Jeremiah 2:8

2:8 Your priests ¹  did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ ² 

Those responsible for teaching my law ³  did not really know me. ⁴ 

Your rulers rebelled against me.

Your prophets prophesied in the name of the god Baal. ⁵ 

They all worshiped idols that could not help them. ⁶ 

Jeremiah 5:7-9

5:7 The Lord asked, ⁷ 

“How can I leave you unpunished, Jerusalem? ⁸ 

Your people ⁹  have rejected me

and have worshiped gods that are not gods at all. ¹⁰ 

Even though I supplied all their needs, ¹¹  they were like an unfaithful wife to me. ¹² 

They went flocking ¹³  to the houses of prostitutes. ¹⁴ 

5:8 They are like lusty, well-fed ¹⁵  stallions.

Each of them lusts after ¹⁶  his neighbor’s wife.

5:9 I will surely punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord.

“I will surely bring retribution on such a nation as this!” ¹⁷ 

Jude 1:12-13

1:12 These men are ¹⁸  dangerous reefs ¹⁹  at your love feasts, ²⁰  feasting without reverence, ²¹  feeding only themselves. ²²  They are ²³  waterless ²⁴  clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit ²⁵  – twice dead, ²⁶  uprooted; 1:13 wild sea waves, ²⁷  spewing out the foam of ²⁸  their shame; ²⁹  wayward stars ³⁰  for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness ³¹  have been reserved.

Jude 1:13-14

1:13 wild sea waves, ³²  spewing out the foam of ³³  their shame; ³⁴  wayward stars ³⁵  for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness ³⁶  have been reserved.

1:14 Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, ³⁷  even prophesied of them, ³⁸  saying, “Look! The Lord is coming ³⁹  with thousands and thousands ⁴⁰  of his holy ones,

Nehemiah 9:26-29

9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. ⁴¹  They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies. 9:27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who oppressed them. But in the time of their distress they called to you, and you heard from heaven. In your abundant compassion you provided them with deliverers to rescue them from ⁴²  their adversaries.

9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to ⁴³  their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again. 9:29 And you solemnly admonished them in order to return them to your law, but they behaved presumptuously and did not obey your commandments. They sinned against your ordinances – those by which an individual, if he obeys them, ⁴⁴  will live. They boldly turned from you; ⁴⁵  they rebelled ⁴⁶  and did not obey.

Psalms 106:35-41

106:35 They mixed in with the nations

and learned their ways. ⁴⁷ 

106:36 They worshiped ⁴⁸  their idols,

which became a snare to them. ⁴⁹ 

106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. ⁵⁰ 

106:38 They shed innocent blood –

the blood of their sons and daughters,

whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.

The land was polluted by bloodshed. ⁵¹ 

106:39 They were defiled by their deeds,

and unfaithful in their actions. ⁵² 

106:40 So the Lord was angry with his people ⁵³ 

and despised the people who belong to him. ⁵⁴ 

106:41 He handed them over to ⁵⁵  the nations,

and those who hated them ruled over them.

Daniel 9:10-12

9:10 We have not obeyed ⁵⁶  the LORD our God by living according to ⁵⁷  his laws ⁵⁸  that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

9:11 “All Israel has broken ⁵⁹  your law and turned away by not obeying you. ⁶⁰  Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened ⁶¹  in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you. ⁶²  9:12 He has carried out his threats ⁶³  against us and our rulers ⁶⁴  who were over ⁶⁵  us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven!

[2:8]  ¹ tn Heb “The priests…the ones who grasp my law…the shepherds…the prophets…they…”

[2:8]  ² sn See the study note on 2:6.

[2:8]  ³ tn Heb “those who handle my law.”

[2:8]  ⁴ tn Or “were not committed to me.” The Hebrew verb rendered “know” refers to more than mere intellectual knowledge. It carries also the ideas of emotional and volitional commitment as well intimacy. See for example its use in contexts like Hos 4:1; 6:6.

[2:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “by Baal.”

