92:10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. 1
I am covered 2 with fresh oil.
112:9 He generously gives 3 to the needy;
his integrity endures. 4
He will be vindicated and honored. 5
14:1 Now 8 one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine 9 at the house of a leader 10 of the Pharisees, 11 they were watching 12 him closely.
1 sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “to exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; Lam 2:17).
2 tn The Hebrew verb בָּלַל (balal) usually has the nuance “to mix.” Here it seems to mean “to smear” or “to anoint.” Some emend the form to בַּלֹּתַנִי (ballotaniy; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”
3 tn Heb “he scatters, he gives.”
4 tn Heb “stands forever.”
5 tn Heb “his horn will be lifted up in honor.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.
7 sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.
8 tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
9 tn Grk “to eat bread,” an idiom for participating in a meal.
10 tn Grk “a ruler of the Pharisees.” He was probably a synagogue official.
11 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
12 sn Watching…closely is a graphic term meaning to lurk and watch; see Luke 11:53-54.
13 sn Elizabeth was barren. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth are regarded by Luke as righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly (v. 6). With this language, reminiscent of various passages in the OT, Luke is probably drawing implicit comparisons to the age and barrenness of such famous OT personalities as Abraham and Sarah (see, e.g., Gen 18:9-15), the mother of Samson (Judg 13:2-5), and Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1-20). And, as it was in the case of these OT saints, so it is with Elizabeth: After much anguish and seeking the Lord, she too is going to have a son in her barrenness. In that day it was a great reproach to be childless, for children were a sign of God’s blessing (cf. Gen 1:28; Lev 20:20-21; Pss 127 and 128; Jer 22:30). As the dawn of salvation draws near, however, God will change this elderly couple’s grief into great joy and grant them the one desire time had rendered impossible.
14 tn Grk “were both advanced in days” (an idiom for old age).
15 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
16 tn In context, this imperfect verb is best taken as an ingressive imperfect (BDF §338.1).