Keluaran 16:22-30

16:22 And ¹  on the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers ²  per person; ³  and all the leaders ⁴  of the community ⁵  came and told ⁶  Moses. 16:23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work, ⁷  a holy Sabbath ⁸  to the Lord. Whatever you want to ⁹  bake, bake today; ¹⁰  whatever you want to boil, boil today; whatever is left put aside for yourselves to be kept until morning.’”

16:24 So they put it aside until the morning, just as Moses had commanded, and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 16:25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the area. ¹¹  16:26 Six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”

16:27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather it, but they found nothing. 16:28 So the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse ¹²  to obey my commandments and my instructions? 16:29 See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, that is why ¹³  he is giving you food for two days on the sixth day. Each of you stay where you are; ¹⁴  let no one ¹⁵  go out of his place on the seventh day.” 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Keluaran 20:8-11

20:8 “Remember ¹⁶  the Sabbath ¹⁷  day to set it apart as holy. ¹⁸  20:9 For six days ¹⁹  you may labor ²⁰  and do all your work, ²¹  20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it ²²  you shall not do any work, you, ²³  or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. ²⁴  20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

Keluaran 23:12

23:12 For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant’s son and any hired help ²⁵  may refresh themselves. ²⁶ 

Keluaran 31:13-17

31:13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, ²⁷  for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. ²⁸  31:14 So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is holy for you. Everyone who defiles it ²⁹  must surely be put to death; indeed, ³⁰  if anyone does ³¹  any ³²  work on it, then that person will be cut off from among his ³³  people. 31:15 Six days ³⁴  work may be done, ³⁵  but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, ³⁶  holy to the Lord; anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death. 31:16 The Israelites must keep the Sabbath by observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 31:17 It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever; for in six days ³⁷  the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’” ³⁸ 

Keluaran 34:21

34:21 “On six days ³⁹  you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; ⁴⁰  even at the time of plowing and of harvest ⁴¹  you are to rest. ⁴² 

Keluaran 35:2-3

35:2 In six days ⁴³  work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a holy day ⁴⁴  for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. ⁴⁵  Anyone who does work on it will be put to death. 35:3 You must not kindle a fire ⁴⁶  in any of your homes ⁴⁷  on the Sabbath day.” ⁴⁸ 

Imamat 23:3

The Weekly Sabbath

23:3 “‘Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, ⁴⁹  a holy assembly. You must not do any work; it is a Sabbath to the Lord in all the places where you live.

Imamat 25:2-3

25:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land must observe a Sabbath ⁵⁰  to the Lord. 25:3 Six years you may sow your field, and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather the produce, ⁵¹ 

Ulangan 5:12-14

5:12 Be careful to observe ⁵²  the Sabbath day just as the Lord your God has commanded you. 5:13 You are to work and do all your tasks in six days, 5:14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath ⁵³  of the Lord your God. On that day you must not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male slave, your female slave, your ox, your donkey, any other animal, or the foreigner who lives with you, ⁵⁴  so that your male and female slaves, like yourself, may have rest.

Nehemia 9:14

9:14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath; you issued commandments, statutes, and law to them through ⁵⁵  Moses your servant.

Nehemia 13:15-22

13:15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions. 13:16 The people from Tyre ⁵⁶  who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah – and in Jerusalem, of all places! ⁵⁷  13:17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 13:18 Isn’t this the way your ancestors ⁵⁸  acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”

13:19 When the evening shadows ⁵⁹  began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered ⁶⁰  the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned ⁶¹  some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. 13:20 The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. 13:21 But I warned them and said, ⁶²  “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” ⁶³  From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. ⁶⁴  13:22 Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.

For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.

Amsal 10:22

10:22 The blessing ⁶⁵  from the Lord ⁶⁶  makes a person rich, ⁶⁷ 

and he adds no sorrow ⁶⁸  to ⁶⁹  it.

