Genesis 13:10-13

13:10 Lot looked up and saw ¹  the whole region ²  of the Jordan. He noticed ³  that all of it was well-watered (before the Lord obliterated ⁴  Sodom and Gomorrah) ⁵  like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, ⁶  all the way to Zoar. 13:11 Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled ⁷  toward the east.

So the relatives separated from each other. ⁸  13:12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain ⁹  and pitched his tents next to Sodom. 13:13 (Now ¹⁰  the people ¹¹  of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.) ¹² 

Genesis 19:26-38

19:26 But Lot’s ¹³  wife looked back longingly ¹⁴  and was turned into a pillar of salt.

19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went ¹⁵  to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 He looked out toward ¹⁶  Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region. ¹⁷  As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace. ¹⁸ 

19:29 So when God destroyed ¹⁹  the cities of the region, ²⁰  God honored ²¹  Abraham’s request. He removed Lot ²²  from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed ²³  the cities Lot had lived in.

19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 19:31 Later the older daughter said ²⁴  to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby ²⁵  to have sexual relations with us, ²⁶  according to the way of all the world. 19:32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine ²⁷  so we can have sexual relations ²⁸  with him and preserve ²⁹  our family line through our father.” ³⁰ 

19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, ³¹  and the older daughter ³²  came and had sexual relations with her father. ³³  But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. ³⁴  19:34 So in the morning the older daughter ³⁵  said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. ³⁶  Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” ³⁷  19:35 So they made their father drunk ³⁸  that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. ³⁹  But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. ⁴⁰ 

19:36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter ⁴¹  gave birth to a son and named him Moab. ⁴²  He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. ⁴³  He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.

Deuteronomy 7:25-26

7:25 You must burn the images of their gods, but do not covet the silver and gold that covers them so much that you take it for yourself and thus become ensnared by it; for it is abhorrent ⁴⁴  to the Lord your God. 7:26 You must not bring any abhorrent thing into your house and thereby become an object of divine wrath ⁴⁵  along with it. ⁴⁶  You must absolutely detest ⁴⁷  and abhor it, ⁴⁸  for it is an object of divine wrath.

Joshua 7:21-26

7:21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon, ⁴⁹  two hundred silver pieces, ⁵⁰  and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.”

7:22 Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent. The things were hidden right in his tent, with the silver underneath. ⁵¹  7:23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed ⁵²  it before the Lord. 7:24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster. ⁵³  7:25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster ⁵⁴  on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.) ⁵⁵  7:26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day ⁵⁶ ) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.

Joshua 7:1

Achan Sins and is Punished

7:1 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches. ⁵⁷  Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, ⁵⁸  son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches. ⁵⁹  The Lord was furious with the Israelites. ⁶⁰ 

Joshua 21:2-4

21:2 in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.” 21:3 So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.

21:4 The first lot belonged to ⁶¹  the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

Joshua 21:19-24

21:19 The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.

21:20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim. 21:21 They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, 21:22 Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:23 From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon, 21:24 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities.

Joshua 21:2

21:2 in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.”

Joshua 5:1

5:1 When all the Amorite kings on the west side of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the seacoast heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites while they ⁶²  crossed, they lost their courage and could not even breathe for fear of the Israelites. ⁶³ 

Job 20:19-28

20:19 For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; ⁶⁴ 

he has seized a house which he did not build. ⁶⁵ 

20:20 For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite; ⁶⁶ 

he does not let anything he desires ⁶⁷  escape. ⁶⁸ 

20:21 “Nothing is left for him to devour; ⁶⁹ 

that is why his prosperity does not last. ⁷⁰ 

20:22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, ⁷¹ 

distress ⁷²  overtakes him.

the full force of misery will come upon him. ⁷³ 

20:23 “While he is ⁷⁴  filling his belly,

God ⁷⁵  sends his burning anger ⁷⁶  against him,

and rains down his blows upon him. ⁷⁷ 

20:24 If he flees from an iron weapon,

then an arrow ⁷⁸  from a bronze bow pierces him.

