16:3 “Bring a plan, make a decision! 1
Provide some shade in the middle of the day! 2
Hide the fugitives! Do not betray 3 the one who tries to escape!
16:4 Please let the Moabite fugitives live 4 among you.
Hide them 5 from the destroyer!”
Certainly 6 the one who applies pressure will cease, 7
the destroyer will come to an end,
those who trample will disappear 8 from the earth.
1 sn It is unclear who is being addressed in this verse. Perhaps the prophet, playing the role of a panic stricken Moabite refugee, requests the leaders of Judah (the imperatives are plural) to take pity on the fugitives.
2 tn Heb “Make your shade like night in the midst of noonday.” “Shade” here symbolizes shelter, while the heat of noonday represents the intense suffering of the Moabites. By comparing the desired shade to night, the speaker visualizes a huge dark shadow cast by a large tree that would provide relief from the sun’s heat.
3 tn Heb “disclose, uncover.”
4 tn That is, “live as resident foreigners.”
5 tn Heb “Be a hiding place for them.”
6 tn The present translation understands כִּי (ki) as asseverative, but one could take it as explanatory (“for,” KJV, NASB) or temporal (“when,” NAB, NRSV). In the latter case, v. 4b would be logically connected to v. 5.
7 tn A perfect verbal form is used here and in the next two lines for rhetorical effect; the demise of the oppressor(s) is described as if it had already occurred.
8 tc The Hebrew text has, “they will be finished, the one who tramples, from the earth.” The plural verb form תַּמּוּ, (tammu, “disappear”) could be emended to agree with the singular subject רֹמֵס (romes, “the one who tramples”) or the participle can be emended to a plural (רֹמֵסִם, romesim) to agree with the verb. The translation assumes the latter. Haplography of mem (ם) seems likely; note that the word after רֹמֵס begins with a mem.
9 tn Grk “joined himself to” (in this case an idiom for beginning to work for someone).
10 tn Grk “and he.” Here the conjunction καί (kai) and the personal pronoun have been translated by a relative pronoun to improve the English style.
11 sn To a Jew, being sent to the field to feed pigs would be an insult, since pigs were considered unclean animals (Lev 11:7).
12 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
13 tn Or “would gladly have eaten”; Grk “was longing to be filled with.”
14 tn This term refers to the edible pods from a carob tree (BDAG 540 s.v. κεράτιον). They were bean-like in nature and were commonly used for fattening pigs, although they were also used for food by poor people (L&N 3.46).
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
16 tn Grk “came to himself” (an idiom).
17 tn Grk “bread,” but used figuratively for food of any kind (L&N 5.1).
18 sn In the confession “I have sinned” there is a recognition of wrong that pictures the penitent coming home and “being found.”
19 sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God.
20 tn According to BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνωπιον 4.a, “in relation to ἁμαρτάνειν ἐ. τινος sin against someone Lk 15:18, 21 (cf. Jdth 5:17; 1 Km 7:6; 20:1).”
21 tn Or “make me.” Here is a sign of total humility.
22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the son’s decision to return home. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
23 tn Grk “a long way off from [home].” The word “home” is implied (L&N 85.16).
24 tn Or “felt great affection for him,” “felt great pity for him.”
25 tn Grk “he fell on his neck,” an idiom for showing special affection for someone by throwing one’s arms around them. The picture is of the father hanging on the son’s neck in welcome.
26 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
28 sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God. 1st century Judaism tended to minimize use of the divine name out of reverence.
29 sn The younger son launches into his confession just as he had planned. See vv. 18-19.
30 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
31 sn With the instructions Hurry! Bring the best robe, there is a total acceptance of the younger son back into the home.
32 tn Grk “hand”; but χείρ (ceir) can refer to either the whole hand or any relevant part of it (L&N 8.30).
33 sn The need for sandals underlines the younger son’s previous destitution, because he was barefoot.
34 tn Grk “And bring.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
35 tn Or “the prize calf” (L&N 65.8). See also L&N 44.2, “grain-fattened.” Such a calf was usually reserved for religious celebrations.
36 tn The participle φαγόντες (fagontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
37 sn This statement links the parable to the theme of 15:6, 9.
38 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the father’s remarks in the preceding verses.
39 tn Or “discredit,” “damage the reputation of.”