[2:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “and they followed after those things [the word is plural] which do not profit.” The poetic structure of the verse, four lines in which a distinct subject appears at the beginning followed by a fifth line beginning with a prepositional phrase and no distinct subject, argues that this line is climactic and refers to all four classes enumerated in the preceding lines. See W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 1:88-89. There may be a play or pun in the Hebrew text on the name for the god Baal (בַּעַל, ba’al) and the verb “cannot help you” (Heb “do not profit”) which is spelled יַעַל (ya’al).

[5:7]  ⁷ tn These words are not in the text, but are supplied in the translation to make clear who is speaking.

[5:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “How can I forgive [or pardon] you.” The pronoun “you” is second feminine singular, referring to the city. See v. 1.

[5:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “your children.”

[5:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and they have sworn [oaths] by not-gods.”

[5:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I satisfied them to the full.”

[5:7]  ¹² tn Heb “they committed adultery.” It is difficult to decide whether literal adultery with other women or spiritual adultery with other gods is meant. The word for adultery is used for both in the book of Jeremiah. For examples of its use for spiritual adultery see 3:8, 9; 9:2. For examples of its use for literal adultery see 7:9; 23:14. The context here could argue for either. The swearing by other gods and the implicit contradiction in their actions in contrast to the expected gratitude for supplying their needs argues for spiritual adultery. However, the reference to prostitution in the next line and the reference to chasing after their neighbor’s wives argues for literal adultery. The translation opts for spiritual adultery because of the contrast implicit in the concessive clause.

[5:7]  ¹³ tn There is a great deal of debate about the meaning of this word. Most of the modern English versions follow the lead of lexicographers who relate this word to a noun meaning “troop” and understand it to mean “they trooped together” (cf. BDB 151 s.v. גָּדַד Hithpo.2 and compare the usage in Mic 5:1 [4:14 HT]). A few of the modern English versions and commentaries follow the reading of the Greek and read a word meaning “they lodged” (reading ִיתְגּוֹרְרוּ [yitggorÿru] from I גּוּר [gur; cf. HALOT 177 s.v. Hithpo. and compare the usage in 1 Kgs 17:20] instead of יִתְגֹּדָדוּ [yitggodadu]). W. L. Holladay (Jeremiah [Hermeneia], 1:180) sees a reference here to the cultic practice of cutting oneself in supplication to pagan gods (cf. BDB 151 s.v. גָּדַד Hithpo.1 and compare the usage in 1 Kgs 18:28). The houses of prostitutes would then be a reference to ritual prostitutes at the pagan shrines. The translation follows BDB and the majority of modern English versions.

[5:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “to a house of a prostitute.”

[5:8]  ¹⁵ tn The meanings of these two adjectives are uncertain. The translation of the first adjective is based on assuming that the word is a defectively written participle related to the noun “testicle” (a Hiphil participle מַאֲשִׁכִים [ma’ashikhim] from a verb related to אֶשֶׁךְ [’eshekh, “testicle”]; cf. Lev 21:20) and hence “having testicles” (cf. HALOT 1379 s.v. שָׁכָה) instead of the Masoretic form מַשְׁכִּים (mashkim) from a root שָׁכָה (shakhah), which is otherwise unattested in either verbal or nominal forms. The second adjective is best derived from a verb root meaning “to feed” (a Hophal participle מוּזָנִים [muzanim, the Kethib] from a root זוּן [zun; cf. BDB 266 s.v. זוּן] for which there is the cognate noun מָזוֹן [mazon; cf. 2 Chr 11:23]). This is more likely than the derivation from a root יָזַן ([yazan]reading מְיֻזָּנִים [mÿyuzzanim], a Pual participle with the Qere) which is otherwise unattested in verbal or nominal forms and whose meaning is dependent only on a supposed Arabic cognate (cf. HALOT 387 s.v. יָזַן).

[5:8]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “neighs after.”

[5:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “Should I not punish them…? Should I not bring retribution…?” The rhetorical questions have the force of strong declarations.

[1:12]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “these are the men who are.”

