Numbers 27:16

27:16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, ¹  appoint ²  a man over the community,

Numbers 27:1

Special Inheritance Laws

27:1 ³ Then the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh of the families of Manasseh, ⁴  the son Joseph came forward. Now these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

Numbers 8:1

Lighting the Lamps

8:1 ⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses:

Numbers 8:1

Lighting the Lamps

8:1 ⁶ The Lord spoke to Moses:

Numbers 29:17

29:17 “‘On the second day you must offer twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs one year old, all without blemish,

Psalms 7:9

7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked ⁷  come to an end! ⁸ 

But make the innocent ⁹  secure, ¹⁰ 

O righteous God,

you who examine ¹¹  inner thoughts and motives! ¹² 

Psalms 17:3

17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; ¹³ 

you have examined me during the night. ¹⁴ 

You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.

I am determined I will say nothing sinful. ¹⁵ 

Psalms 44:21

44:21 would not God discover it,

for he knows ¹⁶  one’s thoughts? ¹⁷ 

Psalms 139:1-2

Psalm 139 ¹⁸ 

For the music director, a psalm of David.

139:1 O Lord, you examine me ¹⁹  and know.

139:2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;

even from far away you understand my motives.

Proverbs 17:3

17:3 The crucible ²⁰  is for refining ²¹  silver and the furnace ²²  is for gold,

likewise ²³  the Lord tests ²⁴  hearts.

Jeremiah 17:10

17:10 I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds.

I examine people’s hearts. ²⁵ 

I deal with each person according to how he has behaved.

I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

Jeremiah 32:19

32:19 You plan great things and you do mighty deeds. ²⁶  You see everything people do. ²⁷  You reward each of them for the way they live and for the things they do. ²⁸ 

John 2:24-25

2:24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. ²⁹  2:25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, ³⁰  for he knew what was in man. ³¹ 

John 21:17

21:17 Jesus ³²  said ³³  a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed ³⁴  that Jesus ³⁵  asked ³⁶  him a third time, “Do you love me?” and said, ³⁷  “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus ³⁸  replied, ³⁹  “Feed my sheep.

Romans 8:27

8:27 And he ⁴⁰  who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit ⁴¹  intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.

Hebrews 4:13

4:13 And no creature is hidden from God, ⁴²  but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

Revelation 2:23

2:23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers ⁴³  with a deadly disease, ⁴⁴  and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay ⁴⁵  each one of you ⁴⁶  what your deeds deserve. ⁴⁷ 

[27:16]  ¹ tn Heb “flesh”; cf. NAB, NIV “all mankind”; NCV “all people”; NLT “all living things.”

[27:16]  ² tn This is the same verb פָּקַד (paqad) that is used throughout the book for the aspect of “numbering” the people.

[27:1]  ³ sn For additional information on this section, see N. H. Snaith, “The Daughters of Zelophehad,” VT 16 (1966): 124-27; and J. Weingreen, “The Case of the Daughters of Zelophehad,” VT 16 (1966): 518-22.

[27:1]  ⁴ tc The phrase “of the families of Manasseh” is absent from the Latin Vulgate.

[8:1]  ⁵ sn This chapter has three main sections to it: the lighting of the lamps (vv. 1-4), the separation of the Levites (vv. 5-22), and the work of the Levites (vv. 23-26). Many modern scholars assume that the chapter belongs to P and was added late. But the chapter reiterates some of the Mosaic material concerning the work of the Levites in the new sanctuary. For the chapter to make sense the historical setting must be accepted; if the historical setting is accepted, the chapter is necessary as part of that early legislation. For more reading, see M. Haran, “The Nature of the’ohel mo‘edh in the Pentateuchal Sources,” JSS 5 (1960): 50-65, and “The Priestly Image of the Tabernacle,” HUCA 36 (1965): 191-226; and C. L. Meyers, The Tabernacle Menorah.

[8:1]  ⁶ sn This chapter has three main sections to it: the lighting of the lamps (vv. 1-4), the separation of the Levites (vv. 5-22), and the work of the Levites (vv. 23-26). Many modern scholars assume that the chapter belongs to P and was added late. But the chapter reiterates some of the Mosaic material concerning the work of the Levites in the new sanctuary. For the chapter to make sense the historical setting must be accepted; if the historical setting is accepted, the chapter is necessary as part of that early legislation. For more reading, see M. Haran, “The Nature of the’ohel mo‘edh in the Pentateuchal Sources,” JSS 5 (1960): 50-65, and “The Priestly Image of the Tabernacle,” HUCA 36 (1965): 191-226; and C. L. Meyers, The Tabernacle Menorah.

[7:9]  ⁷ tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and his people.

[7:9]  ⁸ tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation here.

[7:9]  ⁹ tn Or “the godly” (see Ps 5:12). The singular form is collective (see the plural “upright in heart” in v. 10), though it may reflect the personal focus of the psalmist in this context.

[7:9]  ¹⁰ tn The prefixed verbal form expresses the psalmist’s prayer or wish.

[7:9]  ¹¹ tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 11:4; 26:2; 139:23.

[7:9]  ¹² tn Heb “and [the one who] tests hearts and kidneys, just God.” The translation inverts the word order to improve the English style. The heart and kidneys were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.

[17:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “you tested my heart.”