Yesaya 56:2-7

56:2 The people who do this will be blessed, ⁷⁰ 

the people who commit themselves to obedience, ⁷¹ 

who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

who refrain from doing anything that is wrong. ⁷² 

56:3 No foreigner who becomes a follower of ⁷³  the Lord should say,

‘The Lord will certainly ⁷⁴  exclude me from his people.’

The eunuch should not say,

‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”

56:4 For this is what the Lord says:

“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths

and choose what pleases me

and are faithful to ⁷⁵  my covenant,

56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument ⁷⁶ 

that will be better than sons and daughters.

I will set up a permanent monument ⁷⁷  for them that will remain.

56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of ⁷⁸  the Lord and serve him,

who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –

all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

and who are faithful to ⁷⁹  my covenant –

56:7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;

I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. ⁸⁰ 

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,

for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” ⁸¹ 

Yesaya 58:13-14

58:13 You must ⁸²  observe the Sabbath ⁸³ 

rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. ⁸⁴ 

You must look forward to the Sabbath ⁸⁵ 

and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. ⁸⁶ 

You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,

and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. ⁸⁷ 

58:14 Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, ⁸⁸ 

and I will give you great prosperity, ⁸⁹ 

and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” ⁹⁰ 

Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. ⁹¹ 

Yeremia 17:21-27

17:21 The Lord says, ‘Be very careful if you value your lives! ⁹²  Do not carry any loads ⁹³  in through ⁹⁴  the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. 17:22 Do not carry any loads out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day. ⁹⁵  But observe the Sabbath day as a day set apart to the Lord, ⁹⁶  as I commanded your ancestors. ⁹⁷  17:23 Your ancestors, ⁹⁸  however, did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They stubbornly refused ⁹⁹  to pay attention or to respond to any discipline.’ 17:24 The Lord says, ¹⁰⁰  ‘You must make sure to obey me. You must not bring any loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day. You must set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not do any work on that day. 17:25 If you do this, ¹⁰¹  then the kings and princes who follow in David’s succession ¹⁰²  and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to enter through these gates, as well as their officials and the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem. ¹⁰³  This city will always be filled with people. ¹⁰⁴  17:26 Then people will come here from the towns in Judah, from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin, from the western foothills, from the southern hill country, and from the southern part of Judah. They will come bringing offerings to the temple of the Lord: burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and incense along with their thank offerings. ¹⁰⁵  17:27 But you must obey me and set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not carry any loads in through ¹⁰⁶  the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. If you disobey, I will set the gates of Jerusalem on fire. It will burn down all the fortified dwellings in Jerusalem and no one will be able to put it out.’”

Yehezkiel 20:12

20:12 I also gave them my Sabbaths ¹⁰⁷  as a reminder of our relationship, ¹⁰⁸  so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them. ¹⁰⁹ 

Markus 2:27

2:27 Then ¹¹⁰  he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, ¹¹¹  not people for the Sabbath.

Lukas 23:56

23:56 Then ¹¹²  they returned and prepared aromatic spices ¹¹³  and perfumes. ¹¹⁴ 

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. ¹¹⁵ 

Ibrani 4:4-10

4:4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” ¹¹⁶  4:5 but to repeat the text cited earlier: ¹¹⁷  “They will never enter my rest!” 4:6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 4:7 So God ¹¹⁸  again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David ¹¹⁹  after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, ¹²⁰  “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! ¹²¹  Do not harden your hearts.” 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God ¹²²  would not have spoken afterward about another day. 4:9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 4:10 For the one who enters God’s ¹²³  rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.

[16:22]  ¹ tn Heb “and it happened/was.”

[16:22]  ² tn This construction is an exception to the normal rule for the numbers 2 through 10 taking the object numbered in the plural. Here it is “two of the omer” or “the double of the omer” (see GKC 433 §134.e).

[16:22]  ³ tn Heb “for one.”

