9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, 1 with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God. 9:6 I prayed, 2
“O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens. 9:7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and 3 priests, have been delivered over by the local kings 4 to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment – right up to the present time.
9:8 “But now briefly 5 we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position 6 in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes 7 and has given us a little relief in our time of servitude. 9:9 Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, in that he has revived us 8 to restore the temple of our God and to raise 9 up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem. 10
9:10 “And now what are we able to say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments 9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: 11 ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! 12 With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness. 9:12 Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children 13 forever.’
9:13 “Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint 14 toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this. 9:14 Shall we once again break your commandments and intermarry with these abominable peoples? Would you not be so angered by us that you would wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant? 9:15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt 15 no one can really stand before you.”
9:1 On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust. 9:2 Those truly of Israelite descent 16 separated from all the foreigners, 17 standing and confessing their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. 18 9:3 For one-fourth of the day they stood in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God, and for another fourth they were confessing their sins 19 and worshiping the LORD their God. 9:4 Then the Levites – Jeshua, Binnui, 20 Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani – stood on the steps and called out loudly 21 to the LORD their God. 9:5 The Levites – Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah – said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God!”
“May you be blessed, O LORD our God, from age to age. 22 May your glorious name 23 be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise. 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, 24 along with all their multitude of stars, 25 the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
9:7 “You are the LORD God who chose Abram and brought him forth from Ur of the Chaldeans. You changed his name to Abraham. 9:8 When you perceived that his heart was faithful toward you, you established a 26 covenant with him to give his descendants 27 the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites. You have fulfilled your promise, 28 for you are righteous.
9:9 “You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cry at the Red Sea. 29 9:10 You performed awesome signs 30 against Pharaoh, against his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that the Egyptians 31 had acted presumptuously 32 against them. You made for yourself a name that is celebrated to this day. 9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through 33 the sea on dry ground! But you threw their pursuers 34 into the depths, like a stone into surging 35 waters. 9:12 You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel.
9:13 “You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You provided them with just judgments, true laws, and good statutes and commandments. 9:14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath; you issued commandments, statutes, and law to them through 36 Moses your servant. 9:15 You provided bread from heaven for them in their time of hunger, and you brought forth water from the rock for them in their time of thirst. You told them to enter in order to possess the land that you had sworn 37 to give them.
9:16 “But they – our ancestors 38 – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled 39 and did not obey your commandments. 9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. 40 But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. 41 You did not abandon them, 9:18 even when they made a cast image of a calf for themselves and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up from Egypt,’ or when they committed atrocious 42 blasphemies.
9:19 “Due to your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. The pillar of cloud did not stop guiding them in the path by day, 43 nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel. 9:20 You imparted your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths; you provided water for their thirst. 9:21 For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
9:22 “You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and you allocated them to every corner of the land. 44 They inherited the land of King Sihon of Heshbon 45 and the land of King Og of Bashan. 9:23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of the sky. You brought them to the land you had told their ancestors to enter in order to possess. 9:24 Their descendants 46 entered and possessed the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites who were the inhabitants of the land. You delivered them into their hand, together with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with as they pleased. 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things – wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate until they were full 47 and grew fat. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness.
9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. 48 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 49 their adversaries.
9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to 50 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, 51 will live. They boldly turned from you; 52 they rebelled 53 and did not obey. 9:30 You prolonged your kindness 54 with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, 55 so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. 56 9:31 However, due to your abundant mercy you did not do away with them altogether; you did not abandon them. For you are a merciful and compassionate God.
9:32 “So now, our God – the great, powerful, and awesome God, who keeps covenant fidelity 57 – do not regard as inconsequential 58 all the hardship that has befallen us – our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people – from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day! 9:33 You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. 59 It is we who have been in the wrong! 9:34 Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law. They have not paid attention to your commandments or your testimonies by which you have solemnly admonished them. 9:35 Even when they were in their kingdom and benefiting from your incredible 60 goodness that you had lavished 61 on them in the spacious and fertile land you had set 62 before them, they did not serve you, nor did they turn from their evil practices.
