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Genesis 24:1-67

Context
The Wife for Isaac

24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, 1  and the Lord had blessed him 2  in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one 3  in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh 4  24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise 5  by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire 6  a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives 7  to find 8  a wife for my son Isaac.”

24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me 9  to this land? Must I then 10  take your son back to the land from which you came?”

24:6 “Be careful 11  never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him. 12  24:7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, 13  promised me with a solemn oath, 14  ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel 15  before you so that you may find 16  a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, 17  you will be free 18  from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!” 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. 19 

24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. 20  He journeyed 21  to the region of Aram Naharaim 22  and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well 23  outside the city. It was evening, 24  the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. 25  Be faithful 26  to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, 27  and the daughters of the people 28  who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ 29  In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 30 

24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah 31  with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor). 32  24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. 33  She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant 34  ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering 35  her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, 36  she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied 37  her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine 38  if the Lord had made his journey successful 39  or not.

24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka 40  and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels 41  and gave them to her. 42  24:23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. 43  “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

24:24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. 44  24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, 45  “and room for you 46  to spend the night.”

24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love 47  for my master! The Lord has led me 48  to the house 49  of my master’s relatives!” 50 

24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about 51  these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) 52  Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring 53  and heard his sister Rebekah say, 54  “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing 55  by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, 56  “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! 57  Why are you standing out here when I have prepared 58  the house and a place for the camels?”

24:32 So Abraham’s servant 59  went to the house and unloaded 60  the camels. Straw and feed were given 61  to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 62  24:33 When food was served, 63  he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” 64  “Tell us,” Laban said. 65 

24:34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 24:35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. 66  The Lord 67  has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him 68  when she was old, 69  and my master 70  has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find 71  a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go 72  with me?’ 73  24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, 74  will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath 75  if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, 76  may events unfold as follows: 77  24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. 78  When 79  the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 24:44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’

24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, 80  along came Rebekah 81  with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ 82  I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter 83  of my master’s brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” 84 

24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. 85  Our wishes are of no concern. 86  24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become 87  the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” 88 

24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he 89  brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. 90 

When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 91  24:55 But Rebekah’s 92  brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 24:56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord 93  has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return 94  to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 95  24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want 96  to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”

24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: 97 

“Our sister, may you become the mother 98  of thousands of ten thousands!

May your descendants possess the strongholds 99  of their enemies.”

24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with 100  the man. So Abraham’s servant 101  took Rebekah and left.

24:62 Now 102  Isaac came from 103  Beer Lahai Roi, 104  for 105  he was living in the Negev. 106  24:63 He 107  went out to relax 108  in the field in the early evening. 109  Then he looked up 110  and saw that 111  there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up 112  and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked 113  Abraham’s servant, 114  “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. 115  So she took her veil and covered herself.

24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah 116  into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her 117  as his wife and loved her. 118  So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. 119 

Genesis 18:20

Context

18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against 120  Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 121 

Psalms 40:9-10

Context

40:9 I have told the great assembly 122  about your justice. 123 

Look! I spare no words! 124 

O Lord, you know this is true.

40:10 I have not failed to tell about your justice; 125 

I spoke about your reliability and deliverance;

I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness. 126 

Proverbs 1:20-23

Context
Warning Against Disregarding Wisdom

1:20 Wisdom 127  calls out 128  in the street,

she shouts loudly 129  in the plazas; 130 

1:21 at the head of the noisy 131  streets she calls,

in the entrances of the gates in the city 132  she utters her words: 133 

1:22 “How long will you simpletons 134  love naiveté? 135 

How long 136  will mockers 137  delight 138  in mockery 139 

and fools 140  hate knowledge?

1:23 If only 141  you will respond 142  to my rebuke, 143 

then 144  I will pour 145  out my thoughts 146  to you

and 147  I will make 148  my words known to you.

Proverbs 8:1-3

Context
The Appeal of Wisdom 149 

8:1 Does not wisdom call out?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

8:2 At the top 150  of the elevated places along the way,

at the intersection 151  of the paths she takes her stand;

8:3 beside the gates opening into 152  the city,

at the entrance of the doorways she cries out: 153 

Luke 4:31

Context
Ministry in Capernaum

4:31 So 154  he went down to Capernaum, 155  a town 156  in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he began to teach the people. 157 

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[24:1]  1 tn Heb “days.”

