¹ sn The phrase city of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.

² tn Heb “As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter went up from the city of David to her house which he built for her, then he built the terrace.”

³ tn The Hebrew text has “because” at the beginning of the sentence. In the Hebrew text vv. 7-11 are one long sentence comprised of a causal clause giving the reason for divine punishment (vv. 7-9) and the main clause announcing the punishment (vv. 10-11). The translation divides this lengthy sentence for stylistic reasons.

⁴ tn Heb “house.”

⁵ tn Heb “This is the day. What also now?” The precise meaning of the second half of the statement is uncertain.

⁶ tn Heb “went and entered.”

⁷ tn The traditional view understands the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean “burn.” However, an alternate view takes בָּעַר (ba’ar) as a homonym meaning “sweep away” (HALOT 146 s.v. II בער). In this case one might translate, “I am ready to sweep away Baasha and his family.” Either metaphor emphasizes the thorough and destructive nature of the coming judgment.

⁸ tc The Old Greek, Syriac Peshitta, and some mss of the Targum have here “his house.”

⁹ tn Heb “Look, I have commanded.”

¹⁰ tn The words “from the sky” are added for stylistic reasons.

¹¹ tn Heb “for [there is] the sound of the roar of the rain.”

¹² tc The MT has “and he saw,” but some medieval Hebrew mss as well as several ancient versions support the reading “he was afraid.” The consonantal text (וַיַּרְא, vayyar’) is ambiguous and can be vocalized וַיַּרְא (from רָאָה, ra’ah, “to see”) or וַיִּרָא (vayyira’, from יָרֵא, yare’, “to fear”).

¹³ tn Or “lay down.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “Look, a messenger.”

¹⁵ tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words here: “he tore his garments and put on sackcloth. After these things.”