9:36 “So today we are slaves! In the very land you gave to our ancestors to eat its fruit and to enjoy 63 its good things – we are slaves! 9:37 Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit, 64 and we are in great distress!
63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, 65
dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? 66
Who 67 is this one wearing royal attire, 68
who marches confidently 69 because of his great strength?
“It is I, the one who announces vindication,
and who is able to deliver!” 70
63:2 Why are your clothes red?
Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat? 71
63:3 “I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself;
no one from the nations joined me.
I stomped on them 72 in my anger;
I trampled them down in my rage.
Their juice splashed on my garments,
and stained 73 all my clothes.
63:4 For I looked forward to the day of vengeance,
and then payback time arrived. 74
63:5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was shocked because there was no one offering support. 75
So my right arm accomplished deliverance;
my raging anger drove me on. 76
63:6 I trampled nations in my anger,
I made them drunk 77 in my rage,
I splashed their blood on the ground.” 78
63:7 I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord,
of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds.
I will tell about all 79 the Lord did for us,
the many good things he did for the family of Israel, 80
because of 81 his compassion and great faithfulness.
63:8 He said, “Certainly they will be my people,
children who are not disloyal.” 82
He became their deliverer.
63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. 83
The messenger sent from his very presence 84 delivered them.
In his love and mercy he protected 85 them;
he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. 86
63:10 But they rebelled and offended 87 his holy Spirit, 88
so he turned into an enemy
and fought against them.
63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. 89
Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,
along with the shepherd of 90 his flock?
Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, 91
63:12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses, 92
who divided the water before them,
gaining for himself a lasting reputation, 93
63:13 who led them through the deep water?
Like a horse running on flat land 94 they did not stumble.
63:14 Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, 95
so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.
In this way 96 you guided your people,
gaining for yourself an honored reputation. 97
63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice,
from your holy, majestic palace!
Where are your zeal 98 and power?
Do not hold back your tender compassion! 99
63:16 For you are our father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not recognize us.
You, Lord, are our father;
you have been called our protector from ancient times. 100
63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray 101 from your ways, 102
and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? 103
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your inheritance!
63:18 For a short time your special 104 nation possessed a land, 105
but then our adversaries knocked down 106 your holy sanctuary.
63:19 We existed from ancient times, 107
but you did not rule over them,
they were not your subjects. 108
64:1 (63:19b) 109 If only you would tear apart the sky 110 and come down!
The mountains would tremble 111 before you!
64:2 (64:1) As when fire ignites dry wood,
or fire makes water boil,
let your adversaries know who you are, 112
and may the nations shake at your presence!
64:3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, 113
you came down, and the mountains trembled 114 before you.
64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, 115
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who intervenes for those who wait for him.
64:5 You assist 116 those who delight in doing what is right, 117
who observe your commandments. 118
Look, you were angry because we violated them continually.
How then can we be saved? 119
64:6 We are all like one who is unclean,
all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. 120
We all wither like a leaf;
our sins carry us away like the wind.
64:7 No one invokes 121 your name,
or makes an effort 122 to take hold of you.
For you have rejected us 123
and handed us over to our own sins. 124
64:8 Yet, 125 Lord, you are our father.
We are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the product of your labor. 126
64:9 Lord, do not be too angry!
Do not hold our sins against us continually! 127
Take a good look at your people, at all of us! 128
64:10 Your chosen 129 cities have become a desert;
Zion has become a desert,
Jerusalem 130 is a desolate ruin.
64:11 Our holy temple, our pride and joy, 131
the place where our ancestors praised you,
has been burned with fire;
all our prized possessions have been destroyed. 132
64:12 In light of all this, 133 how can you still hold back, Lord?
How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?
