17:1 The Lord spoke to Moses:
15:3 “I will punish them in four different ways: I will have war kill them. I will have dogs drag off their dead bodies. I will have birds and wild beasts devour and destroy their corpses. 5
5:19 Disaster will be inescapable, 6
as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear,
then escaped 7 into a house,
leaned his hand against the wall,
and was bitten by a poisonous snake.
1 tn Heb “the animal of the field.” This collective singular has been translated as a plural. The expression “animal of the field” refers to a wild (i.e., nondomesticated) animal.
2 tn The words “of your children” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
3 tn Heb “and diminish you.”
4 tn Heb “and my sanctuary you shall fear.” Cf. NCV “respect”; CEV “honor.”
5 tn The translation attempts to render in understandable English some rather unusual uses of terms here. The verb translated “punish” is often used that way (cf. BDB 823 s.v. פָּקַד Qal.A.3 and compare usage in Jer 11:22, 13:21). However, here it is accompanied by a direct object and a preposition meaning “over” which is usually used in the sense of appointing someone over someone (cf. BDB 823 s.v. פָּקַד Qal.B.1 and compare usage in Jer 51:27). Moreover the word translated “different ways” normally refers to “families,” “clans,” or “guilds” (cf. BDB 1046-47 s.v. מִשְׁפָּחָה for usage). Hence the four things mentioned are referred to figuratively as officers or agents into whose power the
6 tn The words “Disaster will be inescapable” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
7 tn Heb “went” (so KJV, NRSV).