Exodus 23:2-9

23:2 “You must not follow a crowd ¹  in doing evil things; ²  in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, ³  23:3 and you must not show partiality ⁴  to a poor man in his lawsuit.

23:4 “If you encounter ⁵  your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return ⁶  it to him. 23:5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, ⁷  but be sure to help ⁸  him with it. ⁹ 

23:6 “You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. 23:7 Keep your distance ¹⁰  from a false charge ¹¹  – do not kill the innocent and the righteous, ¹²  for I will not justify the wicked. ¹³ 

23:8 “You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see ¹⁴  and subverts the words of the righteous.

23:9 “You must not oppress ¹⁵  a foreigner, since you know the life ¹⁶  of a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Genesis 22:12

22:12 “Do not harm the boy!” ¹⁷  the angel said. ¹⁸  “Do not do anything to him, for now I know ¹⁹  that you fear ²⁰  God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”

Genesis 42:18

42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say ²¹  and you will live, ²²  for I fear God. ²³ 

Genesis 42:2

42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us ²⁴  so that we may live ²⁵  and not die.” ²⁶ 

Genesis 23:3

23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife ²⁷  and said to the sons of Heth, ²⁸ 

Genesis 23:1

The Death of Sarah

23:1 Sarah lived 127 years. ²⁹ 

Genesis 18:3

18:3 He said, “My lord, ³⁰  if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. ³¹ 

Genesis 18:12

18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, ³²  “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, ³³  especially when my husband is old too?” ³⁴ 

Genesis 18:2

18:2 Abraham ³⁵  looked up ³⁶  and saw ³⁷  three men standing across ³⁸  from him. When he saw them ³⁹  he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low ⁴⁰  to the ground. ⁴¹ 

Genesis 19:5-10

19:5 They shouted to Lot, ⁴²  “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex ⁴³  with them!”

19:6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 19:7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly! ⁴⁴  19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with ⁴⁵  a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. ⁴⁶  Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection ⁴⁷  of my roof.” ⁴⁸ 

19:9 “Out of our way!” ⁴⁹  they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, ⁵⁰  and now he dares to judge us! ⁵¹  We’ll do more harm ⁵²  to you than to them!” They kept ⁵³  pressing in on Lot until they were close enough ⁵⁴  to break down the door.

19:10 So the men inside ⁵⁵  reached out ⁵⁶  and pulled Lot back into the house ⁵⁷  as they shut the door.

Nehemiah 5:9

5:9 Then I ⁵⁸  said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! ⁵⁹  Should you not conduct yourselves ⁶⁰  in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?

Nehemiah 7:2

7:2 I then put in charge over Jerusalem ⁶¹  my brother Hanani and Hananiah ⁶²  the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

12:13 Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: ⁶³ 

Fear God and keep his commandments,

because this is the whole duty ⁶⁴  of man.

Luke 18:2

18:2 He said, ⁶⁵  “In a certain city ⁶⁶  there was a judge ⁶⁷  who neither feared God nor respected people. ⁶⁸ 

Luke 18:4

18:4 For ⁶⁹  a while he refused, but later on ⁷⁰  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ⁷¹ 

[23:2]  ¹ tn The word רָבִּים (rabbim), here rendered “crowd,” is also used infrequently to refer to the “mighty,” people of importance in society (Job 35:9; cf. Lev 19:15).

[23:2]  ² tn For any individual to join a group that is bent on acting wickedly would be a violation of the Law and would incur personal responsibility.

[23:2]  ³ tn Heb “you will not answer in a lawsuit to turn after the crowd to turn.” The form translated “agrees with” (Heb “to turn after”) is a Qal infinitive construct from נָטָה (natah); the same root is used at the end of the verse but as a Hiphil infinitive construct, “to pervert [justice].”

[23:3]  ⁴ tn The point here is one of false sympathy and honor, the bad sense of the word הָדַר (hadar; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 237).

[23:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “meet” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).

[23:4]  ⁶ tn The construction uses the imperfect tense (taken here as an obligatory imperfect) and the infinitive absolute for emphasis.

[23:5]  ⁷ tn The line reads “you will cease to forsake him” – refrain from leaving your enemy without help.

[23:5]  ⁸ tn The law is emphatic here as well, using the infinitive absolute and the imperfect of instruction (or possibly obligation). There is also a wordplay here: two words עָזַב (’azav) are used, one meaning “forsake” and the other possibly meaning “arrange” based on Arabic and Ugaritic evidence (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 297-98).

[23:5]  ⁹ sn See H. B. Huffmon, “Exodus 23:4-5: A Comparative Study,” A Light Unto My Path, 271-78.

[23:7]  ¹⁰ tn Or “stay away from,” or “have nothing to do with.”

[23:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “a false matter,” this expression in this context would have to be a case in law that was false or that could only be won by falsehood.

[23:7]  ¹² tn The two clauses probably should be related: the getting involved in the false charge could lead to the death of an innocent person (so, e.g., Naboth in 1 Kgs 21:10-13).

[23:7]  ¹³ sn God will not declare right the one who is in the wrong. Society should also be consistent, but it cannot see the intents and motives, as God can.

[23:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “blinds the open-eyed.”