[16:22]  ⁴ tn The word suggests “the ones lifted up” above others, and therefore the rulers or the chiefs of the people.

[16:22]  ⁵ tn Or “congregation” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).

[16:22]  ⁶ sn The meaning here is probably that these leaders, the natural heads of the families in the clans, saw that people were gathering twice as much and they reported this to Moses, perhaps afraid it would stink again (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 197).

[16:23]  ⁷ tn The noun שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbaton) has the abstract ending on it: “resting, ceasing.” The root word means “cease” from something, more than “to rest.” The Law would make it clear that they were to cease from their normal occupations and do no common work.

[16:23]  ⁸ tn The technical expression is now used: שַׁבַּת־קֹדֶשׁ (shabbat-qodesh, “a holy Sabbath”) meaning a “cessation of/for holiness” for Yahweh. The rest was to be characterized by holiness.

[16:23]  ⁹ tn The two verbs in these objective noun clauses are desiderative imperfects – “bake whatever you want to bake.”

[16:23]  ¹⁰ tn The word “today” is implied from the context.

[16:25]  ¹¹ tn Heb “in the field” (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV); NAB, NIV, NLT “on the ground.”

[16:28]  ¹² tn The verb is plural, and so it is addressed to the nation and not to Moses. The perfect tense in this sentence is the characteristic perfect, denoting action characteristic, or typical, of the past and the present.

[16:29]  ¹³ sn Noting the rabbinic teaching that the giving of the Sabbath was a sign of God’s love – it was accomplished through the double portion on the sixth day – B. Jacob says, “God made no request unless He provided the means for its execution” (Exodus, 461).

[16:29]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “remain, a man where he is.”

[16:29]  ¹⁵ tn Or “Let not anyone go” (see GKC 445 §138.d).

[20:8]  ¹⁶ tn The text uses the infinitive absolute זָכוֹר (zakhor) for the commandment for the Sabbath day, which is the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant. The infinitive absolute functions in place of the emphatic imperative here (see GKC 346 §113.bb); the absolute stresses the basic verbal idea of the root – remembering. The verb includes the mental activity of recalling and pondering as well as the consequent actions for such remembering.

[20:8]  ¹⁷ tn The word “Sabbath” is clearly connected to the verb שָׁבַת (shavat, “to cease, desist, rest”). There are all kinds of theories as to the origin of the day, most notably in the Babylonian world, but the differences are striking in so far as the pagan world had these days filled with magic. Nevertheless, the pagan world does bear witness to a tradition of a regular day set aside for special sacrifices. See, for example, H. W. Wolff, “The Day of Rest in the Old Testament,” LTQ 7 (1972): 65-76; H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the OT and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-42; and M. Tsevat, “The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath,” ZAW 84 (1972): 447-59.

[20:8]  ¹⁸ tn The Piel infinitive construct provides the purpose of remembering the Sabbath day – to set it apart, to make it distinct from the other days. Verses 9 and 10 explain in part how this was to be done. To set this day apart as holy taught Israel the difference between the holy and the profane, that there was something higher than daily life. If an Israelite bent down to the ground laboring all week, the Sabbath called his attention to the heavens, to pattern life after the Creator (B. Jacob, Exodus, 569-70).

[20:9]  ¹⁹ tn The text has simply “six days,” but this is an adverbial accusative of time, answering how long they were to work (GKC 374 §118.k).

[20:9]  ²⁰ tn The imperfect tense has traditionally been rendered as a commandment, “you will labor.” But the point of this commandment is the prohibition of work on the seventh day. The permission nuance of the imperfect works well here.

[20:9]  ²¹ tn This is the occupation, or business of the work week.

[20:10]  ²² tn The phrase “on it” has been supplied for clarity.

