentence used in the translation above is an attempt to bring out the logical relationship between these forms.
8 tn Heb “stood before.”
9 tn Heb “saying.”
10 tn Heb “If today you are a servant to these people and you serve them and answer them and speak to them good words, they will be your servants all the days.”
11 tn Heb “He rejected the advice of the elders which they advised and he consulted the young men with whom he had grown up, who stood before him.” The referent (Rehoboam) of the initial pronoun (“he”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn In the Hebrew text the verb “we will respond” is plural, although it can be understood as an editorial “we.” The ancient versions have the singular here.
13 tn Heb “Lighten the yoke which your father placed on us.”
14 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Rehoboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15 tn Heb “Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter upon us.”
16 tn Heb “My little one is thicker than my father’s hips.” The referent of “my little one” is not clear. The traditional view is that it refers to the little finger. As the following statement makes clear, Rehoboam’s point is that he is more harsh and demanding than his father.
17 tn Heb “and now my father placed upon you a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke.”
18 tn Heb “My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.” “Scorpions” might allude to some type of torture using poisonous insects, but more likely it refers to a type of whip that inflicts an especially biting, painful wound. Cf. CEV “whips with pieces of sharp metal.”
19 tn Heb “came.”
20 tn Heb “and spoke to them according to.”
21 tn Heb “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke.”
22 tn Heb “My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.” See the note on the same phrase in v. 11.
23 tn Heb “because this turn of events was from the
24 tn Heb “so that he might bring to pass his word which the
25 sn We have no portion in David; no share in the son of Jesse. Their point seems to be that they have no familial relationship with David that brings them any benefits or places upon them any obligations. They are being treated like outsiders.
26 tn Heb “to your tents, Israel.” The word “return” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
27 tn Heb “Now see your house, David.”
28 tn Heb “went to their tents.”
29 tc The MT has “Adoram” here, but the Old Greek translation and Syriac Peshitta have “Adoniram.” Cf. 1 Kgs 4:6.
30 sn The work crews. See the note on this expression in 4:6.
31 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
32 tn Heb “there was no one [following] after the house of David except the tribe of Judah, it alone.”
33 tn Heb “he summoned all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, accomplished in war.”
34 tn Heb “and the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying.”
35 tn Heb “for this thing is from me.”
36 tn Heb “and they heard the word of the
37 tc The Old Greek translation has here a lengthy section consisting of twenty-three verses that are not found in the MT.
38 tn Heb “said in his heart.”
39 tn Heb “Now the kingdom could return to the house of David.” The imperfect verbal form translated “could return” is understood as having a potential force here. Perhaps this is not strong enough; another option is “will return.”
40 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
41 tn Heb “the heart of these people could return to their master.”
42 tn The words “with his advisers” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
43 tn Heb “to them,” although this may be a corruption of “to the people.” Cf. the Old Greek translation.
44 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
45 tn Heb “and this thing became a sin.”
46 tc The MT reads “and the people went before the one to Dan.” It is likely that some words have been accidentally omitted and that the text originally said, “and the people went before the one at Bethel and before the one at Dan.”
47 tn The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural is preferable here (see 1 Kgs 13:32). The Old Greek translation and the Vulgate have the plural.
48 sn The eighth month would correspond to October-November in modern reckoning.
49 sn The festival he celebrated in Judah probably refers to the Feast of Tabernacles (i.e., Booths or Temporary Shelters), held in the seventh month (September-October). See also 1 Kgs 8:2.
50 tn Heb “and he offered up [sacrifices] on the altar; he did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made.”
51 tn Heb “which he had chosen by himself.”
52 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jeroboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
53 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
54 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.
55 sn Dogs is a figurative reference to false teachers whom Paul regards as just as filthy as dogs.
56 tn Grk “beware of the mutilation.”
57 tn There is a significant wordplay here in the Greek text. In v. 2 a rare, strong word is used to describe those who were pro-circumcision (κατατομή, katatomh, “mutilation”; see BDAG 528 s.v.), while in v. 3 the normal word for circumcision is used (περιτομή, peritomh; see BDAG 807 s.v.). Both have τομή (the feminine form of the adjective τομός [tomo"], meaning “cutting, sharp”) as their root; the direction of the action of the former is down or off (from κατά, kata), hence the implication of mutilation or emasculation, while the direction of the action of the latter is around (from περί, peri). The similarity in sound yet wide divergence of meaning between the two words highlights in no uncertain terms the differences between Paul and his opponents.