[23:9]  ¹⁵ tn The verb means “to crush.” S. R. Driver notes that in this context this would probably mean with an unfair judgment in the courts (Exodus, 239).

[23:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “soul, life” – “you know what it feels like.”

[22:12]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.”

[22:12]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Do not extend…’”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the context for clarity. The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:12]  ¹⁹ sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1).

[22:12]  ²⁰ sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith.

[42:18]  ²¹ tn Heb “Do this.”

[42:18]  ²² tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.

[42:18]  ²³ sn For I fear God. Joseph brings God into the picture to awaken his brothers’ consciences. The godly person cares about the welfare of people, whether they live or die. So he will send grain back, but keep one of them in Egypt. This action contrasts with their crime of selling their brother into slavery.

[42:2]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and buy for us from there.” The word “grain,” the direct object of “buy,” has been supplied for clarity, and the words “from there” have been omitted in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:2]  ²⁵ tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.

[42:2]  ²⁶ tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.

[23:3]  ²⁷ tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”

[23:3]  ²⁸ tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.

[23:1]  ²⁹ tn Heb “And the years of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.”

[18:3]  ³⁰ tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the Lord, may have put the proper pointing with the word instead of the more common אֲדֹנִי (’adoni, “my master”).

[18:3]  ³¹ tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”

[18:12]  ³² tn Heb “saying.”

[18:12]  ³³ tn It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.

[18:12]  ³⁴ tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[18:2]  ³⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:2]  ³⁶ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[18:2]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.

[18:2]  ³⁸ tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.

[18:2]  ³⁹ tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:2]  ⁴⁰ tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).

[18:2]  ⁴¹ sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

[19:5]  ⁴² tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to him.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:5]  ⁴³ tn The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “to know”) is used here in the sense of “to lie with” or “to have sex with” (as in Gen 4:1). That this is indeed the meaning is clear from Lot’s warning that they not do so wickedly, and his willingness to give them his daughters instead.

[19:7]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”

[19:8]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[19:8]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”

[19:8]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “shadow.”

[19:8]  ⁴⁸ sn This chapter portrays Lot as a hypocrite. He is well aware of the way the men live in his city and is apparently comfortable in the midst of it. But when confronted by the angels, he finally draws the line. But he is nevertheless willing to sacrifice his daughters’ virginity to protect his guests. His opposition to the crowds leads to his rejection as a foreigner by those with whom he had chosen to live. The one who attempted to rescue his visitors ends up having to be rescued by them.

[19:9]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “approach out there” which could be rendered “Get out of the way, stand back!”

[19:9]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “to live as a resident alien.”

[19:9]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “and he has judged, judging.” The infinitive absolute follows the finite verbal form for emphasis. This emphasis is reflected in the translation by the phrase “dares to judge.”

[19:9]  ⁵² tn The verb “to do wickedly” is repeated here (see v. 7). It appears that whatever “wickedness” the men of Sodom had intended to do to Lot’s visitors – probably nothing short of homosexual rape – they were now ready to inflict on Lot.

[19:9]  ⁵³ tn Heb “and they pressed against the man, against Lot, exceedingly.”

[19:9]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “and they drew near.”

[19:10]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “inside” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[19:10]  ⁵⁶ tn The Hebrew text adds “their hand.” These words have not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:10]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “to them into the house.”

[5:9]  ⁵⁸ tc The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר (va’omar, “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib, וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”).

[5:9]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “not good.” The statement “The thing…is not good” is an example of tapeinosis, a figurative expression which emphasizes the intended point (“The thing…is wrong!”) by negating its opposite.

[5:9]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”

[7:2]  ⁶¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[7:2]  ⁶² tn Some have suggested that “Hananiah” is another name for Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, so that only one individual is mentioned here. However, the third person plural in v. 3 indicates two people are in view.

[12:13]  ⁶³ tn Heb “The end of the matter, everything having been heard.”

[12:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “This is all men”; or “This is the whole of man.” The phrase זֶה כָּל־הָאָדָם (zeh kol-ha’adam, “this is all men”) features rhetorical elision of a key word. The ambiguity over the elided word has led to no less than five basic approaches: (1) “this is the whole duty of man” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NAB, NIV); (2) “this is the duty of all men” (MLB, ASV margin, RSV margin); (3) “this applies to all men” (NASB, NJPS); (4) “this is the whole duty of all men” (NRSV, Moffatt); and (5) “there is no more to man than this” (NEB). The four-fold repetition of כֹּל (kol, “all”) in 12:13-14 suggests that Qoheleth is emphasizing the “bottom line,” that is, the basic duty of man is simply to fear and obey God: After “all” (כֹּל) has been heard in the book, his conclusion is that the “whole” (כֹּל) duty of man is to obey God because God will bring “all” (כֹּל) acts into judgment, including “all” (כֹּל) that is hidden, whether good or bad. See D. Barthélemy, ed., Preliminary and Interim Report on the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, 3:596.

[18:2]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “lose heart, saying.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronominal subject “He.”

[18:2]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “town.”

[18:2]  ⁶⁷ sn The judge here is apparently portrayed as a civil judge who often handled financial cases.

[18:2]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:4]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “And for.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:4]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “after these things.”

[18:4]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.