¹ tn Heb “and took possession of their land.”

² tn Heb “beyond the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun.”

³ tn Or perhaps, “reigned.”

⁴ tc The MT reads here, “and the middle of the valley,” but the reading “the city in the middle of valley” can be reconstructed on the basis of Josh 13:9, 16.

⁵ tn The words “his kingdom included” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁶ sn The Sea of Kinnereth is another name for the Sea of Galilee. See the note on the word “Kinnereth” in 11:2.

⁷ sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea.

⁸ tn Heb “from the remnant of the Rephaites.”

sn The Rephaites were apparently an extremely tall ethnic group. See Deut 2:10-11, 20; 3:11.

⁹ tn Or perhaps “who reigned.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “gave it for a possession.”

¹¹ tn Heb “Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotted portions.”

¹² tn Or “the foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

¹³ tn The words “the land of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹⁴ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

¹⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

¹⁶ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

¹⁷ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

¹⁸ map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.

¹⁹ tn Heb “was old, coming into the days.” This expression, referring to advancing in years, also occurs in the following clause.

²⁰ tn Heb “the Shihor”; the word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

²¹ tn Heb “in front of.”

²² tn Heb “it is reckoned to the Canaanites.”

²³ tn Heb “the five lords of the Philistines, the Gazaite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gathite, and the Ekronite, and the Avvites.”

²⁴ tn Or “from Teman.” The phrase is especially problematic if taken with what follows, as the traditional verse division suggests. For further discussion see T. C. Butler, Joshua (WBC), 146.

²⁵ tn Heb “all the land of the Canaanites.”

²⁶ tc The reading “Arah” assumes a slight emendation of the Hebrew vowel pointing. The MT reads, “and a cave,” or “and Mearah” (if one understands the word as a proper noun).

²⁷ tn Heb “which belongs to the Sidonians.”

map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

²⁸ tn Heb “and the land of the Gebalites.”

²⁹ tn Or “the entrance to Hamath.” Most modern translations take the phrase “Lebo Hamath” to be a proper name, but often provide a note with the alternative, where “Hamath” is the proper name and לְבוֹא (lÿvo’) is taken to mean “entrance to.”

³⁰ tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 2:641).

³¹ tn Heb “only you, assign it by lots to Israel as an inheritance as I commanded you.”

³² tn Heb “now apportion this land as an inheritance.”

³³ tn The MT reads “with him,” which is problematic, since the reference would be to the other half of the tribe of Manasseh (not the half mentioned in v. 7).

³⁴ tn Heb “received their inheritance, which Moses had assigned to them beyond the Jordan.”

³⁵ tn The words “their territory started” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

³⁶ tn The words “their territory also included” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

³⁷ tn Heb “from the remnant of the Rephaites.”

sn The Rephaites were apparently an extremely tall ethnic group. See Deut 2:10-11, 20; 3:11.

³⁸ tn Or “dispossessed them.”

³⁹ tn Or “dispossess.”

⁴⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴¹ tn Heb “did not assign an inheritance.”

⁴² tn That is, “their source of food and life.”

⁴³ tn Or “offerings made by fire.”

⁴⁴ tn Or “promised” (Heb “spoke”).

sn For the background of this observation, see Deut 18:1-2.

⁴⁵ tn Heb “assigned to the sons of Reuben.”

⁴⁶ tn Heb “their territory was from.”

⁴⁷ tn The words “it encompassed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁴⁸ tn Heb “princes of Sihon, inhabitants of the land.”

⁴⁹ tn Or “diviner.”

⁵⁰ tn Heb “Balaam son of Beor, the omen-reader, the Israelites killed with the sword, along with their slain ones.”

⁵¹ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Reuben by their clans, the cities and their towns.”

⁵² tn Heb “assigned to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad.”

⁵³ tn Heb “and half of the land of the sons of Ammon.”

⁵⁴ tn Heb “in front of.”

⁵⁵ tn The words “Their territory ran” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied for clarification.

