Judges 2:1-3

Confrontation and Repentance at Bokim

2:1 The Lord’s angelic messenger ¹  went up from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land I had solemnly promised to give to your ancestors. ²  I said, ‘I will never break my agreement ³  with you, 2:2 but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.’ ⁴  But you have disobeyed me. ⁵  Why would you do such a thing? ⁶  2:3 At that time I also warned you, ⁷  ‘If you disobey, ⁸  I will not drive out the Canaanites ⁹  before you. They will ensnare you ¹⁰  and their gods will lure you away.’” ¹¹ 

Nehemiah 9:9-12

9:9 “You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cry at the Red Sea. ¹²  9:10 You performed awesome signs ¹³  against Pharaoh, against his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that the Egyptians ¹⁴  had acted presumptuously ¹⁵  against them. You made for yourself a name that is celebrated to this day. 9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through ¹⁶  the sea on dry ground! But you threw their pursuers ¹⁷  into the depths, like a stone into surging ¹⁸  waters. 9:12 You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel.

Psalms 136:10-16

136:10 to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

for his loyal love endures,

136:11 and led Israel out from their midst,

for his loyal love endures,

136:12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

for his loyal love endures,

136:13 to the one who divided ¹⁹  the Red Sea ²⁰  in two, ²¹ 

for his loyal love endures,

136:14 and led Israel through its midst,

for his loyal love endures,

136:15 and tossed ²²  Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,

for his loyal love endures,

136:16 to the one who led his people through the wilderness,

for his loyal love endures,

Isaiah 63:9-14

63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. ²³ 

The messenger sent from his very presence ²⁴  delivered them.

In his love and mercy he protected ²⁵  them;

he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. ²⁶ 

63:10 But they rebelled and offended ²⁷  his holy Spirit, ²⁸ 

so he turned into an enemy

and fought against them.

63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. ²⁹ 

Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,

along with the shepherd of ³⁰  his flock?

Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, ³¹ 

63:12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses, ³² 

who divided the water before them,

gaining for himself a lasting reputation, ³³ 

63:13 who led them through the deep water?

Like a horse running on flat land ³⁴  they did not stumble.

63:14 Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, ³⁵ 

so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.

In this way ³⁶  you guided your people,

gaining for yourself an honored reputation. ³⁷ 

Ezekiel 20:5-32

20:5 and say to them:

“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel I swore ³⁸  to the descendants ³⁹  of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore ⁴⁰  to them, “I am the Lord your God.” 20:6 On that day I swore ⁴¹  to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land which I had picked out ⁴²  for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, ⁴³  the most beautiful of all lands. 20:7 I said to them, “Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, ⁴⁴  and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” 20:8 But they rebelled against me, and refused to listen to me; no one got rid of their detestable idols, ⁴⁵  nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out ⁴⁶  my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 20:9 I acted for the sake of my reputation, ⁴⁷  so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, ⁴⁸  before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. ⁴⁹ 

20:10 “‘So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them to the wilderness. 20:11 I gave them my statutes ⁵⁰  and revealed my regulations to them. The one ⁵¹  who carries ⁵²  them out will live by them! ⁵³  20:12 I also gave them my Sabbaths ⁵⁴  as a reminder of our relationship, ⁵⁵  so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them. ⁵⁶  20:13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out ⁵⁷  my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy them. ⁵⁸  20:14 I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 20:15 I also swore ⁵⁹  to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them to the land I had given them – a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. 20:16 I did this ⁶⁰  because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols. ⁶¹  20:17 Yet I had pity on ⁶²  them and did not destroy them, so I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

20:18 “‘But I said to their children ⁶³  in the wilderness, “Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations, ⁶⁴  nor defile yourselves with their idols. 20:19 I am the Lord your God; follow my statutes, observe my regulations, and carry them out. 20:20 Treat my Sabbaths as holy ⁶⁵  and they will be a reminder of our relationship, ⁶⁶  and then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” 20:21 “‘But the children ⁶⁷  rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys ⁶⁸  them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out ⁶⁹  my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness. 20:22 But I refrained from doing so, ⁷⁰  and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 20:23 I also swore ⁷¹  to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands. ⁷²  20:24 I did this ⁷³  because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on ⁷⁴  their fathers’ idols. 20:25 I also gave ⁷⁵  them decrees ⁷⁶  which were not good and regulations by which they could not live. 20:26 I declared them to be defiled because of their sacrifices ⁷⁷  – they caused all their first born to pass through the fire ⁷⁸  – so that I would devastate them, so that they will know that I am the Lord.’ ⁷⁹ 

20:27 “Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In this way too your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me. 20:28 I brought them to the land which I swore ⁸⁰  to give them, but whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there and presented the offerings that provoke me to anger. They offered their soothing aroma there and poured out their drink offerings. 20:29 So I said to them, What is this high place you go to?’” (So it is called “High Place” ⁸¹  to this day.)

