2:14 for all the tall mountains,
for all the high hills, 1
2:15 for every high tower,
for every fortified wall,
2:16 for all the large ships, 2
for all the impressive 3 ships. 4
2:17 Proud men will be humiliated,
arrogant men will be brought low; 5
the Lord alone will be exalted 6
in that day.
1 sn The high mountains and hills symbolize the apparent security of proud men, as do the high tower and fortified wall of v. 15.
2 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish.
3 tn Heb “desirable”; NAB, NIV “stately”; NRSV “beautiful.”
4 tn On the meaning of this word, which appears only here in the Hebrew Bible, see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 41-42.
5 tn Heb “and the pride of men will be brought down, and the arrogance of men will be brought low.” As in v. 11, the repetition of the verbs שָׁפַל (shafal) and שָׁחָח (shakhakh) from v. 9 draws attention to the appropriate nature of the judgment. Those proud men who “bow low” before idols will be forced to “bow low” before God when he judges their sin.
6 tn Or “elevated”; NCV “praised”; CEV “honored.”