Exodus 10:3

10:3 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and told him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: ‘How long do you refuse ¹  to humble yourself before me? ²  Release my people so that they may serve me!

Exodus 10:1

The Eighth Blow: Locusts

10:1 ³ The Lord said ⁴  to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order to display ⁵  these signs of mine before him, ⁶ 

Exodus 21:29

21:29 But if the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner was warned, ⁷  and he did not take the necessary precautions, ⁸  and then it killed a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned and the man must be put to death.

Exodus 21:2

Hebrew Servants

21:2 ⁹ “If you buy ¹⁰  a Hebrew servant, ¹¹  he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he will go out free ¹²  without paying anything. ¹³ 

Exodus 12:6-7

12:6 You must care for it ¹⁴  until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community ¹⁵  of Israel will kill it around sundown. ¹⁶  12:7 They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it.

Exodus 12:12

12:12 I will pass through ¹⁷  the land of Egypt in the same ¹⁸  night, and I will attack ¹⁹  all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of humans and of animals, ²⁰  and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. ²¹  I am the Lord.

Exodus 32:26

32:26 So Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come ²²  to me.” ²³  All the Levites gathered around him,

Exodus 33:12-13

33:12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have been saying to me, ‘Bring this people up,’ ²⁴  but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. But you said, ‘I know you by name, ²⁵  and also you have found favor in my sight.’ 33:13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me ²⁶  your way, that I may know you, ²⁷  that I may continue to find ²⁸  favor in your sight. And see ²⁹  that this nation is your people.”

Exodus 33:19

33:19 And the Lord ³⁰  said, “I will make all my goodness ³¹  pass before your face, and I will proclaim the Lord by name ³²  before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” ³³ 

Exodus 33:23

33:23 Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, ³⁴  but my face must not be seen.” ³⁵ 

Ezekiel 6:9

6:9 Then your survivors will remember me among the nations where they are exiled. They will realize ³⁶  how I was crushed by their unfaithful ³⁷  heart which turned from me and by their eyes which lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves ³⁸  because of the evil they have done and because of all their abominable practices.

Ezekiel 20:43

20:43 And there you will remember your conduct ³⁹  and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves. You will despise yourselves ⁴⁰  because of all the evil deeds you have done.

Matthew 23:12

23:12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 14:11

14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but ⁴¹  the one who humbles ⁴²  himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:14

18:14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified ⁴³  rather than the Pharisee. ⁴⁴  For everyone who exalts ⁴⁵  himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:6-9

4:6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” ⁴⁶  4:7 So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. 4:8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. ⁴⁷  4:9 Grieve, mourn, ⁴⁸  and weep. Turn your laughter ⁴⁹  into mourning and your joy into despair.

James 4:1

Passions and Pride

4:1 Where do the conflicts and where ⁵⁰  do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, ⁵¹  from your passions that battle inside you? ⁵² 

James 5:5-6

5:5 You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁵³  5:6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you. ⁵⁴ 

[10:3]  ¹ tn The verb is מֵאַנְתָּ (me’anta), a Piel perfect. After “how long,” the form may be classified as present perfect (“how long have you refused), for it describes actions begun previously but with the effects continuing. (See GKC 311 §106.g-h). The use of a verb describing a state or condition may also call for a present translation (“how long do you refuse”) that includes past, present, and potentially future, in keeping with the question “how long.”

[10:3]  ² tn The clause is built on the use of the infinitive construct to express the direct object of the verb – it answers the question of what Pharaoh was refusing to do. The Niphal infinitive construct (note the elision of the ה [hey] prefix after the preposition [see GKC 139 §51.l]) is from the verb עָנָה (’anah). The verb in this stem would mean “humble oneself.” The question is somewhat rhetorical, since God was not yet through humbling Pharaoh, who would not humble himself. The issue between Yahweh and Pharaoh is deeper than simply whether or not Pharaoh will let the Israelites leave Egypt.

[10:1]  ³ sn The Egyptians dreaded locusts like every other ancient civilization. They had particular gods to whom they looked for help in such catastrophes. The locust-scaring deities of Greece and Asia were probably looked to in Egypt as well (especially in view of the origins in Egypt of so many of those religious ideas). The announcement of the plague falls into the now-familiar pattern. God tells Moses to go and speak to Pharaoh but reminds Moses that he has hardened his heart. Yahweh explains that he has done this so that he might show his power, so that in turn they might declare his name from generation to generation. This point is stressed so often that it must not be minimized. God was laying the foundation of the faith for Israel – the sovereignty of Yahweh.

[10:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “and Yahweh said.”

[10:1]  ⁵ tn The verb is שִׁתִי (shiti, “I have put”); it is used here as a synonym for the verb שִׂים (sim). Yahweh placed the signs in his midst, where they will be obvious.

[10:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “in his midst.”

[21:29]  ⁷ tn The Hophal perfect has the idea of “attested, testified against.”

[21:29]  ⁸ tn Heb “he was not keeping it” or perhaps guarding or watching it (referring to the ox).

