Exodus 32:1

The Sin of the Golden Calf

32:1 ¹ When the people saw that Moses delayed ²  in coming down ³  from the mountain, they ⁴  gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, ⁵  make us gods ⁶  that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, ⁷  the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what ⁸  has become of him!”

Exodus 32:8

32:8 They have quickly turned aside ⁹  from the way that I commanded them – they have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.’”

Exodus 32:23

32:23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

Exodus 34:17

34:17 You must not make yourselves molten gods.

Leviticus 19:4

19:4 Do not turn to idols, ¹⁰  and you must not make for yourselves gods of cast metal. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 26:1

Exhortation to Obedience

26:1 “‘You must not make for yourselves idols, ¹¹  so you must not set up for yourselves a carved image or a pillar, and you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down before ¹²  it, for I am the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 4:15-19

The Nature of Israel’s God

4:15 Be very careful, ¹³  then, because you saw no form at the time the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire. 4:16 I say this ¹⁴  so you will not corrupt yourselves by making an image in the form of any kind of figure. This includes the likeness of a human male or female, 4:17 any kind of land animal, any bird that flies in the sky, 4:18 anything that crawls ¹⁵  on the ground, or any fish in the deep waters of the earth. ¹⁶  4:19 When you look up ¹⁷  to the sky ¹⁸  and see the sun, moon, and stars – the whole heavenly creation ¹⁹  – you must not be seduced to worship and serve them, ²⁰  for the Lord your God has assigned ²¹  them to all the people ²²  of the world. ²³ 

Deuteronomy 4:23-25

4:23 Be on guard so that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he has made with you, and that you do not make an image of any kind, just as he ²⁴  has forbidden ²⁵  you. 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire; he is a jealous God. ²⁶ 

Threat and Blessing following Covenant Disobedience

4:25 After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, ²⁷  if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind ²⁸  and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him, ²⁹ 

Deuteronomy 5:8

5:8 You must not make for yourself an image ³⁰  of anything in heaven above, on earth below, or in the waters beneath. ³¹ 

Deuteronomy 27:15

27:15 ‘Cursed is the one ³²  who makes a carved or metal image – something abhorrent ³³  to the Lord, the work of the craftsman ³⁴  – and sets it up in a secret place.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ ³⁵ 

Deuteronomy 27:1

The Assembly at Shechem

27:1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Pay attention to all the commandments ³⁶  I am giving ³⁷  you today.

Deuteronomy 12:28

12:28 Pay careful attention to all these things I am commanding you so that it may always go well with you and your children after you when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 12:2

12:2 You must by all means destroy ³⁸  all the places where the nations you are about to dispossess worship their gods – on the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree. ³⁹ 

Deuteronomy 33:7

Blessing on Judah

33:7 And this is the blessing ⁴⁰  to Judah. He said,

Listen, O Lord, to Judah’s voice,

and bring him to his people.

May his power be great,

and may you help him against his foes.

Psalms 97:7

97:7 All who worship idols are ashamed,

those who boast about worthless idols.

All the gods bow down before him. ⁴¹ 

Psalms 115:4-8

115:4 Their ⁴²  idols are made of silver and gold –

they are man-made. ⁴³ 

115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,

eyes, but cannot see,

115:6 ears, but cannot hear,

noses, but cannot smell,

115:7 hands, but cannot touch,

feet, but cannot walk.

They cannot even clear their throats. ⁴⁴ 

115:8 Those who make them will end up ⁴⁵  like them,

as will everyone who trusts in them.

Psalms 135:15-18

135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,

they are man-made. ⁴⁶ 

135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,

eyes, but cannot see,

135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.

Indeed, they cannot breathe. ⁴⁷ 

135:18 Those who make them will end up ⁴⁸  like them,

as will everyone who trusts in them.

Isaiah 40:18-20

40:18 To whom can you compare God?

To what image can you liken him?

40:19 A craftsman casts ⁴⁹  an idol;

a metalsmith overlays it with gold

and forges silver chains for it.

40:20 To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; ⁵⁰ 

he then seeks a skilled craftsman

to make ⁵¹  an idol that will not fall over.

Isaiah 42:8

The Lord Intervenes

42:8 I am the Lord! That is my name!

I will not share my glory with anyone else,

or the praise due me with idols.

Isaiah 42:17

42:17 Those who trust in idols

will turn back and be utterly humiliated, ⁵² 

those who say to metal images, ‘You are our gods.’”

Isaiah 44:9-20

44:9 All who form idols are nothing;

the things in which they delight are worthless.

Their witnesses cannot see;

they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.

