1:13 Residents of Lachish, 1 hitch the horses to the chariots!
You 2 influenced Daughter Zion 3 to sin, 4
for Israel’s rebellious deeds can be traced back 5 to you!
4:8 As for you, watchtower for the flock, 6
fortress of Daughter Zion 7 –
your former dominion will be restored, 8
the sovereignty that belongs to Daughter Jerusalem.
1 sn The place name Lachish sounds like the Hebrew word for “team [of horses].”
2 tn Heb “she”; this has been translated as second person (“you”) in keeping with the direct address to the residents of Lachish in the previous line.
3 sn The epithet Daughter Zion pictures the city of Jerusalem as a young lady.
4 tn Heb “She was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion.”
5 tn Heb “for in you was found the transgressions of Israel.”
6 tn Heb “Migdal-eder.” Some English versions transliterate this phrase, apparently because they view it as a place name (cf. NAB).
7 sn The city of David, located within Jerusalem, is addressed as Daughter Zion. As the home of the Davidic king, who was Israel’s shepherd (Ps 78:70-72), the royal citadel could be viewed metaphorically as the watchtower of the flock.
8 tn Heb “to you it will come, the former dominion will arrive.”