[24:1]  2 tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.

[24:2]  3 tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).

[24:2]  4 sn Put your hand under my thigh. The taking of this oath had to do with the sanctity of the family and the continuation of the family line. See D. R. Freedman, “Put Your Hand Under My Thigh – the Patriarchal Oath,” BAR 2 (1976): 2-4, 42.

[24:3]  5 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.

[24:3]  6 tn Heb “because you must not take.”

[24:4]  7 tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”

[24:4]  8 tn Heb “and take.”

[24:5]  9 tn Heb “to go after me.”

[24:5]  10 tn In the Hebrew text the construction is emphatic; the infinitive absolute precedes the imperfect. However, it is difficult to reflect this emphasis in an English translation.

[24:6]  11 tn Heb “guard yourself.”

[24:6]  12 tn The introductory clause “And Abraham said to him” has been moved to the end of the opening sentence of direct discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:7]  13 tn Or “the land of my birth.”

[24:7]  14 tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”

[24:7]  15 tn Or “his messenger.”

[24:7]  16 tn Heb “before you and you will take.”

[24:8]  17 tn Heb “ to go after you.”

[24:8]  18 sn You will be free. If the prospective bride was not willing to accompany the servant back to Canaan, the servant would be released from his oath to Abraham.

[24:9]  19 tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”

[24:10]  20 tn Heb “and every good thing of his master was in his hand.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, explaining that he took all kinds of gifts to be used at his discretion.

[24:10]  21 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”

[24:10]  22 tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:11]  23 tn Heb “well of water.”

[24:11]  24 tn Heb “at the time of evening.”

[24:12]  25 tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).

[24:12]  26 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”

[24:13]  27 tn Heb “the spring of water.”

[24:13]  28 tn Heb “the men.”

[24:14]  29 sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.

[24:14]  30 tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”

[24:15]  31 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out!” Using the participle introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator dramatically transports the audience back into the event and invites them to see Rebekah through the servant’s eyes.

[24:15]  32 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out – [she] who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham – and her jug [was] on her shoulder.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:16]  33 tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man she had not known.” Some argue that the Hebrew noun translated “virgin” (בְּתוּלָה, bÿtulah) is better understood in a general sense, “young woman” (see Joel 1:8, where the word appears to refer to one who is married). In this case the circumstantial clause (“and a man she had not known”) would be restrictive, rather than descriptive. If the term actually means “virgin,” one wonders why the circumstantial clause is necessary (see Judg 21:12 as well). Perhaps the repetition emphasizes her sexual purity as a prerequisite for her role as the mother of the covenant community.

[24:17]  34 tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:18]  35 tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”

[24:19]  36 tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:20]  37 tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”

[24:21]  38 tn Heb “to know.”

[24:21]  39 tn The Hebrew term צָלָה (tsalah), meaning “to make successful” in the Hiphil verbal stem, is a key term in the story (see vv. 40, 42, 56).

[24:22]  40 sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).

[24:22]  41 sn A shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce) although weights varied locally, so these bracelets weighed about 4 ounces (115 grams).

[24:22]  42 tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[24:23]  43 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:24]  44 tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  45 tn Heb “and she said, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed.’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:25]  46 tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[24:27]  47 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”

[24:27]  48 tn Heb “As for me – in the way the Lord led me.”

[24:27]  49 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.

[24:27]  50 tn Heb “brothers.”

[24:28]  51 tn Heb “according to.”

[24:29]  52 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.

[24:30]  53 tn Heb “And it was when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister.” The word order is altered in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[24:30]  54 tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”

[24:30]  55 tn Heb “and look, he was standing.” The disjunctive clause with the participle following the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites the audience to view the scene through Laban’s eyes.

[24:31]  56 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified and the words “to him” supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:31]  57 sn Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the Lord. Already the author is laying the foundation for subsequent events in the narrative, where Laban’s greed becomes his dominant characteristic.

[24:31]  58 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.