[20:10]  ²³ sn The wife is omitted in the list, not that she was considered unimportant, nor that she was excluded from the rest, but rather in reflecting her high status. She was not man’s servant, not lesser than the man, but included with the man as an equal before God. The “you” of the commandments is addressed to the Israelites individually, male and female, just as God in the Garden of Eden held both the man and the woman responsible for their individual sins (see B. Jacob, Exodus, 567-68).

[20:10]  ²⁴ sn The Sabbath day was the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant. It required Israel to cease from ordinary labors and devote the day to God. It required Israel to enter into the life of God, to share his Sabbath. It gave them a chance to recall the work of the Creator. But in the NT the apostolic teaching for the Church does not make one day holier than another, but calls for the entire life to be sanctified to God. This teaching is an application of the meaning of entering into the Sabbath of God. The book of Hebrews declares that those who believe in Christ cease from their works and enter into his Sabbath rest. For a Christian keeping Saturday holy is not a requirement from the NT; it may be a good and valuable thing to have a day of rest and refreshment, but it is not a binding law for the Church. The principle of setting aside time to worship and serve the Lord has been carried forward, but the strict regulations have not.

[23:12]  ²⁵ tn Heb “alien,” or “resident foreigner.” Such an individual would have traveled out of need and depended on the goodwill of the people around him. The rendering “hired help” assumes that the foreigner is mentioned in this context because he is working for an Israelite and will benefit from the Sabbath rest, along with his employer.

[23:12]  ²⁶ tn The verb is וְיִּנָּפֵשׁ (vÿyyinnafesh); it is related to the word usually translated “soul” or “life.”

[31:13]  ²⁷ sn The instruction for the Sabbath at this point seems rather abrupt, but it follows logically the extended plans of building the sanctuary. B. Jacob, following some of the earlier treatments, suggests that these are specific rules given for the duration of the building of the sanctuary (Exodus, 844). The Sabbath day is a day of complete cessation; no labor or work could be done. The point here is that God’s covenant people must faithfully keep the sign of the covenant as a living commemoration of the finished work of Yahweh, and as an active part in their sanctification. See also H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the OT and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-42; M. Tsevat, “The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath, ZAW 84 (1972): 447-59; M. T. Willshaw, “A Joyous Sign,” ExpTim 89 (1978): 179-80.

[31:13]  ²⁸ tn Or “your sanctifier.”

[31:14]  ²⁹ tn This clause is all from one word, a Piel plural participle with a third, feminine suffix: מְחַלְלֶיהָ (mÿkhalleha, “defilers of it”). This form serves as the subject of the sentence. The word חָלַל (khalal) is the antonym of קָדַשׁ (qadash, “to be holy”). It means “common, profane,” and in the Piel stem “make common, profane” or “defile.” Treating the Sabbath like an ordinary day would profane it, make it common.

[31:14]  ³⁰ tn This is the asseverative use of כִּי (ki) meaning “surely, indeed,” for it restates the point just made (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 73, §449).

[31:14]  ³¹ tn Heb “the one who does.”

[31:14]  ³² tn “any” has been supplied.

[31:14]  ³³ tn Literally “her” (a feminine pronoun agreeing with “soul/life,” which is grammatically feminine).

[31:15]  ³⁴ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time, indicating that work may be done for six days out of the week.

[31:15]  ³⁵ tn The form is a Niphal imperfect; it has the nuance of permission in this sentence, for the sentence is simply saying that the six days are work days – that is when work may be done.

[31:15]  ³⁶ tn The expression is שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbat shabbaton), “a Sabbath of entire rest,” or better, “a sabbath of complete desisting” (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 404). The second noun, the modifying genitive, is an abstract noun. The repetition provides the superlative idea that complete rest is the order of the day.

[31:17]  ³⁷ tn The expression again forms an adverbial accusative of time.

