Matius 12:42

12:42 The queen of the South ¹  will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, ²  something greater than Solomon is here!

Yesaya 54:17

54:17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed;

you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. ³ 

This is what the Lord will do for his servants –

I will vindicate them,” ⁴ 

says the Lord.

Yeremia 3:11

3:11 Then the Lord said to me, “Under the circumstances, wayward Israel could even be considered less guilty than unfaithful Judah. ⁵ 

Yehezkiel 16:51-52

16:51 Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did. ⁶  You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done. 16:52 So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior. ⁷  Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.

Roma 2:27

2:27 And will not the physically uncircumcised man ⁸  who keeps the law judge you who, despite ⁹  the written code ¹⁰  and circumcision, transgress the law?

Ibrani 11:7

11:7 By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard ¹¹  constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

¹ sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.

² tn Grk “behold.”

³ tn Heb “and every tongue that rises up for judgment with you will prove to be guilty.”

⁴ tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from me.”

⁵ tn Heb “Wayward Israel has proven herself to be more righteous than unfaithful Judah.”

sn A comparison is drawn here between the greater culpability of Judah, who has had the advantage of seeing how God disciplined her sister nation for having sinned and yet ignored the warning and committed the same sin, and the culpability of Israel who had no such advantage.

⁶ tn Or “you have multiplied your abominable deeds beyond them.”

⁷ tn Heb “because you have interceded for your sisters with your sins.”

⁸ tn Grk “the uncircumcision by nature.” The word “man” is supplied here to make clear that male circumcision (or uncircumcision) is in view.

⁹ tn Grk “through,” but here the preposition seems to mean “(along) with,” “though provided with,” as BDAG 224 s.v. διά A.3.c indicates.

¹⁰ tn Grk “letter.”

¹¹ tn Cf. BDAG 407 s.v. εὐλαβέομαι 2, “out of reverent regard (for God’s command).”