“O Lord, 137 great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant 138 with those who love him and keep his commandments, 9:5 we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards. 9:6 We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority 139 to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, 140 and to all the inhabitants 141 of the land as well.
9:7 “You are righteous, 142 O Lord, but we are humiliated this day 143 – the people 144 of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far away in all the countries in which you have scattered them, because they have behaved unfaithfully toward you. 9:8 O LORD, we have been humiliated 145 – our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors – because we have sinned against you. 9:9 Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, 146 even though we have rebelled against him. 9:10 We have not obeyed 147 the LORD our God by living according to 148 his laws 149 that he set before us through his servants the prophets.
9:11 “All Israel has broken 150 your law and turned away by not obeying you. 151 Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened 152 in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you. 153 9:12 He has carried out his threats 154 against us and our rulers 155 who were over 156 us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven! 9:13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify 157 the LORD our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom 158 from your reliable moral standards. 159 9:14 The LORD was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the LORD our God is just 160 in all he has done, 161 and we have not obeyed him. 162
9:15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power 163 and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day – we have sinned and behaved wickedly. 9:16 O Lord, according to all your justice, 164 please turn your raging anger 165 away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors.
9:17 “So now, our God, accept 166 the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to 167 your devastated sanctuary for your own sake. 168 9:18 Listen attentively, 169 my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins 170 and the city called by your name. 171 For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, 172 but because your compassion is abundant. 9:19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.” 173
1 tn The Hebrew word used here is a hapax legomenon. It refers to the self-abasement that accompanies religious sorrow and fasting.
2 tn Heb “I said.”
3 tc The MT lacks “and” here, but see the LXX and Vulgate.
4 tn Heb “the kings of the lands.”
5 tn Heb “according to a little moment.”
6 tn Heb “a peg” or “tent peg.” The imagery behind this word is drawn from the experience of nomads who put down pegs as they pitched their tents and made camp after times of travel.
7 tn Heb “to cause our eyes to shine.” The expression is a figure of speech for “to revive.” See DCH 1:160 s.v. אור Hi.7.
8 tn Heb “has granted us reviving.”
9 tn Heb “to cause to stand.”
10 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
11 tn Heb “through your servants the prophets, saying.”
12 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
13 tn Heb “sons”; cf. KJV, NAB, NIV, NLT “children”; NCV, TEV “descendants.”
14 tn Heb “held back downwards from”; KJV “hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve” (NIV, NRSV, NLT all similar).
15 tn Heb “this”; the referent (the guilt mentioned previously) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
16 tn Heb “the seed of Israel.”
17 tn Heb “sons of a foreigner.”
18 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 16, 23, 32, 34, 36).
19 tn Heb “confessing.” The words “their sins” are not present in the Hebrew text of v. 3, but are clearly implied here because they are explicitly stated in v. 2.
20 tc Heb “Bani.” The translation reads “Binnui” (so also NAB) rather than the MT reading “Bani.” Otherwise there are two individuals with the same name in this verse. The name “Binnui” appears, for example, in Neh 10:10.
21 tn Heb “in a great voice.”
22 tc The MT reads here only “from age to age,” without the preceding words “May you be blessed, O
23 tn Heb “the name of your glory.”
24 tn Heb “the heavens of the heavens.”
25 tn Heb “all their host.”
26 tn Heb “the” (so NAB).
27 tn Heb “seed.”
28 tn Heb “your words.”
29 tn Heb “the Sea of Reeds.” Traditionally this is identified as the Red Sea, and the modern designation has been used in the translation for clarity.
30 tn Heb “signs and wonders.” This phrase is a hendiadys. The second noun functions adjectivally, while the first noun retains its full nominal sense: “awesome signs” or “miraculous signs.”
31 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
32 tn Or “arrogantly” (so NASB); NRSV “insolently.”
33 tn Heb “in the midst of.”
34 tn Heb “those who pursued them.”
