13:10 Lot looked up and saw 1 the whole region 2 of the Jordan. He noticed 3 that all of it was well-watered (before the Lord obliterated 4 Sodom and Gomorrah) 5 like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, 6 all the way to Zoar.
18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against 7 Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 8
32:15 But Jeshurun 9 became fat and kicked,
you 10 got fat, thick, and stuffed!
Then he deserted the God who made him,
and treated the Rock who saved him with contempt.
22:13 But look, there is outright celebration! 11
You say, “Kill the ox and slaughter the sheep,
eat meat and drink wine.
Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 12
22:14 The Lord who commands armies told me this: 13 “Certainly this sin will not be forgiven as long as you live,” 14 says the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies.
6:3 You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, 15
but you establish a reign of violence. 16
6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, 17
and sprawl out on their couches.
They eat lambs from the flock,
and calves from the middle of the pen.
6:5 They sing 18 to the tune of 19 stringed instruments; 20
like David they invent 21 musical instruments.
6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, 22
and pour the very best oils on themselves. 23
Yet they are not concerned over 24 the ruin 25 of Joseph.
16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple 38 and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously 39 every day.
21:34 “But be on your guard 42 so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap. 43
1 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.” The expression draws attention to the act of looking, indicating that Lot took a good look. It also calls attention to the importance of what was seen.
2 tn Or “plain”; Heb “circle.”
3 tn The words “he noticed” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
4 sn Obliterated. The use of the term “destroy” (שַׁחֵת, shakhet) is reminiscent of the Noahic flood (Gen 6:13). Both at the flood and in Sodom the place was obliterated by catastrophe and only one family survived (see C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:178).
5 tn This short temporal clause (preposition + Piel infinitive construct + subjective genitive + direct object) is strategically placed in the middle of the lavish descriptions to sound an ominous note. The entire clause is parenthetical in nature. Most English translations place the clause at the end of v. 10 for stylistic reasons.
6 sn The narrative places emphasis on what Lot saw so that the reader can appreciate how it aroused his desire for the best land. It makes allusion to the garden of the
7 tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.
8 tn Heb “heavy.”
9 tn To make the continuity of the referent clear, some English versions substitute “Jacob” here (NAB, NRSV) while others replace “Jeshurun” with “Israel” (NCV, CEV, NLT) or “the Lord’s people” (TEV).
10 tc The LXX reads the third person masculine singular (“he”) for the MT second person masculine singular (“you”), but such alterations are unnecessary in Hebrew poetic texts where subjects fluctuate frequently and without warning.
11 tn Heb “happiness and joy.”
12 tn The prophet here quotes what the fatalistic people are saying. The introductory “you say” is supplied in the translation for clarification; the concluding verb “we die” makes it clear the people are speaking. The six verbs translated as imperatives are actually infinitives absolute, functioning here as finite verbs.
13 tn Heb “it was revealed in my ears [by?] the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].”
14 tn Heb “Certainly this sin will not be atoned for until you die.” This does not imply that their death will bring atonement; rather it emphasizes that their sin is unpardonable. The statement has the form of an oath.
15 tn Heb “those who push away a day of disaster.”
16 tn Heb “you bring near a seat of violence.” The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שֶׁבֶת (shevet, “seat, sitting”) is unclear in this context. The translation assumes that it refers to a throne from which violence (in the person of the oppressive leaders) reigns. Another option is that the expression refers not to the leaders’ oppressive rule, but to the coming judgment when violence will overtake the nation in the person of enemy invaders.
17 tn Heb “beds of ivory.”
18 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”
19 tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”
20 sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).
21 tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase חָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם (khoshvu lahem) is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 206-7).
22 sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).
23 tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”
24 tn Or “not sickened by.”
25 sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.
26 tn Grk “And he.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the connection to the preceding statement.
27 tn Grk “a parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
28 tn Or “yielded a plentiful harvest.”
29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this is a result of the preceding statement.
30 tn Grk “to himself, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
31 sn I have nowhere to store my crops. The thinking here is prudent in terms of recognizing the problem. The issue in the parable will be the rich man’s solution, particularly the arrogance reflected in v. 19.
32 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
33 sn Note how often the first person pronoun is present in these verses. The farmer is totally self absorbed.
34 tn Grk “to my soul,” which is repeated as a vocative in the following statement, but is left untranslated as redundant.
35 tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
36 tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaitew), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).
37 tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
38 sn Purple describes a fine, expensive dye used on luxurious clothing, and by metonymy, refers to clothing colored with that dye. It pictures someone of great wealth.
39 tn Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.
40 tn Or “as it happened.”
41 tn Grk “they.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.
42 tn Grk “watch out for yourselves.”
43 sn Or like a thief, see Luke 12:39-40. The metaphor of a trap is a vivid one. Most modern English translations traditionally place the words “like a trap” at the end of v. 34, completing the metaphor. In the Greek text (and in the NRSV and REB) the words “like a trap” are placed at the beginning of v. 35. This does not affect the meaning.