[17:3]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”

[17:3]  ¹⁵ tc Heb “you tested me, you do not find, I plan, my mouth will not cross over.” The Hebrew verbal form זַמֹּתִי (zammotiy) is a Qal perfect, first person singular from the root זָמַם (zamam, “plan, plan evil”). Some emend the form to a suffixed form of the noun, זִמָּתִי (zimmatiy, “my plan/evil plan”), and take it as the object of the preceding verb “find.” However, the suffix seems odd, since the psalmist is denying that he has any wrong thoughts. If one takes the form with what precedes, it might make better sense to read זִמּוֹת (zimmot, “evil plans”). However, this emendation leaves an unclear connection with the next line. The present translation maintains the verbal form found in the MT and understands it in a neutral sense, “I have decided” (see Jer 4:28). The words “my mouth will not cross over” (i.e., “transgress, sin”) can then be taken as a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb.

[44:21]  ¹⁶ tn The active participle describes what is characteristically true.

[44:21]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “would not God search out this, for he knows the hidden things of [the] heart?” The expression “search out” is used metonymically here, referring to discovery, the intended effect of a search. The “heart” (i.e., mind) is here viewed as the seat of one’s thoughts. The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course he would!” The point seems to be this: There is no way the Israelites who are the speakers in the psalm would reject God and turn to another god, for the omniscient God would easily discover such a sin.

[139:1]  ¹⁸ sn Psalm 139. The psalmist acknowledges that God, who created him, is aware of his every action and thought. He invites God to examine his motives, for he is confident they are pure.

[139:1]  ¹⁹ tn The statement is understood as generalizing – the psalmist describes what God typically does.

[17:3]  ²⁰ sn The noun מַצְרֵף (matsref) means “a place or instrument for refining” (cf. ASV, NASB “the refining pot”). The related verb, which means “to melt, refine, smelt,” is used in scripture literally for refining and figuratively for the Lord’s purifying and cleansing and testing people.

[17:3]  ²¹ tn The term “refining” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the parallelism; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[17:3]  ²² sn The term כּוּר (cur) describes a “furnace” or “smelting pot.” It can be used figuratively for the beneficial side of affliction (Isa 48:10).

[17:3]  ²³ tn Heb “and.” Most English versions treat this as an adversative (“but”).

[17:3]  ²⁴ sn The participle בֹּחֵן (bokhen, “tests”) in this emblematic parallelism takes on the connotations of the crucible and the furnace. When the Lord “tests” human hearts, the test, whatever form it takes, is designed to improve the value of the one being tested. Evil and folly will be removed when such testing takes place.

[17:10]  ²⁵ tn The term rendered “mind” here and in the previous verse is actually the Hebrew word for “heart.” However, in combination with the word rendered “heart” in the next line, which is the Hebrew for “kidneys,” it is best rendered “mind” because the “heart” was considered the center of intellect, conscience, and will and the “kidneys” the center of emotions.

[32:19]  ²⁶ tn Heb “[you are] great in counsel and mighty in deed.”

[32:19]  ²⁷ tn Heb “your eyes are open to the ways of the sons of men.”

[32:19]  ²⁸ tn Heb “giving to each according to his way [= behavior/conduct] and according to the fruit of his deeds.”

[2:24]  ²⁹ tn Grk “all.” The word “people” has been supplied for clarity, since the Greek word πάντας (pantas) is masculine plural (thus indicating people rather than things).

[2:25]  ³⁰ tn The masculine form has been retained here in the translation to maintain the connection with “a man of the Pharisees” in 3:1, with the understanding that the reference is to people of both genders.

[2:25]  ³¹ tn See previous note on “man” in this verse.

[21:17]  ³² tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:17]  ³³ tn Grk “said to him.” The words “to him” are clear from the context and slightly redundant in English.

[21:17]  ³⁴ tn Or “was sad.”

[21:17]  ³⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:17]  ³⁶ tn Grk “said to.”

[21:17]  ³⁷ tn Grk “and said to him.” The words “to him” are clear from the context and slightly redundant in English.

[21:17]  ³⁸ tc ‡ Most witnesses, especially later ones (A Θ Ψ Ë¹³ Ï), read ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς (Jo Ihsou", “Jesus”) here, while B C have ᾿Ιησοῦς without the article and א D W ˹ 33 565 al lat lack both. Because of the rapid verbal exchange in this pericope, “Jesus” is virtually required for clarity, providing a temptation to scribes to add the name. Further, the name normally occurs with the article. Although it is possible that B C accidentally omitted the article with the name, it is just as likely that they added the simple name to the text for clarity’s sake, while other witnesses added the article as well. The omission of ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς thus seems most likely to be authentic. NA²⁷ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.

[21:17]  ³⁹ tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”

[8:27]  ⁴⁰ sn He refers to God here; Paul has not specifically identified him for the sake of rhetorical power (for by leaving the subject slightly ambiguous, he draws his audience into seeing God’s hand in places where he is not explicitly mentioned).

[8:27]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “he,” or “it”; the referent (the Spirit) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:13]  ⁴² tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:23]  ⁴³ tn Grk “her children,” but in this context a reference to this woman’s followers or disciples is more likely meant.

[2:23]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “I will kill with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).

[2:23]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “I will give.” The sense of δίδωμι (didwmi) in this context is more “repay” than “give.”

[2:23]  ⁴⁶ sn This pronoun and the following one are plural in the Greek text.

[2:23]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “each one of you according to your works.”