20:25 When he pulls it out ⁷⁹  and it comes out of his back,

the gleaming point ⁸⁰  out of his liver,

terrors come over him.

20:26 Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; ⁸¹ 

a fire which has not been kindled ⁸² 

will consume him

and devour what is left in his tent.

20:27 The heavens reveal his iniquity;

the earth rises up against him.

20:28 A flood will carry off his house,

rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath.

Jeremiah 22:13-19

Judgment on Jehoiakim

22:13 “‘Sure to be judged ⁸³  is the king who builds his palace using injustice

and treats people unfairly while adding its upper rooms. ⁸⁴ 

He makes his countrymen work for him for nothing.

He does not pay them for their labor.

22:14 He says, “I will build myself a large palace

with spacious upper rooms.”

He cuts windows in its walls,

panels it ⁸⁵  with cedar, and paints its rooms red. ⁸⁶ 

22:15 Does it make you any more of a king

that you outstrip everyone else in ⁸⁷  building with cedar?

Just think about your father.

He was content that he had food and drink. ⁸⁸ 

He did what was just and right. ⁸⁹ 

So things went well with him.

22:16 He upheld the cause of the poor and needy.

So things went well for Judah.’ ⁹⁰ 

The Lord says,

‘That is a good example of what it means to know me.’ ⁹¹ 

22:17 But you are always thinking and looking

for ways to increase your wealth by dishonest means.

Your eyes and your heart are set

on killing some innocent person

and committing fraud and oppression. ⁹² 

22:18 So ⁹³  the Lord has this to say about Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah:

People will not mourn for him, saying,

“This makes me sad, my brother!

This makes me sad, my sister!”

They will not mourn for him, saying,

“Poor, poor lord! Poor, poor majesty!” ⁹⁴ 

22:19 He will be left unburied just like a dead donkey.

His body will be dragged off and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.’” ⁹⁵ 

Zechariah 5:1-4

Vision Six: The Flying Scroll

5:1 Then I turned to look, and there was a flying scroll! 5:2 Someone asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a flying scroll thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide.” ⁹⁶  5:3 The speaker went on to say, “This is a curse ⁹⁷  traveling across the whole earth. For example, according to the curse whoever steals ⁹⁸  will be removed from the community; or on the other hand (according to the curse) whoever swears falsely will suffer the same fate.” 5:4 “I will send it out,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and it will enter the house of the thief and of the person who swears falsely in my name. It will land in the middle of his house and destroy both timber and stones.”

Acts 1:17-25

1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” ⁹⁹  1:18 (Now this man Judas ¹⁰⁰  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ¹⁰¹  and falling headfirst ¹⁰²  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ¹⁰³  gushed out. 1:19 This ¹⁰⁴  became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language ¹⁰⁵  they called that field ¹⁰⁶  Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, ¹⁰⁷  and let there be no one to live in it,’ ¹⁰⁸  and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ ¹⁰⁹  1:21 Thus one of the men ¹¹⁰  who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with ¹¹¹  us, 1:22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he ¹¹²  was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.” 1:23 So they ¹¹³  proposed two candidates: ¹¹⁴  Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 1:24 Then they prayed, ¹¹⁵  “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 1:25 to assume the task ¹¹⁶  of this service ¹¹⁷  and apostleship from which Judas turned aside ¹¹⁸  to go to his own place.” ¹¹⁹ 

Jude 1:11

1:11 Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path, ¹²⁰  and because of greed ¹²¹  have abandoned themselves ¹²²  to ¹²³  Balaam’s error; hence, ¹²⁴  they will certainly perish ¹²⁵  in Korah’s rebellion.

[13:10]  ¹ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.” The expression draws attention to the act of looking, indicating that Lot took a good look. It also calls attention to the importance of what was seen.

[13:10]  ² tn Or “plain”; Heb “circle.”

[13:10]  ³ tn The words “he noticed” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:10]  ⁴ sn Obliterated. The use of the term “destroy” (שַׁחֵת, shakhet) is reminiscent of the Noahic flood (Gen 6:13). Both at the flood and in Sodom the place was obliterated by catastrophe and only one family survived (see C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:178).