⁵⁶ tn Or “it included in the valley, Beth Haram.”

⁵⁷ sn The Sea of Kinnereth is another name for the Sea of Galilee. See the note on the word “Kinnereth” in 11:2.

⁵⁸ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad by their clans, the cities and their towns.”

⁵⁹ tn Heb “assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh, and it belonged to the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

⁶⁰ tn The words “their territory started at” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied for clarification.

⁶¹ sn The Hebrew name Havvoth Jair means “the tent villages of Jair.”

⁶² tn Heb “These are [the lands] which Moses gave as an inheritance.”

⁶³ tn Heb “beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

⁶⁴ tn Heb “Moses did not assign an inheritance.” The word “land” has been supplied in the translation to clarify what the inheritance consisted of.

⁶⁵ tn That is, “their source of food and life.”

⁶⁶ tn Or “as he promised”; Heb “as he spoke to.”

sn For the background of this observation, see Deut 18:1-2.

⁶⁷ sn Psalm 145. The psalmist praises God because he is a just and merciful king who cares for his people.

⁶⁸ tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”

⁶⁹ tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”

⁷⁰ tn Heb “and concerning his greatness there is no searching.”

⁷¹ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may one generation praise…and tell about.”

⁷² tn Heb “the splendor of the glory of your majesty, and the matters of your amazing deeds I will ponder.”

⁷³ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as an imperfect, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they proclaim.”

⁷⁴ tn Heb “the fame of the greatness of your goodness.”

⁷⁵ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 7 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they talk…and sing.”

⁷⁶ tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).

⁷⁷ tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).

⁷⁸ tn Heb “and his compassion is over all his works.”

⁷⁹ tn Heb “the sons of man.”

⁸⁰ tn Heb “a kingdom of all ages.”

⁸¹ tc Psalm 145 is an acrostic psalm, with each successive verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. However, in the traditional Hebrew (Masoretic) text of Psalm 145 there is no verse beginning with the letter nun. One would expect such a verse to appear as the fourteenth verse, between the mem (מ) and samek (ס) verses. Several ancient witnesses, including one medieval Hebrew manuscript, the Qumran scroll from cave 11, the LXX, and the Syriac, supply the missing nun (נ) verse, which reads as follows: “The Lord is reliable in all his words, and faithful in all his deeds.” One might paraphrase this as follows: “The Lord’s words are always reliable; his actions are always faithful.” Scholars are divided as to the originality of this verse. L. C. Allen argues for its inclusion on the basis of structural considerations (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 294-95), but there is no apparent explanation for why, if original, it would have been accidentally omitted. The psalm may be a partial acrostic, as in Pss 25 and 34 (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:335). The glaring omission of the nun line would have invited a later redactor to add such a line.

⁸² tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).

⁸³ tn Heb “the eyes of all wait for you.”

⁸⁴ tn Heb “and you give to them their food in its season” (see Ps 104:27).

⁸⁵ tn Heb “[with what they] desire.”

⁸⁶ tn Heb “in all his ways.”

⁸⁷ tn Heb “and [is] loving in all his deeds.”

⁸⁸ tn Heb “in truth.”

⁸⁹ tn In this context “desire” refers to the followers’ desire to be delivered from wicked enemies.

⁹⁰ tn Heb “the desire of those who fear him, he does.”

⁹¹ tn Heb “the praise of the Lord my mouth will speak.”

⁹² tn Heb “all flesh.”

⁹³ tn Heb “Flee for safety, people of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem.”

sn Compare and contrast Jer 4:6. There people in the outlying areas were warned to seek safety in the fortified city of Jerusalem. Here they are told to flee it because it was about to be destroyed.

map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

⁹⁴ tn Heb “ram’s horn,” but the modern equivalent is “trumpet” and is more readily understandable.

⁹⁵ tn Heb “leans down” or “looks down.” This verb personifies destruction leaning/looking down from its window in the sky, ready to attack.