35 tn Heb “mighty.”
36 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
37 tn Heb “had lifted your hand.”
38 tn Heb “and our fathers.” The vav is explicative.
39 tn Heb “they stiffened their neck” (so also in the following verse).
40 tc The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew
41 tc The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד (khesed, “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד (vÿkhesed, “and loyal love”) of the MT.
42 tn Heb “great.”
43 tn Heb “did not turn from them by day to guide them in the path.”
44 tn The words “of the land” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
45 tc Most Hebrew
46 tn Heb “the sons.”
47 tn Heb “they ate and were sated.” This expression is a hendiadys. The first verb retains its full verbal sense, while the second functions adverbially: “they ate and were filled” = “they ate until they were full.”
48 tn Heb “they cast your law behind their backs.”
49 tn Heb “from the hand of” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “from the power of.”
50 tn Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”
51 tn Heb “if a man keep.” See note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
52 tn Heb “they gave a stubborn shoulder.”
53 tn Heb “they stiffened their neck.”
54 tn The Hebrew expression here is elliptical. The words “your kindness” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
55 tn Heb “did not give ear to.”
56 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
57 tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys. The second noun retains its full nominal sense, while the first functions adjectivally: “the covenant and loyalty” = covenant fidelity.
58 tn Heb “do not let it seem small in your sight.”
59 tn Heb “you have done truth.”
60 tn Heb “great.”
61 tn Heb “given them.”
62 tn Heb “given.”
63 tn The expression “to enjoy” is not included in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
64 tn Heb “according to their desire.”
65 sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.
66 tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”
67 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.
68 tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”
69 tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsa’ah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsa’ad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).
70 tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”
71 tn Heb “and your garments like one who treads in a vat?”
72 sn Nations, headed by Edom, are the object of the Lord’s anger (see v. 6). He compares military slaughter to stomping on grapes in a vat.
73 tn Heb “and I stained.” For discussion of the difficult verb form, see HALOT 170 s.v. II גאל. Perhaps the form is mixed, combining the first person forms of the imperfect (note the alef prefix) and perfect (note the תי- ending).
74 tn Heb “for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my revenge came.” The term גְּאוּלַי (gÿ’ulai) is sometimes translated here “my redemption,” for the verbal root גאל often means “deliver, buy back.” A גֹּאֵל (go’el, “kinsman-redeemer”) was responsible for protecting the extended family’s interests, often by redeeming property that had been sold outside the family. However, the responsibilities of a גֹּאֵל extended beyond financial concerns. He was also responsible for avenging the shed blood of a family member (see Num 35:19-27; Deut 19:6-12). In Isa 63:4, where vengeance is a prominent theme (note the previous line), it is probably this function of the family protector that is in view. The Lord pictures himself as a blood avenger who waits for the day of vengeance to arrive and then springs into action.
75 sn See Isa 59:16 for similar language.
76 tn Heb “and my anger, it supported me”; NIV “my own wrath sustained me.”
77 sn See Isa 49:26 and 51:23 for similar imagery.
78 tn Heb “and I brought down to the ground their juice.” “Juice” refers to their blood (see v. 3).
79 tn Heb “according to all which.”
80 tn Heb “greatness of goodness to the house of Israel which he did for them.”
81 tn Heb “according to.”
82 tn Heb “children [who] do not act deceitfully.” Here the verb refers to covenantal loyalty.
83 tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).
84 tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”
85 tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”
86 tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”
87 tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”
88 sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.
89 tn Heb “and he remembered the days of antiquity, Moses, his people.” The syntax of the statement is unclear. The translation assumes that “his people” is the subject of the verb “remembered.” If original, “Moses” is in apposition to “the days of antiquity,” more precisely identifying the time period referred to. However, the syntactical awkwardness suggests that “Moses” may have been an early marginal note (perhaps identifying “the shepherd of his flock” two lines later) that has worked its way into the text.
