2 Samuel 23:4

23:4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up,

a morning in which there are no clouds.

He is like the brightness after rain

that produces grass from the earth.

Psalms 19:4-5

19:4 Yet its voice ¹  echoes ²  throughout the earth;

its ³  words carry ⁴  to the distant horizon. ⁵ 

In the sky ⁶  he has pitched a tent for the sun. ⁷ 

19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges ⁸  from its chamber; ⁹ 

like a strong man it enjoys ¹⁰  running its course. ¹¹ 

Psalms 37:6

37:6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,

and publicly defend your just cause. ¹² 

Proverbs 4:18

4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, ¹³ 

growing brighter and brighter ¹⁴  until full day. ¹⁵ 

Daniel 12:3

12:3 But the wise will shine

like the brightness of the heavenly expanse.

And those bringing many to righteousness

will be like the stars forever and ever.

Hosea 6:3

6:3 So let us acknowledge him! ¹⁶ 

Let us seek ¹⁷  to acknowledge ¹⁸  the Lord!

He will come to our rescue as certainly as the appearance of the dawn,

as certainly as the winter rain comes,

as certainly as the spring rain that waters the land.”

Matthew 13:43

13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. ¹⁹  The one who has ears had better listen! ²⁰ 

[19:4]  ¹ tc The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.

[19:4]  ² tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”

[19:4]  ³ tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).

[19:4]  ⁴ tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.

[19:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “to the end of the world.”

[19:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).

[19:4]  ⁷ sn He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.

[19:5]  ⁸ tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.

[19:5]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew noun חֻפָּה (khufah, “chamber”) occurs elsewhere only in Isa 4:5 and Joel 2:16 (where it refers to the bedroom of a bride and groom).

[19:5]  ¹⁰ tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.

[19:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “[on] a path.”

[37:6]  ¹² tn Heb “and he will bring out like light your vindication, and your just cause like noonday.”

[4:18]  ¹³ tn Heb “like light of brightness.” This construction is an attributive genitive: “bright light.” The word “light” (אוֹר, ’or) refers to the early morning light or the dawn (BDB 21 s.v.). The point of the simile is that the course of life that the righteous follow is like the clear, bright morning light. It is illumined, clear, easy to follow, and healthy and safe – the opposite of what darkness represents.

[4:18]  ¹⁴ tn The construction uses the Qal active participle of הָלַךְ (halakh) in a metaphorical sense to add the idea of continuance or continually to the participle הוֹלֵךְ (holekh). Here the path was growing light, but the added participle signifies continually.

[4:18]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “until the day is established.” This expression refers to the coming of the full day or the time of high noon.

[6:3]  ¹⁶ tn The object (“him”) is omitted in the Hebrew text, but supplied in the translation for clarity.

[6:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “let us pursue in order to know.” The Hebrew term רָדַף (radaf, “to pursue”) is used figuratively: “to aim to secure” (BDB 923 s.v. רָדַף 2). It describes the pursuit of a moral goal: “Do not pervert justice…nor accept a bribe…pursue [רָדַף] justice” (Deut 16:20); “those who pursue [רָדַף] righteousness and who seek [בָּקַשׁ, baqash] the Lord” (Isa 51:1); “He who pursues [רָדַף] righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor” (Prov 21:20); “Seek [בָּקַשׁ] peace and pursue [רָדַף] it” (Ps 34:15); “they slander me when I pursue [רָדַף] good” (Ps 38:21).

[6:3]  ¹⁸ tn The Hebrew infinitive construct with לְ (lamed) denotes purpose: “to know” (לָדַעַת, lada’at).

[13:43]  ¹⁹ sn An allusion to Dan 12:3.

[13:43]  ²⁰ tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15, 13:9; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).