Lukas 24:46
Konteks24:46 and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ 1 would suffer 2 and would rise from the dead on the third day,
Mazmur 22:1-31
KonteksFor the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” 4 a psalm of David.
22:1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 5
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away. 6
22:2 My God, I cry out during the day,
but you do not answer,
and during the night my prayers do not let up. 7
22:3 You are holy;
you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel. 8
22:4 In you our ancestors 9 trusted;
they trusted in you 10 and you rescued them.
22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;
in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. 11
22:6 But I 12 am a worm, 13 not a man; 14
people insult me and despise me. 15
22:7 All who see me taunt 16 me;
they mock me 17 and shake their heads. 18
“Commit yourself 20 to the Lord!
Let the Lord 21 rescue him!
Let the Lord 22 deliver him, for he delights in him.” 23
22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out 24 from the womb
and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; 25
from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God. 26
22:11 Do not remain far away from me,
for trouble is near and I have no one to help me. 27
22:12 Many bulls 28 surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan 29 hem me in.
22:13 They 30 open their mouths to devour me 31
like a roaring lion that rips its prey. 32
22:14 My strength drains away like water; 33
all my bones are dislocated;
my heart 34 is like wax;
it melts away inside me.
22:15 The roof of my mouth 35 is as dry as a piece of pottery;
my tongue sticks to my gums. 36
You 37 set me in the dust of death. 38
22:16 Yes, 39 wild dogs surround me –
a gang of evil men crowd around me;
like a lion they pin my hands and feet. 40
22:17 I can count 41 all my bones;
my enemies 42 are gloating over me in triumph. 43
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice 44 for my garments.
22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!
You are my source of strength! 45 Hurry and help me! 46
22:20 Deliver me 47 from the sword!
Save 48 my life 49 from the claws 50 of the wild dogs!
22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, 51
and from the horns of the wild oxen! 52
You have answered me! 53
22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! 54
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, 55 praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him! 56
22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering 57 of the oppressed; 58
he did not ignore him; 59
when he cried out to him, he responded. 60
22:25 You are the reason I offer praise 61 in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers. 62
22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled! 63
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!
May you 64 live forever!
22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! 65
Let all the nations 66 worship you! 67
and rules over the nations.
22:29 All of the thriving people 69 of the earth will join the celebration and worship; 70
all those who are descending into the grave 71 will bow before him,
including those who cannot preserve their lives. 72
22:30 A whole generation 73 will serve him;
they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord. 74
22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; 75
they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished. 76
Mazmur 69:1-36
KonteksFor the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” 78 by David.
69:1 Deliver me, O God,
for the water has reached my neck. 79
69:2 I sink into the deep mire
where there is no solid ground; 80
I am in 81 deep water,
and the current overpowers me.
69:3 I am exhausted from shouting for help;
my throat is sore; 82
my eyes grow tired of looking for my God. 83
69:4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head.
Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, 84 outnumber me. 85
They make me repay what I did not steal! 86
69:5 O God, you are aware of my foolish sins; 87
my guilt is not hidden from you. 88
69:6 Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me,
O sovereign Lord and king! 89
Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me,
O God of Israel!
69:7 For I suffer 90 humiliation for your sake 91
and am thoroughly disgraced. 92
69:8 My own brothers treat me like a stranger;
they act as if I were a foreigner. 93
69:9 Certainly 94 zeal for 95 your house 96 consumes me;
I endure the insults of those who insult you. 97
69:10 I weep and refrain from eating food, 98
which causes others to insult me. 99
69:11 I wear sackcloth
and they ridicule me. 100
69:12 Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me;
drunkards mock me in their songs. 101
69:13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me! 102
O God, because of your great loyal love,
answer me with your faithful deliverance! 103
69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!
Deliver me 104 from those who hate me,
from the deep water!
69:15 Don’t let the current overpower me!
Don’t let the deep swallow me up!
Don’t let the pit 105 devour me! 106
69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good! 107
Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!
69:17 Do not ignore 108 your servant,
for I am in trouble! Answer me right away! 109
69:18 Come near me and redeem me! 110
Because of my enemies, rescue me!
69:19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated and disgraced;
you can see all my enemies. 111
69:20 Their insults are painful 112 and make me lose heart; 113
I look 114 for sympathy, but receive none, 115
for comforters, but find none.
69:21 They put bitter poison 116 into my food,
and to quench my thirst they give me vinegar to drink. 117
69:22 May their dining table become a trap before them!
May it be a snare for that group of friends! 118
69:23 May their eyes be blinded! 119
Make them shake violently! 120
69:24 Pour out your judgment 121 on them!
May your raging anger 122 overtake them!
69:25 May their camp become desolate,
their tents uninhabited! 123
69:26 For they harass 124 the one whom you discipline; 125
they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish. 126
69:27 Hold them accountable for all their sins! 127
Do not vindicate them! 128
69:28 May their names be deleted from the scroll of the living! 129
Do not let their names be listed with the godly! 130
69:29 I am oppressed and suffering!
O God, deliver and protect me! 131
69:30 I will sing praises to God’s name! 132
I will magnify him as I give him thanks! 133
69:31 That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull
with horns and hooves.
