Keluaran 34:6-7

34:6 The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: ¹  “The Lord, the Lord, ²  the compassionate and gracious ³  God, slow to anger, ⁴  and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, ⁵  34:7 keeping loyal love for thousands, ⁶  forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression ⁷  of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”

Ayub 33:27-28

33:27 That person sings ⁸  to others, ⁹  saying:

‘I have sinned and falsified what is right,

but I was not punished according to what I deserved. ¹⁰ 

33:28 He redeemed my life ¹¹ 

from going down to the place of corruption,

and my life sees the light!’

Mazmur 147:11

147:11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, ¹² 

and in those who wait for his loyal love.

Yeremia 31:20

31:20 Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children.

They are the children I take delight in. ¹³ 

For even though I must often rebuke them,

I still remember them with fondness.

So I am deeply moved with pity for them ¹⁴ 

and will surely have compassion on them.

I, the Lord, affirm it! ¹⁵ 

Mikha 7:18

7:18 There is no other God like you! ¹⁶ 

You ¹⁷  forgive sin

and pardon ¹⁸  the rebellion

of those who remain among your people. ¹⁹ 

You do not remain angry forever, ²⁰ 

but delight in showing loyal love.

Lukas 15:4-7

15:4 “Which one ²¹  of you, if he has a hundred ²²  sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture ²³  and go look for ²⁴  the one that is lost until he finds it? ²⁵  15:5 Then ²⁶  when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 15:6 Returning ²⁷  home, he calls together ²⁸  his ²⁹  friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 15:7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner ³⁰  who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people ³¹  who have no need to repent. ³² 

Lukas 15:10

15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels ³³  over one sinner who repents.”

Lukas 15:22-24

15:22 But the father said to his slaves, ³⁴  ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, ³⁵  and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger ³⁶  and sandals ³⁷  on his feet! 15:23 Bring ³⁸  the fattened calf ³⁹  and kill it! Let us eat ⁴⁰  and celebrate, 15:24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again – he was lost and is found!’ ⁴¹  So ⁴²  they began to celebrate.

Lukas 15:32

15:32 It was appropriate ⁴³  to celebrate and be glad, for your brother ⁴⁴  was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’” ⁴⁵ 

Yakobus 2:13

2:13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over ⁴⁶  judgment.

[34:6]  ¹ tn Here is one of the clearest examples of what it means “to call on the name of the Lord,” as that clause has been translated traditionally (וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהוָה, vayyiqra’ vÿshem yÿhvah). It seems more likely that it means “to make proclamation of Yahweh by name.” Yahweh came down and made a proclamation – and the next verses give the content of what he said. This cannot be prayer or praise; it is a proclamation of the nature or attributes of God (which is what his “name” means throughout the Bible). Attempts to make Moses the subject of the verb are awkward, for the verb is repeated in v. 6 with Yahweh clearly doing the proclaiming.

[34:6]  ² sn U. Cassuto (Exodus, 439) suggests that these two names be written as a sentence: “Yahweh, He is Yahweh.” In this manner it reflects “I am that I am.” It is impossible to define his name in any other way than to make this affirmation and then show what it means.

[34:6]  ³ tn See Exod 33:19.

[34:6]  ⁴ sn This is literally “long of anger.” His anger prolongs itself, allowing for people to repent before punishment is inflicted.

[34:6]  ⁵ sn These two words (“loyal love” and “truth”) are often found together, occasionally in a hendiadys construction. If that is the interpretation here, then it means “faithful covenant love.” Even if they are left separate, they are dual elements of a single quality. The first word is God’s faithful covenant love; the second word is God’s reliability and faithfulness.

[34:7]  ⁶ tn That is, “for thousands of generations.”

[34:7]  ⁷ sn As in the ten commandments (20:5-6), this expression shows that the iniquity and its punishment will continue in the family if left unchecked. This does not go on as long as the outcomes for good (thousands versus third or fourth generations), and it is limited to those who hate God.

[33:27]  ⁸ tc The verb יָשֹׁר (yashor) is unusual. The typical view is to change it to יָשִׁיר (yashir, “he sings”), but that may seem out of harmony with a confession. Dhorme suggests a root שׁוּר (shur, “to repeat”), but this is a doubtful root. J. Reider reads it יָשֵׁיר (yasher) and links it to an Arabic word “confesses” (ZAW 24 [1953]: 275).

