Kejadian 35:3

35:3 Let us go up at once ¹  to Bethel. Then I will make ²  an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress ³  and has been with me wherever I went.” ⁴ 

Mazmur 4:2

4:2 You men, ⁵  how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? ⁶ 

How long ⁷  will you love what is worthless ⁸ 

and search for what is deceptive? ⁹  (Selah)

[35:3]  ¹ tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.

[35:3]  ² tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.

[35:3]  ³ tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.

[35:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).

[4:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “sons of man.”

[4:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”

[4:2]  ⁷ tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (’ad-meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.

[4:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “emptiness.”

[4:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “a lie.” Some see the metonymic language of v. 2b (“emptiness, lie”) as referring to idols or false gods. However, there is no solid immediate contextual evidence for such an interpretation. It is more likely that the psalmist addresses those who threaten him (see v. 1) and refers in a general way to their sinful lifestyle. (See R. Mosis, TDOT 7:121.) The two terms allude to the fact that sinful behavior is ultimately fruitless and self-destructive.