46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, 1
the special, holy dwelling place of 2 the sovereign One. 3
46:5 God lives within it, 4 it cannot be moved. 5
God rescues it 6 at the break of dawn. 7
1 tn Heb “A river, its channels cause the city of God to be glad.”
2 tn Heb “the holy [place] of the dwelling places of.” The adjective “holy” is used here in a substantival manner and placed in construct with the following noun (see GKC 428 §132.c). Origen’s transliterated text assumes the reading קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holiness; holy place”), while the LXX assumes a Piel verbal form קִדֵּשׁ (qidesh, “makes holy”) and takes the following form as “his dwelling place.” The plural form מִשְׁכְּנֵי (mishkÿney, “dwelling places of”) is probably a plural of degree, emphasizing the special character of this dwelling place. See GKC 397 §124.b. The form stands as an appositional genitive in relation to the preceding construct noun.
3 tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
4 tn Heb “God [is] within her.” The feminine singular pronoun refers to the city mentioned in v. 4.
5 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “it will not be upended.” Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense. The verb מוֹט (mot), translated “upended” here, is used in v. 2 of the mountains “tumbling” into the seas and in v. 6 of nations being “upended.” By way of contrast, Jerusalem, God’s dwelling place, is secure and immune from such turmoil and destruction.
6 tn Or “helps her.” The imperfect draws attention to the generalizing character of the statement.
7 tn Heb “at the turning of morning.” (For other uses of the expression see Exod 14:27 and Judg 19:26).