[13:10]  ⁵ tn This short temporal clause (preposition + Piel infinitive construct + subjective genitive + direct object) is strategically placed in the middle of the lavish descriptions to sound an ominous note. The entire clause is parenthetical in nature. Most English translations place the clause at the end of v. 10 for stylistic reasons.

[13:10]  ⁶ sn The narrative places emphasis on what Lot saw so that the reader can appreciate how it aroused his desire for the best land. It makes allusion to the garden of the Lord and to the land of Egypt for comparison. Just as the tree in the garden of Eden had awakened Eve’s desire, so the fertile valley attracted Lot. And just as certain memories of Egypt would cause the Israelites to want to turn back and abandon the trek to the promised land, so Lot headed for the good life.

[13:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “Lot traveled.” The proper name has not been repeated in the translation at this point for stylistic reasons.

[13:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “a man from upon his brother.”

[13:12]  ⁹ tn Or “the cities of the plain”; Heb “[the cities of] the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[13:13]  ¹⁰ tn Here is another significant parenthetical clause in the story, signaled by the vav (וו) disjunctive (translated “now”) on the noun at the beginning of the clause.

[13:13]  ¹¹ tn Heb “men.” However, this is generic in sense; it is unlikely that only the male residents of Sodom were sinners.

[13:13]  ¹² tn Heb “wicked and sinners against the Lord exceedingly.” The description of the sinfulness of the Sodomites is very emphatic. First, two nouns are used to form a hendiadys: “wicked and sinners” means “wicked sinners,” the first word becoming adjectival. The text is saying these were no ordinary sinners; they were wicked sinners, the type that cause pain for others. Then to this phrase is added “against the Lord,” stressing their violation of the laws of heaven and their culpability. Finally, to this is added מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “exceedingly,” translated here as “extremely”).

[19:26]  ¹³ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:26]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew verb means “to look intently; to gaze” (see 15:5).

[19:27]  ¹⁵ tn The words “and went” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:28]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “upon the face of.”

[19:28]  ¹⁷ tn Or “all the land of the plain”; Heb “and all the face of the land of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:28]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “And he saw, and look, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.”

[19:29]  ¹⁹ tn The construction is a temporal clause comprised of the temporal indicator, an infinitive construct with a preposition, and the subjective genitive.

[19:29]  ²⁰ tn Or “of the plain”; Heb “of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:29]  ²¹ tn Heb “remembered,” but this means more than mental recollection here. Abraham’s request (Gen 18:23-32) was that the Lord not destroy the righteous with the wicked. While the requisite minimum number of righteous people (ten, v. 32) needed for God to spare the cities was not found, God nevertheless rescued the righteous before destroying the wicked.

[19:29]  ²² sn God’s removal of Lot before the judgment is paradigmatic. He typically delivers the godly before destroying their world.

[19:29]  ²³ tn Heb “the overthrow when [he] overthrew.”

[19:31]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and the firstborn said.”

[19:31]  ²⁵ tn Or perhaps “on earth,” in which case the statement would be hyperbolic; presumably there had been some men living in the town of Zoar to which Lot and his daughters had initially fled.

[19:31]  ²⁶ tn Heb “to enter upon us.” This is a euphemism for sexual relations.

[19:32]  ²⁷ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:32]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and we will lie down.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose/result.

[19:32]  ²⁹ tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.

[19:32]  ³⁰ tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[19:33]  ³¹ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:33]  ³² tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:33]  ³³ tn Heb “and the firstborn came and lied down with her father.” The expression “lied down with” here and in the following verses is a euphemism for sexual relations.

[19:33]  ³⁴ tn Heb “and he did not know when she lay down and when she arose.”

[19:34]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:34]  ³⁶ tn Heb “Look, I lied down with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight.”

[19:34]  ³⁷ tn Heb “And go, lie down with him and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[19:35]  ³⁸ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:35]  ³⁹ tn Heb “lied down with him.”

