16:23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. 1 Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. 2
55:12 Indeed, 3 it is not an enemy who insults me,
or else I could bear it;
it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, 4
or else I could hide from him.
55:13 But it is you, 5 a man like me, 6
my close friend in whom I confided. 7
55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other; 8
in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.
20:10 I 9 hear many whispering words of intrigue against me.
Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! 10
They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” 11
All my so-called friends 12 are just watching for
something that would lead to my downfall. 13
They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up,
so we can prevail over 14 him and get our revenge on him.
13:18 “What I am saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, 15 ‘The one who eats my bread 16 has turned against me.’ 17
1 tn Heb “And the advice of Ahithophel which he advised in those days was as when one inquires of the word of God.”
2 tn Heb “So was all the advice of Ahithophel, also to David, also to Absalom.”
3 tn Or “for.”
4 tn Heb “[who] magnifies against me.” See Pss 35:26; 38:16.
5 sn It is you. The psalmist addresses the apparent ringleader of the opposition, an individual who was once his friend.
6 tn Heb “a man according to my value,” i.e., “a person such as I.”
7 tn Heb “my close friend, one known by me.”
8 tn Heb “who together we would make counsel sweet.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the ongoing nature of the actions (the so-called customary use of the imperfect). Their relationship was characterized by such intimacy and friendship. See IBHS 502-3 §31.2b.
9 tn It would be difficult to render accurately the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) that introduces this verse without lengthening the English line unduly. It probably means something like “This is true even though I…,” i.e., the particle is concessive (cf. BDB s.v. כִּי 2.c). No other nuance seems appropriate. The particle is left out of the translation, but its presence is acknowledged here.
10 tn The phrase translated “Those who would cause me terror are everywhere” has already occurred in 6:25 in the context of the terror caused by the enemy from the north and in 20:3 in reference to the curse pronounced on Pashhur who would experience it first hand. Some have seen the phrase here not as Jeremiah’s ejaculation of terror but of his assailant’s taunts of his message or even their taunting nickname for him. But comparison of this passage with the first two lines of Ps 31:13 (31:14 HT) which are word for word the same as these two will show that it refers to the terror inspired by the plots of his enemies to do away with him. It is also clear from the context of that passage and the following context here that the “whispering of many” (the literal translation of “many whispering words of intrigue against me) refers to intrigues to take vengeance on him and do away with him.
11 tn Heb “Denounce and let us denounce him.” The verb which is translated “denounce” (נָגַד, nagad) does not take an accusative object of person as it does here very often. When it does it usually means to inform someone. The only relevant passage appears to be Job 17:5 where it means something like “denounce.” What is probably involved here are the attempts to portray Jeremiah as a traitor (Jer 26:10) and a false prophet (see his conflict with Hananiah in Jer 28).
12 tn Heb “the men of my peace [who are concerned about my welfare].” For this phrase compare Ps 41:9 (41:10 HT); Jer 38:22. It is generally agreed that irony is being invoked here, hence “so-called” is supplied in the translation to bring out the irony.
13 tn Heb “watching my stumbling [for me to stumble].” Metaphorically they were watching for some slip-up that would lead to his downfall. Compare the use in Pss 35:15 and 38:17 (38:18 HT).
14 tn All the text says literally is “Perhaps he can be enticed so that we can prevail over him.” However the word “enticed” needs some qualification. As W. McKane (Jeremiah [ICC], 1:479) notes it should probably be read in the context of the “stumbling” (= “something that would lead to my downfall”). Hence “slipping up” has been supplied as an object. It is vague enough to avoid specifics as the original text does but suggests some reference to “something that would lead to my downfall.”
15 tn Grk “But so that the scripture may be fulfilled.”
16 tn Or “The one who shares my food.”
17 tn Or “has become my enemy”; Grk “has lifted up his heel against me.” The phrase “to lift up one’s heel against someone” reads literally in the Hebrew of Ps 41 “has made his heel great against me.” There have been numerous interpretations of this phrase, but most likely it is an idiom meaning “has given me a great fall,” “has taken cruel advantage of me,” or “has walked out on me.” Whatever the exact meaning of the idiom, it clearly speaks of betrayal by a close associate. See E. F. F. Bishop, “‘He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me’ – Jn xiii.18 (Ps xli.9),” ExpTim 70 (1958-59): 331-33.