65:7 You calm the raging seas 1
and their roaring waves,
as well as the commotion made by the nations. 2
93:3 The waves 3 roar, O Lord,
the waves roar,
the waves roar and crash. 4
93:4 Above the sound of the surging water, 5
and the mighty waves of the sea,
the Lord sits enthroned in majesty. 6
17:13 Though these people make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves, 7
when he shouts at 8 them, they will flee to a distant land,
driven before the wind like dead weeds on the hills,
or like dead thistles 9 before a strong gale.
21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, 12 and on the earth nations will be in distress, 13 anxious 14 over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves.
17:15 Then 15 the angel 16 said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, 17 nations, and languages.
1 tn Heb “the roar of the seas.”
2 sn The raging seas…the commotion made by the nations. The raging seas symbolize the turbulent nations of the earth (see Ps 46:2-3, 6; Isa 17:12).
3 tn The Hebrew noun translated “waves” often refers to rivers or streams, but here it appears to refer to the surging waves of the sea (see v. 4, Ps 24:2).
4 tn Heb “the waves lift up, O
5 tn Heb “mighty waters.”
6 tn Heb “mighty on high [is] the
7 tn Heb “the peoples are in an uproar like the uproar of mighty waters.”
8 tn Or “rebukes.” The verb and related noun are used in theophanies of God’s battle cry which terrifies his enemies. See, for example, Pss 18:15; 76:7; 106:9; Isa 50:2; Nah 1:4, and A. Caquot, TDOT 3:49-53.
9 tn Or perhaps “tumbleweed” (NAB, NIV, CEV); KJV “like a rolling thing.”
10 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws attention to something and has been translated here as a verb.
11 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8. The Hebrew text switches to a second feminine singular form here, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed (see vv. 5-6a). The address to Jerusalem continues through v. 15. In vv. 16-17 the second masculine plural is used, as the people are addressed.
12 sn Signs in the sun and moon and stars are cosmic signs that turn our attention to the end and the Son of Man’s return for the righteous. OT imagery is present: See Isa 13:9-10; 24:18-20; 34:4; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:1, 30-31; 3:15.
13 tn Grk “distress of nations.”
14 tn Or “in consternation” (L&N 32.9).
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
16 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
17 tn Grk “and multitudes,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.