⁹⁶ tn Heb “[It will be] a severe fracture.” The nation is pictured as a limb being fractured.

sn This passage is emotionally charged. There are two examples of assonance or wordplay in the verse: “sound” (Heb tiq’u, “blow”), which has the same consonants as “Tekoa” (Heb uvitqoa’), and “signal fire,” which comes from the same root as “light” (Heb sÿ’u mas’et, “lift up”). There is also an example of personification where disaster is said to “lurk” (Heb “look down on”) out of the north. This gives a sense of urgency and concern for the coming destruction.

⁹⁷ tn The verb here is another example of the Hebrew verb form that indicates the action is as good as done (a Hebrew prophetic perfect).

⁹⁸ sn Jerusalem is personified as a young maiden who is helpless in the hands of her enemies.

⁹⁹ tn Heb “The beautiful and delicate one I will destroy, the daughter of Zion. The English versions and commentaries are divided over the rendering of this verse because (1) there are two verbs with these same consonants, one meaning “to be like” and the other meaning “to be destroyed” (intransitive) or “to destroy” (transitive), and (2) the word rendered “beautiful” (נָוָה, navah) can be understood as a noun meaning “pasture” or as a defective writing of an adjective meaning “beautiful, comely” (נָאוָה, na’vah). Hence some render “Fair Zion, you are like a lovely pasture,” reading the verb form as an example of the old second feminine singular perfect. Although this may fit the imagery of the next verse, that rendering ignores the absence of a preposition (לְ or אֶל, lÿ or ’el, both of which can be translated “to”) that normally goes with the verb “be like” and drops the conjunction in front of the adjective “delicate.” The parallel usage of the verb in Hos 4:5 argues for the meaning “destroy.”

¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “Shepherds and their flocks will come against it.” Rulers are often depicted as shepherds; see BDB 945 s.v. רָעָה 1.d(2) (cf. Jer 12:10). The translation of this verse attempts to clarify the point of this extended metaphor.

¹⁰¹ tn Heb “They will thrust [= pitch] tents around it.” The shepherd imagery has a surprisingly ominous tone. The beautiful pasture filled with shepherds grazing their sheep is in reality a city under siege from an attacking enemy.

¹⁰² tn Heb “They will graze each one his portion.” For the use of the verb “graze” to mean “strip” or “devastate” see BDB 945 s.v. רָעָה 2.c. For a similar use of the word normally meaning “hand” to mean portion compare 2 Sam 19:43 (19:44 HT).

sn There is a wordplay involving “sound…in Tekoa” mentioned in the study note on “destruction” in v. 1. The Hebrew verb “they will pitch” is from the same root as the word translated “sound” (taqÿ’u [תִּקְעוּ] here and tiq’u [תִּקְעוּ] in v. 1).

¹⁰³ tn These words are not in the text but are implicit in the connection. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “Sanctify war.” This is probably an idiom from early Israel’s holy wars in which religious rites were to precede the battle.

¹⁰⁵ tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity. Some commentaries and English versions see these not as the words of the enemy but as those of the Israelites expressing their fear that the enemy will launch a night attack against them and further destroy them. The connection with the next verse, however, fits better with them if they are the words of the enemy.

¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “Woe to us!” For the usage of this phrase see the translator’s note on 4:13. The usage of this particle here is a little exaggerated. They have lost the most advantageous time for attack but they are scarcely in a hopeless or doomed situation. The equivalent in English slang is “Bad news!”

¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “For.” The translation attempts to make the connection clearer.

¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”

sn For an explanation of the significance of this title see the study note on 2:19.

¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “Cut down its trees and build up a siege ramp against Jerusalem.” The referent has been moved forward from the second line for clarity.