69:32 The oppressed look on – let them rejoice!
You who seek God, 134 may you be encouraged! 135
69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;
he does not despise his captive people. 136
69:34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
along with the seas and everything that swims in them!
69:35 For God will deliver Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his people 137 will again live in them and possess Zion. 138
69:36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who are loyal to him 139 will live in it. 140
Yesaya 53:1-12
Konteks53:1 Who would have believed 141 what we 142 just heard? 143
When 144 was the Lord’s power 145 revealed through him?
53:2 He sprouted up like a twig before God, 146
like a root out of parched soil; 147
he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, 148
no special appearance that we should want to follow him. 149
53:3 He was despised and rejected by people, 150
one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;
people hid their faces from him; 151
he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. 152
53:4 But he lifted up our illnesses,
he carried our pain; 153
even though we thought he was being punished,
attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. 154
53:5 He was wounded because of 155 our rebellious deeds,
crushed because of our sins;
he endured punishment that made us well; 156
because of his wounds we have been healed. 157
53:6 All of us had wandered off like sheep;
each of us had strayed off on his own path,
but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. 158
53:7 He was treated harshly and afflicted, 159
but he did not even open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block,
like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not even open his mouth. 160
53:8 He was led away after an unjust trial 161 –
but who even cared? 162
Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; 163
because of the rebellion of his own 164 people he was wounded.
53:9 They intended to bury him with criminals, 165
but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, 166
because 167 he had committed no violent deeds,
nor had he spoken deceitfully.
53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,
once restitution is made, 168
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 169
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
53:11 Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,
he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. 170
“My servant 171 will acquit many, 172
for he carried their sins. 173
53:12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, 174
he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, 175
because he willingly submitted 176 to death
and was numbered with the rebels,
when he lifted up the sin of many
and intervened 177 on behalf of the rebels.”
Zakharia 13:7
Konteks13:7 “Awake, sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who is my associate,”
says the Lord who rules over all.
Strike the shepherd that the flock may be scattered; 178
I will turn my hand against the insignificant ones.
Kisah Para Rasul 17:3
Konteks17:3 explaining and demonstrating 179 that the Christ 180 had to suffer and to rise from the dead, 181 saying, 182 “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 183
Kisah Para Rasul 17:1
Konteks17:1 After they traveled through 184 Amphipolis 185 and Apollonia, 186 they came to Thessalonica, 187 where there was a Jewish synagogue. 188
Kolose 1:3-4
Konteks1:3 We always 189 give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1:4 since 190 we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints.
Ibrani 2:8-10
Konteks2:8 You put all things under his control.” 191
For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control. At present we do not yet see all things under his control, 192 2:9 but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, 193 now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, 194 so that by God’s grace he would experience 195 death on behalf of everyone. 2:10 For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, 196 in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer 197 of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Ibrani 9:22-23
Konteks9:22 Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 9:23 So it was necessary for the sketches 198 of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, 199 but the heavenly things themselves required 200 better sacrifices than these.
Ibrani 9:1
Konteks9:1 Now the first covenant, 201 in fact, had regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary.
Pengkhotbah 1:3
Konteks1:3 What benefit 202 do people 203 get from all the effort
which 204 they expend 205 on earth? 206
Pengkhotbah 1:11
Konteks1:11 No one remembers the former events, 207
nor will anyone remember 208 the events that are yet to happen; 209
they will not be remembered by the future generations. 210
[24:46] 1 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:46] 2 tn Three Greek infinitives are the key to this summary: (1) to suffer, (2) to rise, and (3) to be preached. The Christ (Messiah) would be slain, would be raised, and a message about repentance would go out into all the world as a result. All of this was recorded in the scripture. The remark shows the continuity between Jesus’ ministry, the scripture, and what disciples would be doing as they declared the Lord risen.
[22:1] 3 sn Psalm 22. The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.
[22:1] 4 tn Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.
[22:1] 5 sn From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1b-2).
[22:1] 6 tn Heb “far from my deliverance [are] the words of my groaning.” The Hebrew noun שְׁאָגָה (shÿ’agah) and its related verb שָׁאַג (sha’ag) are sometimes used of a lion’s roar, but they can also describe human groaning (see Job 3:24 and Pss 32:3 and 38:8.
[22:2] 7 tn Heb “there is no silence to me.”
[22:3] 8 tn Heb “[O] one who sits [on] the praises of Israel.” The verb “receiving” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The metaphorical language pictures the
[22:4] 10 tn The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
[22:5] 11 tn Or “were not ashamed.”
[22:6] 12 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
[22:6] 13 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
[22:6] 14 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
[22:6] 15 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
[22:7] 16 tn Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”
[22:7] 17 tn Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.
[22:7] 18 sn Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.
[22:8] 19 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. The psalmist here quotes the sarcastic taunts of his enemies.
[22:8] 20 tn Heb “roll [yourself].” The Hebrew verb גלל here has the sense of “commit” (see Prov 16:3). The imperatival form in the Hebrew text indicates the enemies here address the psalmist. Since they refer to him in the third person in the rest of the verse, some prefer to emend the verb to a perfect, “he commits himself to the
[22:8] 21 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 22 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 23 tn That is, “for he [the
[22:8] sn This statement does not necessarily reflect the enemies’ actual belief, but it does reflect the psalmist’s confession. The psalmist’s enemies sarcastically appeal to God to help him, because he claims to be an object of divine favor. However, they probably doubted the reality of his claim.