90 tn The Hebrew text has a plural form, which if retained and taken as a numerical plural, would probably refer to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite tribal leaders at the time of the Exodus. Most prefer to emend the form to the singular (רָעָה, ra’ah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.
91 sn See the note at v. 10.
92 tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”
93 tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”
94 tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”
95 tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
96 tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).
97 tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”
98 tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.
99 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (’al). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, tit’appaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (’afaq) also occurs in 42:14.
100 tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”
101 tn Some suggest a tolerative use of the Hiphil here, “[why do] you allow us to stray?” (cf. NLT). Though the Hiphil of תָעָה (ta’ah) appears to be tolerative in Jer 50:6, elsewhere it is preferable or necessary to take it as causative. See Isa 3:12; 9:15; and 30:28, as well as Gen 20:13; 2 Kgs 21:9; Job 12:24-25; Prov 12:26; Jer 23:13, 32; Hos 4:12; Amos 2:4; Mic 3:5.
102 tn This probably refers to God’s commands.
103 tn Heb “[Why do] you harden our heart[s] so as not to fear you.” The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
104 tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
105 tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”
106 tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”
107 tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation עוֹלָם + מִן + הָיָה (hayah + min + ’olam) occurs only here.
108 tn Heb “you did not rule them, your name was not called over them.” The expression “the name is called over” indicates ownership; see the note at 4:1. As these two lines stand they are very difficult to interpret. They appear to be stating that the adversaries just mentioned in v. 18 have not been subject to the Lord’s rule in the past, perhaps explaining why they could commit the atrocity described in v. 18b.
109 sn In BHS the chapter division occurs in a different place from the English Bible: 64:1 ET (63:19b HT) and 64:2-12 (64:1-11 HT). Beginning with 65:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
110 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
111 tn Or “quake.” נָזֹלּוּ (nazollu) is from the verbal root זָלַל (zalal, “quake”; see HALOT 272 s.v. II זלל). Perhaps there is a verbal allusion to Judg 5:5, the only other passage where this verb occurs. In that passage the poet tells how the Lord’s appearance to do battle caused the mountains to shake.
112 tn Heb “to make known your name to your adversaries.” Perhaps the infinitive construct with preposition -לְ (lamed) should be construed with “come down” in v. 1a, or subordinated to the following line: “To make known your name to your adversaries, let the nations shake from before you.”
113 tn Heb “[for which] we were not waiting.”
114 tn See the note at v. 1.
115 tn Heb “from ancient times they have not heard, they have not listened.”
116 tn Heb “meet [with kindness].”
117 tn Heb “the one who rejoices and does righteousness.”
118 tn Heb “in your ways they remember you.”
119 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “look, you were angry and we sinned against them continually [or perhaps, “in ancient times”] and we were delivered.” The statement makes little sense as it stands. The first vav [ו] consecutive (“and we sinned”) must introduce an explanatory clause here (see Num 1:48 and Isa 39:1 for other examples of this relatively rare use of the vav [ו] consecutive). The final verb (if rendered positively) makes no sense in this context – God’s anger at their sin resulted in judgment, not deliverance. One of the alternatives involves an emendation to וַנִּרְשָׁע (vannirsha’, “and we were evil”; LXX, NRSV, TEV). The Vulgate and the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa support the MT reading. One can either accept an emendation or cast the statement as a question (as above).
120 tn Heb “and like a garment of menstruation [are] all our righteous acts”; KJV, NIV “filthy rags”; ASV “a polluted garment.”
121 tn Or “calls out in”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “calls on.”
122 tn Or “rouses himself”; NASB “arouses himself.”
123 tn Heb “for you have hidden your face from us.”
