55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other; 1
in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.
81:16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat, 2
and would satisfy your appetite 3 with honey from the rocky cliffs.” 4
1 tn Heb “who together we would make counsel sweet.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the ongoing nature of the actions (the so-called customary use of the imperfect). Their relationship was characterized by such intimacy and friendship. See IBHS 502-3 §31.2b.
2 tn Heb “and he fed him from the best of the wheat.” The Hebrew text has a third person form of the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive attached. However, it is preferable, in light of the use of the first person in v. 14 and in the next line, to emend the verb to a first person form and understand the vav as conjunctive, continuing the apodosis of the conditional sentence of vv. 13-14. The third masculine singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in v. 6.
sn I would feed. After the parenthetical “curse” in v. 15, the Lord’s speech continues here.
3 tn Heb “you.” The second person singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in vv. 7-10.
4 sn The language in this verse, particularly the references to wheat and honey, is reminiscent of Deut 32:13-14.