¹¹⁰ tn Or “must be punished.” The meaning of this line is uncertain. The LXX reads, “Woe, city of falsehood!” The MT presents two anomalies: a masculine singular verb with a feminine singular subject in a verbal stem (Hophal) that elsewhere does not have the meaning “is to be punished.” Hence many follow the Greek which presupposes הוֹי עִיר הַשֶּׁקֶר (hoy ’ir hasheqer) instead of הִיא הָעִיר הָפְקַד (hi’ ha’ir hofqad). The Greek is the easier reading in light of the parallelism, and it would be hard to explain how the MT arose from it. KBL suggests reading a noun meaning “licentiousness” which occurs elsewhere only in Mishnaic Hebrew, hence “this is the city, the licentious one” (attributive apposition; cf. KBL 775 s.v. פֶּקֶר). Perhaps the Hophal perfect (הָפְקַד, hofÿqad) should be revocalized as a Niphal infinitive absolute (הִפָּקֹד, hippaqod); this would solve both anomalies in the MT since the Niphal is used in this nuance and the infinitive absolute can function in place of a finite verb (cf. GKC 346 §113.ee and ff). This, however, is mere speculation and is supported by no Hebrew ms.

¹¹¹ tn Heb “All of it oppression in its midst.”

¹¹² tc Heb “As a well makes cool/fresh its water, she makes cool/fresh her wickedness.” The translation follows the reading proposed by the Masoretes (Qere) which reads a rare form of the word “well” (בַּיִר [bayir] for בְּאֵר [bÿ’er]) in place of the form written in the text (Kethib, בּוֹר [bor]), which means “cistern.” The latter noun is masculine and the pronoun “its” is feminine. If indeed בַּיִר (bayir) is a byform of בְּאֵר (be’er), which is feminine, it would agree in gender with the pronoun. It also forms a more appropriate comparison since cisterns do not hold fresh water.

¹¹³ tn Heb “Violence and destruction are heard in it.”

¹¹⁴ tn Heb “Sickness and wound are continually before my face.”

¹¹⁵ tn This word is not in the text but is supplied in the translation. Jeremiah uses a figure of speech (enallage) where the speaker turns from talking about someone to address him/her directly.

¹¹⁶ tn Heb “lest my soul [= I] becomes disgusted with you.”

sn The wordplay begun with “sound…in Tekoa” in v. 1 and continued with “they will pitch” in v. 3 is concluded here with “turn away” (וּבִתְקוֹעַ תִּקְעוּ [uvitqoa’ tiq’u] in v. 1, תָּקְעוּ [taq’u] in v. 3 and תֵּקַע [teqa’] here).

¹¹⁷ tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”

sn For an explanation of the significance of this title see the study note on 2:19.

¹¹⁸ tn The words “to me” are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹¹⁹ tn Heb “They will thoroughly glean those who are left in Israel like a vine.” That is, they will be carried off by judgment. It is not necessary to read the verb forms here as two imperatives or an infinitive absolute followed by an imperative as some English versions and commentaries do. This is an example of a third plural verb used impersonally and translated as a passive (cf. GKC 460 §144.g).

¹²⁰ tn Heb “Pass your hand back over the branches like a grape harvester.” The translation is intended to clarify the metaphor that Jeremiah should try to rescue some from the coming destruction.

¹²¹ tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹²² tn Or “To whom shall I speak? To whom shall I give warning? Who will listen?” Heb “Unto whom shall I speak and give warning that they may listen?”

¹²³ tn Heb “are uncircumcised.”

¹²⁴ tn Heb “Behold!”

¹²⁵ tn Heb “They do not take pleasure in it.”

¹²⁶ tn Heb “I am full of the wrath of the Lord.”

¹²⁷ tn These words are not in the text but are implicit from the words that follow. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹²⁸ tn Heb “Pour it out.”

¹²⁹ tn Heb “are to be captured.”

¹³⁰ tn Heb “I will reach out my hand.” This figure involves both comparing God to a person (anthropomorphism) and substitution (metonymy) where hand is put for the actions or exertions of the hand. A common use of “hand” is for the exertion of power or strength (cf. BDB 290 s.v. יָד 2 and 289-90 s.v. יָד 1.e(2); cf. Deut 34:12; Ps 78:42; Jer 16:21).

