Discovery BoxExodus 23:20-22
Context23:20 1 “I am going to send 2 an angel 3 before you to protect you as you journey 4 and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. 5 23:21 Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name 6 is in him. 23:22 But if you diligently obey him 7 and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries.
Isaiah 55:4
Context55:4 Look, I made him a witness to nations, 8
a ruler and commander of nations.”
Daniel 10:13
Context10:13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But 9 Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there 10 with the kings of Persia.
Daniel 10:21
Context10:21 However, I will first tell you what is written in a dependable book. 11 (There is no one who strengthens me against these princes, 12 except Michael your 13 prince.
Daniel 12:1
Context12:1 “At that time Michael,
the great prince who watches over your people, 14
will arise. 15
There will be a time of distress
unlike any other from the nation’s beginning 16
up to that time.
But at that time your own people,
all those whose names are 17 found written in the book,
will escape.
Hebrews 2:10
Context2:10 For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, 18 in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer 19 of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Revelation 12:7
Context12:7 Then 20 war broke out in heaven: Michael 21 and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
Revelation 19:11-14
Context19:11 Then 22 I saw heaven opened and here came 23 a white horse! The 24 one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice 25 he judges and goes to war. 19:12 His eyes are like a fiery 26 flame and there are many diadem crowns 27 on his head. He has 28 a name written 29 that no one knows except himself. 19:13 He is dressed in clothing dipped 30 in blood, and he is called 31 the Word of God. 19:14 The 32 armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, 33 were following him on white horses.
[23:20] 1 sn This passage has some of the most interesting and perplexing expressions and constructions in the book. It is largely promise, but it is part of the Law and so demands compliance by faith. Its points are: God promises to send his angel to prepare the way before his obedient servants (20-23); God promises blessing for his loyal servants (24-33). So in the section one learns that God promises his protection (victory) and blessing (through his angel) for his obedient and loyal worshipers.
[23:20] 2 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with the active participle indicates imminent future, something God is about to do.
[23:20] 3 sn The word is מַלְאָךְ (mal’akh, “messenger, angel”). This angel is to be treated with the same fear and respect as Yahweh, for Yahweh will be speaking in him. U. Cassuto (Exodus, 305-6) says that the words of the first clause do not imply a being distinct from God, for in the ancient world the line of demarcation between the sender and the sent is liable easily to be blurred. He then shows how the “Angel of Yahweh” in Genesis is Yahweh. He concludes that the words here mean “I will guide you.” Christian commentators tend to identify the Angel of Yahweh as the second person of the Trinity (W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:446). However, in addition to being a preincarnate appearance, the word could refer to Yahweh – some manifestation of Yahweh himself.
[23:20] 4 tn Heb “protect you in the way.”
[23:20] 5 tn The form is the Hiphil perfect of the verb כּוּן (kun, “to establish, prepare”).
[23:21] 6 sn This means “the manifestation of my being” is in him (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 247). Driver quotes McNeile as saying, “The ‘angel’ is Jehovah Himself ‘in a temporary descent to visibility for a special purpose.’” Others take the “name” to represent Yahweh’s “power” (NCV) or “authority” (NAB, CEV).
[23:22] 7 tn The infinitive absolute here does not add as great an emphasis as normal, but emphasizes the condition that is being set forth (see GKC 342-43 §113.o).
[55:4] 8 sn Ideally the Davidic king was to testify to the nations of God’s greatness (cf. Pss 18:50 HT [18:49 ET]; 22:28 HT [22:27 ET]). See J. H. Eaton, Kingship in the Psalms (SBT), 182-84.
[10:13] 9 tn Heb “and behold.”
[10:13] 10 tc The Greek version of Theodotion reads “I left him [i.e., Michael] there,” and this is followed by a number of English translations (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT).
[10:21] 11 tn Heb “a book of truth.” Several English versions treat this as a title of some sort (cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT), although the NAB’s rendering “the truthful book” regards “truth” as an attributive adjective, as does the present translation.
[10:21] 12 tn The word “princes” is supplied for clarity.
[10:21] 13 tn The pronoun is plural in Hebrew, suggesting that Michael is the angelic prince of Daniel and his people.
[12:1] 14 tn Heb “stands over the sons of your people.”
[12:1] 15 tn Heb “will stand up.”
[12:1] 16 tn Or “from the beginning of a nation.”
[12:1] 17 tn The words “whose names are” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
[2:10] 18 tn Grk “for whom are all things and through whom are all things.”
[2:10] 19 sn The Greek word translated pioneer is used of a “prince” or leader, the representative head of a family. It also carries nuances of “trailblazer,” one who breaks through to new ground for those who follow him. It is used some thirty-five times in the Greek OT and four times in the NT, always of Christ (Acts 3:15; 5:31; Heb 2:10; 12:2).
[12:7] 20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[12:7] 21 sn The archangel Michael had a special role in protecting the nation of Israel in the OT (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; see also Jude 9).
[19:11] 22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:11] 23 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
[19:11] 24 tn A new sentence was started in the translation at this point and καί (kai) was not translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:11] 25 tn Or “in righteousness,” but since the context here involves the punishment of the wicked and the vindication of the saints, “justice” was preferred.
[19:12] 26 tn The genitive noun πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive (see also Rev 1:14).
[19:12] 27 tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.
[19:12] 28 tn Grk “head, having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[19:12] 29 tn Although many translations supply a prepositional phrase to specify what the name was written on (“upon Him,” NASB; “on him,” NIV), there is no location for the name specified in the Greek text.
[19:13] 30 tc It appears that “dipped” (βεβαμμένον, bebammenon), supported by several uncials and other witnesses (A 051 Ï), is the original reading. Due to the lack of the preposition “in” (ἐν, en) after the verb (βεβαμμένον αἵματι, bebammenon {aimati), and also probably because of literary allusions to Isa 63:3, several
[19:13] 31 tn Grk “the name of him is called.”
[19:14] 32 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:14] 33 tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. βύσσινος states, “made of fine linen, subst. τὸ β. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12, 16; 19:8, 14.”
