The Song of Songs 4:11

4:11 Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride,

honey and milk are under your tongue.

The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

Psalms 45:2

45:2 You are the most handsome of all men! ¹ 

You speak in an impressive and fitting manner! ² 

For this reason ³  God grants you continual blessings. ⁴ 

Isaiah 50:4

The Servant Perseveres

50:4 The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, ⁵ 

so that I know how to help the weary. ⁶ 

He wakes me up every morning;

he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. ⁷ 

Luke 4:22

4:22 All ⁸  were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They ⁹  said, “Isn’t this ¹⁰  Joseph’s son?”

[45:2]  ¹ tn Heb “you are handsome from the sons of man.” The preposition “from” is used in a comparative (“more than”) sense. The peculiar verb form יָפְיָפִיתָ (yafyafita) is probably the result of dittography of yod-pe (יפ) and should be emended to יָפִיתָ (yafita). See GKC 152 §55.e.

[45:2]  ² tn Heb “favor is poured out on your lips.” “Lips” probably stands by metonymy for the king’s speech. Some interpret the Hebrew term חֵן (khen) as referring here to “gracious (i.e., kind and polite) speech”, but the word probably refers more generally to “attractive” speech that is impressively articulated and fitting for the occasion. For other instances of the term being used of speech, see Prov 22:11 and Eccl 10:12.

[45:2]  ³ tn Or “this demonstrates.” The construction עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore”) usually indicates what logically follows from a preceding statement. However, here it may infer the cause from the effect, indicating the underlying basis or reason for what precedes (see BDB 487 s.v. I כֵּן 3.f; C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 1:386).

[45:2]  ⁴ tn Or “blesses you forever.” Here “bless” means to “endue with the power and skill to rule effectively,” as the following verses indicate.

[50:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “has given to me a tongue of disciples.”

[50:4]  ⁶ tc Heb “to know [?] the weary with a word.” Comparing it with Arabic and Aramaic cognates yields the meaning of “help, sustain.” Nevertheless, the meaning of עוּת (’ut) is uncertain. The word occurs only here in the OT (see BDB 736 s.v.). Various scholars have suggested an emendation to עָנוֹת (’anot) from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”): “so that I know how to respond kindly to the weary.” Since the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a and the Vulgate support the MT reading, that reading is retained.

[50:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “he arouses for me an ear, to hear like disciples.”

[4:22]  ⁸ tn Grk “And all.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:22]  ⁹ tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:22]  ¹⁰ sn The form of the question assumes a positive reply. It really amounts to an objection, as Jesus’ response in the next verses shows. Jesus spoke smoothly and impressively. He made a wonderful declaration, but could a local carpenter’s son make such an offer? That was their real question.