20:30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers ⁸²  and engage in prostitution with detestable idols? 20:31 When you present your sacrifices ⁸³  – when you make your sons pass through the fire – you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, ⁸⁴  O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will not allow you to seek me! ⁸⁵ 

20:32 “‘What you plan ⁸⁶  will never happen. You say, “We will be ⁸⁷  like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.” ⁸⁸ 

[2:1]  ¹ sn See Exod 14:19; 23:20.

[2:1]  ² tn Heb “the land that I had sworn to your fathers.”

[2:1]  ³ tn Or “covenant” (also in the following verse).

[2:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “their altars.”

[2:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “you have not listened to my voice.”

[2:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “What is this you have done?”

[2:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “And I also said.” The use of the perfect tense here suggests that the messenger is recalling an earlier statement (see Josh 23:12-13). However, some translate, “And I also say,” understanding the following words as an announcement of judgment upon those gathered at Bokim.

[2:3]  ⁸ tn The words “If you disobey” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See Josh 23:12-13.

[2:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Canaanites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:3]  ¹⁰ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word צִדִּים (tsiddim) is uncertain in this context. It may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “snare.” If so, a more literal translation would be “they will become snares to you.” Normally the term in question means “sides,” but this makes no sense here. On the basis of Num 33:55 some suggest the word for “thorns” has been accidentally omitted. If this word is added, the text would read, “they will become [thorns] in your sides” (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).

[2:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “their gods will become a snare to you.”

[9:9]  ¹² tn Heb “the Sea of Reeds.” Traditionally this is identified as the Red Sea, and the modern designation has been used in the translation for clarity.

[9:10]  ¹³ tn Heb “signs and wonders.” This phrase is a hendiadys. The second noun functions adjectivally, while the first noun retains its full nominal sense: “awesome signs” or “miraculous signs.”

[9:10]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:10]  ¹⁵ tn Or “arrogantly” (so NASB); NRSV “insolently.”

[9:11]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “in the midst of.”

[9:11]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “those who pursued them.”

[9:11]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “mighty.”

[136:13]  ¹⁹ tn Or “cut.”

[136:13]  ²⁰ tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in v. 15). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.

[136:13]  ²¹ tn Heb “into pieces.”

[136:15]  ²² tn Or “shook off.”

[63:9]  ²³ tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).

[63:9]  ²⁴ tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”

[63:9]  ²⁵ tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”

[63:9]  ²⁶ tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”

[63:10]  ²⁷ tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”

[63:10]  ²⁸ sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.

[63:11]  ²⁹ tn Heb “and he remembered the days of antiquity, Moses, his people.” The syntax of the statement is unclear. The translation assumes that “his people” is the subject of the verb “remembered.” If original, “Moses” is in apposition to “the days of antiquity,” more precisely identifying the time period referred to. However, the syntactical awkwardness suggests that “Moses” may have been an early marginal note (perhaps identifying “the shepherd of his flock” two lines later) that has worked its way into the text.

[63:11]  ³⁰ tn The Hebrew text has a plural form, which if retained and taken as a numerical plural, would probably refer to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite tribal leaders at the time of the Exodus. Most prefer to emend the form to the singular (רָעָה, ra’ah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.

[63:11]  ³¹ sn See the note at v. 10.

[63:12]  ³² tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”

[63:12]  ³³ tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”

[63:13]  ³⁴ tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”

[63:14]  ³⁵ tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[63:14]  ³⁶ tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).

[63:14]  ³⁷ tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”

[20:5]  ³⁸ tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”

[20:5]  ³⁹ tn Heb “seed.”

[20:5]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”

[20:6]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “I lifted up my hand to them.”

[20:6]  ⁴² tn Or “searched out.” The Hebrew word is used to describe the activity of the spies in “spying out” the land of Canaan (Num 13-14); cf. KJV “I had espied for them.”

[20:6]  ⁴³ sn The phrase “a land flowing with milk and honey,” a figure of speech describing the land’s abundant fertility, occurs in v. 15 as well as Exod 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3; Lev 20:24; Num 13:27; Deut 6:3; 11:9; 26:9; 27:3; Josh 5:6; Jer 11:5; 32:23 (see also Deut 1:25; 8:7-9).