[19:35]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “And he did not know when she lied down and when she arose.”

[19:37]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:37]  ⁴² sn The meaning of the name Moab is not certain. The name sounds like the Hebrew phrase “from our father” (מֵאָבִינוּ, me’avinu) which the daughters used twice (vv. 32, 34). This account is probably included in the narrative in order to portray the Moabites, who later became enemies of God’s people, in a negative light.

[19:38]  ⁴³ sn The name Ben-Ammi means “son of my people.” Like the account of Moab’s birth, this story is probably included in the narrative to portray the Ammonites, another perennial enemy of Israel, in a negative light.

[7:25]  ⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abhorrent; detestable”) describes anything detestable to the Lord because of its innate evil or inconsistency with his own nature and character. Frequently such things (or even persons) must be condemned to annihilation (חֵרֶם, kherem) lest they become a means of polluting or contaminating others (cf. Deut 13:17; 20:17-18). See M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE 4:315.

[7:26]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “come under the ban” (so NASB); NRSV “be set apart for destruction.” The same phrase occurs again at the end of this verse.

[7:26]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “like it is.”

[7:26]  ⁴⁷ tn This Hebrew verb (שָׁקַץ, shaqats) is essentially synonymous with the next verb (תָעַב, ta’av; cf. תּוֹעֵבָה, to’evah; see note on the word “abhorrent” in v. 25), though its field of meaning is more limited to cultic abomination (cf. Lev 11:11, 13; Ps 22:25).

[7:26]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “detesting you must detest and abhorring you must abhor.” Both verbs are preceded by a cognate infinitive absolute indicating emphasis.

[7:21]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “Shinar,” a reference to Babylon (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1). Many modern translations retain the Hebrew name “Shinar” (cf. NEB, NRSV) but some use the more familiar “Babylon” (cf. NIV, NLT).

[7:21]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “shekels.”

[7:22]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “Look, [it was] hidden in his tent, and the silver was beneath it.”

[7:23]  ⁵² tn Heb “poured out,” probably referring to the way the silver pieces poured out of their container.

[7:24]  ⁵³ tn Or “Trouble” The name is “Achor” in Hebrew, which means “disaster” or “trouble” (also in v. 26).

[7:25]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “trouble.” The word is “achor” in Hebrew (also in the following clause).

[7:25]  ⁵⁵ tc Heb “and they burned them with fire and they stoned them with stones.” These words are somewhat parenthetical in nature and are omitted in the LXX; they may represent a later scribal addition.

[7:26]  ⁵⁶ tc Heb “to this day.” The phrase “to this day” is omitted in the LXX and may represent a later scribal addition.

[7:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “But the sons of Israel were unfaithful with unfaithfulness concerning what was set apart [to the Lord].”

[7:1]  ⁵⁸ tn 1 Chr 2:6 lists a “Zimri” (but no Zabdi) as one of the five sons of Zerah (cf. also 1 Chr 7:17, 18).

[7:1]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “took from what was set apart [to the Lord].”

[7:1]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.”

[21:4]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “came out for.”

[5:1]  ⁶² tc Another textual tradition has, “while we crossed.”

[5:1]  ⁶³ tn Heb “their heart[s] melted and there was no longer in them breathe because of the sons of Israel.”

[20:19]  ⁶⁴ tc The verb indicates that after he oppressed the poor he abandoned them to their fate. But there have been several attempts to improve on the text. Several have repointed the text to get a word parallel to “house.” Ehrlich came up with עֹזֵב (’ozev, “mud hut”), Kissane had “hovel” (similar to Neh 3:8). M. Dahood did the same (“The Root ’zb II in Job,” JBL 78 [1959]: 306-7). J. Reider came up with עֶזֶב (’ezev, the “leavings”), what the rich were to leave for the poor (“Contributions to the Scriptural text,” HUCA 24 [1952/53]: 103-6). But an additional root עָזַב (’azav) is questionable. And while the text as it stands is general and not very striking, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Dhorme reverses the letters to gain בְּעֹז (bÿ’oz, “with force [or violence]”).

