Jeremiah 48:42

48:42 Moab will be destroyed and no longer be a nation, ¹ 

because she has vaunted herself against the Lord.

Exodus 5:2

5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord ²  that ³  I should obey him ⁴  by releasing ⁵  Israel? I do not know the Lord, ⁶  and I will not release Israel!”

Exodus 9:17

9:17 You are still exalting ⁷  yourself against my people by ⁸  not releasing them.

Job 9:4

9:4 He is wise in heart ⁹  and mighty ¹⁰  in strength ¹¹  –

who has resisted ¹²  him and remained safe? ¹³ 

Isaiah 10:15

10:15 Does an ax exalt itself over the one who wields it,

or a saw magnify itself over the one who cuts with it? ¹⁴ 

As if a scepter should brandish the one who raises it,

or a staff should lift up what is not made of wood!

Ezekiel 35:12-13

35:12 Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the insults you spoke against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are desolate, they have been given to us for food.” 35:13 You exalted yourselves against me with your speech ¹⁵  and hurled many insults against me ¹⁶  – I have heard them all!

Daniel 5:23

5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – gods ¹⁷  that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control ¹⁸  your very breath and all your ways!

Daniel 8:11-12

8:11 It also acted arrogantly against the Prince of the army, ¹⁹  from whom ²⁰  the daily sacrifice was removed and whose sanctuary ²¹  was thrown down. 8:12 The army was given over, ²²  along with the daily sacrifice, in the course of his sinful rebellion. ²³  It hurled ²⁴  truth ²⁵  to the ground and enjoyed success. ²⁶ 

Daniel 11:36

11:36 “Then the king ²⁷  will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of ²⁸  wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur. ²⁹ 

Zephaniah 2:8-10

2:8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts

and the Ammonites’ insults.

They ³⁰  taunted my people

and verbally harassed those living in Judah. ³¹ 

2:9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel,

“be certain that Moab will become like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.

They will be overrun by weeds, ³² 

filled with salt pits, ³³ 

and permanently desolate.

Those of my people who are left ³⁴  will plunder their belongings; ³⁵ 

those who are left in Judah ³⁶  will take possession of their land.”

2:10 This is how they will be repaid for their arrogance, ³⁷ 

for they taunted and verbally harassed ³⁸  the people of the Lord who commands armies.

Zephaniah 2:2

2:2 before God’s decree becomes reality ³⁹  and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, ⁴⁰ 

before the Lord’s raging anger ⁴¹  overtakes ⁴²  you –

before the day of the Lord’s angry judgment overtakes you!

Zephaniah 2:4

Judgment on Surrounding Nations

2:4 Indeed, ⁴³  Gaza will be deserted ⁴⁴ 

and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins. ⁴⁵ 

Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon, ⁴⁶ 

and Ekron will be overthrown. ⁴⁷ 

[48:42]  ¹ tn Heb “Moab will be destroyed from [being] a people.”

[5:2]  ² tn Heb “Yahweh.” This is a rhetorical question, expressing doubt or indignation or simply a negative thought that Yahweh is nothing (see erotesis in E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 944-45). Pharaoh is not asking for information (cf. 1 Sam 25:5-10).

[5:2]  ³ tn The relative pronoun introduces the consecutive clause that depends on the interrogative clause (see GKC 318-19 §107.u).

[5:2]  ⁴ tn The imperfect tense here receives the classification of obligatory imperfect. The verb שָׁמַע (shama’) followed by “in the voice of” is idiomatic; rather than referring to simple audition – “that I should hear his voice” – it conveys the thought of listening that issues in action – “that I should obey him.”

[5:2]  ⁵ tn The Piel infinitive construct here has the epexegetical usage with lamed (ל); it explains the verb “obey.”

[5:2]  ⁶ sn This absolute statement of Pharaoh is part of a motif that will develop throughout the conflict. For Pharaoh, the Lord (Yahweh) did not exist. So he said “I do not know the Lord [i.e., Yahweh].” The point of the plagues and the exodus will be “that he might know.” Pharaoh will come to know this Yahweh, but not in any pleasant way.

[9:17]  ⁷ tn מִסְתּוֹלֵל (mistolel) is a Hitpael participle, from a root that means “raise up, obstruct.” So in the Hitpael it means to “raise oneself up,” “elevate oneself,” or “be an obstructionist.” See W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:363; U. Cassuto, Exodus, 116.

[9:17]  ⁸ tn The infinitive construct with lamed here is epexegetical; it explains how Pharaoh has exalted himself – “by not releasing the people.”

[9:4]  ⁹ tn The genitive phrase translated “in heart” would be a genitive of specification, specifying that the wisdom of God is in his intelligent decisions.

[9:4]  ¹⁰ sn The words אַמִּיץ (’ammits) and כֹּחַ (koakh) are synonyms, the first meaning “sturdy; mighty; robust,” and the second “strength.” It too can be interpreted as a genitive of specification – God is mighty with respect to his power. But that comes close to expressing a superlative idea (like “song of songs” or “anger of his wrath”).

[9:4]  ¹¹ tn The first half of the verse simply has “wise of heart and mighty of strength.” The entire line is a casus pendens that will refer to the suffix on אֵלָיו (’elayv) in the second colon. So the question is “Who has resisted the one who is wise of heart and mighty of strength?” Again, the rhetorical question is affirming that no one has done this.

[9:4]  ¹² tn The verb is the Hiphil of the verb קָשָׁה (qashah, “to be hard”). It frequently is found with the word for “neck,” describing people as “stiff-necked,” i.e., stubborn, unbending. So the idea of resisting God fits well. The fact that this word occurs in Exodus with the idea of hardening the heart against God may indicate that there is an allusion to Pharaoh here.