44:10 Who forms a god and casts an idol

that will prove worthless? ⁵³ 

44:11 Look, all his associates ⁵⁴  will be put to shame;

the craftsmen are mere humans. ⁵⁵ 

Let them all assemble and take their stand!

They will panic and be put to shame.

44:12 A blacksmith works with his tool ⁵⁶ 

and forges metal over the coals.

He forms it ⁵⁷  with hammers;

he makes it with his strong arm.

He gets hungry and loses his energy; ⁵⁸ 

he drinks no water and gets tired.

44:13 A carpenter takes measurements; ⁵⁹ 

he marks out an outline of its form; ⁶⁰ 

he scrapes ⁶¹  it with chisels,

and marks it with a compass.

He patterns it after the human form, ⁶² 

like a well-built human being,

and puts it in a shrine. ⁶³ 

44:14 He cuts down cedars

and acquires a cypress ⁶⁴  or an oak.

He gets ⁶⁵  trees from the forest;

he plants a cedar ⁶⁶  and the rain makes it grow.

44:15 A man uses it to make a fire; ⁶⁷ 

he takes some of it and warms himself.

Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread.

Then he makes a god and worships it;

he makes an idol and bows down to it. ⁶⁸ 

44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire –

over that half he cooks ⁶⁹  meat;

he roasts a meal and fills himself.

Yes, he warms himself and says,

‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’

44:17 With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol;

he bows down to it and worships it.

He prays to it, saying,

‘Rescue me, for you are my god!’

44:18 They do not comprehend or understand,

for their eyes are blind and cannot see;

their minds do not discern. ⁷⁰ 

44:19 No one thinks to himself,

nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves:

‘I burned half of it in the fire –

yes, I baked bread over the coals;

I roasted meat and ate it.

With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol?

Should I bow down to dry wood?’ ⁷¹ 

44:20 He feeds on ashes; ⁷² 

his deceived mind misleads him.

He cannot rescue himself,

nor does he say, ‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’ ⁷³ 

Isaiah 45:16

45:16 They will all be ashamed and embarrassed;

those who fashion idols will all be humiliated. ⁷⁴ 

Isaiah 46:5-8

46:5 To whom can you compare and liken me?

Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!

46:6 Those who empty out gold from a purse

and weigh out silver on the scale ⁷⁵ 

hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god.

They then bow down and worship it.

46:7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it;

they put it in its place and it just stands there;

it does not ⁷⁶  move from its place.

Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;

it does not deliver him from his distress.

46:8 Remember this, so you can be brave! ⁷⁷ 

Think about it, you rebels! ⁷⁸ 

Jeremiah 10:3-5

10:3 For the religion ⁷⁹  of these people is worthless.

They cut down a tree in the forest,

and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools. ⁸⁰ 

10:4 He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold.

He uses hammer and nails to fasten it ⁸¹  together

so that it will not fall over.

10:5 Such idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field.

They cannot talk.

They must be carried

because they cannot walk.

Do not be afraid of them

because they cannot hurt you.

And they do not have any power to help you.” ⁸² 

Jeremiah 10:8-9

10:8 The people of those nations ⁸³  are both stupid and foolish.

Instruction from a wooden idol is worthless! ⁸⁴ 

10:9 Hammered-out silver is brought from Tarshish ⁸⁵ 

and gold is brought from Uphaz ⁸⁶  to cover those idols. ⁸⁷ 

They are the handiwork of carpenters and goldsmiths. ⁸⁸ 

They are clothed in blue and purple clothes. ⁸⁹ 

They are all made by skillful workers. ⁹⁰ 

Jeremiah 10:14-16

10:14 All these idolaters ⁹¹  will prove to be stupid and ignorant.

Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made.

For the image he forges is merely a sham. ⁹² 

There is no breath in any of those idols. ⁹³ 

10:15 They are worthless, mere objects to be mocked. ⁹⁴ 

When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.

10:16 The Lord, who is the inheritance ⁹⁵  of Jacob’s descendants, ⁹⁶  is not like them.

He is the one who created everything.

And the people of Israel are those he claims as his own. ⁹⁷ 

He is known as the Lord who rules over all.” ⁹⁸ 

Ezekiel 8:10

8:10 So I went in and looked. I noticed every figure ⁹⁹  of creeping thing and beast – detestable images ¹⁰⁰  – and every idol of the house of Israel, engraved on the wall all around. ¹⁰¹ 

Acts 17:29

17:29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity ¹⁰²  is like gold or silver or stone, an image ¹⁰³  made by human ¹⁰⁴  skill ¹⁰⁵  and imagination. ¹⁰⁶ 

