31:1 Then Moses went 4 and spoke these words 5 to all Israel.
121:8 The Lord will protect you in all you do, 9
now and forevermore.
1 sn This is probably technical terminology for a military leader (Josh 14:11; 1 Sam 18:13-16; 1 Kgs 3:7; 2 Kgs 11:9). The image of a shepherd can also be military in nature (1 Kgs 22:17).
2 tn The Hebrew text has the conjunction with the negated imperfect tense, “and it will not be.” This clause should be subordinated to the preceding to form a result clause, and the imperfect then function as a final imperfect.
3 tn Or “am no longer able to lead you” (NIV, NLT); Heb “am no longer able to go out and come in.”
4 tc For the MT reading וַיֵּלֶךְ (vayyelekh, “he went”), the LXX and Qumran have וַיְכַל (vaykhal, “he finished”): “So Moses finished speaking,” etc. The difficult reading of the MT favors its authenticity.
5 tn In the MT this refers to the words that follow (cf. NIV, NCV).
6 tn The Hebrew text uses the collective singular in this verse: “my God…lest I die.”
7 tn Heb “he” (and throughout the verse).
8 tn Heb “brothers,” but not referring to actual siblings. Cf. NASB “their countrymen”; NRSV “the other members of the community.”
9 tn Heb “your going out and your coming in.”
10 tn Or “porter” (British English).
11 tn The words “the door” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
12 tn Grk “For this one.”
13 tn Grk “And he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
14 sn He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Some interpreters have suggested that there was more than one flock in the fold, and there would be a process of separation where each shepherd called out his own flock. This may also be suggested by the mention of a doorkeeper in v. 3 since only the larger sheepfolds would have such a guard. But the Gospel of John never mentions a distinction among the sheep in this fold; in fact (10:16) there are other sheep which are to be brought in, but they are to be one flock and one shepherd.
15 tn The word “sheep” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
16 tn Grk “because they know.”
17 tn Since the Greek phrase εἰσέρχομαι καὶ ἐξέρχομαι (eisercomai kai exercomai, “come in and go out”) is in some places an idiom for living or conducting oneself in relationship to some community (“to live with, to live among” [cf. Acts 1:21; see also Num 27:17; 2 Chr 1:10]), it may well be that Jesus’ words here look forward to the new covenant community of believers. Another significant NT text is Luke 9:4, where both these verbs occur in the context of the safety and security provided by a given household for the disciples. See also BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β.
18 sn That is, pasture land in contrast to cultivated land.