14:6 It 1 furiously struck down nations
with unceasing blows. 2
It angrily ruled over nations,
oppressing them without restraint. 3
16:6 We have heard about Moab’s pride,
their great arrogance,
their boasting, pride, and excess. 4
But their boastful claims are empty! 5
1 tn Or perhaps, “he” (cf. KJV; NCV “the king of Babylon”). The present translation understands the referent of the pronoun (“it”) to be the “club/scepter” of the preceding line.
2 tn Heb “it was striking down nations in fury [with] a blow without ceasing.” The participle (“striking down”) suggests repeated or continuous action in past time.
3 tn Heb “it was ruling in anger nations [with] oppression without restraint.” The participle (“ruling”) suggests repeated or continuous action in past time.
4 tn עֶבְרָה (’evrah) often means “anger, fury,” but here it appears to refer to boastful outbursts or excessive claims. See HALOT 782 s.v. עֶבְרָה.
5 tn Heb “not so his boasting.”