2 Samuel 18:19

David Learns of Absalom’s Death

18:19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.” ¹ 

2 Samuel 18:31

18:31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, ²  “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!” ³ 

2 Samuel 22:48

22:48 The one true God completely vindicates me; ⁴ 

he makes nations submit to me. ⁵ 

Luke 18:7-8

18:7 Won’t ⁶  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ⁷  to him day and night? ⁸  Will he delay ⁹  long to help them? 18:8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ¹⁰  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ¹¹  on earth?”

Revelation 6:10

6:10 They ¹²  cried out with a loud voice, ¹³  “How long, ¹⁴  Sovereign Master, ¹⁵  holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”

Revelation 18:20

18:20 (Rejoice over her, O heaven,

and you saints and apostles and prophets,

for God has pronounced judgment ¹⁶  against her on your behalf!) ¹⁷ 

¹ tn Heb “that the Lord has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.”

² tn Heb “And look, the Cushite came and the Cushite said.”

³ tn Heb “for the Lord has vindicated you today from the hand of all those rising against you.”

⁴ tn Heb “The God is the one who grants vengeance to me.” The plural form of the noun “vengeance” indicates degree here, suggesting complete vengeance or vindication. In the ancient Near East military victory was sometimes viewed as a sign that one’s God had judged in favor of the victor, avenging and/or vindicating him. See, for example, Judg 11:27, 32-33, 36.

⁵ tn Heb “and [is the one who] brings down nations beneath me.”

⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁷ sn The prayers have to do with the righteous who cry out to him to receive justice. The context assumes the righteous are persecuted.

⁸ tn The emphatic particles in this sentence indicate that God will indeed give justice to the righteous.

⁹ sn The issue of delay has produced a whole host of views for this verse. (1) Does this assume provision to endure in the meantime? Or (2) does it mean God restricts the level of persecution until he comes? Either view is possible.

¹⁰ tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.

¹¹ sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.

¹² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹³ tn Grk “voice, saying”; the participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.

¹⁴ tn The expression ἕως πότε (ews pote) was translated “how long.” Cf. BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.γ.

¹⁵ tn The Greek term here is δεσπότης (despoths; see L&N 37.63).

¹⁶ tn On the phrase “pronounced judgment” BDAG 567 s.v. κρίμα 4.b states, “The OT is the source of the expr. κρίνειν τὸ κρ. (cp. Zech 7:9; 8:16; Ezk 44:24) ἔκρινεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ κρίμα ὑμῶν ἐξ αὐτῆς God has pronounced judgment for you against her or God has pronounced on her the judgment she wished to impose on you (HHoltzmann, Hdb. 1893 ad loc.) Rv 18:20.”

¹⁷ tn Grk “God has judged a judgment of you of her.” Verse 20 is set in parentheses because in it the saints, etc. are addressed directly in the second person.