Discovery Box1 Kings 10:1-2
Context10:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, 1 she came to challenge 2 him with difficult questions. 3 10:2 She arrived in Jerusalem 4 with a great display of pomp, 5 bringing with her camels carrying spices, 6 a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.
Exodus 18:8-12
Context18:8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, and all the hardship 7 that had come on them 8 along the way, and how 9 the Lord had delivered them.
18:9 Jethro rejoiced 10 because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt. 18:10 Jethro said, “Blessed 11 be the Lord who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians’ control! 12 18:11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them.” 13 18:12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought 14 a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, 15 and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food 16 with the father-in-law of Moses before God.
Exodus 18:2
Context18:2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah after he had sent her back,
Exodus 5:1-7
Context5:1 17 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the Lord, 18 the God of Israel, ‘Release 19 my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast 20 to me in the desert.’” 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord 21 that 22 I should obey him 23 by releasing 24 Israel? I do not know the Lord, 25 and I will not release Israel!” 5:3 And they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey 26 into the desert so that we may sacrifice 27 to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword.” 28 5:4 The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? 29 Return to your labor!” 5:5 Pharaoh was thinking, 30 “The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor.”
5:6 That same day Pharaoh commanded 31 the slave masters and foremen 32 who were 33 over the people: 34 5:7 “You must no longer 35 give straw to the people for making bricks 36 as before. 37 Let them go 38 and collect straw for themselves.
Exodus 5:16-17
Context5:16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, 39 ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even 40 being beaten, but the fault 41 is with your people.”
5:17 But Pharaoh replied, 42 “You are slackers! Slackers! 43 That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’
Isaiah 60:1-10
Context60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!
The splendor 44 of the Lord shines on you!
60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth
and deep darkness covers 45 the nations,
but the Lord shines on you;
his splendor 46 appears over you.
60:3 Nations come to your light,
kings to your bright light.
They all gather and come to you –
your sons come from far away
and your daughters are escorted by guardians.
60:5 Then you will look and smile, 48
you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. 49
For the riches of distant lands 50 will belong to you
and the wealth of nations will come to you.
60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, 51
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
All the merchants of Sheba 52 will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing praises to the Lord. 53
60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. 54
They will go up on my altar acceptably, 55
and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along 56 like a cloud,
who fly like doves to their shelters? 57
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands 58 look eagerly for me,
the large ships 59 are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the Lord your God, 60
the Holy One of Israel, 61 for he has bestowed honor on you.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls;
their kings will serve you.
Even though I struck you down in my anger,
I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. 62
Matthew 2:1
Context2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem 63 in Judea, in the time 64 of King Herod, 65 wise men 66 from the East came to Jerusalem 67
Matthew 12:42
Context12:42 The queen of the South 68 will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, 69 something greater than Solomon is here!
Acts 8:27-40
Context8:27 So 70 he got up 71 and went. There 72 he met 73 an Ethiopian eunuch, 74 a court official of Candace, 75 queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He 76 had come to Jerusalem to worship, 77 8:28 and was returning home, sitting 78 in his chariot, reading 79 the prophet Isaiah. 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 8:30 So Philip ran up 80 to it 81 and heard the man 82 reading Isaiah the prophet. He 83 asked him, 84 “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 8:31 The man 85 replied, “How in the world can I, 86 unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32 Now the passage of scripture the man 87 was reading was this:
“He was led like a sheep to slaughter,
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did 88 not open his mouth.
8:33 In humiliation 89 justice was taken from him. 90
Who can describe his posterity? 91
For his life was taken away 92 from the earth.” 93
8:34 Then the eunuch said 94 to Philip, “Please tell me, 95 who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?” 96 8:35 So Philip started speaking, 97 and beginning with this scripture 98 proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 8:36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me 99 from being baptized?” 8:37 [[EMPTY]] 100 8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, 101 and Philip baptized 102 him. 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but 103 went on his way rejoicing. 104 8:40 Philip, however, found himself 105 at Azotus, 106 and as he passed through the area, 107 he proclaimed the good news 108 to all the towns 109 until he came to Caesarea. 110
[10:1] 1 tn Heb “the report about Solomon.” The Hebrew text also has, “to the name of the
[10:2] 4 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[10:2] 5 tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew term חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or to the great wealth she brought with her.
[18:8] 7 tn A rare word, “weariness” of the hardships.
[18:8] 9 tn Here “how” has been supplied.
[18:9] 10 tn The word חָדָה (khada) is rare, occurring only in Job 3:6 and Ps 21:6, although it is common in Aramaic. The LXX translated it “he shuddered.” U. Cassuto suggests that that rendering was based on the midrashic interpretation in b. Sanhedrin 94b, “he felt cuts in his body” – a wordplay on the verb (Exodus, 215-16).