[22:9] 24 tn Or “the one who pulled me.” The verb is derived from either גָחָה (gakhah; see HALOT 187 s.v. גחה) or גִּיחַ (giyakh; see BDB 161 s.v. גִּיחַ) and seems to carry the nuance “burst forth” or “pull out.”
[22:10] 25 tn Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”
[22:10] 26 tn Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.”
[22:10] sn Despite the enemies’ taunts, the psalmist is certain of his relationship with God, which began from the time of his birth (from the time I came out of my mother’s womb).
[22:11] 27 tn Heb “and there is no helper.”
[22:12] 28 sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
[22:12] 29 sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
[22:13] 30 tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”
[22:13] 31 tn Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).
[22:13] 32 tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”
[22:14] 33 tn Heb “like water I am poured out.”
[22:14] 34 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.
[22:15] 35 tc Heb “my strength” (כֹּחִי, kokhiy), but many prefer to emend the text to חִכִּי (khikiy, “my palate”; cf. NEB, NRSV “my mouth”) assuming that an error of transposition has occurred in the traditional Hebrew text.
[22:15] 36 tn Cf. NEB “my jaw”; NASB, NRSV “my jaws”; NIV “the roof of my mouth.”
[22:15] 37 sn Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1-2, 11).
[22:15] 38 sn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.
[22:16] 40 tn Heb “like a lion, my hands and my feet.” This reading is often emended because it is grammatically awkward, but perhaps its awkwardness is by rhetorical design. Its broken syntax may be intended to convey the panic and terror felt by the psalmist. The psalmist may envision a lion pinning the hands and feet of its victim to the ground with its paws (a scene depicted in ancient Near Eastern art), or a lion biting the hands and feet. The line has been traditionally translated, “they pierce my hands and feet,” and then taken as foreshadowing the crucifixion of Christ. Though Jesus does appropriate the language of this psalm while on the cross (compare v. 1 with Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34), the NT does not cite this verse in describing the death of Jesus. (It does refer to vv. 7-8 and 18, however. See Matt 27:35, 39, 43; Mark 15:24, 29; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24.) If one were to insist on an emendation of כָּאֲרִי (ka’ariy, “like a lion”) to a verb, the most likely verbal root would be כָּרָה (karah, “dig”; see the LXX). In this context this verb could refer to the gnawing and tearing of wild dogs (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV). The ancient Greek version produced by Symmachus reads “bind” here, perhaps understanding a verbal root כרך, which is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic and means “to encircle, entwine, embrace” (see HALOT 497-98 s.v. כרך and Jastrow 668 s.v. כָּרַךְ). Neither one of these proposed verbs can yield a meaning “bore, pierce.”
[22:17] 41 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
[22:17] 42 tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:17] 43 tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
[22:18] 44 tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
[22:19] 45 tn Heb “O my strength.”
[22:19] 46 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
[22:20] 48 tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).
[22:20] 49 tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.
[22:20] 50 tn Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.
[22:21] 51 sn The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).
[22:21] 52 tn The Hebrew term רֵמִים (remim) appears to be an alternate spelling of רְאֵמִים (rÿ’emim, “wild oxen”; see BDB 910 s.v. רְאֵם).
[22:21] 53 tn Heb “and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.” Most take the final verb with the preceding prepositional phrase. Some understand the verb form as a relatively rare precative perfect, expressing a wish or request (see IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew. (See the discussion at Ps 3:7.) Others prefer to take the perfect in its usual indicative sense. The psalmist, perhaps in response to an oracle of salvation, affirms confidently that God has answered him, assuring him that deliverance is on the way. The present translation takes the prepositional phrase as parallel to the preceding “from the mouth of the lion” and as collocated with the verb “rescue” at the beginning of the verse. “You have answered me” is understood as a triumphant shout which marks a sudden shift in tone and introduces the next major section of the psalm. By isolating the statement syntactically, the psalmist highlights the declaration.
[22:22] 54 tn Or “brothers,” but here the term does not carry a literal familial sense. It refers to the psalmist’s fellow members of the Israelite covenant community (see v. 23).
[22:23] 55 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the
[22:24] 57 tn Or “affliction”; or “need.”
[22:24] 58 sn In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.
[22:24] 59 tn Heb “he did not hide his face from him.” For other uses of the idiom “hide the face” meaning “ignore,” see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9. Sometimes the idiom carries the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 27:9; 88:14).
[22:25] 61 tn Heb “from with you [is] my praise.”
[22:25] 62 tn Heb “my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.” When asking the
[22:26] 63 sn Eat and be filled. In addition to praising the Lord, the psalmist also offers a thank offering to the Lord and invites others to share in a communal meal.
[22:26] 64 tn Heb “may your heart[s].”
[22:27] 65 tn Heb “may all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the
[22:27] 66 tn Heb “families of the nations.”
[22:27] 67 tn Heb “before you.”
