23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them; 1
from the hills I watch them. 2
Indeed, a nation that lives alone,
and it will not be reckoned 3 among the nations.
45:9 Princesses 4 are among your honored guests, 5
your bride 6 stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir. 7
1 tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).
2 sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the
3 tn The verb could also be taken as a reflexive – Israel does not consider itself as among the nations, meaning, they consider themselves to be unique.
4 tn Heb “daughters of kings.”
5 tn Heb “valuable ones.” The form is feminine plural.
6 tn This rare Hebrew noun apparently refers to the king’s bride, who will soon be queen (see Neh 2:6). The Aramaic cognate is used of royal wives in Dan 5:2-3, 23.
7 tn Heb “a consort stands at your right hand, gold of Ophir.”
8 sn The meaning of the statement the Jerusalem above is free is that the other woman represents the second covenant (cf. v. 24); she corresponds to the Jerusalem above that is free. Paul’s argument is very condensed at this point.