Psalms 58:2

58:2 No! ¹  You plan how to do what is unjust; ² 

you deal out violence in the earth. ³ 

Psalms 58:1

Psalm 58 ⁴ 

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; ⁵  a prayer ⁶  of David.

58:1 Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? ⁷ 

Do you judge people ⁸  fairly?

Psalms 12:1

Psalm 12 ⁹ 

For the music director; according to the sheminith style; ¹⁰  a psalm of David.

12:1 Deliver, Lord!

For the godly ¹¹  have disappeared; ¹² 

people of integrity ¹³  have vanished. ¹⁴ 

Esther 3:6-12

3:6 But the thought of striking out against ¹⁵  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ¹⁶  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ¹⁷  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ¹⁸  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

3:7 In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year ¹⁹  of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur ²⁰  (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. ²¹  It turned out to be the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar). ²² 

3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people ²³  that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants ²⁴  throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them. ²⁵  3:9 If the king is so inclined, ²⁶  let an edict be issued ²⁷  to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver ²⁸  to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”

3:10 So the king removed his signet ring ²⁹  from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews. 3:11 The king replied to Haman, “Keep your money, ³⁰  and do with those people whatever you wish.” ³¹ 

3:12 So the royal scribes ³²  were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps ³³  and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

Isaiah 10:1

10:1 Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, ³⁴ 

those who are always instituting unfair regulations, ³⁵ 

Daniel 3:4-7

3:4 Then the herald ³⁶  made a loud ³⁷  proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given: ³⁸  3:5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, ³⁹  trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must ⁴⁰  bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected. 3:6 Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately ⁴¹  be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!” 3:7 Therefore when they all ⁴²  heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, ⁴³  and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

Daniel 6:7-9

6:7 To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays ⁴⁴  to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions. 6:8 Now let the king issue a written interdict ⁴⁵  so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed. ⁴⁶  6:9 So King Darius issued the written interdict.

Micah 6:16

6:16 You implement the regulations of Omri,

and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; ⁴⁷ 

you follow their policies. ⁴⁸ 

Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, ⁴⁹ 

the city’s ⁵⁰  inhabitants will be taunted derisively, ⁵¹ 

and nations will mock all of you.” ⁵² 

John 9:22

9:22 (His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. ⁵³  For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus ⁵⁴  to be the Christ ⁵⁵  would be put out ⁵⁶  of the synagogue. ⁵⁷ 

John 11:57

11:57 (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees ⁵⁸  had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus ⁵⁹  was should report it, so that they could arrest ⁶⁰  him.) ⁶¹ 

Revelation 13:15-17

13:15 The second beast ⁶²  was empowered ⁶³  to give life ⁶⁴  to the image of the first beast ⁶⁵  so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 13:16 He also caused ⁶⁶  everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave ⁶⁷ ) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. 13:17 Thus no one was allowed to buy ⁶⁸  or sell things ⁶⁹  unless he bore ⁷⁰  the mark of the beast – that is, his name or his number. ⁷¹ 

[58:2]  ¹ tn The particle אַף (’af, “no”) is used here as a strong adversative emphasizing the following statement, which contrasts reality with the rulers’ claim alluded to in the rhetorical questions (see Ps 44:9).

[58:2]  ² tn Heb “in the heart unjust deeds you do.” The phrase “in the heart” (i.e., “mind”) seems to refer to their plans and motives. The Hebrew noun עַוְלָה (’avlah, “injustice”) is collocated with פָּעַל (pa’al, “do”) here and in Job 36:23 and Ps 119:3. Some emend the plural form עוֹלֹת (’olot, “unjust deeds”; see Ps 64:6) to the singular עָוֶל (’avel, “injustice”; see Job 34:32), taking the final tav (ת) as dittographic (note that the following verbal form begins with tav). Some then understand עָוֶל (’avel, “injustice”) as a genitive modifying “heart” and translate, “with a heart of injustice you act.”

[58:2]  ³ tn Heb “in the earth the violence of your hands you weigh out.” The imagery is from the economic realm. The addressees measure out violence, rather than justice, and distribute it like a commodity. This may be ironic, since justice was sometimes viewed as a measuring scale (see Job 31:6).

[58:1]  ⁴ sn Psalm 58. The psalmist calls on God to punish corrupt judges because a vivid display of divine judgment will convince observers that God is the just judge of the world who vindicates the godly.

[58:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the heading to Pss 57, 59, and 75.