[20:19]  ⁶⁵ tn The last clause says, “and he did not build it.” This can be understood in an adverbial sense, supplying the relative pronoun to the translation.

[20:20]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “belly,” which represents his cravings, his desires and appetites. The “satisfaction” is actually the word for “quiet; peace; calmness; ease.” He was driven by greedy desires, or he felt and displayed an insatiable greed.

[20:20]  ⁶⁷ tn The verb is the passive participle of the verb חָמַד (khamad) which is one of the words for “covet; desire.” This person is controlled by his desires; there is no escape. He is a slave.

[20:20]  ⁶⁸ tn The verb is difficult to translate in this line. It basically means “to cause to escape; to rescue.” Some translate this verb as “it is impossible to escape”; this may work, but is uncertain. Others translate the verb in the sense of saving something else: N. Sarna says, “Of his most cherished possessions he shall save nothing” (“The Interchange of the Preposition bet and min in Biblical Hebrew,” JBL 78 [1959]: 315-16). The RSV has “he will save nothing in which he delights”; NIV has “he cannot save himself by his treasure.”

[20:21]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “for his eating,” which is frequently rendered “for his gluttony.” It refers, of course, to all the desires he has to take things from other people.

[20:21]  ⁷⁰ sn The point throughout is that insatiable greed and ruthless plundering to satisfy it will be recompensed with utter and complete loss.

[20:22]  ⁷¹ tn The word שָׂפַק (safaq) occurs only here; it means “sufficiency; wealth; abundance (see D. W. Thomas, “The Text of Jesaia 2:6 and the Word sapaq,” ZAW 75 [1963]: 88-90).

[20:22]  ⁷² tn Heb “there is straightness for him.” The root צָרַר (tsarar) means “to be narrowed in straits, to be in a bind.” The word here would have the idea of pressure, stress, trouble. One could say he is in a bind.

[20:22]  ⁷³ tn Heb “every hand of trouble comes to him.” The pointing of עָמֵל (’amel) indicates it would refer to one who brings trouble; LXX and Latin read an abstract noun עָמָל (’amal, “trouble”) here.

[20:23]  ⁷⁴ tn D. J. A. Clines observes that to do justice to the three jussives in the verse, one would have to translate “May it be, to fill his belly to the full, that God should send…and rain” (Job [WBC], 477). The jussive form of the verb at the beginning of the verse could also simply introduce a protasis of a conditional clause (see GKC 323 §109.h, i). This would mean, “if he [God] is about to fill his [the wicked’s] belly to the full, he will send….” The NIV reads “when he has filled his belly.” These fit better, because the context is talking about the wicked in his evil pursuit being cut down.

[20:23]  ⁷⁵ tn “God” is understood as the subject of the judgment.

[20:23]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “the anger of his wrath.”

[20:23]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “rain down upon him, on his flesh.” Dhorme changes עָלֵימוֹ (’alemo, “upon him”) to “his arrows”; he translates the line as “he rains his arrows upon his flesh.” The word בִּלְחוּמוֹ (bilkhumo,“his flesh”) has been given a wide variety of translations: “as his food,” “on his flesh,” “upon him, his anger,” or “missiles or weapons of war.”

[20:24]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “a bronze bow pierces him.” The words “an arrow from” are implied and are supplied in the translation; cf. “pulls it out” in the following verse.

[20:25]  ⁷⁹ tn The MT has “he draws out [or as a passive, “it is drawn out/forth”] and comes [or goes] out of his back.” For the first verb שָׁלַף (shalaf, “pull, draw”), many commentators follow the LXX and use שֶׁלַח (shelakh, “a spear”). It then reads “and a shaft comes out of his back,” a sword flash comes out of his liver.” But the verse could also be a continuation of the preceding.

[20:25]  ⁸⁰ tn Possibly a reference to lightnings.

[20:26]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “all darkness is hidden for his laid up things.” “All darkness” refers to the misfortunes and afflictions that await. The verb “hidden” means “is destined for.”