[22:28] 68 tn Heb “for to the
[22:29] 69 tn Heb “fat [ones].” This apparently refers to those who are healthy and robust, i.e., thriving. In light of the parallelism, some prefer to emend the form to יְשֵׁנֵי (yÿsheney, “those who sleep [in the earth]”; cf. NAB, NRSV), but דִּשְׁנֵי (dishney, “fat [ones]”) seems to form a merism with “all who descend into the grave” in the following line. The psalmist envisions all people, whether healthy or dying, joining in worship of the
[22:29] 70 tn Heb “eat and worship.” The verb forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) are normally used in narrative to relate completed actions. Here the psalmist uses the forms rhetorically as he envisions a time when the
[22:29] 71 tn Heb “all of the ones going down [into] the dust.” This group stands in contrast to those mentioned in the previous line. Together the two form a merism encompassing all human beings – the healthy, the dying, and everyone in between.
[22:29] 72 tn Heb “and his life he does not revive.”
[22:30] 73 tn Heb “offspring.”
[22:30] 74 tn Heb “it will be told concerning the Lord to the generation.” The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[22:31] 75 tn Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.
[22:31] 76 tn Heb “to a people [to be] born that he has acted.” The words “they will tell” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[69:1] 77 sn Psalm 69. The psalmist laments his oppressed condition and asks the Lord to deliver him by severely judging his enemies.
[69:1] 78 tn Heb “according to lilies.” See the superscription to Ps 45.
[69:1] 79 tn The Hebrew term נפשׁ (nefesh) here refers to the psalmist’s throat or neck. The psalmist compares himself to a helpless, drowning man.
[69:2] 80 tn Heb “and there is no place to stand.”
[69:2] 81 tn Heb “have entered.”
[69:3] 82 tn Or perhaps “raw”; Heb “burned; enflamed.”
[69:3] 83 tn Heb “my eyes fail from waiting for my God.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision.
[69:4] 84 tn Heb “[with] a lie.” The Hebrew noun שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, “lie”) is used here as an adverb, “falsely, wrongfully” (see Pss 35:19; 38:19).
[69:4] 85 tn The Hebrew verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority; note the parallel verb רָבַב (ravav, “be many”).
[69:4] 86 tn Heb “that which I did not steal, then I restore.” Apparently אָז (’az, “then”) is used here to emphasize the verb that follows.
[69:4] sn They make me repay what I did not steal. The psalmist’s enemies falsely accuse him and hold him accountable for alleged crimes he did not even commit.
[69:5] 87 tn Heb “you know my foolishness.”
[69:5] 88 sn The psalmist is the first to admit that he is not perfect. But even so, he is innocent of the allegations which his enemies bring against him (v. 5b). God, who is aware of his foolish sins and guilt, can testify to the truth of his claim.
[69:6] 89 tn Heb “O Master,
[69:7] 90 tn Heb “carry, bear.”
[69:7] 91 tn Heb “on account of you.”
[69:7] 92 tn Heb “and shame covers my face.”
[69:8] 93 tn Heb “and I am estranged to my brothers, and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.”
[69:9] 94 tn Or “for.” This verse explains that the psalmist’s suffering is due to his allegiance to God.
[69:9] 95 tn Or “devotion to.”
[69:9] 96 sn God’s house, the temple, here represents by metonymy God himself.
[69:9] 97 tn Heb “the insults of those who insult you fall upon me.”
[69:9] sn Jn 2:17 applies the first half of this verse to Jesus’ ministry in the context of John’s account of Jesus cleansing the temple.
[69:10] 98 sn Fasting was a practice of mourners. By refraining from normal activities such as eating food, the mourner demonstrated the sincerity of his sorrow.
[69:10] 99 tn Heb “and it becomes insults to me.”
[69:11] 100 tn Heb “and I am an object of ridicule to them.”
[69:12] 101 tn Heb “the mocking songs of the drinkers of beer.”
[69:13] 102 tn Heb “as for me, [may] my prayer be to you, O
[69:13] 103 tn Heb “O God, in the abundance of your loyal love, answer me in the faithfulness of your deliverance.”
[69:14] 104 tn Heb “let me be delivered.”
[69:15] 105 tn Heb “well,” which here symbolizes the place of the dead (cf. Ps 55:23).
[69:15] 106 tn Heb “do not let the well close its mouth upon me.”
[69:16] 107 tn Or “pleasant”; or “desirable.”
[69:17] 108 tn Heb “do not hide your face from.” The Hebrew idiom “hide the face” can (1) mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
[69:18] 110 tn Heb “come near my life and redeem it.” The verb “redeem” casts the
[69:19] 111 tn Heb “before you [are] all my enemies.”
[69:20] 112 tn Heb “break my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the origin of the psalmist’s emotions.
[69:20] 113 tn The verb form appears to be a Qal preterite from an otherwise unattested root נוּשׁ (nush), which some consider an alternate form of אָנַשׁ (’anash, “be weak; be sick”; see BDB 60 s.v. I אָנַשׁ). Perhaps the form should be emended to a Niphal, וָאֵאָנְשָׁה (va’e’onshah, “and I am sick”). The Niphal of אָנַשׁ occurs in 2 Sam 12:15, where it is used to describe David’s sick child.