¹³¹ tn Heb “They heal [= bandage] the wound of my people lightly”; TEV “They act as if my people’s wounds were only scratches.”

¹³² tn Heb “They say, ‘Peace! Peace!’ and there is no peace!”

¹³³ tn Heb “They will fall among the fallen.”

¹³⁴ tn The words, “to his people” are not in the text but are implicit in the interchange of pronouns in the Hebrew of vv. 16-17. They are supplied in the translation here for clarity.

¹³⁵ tn Heb “Stand at the crossroads and look.”

¹³⁶ tn Heb “the ancient path,” i.e., the path the Lord set out in ancient times (cf. Deut 32:7).

¹³⁷ tn Heb “the way of/to the good.”

¹³⁸ tn These words are not in the text but are implicit in the interchange of pronouns in the Hebrew of vv. 16-17. They are supplied in the translation here for clarity.

¹³⁹ tn Heb “I appointed watchmen over you.”

¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet.” The word “warning” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.

¹⁴¹ tn These words are not in the text but are implicit from the flow of the context. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴² tn Heb “Know, congregation [or witness], what in [or against] them.” The meaning of this line is somewhat uncertain. The meaning of the noun of address in the second line (“witness,” rendered as an imperative in the translation, “Be witnesses”) is greatly debated. It is often taken as “congregation” but the lexicons and commentaries generally question the validity of reading that word since it is nowhere else applied to the nations. BDB 417 s.v. עֵדָה 3 says that the text is dubious. HALOT 747 s.v. I עֵדָה, 4 emends the text to דֵּעָה (de’ah). Several modern English versions (e.g., NIV, NCV, God’s Word) take it as the feminine singular noun “witness” (cf. BDB 729 s.v. II עֵדָה) and understand it as a collective. This solution is also proposed by J. A. Thompson (Jeremiah [NICOT], 259, n. 3) and appears to make the best sense in the context. The end of the line is very elliptical but is generally taken as either, “what I will do with/to them,” or “what is coming against them” (= “what will happen to them”) on the basis of the following context.

¹⁴³ tn Heb “earth.”

¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “Behold!”

¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “disaster on these people, the fruit of their schemes.”

¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “my word.”

¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “To what purpose is it to me?” The question is rhetorical and expects a negative answer.

¹⁴⁸ tn The words “when they offer up to me” are not in the text but are implicit from the following context. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “Your burnt offerings are not acceptable and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.” “The shift from “your” to “their” is an example of the figure of speech (apostrophe) where the speaker turns from talking about someone to addressing him/her directly. Though common in Hebrew style, it is not common in English. The shift to the third person in the translation is an accommodation to English style.

¹⁵⁰ tn This is an attempt to render the Hebrew particle rendered “behold” joined to the first person pronoun.

¹⁵¹ tn Heb “I will put stumbling blocks in front of these people.” In this context the stumbling blocks are the invading armies.

¹⁵² tn The words “and fall to their destruction” are implicit in the metaphor and are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹⁵³ tn Heb “people.”

¹⁵⁴ sn Jerualem is personified as a young maiden helpless before enemy attackers.

¹⁵⁵ tn These words are not in the text, but, from the context, someone other than God is speaking and is speaking for and to the people (either Jeremiah or the people themselves). These words are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹⁵⁶ tn Or “We have lost our strength to do battle”; Heb “Our hands hang limp [or helpless at our sides].” According to BDB 951 s.v. רָפָה Qal.2, this idiom is used figuratively for losing heart or energy. The best example of its figurative use of loss of strength or the feeling of helplessness is in Ezek 21:12 where it appears in the context of the heart (courage) melting, the spirit sinking, and the knees becoming like water. For other examples compare 2 Sam 4:1; Zeph 3:16. In Neh 6:9 it is used literally of the builders “dropping their hands from the work” out of fear. The words “with fear” are supplied in the translation because they are implicit in the context.

¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “For the enemy has a sword.”

¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “Terror is all around!”