[31:17]  ³⁸ sn The word “rest” essentially means “to cease, stop.” So describing God as “resting” on the seventh day does not indicate that he was tired – he simply finished creation and then ceased or stopped. But in this verse is a very bold anthropomorphism in the form of the verb וַיִּנָּפַשׁ (vayyinnafash), a Niphal preterite from the root נָפַשׁ (nafash), the word that is related to “life, soul” or more specifically “breath, throat.” The verb is usually translated here as “he was refreshed,” offering a very human picture. It could also be rendered “he took breath” (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 345). Elsewhere the verb is used of people and animals. The anthropomorphism is clearly intended to teach people to stop and refresh themselves physically, spiritually, and emotionally on this day of rest.

[34:21]  ³⁹ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.

[34:21]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “cease” (i.e., from the labors).

[34:21]  ⁴¹ sn See M. Dahood, “Vocative lamed in Exodus 2,4 and Merismus in 34,21,” Bib 62 (1981): 413-15.

[34:21]  ⁴² tn The imperfect tense expresses injunction or instruction.

[35:2]  ⁴³ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.

[35:2]  ⁴⁴ tn The word is קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holiness”). S. R. Driver suggests that the word was transposed, and the line should read: “a sabbath of entire rest, holy to Jehovah” (Exodus, 379). But the word may simply be taken as a substitution for “holy day.”

[35:2]  ⁴⁵ sn See on this H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of the Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the Old Testament and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-43.

[35:3]  ⁴⁶ sn Kindling a fire receives special attention here because the people thought that kindling a fire was not work, but only a preparation for some kind of work. The Law makes sure that this too was not done. But see also G. Robinson, “The Prohibition of Strange Fire in Ancient Israel: A Look at the Case of Gathering Wood and Kindling Fire on the Sabbath,” VT 28 (1978): 301-17.

[35:3]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “dwelling places”; KJV, ASV “habitations.”

[35:3]  ⁴⁸ sn The presence of these three verses in this place has raised all kinds of questions. It may be that after the renewal of the covenant the people needed a reminder to obey God, and obeying the sign of the covenant was the starting point. But there is more to it than this; it is part of the narrative design of the book. It is the artistic design that puts the filling of the Spirit section (31:1-11) prior to the Sabbath laws (31:12-18) before the idolatry section, and then after the renewal there is the Sabbath reminder (35:1-3) before the filling of the Spirit material (35:4-36:7).

[23:3]  ⁴⁹ tn This is a superlative expression, emphasizing the full and all inclusive rest of the Sabbath and certain festival times throughout the chapter (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 155). Cf. ASV “a sabbath of solemn rest.”

[25:2]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “the land shall rest a Sabbath.”

[25:3]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “its produce,” but the feminine pronoun “its” probably refers to the “land” (a feminine noun in Hebrew; cf. v. 2), not the “field” or the “vineyard,” both of which are normally masculine nouns (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 170).

[5:12]  ⁵² tn Heb “to make holy,” that is, to put to special use, in this case, to sacred purposes (cf. vv. 13-15).

[5:14]  ⁵³ tn There is some degree of paronomasia (wordplay) here: “the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי, hashÿvi’i) day is the Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, shabbat).” Otherwise, the words have nothing in common, since “Sabbath” is derived from the verb שָׁבַת (shavat, “to cease”).

[5:14]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “in your gates”; NRSV, CEV “in your towns”; TEV “in your country.”

[9:14]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “by the hand of.”

[13:16]  ⁵⁶ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[13:16]  ⁵⁷ tn The words “of all places” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation to indicate the emphasis on Jerusalem.

[13:18]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “your fathers.”

[13:19]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “the gates of Jerusalem grew dark.”

[13:19]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “said” (so also in v. 22).

[13:19]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “caused to stand.”

[13:21]  ⁶² tn The Hebrew text includes the words “to them,” but they have been excluded from the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:21]  ⁶³ tn Heb “I will send a hand on you.”

[13:21]  ⁶⁴ sn This statement contains a great deal of restrained humor. The author clearly takes pleasure in the effectiveness of the measures that he had enacted.

