Isaiah 30:12

30:12 For this reason this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“You have rejected this message; ¹ 

you trust instead in your ability to oppress and trick, ² 

and rely on that kind of behavior. ³ 

Job 15:31

15:31 Let him not trust in what is worthless, ⁴ 

deceiving himself;

for worthlessness will be his reward. ⁵ 

Psalms 62:10

62:10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! ⁶ 

Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! ⁷ 

If wealth increases, do not become attached to it! ⁸ 

Jeremiah 7:4

7:4 Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says, ⁹  “We are safe! ¹⁰  The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here!” ¹¹ 

Jeremiah 7:8

7:8 “‘But just look at you! ¹²  You are putting your confidence in a false belief ¹³  that will not deliver you. ¹⁴ 

[30:12]  ¹ tn The sentence actually begins with the word “because.” In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.

[30:12]  ² tn Heb “and you trust in oppression and cunning.”

[30:12]  ³ tn Heb “and you lean on it”; NAB “and depend on it.”

[15:31]  ⁴ tn The word, although difficult in its form, is “vanity,” i.e., that which is worthless. E. Dhorme (Job, 224) thinks that the form שָׁוְא (shav’) conceals the word שִׁיאוֹ (shi’o, “his stature”). But Dhorme reworks most of the verse. He changes נִתְעָה (nit’ah, “deceived”) to נֵדַע (neda’, “we know”) to arrive at “we know that it is vanity.” The last two words of the verse are then moved to the next. The LXX has “let him not think that he shall endure, for his end shall be vanity.”

[15:31]  ⁵ tn This word is found in Job 20:18 with the sense of “trading.” It can mean the exchange of goods or the profit from them. Some commentators change תְמוּרָתוֹ (tÿmurato, “his reward”) because they wish to put it with the next verse as the LXX seems to have done (although the LXX does not represent this). Suggestions include תִּמֹרָתוֹ (timorato, “his palm tree”) and זְמֹרָתוֹ (zÿmorato, “his vine shoot”). A number of writers simply delete all of v. 31. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 115) suggests the best reading (assuming one were going to make changes) would be, “Let him not trust in his stature, deceiving himself, for it is vanity.” And then put “his palm tree” with the next verse, he thinks that achieves the proper balance.

[62:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “do not trust in oppression.” Here “oppression” stands by metonymy for the riches that can be gained by oppressive measures, as the final line of the verse indicates.

[62:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “and in robbery do not place vain hope.” Here “robbery” stands by metonymy for the riches that can be gained by theft, as the next line of the verse indicates.

[62:10]  ⁸ tn Heb “[as for] wealth, when it bears fruit, do not set [your] heart [on it].”

[7:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “Stop trusting in lying words which say.”

[7:4]  ¹⁰ tn The words “We are safe!” are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[7:4]  ¹¹ tn Heb “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these (i.e., these buildings).” Elsewhere triple repetition seems to mark a kind of emphasis (cf. Isa 6:3; Jer 22:29; Ezek 21:27 [32 HT]). The triple repetition that follows seems to be Jeremiah’s way of mocking the (false) sense of security that people had in the invincibility of Jerusalem because God dwelt in the temple. They appeared to be treating the temple as some kind of magical charm. A similar feeling had grown up around the ark in the time of the judges (cf. 1 Sam 3:3) and the temple and city of Jerusalem in Micah’s day (cf. Mic 3:11). It is reflected also in some of the Psalms (cf., e.g., Ps 46, especially v. 5).

[7:8]  ¹² tn Heb “Behold!”

[7:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “You are trusting in lying words.” See the similar phrase in v. 4 and the note there.

[7:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “not profit [you].”