31:37 The Lord says, “I will not reject all the descendants of Israel
because of all that they have done. 1
That could only happen if the heavens above could be measured
or the foundations of the earth below could all be explored,” 2
says the Lord. 3
1:10 (2:1) 15 However, 16 in the future the number of the people 17 of Israel will be like the sand of the sea which can be neither measured nor numbered. Although 18 it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it will be said to them, “You are 19 children 20 of the living God!”
7:9 After these things I looked, and here was 24 an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, 25 people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. 7:10 They were shouting out in a loud voice,
“Salvation belongs to our God, 26
to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
1 sn This answers Jeremiah’s question in 14:19.
2 tn Heb “If the heavens above could be measured or the foundations of the earth below be explored, then also I could reject all the seed of Israel for all they have done.”
3 tn Heb “Oracle of the
4 tn The translation “can be counted” (potential imperfect) is suggested by the use of יוּכַל (yukhal, “is able”) in the preceding clause.
5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
6 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form (either an imperfect or cohortative) emphasizes the certainty of the blessing.
7 tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).
8 tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.
9 tn Or “inherit.”
10 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. To break through the gate complex would be to conquer the city, for the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”).
11 tn This is the same Hebrew word translated “ground” in the preceding verse.
12 tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew; Jacob is addressed as the representative of his descendants.
13 tn Theoretically the Niphal stem can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Jacob were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in other formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless (i.e., pronounce blessings upon) themselves/one another.” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 28:14 predicts that Jacob will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae (see Gen 12:2 and 18:18 as well, where Abram/Abraham receives this promise). For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.
14 tn Heb “and they will pronounce blessings by you, all the families of the earth, and by your offspring.”
15 sn Beginning with 1:10, the verse numbers through 2:23 in the English Bible differ by two from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 1:10 ET = 2:1 HT, 1:11 ET = 2:2 HT, 2:1 ET = 2:3 HT, etc., through 2:23 ET = 2:25 HT. Beginning with 3:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
16 tn The vav prefixed to וְהָיָה (véhaya) functions in an adversative sense: “however” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 71, §432).
17 tn Heb “sons” (so NASB); KJV, ASV “the children”; NAB, NIV “the Israelites.”
18 tn Heb “in the place” (בִּמְקוֹם, bimqom). BDB 880 s.v. מָקוֹם 7.b suggests that בִּמְקוֹם (preposition בְּ, bet, + noun מָקוֹם, maqom) is an idiom carrying a concessive sense: “instead of” (e.g., Isa 33:21; Hos 2:1). However, HALOT suggests that it functions in a locative sense: “in the same place” (HALOT 626 s.v. מָקוֹם 2b; e.g., 1 Kgs 21:19; Isa 33:21; Hos 2:1).
19 tn The predicate nominative, “You are…,” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
20 tn Heb “sons” (so KJV, NASB, NIV).
21 tn Grk “these”; in the translation the referent (children) has been specified for clarity.
22 tn Grk a collective “the sand.”
23 sn An allusion to Gen 22:17 (which itself goes back to Gen 15:5).
24 tn The phrase “and here was” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
25 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated before each of the following categories, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
26 tn The dative here has been translated as a dative of possession.