[58:1]  ⁶ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam) which also appears in the heading to Pss 16 and 56-57, 59-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[58:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “Really [in] silence, what is right do you speak?” The Hebrew noun אֵלֶם (’elem, “silence”) makes little, if any, sense in this context. Some feel that this is an indictment of the addressees’ failure to promote justice; they are silent when they should make just decisions. The present translation assumes an emendation to אֵלִם (’elim), which in turn is understood as a defectively written form of אֵילִים (’elim, “rulers,” a metaphorical use of אַיִל, ’ayil, “ram”; see Exod 15:15; Ezek 17:13). The rhetorical question is sarcastic, challenging their claim to be just. Elsewhere the collocation of דָּבַר (davar, “speak”) with צֶדֶק (tsedeq, “what is right”) as object means “to speak the truth” (see Ps 52:3; Isa 45:19). Here it refers specifically to declaring what is right in a legal setting, as the next line indicates.

[58:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “the sons of mankind.” The translation assumes the phrase is the object of the verb “to judge.” Some take it as a vocative, “Do you judge fairly, O sons of mankind?” (Cf. NASB; see Ezek 20:4; 22:2; 23:36.)

[12:1]  ⁹ sn Psalm 12. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene, for society is overrun by deceitful, arrogant oppressors and godly individuals are a dying breed. When the Lord announces his intention to defend the oppressed, the psalmist affirms his confidence in the divine promise.

[12:1]  ¹⁰ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.

[12:1]  ¹¹ tn The singular form is collective or representative. Note the plural form “faithful [ones]” in the following line. A “godly [one]” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[12:1]  ¹² tn Or “have come to an end.”

[12:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “the faithful [ones] from the sons of man.”

[12:1]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew verb פָּסַס (pasas) occurs only here. An Akkadian cognate means “efface, blot out.”

[3:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”

[3:6]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.

[3:6]  ¹⁷ tc The entire first half of the verse is not included in the LXX.

[3:6]  ¹⁸ tc This parenthetical phrase is not included in the LXX. Some scholars emend the MT reading עַם (’am, “people”) to עִם (’im, “with”), arguing that the phrase is awkwardly placed and syntactically inappropriate. While there is some truth to their complaint, the MT makes sufficient sense to be acceptable here, and is followed by most English versions.

[3:7]  ¹⁹ sn This year would be ca. 474 b.c. The reference to first month and twelfth month indicate that about a year had elapsed between this determination and the anticipated execution.

[3:7]  ²⁰ tn The term פּוּר (pur, “lot”) is an Akkadian loanword; the narrator therefore explains it for his Hebrew readers (“that is, the lot”). It is from the plural form of this word (i.e., Purim) that the festival celebrating the deliverance of the Jews takes its name (cf. 9:24, 26, 28, 31).

[3:7]  ²¹ tc The LXX adds the following words: “in order to destroy in one day the race of Mordecai, and the lot fell on the fourteenth day of the month.” The LXX reading is included by NAB.

[3:7]  ²² tn Since v. 7 seems to interrupt the flow of the narrative, many scholars have suggested that it is a late addition to the text. But there is not enough evidence to warrant such a conclusion. Even though its placement is somewhat awkward, the verse supplies to the reader an important piece of chronological information.

[3:8]  ²³ tn Heb “one people.” Note the subtle absence at this point of a specific mention of the Jewish people by name.

[3:8]  ²⁴ tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “nations”

[3:8]  ²⁵ tn Heb “to cause them to rest”; NASB “to let them remain”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “to tolerate them.”

[3:9]  ²⁶ tn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.”

[3:9]  ²⁷ tn Heb “let it be written” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “let it be decreed.”

[3:9]  ²⁸ sn The enormity of the monetary sum referred to here can be grasped by comparing this amount (10,000 talents of silver) to the annual income of the empire, which according to Herodotus (Histories 3.95) was 14,500 Euboic talents. In other words Haman is offering the king a bribe equal to two-thirds of the royal income. Doubtless this huge sum of money was to come (in large measure) from the anticipated confiscation of Jewish property and assets once the Jews had been destroyed. That such a large sum of money is mentioned may indicate something of the economic standing of the Jewish population in the empire of King Ahasuerus.

[3:10]  ²⁹ sn Possessing the king’s signet ring would enable Haman to act with full royal authority. The king’s ring would be used to impress the royal seal on edicts, making them as binding as if the king himself had enacted them.

[3:11]  ³⁰ tn Heb “the silver is given to you”; NRSV “the money is given to you”; CEV “You can keep their money.” C. A. Moore (Esther [AB], 40) understands these words somewhat differently, taking them to imply acceptance of the money on Xerxes’ part. He translates, “Well, it’s your money.”

[3:11]  ³¹ tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes”; NASB “do with them as you please.”