[21:2]  ⁹ sn See H. L. Elleson, “The Hebrew Slave: A Study in Early Israelite Society,” EvQ 45 (1973): 30-35; N. P. Lemche, “The Manumission of Slaves – The Fallow Year – The Sabbatical Year – The Jobel Year,” VT 26 (1976): 38-59, and “The ‘Hebrew Slave,’ Comments on the Slave Law – Ex. 21:2-11,” VT 25 (1975): 129-44.

[21:2]  ¹⁰ tn The verbs in both the conditional clause and the following ruling are imperfect tense: “If you buy…then he will serve.” The second imperfect tense (the ruling) could be taken either as a specific future or an obligatory imperfect. Gesenius explains how the verb works in the conditional clauses here (see GKC 497 §159.bb).

[21:2]  ¹¹ sn The interpretation of “Hebrew” in this verse is uncertain: (l) a gentilic ending, (2) a fellow Israelite, (3) or a class of mercenaries of the population (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:431). It seems likely that the term describes someone born a Hebrew, as opposed to a foreigner (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 210). The literature on this includes: M. P. Gray, “The Habiru-Hebrew Problem,” HUCA 29 (1958): 135-202.

[21:2]  ¹² sn The word חָפְשִׁי (khofshi) means “free.” It is possible that there is some connection between this word and a technical term used in other cultures for a social class of emancipated slaves who were freemen again (see I. Mendelsohn, “New Light on the Hupsu,” BASOR 139 [1955]: 9-11).

[21:2]  ¹³ tn The adverb חִנָּם (hinnam) means “gratis, free”; it is related to the verb “to be gracious, show favor” and the noun “grace.”

[12:6]  ¹⁴ tn The text has וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת (vÿhaya lakem lÿmishmeret, “and it will be for you for a keeping”). This noun stresses the activity of watching over or caring for something, probably to keep it in its proper condition for its designated use (see 16:23, 32-34).

[12:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “all the assembly of the community.” This expression is a pleonasm. The verse means that everyone will kill the lamb, i.e., each family unit among the Israelites will kill its animal.

[12:6]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “between the two evenings” or “between the two settings” (בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם, ben ha’arbayim). This expression has had a good deal of discussion. (1) Tg. Onq. says “between the two suns,” which the Talmud explains as the time between the sunset and the time the stars become visible. More technically, the first “evening” would be the time between sunset and the appearance of the crescent moon, and the second “evening” the next hour, or from the appearance of the crescent moon to full darkness (see Deut 16:6 – “at the going down of the sun”). (2) Saadia, Rashi, and Kimchi say the first evening is when the sun begins to decline in the west and cast its shadows, and the second evening is the beginning of night. (3) The view adopted by the Pharisees and the Talmudists (b. Pesahim 61a) is that the first evening is when the heat of the sun begins to decrease, and the second evening begins at sunset, or, roughly from 3-5 p.m. The Mishnah (m. Pesahim 5:1) indicates the lamb was killed about 2:30 p.m. – anything before noon was not valid. S. R. Driver concludes from this survey that the first view is probably the best, although the last view was the traditionally accepted one (Exodus, 89-90). Late afternoon or early evening seems to be intended, the time of twilight perhaps.

[12:12]  ¹⁷ tn The verb וְעָבַרְתִּי (vÿ’avarti) is a Qal perfect with vav (ו) consecutive, announcing the future action of God in bringing judgment on the land. The word means “pass over, across, through.” This verb provides a contextual motive for the name “Passover.”

[12:12]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “this night.”

[12:12]  ¹⁹ tn The verb נָכָה (nakhah) means “to strike, smite, attack”; it does not always mean “to kill,” but that is obviously its outcome in this context. This is also its use in 2:12, describing how Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.

[12:12]  ²⁰ tn Heb “from man and to beast.”

[12:12]  ²¹ tn The phrase אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים (’e’eseh shÿfatim) is “I will do judgments.” The statement clearly includes what had begun in Exod 6:1. But the statement that God would judge the gods of Egypt is appropriately introduced here (see also Num 33:4) because with the judgment on Pharaoh and the deliverance from bondage, Yahweh would truly show himself to be the one true God. Thus, “I am Yahweh” is fitting here (see B. Jacob, Exodus, 312).

[32:26]  ²² tn “come” is not in the text, but has been supplied.

[32:26]  ²³ tn S. R. Driver suggests that the command was tersely put: “Who is for Yahweh? To me!” (Exodus, 354).

[33:12]  ²⁴ tn The Hiphil imperative is from the same verb that has been used before for bringing the people up from Egypt and leading them to Canaan.

[33:12]  ²⁵ tn That is, “chosen you.”

[33:13]  ²⁶ tn The prayer uses the Hiphil imperative of the verb “to know.” “Cause me to know” is “show me, reveal to me, teach or inform me.” Moses wanted to know more of God’s dealings with people, especially after all that has happened in the preceding chapter.