[1:12]  ¹⁹ tn Though σπιλάδες (spilades) is frequently translated “blemishes” or “stains,” such is actually a translation of the Greek word σπίλοι (spiloi). The two words are quite similar, especially in their root or lexical forms (σπιλάς [spila"] and σπίλος [spilos] respectively). Some scholars have suggested that σπιλάδες in this context means the same thing as σπίλοι. But such could be the case only by a stretch of the imagination (see BDAG 938 s.v. σπιλάς for discussion). Others suggest that Jude’s spelling was in error (which also is doubtful). One reason for the tension is that in the parallel passage, 2 Pet 2:13, the term used is indeed σπίλος. And if either Jude used 2 Peter or 2 Peter used Jude, one would expect to see the same word. Jude, however, may have changed the wording for the sake of a subtle wordplay. The word σπιλάς was often used of a mere rock, though it normally was associated with a rock along the shore or one jutting out in the water. Thus, the false teachers would appear as “rocks” – as pillars in the community (cf. Matt 16:18; Gal 2:9), when in reality if a believer got too close to them his faith would get shipwrecked. Some suggest that σπιλάδες here means “hidden rocks.” Though this meaning is attested for the word, it is inappropriate in this context, since these false teachers are anything but hidden. They are dangerous because undiscerning folks get close to them, thinking they are rocks and pillars, when they are really dangerous reefs.

[1:12]  ²⁰ tc Several witnesses (A C^vid 1243 1846 al), influenced by the parallel in 2 Pet 2:13, read ἀπάταις (apatai", “deceptions”) for ἀγάπαις (agapai", “love-feasts”) in v. 12. However, ἀγάπαις has much stronger and earlier support and should therefore be considered original.

[1:12]  ²¹ tn Or “fearlessly.” The term in this context, however, is decidedly negative. The implication is that these false teachers ate the Lord’s Supper without regarding the sanctity of the meal. Cf. 1 Cor 11:17-22.

[1:12]  ²² tn Grk “shepherding themselves.” The verb ποιμαίνω (poimainw) means “shepherd, nurture [the flock].” But these men, rather than tending to the flock of God, nurture only themselves. They thus fall under the condemnation Paul uttered when writing to the Corinthians: “For when it comes time to eat [the Lord’s Supper,] each one goes ahead with his own meal” (1 Cor 11:21). Above all, the love-feast was intended to be a shared meal in which all ate and all felt welcome.

[1:12]  ²³ tn “They are” is not in Greek, but resumes the thought begun at the front of v. 12. There is no period before “They are.” English usage requires breaking this into more than one sentence.

[1:12]  ²⁴ tn Cf. 2 Pet 2:17. Jude’s emphasis is slightly different (instead of waterless springs, they are waterless clouds).

[1:12]  ²⁵ sn The imagery portraying the false teachers as autumn trees without fruit has to do with their lack of productivity. Recall the statement to the same effect by Jesus in Matt 7:16-20, in which false prophets will be known by their fruits. Like waterless clouds full of false hope, these trees do not yield any harvest even though it is expected.

[1:12]  ²⁶ tn Grk “having died twice.”

[1:13]  ²⁷ tn Grk “wild waves of the sea.”

[1:13]  ²⁸ tn Grk “foaming, causing to foam.” The verb form is intensive and causative. BDAG 360 s.v. ἐπαφρίζω suggests the meaning “to cause to splash up like froth, cause to foam,” or, in this context, “waves casting up their own shameless deeds like (dirty) foam.”

[1:13]  ²⁹ tn Grk “shames, shameful things.” It is uncertain whether shameful deeds or shameful words are in view. Either way, the picture has taken a decided turn: Though waterless clouds and fruitless trees may promise good things, but deliver nothing, wild sea-waves are portents of filth spewed forth from the belly of the sea.

[1:13]  ³⁰ sn The imagery of a star seems to fit the nautical theme that Jude is developing. Stars were of course the guides to sailors at night, just as teachers are responsible to lead the flock through a benighted world. But false teachers, as wayward stars, are not fixed and hence offer unreliable, even disastrous guidance. They are thus both the dangerous reefs on which the ships could be destroyed and the false guides, leading them into these rocks. There is a special irony that these lights will be snuffed out, reserved for the darkest depths of eternal darkness.

