18:20 Should good be paid back with evil?
Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me. 1
Just remember how I stood before you
pleading on their behalf 2
to keep you from venting your anger on them. 3
19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went 4 to the place where he had stood before the Lord.
106:23 He threatened 5 to destroy them,
but 6 Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him 7
and turned back his destructive anger. 8
1 tn Or “They are plotting to kill me”; Heb “They have dug a pit for my soul.” This is a common metaphor for plotting against someone. See BDB 500 s.v. כָּרָה Qal and for an example see Pss 7:16 (7:15 HT) in its context.
2 tn Heb “to speak good concerning them” going back to the concept of “good” being paid back with evil.
3 tn Heb “to turn back your anger from them.”
4 tn The words “and went” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
7 tn Heb “and he said.”
8 tn Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”
9 tn Heb “stood in the gap before him.”
10 tn Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.”
10 sn The Hebrew word צוֹאִים (tso’im) means “excrement.” This disgusting figure of speech suggests Joshua’s absolute disqualification for priestly service in the flesh, but v. 2 speaks of his having been rescued from that deplorable state by God’s grace. He is like a burning stick pulled out of the fire before it is consumed. This is a picture of cleansing, saving grace.
13 tn Or “prefiguration.”
14 tn The word “sanctuary” is not in the Greek text at this point, but has been supplied for clarity.