[69:20] 115 tn Heb “and I wait for sympathy, but there is none.” The form נוּד (nud) is an infinitive functioning as a verbal noun:, “sympathizing.” Some suggest emending the form to a participle נָד (nad, “one who shows sympathy”). The verb נוּד (nud) also has the nuance “show sympathy” in Job 2:11; 42:11 and Isa 51:19.
[69:21] 116 tn According to BDB 912 s.v. II רֹאשׁ the term can mean “a bitter and poisonous plant.”
[69:21] 117 sn John 19:28-30 appears to understand Jesus’ experience on the cross as a fulfillment of this passage (or Ps 22:15). See the study note on the word “thirsty” in John 19:28.
[69:22] 118 tc Heb “and to the friends for a snare.” The plural of שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) is used in Ps 55:20 of one’s “friends.” If the reading of the MT is retained here, the term depicts the psalmist’s enemies as a close-knit group of friends who are bound together by their hatred for the psalmist. Some prefer to revocalize the text as וּלְשִׁלּוּמִים (ulÿshillumim, “and for retribution”). In this case the noun stands parallel to פַּח (pakh, “trap”) and מוֹקֵשׁ (moqesh, “snare”), and one might translate, “may their dining table become a trap before them, [a means of] retribution and a snare” (cf. NIV).
[69:23] 119 tn Heb “may their eyes be darkened from seeing.”
[69:23] 120 tn Heb “make their hips shake continually.”
[69:24] 121 tn Heb “anger.” “Anger” here refers metonymically to divine judgment, which is the practical effect of God’s anger.
[69:24] 122 tn Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971), 17-81.
[69:25] 123 tn Heb “in their tents may there not be one who dwells.”
[69:25] sn In Acts 1:20 Peter applies the language of this verse to Judas’ experience. By changing the pronouns from plural to singular, he is able to apply the ancient curse, pronounced against the psalmist’s enemies, to Judas in particular.
[69:26] 124 tn Or “persecute”; Heb “chase.”
[69:26] 125 tn Heb “for you, the one whom you strike, they chase.”
[69:26] 126 tn Heb “they announce the pain of your wounded ones” (i.e., “the ones whom you wounded,” as the parallel line makes clear).
[69:26] sn The psalmist is innocent of the false charges made by his enemies (v. 4), but he is also aware of his sinfulness (v. 5) and admits that he experiences divine discipline (v. 26) despite his devotion to God (v. 9). Here he laments that his enemies take advantage of such divine discipline by harassing and slandering him. They “kick him while he’s down,” as the expression goes.
[69:27] 127 tn Heb “place sin upon their sin.”
[69:27] 128 tn Heb “let them not come into your vindication.”
[69:28] 129 tn Heb “let them be wiped out of the scroll of the living.”
[69:28] sn The phrase the scroll of the living occurs only here in the OT. It pictures a scroll or census list containing the names of the citizens of a community. When an individual died, that person’s name was removed from the list. So this curse is a very vivid way of asking that the enemies die.
[69:28] 130 tn Heb “and with the godly let them not be written.”
[69:28] sn Do not let their names be listed with the godly. This curse pictures a scroll in which God records the names of his loyal followers. The psalmist makes the point that his enemies have no right to be included in this list of the godly.
[69:29] 131 tn Heb “your deliverance, O God, may it protect me.”
[69:30] 132 tn Heb “I will praise the name of God with a song.”
[69:30] 133 tn Heb “I will magnify him with thanks.”
[69:32] 134 sn You who seek God refers to those who seek to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him (see Ps 53:2).
[69:32] 135 tn Heb “may your heart[s] live.” See Ps 22:26.
[69:33] 136 tn Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”
[69:35] 137 tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[69:35] 138 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to “Zion” (see Pss 48:12; 102:14); thus the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[69:36] 139 tn Heb “the lovers of his name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to God (cf. v. 35). See Pss 5:11; 119:132; Isa 56:6.
[69:36] 140 sn Verses 35-36 appear to be an addition to the psalm from the time of the exile. The earlier lament reflects an individual’s situation, while these verses seem to reflect a communal application of it.
[53:1] 141 tn The perfect has a hypothetical force in this rhetorical question. For another example, see Gen 21:7.
[53:1] 142 sn The speaker shifts here from God to an unidentified group (note the first person plural pronouns throughout vv. 1-6). The content of the speech suggests that the prophet speaks here as representative of the sinful nation Israel. The group acknowledges its sin and recognizes that the servant suffered on their behalf.
[53:1] 143 tn The first half of v. 1 is traditionally translated, “Who has believed our report?” or “Who has believed our message?” as if the group speaking is lamenting that no one will believe what they have to say. But that doesn’t seem to be the point in this context. Here the group speaking does not cast itself in the role of a preacher or evangelist. No, they are repentant sinners, who finally see the light. The phrase “our report” can mean (1) the report which we deliver, or (2) the report which was delivered to us. The latter fits better here, where the report is most naturally taken as the announcement that has just been made in 52:13-15.