Acts 19:26-35

19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded ¹⁰⁷  and turned away ¹⁰⁸  a large crowd, ¹⁰⁹  not only in Ephesus ¹¹⁰  but in practically all of the province of Asia, ¹¹¹  by saying ¹¹²  that gods made by hands are not gods at all. ¹¹³  19:27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, ¹¹⁴  but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis ¹¹⁵  will be regarded as nothing, ¹¹⁶  and she whom all the province of Asia ¹¹⁷  and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” ¹¹⁸ 

19:28 When ¹¹⁹  they heard ¹²⁰  this they became enraged ¹²¹  and began to shout, ¹²²  “Great is Artemis ¹²³  of the Ephesians!” 19:29 The ¹²⁴  city was filled with the uproar, ¹²⁵  and the crowd ¹²⁶  rushed to the theater ¹²⁷  together, ¹²⁸  dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 19:30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, ¹²⁹  the disciples would not let him. 19:31 Even some of the provincial authorities ¹³⁰  who were his friends sent ¹³¹  a message ¹³²  to him, urging him not to venture ¹³³  into the theater. 19:32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. ¹³⁴  19:33 Some of the crowd concluded ¹³⁵  it was about ¹³⁶  Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. ¹³⁷  Alexander, gesturing ¹³⁸  with his hand, was wanting to make a defense ¹³⁹  before the public assembly. ¹⁴⁰  19:34 But when they recognized ¹⁴¹  that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, ¹⁴²  “Great is Artemis ¹⁴³  of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. ¹⁴⁴  19:35 After the city secretary ¹⁴⁵  quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person ¹⁴⁶  is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper ¹⁴⁷  of the temple of the great Artemis ¹⁴⁸  and of her image that fell from heaven? ¹⁴⁹ 

Romans 1:23

1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings ¹⁵⁰  or birds or four-footed animals ¹⁵¹  or reptiles.

Revelation 9:20

9:20 The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made ¹⁵²  of gold, silver, ¹⁵³  bronze, stone, and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk about.

Revelation 13:14-15

13:14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told ¹⁵⁴  those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived. 13:15 The second beast ¹⁵⁵  was empowered ¹⁵⁶  to give life ¹⁵⁷  to the image of the first beast ¹⁵⁸  so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

Revelation 14:9-11

14:9 A ¹⁵⁹  third angel ¹⁶⁰  followed the first two, ¹⁶¹  declaring ¹⁶²  in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, 14:10 that person ¹⁶³  will also drink of the wine of God’s anger ¹⁶⁴  that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur ¹⁶⁵  in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. 14:11 And the smoke from their ¹⁶⁶  torture will go up ¹⁶⁷  forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have ¹⁶⁸  no rest day or night, along with ¹⁶⁹  anyone who receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 16:2

16:2 So ¹⁷⁰  the first angel ¹⁷¹  went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ¹⁷²  ugly and painful sores ¹⁷³  appeared on the people ¹⁷⁴  who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

[32:1]  ¹ sn This narrative is an unhappy interlude in the flow of the argument of the book. After the giving of the Law and the instructions for the tabernacle, the people get into idolatry. So this section tells what the people were doing when Moses was on the mountain. Here is an instant violation of the covenant that they had just agreed to uphold. But through it all Moses shines as the great intercessor for the people. So the subject matter is the sin of idolatry, its effects and its remedy. Because of the similarities to Jeroboam’s setting up the calves in Dan and Bethel, modern critics have often said this passage was written at that time. U. Cassuto shows how the language of this chapter would not fit an Iron Age setting in Dan. Rather, he argues, this story was well enough known for Jeroboam to imitate the practice (Exodus, 407-10). This chapter can be divided into four parts for an easier exposition: idolatry (32:1-6), intercession (32:7-14), judgment (32:15-29), intercession again (32:30-33:6). Of course, these sections are far more complex than this, but this gives an overview. Four summary statements for expository points might be: I. Impatience often leads to foolish violations of the faith, II. Violations of the covenant require intercession to escape condemnation, III. Those spared of divine wrath must purge evil from their midst, and IV. Those who purge evil from their midst will find reinstatement through intercession. Several important studies are available for this. See, among others, D. R. Davis, “Rebellion, Presence, and Covenant: A Study in Exodus 32-34,” WTJ 44 (1982): 71-87; M. Greenberg, “Moses’ Intercessory Prayer,” Ecumenical Institute for Advanced Theological Studies (1978): 21-35; R. A. Hamer, “The New Covenant of Moses,” Judaism 27 (1978): 345-50; R. L. Honeycutt, Jr., “Aaron, the Priesthood, and the Golden Calf,” RevExp 74 (1977): 523-35; J. N. Oswalt, “The Golden Calves and the Egyptian Concept of Deity,” EvQ 45 (1973): 13-20.

