2 Samuel 18:19

David Learns of Absalom’s Death

18:19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.” ¹ 

2 Samuel 18:28

18:28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Greetings!” ²  He bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and said, “May the Lord your God be praised because he has defeated ³  the men who opposed ⁴  my lord the king!”

2 Samuel 22:48-49

22:48 The one true God completely vindicates me; ⁵ 

he makes nations submit to me. ⁶ 

22:49 He delivers me from my enemies; ⁷ 

you snatch me away ⁸  from those who attack me; ⁹ 

you rescue me from violent men.

Deuteronomy 32:35-36

32:35 I will get revenge and pay them back

at the time their foot slips;

for the day of their disaster is near,

and the impending judgment ¹⁰  is rushing upon them!”

32:36 The Lord will judge his people,

and will change his plans concerning ¹¹  his servants;

when he sees that their power has disappeared,

and that no one is left, whether confined or set free.

Psalms 58:10

58:10 The godly ¹²  will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out;

they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Psalms 94:1-4

Psalm 94 ¹³ 

94:1 O Lord, the God who avenges!

O God who avenges, reveal your splendor! ¹⁴ 

94:2 Rise up, O judge of the earth!

Pay back the proud!

94:3 O Lord, how long will the wicked,

how long will the wicked celebrate? ¹⁵ 

94:4 They spew out threats ¹⁶  and speak defiantly;

all the evildoers boast. ¹⁷ 

Psalms 124:2-3

124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,

when men attacked us, ¹⁸ 

124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,

when their anger raged against us.

Luke 18:7-8

18:7 Won’t ¹⁹  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ²⁰  to him day and night? ²¹  Will he delay ²²  long to help them? 18:8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ²³  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ²⁴  on earth?”

[18:19]  ¹ tn Heb “that the Lord has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.”

[18:28]  ² tn Heb “Peace.”

[18:28]  ³ tn Heb “delivered over.”

[18:28]  ⁴ tn Heb “lifted their hand against.”

[22:48]  ⁵ tn Heb “The God is the one who grants vengeance to me.” The plural form of the noun “vengeance” indicates degree here, suggesting complete vengeance or vindication. In the ancient Near East military victory was sometimes viewed as a sign that one’s God had judged in favor of the victor, avenging and/or vindicating him. See, for example, Judg 11:27, 32-33, 36.

[22:48]  ⁶ tn Heb “and [is the one who] brings down nations beneath me.”

[22:49]  ⁷ tn Heb “and [the one who] brings me out from my enemies.”

[22:49]  ⁸ tn Heb “you lift me up.” In light of the preceding and following references to deliverance, the verb רוּם (rum) probably here refers to being rescued from danger (see Ps 9:13). However, it could mean “exalt; elevate” here, indicating that the Lord has given him victory over his enemies and forced them to acknowledge the psalmist’s superiority.

[22:49]  ⁹ tn Heb “from those who rise against me.”

[32:35]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “prepared things,” “impending things.” See BDB 800 s.v. עָתִיד.

[32:36]  ¹¹ tn The translation understands the verb in the sense of “be grieved, relent” (cf. HALOT 689 s.v. נחם hitp 2); cf. KJV, ASV “repent himself”; NLT “will change his mind.” Another option is to translate “will show compassion to” (see BDB 637 s.v. נחם); cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV.

[58:10]  ¹² tn The singular is representative here, as is the singular from “wicked” in the next line.

[94:1]  ¹³ sn Psalm 94. The psalmist asks God to judge the wicked and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.

[94:1]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “shine forth” (see Pss 50:2; 80:1).

[94:3]  ¹⁵ tn Or “exult.”

[94:4]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “they gush forth [words].”

[94:4]  ¹⁷ tn The Hitpael of אָמַר (’amar) occurs only here (and perhaps in Isa 61:6).

[124:2]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “rose up against us.”

[18:7]  ¹⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[18:7]  ²⁰ sn The prayers have to do with the righteous who cry out to him to receive justice. The context assumes the righteous are persecuted.

[18:7]  ²¹ tn The emphatic particles in this sentence indicate that God will indeed give justice to the righteous.

[18:7]  ²² sn The issue of delay has produced a whole host of views for this verse. (1) Does this assume provision to endure in the meantime? Or (2) does it mean God restricts the level of persecution until he comes? Either view is possible.

[18:8]  ²³ tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.

[18:8]  ²⁴ sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.