[53:1] 144 tn Heb “to whom” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[53:1] 145 tn Heb “the arm of the Lord.” The “arm of the Lord” is a metaphor of military power; it pictures the Lord as a warrior who bares his arm, takes up his weapon, and crushes his enemies (cf. 51:9-10; 63:5-6). But Israel had not seen the Lord’s military power at work in the servant.
[53:2] 146 tn Heb “before him.” Some suggest an emendation to “before us.” If the third singular suffix of the Hebrew text is retained, it probably refers to the Lord (see v. 1b). For a defense of this reading, see R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 173-74.
[53:2] 147 sn The metaphor in this verse suggests insignificance.
[53:2] 148 tn Heb “that we might see him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.
[53:2] 149 tn Heb “that we should desire him.” The vav conjunctive prefixed to the imperfect introduces a result clause here. See GKC 504-5 §166.a.
[53:3] 150 tn Heb “lacking of men.” If the genitive is taken as specifying (“lacking with respect to men”), then the idea is that he lacked company because he was rejected by people. Another option is to take the genitive as indicating genus or larger class (i.e., “one lacking among men”). In this case one could translate, “he was a transient” (cf. the use of חָדֵל [khadel] in Ps 39:5 HT [39:4 ET]).
[53:3] 151 tn Heb “like a hiding of the face from him,” i.e., “like one before whom the face is hidden” (see BDB 712 s.v. מַסְתֵּר).
[53:3] 152 sn The servant is likened to a seriously ill person who is shunned by others because of his horrible disease.
[53:4] 153 sn Illness and pain stand by metonymy (or perhaps as metaphors) for sin and its effects, as vv. 11-12 make clear.
[53:4] 154 tn The words “for something he had done” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The group now realizes he suffered because of his identification with them, not simply because he was a special target of divine anger.
[53:5] 155 tn The preposition מִן (min) has a causal sense (translated “because of”) here and in the following clause.
[53:5] 156 tn Heb “the punishment of our peace [was] on him.” שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) is here a genitive of result, i.e., “punishment that resulted in our peace.”
[53:5] 157 sn Continuing to utilize the imagery of physical illness, the group acknowledges that the servant’s willingness to carry their illnesses (v. 4) resulted in their being healed. Healing is a metaphor for forgiveness here.
[53:6] 158 tn Elsewhere the Hiphil of פָגַע (paga’) means “to intercede verbally” (Jer 15:11; 36:25) or “to intervene militarily” (Isa 59:16), but neither nuance fits here. Apparently here the Hiphil is the causative of the normal Qal meaning, “encounter, meet, touch.” The Qal sometimes refers to a hostile encounter or attack; when used in this way the object is normally introduced by the preposition -בְּ (bet, see Josh 2:16; Judg 8:21; 15:12, etc.). Here the causative Hiphil has a double object – the Lord makes “sin” attack “him” (note that the object attacked is introduced by the preposition -בְּ. In their sin the group was like sheep who had wandered from God’s path. They were vulnerable to attack; the guilt of their sin was ready to attack and destroy them. But then the servant stepped in and took the full force of the attack.
[53:7] 159 tn The translation assumes the Niphal is passive; another option is take the clause (note the subject + verb pattern) as concessive and the Niphal as reflexive, “though he humbled himself.”
[53:7] 160 sn This verse emphasizes the servant’s silent submission. The comparison to a sheep does not necessarily suggest a sacrificial metaphor. Sheep were slaughtered for food as well as for sacrificial rituals, and טֶבַח (tevakh) need not refer to sacrificial slaughter (see Gen 43:16; Prov 7:22; 9:2; Jer 50:27; note also the use of the related verb in Exod 21:37; Deut 28:31; 1 Sam 25:11).
[53:8] 161 tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The present translation assumes that מִן (min) here has an instrumental sense (“by, through”) and understands עֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט (’otser umimmishpat, “coercion and legal decision”) as a hendiadys meaning “coercive legal decision,” thus “an unjust trial.” Other interpretive options include: (1) “without [for this sense of מִן, see BDB 578 s.v. 1.b] hindrance and proper judicial process,” i.e., “unfairly and with no one to defend him,” (2) “from [in the sense of “after,” see BDB 581 s.v. 4.b] arrest and judgment.”
[53:8] 162 tn Heb “and his generation, who considers?” (NASB similar). Some understand “his generation” as a reference to descendants. In this case the question would suggest that he will have none. However, אֶת (’et) may be taken here as specifying a new subject (see BDB 85 s.v. I אֵת 3). If “his generation” refers to the servant’s contemporary generation, one may then translate, “As for his contemporary generation, who took note?” The point would be that few were concerned about the harsh treatment he received.
[53:8] 163 sn The “land of the living” is an idiom for the sphere where people live, in contrast to the underworld realm of the dead. See, for example, Ezek 32:23-27.
[53:8] 164 tn The Hebrew text reads “my people,” a reading followed by most English versions, but this is problematic in a context where the first person plural predominates, and where God does not appear to speak again until v. 11b. Therefore, it is preferable to read with the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa עמו (“his people”). In this case, the group speaking in these verses is identified as the servant’s people (compare פְּשָׁעֵנוּ [pÿsha’enu, “our rebellious deeds”] in v. 5 with פֶּשַׁע עַמִּי [pesha’ ’ammi, “the rebellion of his people”] in v. 8).