[32:1]  ² tn The meaning of this verb is properly “caused shame,” meaning cause disappointment because he was not coming back (see also Judg 5:28 for the delay of Sisera’s chariots [S. R. Driver, Exodus, 349]).

[32:1]  ³ tn The infinitive construct with the lamed (ל) preposition is used here epexegetically, explaining the delay of Moses.

[32:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “the people.”

[32:1]  ⁵ tn The imperative means “arise.” It could be serving here as an interjection, getting Aaron’s attention. But it might also have the force of prompting him to get busy.

[32:1]  ⁶ tn The plural translation is required here (although the form itself could be singular in meaning) because the verb that follows in the relative clause is a plural verb – that they go before us).

[32:1]  ⁷ tn The text has “this Moses.” But this instance may find the demonstrative used in an earlier deictic sense, especially since there is no article with it.

[32:1]  ⁸ tn The interrogative is used in an indirect question (see GKC 443-44 §137.c).

[32:8]  ⁹ tn The verb is a perfect tense, reflecting the present perfect nuance: “they have turned aside” and are still disobedient. But the verb is modified with the adverb “quickly” (actually a Piel infinitive absolute). It has been only a matter of weeks since they heard the voice of God prohibiting this.

[19:4]  ¹⁰ sn Regarding the difficult etymology and meaning of the term for “idols” (אֱלִילִים, ’elilim), see B. A. Levine, Leviticus (JPSTC), 126; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 304; N. H. Snaith, Leviticus and Numbers (NBC), 89; and Judith M. Hadley, NIDOTTE 1:411. It appears to be a diminutive play on words with אֵל (’el, “god; God”) and, perhaps at the same time, recalls a common Semitic word for “worthless; weak; powerless; nothingness.” Snaith suggests a rendering of “worthless godlings.”

[26:1]  ¹¹ sn For the literature regarding the difficult etymology and meaning of the term for “idols” (אֱלִילִם, ’elilim), see the literature cited in the note on Lev 19:4. It appears to be a diminutive play on words with אֵל (’el, “god, God”) and, perhaps at the same time, recalls a common Semitic word for “worthless, weak, powerless, nothingness.” Snaith suggests a rendering of “worthless godlings.”

[26:1]  ¹² tn Heb “on.” The “sculpted stone” appears to be some sort of stone with images carved into (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 181, and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 449).

[4:15]  ¹³ tn Heb “give great care to your souls.”

[4:16]  ¹⁴ tn The words “I say this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 16 is subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.

[4:18]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “creeping thing.”

[4:18]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “under the earth.”

[4:19]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “lest you lift up your eyes.” In the Hebrew text vv. 16-19 are subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.

[4:19]  ¹⁸ tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

[4:19]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “all the host of heaven.”

[4:19]  ²⁰ tn In the Hebrew text the verbal sequence in v. 19 is “lest you look up…and see…and be seduced…and worship them…and serve them.” However, the first two actions are not prohibited in and of themselves. The prohibition pertains to the final three actions. The first two verbs describe actions that are logically subordinate to the following actions and can be treated as temporal or circumstantial: “lest, looking up…and seeing…, you are seduced.” See Joüon 2:635 §168.h.

[4:19]  ²¹ tn Or “allotted.”

[4:19]  ²² tn Or “nations.”

[4:19]  ²³ tn Heb “under all the heaven.”

[4:23]  ²⁴ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 4:3.

[4:23]  ²⁵ tn Heb “commanded.”

[4:24]  ²⁶ tn The juxtaposition of the Hebrew terms אֵשׁ (’esh, “fire”) and קַנָּא (qanna’, “jealous”) is interesting in light of Deut 6:15 where the Lord is seen as a jealous God whose anger bursts into a destructive fire. For God to be “jealous” means that his holiness and uniqueness cannot tolerate pretended or imaginary rivals. It is not petty envy but response to an act of insubordination that must be severely judged (see H. Peels, NIDOTTE 3:937-40).

[4:25]  ²⁷ tn Heb “have grown old in the land,” i.e., been there for a long time.

[4:25]  ²⁸ tn Heb “a form of anything.” Cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV “an idol.”

[4:25]  ²⁹ tn The infinitive construct is understood here as indicating the result, not the intention, of their actions.

[5:8]  ³⁰ tn Heb “an image, any likeness.”

[5:8]  ³¹ tn Heb “under the earth” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV); NCV “below the land.”

[27:15]  ³² tn Heb “man,” but in a generic sense here.

[27:15]  ³³ tn The Hebrew term translated here “abhorrent” (תּוֹעֵבָה, to’evah) speaks of attitudes and/or behaviors so vile as to be reprehensible to a holy God. See note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.

[27:15]  ³⁴ tn Heb “craftsman’s hands.”