[10:22]  ⁶⁵ tn The term בְּרָכָּה (bÿrakhah, “blessing”) refers to a gift, enrichment or endowment from the Lord.

[10:22]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “of the Lord.” The term יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the Lord”) functions here as a genitive of source.

[10:22]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “makes rich” (so NASB); NAB “brings wealth.” The direct object “a person” does not appear in the Hebrew but is implied by the Hiphil verb; it is supplied in the translation.

[10:22]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “toil.” The noun עֶצֶב (’etsev) has a basic two-fold range of meanings: (1) “toil; labor” which produces pain and sorrow, and (2) “pain; sorrow” which is the result of toil and labor (BDB 780 s.v.). This is the word used of the curse of “toil” in man’s labor (Gen 3:17) and the “pain” in the woman’s child-bearing (Gen 3:16). God’s blessing is pure and untarnished – it does not bring physical pain or emotional sorrow.

[10:22]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “with.”

[56:2]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “blessed is the man who does this.”

[56:2]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “the son of mankind who takes hold of it.”

[56:2]  ⁷² tn Heb and who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

[56:3]  ⁷³ tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”

[56:3]  ⁷⁴ tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[56:4]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”

[56:5]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.

[56:5]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[56:6]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”

[56:6]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”

[56:7]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”

[56:7]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

[58:13]  ⁸² tn Lit., “if you.” In the Hebrew text vv. 13-14 are one long conditional sentence. The protasis (“if” clauses appear in v. 13), with the apodosis (“then” clause) appearing in v. 14.

[58:13]  ⁸³ tn Heb “if you turn from the Sabbath your feet.”

[58:13]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “[from] doing your desires on my holy day.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a supplies the preposition מִן (min) on “doing.”

[58:13]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “and call the Sabbath a pleasure”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “a delight.”

[58:13]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “and [call] the holy [day] of the Lord honored.” On קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy”) as indicating a time period, see BDB 872 s.v. 2.e (cf. also Neh 8:9-11).

[58:13]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “and you honor it [by refraining] from accomplishing your ways, from finding your desire and speaking a word.” It is unlikely that the last phrase (“speaking a word”) is a prohibition against talking on the Sabbath; instead it probably refers to making transactions or plans (see Hos 10:4). Some see here a reference to idle talk (cf. 2 Sam 19:30).

[58:14]  ⁸⁸ tn For a parallel use of the phrase “find joy in” (Hitpael of עָנַג [’anag] followed by the preposition עַל [’al]), see Ps 37:4.

[58:14]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “and I will cause you to ride upon the heights of the land.” The statement seems to be an allusion to Deut 32:13, where it is associated, as here, with God’s abundant provision of food.

[58:14]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “and I will cause you to eat the inheritance of Jacob your father.” The Hebrew term נַחֲלָה (nakhalah) likely stands by metonymy for the crops that grow on Jacob’s “inheritance” (i.e., the land he inherited as a result of God’s promise).

[58:14]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” The introductory כִּי (ki) may be asseverative (as reflected in the translation) or causal/explanatory, explaining why the preceding promise will become reality (because it is guaranteed by the divine word).

[17:21]  ⁹² tn Heb “Be careful at the risk of your lives.” The expression with the preposition בְּ (bet) is unique. Elsewhere the verb “be careful” is used with the preposition לְ (lamed) in the sense of the reflexive. Hence the word “soul” cannot be simply reflexive here. BDB 1037 s.v. שָׁמַר Niph.1 understands this as a case where the preposition בְּ introduces the cost or price (cf. BDB 90 s.v. בּ III.3.a).

[17:21]  ⁹³ sn Comparison with Neh 13:15-18 suggests that these loads were merchandise or agricultural produce which were being brought in for sale. The loads that were carried out of the houses in the next verse were probably goods for barter.