124 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and you caused us to melt in the hand of our sin.” The verb וַתְּמוּגֵנוּ (vattÿmugenu) is a Qal preterite 2nd person masculine singular with a 1st person common plural suffix from the root מוּג (mug, “melt”). However, elsewhere the Qal of this verb is intransitive. If the verbal root מוּג (mug) is retained here, the form should be emended to a Polel pattern (וַתְּמֹגְגֵנוּ, vattÿmogÿgenu). The translation assumes an emendation to וַתְּמַגְּנֵנוּ (vattÿmaggÿnenu, “and you handed us over”). This form is a Piel preterite 2nd person masculine singular with a 1st person common plural suffix from the verbal root מִגֵּן (miggen, “hand over, surrender”; see HALOT 545 s.v. מגן and BDB 171 s.v. מָגָן). The point is that God has abandoned them to their sinful ways and no longer seeks reconciliation.
125 tn On the force of וְעַתָּה (vÿ’attah) here, see HALOT 902 s.v. עַתָּה.
126 tn Heb “the work of your hand.”
127 tn Heb “do not remember sin continually.”
128 tn Heb “Look, gaze at your people, all of us.” Another option is to translate, “Take a good look! We are all your people.”
129 tn Heb “holy” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT); NIV “sacred.”
130 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
131 tn Heb “our source of pride.”
132 tn Or “all that we valued has become a ruin.”
133 tn Heb “because of these”; KJV, ASV “for these things.”
134 tn Heb “face.”
135 tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (’adonay ha’elohim).
136 sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.
137 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 7, 9, 15, 16, and 19 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
138 tn Heb “who keeps the covenant and the loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys.
139 tn Heb “in your name.” Another option is to translate, “as your representatives.”
140 tn Heb “our fathers” (also in vv. 8, 16). The Hebrew term translated “father” can refer to more distant relationships such as grandfathers or ancestors.
141 tn Heb “people.”
142 tn Heb “to you (belongs) righteousness.”
143 tn Heb “and to us (belongs) shame of face like this day.”
144 tn Heb “men.”
145 tn Heb “to us (belongs) shame of face.”
146 tn Heb “to the Lord our God (belong) compassion and forgiveness.”
147 tn Heb “paid attention to the voice of,” which is an idiomatic expression for obedience (cf. NASB “nor have we obeyed the voice of”).
148 tn Heb “to walk in.”
149 tc The LXX and Vulgate have the singular.
150 tn Or “transgressed.” The Hebrew verb has the primary sense of crossing a boundary, in this case, God’s law.
151 tn Heb “by not paying attention to your voice.”
152 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.
153 tn Heb “him.”
154 tn Heb “he has fulfilled his word(s) which he spoke.”
155 tn Heb “our judges.”
156 tn Heb “who judged.”
157 tn Heb “we have not pacified the face of.”
158 tn Or “by gaining insight.”
159 tn Heb “by your truth.” The Hebrew term does not refer here to abstract truth, however, but to the reliable moral guidance found in the covenant law. See vv 10-11.
160 tn Or “righteous.”
161 tn Heb “in all his deeds which he has done.”
162 tn Heb “we have not listened to his voice.”
163 tn Heb “with a powerful hand.”
164 tn Or “righteousness.”
165 tn Heb “your anger and your rage.” The synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of God’s anger. This is best expressed in English by making one of the terms adjectival (cf. NLT “your furious anger”; CEV “terribly angry”).
166 tn Heb “hear.” Here the verb refers to hearing favorably, accepting the prayer and responding positively.
167 tn Heb “let your face shine.” This idiom pictures God smiling in favor. See Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19.
168 tn Heb “for the sake of my Lord.” Theodotion has “for your sake.” Cf. v. 19.
169 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
170 tn Heb “desolations.” The term refers here to the ruined condition of Judah’s towns.
171 tn Heb “over which your name is called.” Cf. v. 19. This expression implies that God is the owner of his city, Jerusalem. Note the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 12:28; Isa 4:1; Amos 9:12.
172 tn Heb “praying our supplications before you.”
173 tn Heb “for your name is called over your city and your people.” See the note on this expression in v 18.