10:3 What will you do on judgment day, 1
when destruction arrives from a distant place?
To whom will you run for help?
Where will you leave your wealth?
47:7 You said,
‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ 2
You did not think about these things; 3
you did not consider how it would turn out. 4
5:31 The prophets prophesy lies.
The priests exercise power by their own authority. 5
And my people love to have it this way.
But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes! 6
17:11 The person who gathers wealth by unjust means
is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. 7
Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. 8
At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.” 9
ט (Tet)
1:9 Her menstrual flow 10 has soiled 11 her clothing; 12
she did not consider 13 the consequences of her sin. 14
Her demise 15 was astonishing, 16
and there was no one to comfort her.
She cried, “Look, 17 O Lord, on my 18 affliction
because my 19 enemy boasts!”
16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple 23 and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously 24 every day. 16:20 But at his gate lay 25 a poor man named Lazarus 26 whose body was covered with sores, 27 16:21 who longed to eat 28 what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs 29 came and licked 30 his sores.
16:22 “Now 31 the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. 32 The 33 rich man also died and was buried. 34 16:23 And in hell, 35 as he was in torment, 36 he looked up 37 and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. 38 16:24 So 39 he called out, 40 ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus 41 to dip the tip of his finger 42 in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish 43 in this fire.’ 44 16:25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, 45 remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 46
1 tn Heb “the day of visitation” (so KJV, ASV), that is, the day when God arrives to execute justice on the oppressors.
2 tn Heb “Forever I [will be] permanent queen”; NIV “the eternal queen”; CEV “queen forever.”
3 tn Heb “you did not set these things upon your heart [or “mind”].”
4 tn Heb “you did not remember its outcome”; NAB “you disregarded their outcome.”
5 tn Heb “they shall rule at their hands.” Since the word “hand” can be used figuratively for authority or mean “side” and the pronoun “them” can refer to the priests themselves or the prophets, the following translations have also been suggested: “the priests rule under their [the prophets’] directions,” or “the priests rule in league with them [the prophets].” From the rest of the book it would appear that the prophets did not exercise authority over the priests nor did they exercise the same authority over the people that the priests did. Hence it probably mean “by their own hand/power/authority.”
6 tn Heb “But what will you do at its end?” The rhetorical question implies a negative answer: “Nothing!”
7 tn The meaning of this line is somewhat uncertain. The word translated “broods over” occurs only here and Isa 34:15. It is often defined on the basis of an Aramaic cognate which means “to gather” with an extended meaning of “to gather together under her to hatch.” Many commentators go back to a Rabbinic explanation that the partridge steals the eggs of other birds and hatches them out only to see the birds depart when they recognize that she is not the mother. Modern studies question the validity of this zoologically. Moreover, W. L. Holladay contests the validity on the basis of the wording “and she does hatch them” (Heb “bring them to birth”). See W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 1:498, and see also P. C. Craigie, P. H. Kelley, J. F. Drinkard, Jeremiah 1-25 (WBC), 229. The point of the comparison is that the rich gather their wealth but they do not get to see the fruits of it.
8 tn The Hebrew text merely says “it.” But the antecedent might be ambiguous in English so the reference to wealth gained by unjust means is here reiterated for clarity.
9 tn Heb “he will be [= prove to be] a fool.”
10 tn Heb “uncleanness.” The noun טֻמְאָה (tum’ah, “uncleanness”) refers in general to the state of ritual uncleanness and specifically to (1) sexual uncleanness (Num 5:19); (2) filthy mass (Ezek 24:11; 2 Chr 29:16); (3) ritual uncleanness (Lev 16:16, 19; Ezek 22:15; 24:13; 36:25, 29; 39:24; Zech 13:2); (4) menstrual uncleanness (Lev 15:25, 26, 30; 18:19; Ezek 36:17); (5) polluted meat (Judg 13:7, 14). Here, Jerusalem is personified as a woman whose menstrual uncleanness has soiled even her own clothes; this is a picture of the consequences of the sin of Jerusalem: uncleanness = her sin, and soiling her own clothes = consequences of sin. The poet may also be mixing metaphors allowing various images (of shame) to circulate in the hearer’s mind, including rape and public exposure. By not again mentioning sin directly (a topic relatively infrequent in this book), the poet lays a general acknowledgment of sin in 1:8 alongside an exceptionally vivid picture of the horrific circumstances which have come to be. It is no simplistic explanation that sin merits such inhumane treatment. Instead 1:9 insists that no matter the legal implications of being guilty, the Lord should be motivated to aid Jerusalem (and therefore her people) because her obscene reality is so revolting.
11 tn Heb “her uncleanness is in her skirts.”
12 tn Heb “her skirts.” This term is a synecdoche of specific (skirts) for general (clothing).