¹⁵⁹ tn These words are not in the text but are implicit from the context.

¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the translator’s note there.

¹⁶¹ tn Heb “suddenly.”

¹⁶² tn Heb “the destroyer.”

¹⁶³ tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity. Note “I have appointed you.” Compare Jer 1:18.

¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “I have made you an assayer of my people, a tester [?].” The meaning of the words translated “assayer” (בָּחוֹן, bakhon) and “tester” (מִבְצָר, mivtsar) is uncertain. The word בָּחוֹן (bakhon) can mean “tower” (cf. BDB 103 s.v. בָּחוֹן; cf. Isa 23:13 for the only other use) or “assayer” (cf. BDB 103 s.v. בָּחוֹן). The latter would be the more expected nuance because of the other uses of nouns and verbs from this root. The word מִבְצָר (mivtsar) normally means “fortress” (cf. BDB 131 s.v. מִבְצָר), but most modern commentaries and lexicons deem that nuance inappropriate here. HALOT follows a proposal that the word is to be repointed to מְבַצֵּר (mÿvatser) and derived from a root בָּצַר (batsar) meaning “to test” (cf. HALOT 143 s.v. IV בָּצַר). That proposal makes the most sense in the context, but the root appears nowhere else in the OT.

¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “test their way.”

¹⁶⁶ tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity. Some takes these words to be the continuation of the Lord’s commission of Jeremiah to the task of testing them. However, since this is the evaluation, the task appears to be complete. The words are better to be taken as Jeremiah’s report after he has completed the task.

¹⁶⁷ tn Or “arch rebels,” or “hardened rebels.” Literally “rebels of rebels.”

¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed by the fire.” The translation tries to clarify a metaphor involving ancient metallurgy. In the ancient refining process lead was added as a flux to remove impurities from silver ore in the process of oxidizing the lead. Jeremiah says that the lead has been used up and the impurities have not been removed. The translation is based on the recognition of an otherwise unused verb root meaning “blow” (נָחַר [nakhar]; cf. BDB 1123 s.v. I חָרַר and HALOT 651 s.v. נָחַר) and the Masoretes’ suggestion that the consonants מאשׁתם be read מֵאֵשׁ תַּם (me’esh tam) rather than as מֵאֶשָּׁתָם (me’eshatam, “from their fire”) from an otherwise unattested noun אֶשָּׁה (’eshah).

¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “The refiner refines them in vain.”

¹⁷⁰ tn This translation is intended to reflect the wordplay in the Hebrew text where the same root word is repeated in the two lines.

¹⁷¹ sn The term landowner here refers to the owner and manager of a household.

¹⁷² tn Grk “agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day.”

sn The standard wage was a denarius a day. The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer in Palestine in the 1st century.

¹⁷³ tn Grk “about the third hour.”

¹⁷⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁷⁵ tn Grk “he went out again about the sixth and ninth hour.”

¹⁷⁶ tn Grk “about the eleventh hour.”

¹⁷⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁷⁸ sn That is, six o’clock in the evening, the hour to pay day laborers. See Lev 19:13b.

¹⁷⁹ tc ‡ Most witnesses (including B D W Θ Ë^1,13 33^vid Ï latt sy) have αὐτοῖς (autois, “to them”) after ἀπόδος (apodos, “give the pay”), but this seems to be a motivated reading, clarifying the indirect object. The omission is supported by א C L Z 085 Or. Nevertheless, NA²⁷ includes the pronoun on the basis of the greater external attestation.

¹⁸⁰ tn Grk “each received a denarius.” See the note on the phrase “standard wage” in v. 2.

¹⁸¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁸² tn The imperfect verb ἐγόγγυζον (egonguzon) has been translated ingressively.

¹⁸³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the landowner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁸⁴ tn Grk “And answering, he said to one of them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.

¹⁸⁵ tn Grk “for a denarius a day.”

¹⁸⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “this last one,” translated as “this last man” because field laborers in 1st century Palestine were men.