[9:4]  ¹³ tn The use of שָׁלֵם (shalem) in the Qal is rare. It has been translated “remain safe” by E. Dhorme, “survived” by the NEB, “remained unscathed” by the NAB and NIV, or “succeeded” by KJV, G. R. Driver.

[10:15]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the one who pushes it back and forth”; KJV “him that shaketh it”; ASV “him that wieldeth it.”

[35:13]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “your mouth.”

[35:13]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and you multiplied against me your words.” The Hebrew verb occurs only here and in Prov 27:6, where it refers to the “excessive” kisses of an enemy. The basic idea of the verb appears to be “to be abundant.” Here it occurs in the causative (Hiphil) stem.

[5:23]  ¹⁷ tn Aram “which.”

[5:23]  ¹⁸ tn Aram “in whose hand [are].”

[8:11]  ¹⁹ sn The prince of the army may refer to God (cf. “whose sanctuary” later in the verse) or to the angel Michael (cf. 12:1).

[8:11]  ²⁰ tn Or perhaps “and by him,” referring to Antiochus rather than to God.

[8:11]  ²¹ sn Here the sanctuary is a reference to the temple of God in Jerusalem.

[8:12]  ²² tc The present translation reads וּצְבָאָהּ נִתַּן (utsÿva’ah nittan) for the MT וְצָבָא תִּנָּתֵן (vÿtsava’ tinnaten). The context suggests a perfect rather than an imperfect verb.

[8:12]  ²³ tn Heb “in (the course of) rebellion.” The meaning of the phrase is difficult to determine. It could mean “due to rebellion,” referring to the failures of the Jews, but this is not likely since it is not a point made elsewhere in the book. The phrase more probably refers to the rebellion against God and the atrocities against the Jews epitomized by Antiochus.

[8:12]  ²⁴ tc Two medieval Hebrew MSS and the LXX have a passive verb here: “truth was hurled to the ground” (cf. NIV, NCV, TEV).

[8:12]  ²⁵ sn Truth here probably refers to the Torah. According to 1 Macc 1:56, Antiochus initiated destruction of the sacred books of the Jews.

[8:12]  ²⁶ tn Heb “it acted and prospered.”

[11:36]  ²⁷ sn The identity of this king is problematic. If vv. 36-45 continue the description of Antiochus Epiphanes, the account must be viewed as erroneous, since the details do not match what is known of Antiochus’ latter days. Most modern scholars take this view, concluding that this section was written just shortly before the death of Antiochus and that the writer erred on several key points as he tried to predict what would follow the events of his own day. Conservative scholars, however, usually understand the reference to shift at this point to an eschatological figure, viz., the Antichrist. The chronological gap that this would presuppose to be in the narrative is not necessarily a problem, since by all accounts there are many chronological gaps throughout the chapter, as the historical figures intended by such expressions as “king of the north” and “king of the south” repeatedly shift.

[11:36]  ²⁸ tn The words “the time of” are added in the translation for clarification.

[11:36]  ²⁹ tn Heb “has been done.” The Hebrew verb used here is the perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of fulfillment.

[2:8]  ³⁰ tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:8]  ³¹ tn Heb “and they made great [their mouth?] against their territory.” Other possible translation options include (1) “they enlarged their own territory” (cf. NEB) and (2) “they bragged about [the size] of their own territory.”

[2:9]  ³² tn The Hebrew text reads מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל (mimshaq kharul, “[?] of weeds”). The meaning of the first word is unknown. The present translation (“They will be overrun by weeds”) is speculative, based on the general sense of the context. For a defense of “overrun” on linguistic grounds, see R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 347. Cf. NEB “a pile of weeds”; NIV “a place of weeds”; NRSV “a land possessed by nettles.”

[2:9]  ³³ tn The Hebrew text reads וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח (umikhreh-melakh, “and a [?] of salt”). The meaning of the first word is unclear, though “pit” (NASB, NIV, NRSV; NKJV “saltpit”), “mine,” and “heap” (cf. NEB “a rotting heap of saltwort”) are all options. The words “filled with” are supplied for clarification.

[2:9]  ³⁴ tn Or “The remnant of my people.”

[2:9]  ³⁵ tn Heb “them.” The actual object of the plundering, “their belongings,” has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:9]  ³⁶ tn Heb “[the] nation.” For clarity the “nation” has been specified as “Judah” in the translation.

[2:10]  ³⁷ tn Heb “this is for them in place of their arrogance.”

[2:10]  ³⁸ tn Heb “made great [their mouth?] against” (cf. the last phrase of v. 8).

[2:2]  ³⁹ tn Heb “before the giving birth of a decree.” For various alternative readings, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 187-88.

[2:2]  ⁴⁰ tn The second half of the line reads literally, “like chaff it passes by a day.” The translation above assumes the “day” is the brief time God is giving the nation to repent. The comparison of this quickly passing opportunity to chaff is consistent with the straw imagery of v. 1.

[2:2]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the fury of the anger of the Lord.” The synonyms are combined to emphasize the extreme degree of the Lord’s anger.

[2:2]  ⁴² tn Heb “comes upon.” This phrase occurs twice in this verse.

[2:4]  ⁴³ tn Or “for” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[2:4]  ⁴⁴ tn There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name Gaza (עַזָּה, ’azzah) sounds like the word translated “deserted” (עֲזוּבָה, ’azuvah).

[2:4]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “a desolate place.”

[2:4]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “[As for] Ashdod, at noon they will drive her away.”

[2:4]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “uprooted.” There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name “Ekron” (עֶקְרוֹן, ’eqron) sounds like the word translated “uprooted” (תֵּעָקֵר, te’aqer).