[24:32]  59 tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:32]  60 tn Some translations (e.g., NEB, NASB, NRSV) understand Laban to be the subject of this and the following verbs or take the subject of this and the following verbs as indefinite (referring to an unnamed servant; e.g., NAB, NIV).

[24:32]  61 tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.

[24:32]  62 tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”

[24:33]  63 tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”

[24:33]  64 tn Heb “my words.”

[24:33]  65 tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”

[24:35]  66 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.

[24:35]  67 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:36]  68 tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:36]  69 tn Heb “after her old age.”

[24:36]  70 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:38]  71 tn Heb “but to the house of my father you must go and to my family and you must take a wife for my son.”

[24:39]  72 tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.

[24:39]  73 tn Heb “after me.”

[24:40]  74 tn The verb is the Hitpael of הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning “live one’s life” (see Gen 17:1). The statement may simply refer to serving the Lord or it may have a more positive moral connotation (“serve faithfully”).

[24:41]  75 tn Heb “my oath” (twice in this verse). From the Hebrew perspective the oath belonged to the person to whom it was sworn (Abraham), although in contemporary English an oath is typically viewed as belonging to the person who swears it (the servant).

[24:42]  76 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”

[24:42]  77 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[24:43]  78 tn Heb “the spring of water.”

[24:43]  79 tn Heb “and it will be.”

[24:45]  80 tn Heb “As for me, before I finished speaking to my heart.” The adverb טֶרֶם (terem) indicates the verb is a preterite; the infinitive that follows is the direct object.

[24:45]  81 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.

[24:47]  82 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:48]  83 tn Heb “daughter.” Rebekah was actually the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. One can either translate the Hebrew term בַּת (bat) as “daughter,” in which case the term אָח (’akh) must be translated more generally as “relative” rather than “brother” (cf. NASB, NRSV) or one can translate בַּת as “granddaughter,” in which case אָח may be translated “brother” (cf. NIV).

[24:49]  84 tn Heb “and I will turn to the right or to the left.” The expression apparently means that Abraham’s servant will know where he should go if there is no further business here.

[24:50]  85 tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”

[24:50]  86 tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.

[24:51]  87 tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[24:51]  88 tn Heb “as the Lord has spoken.”

[24:53]  89 tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:54]  90 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”

[24:54]  91 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”

[24:55]  92 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:56]  93 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.

[24:56]  94 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[24:57]  95 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”

[24:58]  96 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.

[24:60]  97 tn Heb “and said to her.”

[24:60]  98 tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”

[24:60]  99 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). A similar phrase occurs in Gen 22:17.

[24:61]  100 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”

[24:61]  101 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:62]  102 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.

[24:62]  103 tn Heb “from the way of.”

[24:62]  104 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿer lakhay roi) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” See Gen 16:14.

[24:62]  105 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.

[24:62]  106 tn Or “the South [country].”

[24:63]  107 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:63]  108 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).

[24:63]  109 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”

[24:63]  110 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.

[24:63]  111 tn Heb “and look.” The clause introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) invites the audience to view the scene through Isaac’s eyes.

[24:64]  112 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”

[24:65]  113 tn Heb “and she said to.”

[24:65]  114 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:65]  115 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:67]  116 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.

[24:67]  117 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:67]  118 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”

[24:67]  119 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.

[18:20]  120 tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.

[18:20]  121 tn Heb “heavy.”

[40:9]  122 sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Pss 22:25 and 35:18.

[40:9]  123 tn Heb “I proclaim justice in the great assembly.” Though “justice” appears without a pronoun here, the Lord’s just acts are in view (see v. 10). His “justice” (צֶדֶק, tsedeq) is here the deliverance that originates in his justice; he protects and vindicates the one whose cause is just.

[40:9]  124 tn Heb “Look! My lips I do not restrain.”

[40:10]  125 tn Heb “your justice I have not hidden in the midst of my heart.”

[40:10]  126 tn Heb “I have not hidden your loyal love and reliability.”

[1:20]  127 tn The noun חָכְמָה (khokhmah, “wisdom”) is the abstract feminine plural form. It probably functions as a plural of intensity, stressing the all-embracing, elevated wisdom (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 272). As in 8:1-9:11, Wisdom is personified as a righteous woman in 1:20-33.