[27:15]  ³⁵ tn Or “So be it!” The term is an affirmation expressing agreement with the words of the Levites.

[27:1]  ³⁶ tn Heb “the whole commandment.” See note at 5:31.

[27:1]  ³⁷ tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I enjoin on you today” (likewise in v. 10).

[12:2]  ³⁸ tn Heb “destroying you must destroy”; KJV “Ye shall utterly (surely ASV) destroy”; NRSV “must demolish completely.” The Hebrew infinitive absolute precedes the verb for emphasis, which is reflected in the translation by the words “by all means.”

[12:2]  ³⁹ sn Every leafy tree. This expression refers to evergreens which, because they keep their foliage throughout the year, provided apt symbolism for nature cults such as those practiced in Canaan. The deity particularly in view is Asherah, wife of the great god El, who was considered the goddess of fertility and whose worship frequently took place at shrines near or among clusters (groves) of such trees (see also Deut 7:5). See J. Hadley, NIDOTTE 1:569-70; J. DeMoor, TDOT 1:438-44.

[33:7]  ⁴⁰ tn The words “the blessing” are supplied in the translation for clarity and stylistic reasons.

[97:7]  ⁴¹ tn The translation assumes that the prefixed verbal form in the first line is an imperfect (“are ashamed”) and that the ambiguous form in the third line is a perfect (“bow down”) because the psalmist appears to be describing the effect of the Lord’s mighty theophany on those who witness it (see vv. 5, 8). Another option is to take the prefixed form in the first line as a jussive (“let all who worship idols be ashamed”) and the ambiguous form in the third line as an imperative (“All you gods, bow down before him!”; cf. NIV).

[115:4]  ⁴² tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).

[115:4]  ⁴³ tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”

[115:7]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “they cannot mutter in their throats.” Verse 5a refers to speaking, v. 7c to inarticulate sounds made in the throat (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:140-41).

[115:8]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”

[135:15]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”

[135:17]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”

[135:18]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”

[40:19]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “pours out”; KJV “melteth.”

[40:20]  ⁵⁰ tn The first two words of the verse (הַמְסֻכָּן תְּרוּמָה, hamsukan tÿrumah) are problematic. Some take מְסֻכָּן as an otherwise unattested Pual participle from סָכַן (sakhan, “be poor”) and translate “the one who is impoverished.” תְּרוּמָה (tÿrumah, “contribution”) can then be taken as an adverbial accusative, “with respect to a contribution,” and the entire line translated, “the one who is too impoverished for such a contribution [i.e., the metal idol of v. 19?] selects wood that will not rot.” However, מְסֻכָּן is probably the name of a tree used in idol manufacturing (cognate with Akkadian musukkanu, cf. H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 133). מְסֻכָּן may be a scribal interpretive addition attempting to specify עֵץ (’ets) or עֵץ may be a scribal attempt to categorize מְסֻכָּן. How an idol constitutes a תְּרוּמָה (“contribution”) is not entirely clear.

[40:20]  ⁵¹ tn Or “set up” (ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NASB “to prepare.”

[42:17]  ⁵² tn Heb “be ashamed with shame”; ASV, NASB “be utterly put to shame.”

[44:10]  ⁵³ tn The rhetorical question is sarcastic. The sense is, “Who is foolish enough…?”

[44:11]  ⁵⁴ tn The pronoun “his” probably refers to the one who forms/casts an idol (v. 10), in which case it refers to the craftsman’s associates in the idol-manufacturing guild.

[44:11]  ⁵⁵ sn The point seems to be this: If the idols are the mere products of human hands, then those who trust in them will be disappointed, for man-made gods are incapable of helping their “creators.”

[44:12]  ⁵⁶ tn The noun מַעֲצָד (ma’atsad), which refers to some type of tool used for cutting, occurs only here and in Jer 10:3. See HALOT 615 s.v. מַעֲצָד.

[44:12]  ⁵⁷ tn Some English versions take the pronoun “it” to refer to an idol being fashioned by the blacksmith (cf. NIV, NCV, CEV). NLT understands the referent to be “a sharp tool,” which is then used by the carpenter in the following verse to carve an idol from wood.

[44:12]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “and there is no strength”; NASB “his strength fails.”

[44:13]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “stretches out a line” (ASV similar); NIV “measures with a line.”

[44:13]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “he makes an outline with the [?].” The noun שֶׂרֶד (shered) occurs only here; it apparently refers to some type of tool or marker. Cf. KJV “with a line”; ASV “with a pencil”; NAB, NRSV “with a stylus”; NASB “with red chalk”; NIV “with a marker.”

[44:13]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “works” (so NASB) or “fashions” (so NRSV); NIV “he roughs it out.”