[1:13]  ³¹ tn Grk “utter darkness of darkness for eternity.” See note on the word “utter” in v. 6.

[1:13]  ³² tn Grk “wild waves of the sea.”

[1:13]  ³³ tn Grk “foaming, causing to foam.” The verb form is intensive and causative. BDAG 360 s.v. ἐπαφρίζω suggests the meaning “to cause to splash up like froth, cause to foam,” or, in this context, “waves casting up their own shameless deeds like (dirty) foam.”

[1:13]  ³⁴ tn Grk “shames, shameful things.” It is uncertain whether shameful deeds or shameful words are in view. Either way, the picture has taken a decided turn: Though waterless clouds and fruitless trees may promise good things, but deliver nothing, wild sea-waves are portents of filth spewed forth from the belly of the sea.

[1:13]  ³⁵ sn The imagery of a star seems to fit the nautical theme that Jude is developing. Stars were of course the guides to sailors at night, just as teachers are responsible to lead the flock through a benighted world. But false teachers, as wayward stars, are not fixed and hence offer unreliable, even disastrous guidance. They are thus both the dangerous reefs on which the ships could be destroyed and the false guides, leading them into these rocks. There is a special irony that these lights will be snuffed out, reserved for the darkest depths of eternal darkness.

[1:13]  ³⁶ tn Grk “utter darkness of darkness for eternity.” See note on the word “utter” in v. 6.

[1:14]  ³⁷ tn Grk “the seventh from Adam.”

[1:14]  ³⁸ tn Grk “against them.” The dative τούτοις (toutois) is a dativus incommodi (dative of disadvantage).

[1:14]  ³⁹ tn Grk “has come,” a proleptic aorist.

[1:14]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “ten thousands.” The word μυριάς (muria"), from which the English myriad is derived, means “ten thousand.” In the plural it means “ten thousands.” This would mean, minimally, 20,000 (a multiple of ten thousand). At the same time, the term was often used in apocalyptic literature to represent simply a rather large number, without any attempt to be specific.

[9:26]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “they cast your law behind their backs.”

[9:27]  ⁴² tn Heb “from the hand of” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “from the power of.”

[9:28]  ⁴³ tn Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”

[9:29]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “if a man keep.” See note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.

[9:29]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “they gave a stubborn shoulder.”

[9:29]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “they stiffened their neck.”

[106:35]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “their deeds.”

[106:36]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “served.”

[106:36]  ⁴⁹ sn Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.

[106:37]  ⁵⁰ tn The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים (shedim, “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17. Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.

[106:38]  ⁵¹ sn Num 35:33-34 explains that bloodshed defiles a land.

[106:39]  ⁵² tn Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the Lord (see Ps 73:27).

[106:40]  ⁵³ tn Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against his people.”

[106:40]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “his inheritance.”

[106:41]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “gave them into the hand of.”

[9:10]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “paid attention to the voice of,” which is an idiomatic expression for obedience (cf. NASB “nor have we obeyed the voice of”).

[9:10]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “to walk in.”

[9:10]  ⁵⁸ tc The LXX and Vulgate have the singular.

[9:11]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “transgressed.” The Hebrew verb has the primary sense of crossing a boundary, in this case, God’s law.

[9:11]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “by not paying attention to your voice.”

[9:11]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “the curse and the oath which is written.” The term “curse” refers here to the judgments threatened in the Mosaic law (see Deut 28) for rebellion. The expression “the curse and the oath” is probably a hendiadys (cf. Num 5:21; Neh 10:29) referring to the fact that the covenant with its threatened judgments was ratified by solemn oath and made legally binding upon the covenant community.

[9:11]  ⁶² tn Heb “him.”

[9:12]  ⁶³ tn Heb “he has fulfilled his word(s) which he spoke.”

[9:12]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “our judges.”

[9:12]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “who judged.”