10:2 Treasures gained by wickedness 1 do not profit,
but righteousness 2 delivers from mortal danger. 3
36:18 Be careful that 4 no one entices you with riches;
do not let a large bribe 5 turn you aside.
36:19 Would your wealth 6 sustain you,
so that you would not be in distress, 7
even all your mighty efforts? 8
49:6 They trust 9 in their wealth
and boast 10 in their great riches.
49:7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother; 11
he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price 12
49:8 (the ransom price for a human life 13 is too high,
and people go to their final destiny), 14
1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.
The whole earth 19 will be consumed by his fiery wrath. 20
Indeed, 21 he will bring terrifying destruction 22 on all who live on the earth.” 23
1 tn Heb “treasures of wickedness” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “Ill-gotten gains”; TEV “Wealth that you get by dishonesty.”
2 sn The term “righteousness” here means honesty (cf. TEV). Wealth has limited value even if gained honestly; but honesty delivers from mortal danger.
3 tn Heb “death.” This could refer to literal death, but it is probably figurative here for mortal danger or ruin.
4 tn The first expression is idiomatic: the text says, “because wrath lest it entice you” – thus, beware.
5 tn The word is כֹּפֶר (kofer), often translated “ransom,” but frequently in the sense of a bribe.
6 tn The form in the MT is “your cry (for help).” See J. E. Hartley (Job [NICOT], 472-73) and E. Dhorme (Job, 547-48) on the difficulties.
7 tn This part has only two words לֹא בְצָר (lo’ bÿtsar, “not in distress”). The negated phrase serves to explain the first colon.
8 tc For the many suggestions and the reasoning here, see the commentaries.
9 tn Heb “the ones who trust.” The substantival participle stands in apposition to “those who deceive me” (v. 5).
10 tn The imperfect verbal form emphasizes their characteristic behavior.
11 tn Heb “a brother, he surely does not ransom, a man.” The sequence אִישׁ...אָח (’akh...’ish, “a brother…a man”) is problematic, for the usual combination is אָח...אָח (“a brother…a brother”) or אִישׁ...אִישׁ (“a man…a man”). When אִישׁ and אָח are combined, the usual order is אָח...אִישׁ (“a man…a brother”), with “brother” having a third masculine singular suffix, “his brother.” This suggests that “brother” is the object of the verb and “man” the subject. (1) Perhaps the altered word order and absence of the suffix can be explained by the text’s poetic character, for ellipsis is a feature of Hebrew poetic style. (2) Another option, supported by a few medieval Hebrew
12 tn Heb “he cannot pay to God his ransom price.” Num 35:31 may supply the legal background for the metaphorical language used here. The psalmist pictures God as having a claim on the soul of the individual. When God comes to claim the life that ultimately belongs to him, he demands a ransom price that is beyond the capability of anyone to pay. The psalmist’s point is that God has ultimate authority over life and death; all the money in the world cannot buy anyone a single day of life beyond what God has decreed.
13 tn Heb “their life.” Some emend the text to “his life,” understanding the antecedent of the pronoun as “brother” in v. 7. However, the man and brother of v. 7 are representative of the human race in general, perhaps explaining why a plural pronoun appears in v. 8. Of course, the plural pronoun could refer back to “the rich” mentioned in v. 6. Another option (the one assumed in the translation) is that the suffixed mem is enclitic. In this case the “ransom price for human life” is referred to an abstract, general way.
14 tn Heb “and one ceases forever.” The translation assumes an indefinite subject which in turn is representative of the entire human race (“one,” that refers to human beings without exception). The verb חָדַל (khadal, “cease”) is understood in the sense of “come to an end; fail” (i.e., die). Another option is to translate, “and one ceases/refrains forever.” In this case the idea is that the living, convinced of the reality of human mortality, give up all hope of “buying off” God and refrain from trying to do so.
15 tn The Hebrew term can refer to menstrual impurity. The term also occurs at the end of v. 20.
16 sn Compare Zeph 1:18.
17 tn Heb “it.” Apparently the subject is the silver and gold mentioned earlier (see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel [WBC], 1:102).
18 tn The “stumbling block of their iniquity” is a unique phrase of the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 14:3, 4, 7; 18:30; 44:12).
19 tn Or “land” (cf. NEB). This same word also occurs at the end of the present verse.
20 tn Or “passion”; traditionally, “jealousy.”
21 tn Or “for.”
22 tn Heb “complete destruction, even terror, he will make.”
23 tn It is not certain where the
24 tn Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.
25 tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
26 tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaitew), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).
27 tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.