Proverbs 1:31

1:31 Therefore ¹  they will eat from the fruit ²  of their way, ³ 

and they will be stuffed full ⁴  of their own counsel.

Proverbs 14:14

14:14 The backslider ⁵  will be paid back ⁶  from his own ways,

but a good person will be rewarded ⁷  for his.

Jeremiah 13:12-14

13:12 “So tell them, ⁸  ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, says, “Every wine jar is made to be filled with wine.”’ ⁹  And they will probably say to you, ‘Do you not think we know ¹⁰  that every wine jar is supposed to be filled with wine?’ 13:13 Then ¹¹  tell them, ‘The Lord says, “I will soon fill all the people who live in this land with stupor. ¹²  I will also fill the kings from David’s dynasty, ¹³  the priests, the prophets, and the citizens of Jerusalem with stupor. ¹⁴  13:14 And I will smash them like wine bottles against one another, children and parents alike. ¹⁵  I will not show any pity, mercy, or compassion. Nothing will keep me from destroying them,’ ¹⁶  says the Lord.”

Habakkuk 2:16

2:16 But you will become drunk ¹⁷  with shame, not majesty. ¹⁸ 

Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin! ¹⁹ 

The cup of wine in the Lord’s right hand ²⁰  is coming to you,

and disgrace will replace your majestic glory!

Revelation 18:6

18:6 Repay her the same way she repaid others; ²¹  pay her back double ²²  corresponding to her deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix double the amount for her.

[1:31]  ¹ tn The vav (ו) prefixed to the verb וְיֹאכְלוּ (vÿyo’khÿlu) functions in a consecutive logical sense: “therefore.”

[1:31]  ² sn The expression “eat the fruit of” is a figurative expression (hypocatastasis) that compares the consequences of sin to agricultural growth that culminates in produce. They will suffer the consequences of their sinful actions, that is, they will “reap” what they “sow.”

[1:31]  ³ sn The words “way” (דֶּרֶךְ, derekh) and “counsel” (מוֹעֵצָה, mo’etsah) stand in strong contrast to the instruction of wisdom which gave counsel and rebuke to encourage a better way. They will bear the consequences of the course they follow and the advice they take (for that wrong advice, e.g., Ps 1:1).

[1:31]  ⁴ tn Heb “to eat to one’s fill.” The verb שָׂבֵעַ (savea’) means (1) positive: “to eat one’s fill” so that one’s appetite is satisfied and (2) negative: “to eat in excess” as a glutton to the point of sickness and revulsion (BDB 959 s.v.). Fools will not only “eat” the fruit of their own way (v. 31a), they will be force-fed this revolting “menu” which will make them want to vomit (v. 31b) and eventually kill them (v. 32).

[14:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “a turning away of heart.” The genitive לֵב (lev, “heart”) functions as an attributive adjective: “a backslidden heart.” The term סוּג (sug) means “to move away; to move backwards; to depart; to backslide” (BDB 690 s.v. I סוּג). This individual is the one who backslides, that is, who departs from the path of righteousness.

[14:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “will be filled”; cf. KJV, ASV. The verb (“to be filled, to be satisfied”) here means “to be repaid,” that is, to partake in his own evil ways. His faithlessness will come back to haunt him.

[14:14]  ⁷ tn The phrase “will be rewarded” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[13:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “So you shall say this word [or message] to them.”

[13:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “Every wine jar is supposed to be filled with wine.”

[13:12]  ¹⁰ tn This is an attempt to render a construction which involves an infinitive of a verb being added before the same verb in a question which expects a positive answer. There may, by the way, be a pun being passed back and forth here involving the sound play been “fool” (נָבָל, naval) and “wine bottle” (נֶבֶל, nebel).

[13:13]  ¹¹ tn The Greek version is likely right in interpreting the construction of two perfects preceded by the conjunction as contingent or consequential here, i.e., “and when they say…then say.” See GKC 494 §159.g. However, to render literally would create a long sentence. Hence, the words “will probably” have been supplied in v. 12 in the translation to set up the contingency/consequential sequence in the English sentences.

[13:13]  ¹² sn It is probably impossible to convey in a simple translation all the subtle nuances that are wrapped up in the words of this judgment speech. The word translated “stupor” here is literally “drunkenness” but the word has in the context an undoubted intended double reference. It refers first to the drunken like stupor of confusion on the part of leaders and citizens of the land which will cause them to clash with one another. But it also probably refers to the reeling under God’s wrath that results from this (cf. Jer 25:15-29, especially vv. 15-16). Moreover there is still the subtle little play on wine jars. The people are like the wine jars which were supposed to be filled with wine. They were to be a special people to bring glory to God but they had become corrupt. Hence, like wine jars they would be smashed against one another and broken to pieces (v. 14). All of this, both “fill them with the stupor of confusion” and “make them reel under God’s wrath,” cannot be conveyed in one translation.

[13:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “who sit on David’s throne.”

[13:13]  ¹⁴ tn In Hebrew this is all one long sentence with one verb governing compound objects. It is broken up here in conformity with English style.

[13:14]  ¹⁵ tn Or “children along with their parents”; Heb “fathers and children together.”

[13:14]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “I will not show…so as not to destroy them.”

[2:16]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “are filled.” The translation assumes the verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of Babylon’s coming judgment, which will reduce the majestic empire to shame and humiliation.

[2:16]  ¹⁸ tn Or “glory.”

[2:16]  ¹⁹ tc Heb “drink, even you, and show the foreskin.” Instead of הֵעָרֵל (he’arel, “show the foreskin”) one of the Dead Sea scrolls has הֵרָעֵל (hera’el, “stumble”). This reading also has support from several ancient versions and is followed by the NEB (“you too shall drink until you stagger”) and NRSV (“Drink, you yourself, and stagger”). For a defense of the Hebrew text, see P. D. Miller, Jr., Sin and Judgment in the Prophets, 63-64.

[2:16]  ²⁰ sn The Lord’s right hand represents his military power. He will force the Babylonians to experience the same humiliating defeat they inflicted on others.

[18:6]  ²¹ tn The word “others” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[18:6]  ²² tn On this term BDAG 252 s.v. διπλόω states, “to double τὰ διπλᾶ pay back double Rv 18:6.”