Exodus 12:19

12:19 For seven days ¹  yeast must not be found in your houses, for whoever eats what is made with yeast – that person ²  will be cut off from the community of Israel, whether a foreigner ³  or one born in the land.

Exodus 15:22

The Bitter Water

15:22 ⁴ Then Moses led Israel to journey ⁵  away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days ⁶  into the desert, and found no water.

Exodus 22:6-8

22:6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads ⁷  to thorn bushes, ⁸  so that stacked grain or standing grain or the whole field is consumed, the one who started ⁹  the fire must surely make restitution.

22:7 “If a man gives his neighbor money or articles ¹⁰  for safekeeping, ¹¹  and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the thief is caught, ¹²  he must repay double. 22:8 If the thief is not caught, ¹³  then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges ¹⁴  to see ¹⁵  whether he has laid ¹⁶  his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

Exodus 33:17

33:17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have requested, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know ¹⁷  you by name.”

Exodus 35:23

35:23 Everyone who had ¹⁸  blue, purple, or ¹⁹  scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather ²⁰  brought them. ²¹ 

[12:19]  ¹ tn “Seven days” is an adverbial accusative of time (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 12, §56).

[12:19]  ² tn The term is נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), often translated “soul.” It refers to the whole person, the soul within the body. The noun is feminine, agreeing with the feminine verb “be cut off.”

[12:19]  ³ tn Or “alien”; or “stranger.”

[15:22]  ⁴ sn The first event of the Israelites’ desert experience is a failure, for they murmur against Yahweh and are given a stern warning – and the provision of sweet water. The event teaches that God is able to turn bitter water into sweet water for his people, and he promises to do such things if they obey. He can provide for them in the desert – he did not bring them into the desert to let them die. But there is a deeper level to this story – the healing of the water is incidental to the healing of the people, their lack of trust. The passage is arranged in a neat chiasm, starting with a journey (A), ending with the culmination of the journey (A'); developing to bitter water (B), resolving to sweet water (B'); complaints by the people (C), leading to to the instructions for the people (C'); and the central turning point is the wonder miracle (D).

[15:22]  ⁵ tn The verb form is unusual; the normal expression is with the Qal, which expresses that they journeyed. But here the Hiphil is used to underscore that Moses caused them to journey – and he is following God. So the point is that God was leading Israel to the bitter water.

[15:22]  ⁶ sn The mention that they travelled for three days into the desert is deliberately intended to recall Moses’ demand that they go three days into the wilderness to worship. Here, three days in, they find bitter water and complain – not worship.

[22:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “if a fire goes out and finds”; NLT “if a fire gets out of control.”

[22:6]  ⁸ sn Thorn bushes were used for hedges between fields, but thorn bushes also burned easily, making the fire spread rapidly.

[22:6]  ⁹ tn This is a Hiphil participle of the verb “to burn, kindle” used substantivally. This is the one who caused the fire, whether by accident or not.

[22:7]  ¹⁰ tn The word usually means “vessels” but can have the sense of household goods and articles. It could be anything from jewels and ornaments to weapons or pottery.

[22:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “to keep.” Here “safekeeping,” that is, to keep something secure on behalf of a third party, is intended.

[22:7]  ¹² tn Heb “found.”

[22:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “found.”

[22:8]  ¹⁴ tn Here again the word used is “the gods,” meaning the judges who made the assessments and decisions. In addition to other works, see J. R. Vannoy, “The Use of the Word ha’elohim in Exodus 21:6 and 22:7,8,” The Law and the Prophets, 225-41.

[22:8]  ¹⁵ tn The phrase “to see” has been supplied.

[22:8]  ¹⁶ tn The line says “if he has not stretched out his hand.” This could be the oath formula, but the construction here would be unusual, or it could be taken as “whether” (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:438). U. Cassuto (Exodus, 286) does not think the wording can possibly fit an oath; nevertheless, an oath would be involved before God (as he takes it instead of “judges”) – if the man swore, his word would be accepted, but if he would not swear, he would be guilty.

[33:17]  ¹⁶ tn The verb in this place is a preterite with the vav (ו) consecutive, judging from the pointing. It then follows in sequence the verb “you have found favor,” meaning you stand in that favor, and so it means “I have known you” and still do (equal to the present perfect). The emphasis, however, is on the results of the action, and so “I know you.”

[35:23]  ¹⁹ tn The text uses a relative clause with a resumptive pronoun for this: “who was found with him,” meaning “with whom was found.”

[35:23]  ²⁰ tn The conjunction in this verse is translated “or” because the sentence does not intend to say that each person had all these things. They brought what they had.

[35:23]  ²¹ tn See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5.

[35:23]  ²² tn Here “them” has been supplied.