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.
5 tn Heb “and he said.”
6 tn Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”
7 tn Heb “stood in the gap before him.”
8 tn Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.”
9 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.
10 tn Or “prefiguration.”
11 tn The word “sanctuary” is not in the Greek text at this point, but has been supplied for clarity.