1:11 If they say, “Come with us!
We will 1 lie in wait 2 to shed blood; 3
we will ambush 4 an innocent person 5 capriciously. 6
12:6 The words of the wicked lie in wait 7 to shed innocent blood, 8
but the words 9 of the upright will deliver them.
59:7 They are eager to do evil, 10
quick to shed innocent blood. 11
Their thoughts are sinful;
they crush and destroy. 12
5:16 All of its soldiers are strong and mighty. 13
Their arrows will send you to your grave. 14
1 tn This cohortative נֶאֶרְבָה (ne’ervah) could denote resolve (“We will lie in wait!”) or exhortation (“Let us lie in wait!”). These sinners are either expressing their determination to carry out a violent plan or they are trying to entice the lad to participate with them.
2 tn The verb אָרַב (’arav, “to lie in wait”) it is used for planning murder (Deut 19:11), kidnapping (Judg 21:20), or seduction (Prov 23:28).
3 tn Heb “for blood.” The term דָּם (dam, “blood”) functions as a metonymy of effect for “blood shed violently” through murder (HALOT 224 s.v. 4).
4 tn Heb “lie in hiding.”
5 tn The term “innocent” (נָקִי, naqi) intimates that the person to be attacked is harmless.
6 tn Heb “without cause” (so KJV, NASB); NCV “just for fun.” The term חִנָּם (khinnam, “without cause”) emphasizes that the planned attack is completely unwarranted.
7 tn The infinitive construct אֱרָב (’erav, “to lie in wait”) expresses the purpose of their conversations. The idea of “lying in wait for blood” is an implied comparison (hypocatastasis): Their words are like an ambush intended to destroy (cf. NAB, NRSV “are a deadly ambush”). The words of the wicked are here personified.
8 tn Heb “for blood.” The term “blood” is a metonymy of effect, the cause being the person that they will attack and whose blood they will shed. After the construct “blood” is also an objective genitive.
9 tn Heb “mouth.” The term פֶּה (peh, “mouth”) is a metonymy of cause, signifying what the righteous say. The righteous can make a skillful defense against false accusations that are intended to destroy. The righteous, who have gained wisdom, can escape the traps set by the words of the wicked.
10 tn Heb “their feet run to evil.”
11 tn Heb “they quickly pour out innocent blood.”
12 tn Heb “their thoughts are thoughts of sin, destruction and crushing [are] in their roadways.”
13 tn Heb “All of them are mighty warriors.”
14 tn Heb “his quiver [is] an open grave.” The order of the lines has been reversed to make the transition from “nation” to “their arrows” easier.