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 10:2

10:2 and in order that in the hearing of your son and your grandson you may tell ³  how I made fools ⁴  of the Egyptians ⁵  and about ⁶  my signs that I displayed ⁷  among them, so that you may know ⁸  that I am the Lord.”

Exodus 33:23

33:23 Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, ⁹  but my face must not be seen.” ¹⁰ 

Exodus 36:12

36:12 He made fifty loops on the first curtain, and he made fifty loops on the end curtain that was in the second set, with the loops opposite one another.

Isaiah 26:10

26:10 If the wicked are shown mercy,

they do not learn about justice. ¹¹ 

Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; ¹² 

they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.

Matthew 21:32

21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although ¹³  you saw this, you did not later change your minds ¹⁴  and believe him.

Acts 5:29-33

5:29 But Peter and the apostles replied, ¹⁵  “We must obey ¹⁶  God rather than people. ¹⁷  5:30 The God of our forefathers ¹⁸  raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. ¹⁹  5:31 God exalted him ²⁰  to his right hand as Leader ²¹  and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ²²  5:32 And we are witnesses of these events, ²³  and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey ²⁴  him.”

5:33 Now when they heard this, they became furious ²⁵  and wanted to execute them. ²⁶ 

Acts 5:1

The Judgment on Ananias and Sapphira

5:1 Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property.

Acts 5:5-6

5:5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped ²⁷  all who heard about it. 5:6 So the young men came, ²⁸  wrapped him up, ²⁹  carried him out, and buried ³⁰  him.

[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.

[10:2]  ³ tn The expression is unusual: תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי (tÿsapper bÿ’ozne, “[that] you may declare in the ears of”). The clause explains an additional reason for God’s hardening the heart of Pharaoh, namely, so that the Israelites can tell their children of God’s great wonders. The expression is highly poetic and intense – like Ps 44:1, which says, “we have heard with our ears.” The emphasis would be on the clear teaching, orally, from one generation to another.

[10:2]  ⁴ tn The verb הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי (hit’allalti) is a bold anthropomorphism. The word means to occupy oneself at another’s expense, to toy with someone, which may be paraphrased with “mock.” The whole point is that God is shaming and disgracing Egypt, making them look foolish in their arrogance and stubbornness (W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:366-67). Some prefer to translate it as “I have dealt ruthlessly” with Egypt (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 123).

[10:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “of Egypt.” The place is put by metonymy for the inhabitants.

[10:2]  ⁶ tn The word “about” is supplied to clarify this as another object of the verb “declare.”

[10:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “put” or “placed.”

[10:2]  ⁸ tn The form is the perfect tense with vav consecutive, וִידַעְתֶּם (vida’tem, “and that you might know”). This provides another purpose for God’s dealings with Egypt in the way that he was doing. The form is equal to the imperfect tense with vav (ו) prefixed; it thus parallels the imperfect that began v. 2 – “that you might tell.”

[33:23]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ 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.”

[26:10]  ¹¹ tn As in verse 9b, the translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “they do not learn to live in a righteous manner.”

[26:10]  ¹² tn Heb “in a land of uprightness they act unjustly”; NRSV “they deal perversely.”

[21:32]  ¹³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:32]  ¹⁴ sn The word translated change your minds is the same verb used in v. 29 (there translated had a change of heart). Jesus is making an obvious comparison here, in which the religious leaders are viewed as the disobedient son.

[5:29]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “apostles answered and said.”

[5:29]  ¹⁶ sn Obey. See 4:19. This response has Jewish roots (Dan 3:16-18; 2 Macc 7:2; Josephus, Ant. 17.6.3 [17.159].

[5:29]  ¹⁷ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[5:30]  ¹⁸ tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

[5:30]  ¹⁹ tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the first century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.

[5:31]  ²⁰ tn Grk “This one God exalted” (emphatic).

[5:31]  ²¹ tn Or “Founder” (of a movement).

[5:31]  ²² tn Or “to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”

[5:32]  ²³ tn Or “things.” They are preaching these things even to the hostile leadership.

[5:32]  ²⁴ sn Those who obey. The implication, of course, is that the leadership is disobeying God.

[5:33]  ²⁵ sn The only other use of this verb for anger (furious) is Acts 7:54 after Stephen’s speech.

[5:33]  ²⁶ sn Wanted to execute them. The charge would surely be capital insubordination (Exod 22:28).

[5:5]  ²⁷ tn Or “fear came on,” “fear seized”; Grk “fear happened to.”

[5:6]  ²⁸ tn Or “arose.”

[5:6]  ²⁹ tn The translation “wrapped up” for συνέστειλαν (sunesteilan) is suggested by L&N 79.119, but another interpretation is possible. The same verb could also be translated “removed” (see L&N 15.200), although that sense appears somewhat redundant and out of sequence with the following verb and participle (“carried him out and buried him”).

[5:6]  ³⁰ sn Buried. Same day burial was a custom in the Jewish world of the first century (cf. also Deut 21:23).