135:14 For the Lord vindicates 1 his people,
and has compassion on his servants. 2
135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,
they are man-made. 3
135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.
Indeed, they cannot breathe. 4
135:18 Those who make them will end up 5 like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
135:19 O family 6 of Israel, praise the Lord!
O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!
135:20 O family of Levi, praise the Lord!
You loyal followers 7 of the Lord, praise the Lord!
135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion 8 –
he who dwells in Jerusalem. 9
Praise the Lord!
1 tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the
2 sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people.
3 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
4 tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”
5 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”
6 tn Heb “house” (here and in the next two lines).
7 tn Heb “fearers.”
8 tn Heb “praised be the
9 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.