[44:13]  ⁶² tn Heb “he makes it like the pattern of a man”; NAB “like a man in appearance.”

[44:13]  ⁶³ tn Heb “like the glory of man to sit [in] a house”; NIV “that it may dwell in a shrine.”

[44:14]  ⁶⁴ tn It is not certain what type of tree this otherwise unattested noun refers to. Cf. ASV “a holm-tree” (NRSV similar).

[44:14]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “strengthens for himself,” i.e., “secures for himself” (see BDB 55 s.v. אָמֵץ Pi.2).

[44:14]  ⁶⁶ tn Some prefer to emend אֹרֶן (’oren) to אֶרֶז (’erez, “cedar”), but the otherwise unattested noun appears to have an Akkadian cognate, meaning “cedar.” See H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 44-45. HALOT 90 s.v. I אֹרֶן offers the meaning “laurel.”

[44:15]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “and it becomes burning [i.e., firewood] for a man”; NAB “to serve man for fuel.”

[44:15]  ⁶⁸ tn Or perhaps, “them.”

[44:16]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “eats” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “roasts.”

[44:18]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “for their eyes are smeared over so they cannot see, so their heart cannot be wise.”

[44:19]  ⁷¹ tn There is no formal interrogative sign here, but the context seems to indicate these are rhetorical questions. See GKC 473 §150.a.

[44:20]  ⁷² tn Or perhaps, “he eats on an ash heap.”

[44:20]  ⁷³ tn Heb “Is it not a lie in my right hand?”

[45:16]  ⁷⁴ tn “together they will walk in humiliation, the makers of images.”

[46:6]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “the reed,” probably referring to the beam of a scales. See BDB 889 s.v. קָנֶה 4.c.

[46:7]  ⁷⁶ tn Or perhaps, “cannot,” here and in the following two lines. The imperfect forms can indicate capability.

[46:8]  ⁷⁷ tn The meaning of the verb אָשַׁשׁ (’ashash, which appears here in the Hitpolel stem) is uncertain. BDB 84 s.v. אשׁשׁ relates it to a root meaning “found, establish” in Arabic; HALOT 100 s.v. II אשׁשׁ gives the meaning “pluck up courage.” The imperative with vav (ו) may indicate purpose following the preceding imperative.

[46:8]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “return [it], rebels, to heart”; NRSV “recall it to mind, you transgressors.”

[10:3]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “statutes.” According to BDB 350 s.v. חֻקָּה 2.b it refers to the firmly established customs or practices of the pagan nations. Compare the usage in Lev 20:23; 2 Kgs 17:8. Here it is essentially equivalent to דֶּרֶךְ (derekh) in v. 1, which has already been translated “religious practices.”

[10:3]  ⁸⁰ sn This passage is dripping with sarcasm. It begins by talking about the “statutes” of the pagan peoples as a “vapor” using a singular copula and singular predicate. Then it suppresses the subject, the idol, as though it were too horrible to mention, using only the predications about it. The last two lines read literally: “[it is] a tree which one cuts down from the forest; the work of the hands of a craftsman with his chisel.”

[10:4]  ⁸¹ tn The pronoun is plural in Hebrew, referring to the parts.

[10:5]  ⁸² tn Heb “And it is not in them to do good either.”

[10:8]  ⁸³ tn Or “Those wise people and kings are…” It is unclear whether the subject is the “they” of the nations in the preceding verse, or the wise people and kings referred to. The text merely has “they.”

[10:8]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “The instruction of vanities [worthless idols] is wood.” The meaning of this line is a little uncertain. Various proposals have been made to make sense, most of which involve radical emendation of the text. For some examples see J. A. Thompson, Jeremiah (NICOT), 323-24, fn 6. However, this is probably a case of the bold predication that discussed in GKC 452 §141.d, some examples of which may be seen in Ps 109:4 “I am prayer,” and Ps 120:7 “I am peace.”

[10:9]  ⁸⁵ tc Two Qumran scrolls of Jeremiah (4QJer^a and 4QJer^b) reflect a Hebrew text that is very different than the traditional MT from which modern Bibles have been translated. The Hebrew text in these two manuscripts is similar to that from which LXX was translated. This is true both in small details and in major aspects where the LXX differs from MT. Most notably, 4QJer^a, 4QJer^b and LXX present a version of Jeremiah about 13% shorter than the longer version found in MT. One example of this shorter text is Jer 10:3-11 in which MT and 4QJer^a both have all nine verses, while LXX and 4QJer^b both lack vv. 6-8 and 10, which extol the greatness of God. In addition, the latter part of v. 9 is arranged differently in LXX and 4QJer^b. The translation here follows MT which is supported by 4QJer^a.