[17:21]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “carry loads on the Sabbath and bring [them] in through.” The two verbs “carry” and “bring in” are an example of hendiadys (see the note on “Be careful…by carrying”). This is supported by the next line where only “carry out” of the houses is mentioned.

[17:22]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “Do not carry any loads out of your houses on the Sabbath day and do not do any work.” Translating literally might give the wrong impression that they were not to work at all. The phrase “on the Sabbath day” is, of course, intended to qualify both prohibitions.

[17:22]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “But sanctify [or set apart as sacred] the Sabbath day.” The idea of setting it apart as something sacred to the Lord is implicit in the command. See the explicit statements of this in Exod 20:10; 31:5; 35:2; Lev 24:8. For some readers the idea of treating the Sabbath day as something sacred won’t mean much without spelling the qualification out specifically. Sabbath observance was not just a matter of not working.

[17:22]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “fathers.”

[17:23]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “They.” The antecedent is spelled out to avoid any possible confusion.

[17:23]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “They hardened [or made stiff] their neck so as not to.”

[17:24]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

[17:25]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “If you will carefully obey me by not bringing…and by sanctifying…by not doing…, then kings will….” The structure of prohibitions and commands followed by a brief “if” clause has been used to break up a long condition and consequence relationship which is contrary to contemporary English style.

[17:25]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “who sit [or are to sit] on David’s throne.”

[17:25]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “There will come through the gates of this city the kings and princes…riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials…” The structure of the original text is broken up here because of the long compound subject which would make the English sentence too long. The term “princes” is often omitted as a supposed double writing of the word that follows it and looks somewhat like it (the Hebrew reads here וְשָׂרִים יֹשְׁבִים, vÿsarim yoshÿvim) or the same word which occurs later in the verse and is translated “officials” (the word can refer to either). It is argued that “princes” are never said to sit on the throne of David (translated here “follow in the succession of David”). However, the word is in all texts and versions and the concept of sitting on the throne of someone is descriptive of both past, present, and future and is even used with the participle in a proleptic sense of “the one who is to sit on the throne” (cf. Exod 11:5; 12:29).

[17:25]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “will be inhabited forever.”

[17:26]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “There will come from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem and from…those bringing…incense and those bringing thank offerings.” This sentence has been restructured from a long complex original to conform to contemporary English style.

[17:27]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “carry loads on the Sabbath and bring [them] in through.” The translation treats the two verbs “carry” and “bring in” are an example of hendiadys (see the note on “through” in 17:21).

[20:12]  ¹⁰⁷ sn Ezekiel’s contemporary, Jeremiah, also stressed the importance of obedience to the Sabbath law (Jer 17).

[20:12]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “to become a sign between me and them.”

[20:12]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Or “set them apart.” The last phrase of verse 12 appears to be a citation of Exod 31:13.

[2:27]  ¹¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[2:27]  ¹¹¹ tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is used twice in this verse in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”

[23:56]  ¹¹² tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[23:56]  ¹¹³ tn On this term see BDAG 140-41 s.v. ἄρωμα. The Jews did not practice embalming, so these preparations were used to cover the stench of decay and slow decomposition. The women planned to return and anoint the body. But that would have to wait until after the Sabbath.

[23:56]  ¹¹⁴ tn Or “ointments.” This was another type of perfumed oil.

[23:56]  ¹¹⁵ sn According to the commandment. These women are portrayed as pious, faithful to the law in observing the Sabbath.

[4:4]  ¹¹⁶ sn A quotation from Gen 2:2.

[4:5]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “and in this again.”

[4:7]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:7]  ¹¹⁹ sn Ps 95 does not mention David either in the text or the superscription. It is possible that the writer of Hebrews is attributing the entire collection of psalms to David (although some psalms are specifically attributed to other individuals or groups).

[4:7]  ¹²⁰ tn Grk “as it has been said before” (see Heb 3:7).

[4:7]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”

[4:8]  ¹²² tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:10]  ¹²³ tn Grk “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.