29:7 When I went out to the city gate
and secured my seat in the public square, 2
16:5 Then a trustworthy king will be established;
he will rule in a reliable manner,
this one from David’s family. 3
He will be sure to make just decisions
and will be experienced in executing justice. 4
3:12 Let the nations be roused and let them go up
to the valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations.
1 tn Or “they should naturally comprehend.” The present tense in this context may have a conative force.
2 sn In the public square. The area referred to here should not be thought of in terms of modern western dimensions. The wide space, plaza, or public square mentioned here is the open area in the gate complex where legal and business matters were conducted. The area could be as small as a few hundred square feet.
3 tn Heb “and a throne will be established in faithfulness, and he will sit on it in reliability, in the tent of David.”
4 tn Heb “one who judges and seeks justice, and one experienced in fairness.” Many understand מְהִר (mÿhir) to mean “quick, prompt” (see BDB 555 s.v. מָהִיר), but HALOT 552 s.v. מָהִיר offers the meaning “skillful, experienced,” and translates the phrase in v. 5 “zealous for what is right.”
5 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
6 tn Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
7 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
8 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 tn Grk “devoted to this very thing.”