[33:13]  ²⁷ tn The imperfect tense of the verb “to know” with the vav follows the imperative of this root, and so this indicates the purpose clause (final imperfect): “in order that I may know you.” S. R. Driver summarizes it this way: that I may understand what your nature and character is, and shape my petitions accordingly, so that I may find grace in your sight, and my future prayers may be answered (Exodus, 361).

[33:13]  ²⁸ tn The purpose clause simply uses the imperfect, “that I may find.” But since he already has found favor in God’s eyes, he is clearly praying that it be so in the future as well as now.

[33:13]  ²⁹ tn The verb “see” (an imperative) is a request for God to acknowledge Israel as his people by providing the divine leadership needed. So his main appeal will be for the people and not himself. To underscore this, he repeats “see” the way the section opened.

[33:19]  ³⁰ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:19]  ³¹ sn The word “goodness” refers to the divine appearance in summary fashion.

[33:19]  ³² tn The expression “make proclamation in the name of Yahweh” (here a perfect tense with vav [ו] consecutive for future) means to declare, reveal, or otherwise make proclamation of who Yahweh is. The “name of Yahweh” (rendered “the name of the Lord” throughout) refers to his divine attributes revealed to his people, either in word or deed. What will be focused on first will be his grace and compassion.

[33:19]  ³³ sn God declares his mercy and grace in similar terms to his earlier self-revelation (“I am that I am”): “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.” In other words, the grace and mercy of God are bound up in his own will. Obviously, in this passage the recipients of that favor are the penitent Israelites who were forgiven through Moses’ intercession. The two words are at the heart of God’s dealings with people. The first is חָנַן (khanan, “to be gracious, show favor”). It means to grant favor or grace to someone, grace meaning unmerited favor. All of God’s dealings are gracious, but especially in forgiving sins and granting salvation it is critical. Parallel to this is רָחַם (rakham), a word that means “show compassion, tender mercy.” It is a word that is related to the noun “womb,” the connection being in providing care and protection for that which is helpless and dependent – a motherly quality. In both of these constructions the verbs simply express what God will do, without explaining why. See further, J. R. Lundbom, “God’s Use of the Idem per idem to Terminate Debate,” HTR 71 (1978): 193-201; and J. Piper, “Prolegomena to Understanding Romans 9:14-15: An Interpretation of Exodus 33:19,” JETS 22 (1979): 203-16.

[33:23]  ³⁴ tn The plural “my backs” is according to Gesenius an extension plural (compare “face,” a dual in Hebrew). The word denotes a locality in general, but that is composed of numerous parts (see GKC 397 §124.b). W. C. Kaiser says that since God is a spirit, the meaning of this word could just as easily be rendered “after effects” of his presence (“Exodus,” EBC 2:484). As S. R. Driver says, though, while this may indicate just the “afterglow” that he leaves behind him, it was enough to suggest what the full brilliancy of his presence must be (Exodus, 363; see also Job 26:14).

[33:23]  ³⁵ tn The Niphal imperfect could simply be rendered “will not be seen,” but given the emphasis of the preceding verses, it is more binding than that, and so a negated obligatory imperfect fits better: “it must not be seen.” It would also be possible to render it with a potential imperfect tense: “it cannot be seen.”

[6:9]  ³⁶ tn The words “they will realize” are not in the Hebrew text; they are added here for stylistic reasons since this clause assumes the previous verb “to remember” or “to take into account.”

[6:9]  ³⁷ tn Heb “how I was broken by their adulterous heart.” The image of God being “broken” is startling, but perfectly natural within the metaphorical framework of God as offended husband. The idiom must refer to the intense grief that Israel’s unfaithfulness caused God. For a discussion of the syntax and semantics of the Hebrew text, see M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 1:134.

[6:9]  ³⁸ tn Heb adds “in their faces.”

[20:43]  ³⁹ tn Heb “ways.”

[20:43]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “loathe yourselves in your faces.”

[14:11]  ⁴¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.

[14:11]  ⁴² sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.

[18:14]  ⁴³ sn The prayer that was heard and honored was the one given with humility; in a surprising reversal it was the tax collector who went down to his home justified.

[18:14]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “the other”; the referent (the Pharisee, v. 10) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:14]  ⁴⁵ sn Everyone who exalts himself. See Luke 14:11. Jesus often called for humility and condemned those who sought honor.

[4:6]  ⁴⁶ sn A quotation from Prov 3:34.

[4:8]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “two-minded” (the same description used in 1:8).

[4:9]  ⁴⁸ tn This term and the following one are preceded by καί (kai) in the Greek text, but contemporary English generally uses connectives only between the last two items in such a series.

[4:9]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “let your laughter be turned.”

[4:1]  ⁵⁰ tn The word “where” is repeated in Greek for emphasis.

[4:1]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “from here.”

[4:1]  ⁵² tn Grk “in your members [i.e., parts of the body].”

[5:5]  ⁵³ sn James’ point seems to be that instead of seeking deliverance from condemnation, they have defied God’s law (fattened your hearts) and made themselves more likely objects of his judgment (in a day of slaughter).

[5:6]  ⁵⁴ tn Literally a series of verbs without connectives, “you have condemned, you have murdered…he does not resist.”