¹ tn Heb “in his legal case”; NAB “who pleads his case first.”

³ tn Heb “the legal witness”; KJV “a testimony”; ASV, NASB “the manner (form NAB) of attestation.”

² sn For the legal background of this action, see Deut 21:22-23.

¹ tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.

³ tn According to BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνέχω 3 this is a legal technical term: “Legal t.t. κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἀνεσχόμην ὑμῶν I would have been justified in accepting your complaint Ac 18:14.”

² tn The Hebrew word רִבוֹת (rivot, “disputes, contentions”) continues the imagery of presenting a legal case. The term is used of legal disputations and litigation. See, also, v. 19a.

⁴ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

² sn In ancient Israelite culture, legal disputes were resolved in the city gate, where the town elders met.

² sn For the concept of defiling the land in legal literature, see Lev 18:28 and Deut 21:23.

¹ sn For the legal background for the illustration that is used here, see Deut 24:1-4.

² sn Legal disputes were resolved at the city gate, where the town elders met. See Amos 5:10.

¹ sn These are crooked or corrupt witnesses who willfully distort the facts and make a mockery of the whole legal process.

² tn The verb means “to arrange; to set in order.” From the context the idea of a legal case is included.

² tn Heb “debt of every hand,” an idiom referring to the hand that holds legally binding contractual agreements.

¹ sn For the legal background of the removal of the corpses before sundown, see Deut 21:22-23.

¹ sn The term רִיב (riv) can mean “quarrel” or “legal accusation” (BDB 936 s.v.). Both ideas would work but the more technical legal accusation fits the context better. This is a warning to not bring legal accusations against anyone without a legitimate reason.

² tn The Greek term υἱοθεσία (huiothesia) was originally a legal technical term for adoption as a son with full rights of inheritance. BDAG 1024 s.v. notes, “a legal t.t. of ‘adoption’ of children, in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense of a transcendent filial relationship between God and humans (with the legal aspect, not gender specificity, as major semantic component).”

⁵ tn Or “indictment” (a legal technical term). BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 states, “legal t.t.…ἀπολογία περὶ τοῦ ἐ. defense against the accusation Ac 25:16.” L&N 56.6 defines ἔγκλημα (enklēma) as “(a technical, legal term) a formal indictment or accusation brought against someone—‘indictment, accusation, case.’…‘and might receive an opportunity for a defense against the indictment’ Ac 25:16.”

¹ tn Or “I will hear your case.” BDAG 231 s.v. διακούω has “as legal t.t. give someone an opportunity to be heard in court, give someone (τινός) a hearing Ac 23:35”; L&N 56.13 has “to give a judicial hearing in a legal matter—‘to hear a case, to provide a legal hearing, to hear a case in court.’”

³ sn Adoption as his legal heirs is different from spiritual birth as children. All true believers have been born as children of God and will be adopted as legal heirs of God. The adoption is both a future reality, and in some sense, already true. To be “adopted as a son” means to have the full rights of a legal heir. Thus, although in the ancient world, only boys could be adopted as legal heirs, in God’s family all children—both male and female—are adopted in this way.