1:23 Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved 1 during their lives,
and not even in their deaths were they separated.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior 2 from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. 3 He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day.
49:9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He crouches and lies down like a lion;
like a lioness – who will rouse him?
24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;
they will devour hostile people 4
and will break their bones
and will pierce them through with arrows.
24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,
and as a lioness, 5 who can stir him?
Blessed is the one who blesses you,
and cursed is the one who curses you!’”
28:1 The wicked person flees when there is no one pursuing, 6
but the righteous person is as confident 7 as a lion.
1 tn Heb “beloved and dear.”
2 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
3 tc Heb “the two of Ariel, Moab.” The precise meaning of אריאל is uncertain; some read “warrior.” The present translation assumes that the word is a proper name and that בני, “sons of,” has accidentally dropped from the text by homoioarcton (note the preceding שׁני).
4 tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.
5 tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.
6 sn The line portrays the insecurity of a guilty person – he flees because he has a guilty conscience, or because he is suspicious of others around him, or because he fears judgment.
7 tn The verb בָּטַח (batakh) means “to trust; to be secure; to be confident.” Cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “bold.”