Proverbs 15:30

15:30 A bright look ¹  brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the body. ² 

Proverbs 22:1

22:1 A good name ³  is to be chosen ⁴  rather than great wealth,

good favor ⁵  more than silver or gold.

Isaiah 56:5

56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument ⁶ 

that will be better than sons and daughters.

I will set up a permanent monument ⁷  for them that will remain.

Luke 10:20

10:20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that ⁸  the spirits submit to you, but rejoice ⁹  that your names stand written ¹⁰  in heaven.”

Hebrews 11:2

11:2 For by it the people of old ¹¹  received God’s commendation. ¹² 

Hebrews 11:39

11:39 And these all were commended ¹³  for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. ¹⁴ 

[15:30]  ¹ tc The LXX has “the eye that sees beautiful things.” D. W. Thomas suggests pointing מְאוֹר (mÿ’or) as a Hophal participle, “a fine sight cheers the mind” (“Textual and Philological Notes,” 205). But little is to be gained from this change.

[15:30]  ² tn Heb “makes fat the bones”; NAB “invigorates the bones.” The word “bones” is a metonymy of subject, the bones representing the whole body. The idea of “making fat” signifies by comparison (hypocatastasis) with fat things that the body will be healthy and prosperous (e.g., Prov 17:22; 25:25; Gen 45:27-28; and Isa 52:7-8). Good news makes the person feel good in body and soul.

[22:1]  ³ tn Heb “a name.” The idea of the name being “good” is implied; it has the connotation here of a reputation (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).

[22:1]  ⁴ tn “To be chosen rather than” is a translation of the Niphal participle with the comparative degree taken into consideration. Cf. CEV “worth much more than.”

[22:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “favor of goodness.” This is a somewhat difficult expression. Some English versions render the phrase “favor is better than silver or gold” (so NASB, NRSV) making it parallel to the first colon. But if “good” is retained as an attributive modifier, then it would mean one was well thought of, or one had engaging qualities (cf. ASV “loving favor; NLT “high esteem”). This fits with the idea of the reputation in the first colon, for a good name would bring with it the favor of others.

[56:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.

[56:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[10:20]  ⁸ tn Grk “do not rejoice in this, that.” This is awkward in contemporary English and has been simplified to “do not rejoice that.”

[10:20]  ⁹ tn The verb here is a present imperative, so the call is to an attitude of rejoicing.

[10:20]  ¹⁰ tn The verb here, a perfect tense, stresses a present reality of that which was a completed action, that is, their names were etched in the heavenly stone, as it were.

[11:2]  ¹¹ tn Or “the elders,” “the ancients.”

[11:2]  ¹² tn Grk “were attested,” “received commendation”; and Heb 11:4-6 shows this to be from God.

[11:39]  ¹³ sn The expression these all were commended forms an inclusio with Heb 11:2: The chapter begins and ends with references to commendation for faith.

[11:39]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “the promise,” referring to the thing God promised, not to the pledge itself.