13 tn The basic meaning of זָכַר (zakhar) is “to remember, call to mind” (HALOT 270 s.v. I זכר). Although it is often used in reference to recollection of past events or consideration of present situations, it also may mean “to consider, think about” the future outcome of conduct (e.g., Isa 47:7) (BDB 270 s.v. 5). The same term is used is 7a.
14 tn Heb “she did not consider her end.” The noun אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) here refers to an outcome or the consequences of an action; in light of 1:8 here it is the consequence of sin or immoral behavior (Num 23:10; 24:20; Deut 32:20, 29; Job 8:7; Pss 37:37; 73:17; Prov 14:12; 23:32; 25:8; Eccl 7:8; Isa 46:10; 47:7; Jer 5:31; 17:11; Dan 12:8).
15 tc The MT reads וַתֵּרֶד (vattered) vav (ו) consecutive + Qal preterite 3rd person feminine singular from יָרַד (yarad, “to go down”). Symmachus καὶ κατήχθη (kai kathcqh, “and she was brought down”) and Vulgate deposita est use passive forms which might reflect וַתּוּרַד (vatturad, vav consecutive + Pual preterite 3rd person feminine singular from from יָרַד [yarad, “to go down”]). External evidence favors the MT (supported by all other ancient versions and medieval Hebrew
16 tn The noun פֶּלֶא (pele’) means not only “miracle, wonder” (BDB 810 s.v.) but “something unusual, astonishing” (HALOT 928 s.v.). The plural פְּלָאִים (pÿla’im, lit., “astonishments”) is an example of the plural of intensity: “very astonishing.” The noun functions as an adverbial accusative of manner; the nature of her descent shocks and astounds. Rendering פְּלָאִים וַתֵּרֶד (vattered pÿla’im) as “she has come down marvelously” (cf. BDB 810 s.v. 1 and KJV, ASV) is hardly appropriate; it is better to nuance it “in an astonishing way” (HALOT 928 s.v. 3) or simply “was astonishing.”
17 tn The words “she cried” do not appear in the Hebrew. They are added to indicate that personified Jerusalem is speaking.
18 tc The MT reads עָנְיִי (’onyi, “my affliction”) as reflected in all the ancient versions (LXX, Aramaic Targum, Latin Vulgate, Syriac Peshitta) and the medieval Hebrew
19 tn Heb “an enemy.” While it is understood that the enemy is Jerusalem’s, not using the pronoun in Hebrew leaves room to imply to God that the enemy is not only Jerusalem’s but also God’s.
20 tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
21 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).
22 tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
23 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.
24 tn Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.
25 tn The passive verb ἐβέβλητο (ebeblhto) does not indicate how Lazarus got there. Cf. BDAG 163 s.v. βάλλω 1.b, “he lay before the door”; Josephus, Ant. 9.10.2 (9.209).
26 sn This is the one time in all the gospels that a figure in a parable is mentioned by name. It will become important later in the account.
27 tn Or “was covered with ulcers.” The words “whose body” are implied in the context (L&N 23.180).
28 tn Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.
29 tn The term κύνες (kunes) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).
30 sn When the dogs came and licked his sores it meant that he was unclean. See the negative image of Rev 22:15 that draws on this picture.
31 tn Grk “Now it happened that the.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
32 tn Grk “to Abraham’s bosom.” The phrase “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” describes being gathered to the fathers and is a way to refer to heaven (Gen 15:15; 47:30; Deut 31:16).
33 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
34 sn The shorter description suggests a different fate, which is confirmed in the following verses.
35 sn The Greek term Hades stands for the Hebrew concept of Sheol. It is what is called hell today. This is where the dead were gathered (Ps 16:10; 86:13). In the NT Hades has an additional negative force of awaiting judgment (Rev 20:13).
36 sn Hades is a place of torment, especially as one knows that he is separated from God.
37 tn Grk “he lifted up his eyes” (an idiom).
38 tn Grk “in his bosom,” the same phrase used in 16:22. This idiom refers to heaven and/or participation in the eschatological banquet. An appropriate modern equivalent is “at Abraham’s side.”
39 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous actions in the narrative.
40 tn Grk “calling out he said”; this is redundant in contemporary English style and has been simplified to “he called out.”
41 sn The rich man had not helped Lazarus before, when he lay outside his gate (v. 2), but he knew him well enough to know his name. This is why the use of the name Lazarus in the parable is significant. (The rich man’s name, on the other hand, is not mentioned, because it is not significant for the point of the story.)
42 sn The dipping of the tip of his finger in water is evocative of thirst. The thirsty are in need of God’s presence (Ps 42:1-2; Isa 5:13). The imagery suggests the rich man is now separated from the presence of God.
43 tn Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92).
44 sn Fire in this context is OT imagery; see Isa 66:24.
45 tn The Greek term here is τέκνον (teknon), which could be understood as a term of endearment.
46 tn Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92). Here is the reversal Jesus mentioned in Luke 6:20-26.