[20:26]  ⁸² tn Heb “not blown upon,” i.e., not kindled by man. But G. R. Driver reads “unquenched” (“Hebrew notes on the ‘Wisdom of Jesus Ben Sirach’,” JBL 53 [1934]: 289).

[22:13]  ⁸³ sn Heb “Woe.” This particle is used in laments for the dead (cf., e.g., 1 Kgs 13:30; Jer 34:5) and as an introductory particle in indictments against a person on whom judgment is pronounced (cf., e.g., Isa 5:8, 11; Jer 23:1). The indictment is found here in vv. 13-17 and the announcement of judgment in vv. 18-19.

[22:13]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “Woe to the one who builds his house by unrighteousness and its upper rooms with injustice using his neighbor [= countryman] as a slave for nothing and not giving to him his wages.”

[22:14]  ⁸⁵ tc The MT should be emended to read חַלֹּנָיו וְסָפוֹן (khallonayv vÿsafon) instead of חַלֹּנָי וְסָפוּן (khallonay vÿsafon), i.e., the plural noun with third singular suffix rather than the first singular suffix and the infinitive absolute rather than the passive participle. The latter form then parallels the form for “paints” and functions in the same way (cf. GKC 345 §113.z for the infinitive with vav [ו] continuing a perfect). The errors in the MT involve reading the וְ once instead of twice (haplography) and reading the וּ (u) for the וֹ (o).

[22:14]  ⁸⁶ tn The word translated “red” only occurs here and in Ezek 23:14 where it refers to the pictures of the Babylonians on the wall of the temple. Evidently this was a favorite color for decoration. It is usually identified as vermilion, a mineral product from red ocher (cf. C. L. Wickwire, “Vermilion,” IDB 4:748).

[22:15]  ⁸⁷ tn For the use of this verb see Jer 12:5 where it is used of Jeremiah “competing” with horses. The form is a rare Tiphel (see GKC 153 §55.h).

[22:15]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “Your father, did he not eat and drink and do justice and right.” The copulative vav in front of the verbs here (all Hebrew perfects) shows that these actions are all coordinate not sequential. The contrast drawn here between the actions of Jehoiakim and Josiah show that the phrase eating and drinking should be read in the light of the same contrasts in Eccl 2 which ends with the note of contentment in Eccl 2:24 (see also Eccl 3:13; 5:18 [5:17 HT]; 8:15). The question is, of course, rhetorical setting forth the positive role model against which Jehoiakim’s actions are to be condemned. The key terms here are “then things went well with him” which is repeated in the next verse after the reiteration of Josiah’s practice of justice.

[22:15]  ⁸⁹ sn The father referred to here is the godly king Josiah. He followed the requirements for kings set forth in 22:3 in contrast to his son who did not (22:13).

[22:16]  ⁹⁰ tn The words “for Judah” are not in the text, but the absence of the preposition plus object as in the preceding verse suggests that this is a more general statement, i.e., “things went well for everyone.”

[22:16]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “Is that not what it means to know me.” The question is rhetorical and expects a positive answer. It is translated in the light of the context.

[22:17]  ⁹² tn Heb “Your eyes and your heart do not exist except for dishonest gain and for innocent blood to shed [it] and for fraud and for oppression to do [them].” The sentence has been broken up to conform more to English style and the significance of “eyes” and “heart” explained before they are introduced into the translation.

[22:18]  ⁹³ sn This is the regular way of introducing the announcement of judgment after an indictment of crimes. See, e.g., Isa 5:13, 14; Jer 23:2.

[22:18]  ⁹⁴ tn The translation follows the majority of scholars who think that the address of brother and sister are the address of the mourners to one another, lamenting their loss. Some scholars feel that all four terms are parallel and represent the relation that the king had metaphorically to his subjects; i.e., he was not only Lord and Majesty to them but like a sister or a brother. In that case something like: “How sad it is for the one who was like a brother to us! How sad it is for the one who was like a sister to us.” This makes for poor poetry and is not very likely. The lover can call his bride sister in Song of Solomon (Song 4:9, 10) but there are no documented examples of a subject ever speaking of a king in this way in Israel or the ancient Near East.