[1:20]  128 sn The verb רָנַן (ranan, “to cry out, give a ringing cry”) always expresses excitement, whether of joyful praise or lamentable sorrow (BDB 943 s.v.). Here it is an excited summons.

[1:20]  129 tn Heb “she gives her voice.” The expression means to shout loudly (BDB 679 s.v. נָתַן Qal.x).

[1:20]  130 sn The word רְחֹבוֹת (rÿkhovot, “plazas”) refers to the wide plazas or broad open spaces near the gate where all the people assembled. The personification of wisdom as a woman crying out in this place would be a vivid picture of the public appeal to all who pass by.

[1:21]  131 tc MT reads הֹמִיּוֹת (homyyot, “noisy streets”; Qal participle feminine plural from הָמָה [hamah], “to murmur; to roar”), referring to the busy, bustling place where the street branches off from the gate complex. The LXX reads τειχέων (teicewn) which reflects חֹמוֹת (khomot), “walls” (feminine plural noun from חוֹמָה [khomah], “wall”): “She proclaims on the summits of the walls.” MT is preferred because it is the more difficult form. The LXX textual error was caused by simple omission of yod (י). In addition, the LXX expands the verse to read, “she sits at the gates of the princes, at the gates of the city she boldly says.” The shorter MT reading is preferred.

[1:21]  132 sn The phrase “in the city” further defines the area of the entrance just inside the gate complex, the business area. In an ancient Near Eastern city, business dealings and judicial proceedings would both take place in this area.

[1:21]  133 tn Heb “she speaks her words.”

[1:22]  134 tn Wisdom addresses three types of people: simpletons (פְּתָיִם, pÿtayim), scoffers (לֵצִים, letsim) and fools (כְּסִילִים, kÿsilim). For the term “simpleton” see note on 1:4. Each of these three types of people is satisfied with the life being led and will not listen to reason. See J. A. Emerton, “A Note on the Hebrew Text of Proverbs 1:22-23,” JTS 19 (1968): 609-14.

[1:22]  135 tn Heb “simplicity” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “inanity.” The noun פֶּתִי (peti) means “simplicity; lack of wisdom” (BDB 834 s.v.; HALOT 989 s.v. II פֶּתִי). It is related to the term פְּתָיִם (pÿtayim) “simpletons” and so forms a striking wordplay. This lack of wisdom and moral simplicity is inherent in the character of the naive person.

[1:22]  136 tn The second instance of “How long?” does not appear in the Hebrew text; it is supplied in the translation for smoothness and style.

[1:22]  137 sn The term לֵצִים (leysim, “scoffers; mockers”) comes from the root לִיץ (lits, “to scorn; to mock; to speak indirectly” (BDB 539 s.v. לִיץ). They are cynical and defiant freethinkers who ridicule the righteous and all for which they stand (e.g., Ps 1:1).

[1:22]  138 tn Heb “delight.” The verb (חָמַד, khamad) is often translated “to take pleasure; to delight” but frequently has the meaning of a selfish desire, a coveting of something. It is the term, for example, used for coveting in the Decalogue (Exod 20:17; Deut 5:21) and for the covetous desire of Eve (Gen 3:6) and Achan (Josh 7:21). It is tempting to nuance it here as “illicit desire” for mockery.

[1:22]  139 tn Heb “for themselves.” The ethical dative לָהֶם (lahem, “for themselves”) is normally untranslated. It is a rhetorical device emphasizing that they take delight in mockery for their own self-interests.

[1:22]  140 sn The term “fool” (כְּסִיל, kÿsil) refers to the morally insensitive dullard (BDB 493 s.v.).

[1:23]  141 tn The imperfect tense is in the conditional protasis without the conditional particle, followed by the clause beginning with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “then”). The phrase “If only…” does not appear in the Hebrew but is implied by the syntax; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[1:23]  142 tn Heb “turn.” The verb is from שׁוּב (shuv, “to return; to respond; to repent”).