[20:7]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “each one, the detestable things of his eyes, throw away.” The Pentateuch does not refer to the Israelites worshiping idols in Egypt, but Josh 24:14 appears to suggest that they did so.

[20:8]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “each one, the detestable things of their eyes did not throw away.”

[20:8]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”

[20:9]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “for the sake of my name.”

[20:9]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “before the eyes of the nations in whose midst they were.”

[20:9]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “to whom I made myself known before their eyes to bring them out from the land of Egypt.” The translation understands the infinitive construct (“to bring them out”) as indicating manner. God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt was an act of self-revelation in that it displayed his power and his commitment to his promises.

[20:11]  ⁵⁰ sn The laws were given at Mount Sinai.

[20:11]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “the man.”

[20:11]  ⁵² tn Heb “does.”

[20:11]  ⁵³ tn The wording and the concept is contained in Lev 18:5 and Deut 30:15-19.

[20:12]  ⁵⁴ sn Ezekiel’s contemporary, Jeremiah, also stressed the importance of obedience to the Sabbath law (Jer 17).

[20:12]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “to become a sign between me and them.”

[20:12]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “set them apart.” The last phrase of verse 12 appears to be a citation of Exod 31:13.

[20:13]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”

[20:13]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “to bring them to an end.”

[20:15]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”

[20:16]  ⁶⁰ tn The words “I did this” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons. Verses 15-16 are one long sentence in the Hebrew text. The translation divides this sentence into two for stylistic reasons.

[20:16]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “for after their idols their heart was going.” The use of the active participle (“was going”) in the Hebrew text draws attention to the ongoing nature of their idolatrous behavior.

[20:17]  ⁶² tn Heb “my eye pitied.”

[20:18]  ⁶³ tn Heb “sons,” reflecting the patriarchal idiom of the culture.

[20:18]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “standard of justice.” See Ezek 7:27.

[20:20]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “set apart my Sabbaths.”

[20:20]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “and they will become a sign between me and you.”

[20:21]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “sons.”

[20:21]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “carries them out.”

[20:21]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”

[20:22]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “drew my hand back.” This idiom also occurs in Lam 2:8 and Ps 74:11.

[20:23]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”

[20:23]  ⁷² sn Though the Pentateuch does not seem to know of this episode, Ps 106:26-27 may speak of God’s oath to exile the people before they had entered Canaan.

[20:24]  ⁷³ tn The words “I did this” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons. Verses 23-24 are one long sentence in the Hebrew text. The translation divides this sentence into two for stylistic reasons.

[20:24]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “they worshiped” (NCV, TEV, CEV); Heb “their eyes were on” or “were after” (cf. v. 16).

[20:25]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “permitted.”

[20:25]  ⁷⁶ tn The Hebrew term חֻקּוֹת (khuqot; translated “statutes” elsewhere in this chapter) is normally feminine. Here Ezekiel changes the form to masculine: חֻקִּים (khuqim). Further, they are not called “my decrees” as vv. 11 and 13 refer to “my statutes.” The change is a signal that Ezekiel is not talking about the same statutes in vv. 11 and 13, which lead to life.

[20:26]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “gifts.”

[20:26]  ⁷⁸ sn This act is prohibited in Deut 12:29-31 and Jer 7:31; 19:5; 32:35. See also 2 Kgs 21:6; 23:10. This custom indicates that the laws the Israelites were following were the disastrous laws of pagan nations (see Ezek 16:20-21).

[20:26]  ⁷⁹ sn God sometimes punishes sin by inciting the sinner to sin even more, as the biblical examples of divine hardening and deceit make clear. See Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., “Divine Hardening in the Old Testament,” BSac 153 (1996): 410-34; idem, “Does God Deceive?” BSac 155 (1998): 11-28. For other instances where the Lord causes individuals to act unwisely or even sinfully as punishment for sin, see 1 Sam 2:25; 2 Sam 17:14; 1 Kgs 12:15; 2 Chr 25:20.

[20:28]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “which I lifted up my hand.”

[20:29]  ⁸¹ tn The Hebrew word (“Bamah”) means “high place.”

[20:30]  ⁸² tn Heb “in the way of your fathers.”

[20:31]  ⁸³ tn Or “gifts.”

[20:31]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “Will I reveal myself to you?”

[20:31]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “I will not reveal myself to you.”

[20:32]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “what comes upon your mind.”

[20:32]  ⁸⁷ tn The Hebrew could also read: “Let us be.”

[20:32]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “serving wood and stone.”