[10:9]  ⁸⁶ tn This is a place of unknown location. It is mentioned again in Dan 10:5. Many emend the word to “Ophir” following the Syriac version and the Aramaic Targum. Ophir was famous for its gold (cf. 1 Kgs 9:28; Job 28:16).

[10:9]  ⁸⁷ tn The words “to cover those idols” are not in the text but are implicit from the context. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:9]  ⁸⁸ tn The words “They are” are not in the text. The text reads merely, “the work of the carpenter and of the hands of the goldsmith.” The words are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:9]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “Blue and purple their clothing.”

[10:9]  ⁹⁰ sn There is an ironic pun in this last line. The Hebrew word translated “skillful workers” is the same word that is translated “wise people” in v. 7. The artisans do their work skillfully but they are not “wise.”

[10:14]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “Every man.” But in the context this is not a reference to all people without exception but to all idolaters. The referent is made explicit for the sake of clarity.

[10:14]  ⁹² tn Or “nothing but a phony god”; Heb “a lie/falsehood.”

[10:14]  ⁹³ tn Heb “There is no breath in them.” The referent is made explicit so that no one will mistakenly take it to refer to the idolaters or goldsmiths.

[10:15]  ⁹⁴ tn Or “objects of mockery.”

[10:16]  ⁹⁵ tn The words “The Lord who is” are not in the text. They are supplied in the translation for clarity. For the significance of the words that follow them see the study note that follows.

[10:16]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “The Portion of Jacob.” “Descendants” is implied, and is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:16]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “And Israel is the tribe of his possession.”

[10:16]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “Yahweh of armies is his name.”

[8:10]  ⁹⁹ tn Or “pattern.”

[8:10]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “detestable.” The word is often used to describe the figures of foreign gods.

[8:10]  ¹⁰¹ sn These engravings were prohibited in the Mosaic law (Deut 4:16-18).

[17:29]  ¹⁰² tn Or “the divine being.” BDAG 446 s.v. θεῖος 1.b has “divine being, divinity” here.

[17:29]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “a likeness.” Again idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of him.

[17:29]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Grk “by the skill and imagination of man,” but ἀνθρώπου (anqrwpou) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[17:29]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or “craftsmanship” (cf. BDAG 1001 s.v. τέχνη).

[17:29]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Or “thought.” BDAG 336 s.v. ἐνθύμησις has “thought, reflection, idea” as the category of meaning here, but in terms of creativity (as in the context) the imaginative faculty is in view.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Grk “persuading.” The participle πείσας (peisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “misled.”

[19:26]  ¹⁰⁹ tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 3.a has “of pers. ὄχλος a large crowd…Ac 11:24, 26; 19:26.”

[19:26]  ¹¹⁰ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:26]  ¹¹¹ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:26]  ¹¹² tn The participle λέγων (legwn) has been regarded as indicating instrumentality.

[19:26]  ¹¹³ tn The words “at all” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[19:27]  ¹¹⁴ tn Or “come under public criticism.” BDAG 101 s.v. ἀπελεγμός has “come into disrepute Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ¹¹⁵ sn Artemis was the name of a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:27]  ¹¹⁶ tn BDAG 597 s.v. λογίζομαι 1.b has “εἰς οὐθὲν λογισθῆναι be looked upon as nothing…Ac 19:27.”

[19:27]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “Asia”; see the note on this word in v. 22.

[19:27]  ¹¹⁸ tn Or “her magnificence.” BDAG 488 s.v. καθαιρέω 2.b has “καθαιρεῖσθαι τῆς μεγαλειότητος αὐτῆς suffer the loss of her magnificence Ac 19:27”; L&N 13.38 has “‘and to have her greatness done away with’ Ac 19:27.”

[19:28]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[19:28]  ¹²⁰ tn Grk “And hearing.” The participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally.

[19:28]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “they became filled with rage” (an idiom). The reaction of the Ephesians here is like that of the Jews earlier, though Luke referred to “zeal” or “jealousy” in the former case (Acts 7:54).

[19:28]  ¹²² tn Grk “and began shouting, saying.” The imperfect verb ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[19:28]  ¹²³ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:29]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[19:29]  ¹²⁵ tn L&N 39.43 has “‘the uproar spread throughout the whole city’ (literally ‘the city was filled with uproar’) Ac 19:29.” BDAG 954 s.v. σύγχυσις has “confusion, tumult.”

[19:29]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:29]  ¹²⁷ sn To the theater. This location made the event a public spectacle. The Grand Theater in Ephesus (still standing today) stood facing down the main thoroughfare of the city toward the docks. It had a seating capacity of 25,000.

[19:29]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “to the theater with one accord.”

