Deuteronomy 2:34

2:34 At that time we seized all his cities and put every one of them ¹  under divine judgment, ²  including even the women and children; we left no survivors.

Deuteronomy 7:2

7:2 and he ³  delivers them over to you and you attack them, you must utterly annihilate ⁴  them. Make no treaty ⁵  with them and show them no mercy!

Deuteronomy 7:16

Exhortation to Destroy Canaanite Paganism

7:16 You must destroy ⁶  all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship ⁷  their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Exodus 22:20

22:20 “Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord ⁸  alone must be utterly destroyed. ⁹ 

Exodus 23:24

23:24 “You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones ¹⁰  to pieces. ¹¹ 

Leviticus 27:28

Things Permanently Dedicated to the Lord

27:28 “‘Surely anything which a man permanently dedicates to the Lord ¹²  from all that belongs to him, whether from people, animals, or his landed property, must be neither sold nor redeemed; anything permanently dedicated is most holy to the Lord.

Joshua 6:17-21

6:17 The city and all that is in it must be set apart for the Lord, ¹³  except for Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the spies ¹⁴  we sent. 6:18 But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for the Lord. If you take any of it, you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster. ¹⁵  6:19 All the silver and gold, as well as bronze and iron items, belong to the Lord. ¹⁶  They must go into the Lord’s treasury.”

6:20 The rams’ horns sounded ¹⁷  and when the army ¹⁸  heard the signal, ¹⁹  they gave a loud battle cry. ²⁰  The wall collapsed ²¹  and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. ²²  6:21 They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city, ²³  including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys.

Joshua 6:24

6:24 But they burned ²⁴  the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of the Lord’s house. ²⁵ 

Jude 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Jude, ²⁶  a slave ²⁷  of Jesus Christ and brother of James, ²⁸  to those who are called, wrapped in the love of ²⁹  God the Father and kept for ³⁰  Jesus Christ.

Revelation 17:16

17:16 The ³¹  ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They ³²  will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. ³³ 

Revelation 18:18-24

18:18 and began to shout ³⁴  when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up, ³⁵  “Who is like the great city?” 18:19 And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning, ³⁶ 

“Woe, Woe, O great city –

in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth –

because in a single hour she has been destroyed!” ³⁷ 

18:20 (Rejoice over her, O heaven,

and you saints and apostles and prophets,

for God has pronounced judgment ³⁸  against her on your behalf!) ³⁹ 

18:21 Then ⁴⁰  one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said,

“With this kind of sudden violent force ⁴¹ 

Babylon the great city will be thrown down ⁴² 

and it will never be found again!

18:22 And the sound of the harpists, musicians,

flute players, and trumpeters

will never be heard in you ⁴³  again.

No ⁴⁴  craftsman ⁴⁵  who practices any trade

will ever be found in you again;

the noise of a mill ⁴⁶  will never be heard in you again.

18:23 Even the light from a lamp

will never shine in you again!

The voices of the bridegroom and his bride

will never be heard in you again.

For your merchants were the tycoons of the world,

because all the nations ⁴⁷  were deceived by your magic spells! ⁴⁸ 

18:24 The ⁴⁹  blood of the saints and prophets was found in her, ⁵⁰ 

along with the blood ⁵¹  of all those who had been killed on the earth.”

Revelation 19:2-3

19:2 because his judgments are true and just. ⁵² 

For he has judged ⁵³  the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,

and has avenged the blood of his servants ⁵⁴  poured out by her own hands!” ⁵⁵ 

19:3 Then ⁵⁶  a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever. ⁵⁷ 

[2:34]  ¹ tn Heb “every city of men.” This apparently identifies the cities as inhabited.

[2:34]  ² tn Heb “under the ban” (נַחֲרֵם, nakharem). The verb employed is חָרַם (kharam, usually in the Hiphil) and the associated noun is חֵרֶם (kherem). See J. Naudé, NIDOTTE, 2:276-77, and, for a more thorough discussion, Susan Niditch, War in the Hebrew Bible, 28-77.

[7:2]  ³ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

[7:2]  ⁴ tn In the Hebrew text the infinitive absolute before the finite verb emphasizes the statement. The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here. Cf. ASV “shalt (must NRSV) utterly destroy them”; CEV “must destroy them without mercy.”