[22:19]  ⁹⁵ sn A similar judgment against this ungodly king is pronounced by Jeremiah in 36:30. According to 2 Chr 36:6 he was bound over to be taken captive to Babylon but apparently died before he got there. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Nebuchadnezzar ordered his body thrown outside the wall in fulfillment of this judgment. The Bible itself, however, does not tell us that.

[5:2]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “twenty cubits…ten cubits” (so NAB, NRSV). These dimensions (“thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide”) can hardly be referring to the scroll when unrolled since that would be all out of proportion to the normal ratio, in which the scroll would be 10 to 15 times as long as it was wide. More likely, the scroll is 15 feet thick when rolled, a hyperbole expressing the enormous amount and the profound significance of the information it contains.

[5:3]  ⁹⁷ tn The Hebrew word translated “curse” (אָלָה, ’alah) alludes to the covenant sanctions that attend the violation of God’s covenant with Israel (cf. Deut 29:12, 14, 20-21).

[5:3]  ⁹⁸ sn Stealing and swearing falsely (mentioned later in this verse) are sins against mankind and God respectively and are thus violations of the two major parts of the Ten Commandments. These two stipulations (commandments 8 and 3) represent the whole law.

[1:17]  ⁹⁹ tn Or “and was chosen to have a share in this ministry.” The term λαγχάνω (lancanw) here and in 2 Pet 1:1 can be understood as referring to the process of divine choice and thus be translated, “was chosen to have.”

[1:18]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ¹⁰¹ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

[1:18]  ¹⁰² tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

[1:18]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “all his bowels.”

[1:19]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Grk “And this.” 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.

[1:19]  ¹⁰⁵ sn Their own language refers to Aramaic, the primary language spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day.

[1:19]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “that field was called.” The passive voice has been converted to active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

[1:20]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “uninhabited” or “empty.”

[1:20]  ¹⁰⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 69:25.

[1:20]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Or “Let another take his office.”

[1:21]  ¹¹⁰ tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where a successor to Judas is being chosen, only men were under consideration in the original historical context.

[1:21]  ¹¹¹ tn Grk “the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” According to BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β, “ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ ᾧ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς went in and out among us = associated with us Ac 1:21.”

[1:22]  ¹¹² tn Here the pronoun “he” refers to Jesus.

[1:23]  ¹¹³ tc Codex Bezae (D) and other Western witnesses have “he proposed,” referring to Peter, thus emphasizing his role above the other apostles. The Western text displays a conscious pattern of elevating Peter in Acts, and thus the singular verb here is a palpably motivated reading.

[1:23]  ¹¹⁴ tn Grk “So they proposed two.” The word “candidates” was supplied in the text for clarity.

[1:24]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “And praying, they said.” 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.

[1:25]  ¹¹⁶ tn Grk “to take the place.”

[1:25]  ¹¹⁷ tn Or “of this ministry.”

[1:25]  ¹¹⁸ tn Or “the task of this service and apostleship which Judas ceased to perform.”

[1:25]  ¹¹⁹ sn To go to his own place. This may well be a euphemism for Judas’ judged fate. He separated himself from them, and thus separated he would remain.

[1:11]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “they have gone the way of Cain.”

[1:11]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “for wages.”

[1:11]  ¹²² tn The verb ἐκχέω (ekcew) normally means “pour out.” Here, in the passive, it occasionally has a reflexive idea, as BDAG 312 s.v. 3. suggests (with extra-biblical examples).

[1:11]  ¹²³ tn Or “in.”

[1:11]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “and.” See note on “perish” later in this verse.

[1:11]  ¹²⁵ tn The three verbs in this verse are all aorist indicative (“have gone down,” “have abandoned,” “have perished”). Although the first and second could be considered constative or ingressive, the last is almost surely proleptic (referring to the certainty of their future judgment). Although it may seem odd that a proleptic aorist is so casually connected to other aorists with a different syntactical force, it is not unparalleled (cf. Rom 8:30).