[33:27]  ⁹ tn Heb “to men.”

[33:27]  ¹⁰ tn The verb שָׁוָה (shavah) has the impersonal meaning here, “it has not been requited to me.” The meaning is that the sinner has not been treated in accordance with his deeds: “I was not punished according to what I deserved.”

[33:28]  ¹¹ sn See note on “him” in v. 24.

[147:11]  ¹² tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[31:20]  ¹³ tn Heb “Is Ephraim a dear son to me or a child of delight?” For the substitution of Israel for Ephraim and the plural pronouns for the singular see the note on v. 18. According to BDB 210 s.v. הֲ 1.c the question is rhetorical having the force of an impassioned affirmation. See 1 Sam 2:27; Job 41:9 (41:1 HT) for parallel usage.

[31:20]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “my stomach churns for him.” The parallelism shows that this refers to pity or compassion.

[31:20]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

[7:18]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “Who is a God like you?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one!”

[7:18]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “one who.” The prayer moves from direct address (second person) in v. 18a to a descriptive (third person) style in vv. 18b-19a and then back to direct address (second person) in vv. 19b-20. Due to considerations of English style and the unfamiliarity of the modern reader with alternation of persons in Hebrew poetry, the entire section has been rendered as direct address (second person) in the translation.

[7:18]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “pass over.”

[7:18]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “of the remnant of his inheritance.”

[7:18]  ²⁰ tn Heb “he does not keep hold of his anger forever.”

[15:4]  ²¹ tn Grk “What man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.

[15:4]  ²² sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.

[15:4]  ²³ tn Or “desert,” but here such a translation might suggest neglect of the 99 sheep left behind.

[15:4]  ²⁴ tn Grk “go after,” but in contemporary English the idiom “to look for” is used to express this.

[15:4]  ²⁵ sn Until he finds it. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.

[15:5]  ²⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[15:6]  ²⁷ tn Grk “And coming into his…” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[15:6]  ²⁸ sn A touch of drama may be present, as the term calls together can mean a formal celebration (1 Kgs 1:9-10).

[15:6]  ²⁹ tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215). It occurs before “neighbors” as well (“his friends and his neighbors”) but has not been translated the second time because of English style.

[15:7]  ³⁰ sn There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The pursuit of the sinner is a priority in spite of the presence of others who are doing well (see also Luke 5:32; 19:10). The theme of repentance, a major Lukan theme, is again emphasized.

[15:7]  ³¹ tn Here δικαίοις (dikaioi") is an adjective functioning substantivally and has been translated “righteous people.”

[15:7]  ³² tn Or “who do not need to repent”; Grk “who do not have need of repentance.”

[15:10]  ³³ sn The whole of heaven is said to rejoice. Joy in the presence of God’s angels is a way of referring to God’s joy as well without having to name him explicitly. Contemporary Judaism tended to refer to God indirectly where possible out of reverence or respect for the divine name.

[15:22]  ³⁴ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

[15:22]  ³⁵ sn With the instructions Hurry! Bring the best robe, there is a total acceptance of the younger son back into the home.

[15:22]  ³⁶ tn Grk “hand”; but χείρ (ceir) can refer to either the whole hand or any relevant part of it (L&N 8.30).

[15:22]  ³⁷ sn The need for sandals underlines the younger son’s previous destitution, because he was barefoot.

[15:23]  ³⁸ tn Grk “And bring.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[15:23]  ³⁹ tn Or “the prize calf” (L&N 65.8). See also L&N 44.2, “grain-fattened.” Such a calf was usually reserved for religious celebrations.

[15:23]  ⁴⁰ tn The participle φαγόντες (fagontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[15:24]  ⁴¹ sn This statement links the parable to the theme of 15:6, 9.

[15:24]  ⁴² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the father’s remarks in the preceding verses.

[15:32]  ⁴³ tn Or “necessary.”

[15:32]  ⁴⁴ sn By referring to him as your brother, the father reminded the older brother that the younger brother was part of the family.

[15:32]  ⁴⁵ sn The theme he was lost and is found is repeated from v. 24. The conclusion is open-ended. The reader is left to ponder with the older son (who pictures the scribes and Pharisees) what the response will be. The parable does not reveal the ultimate response of the older brother. Jesus argued that sinners should be pursued and received back warmly when they returned.

[2:13]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.