80:9 You cleared the ground for it; 1
it took root, 2
and filled the land.
80:10 The mountains were covered by its shadow,
the highest cedars 3 by its branches.
80:11 Its branches reached the Mediterranean Sea, 4
and its shoots the Euphrates River. 5
80:12 Why did you break down its walls, 6
so that all who pass by pluck its fruit? 7
1 tn Heb “you cleared away before it.”
2 tn Heb “and it took root [with] its roots.”
3 tn Heb “cedars of God.” The divine name אֵל (’al, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.
5 tn Heb “to [the] sea.” The “sea” refers here to the Mediterranean Sea.
6 tn Heb “to [the] river.” The “river” is the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. Israel expanded both to the west and to the east.
7 sn The protective walls of the metaphorical vineyard are in view here (see Isa 5:5).
8 tn Heb “pluck it.”