¹⁸⁸ tc ‡ Before οὐκ (ouk, “[am I] not”) a number of significant witnesses read ἤ (h, “or”; e.g., א C W 085 Ë^1,13 33 and most others). Although in later Greek the οι in σοι (oi in soi) – the last word of v. 14 – would have been pronounced like ἤ, since ἤ is lacking in early mss (B D; among later witnesses, note L Z Θ 700) and since mss were probably copied predominantly by sight rather than by sound, even into the later centuries, the omission of ἤ cannot be accounted for as easily. Thus the shorter reading is most likely original. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

¹⁸⁹ tn Grk “Is your eye evil because I am good?”

¹⁹⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

¹⁹¹ tc ‡ A number of significant witnesses (e.g., B C W 085 33 lat) have μαθητάς (maqhtas, “disciples”) after δώδεκα (dwdeka, “twelve”), perhaps by way of clarification, while other important witnesses lack the word (e.g., א D L Θ Ë^1,13). The longer reading looks to be a scribal clarification, and hence is considered to be secondary. NA²⁷ puts the word in brackets to show doubts about its authenticity.

¹⁹² tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

¹⁹³ tn Traditionally, “scourged” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “The ‘verberatio’ is denoted in the passion predictions and explicitly as action by non-Israelites Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33”; the verberatio was the beating given to those condemned to death in the Roman judicial system. Here the term μαστιγόω (mastigow) has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (fragellow) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.

¹⁹⁴ sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.

¹⁹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

¹⁹⁶ tn Grk “asked something from him.”

¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “said to him.”

¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “Say that.”

¹⁹⁹ tc A majority of witnesses read σου (sou, “your”) here, perhaps for clarification. At the same time, it is possible that the pronoun dropped out through haplography or was excised because of perceived redundancy (there are two other such pronouns in the verse) by א B. Either way, the translation adds it due to the requirements of English style. NA²⁷ includes σου here.

²⁰⁰ tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

²⁰¹ tn The verbs in Greek are plural here, indicating that Jesus is not answering the mother but has turned his attention directly to the two disciples.

²⁰² tc Most mss (C W 33 Ï, as well as some versional and patristic authorities) in addition have “or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” But this is surely due to a recollection of the fuller version of this dominical saying found in Mark 10:38. The same mss also have the Lord’s response, “and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized” in v. 23, again due to the parallel in Mark 10:39. The shorter reading, in both v. 22 and v. 23, is to be preferred both because it better explains the rise of the other reading and is found in superior witnesses (א B D L Z Θ 085 Ë^1,13 pc lat, as well as other versional and patristic authorities).

²⁰³ sn No more naïve words have ever been spoken as those found here coming from James and John, “We are able.” They said it with such confidence and ease, yet they had little clue as to what they were affirming. In the next sentence Jesus confirms that they will indeed suffer for his name.

²⁰⁴ tc See the tc note on “about to drink” in v. 22.

²⁰⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

²⁰⁶ tn Grk “the ten.”

²⁰⁷ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

²⁰⁸ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

²⁰⁹ sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.

²¹⁰ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

²¹¹ tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

²¹² tn Grk “shouted, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

²¹³ sn Have mercy on us is a request for healing. It is not owed to the men. They simply ask for God’s kind grace.

²¹⁴ sn There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).

²¹⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

²¹⁶ tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.

²¹⁷ tc ‡ The majority of mss (C W ˹ 33 Ï and several versional witnesses) read κύριε (kurie, “Lord”) after ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς (elehson Jhma", “have mercy on us”). But since this is the order of words in v. 30 (though that wording is also disputed), and since the κύριε-first reading enjoys widespread and early support (א B D L Z Θ 085 0281 ˹³ 892 pc lat), the latter was considered original. However, the decision was by no means easy. NA²⁷ has κύριε after ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς here; a majority of that committee felt that since the placement of κύριε in last place was the nonliturgical order it “would have been likely to be altered in transcription to the more familiar sequence” (TCGNT 44).