Proverbs 22:23

22:23 for the Lord will plead their case

and will rob those who are robbing them.

Lamentations 3:58-60

ר (Resh)

3:58 O Lord, you championed my cause,

you redeemed my life.

3:59 You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord;

pronounce judgment on my behalf!

3:60 You have seen all their vengeance,

all their plots against me.

Micah 7:9

7:9 I must endure the Lord’s anger,

for I have sinned against him.

But then he will defend my cause, 10 

and accomplish justice on my behalf.

He will lead me out into the light;

I will experience firsthand 11  his deliverance. 12 


tn The construction uses the verb יָרִיב (yariv) with its cognate accusative. It can mean “to strive,” but here it probably means “to argue a case, plead a case” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV). How the Lord will do this is not specified – either through righteous people or by direct intervention.

tn The verb קָבַע (qava’, “to rob; to spoil; to plunder”) is used here in both places to reflect the principle of talionic justice. What the oppressors did to the poor will be turned back on them by the Lord.

tc The MT reads אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “the Lord”) here rather than יהוה (YHWH, “the Lord”) as in the following verse. See the tc note at 1:14.

tn This verb, like others in this stanza, could be understood as a precative (“Plead”).

tn Heb “the causes of my soul.” The term נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) is a synecdoche of part (= my soul) for the whole person (= me).

tn Heb “Please judge my judgment.”

tc The MT reads לִי (li, “to me”); but many medieval Hebrew mss and the ancient versions (Aramaic Targum, Syriac Peshitta, Latin Vulgate) all reflect a Vorlage of עָלָי (’alay, “against me”).

tn Heb “lift, bear.”

tn Heb “until.”

10 tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”

11 tn Heb “see.”

12 tn Or “justice, vindication.”