58 tc The verb λατρεύω (latreuw; here the participial form, λατρεύοντες [latreuonte"]) either takes a dative direct object or no object at all, bearing virtually a technical nuance of “worshiping God” (see BDAG 587 s.v.). In this text, πνεύματι (pneumati) takes an instrumental force (“by the Spirit”) rather than functioning as object of λατρεύοντες. However, the word after πνεύματι is in question, no doubt because of the collocation with λατρεύοντες. Most witnesses, including some of the earliest and best representatives of the Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine texts (א* A B C D2 F G 0278vid 33 1739 1881 Ï co Ambr), read θεοῦ (qeou; thus, “worship by the Spirit of God”). But several other important witnesses (א2 D* P Ψ 075 365 1175 lat sy Chr) have the dative θεῷ (qew) here (“worship God by the Spirit”). Ì46 is virtually alone in its omission of the divine name, probably due to an unintentional oversight. The dative θεῷ was most likely a scribal emendation intended to give the participle its proper object, and thus avoid confusion about the force of πνεύματι. Although the Church came to embrace the full deity of the Spirit, the NT does not seem to speak of worshiping the Spirit explicitly. The reading θεῷ thus appears to be a clarifying reading. On external and internal grounds, then, θεοῦ is the preferred reading.
59 tn Grk “have no confidence in the flesh.”
60 tn Grk “though I have reason for confidence even in the flesh.”
61 tn Grk “flesh.”
62 sn A Pharisee was a member of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.
63 tn The word here translated “dung” was often used in Greek as a vulgar term for fecal matter. As such it would most likely have had a certain shock value for the readers. This may well be Paul’s meaning here, especially since the context is about what the flesh produces.
64 tn Or “faith in Christ.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pisti" Cristou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; Eph 3:12) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view.
sn ExSyn 116, which notes that the grammar is not decisive, nevertheless suggests that “the faith/faithfulness of Christ is not a denial of faith in Christ as a Pauline concept (for the idea is expressed in many of the same contexts, only with the verb πιστεύω rather than the noun), but implies that the object of faith is a worthy object, for he himself is faithful.” Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.
65 tn The words “in fact” are supplied because of English style, picking up the force of the Greek article with πίστει (pistei). See also the following note on the word “Christ’s.”
66 tn Grk “based on the faithfulness.” The article before πίστει (pistei) is taken as anaphoric, looking back to διὰ πίστεως Χριστοῦ (dia pistew" Cristou); hence, “Christ’s” is implied.
67 tn Or “based on faith.”
68 tn The articular infinitive τοῦ γνῶναι (tou gnwnai, “to know”) here expresses purpose. The words “My aim is” have been supplied in the translation to emphasize this nuance and to begin a new sentence (shorter sentences are more appropriate for English style).
69 tn Grk “to know him, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings.”
70 tn On εἰ πῶς (ei pws) as “so, somehow” see BDAG 279, s.v. εἰ 6.n.
71 tn Grk “that for which I also was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” The passive has been translated as active in keeping with contemporary English style.
72 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.
73 tn Grk “But this one thing (I do).”
74 tn Grk “according to the goal.”
75 tn Grk “prize, namely, the heavenly calling of God.”
76 tn Grk “those of us who are ‘perfect’ should think this,” or possibly “those of us who are mature should think this.”
sn The adjective perfect comes from the same root as the verb perfected in v. 12; Paul may well be employing a wordplay to draw in his opponents. Thus, perfect would then be in quotation marks and Paul would then argue that no one – neither they nor he – is in fact perfect. The thrust of vv. 1-16 is that human credentials can produce nothing that is pleasing to God (vv. 1-8). Instead of relying on such, Paul urges his readers to trust God for their righteousness (v. 9) rather than their own efforts, and at the same time to press on for the prize that awaits them (vv. 12-14). He argues further that perfection is unattainable in this life (v. 15), yet the level of maturity that one has reached should not for this reason be abandoned (v. 16).