[18:10] 11 tn This is a common form of praise. The verb בָּרוּךְ (barukh) is the Qal passive participle of the verb. Here must be supplied a jussive, making this participle the predicate: “May Yahweh be blessed.” The verb essentially means “to enrich”; in praise it would mean that he would be enriched by the praises of the people.
[18:10] 12 tn Heb “from under the hand of the Egyptians.”
[18:11] 13 tn The end of this sentence seems not to have been finished, or it is very elliptical. In the present translation the phrase “he has destroyed them” is supplied. Others take the last prepositional phrase to be the completion and supply only a verb: “[he was] above them.” U. Cassuto (Exodus, 216) takes the word “gods” to be the subject of the verb “act proudly,” giving the sense of “precisely (כִּי, ki) in respect of these things of which the gods of Egypt boasted – He is greater than they (עֲלֵיהֶם, ‘alehem).” He suggests rendering the clause, “excelling them in the very things to which they laid claim.”
[18:12] 14 tn The verb is “and he took” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). It must have the sense of getting the animals for the sacrifice. The Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate have “offered.” But Cody argues because of the precise wording in the text Jethro did not offer the sacrifices but received them (A. Cody, “Exodus 18,12: Jethro Accepts a Covenant with the Israelites,” Bib 49 [1968]: 159-61).
[18:12] 15 sn Jethro brought offerings as if he were the one who had been delivered. The “burnt offering” is singular, to honor God first. The other sacrifices were intended for the invited guests to eat (a forerunner of the peace offering). See B. Jacob, Exodus, 498.
[18:12] 16 tn The word לֶחֶם (lekhem) here means the sacrifice and all the foods that were offered with it. The eating before God was part of covenantal ritual, for it signified that they were in communion with the Deity, and with one another.
[5:1] 17 sn The enthusiasm of the worshipers in the preceding chapter turns sour in this one when Pharaoh refuses to cooperate. The point is clear that when the people of God attempt to devote their full service and allegiance to God, they encounter opposition from the world. Rather than finding instant blessing and peace, they find conflict. This is the theme that will continue through the plague narratives. But what makes chapter 5 especially interesting is how the people reacted to this opposition. The chapter has three sections: first, the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh (vv. 1-5); then the report of the stern opposition of the king (vv. 6-14); and finally, the sad account of the effect of this opposition on the people (vv. 15-21).
[5:1] 19 tn The form שַׁלַּח (shallakh), the Piel imperative, has been traditionally translated “let [my people] go.” The Qal would be “send”; so the Piel “send away, release, dismiss, discharge.” B. Jacob observes, “If a person was dismissed through the use of this verb, then he ceased to be within the power or sphere of influence of the individual who had dismissed him. He was completely free and subsequently acted entirely on his own responsibility” (Exodus, 115).
[5:1] 20 tn The verb חָגַג (khagag) means to hold a feast or to go on a pilgrim feast. The Arabic cognate of the noun form is haj, best known for the pilgrim flight of Mohammed, the hajira. The form in the text (וְיָחֹגּוּ, vÿyakhoggu) is subordinated to the imperative and thus shows the purpose of the imperative.
[5:2] 21 tn Heb “Yahweh.” This is a rhetorical question, expressing doubt or indignation or simply a negative thought that Yahweh is nothing (see erotesis in E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 944-45). Pharaoh is not asking for information (cf. 1 Sam 25:5-10).
[5:2] 22 tn The relative pronoun introduces the consecutive clause that depends on the interrogative clause (see GKC 318-19 §107.u).
[5:2] 23 tn The imperfect tense here receives the classification of obligatory imperfect. The verb שָׁמַע (shama’) followed by “in the voice of” is idiomatic; rather than referring to simple audition – “that I should hear his voice” – it conveys the thought of listening that issues in action – “that I should obey him.”
[5:2] 24 tn The Piel infinitive construct here has the epexegetical usage with lamed (ל); it explains the verb “obey.”
[5:2] 25 sn This absolute statement of Pharaoh is part of a motif that will develop throughout the conflict. For Pharaoh, the
[5:3] 26 tn The word “journey” is an adverbial accusative telling the distance that Moses wanted the people to go. It is qualified by “three days.” It is not saying that they will be gone three days, but that they will go a distance that will take three days to cover (see Gen 31:22-23; Num 10:33; 33:8).
[5:3] 27 tn The purpose clause here is formed with a second cohortative joined with a vav (ו): “let us go…and let us sacrifice.” The purpose of the going was to sacrifice.