[19:30]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “enter the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν δ. go into the assembly 19:30.”

[19:31]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “Asiarchs” (high-ranking officials of the province of Asia).

[19:31]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “sending”; the participle πέμψαντες (pemyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:31]  ¹³² tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[19:31]  ¹³³ tn BDAG 242-43 s.v. δίδωμι 11 has “to cause (oneself) to go, go, venture somewhere (cp. our older ‘betake oneself’)…Ac 19:31.” The desire of these sympathetic authorities was surely to protect Paul’s life. The detail indicates how dangerous things had become.

[19:32]  ¹³⁴ tn Or “had assembled.”

[19:33]  ¹³⁵ tn Or “Some of the crowd gave instructions to.”

[19:33]  ¹³⁶ tn The words “it was about” are not in the Greek text but are implied; ᾿Αλέξανδρον (Alexandron) is taken to be an accusative of general reference.

[19:33]  ¹³⁷ tn BDAG 865 s.v. προβάλλω 1 has “to cause to come forward, put forward…τινά someone…push someone forward to speak in the theater…Ac 19:33.”

[19:33]  ¹³⁸ tn Or “motioning.”

[19:33]  ¹³⁹ sn The nature of Alexander’s defense is not clear. It appears he was going to explain, as a Jew, that the problem was not caused by Jews, but by those of “the Way.” However, he never got a chance to speak.

[19:33]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Or “before the crowd.” According to BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος 2, “in a Hellenistic city, a convocation of citizens called together for the purpose of transacting official business, popular assembly…ἀπολογεῖσθαι τῷ δ. make a defense before the assembly vs. 33.”

[19:34]  ¹⁴¹ tn Grk “But recognizing.” The participle ἐπιγνόντες (epignonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:34]  ¹⁴² tn Grk “[they shouted] with one voice from all of them” (an idiom).

[19:34]  ¹⁴³ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus, 1.25 mi (2 km) northeast of the Grand Theater. Dimensions were 418 ft by 239 ft (125 m by 72 m) for the platform; the temple proper was 377 ft by 180 ft (113 m by 54 m). The roof was supported by 117 columns, each 60 ft (18 m) high by 6 ft (1.8 m) in diameter. The Emperor Justinian of Byzantium later took these columns for use in construction of the Hagia Sophia, where they still exist (in modern day Istanbul).

[19:34]  ¹⁴⁴ sn They all shouted…for about two hours. The extent of the tumult shows the racial and social tensions of a cosmopolitan city like Ephesus, indicating what the Christians in such locations had to face.

[19:35]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Or “clerk.” The “scribe” (γραμματεύς, grammateu") was the keeper of the city’s records.

[19:35]  ¹⁴⁶ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[19:35]  ¹⁴⁷ tn See BDAG 670 s.v. νεωκόρος. The city is described as the “warden” or “guardian” of the goddess and her temple.

[19:35]  ¹⁴⁸ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:35]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[1:23]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (afqarto", “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (fqarto", “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).

[1:23]  ¹⁵¹ sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.

[9:20]  ¹⁵² tn The word “made” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[9:20]  ¹⁵³ tn The Greek conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following materials in this list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[13:14]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Grk “earth, telling.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek.

[13:15]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Grk “it”; the referent (the second beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:15]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “it was given [permitted] to it [the second beast].”

[13:15]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “breath,” but in context the point is that the image of the first beast is made to come to life and speak.

[13:15]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Grk “of the beast”; the word “first” has been supplied to specify the referent.

[14:9]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[14:9]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Grk “And another angel, a third.”

[14:9]  ¹⁶¹ tn Grk “followed them.”

[14:9]  ¹⁶² tn For the translation of λέγω (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.

[14:10]  ¹⁶³ tn Grk “he himself.”

[14:10]  ¹⁶⁴ tn The Greek word for “anger” here is θυμός (qumos), a wordplay on the “passion” (θυμός) of the personified city of Babylon in 14:8.

[14:10]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”

[14:11]  ¹⁶⁶ tn The Greek pronoun is plural here even though the verbs in the previous verse are singular.

[14:11]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The present tense ἀναβαίνει (anabainei) has been translated as a futuristic present (ExSyn 535-36). This is also consistent with the future passive βασανισθήσεται (basanisqhsetai) in v. 10.

[14:11]  ¹⁶⁸ tn The present tense ἔχουσιν (ecousin) has been translated as a futuristic present to keep the English tense consistent with the previous verb (see note on “will go up” earlier in this verse).

[14:11]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Grk “and.”

[16:2]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple.

[16:2]  ¹⁷¹ tn Grk “the first”; the referent (the first angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:2]  ¹⁷² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:2]  ¹⁷³ tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular.

[16:2]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.