77 tn Grk “reveal this to you.” The referent of the pronoun “this” is the fact that the person is thinking differently than Paul does. This has been specified in the translation with the phrase “the error of your ways”; Paul is stating that God will make it known to these believers when they are not in agreement with Paul.
78 tc Although κανόνι (kanoni, “standard, rule”) is found in most witnesses, though in various locations in this verse (א2 D2 Ψ 075 Ï), it is almost surely a motivated reading, for it clarifies the cryptic τῷ αὐτῷ (tw autw, “the same”). Both the fact that the word floats, and that there are other variants which accomplish greater clarity by other means, strongly suggests the secondary nature of any of the longer readings here. Further, the shortest text has excellent and early support in Ì16,46 א* A B Ivid 6 33 1739 co, rendering it decidedly the preferred reading. The translation adds “standard” because of English requirements, not because of textual basis.
79 tn Grk “Nevertheless, to what we have attained, to the same hold fast.”
80 tn Or “become fellow imitators with me [of Christ].”
81 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.
82 tn Grk “whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly and glory is their shame, these who think of earthly things.”
83 tn Grk “transform the body of our humility.”
84 tn Heb “one hundred cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
85 tn Heb “the door of the north.”
86 tn Heb “fifty cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
87 tn Heb “twenty cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
88 tn Heb “ten cubits” (i.e., 5.25 meters).
89 tc Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm). The LXX and the Syriac read “one hundred cubits” (= 175 feet).
90 tn The phrase “upper chambers” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied from the context.
91 tn Heb “fifty cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
92 tn Heb “fifty cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
93 tn Heb “one hundred cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
94 tc The reading is supported by the LXX.
95 tc This reading is supported by the LXX; the MT reads “east.”
96 tc The MT apparently evidences dittography, repeating most of the last word of the previous verse: “and like the openings of.”
97 sn The priests are from the Zadokite family (Ezek 40:6; 44:15).
98 tn Heb “reed” (also in the following verses).
99 tn Heb “five hundred cubits” (i.e., 262.5 meters).
100 sn Psalm 94. The psalmist asks God to judge the wicked and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.
101 tn Heb “shine forth” (see Pss 50:2; 80:1).
102 tn Or “exult.”
103 tn Heb “they gush forth [words].”
104 tn The Hitpael of אָמַר (’amar) occurs only here (and perhaps in Isa 61:6).
105 tn Or “your inheritance.”
106 tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 82:3; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
107 tn Heb “does not understand.”
108 tn Heb “understand.” The verb used in v. 7 is repeated here for rhetorical effect. The people referred to here claim God is ignorant of their actions, but the psalmist corrects their faulty viewpoint.
109 tn Heb “[you] brutish among the people.”
110 tn Heb “The one who plants an ear, does he not hear? The one who forms an eye, does he not see?”
111 tn Heb “the
112 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2.
113 tn Heb “to give him rest from the days of trouble.”
114 tn Heb “until a pit is dug for the wicked.”
115 tn Or “for.”
116 tn Or “his inheritance.”
117 tn Heb “for judgment will return to justice.”
118 tn Heb “all the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
119 tn Heb “and after it [are] the pure of heart.”
120 tn Heb “for me.”
121 sn Who will stand up for me…? The questions anticipate the answer, “No one except God” (see v. 17).
122 tn Heb “If the
123 tn Heb “when my worries are many within me.”
124 tn Heb “your comforts cause my soul to delight.”
125 tn Heb “a throne of destruction.” “Throne” stands here by metonymy for rulers who occupy thrones.
126 tn Heb “Is a throne of destruction united to you, one that forms trouble upon a statute?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course not!” The translation, while not preserving the interrogative form of the statement, reflects its rhetorical force.
127 tn Or “attack.”
128 tn Heb “the life of the blameless.”
129 tn Heb “and the blood of the innocent they declare guilty.”
130 tn Heb “and the
131 tn Heb “and my God [has become] a rocky summit of my safety.”
132 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive is used in a rhetorical sense, describing an anticipated development as if it were already reality.
133 tn Or “in.”