[7:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “covenant” (so NASB, NRSV); TEV “alliance.”

[7:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “devour” (so NRSV); KJV, NAB, NASB “consume.” The verbal form (a perfect with vav consecutive) is understood here as having an imperatival or obligatory nuance (cf. the instructions and commands that follow). Another option is to take the statement as a continuation of the preceding conditional promises and translate “and you will destroy.”

[7:16]  ⁷ tn Or “serve” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[22:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “not to Yahweh.”

[22:20]  ⁹ tn The verb חָרַם (kharam) means “to be devoted” to God or “to be banned.” The idea is that it would be God’s to do with as he liked. What was put under the ban was for God alone, either for his service or for his judgment. But it was out of human control. Here the verb is saying that the person will be utterly destroyed.

[23:24]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew is מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶם (matsevotehem, “their standing stones”); these long stones were erected to represent the abode of the numen or deity. They were usually set up near the altar or the high place. To destroy these would be to destroy the centers of Canaanite worship in the land.

[23:24]  ¹¹ tn Both verbs are joined with their infinitive absolutes to provide the strongest sense to these instructions. The images of the false gods in Canaan were to be completely and utterly destroyed. This could not be said any more strongly.

[27:28]  ¹² tn Heb “Surely, any permanently dedicated [thing] which a man shall permanently dedicate to the Lord.” The Hebrew term חֵרֶם (kherem) refers to things that are devoted permanently to the Lord (see the note on v. 21 above).

[6:17]  ¹³ tn Or “dedicated to the Lord.”

[6:17]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “messengers.”

[6:18]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Only you keep [away] from what is set apart [to the Lord] so that you might not, as you are setting [it] apart, take some of what is set apart [to the Lord] and make the camp of Israel set apart [to destruction by the Lord] and bring trouble on it.”

[6:19]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “it is holy to the Lord.”

[6:20]  ¹⁷ tc Heb “and the people shouted and they blew the rams’ horns.” The initial statement (“and the people shouted”) seems premature, since the verse goes on to explain that the battle cry followed the blowing of the horns. The statement has probably been accidentally duplicated from what follows. It is omitted in the LXX.

[6:20]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “the people.”

[6:20]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the sound of the horn.”

[6:20]  ²⁰ tn Heb “they shouted with a loud shout.”

[6:20]  ²¹ tn Heb “fell in its place.”

[6:20]  ²² tn Heb “and the people went up into the city, each one straight ahead, and they captured the city.”

[6:21]  ²³ tn Heb “all which was in the city.”

[6:24]  ²⁴ tn The Hebrew text adds “with fire.”

[6:24]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the treasury of the house of the Lord.” Technically the Lord did not have a “house” yet, so perhaps this refers to the tabernacle using later terminology.

[1:1]  ²⁶ tn Grk “Judas,” traditionally “Jude” in English versions to distinguish him from the one who betrayed Jesus. The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ²⁷ tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). At the same time, perhaps “servant” is apt in that the δοῦλος of Jesus Christ took on that role voluntarily, unlike a slave. The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ²⁸ sn Although Jude was half-brother of Jesus, he humbly associates himself with James, his full brother. By first calling himself a slave of Jesus Christ, it is evident that he wants no one to place stock in his physical connections. At the same time, he must identify himself further: Since Jude was a common name in the 1st century (two of Jesus’ disciples were so named, including his betrayer), more information was needed, that is to say, brother of James.

[1:1]  ²⁹ tn Grk “loved in.” The perfect passive participle suggests that the audience’s relationship to God is not recent; the preposition ἐν (en) before πατρί (patri) could be taken as sphere or instrument (agency is unlikely, however). Another possible translation would be “dear to God.”