[53:9] 165 tn Heb “one assigned his grave with criminals.” The subject of the singular is impersonal; English typically uses “they” in such constructions.
[53:9] 166 tn This line reads literally, “and with the rich in his death.” בְּמֹתָיו (bÿmotayv) combines a preposition, a plural form of the noun מוֹת (mot), and a third masculine singular suffix. The plural of the noun is problematic and the יו may be the result of virtual dittography. The form should probably be emended to בָּמָתוֹ (bamato, singular noun). The relationship between this line and the preceding one is uncertain. The parallelism appears to be synonymous (note “his grave” and “in his death”), but “criminals” and “the rich” hardly make a compatible pair in this context, for they would not be buried in the same kind of tomb. Some emend עָשִׁיר (’ashir, “rich”) to עָשֵׂי רָע (’ase ra’, “doers of evil”) but the absence of the ayin (ע) is not readily explained in this graphic environment. Others suggest an emendation to שְׂעִירִים (sÿ’irim, “he-goats, demons”), but the meaning in this case is not entirely transparent and the proposal assumes that the form suffered from both transposition and the inexplicable loss of a final mem. Still others relate עָשִׁיר (’ashir) to an alleged Arabic cognate meaning “mob.” See HALOT 896 s.v. עָשִׁיר. Perhaps the parallelism is antithetical, rather than synonymous. In this case, the point is made that the servant’s burial in a rich man’s tomb, in contrast to a criminal’s burial, was appropriate, for he had done nothing wrong.
[53:9] 167 tn If the second line is antithetical, then עַל (’al) is probably causal here, explaining why the servant was buried in a rich man’s tomb, rather than that of criminal. If the first two lines are synonymous, then עַל is probably concessive: “even though….”
[53:10] 168 tn The meaning of this line is uncertain. It reads literally, “if you/she makes, a reparation offering, his life.” The verb תָּשִׂים (tasim) could be second masculine singular,in which case it would have to be addressed to the servant or to God. However, the servant is only addressed once in this servant song (see 52:14a), and God either speaks or is spoken about in this servant song; he is never addressed. Furthermore, the idea of God himself making a reparation offering is odd. If the verb is taken as third feminine singular, then the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) at the end of the line is the likely subject. In this case one can take the suffixed form of the noun as equivalent to a pronoun and translate, “if he [literally, “his life”] makes a reparation offering.”
[53:10] sn What constitutes the servant’s reparation offering? Some might think his suffering, but the preceding context views this as past, while the verb here is imperfect in form. The offering appears to be something the servant does after his suffering has been completed. Perhaps the background of the language can be found in the Levitical code, where a healed leper would offer a reparation offering as part of the ritual to achieve ceremonial cleanliness (see Lev 14). The servant was pictured earlier in the song as being severely ill. This illness (a metaphor for the effects of the people’s sin) separated him from God. However, here we discover the separation is not final; once reparation is made, so to speak, he will again experience the Lord’s favor.
[53:10] 169 sn The idiomatic and stereotypical language emphasizes the servant’s restoration to divine favor. Having numerous descendants and living a long life are standard signs of divine blessing. See Job 42:13-16.
[53:11] 170 tn Heb “he will be satisfied by his knowledge,” i.e., “when he knows.” The preposition is understood as temporal and the suffix as a subjective genitive. Some take בְּדַעְתּוֹ (bÿda’to, “by his knowledge”) with what follows and translate “by knowledge of him,” understanding the preposition as instrumental and the suffix as objective.
[53:11] 171 sn The song ends as it began (cf. 52:13-15), with the Lord announcing the servant’s vindication and exaltation.
[53:11] 172 tn Heb “he will acquit, a righteous one, my servant, many.” צַדִּיק (tsadiq) may refer to the servant, but more likely it is dittographic (note the preceding verb יַצְדִּיק, yatsdiq). The precise meaning of the verb (the Hiphil of צָדַק, tsadaq) is debated. Elsewhere the Hiphil is used at least six times in the sense of “make righteous” in a legal sense, i.e., “pronounce innocent, acquit” (see Exod 23:7; Deut 25:1; 1 Kgs 8:32 = 2 Chr 6:23; Prov 17:15; Isa 5:23). It can also mean “render justice” (as a royal function, see 2 Sam 15:4; Ps 82:3), “concede” (Job 27:5), “vindicate” (Isa 50:8), and “lead to righteousness” (by teaching and example, Dan 12:3). The preceding context and the next line suggest a legal sense here. Because of his willingness to carry the people’s sins, the servant is able to “acquit” them.
[53:11] sn Some (e.g., H. M. Orlinsky, “The So-called ‘Suffering Servant’ in Isaiah 53,22,” VTSup 14 [1967]: 3-133) object to this legal interpretation of the language, arguing that it would be unjust for the righteous to suffer for the wicked and for the wicked to be declared innocent. However, such a surprising development is consistent with the ironic nature of this song. It does seem unfair for the innocent to die for the guilty. But what is God to do when all have sinned and wandered off like stray sheep (cf. v. 6)? Covenant law demands punishment, but punishment in this case would mean annihilation of what God has created. God’s justice, as demanded by the law, must be satisfied. To satisfy his justice, he does something seemingly unjust. He punishes his sinless servant, the only one who has not strayed off! In the progress of biblical revelation, we discover that the sinless servant is really God in the flesh, who offers himself because he is committed to the world he has created. If his justice can only be satisfied if he himself endures the punishment, then so be it. What appears to be an act of injustice is really love satisfying the demands of justice!