[5:3] 28 sn The last clause of this verse is rather unexpected here: “lest he meet [afflict] us with pestilence or sword.” To fail to comply with the summons of one’s God was to invite such calamities. The Law would later incorporate many such things as the curses for disobedience. Moses is indicating to Pharaoh that there is more reason to fear Yahweh than Pharaoh.
[5:4] 29 sn The clause is a rhetorical question. Pharaoh is not asking them why they do this, but rather is accusing them of doing it. He suspects their request is an attempt to get people time away from their labor. In Pharaoh’s opinion, Moses and Aaron were “removing the restraint” (פָּרַע, para’) of the people in an effort to give them rest. Ironically, under the Law the people would be expected to cease their labor when they went to appear before God. He would give them the rest that Pharaoh refused to give. It should be noted also that it was not Israel who doubted that Yahweh had sent Moses, as Moses had feared – but rather Pharaoh.
[5:5] 30 tn Heb “And Pharaoh said.” This is not the kind of thing that Pharaoh is likely to have said to Moses, and so it probably is what he thought or reasoned within himself. Other passages (like Exod 2:14; 3:3) show that the verb “said” can do this. (See U. Cassuto, Exodus, 67.)
[5:6] 31 tn Heb “and Pharaoh commanded on that day.”
[5:6] 32 tn The Greek has “scribes” for this word, perhaps thinking of those lesser officials as keeping records of the slaves and the bricks.
[5:6] 33 tn The phrase “who were” is supplied for clarity.
[5:6] 34 sn In vv. 6-14 the second section of the chapter describes the severe measures by the king to increase the labor by decreasing the material. The emphasis in this section must be on the harsh treatment of the people and Pharaoh’s reason for it – he accuses them of idleness because they want to go and worship. The real reason, of course, is that he wants to discredit Moses (v. 9) and keep the people as slaves.
[5:7] 35 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys: לֹא תֹאסִפוּן לָתֵת (lo’ to’sifun latet, “you must not add to give”). The imperfect tense acts adverbially, and the infinitive becomes the main verb of the clause: “you must no longer give.”
[5:7] 36 tn The expression “for making bricks” is made of the infinitive construct followed by its cognate accusative: לִלְבֹּן הַלְּבֵנִים (lilbon hallÿvenim).
[5:7] 37 tn Heb “as yesterday and three days ago” or “as yesterday and before that.” This is idiomatic for “as previously” or “as in the past.”
[5:7] 38 tn The jussive יֵלְכוּ (yelÿkhu) and its following sequential verb would have the force of decree and not permission or advice. He is telling them to go and find straw or stubble for the bricks.
[5:16] 39 tn Heb “[they] are saying to us,” the line can be rendered as a passive since there is no expressed subject for the participle.
[5:16] 40 tn הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to the action reflected in the passive participle מֻכִּים (mukkim): “look, your servants are being beaten.”
[5:16] 41 tn The word rendered “fault” is the basic OT verb for “sin” – וְחָטָאת (vÿkhata’t). The problem is that it is pointed as a perfect tense, feminine singular verb. Some other form of the verb would be expected, or a noun. But the basic word-group means “to err, sin, miss the mark, way, goal.” The word in this context seems to indicate that the people of Pharaoh – the slave masters – have failed to provide the straw. Hence: “fault” or “they failed.” But, as indicated, the line has difficult grammar, for it would literally translate: “and you [fem.] sin your people.” Many commentators (so GKC 206 §74.g) wish to emend the text to read with the Greek and the Syriac, thus: “you sin against your own people” (meaning the Israelites are his loyal subjects).
[5:17] 42 tn Heb “And he said.”
[5:17] 43 tn Or “loafers.” The form נִרְפִּים (nirpim) is derived from the verb רָפָה (rafah), meaning “to be weak, to let oneself go.”
[60:1] 44 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).
[60:2] 45 tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[60:2] 46 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”
[60:4] 47 tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”
[60:5] 48 tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[60:5] 49 tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”
[60:5] 50 tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.
[60:6] 51 tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”
[60:6] 52 tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”
[60:6] 53 tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”
[60:7] 54 tn Heb “will serve you,” i.e., be available as sacrifices (see the next line). Another option is to understood these “rams” as symbolic of leaders who will be subject to the people of Zion. See v. 10.
[60:7] 55 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (’al) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [ya’alu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (lÿratson, “acceptably”; see BDB 953 s.v. רָצוֹן). However, the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has both לרצון followed by the preposition על, which would argue against deleted the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (’al) indicates a norm (“in accordance with acceptance” or “acceptably”; IBHS 218 §11.2.13e, n. 111) and the “altar” functions as an objective accusative with a verb of motion (cf. Gen 49:4; Lev 2:2; Num 13:17; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:534, n. 14).
[60:8] 56 tn Heb “fly” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “fly along.”