[1:1]  ³⁰ tn Or “by.” Datives of agency are quite rare in the NT (and other ancient Greek), almost always found with a perfect verb. Although this text qualifies, in light of the well-worn idiom of τηρέω (threw) in eschatological contexts, in which God or Christ keeps the believer safe until the parousia (cf. 1 Thess 5:23; 1 Pet 1:4; Rev 3:10; other terms meaning “to guard,” “to keep” are also found in similar eschatological contexts [cf. 2 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Pet 1:5; Jude 24]), it is probably better to understand this verse as having such an eschatological tinge. It is at the same time possible that Jude’s language was intentionally ambiguous, implying both ideas (“kept by Jesus Christ [so that they might be] kept for Jesus Christ”). Elsewhere he displays a certain fondness for wordplays; this may be a hint of things to come.

[17:16]  ³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:16]  ³² tn A new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:16]  ³³ tn The final clause could also be turned into an adverbial clause of means: “They will consume her flesh by burning her with fire.”

[18:18]  ³⁴ tn Here the imperfect ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated ingressively.

[18:18]  ³⁵ tn Grk “from the burning of her, saying.” For the translation “the smoke from the fire that burned her up,” see L&N 14.63. Here the participle λέγοντες (legontes, “saying”) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.

[18:19]  ³⁶ tn Grk “with weeping and mourning, saying.” Here the participle λέγοντες (legontes) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.

[18:19]  ³⁷ tn On ἡρημώθη (Jhrhmwqh) L&N 20.41 states, “to suffer destruction, with the implication of being deserted and abandoned – ‘to be destroyed, to suffer destruction, to suffer desolation.’ ἐρημόομαι: μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος ‘such great wealth has been destroyed within a single hour’ Re 18:17.”

[18:20]  ³⁸ tn On the phrase “pronounced judgment” BDAG 567 s.v. κρίμα 4.b states, “The OT is the source of the expr. κρίνειν τὸ κρ. (cp. Zech 7:9; 8:16; Ezk 44:24) ἔκρινεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ κρίμα ὑμῶν ἐξ αὐτῆς God has pronounced judgment for you against her or God has pronounced on her the judgment she wished to impose on you (HHoltzmann, Hdb. 1893 ad loc.) Rv 18:20.”

[18:20]  ³⁹ tn Grk “God has judged a judgment of you of her.” Verse 20 is set in parentheses because in it the saints, etc. are addressed directly in the second person.

[18:21]  ⁴⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[18:21]  ⁴¹ tn On ὅρμημα ({ormhma) BDAG 724 s.v. states, “violent rush, onset ὁρμήματι βληθήσεται Βαβυλών Babylon will be thrown down with violence Rv 18:21.” L&N 68.82 refers to the suddenness of the force or violence.

[18:21]  ⁴² sn Thrown down is a play on both the words and the action. The angel’s action with the stone illustrates the kind of sudden violent force with which the city will be overthrown.

[18:22]  ⁴³ tn The shift to a second person pronoun here corresponds to the Greek text.

[18:22]  ⁴⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:22]  ⁴⁵ tn On this term BDAG 1001 s.v. τεχνίτης states, “craftsperson, artisan, designer…Of a silversmith Ac 19:24, 25 v.l., 38….Of a potter 2 Cl 8:2 (metaph., cp. Ath. 15:2). πᾶς τεχνίτης πάσης τέχνης Rv 18:22.”

[18:22]  ⁴⁶ tn This is a different Greek word (μύλος, mulos) from the one for the millstone in v. 21 (μύλινος, mulinos). See L&N 7.68.

[18:23]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[18:23]  ⁴⁸ tn On the term φαρμακεία (farmakeia, “magic spells”) see L&N 53.100: “the use of magic, often involving drugs and the casting of spells upon people – ‘to practice magic, to cast spells upon, to engage in sorcery, magic, sorcery.’ φαρμακεία: ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου ἐπλανήθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ‘with your magic spells you deceived all the peoples (of the world)’ Re 18:23.”

[18:24]  ⁴⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:24]  ⁵⁰ tn The shift in pronouns from second to third person corresponds to the Greek text.

[18:24]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “and of all.” The phrase “along with the blood” has been repeated from the previous clause for stylistic reasons.

[19:2]  ⁵² tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.

[19:2]  ⁵³ tn Or “has punished.” See BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α, describing the OT background which involves both the vindication of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty.

[19:2]  ⁵⁴ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[19:2]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).

[19:3]  ⁵⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[19:3]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “her smoke ascends forever and ever.”