[1:23]  143 sn The noun תּוֹכַחַת (tokhakhat, “rebuke”) is used in all kinds of disputes including rebuking, arguing, reasoning, admonishing, and chiding. The term is broad enough to include here warning and rebuke. Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “reproof”; TEV “when I reprimand you”; CEV “correct you.”

[1:23]  144 tn Heb “Behold!”

[1:23]  145 tn The Hiphil cohortative of נָבַע (nava’, “to pour out”) describes the speaker’s resolution to pour out wisdom on those who respond.

[1:23]  146 tn Heb “my spirit.” The term “spirit” (רוּחַ, ruakh) functions as a metonymy (= spirit) of association (= thoughts), as indicated by the parallelism with “my words” (דְּבָרַי, dÿbaray). The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) can have a cognitive nuance, e.g., “spirit of wisdom” (Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9). It is used metonymically for “words” (Job 20:3) and “mind” (Isa 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; see BDB 925 s.v. רוּחַ 6). The “spirit of wisdom” produces skill and capacity necessary for success (Isa 11:2; John 7:37-39).

[1:23]  147 tn The conjunction “and” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.

[1:23]  148 tn Here too the form is the cohortative, stressing the resolution of wisdom to reveal herself to the one who responds.

[8:1]  149 sn In this chapter wisdom is personified. In 1:20-33 wisdom proclaims her value, and in 3:19-26 wisdom is the agent of creation. Such a personification has affinities with the wisdom literature of the ancient Near East, and may have drawn on some of that literature, albeit with appropriate safeguards (Claudia V. Camp, Wisdom and the Feminine in the Book of Proverbs, 23-70). Wisdom in Proverbs 8, however, is not a deity like Egypt’s Ma`at or the Assyrian-Babylonian Ishtar. It is simply presented as if it were a self-conscious divine being distinct but subordinate to God; but in reality it is the personification of the attribute of wisdom displayed by God (R. B. Y. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes [AB], 69-72; and R. Marcus, “On Biblical Hypostases of Wisdom,” HUCA 23 [1950-1951]: 157-71). Many have equated wisdom in this chapter with Jesus Christ. This connection works only in so far as Jesus reveals the nature of the Father, just as Proverbs presents wisdom as an attribute of God. Jesus’ claims included wisdom (Matt 12:42) and a unique knowledge of God (Matt 11:25-27). He even personified wisdom in a way that was similar to Proverbs (Matt 11:19). Paul saw the fulfillment of wisdom in Christ (Col 1:15-20; 2:3) and affirmed that Christ became our wisdom in the crucifixion (1 Cor 1:24, 30). So this personification in Proverbs provides a solid foundation for the similar revelation of wisdom in Christ. But because wisdom is a creation of God in Proverbs 8, it is unlikely that wisdom here is to be identified with Jesus Christ. The chapter unfolds in three cycles: After an introduction (1-3), wisdom makes an invitation (4, 5) and explains that she is noble, just, and true (6-9); she then makes another invitation (10) and explains that she is valuable (11-21); and finally, she tells how she preceded and delights in creation (22-31) before concluding with the third invitation (32-36).

[8:2]  150 tn Heb “head.” The word רֹאשׁ (rosh, “head”) refers to the highest area or most important place in the elevated area. The contrast with chapter 7 is striking. There the wayward woman lurked at the corners in the street at night; here wisdom is at the highest point in the open places in view of all.

[8:2]  151 tn Heb “at the house of the paths.” The “house” is not literal here, but refers to where the paths meet (cf. ASV, NIV), that is, the “crossroads” (so NAB, NRSV, NLT).

[8:3]  152 tn Heb “at the mouth of.”

[8:3]  153 tn The cry is a very loud ringing cry that could not be missed. The term רָנַן (ranan) means “to give a ringing cry.” It is often only a shrill sound that might come with a victory in battle, but its use in the psalms for praise shows that it also can have clear verbal content, as it does here. For wisdom to stand in the street and give such a ringing cry would mean that it could be heard by all. It was a proclamation.

[4:31]  154 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the continuation of the topic; in light of his rejection at Nazareth, Jesus went on to Capernaum.

[4:31]  155 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.

[4:31]  156 tn Or “city.”

[4:31]  157 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.



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