[60:8] 57 tn Heb “to their windows,” i.e., to the openings in their coops. See HALOT 83 s.v. אֲרֻבָּה.
[60:9] 58 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
[60:9] 59 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
[60:9] 60 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
[60:9] 61 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[60:10] 62 tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”
[2:1] 63 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[2:1] 64 tn Grk “in the days.”
[2:1] 65 sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37
[2:1] 66 sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).
[2:1] 67 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:42] 68 sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.
[8:27] 70 tn Grk “And,” but καί (kai) carries something of a resultative force in this context because what follows describes Philip’s response to the angel’s command.
[8:27] 71 tn Grk “So getting up he went.” The aorist participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[8:27] 72 tn Grk “And there.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[8:27] 73 tn Grk “and behold.” This expression is used to portray Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian in a vivid way. In the English translation this vividness is difficult to convey; it is necessary to supply the words “he met.”
[8:27] 74 sn The term eunuch normally referred to a man who had been castrated, but this was not always the case (see Gen 39:1 LXX, where Potiphar is called a eunuch). Such castrated individuals were preferred as court officials in the East, although Judaism opposed the practice. The Mosaic law excluded eunuchs from Israel (Deut 23:1), although God certainly accepted them (Isa 56:3-5; Wis 3:14). This individual was a high official, since he was said to be in charge of all her treasury. He may or may not have been a eunuch physically. He appears to be the first fully Gentile convert to Christianity, since the Samaritans mentioned previously (Acts 8:4-25) were regarded as half-breeds.
[8:27] 75 tn Or “the Candace” (the title of the queen of the Ethiopians). The term Κανδάκης (Kandakh") is much more likely a title rather than a proper name (like Pharaoh, which is a title); see L&N 37.77. A few, however, still take the word to be the name of the queen (L&N 93.209). BDAG 507 s.v. Κανδάκη, treats the term as a title and lists classical usage by Strabo (Geography 17.1.54) and others.
[8:27] 76 tn Grk “who was over all her treasury, who.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “he” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.
[8:27] 77 sn Since this man had come to Jerusalem to worship, he may have been a proselyte to Judaism. This event is a precursor to Acts 10.
[8:28] 78 tn Grk “and was sitting.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[8:28] 79 tn Grk “and was reading.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[8:30] 80 tn The participle προσδραμών (prosdramwn) is regarded as attendant circumstance.
[8:30] 81 tn The words “to it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[8:30] 82 tn Grk “heard him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:30] 83 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
[8:30] 84 tn Grk “he said”; but since what follows is a question, it is better English style to translate the introduction to the question “he asked him.”
[8:31] 85 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:31] 86 tn Grk “How am I able, unless…” The translation is based on the force of the conjunction γάρ (gar) in this context. The translation “How in the world can I?” is given in BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 1.f.
[8:32] 87 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:32] 88 tn Grk “does.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the first line of the quotation (“he was led like a sheep to slaughter”), which has an aorist passive verb normally translated as a past tense in English.
[8:33] 89 tc ‡ Most later
[8:33] 90 tn Or “justice was denied him”; Grk “his justice was taken away.”
[8:33] 91 tn Or “family; or “origin.” The meaning of γενεά (genea) in the quotation is uncertain; BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 4 suggests “family history.”
[8:33] 92 tn Grk “is taken away.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the rest of the quotation.
[8:33] 93 sn A quotation from Isa 53:7-8.
[8:34] 94 tn Grk “answered and said.” The redundant participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqei") has not been translated.
[8:34] 95 tn Grk “I beg you,” “I ask you.”
[8:34] 96 sn About himself, or about someone else? It is likely in 1st century Judaism this would have been understood as either Israel or Isaiah.
[8:35] 97 tn Grk “opening his mouth” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[8:35] 98 sn Beginning with this scripture. The discussion likely included many of the scriptures Acts has already noted for the reader in earlier speeches. At the least, readers of Acts would know what other scriptures might be meant.
[8:36] 99 tn Or “What prevents me.” The rhetorical question means, “I should get baptized, right?”
[8:37] 100 tc A few later
[8:38] 101 tn Grk “and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch.” Since this is somewhat redundant in English, it was simplified to “and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water.”
[8:38] 102 sn Philip baptized. Again, someone beyond the Twelve has ministered an ordinance of faith.
[8:39] 103 tn BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 2 indicates that under certain circumstances γάρ (gar) has the same meaning as δέ (de).
[8:39] 104 sn Note that the response to the gospel is rejoicing (joy, cf. Acts 11:23; 13:48).
[8:40] 106 sn Azotus was a city on the coast of southern Palestine, known as Ashdod in OT times.
[8:40] 107 tn The words “the area” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[8:40] 108 tn Or “he preached the gospel.”
[8:40] 110 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.
