Psalms 41:9

41:9 Even my close friend ¹  whom I trusted,

he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. ² 

Psalms 55:12-14

55:12 Indeed, ³  it is not an enemy who insults me,

or else I could bear it;

it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, ⁴ 

or else I could hide from him.

55:13 But it is you, ⁵  a man like me, ⁶ 

my close friend in whom I confided. ⁷ 

55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other; ⁸ 

in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.

Micah 7:5-6

7:5 Do not rely on a friend;

do not trust a companion!

Don’t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms! ⁹ 

7:6 For a son thinks his father is a fool,

a daughter challenges ¹⁰  her mother,

and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are his own servants. ¹¹ 

John 13:18

The Announcement of Jesus’ Betrayal

13:18 “What I am saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, ¹²  ‘The one who eats my bread ¹³  has turned against me.’ ¹⁴ 

[41:9]  ¹ tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).

[41:9]  ² tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.

[55:12]  ³ tn Or “for.”

[55:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “[who] magnifies against me.” See Pss 35:26; 38:16.

[55:13]  ⁵ sn It is you. The psalmist addresses the apparent ringleader of the opposition, an individual who was once his friend.

[55:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “a man according to my value,” i.e., “a person such as I.”

[55:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “my close friend, one known by me.”

[55:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “who together we would make counsel sweet.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the ongoing nature of the actions (the so-called customary use of the imperfect). Their relationship was characterized by such intimacy and friendship. See IBHS 502-3 §31.2b.

[7:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “from the one who lies in your arms, guard the doors of your mouth.”

[7:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “rises up against.”

[7:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the enemies of a man are the men of his house.”

[13:18]  ¹² tn Grk “But so that the scripture may be fulfilled.”

[13:18]  ¹³ tn Or “The one who shares my food.”

[13:18]  ¹⁴ tn Or “has become my enemy”; Grk “has lifted up his heel against me.” The phrase “to lift up one’s heel against someone” reads literally in the Hebrew of Ps 41 “has made his heel great against me.” There have been numerous interpretations of this phrase, but most likely it is an idiom meaning “has given me a great fall,” “has taken cruel advantage of me,” or “has walked out on me.” Whatever the exact meaning of the idiom, it clearly speaks of betrayal by a close associate. See E. F. F. Bishop, “‘He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me’ – Jn xiii.18 (Ps xli.9),” ExpTim 70 (1958-59): 331-33.