[3:12]  ³² tn Or “secretaries” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[3:12]  ³³ tn Or “princes” (so NLT); CEV “highest officials.”

[10:1]  ³⁴ tn Heb “Woe [to] those who decree evil decrees.” On הוֹי (hoy, “woe, ah”) see the note on the first phrase of 1:4.

[10:1]  ³⁵ tn Heb “[to] the writers who write out harm.” The participle and verb are in the Piel, suggesting repetitive action.

[3:4]  ³⁶ tn According to BDB 1097 s.v. כָּרוֹז the Aramaic word used here is a Greek loanword, but other scholars have argued instead for a Persian derivation (HALOT 1902 s.v. *כָּרוֹז).

[3:4]  ³⁷ tn Aram “in strength.”

[3:4]  ³⁸ tn Aram “they are saying.”

[3:5]  ³⁹ sn The word zither (Aramaic קִיתָרוֹס [qitaros]), and the words for harp (Aramaic פְּסַנְתֵּרִין [pÿsanterin]) and pipes (Aramaic סוּמְפֹּנְיָה [sumponÿyah]), are of Greek derivation. Though much has been made of this in terms of suggesting a date in the Hellenistic period for the writing of the book, it is not surprising that a few Greek cultural terms, all of them the names of musical instruments, should appear in this book. As a number of scholars have pointed out, the bigger surprise (if, in fact, the book is to be dated to the Hellenistic period) may be that there are so few Greek loanwords in Daniel.

[3:5]  ⁴⁰ tn The imperfect Aramaic verbs have here an injunctive nuance.

[3:6]  ⁴¹ tn Aram “in that hour.”

[3:7]  ⁴² tn Aram “all the peoples.”

[3:7]  ⁴³ tc Though not in the Aramaic text of BHS, this word appears in many medieval Hebrew MSS, some LXX MSS, and Vulgate. Cf. vv. 5, 10, 15.

[6:7]  ⁴⁴ tn Aram “prays a prayer.”

[6:8]  ⁴⁵ tn Aram “establish a written interdict and inscribe a written decree.”

[6:8]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “removed.”

[6:16]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “the edicts of Omri are kept, and all the deeds of the house of Ahab.”

[6:16]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “and you walk in their plans.”

[6:16]  ⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew term שַׁמָּה (shammah) can refer to “destruction; ruin,” or to the reaction it produces in those who witness the destruction.

[6:16]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “her”; the referent (the city) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:16]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “[an object] of hissing,” which was a way of taunting someone.

[6:16]  ⁵² tc The translation assumes an emendation of the MT’s עַמִּי (’ammi, “my people”) to עַמִּים (’ammim, “nations”).

[9:22]  ⁵³ tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Twice in this verse the phrase refers to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. The second occurrence is shortened to “the Jewish leaders” for stylistic reasons. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish religious leaders” in v. 18.

[9:22]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “confessed him.”

[9:22]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[9:22]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “would be expelled from.”

[9:22]  ⁵⁷ sn This reference to excommunication from the Jewish synagogue for those who had made some sort of confession about Jesus being the Messiah is dismissed as anachronistic by some (e.g., Barrett) and nonhistorical by others. In later Jewish practice there were at least two forms of excommunication: a temporary ban for thirty days, and a permanent ban. But whether these applied in NT times is far from certain. There is no substantial evidence for a formal ban on Christians until later than this Gospel could possibly have been written. This may be a reference to some form of excommunication adopted as a contingency to deal with those who were proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah. If so, there is no other record of the procedure than here. It was probably local, limited to the area around Jerusalem. See also the note on synagogue in 6:59.

[11:57]  ⁵⁸ tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.

[11:57]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:57]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “could seize.”

[11:57]  ⁶¹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[13:15]  ⁶² tn Grk “it”; the referent (the second beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:15]  ⁶³ tn Grk “it was given [permitted] to it [the second beast].”

[13:15]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “breath,” but in context the point is that the image of the first beast is made to come to life and speak.

[13:15]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “of the beast”; the word “first” has been supplied to specify the referent.

[13:16]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “forced”; Grk “makes” (ποιεῖ, poiei).

[13:16]  ⁶⁷ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[13:17]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “and that no one be able to buy or sell.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Although the ἵνα (Jina) is left untranslated, the English conjunction “thus” is used to indicate that this is a result clause.

[13:17]  ⁶⁹ tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context. In the context of buying and selling, food could be primarily in view, but the more general “things” was used in the translation because the context is not specific.

[13:17]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “except the one who had.”

[13:17]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “his name or the number of his name.”