18:12 Before destruction the heart 2 of a person is proud,
but humility comes 3 before honor. 4
66:2 My hand made them; 5
that is how they came to be,” 6 says the Lord.
I show special favor 7 to the humble and contrite,
who respect what I have to say. 8
1 tn Heb “anointed.”
2 sn The term “heart” is a metonymy of subject, referring to the seat of the spiritual and intellectual capacities – the mind, the will, the motivations and intentions. Proud ambitions and intentions will lead to a fall.
3 tn Heb “[is] before honor”; cf. CEV “humility leads to honor.”
4 sn The way to honor is through humility (e.g., Prov 11:2; 15:33; 16:18). The humility and exaltation of Jesus provides the classic example (Phil 2:1-10).
3 tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.
4 tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (vÿli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”
5 tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).
6 tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.
5 sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.