[53:11] 173 tn The circumstantial clause (note the vav [ו] + object + subject + verb pattern) is understood as causal here. The prefixed verb form is either a preterite or an imperfect used in a customary manner.
[53:12] 174 tn Scholars have debated the precise meaning of the term רַבִּים (rabbim) that occurs five times in this passage (Isa 52:14, 15; 53:11, 12 [2x]). Its two broad categories of translation are “much”/“many” and “great” (HALOT 1171-72 s.v. I רַב). Unlike other Hebrew terms for might or strength, this term is linked with numbers or abundance. In all sixteen uses outside of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (articular and plural) it signifies an inclusive meaning: “the majority” or “the multitude” (J. Jeremias, TDNT 6:536-37). This term occurs in parallelism with עֲצוּמִים (’atsumim), which normally signifies “numerous” or “large” or “powerful” (through large numbers). Like רַבִּים (rabbim), it refers to greatness in numbers (cf. Deut 4:38; 7:1; 9:1; 11:34). It emphasizes the multitudes with whom the Servant will share the spoil of his victory. As J. Olley wrote: “Yahweh has won the victory and vindicates his Servant, giving to him many subservient people, together with their spoils. These numerous peoples in turn receive blessing, sharing in the “peace” resulting from Yahweh’s victory and the Servant’s suffering” (John W. Olley, “‘The Many’: How Is Isa 53,12a to Be Understood,” Bib 68 [1987]: 330-56).
[53:12] 175 sn The servant is compared here to a warrior who will be richly rewarded for his effort and success in battle.
[53:12] 176 tn Heb “because he laid bare his life”; traditionally, ASV “because he (+ hath KJV) poured out his soul (life NIV) unto death.”
[53:12] 177 tn The Hiphil of פָּגַע (paga’) can mean “cause to attack” (v. 6), “urge, plead verbally” (Jer 15:11; 36:25), or “intervene militarily” (Isa 59:16). Perhaps the third nuance fits best here, for military imagery is employed in the first two lines of the verse.
[13:7] 178 sn Despite the NT use of this text to speak of the scattering of the disciples following Jesus’ crucifixion (Matt 26:31; Mark 14:27), the immediate context of Zechariah suggests that unfaithful shepherds (kings) will be punished by the
[17:3] 179 tn BDAG 772 s.v. παρατίθημι 2.b has “demonstrate, point out” here.
[17:3] 180 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[17:3] sn See the note on Christ in 2:31.
[17:3] 181 sn The Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead. These two points (suffering and resurrection) would have been among the more controversial aspects of Paul’s messianic preaching. The term translated “had to” (δεῖ, dei) shows how divine design and scripture corresponded here.
[17:3] 182 tn The Greek words used here (καὶ ὅτι, kai {oti, “and that”) mark the switch from indirect to direct discourse. Contemporary English requires the use of an introductory verb of speaking or saying to make this transition.
[17:3] 183 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[17:3] sn See the note on Christ in 2:31. The identification of the Messiah with Jesus indicates Paul was proclaiming the fulfillment of messianic promise.
[17:1] 184 tn BDAG 250 s.v. διοδεύω 1 has “go, travel through” for this verse.
[17:1] 185 sn Amphipolis. The capital city of the southeastern district of Macedonia (BDAG 55 s.v. ᾿Αμφίπολις). It was a military post. From Philippi this was about 33 mi (53 km).
[17:1] 186 sn Apollonia was a city in Macedonia about 27 mi (43 km) west southwest of Amphipolis.
[17:1] 187 sn Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was a city in Macedonia about 33 mi (53 km) west of Apollonia. It was the capital of Macedonia. The road they traveled over was called the Via Egnatia. It is likely they rode horses, given their condition in Philippi. The implication of v. 1 is that the two previously mentioned cities lacked a synagogue.
[17:1] map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
[17:1] 188 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[1:3] 189 tn The adverb πάντοτε (pantote) is understood to modify the indicative εὐχαριστοῦμεν (eucaristoumen) because it precedes περὶ ὑμῶν (peri Jumwn) which probably modifies the indicative and not the participle προσευχόμενοι (proseucomenoi). But see 1:9 where the same expression occurs and περὶ ὑμῶν modifies the participle “praying” (προσευχόμενοι).
[1:4] 190 tn The adverbial participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is understood to be temporal and translated with “since.” A causal idea may also be in the apostle’s mind, but the context emphasizes temporal ideas, e.g., “from the day” (v. 6).
[2:8] 191 tn Grk “you subjected all things under his feet.”
[2:8] sn A quotation from Ps 8:4-6.
[2:8] 192 sn The expression all things under his control occurs three times in 2:8. The latter two occurrences are not exactly identical to the Greek text of Ps 8:6 quoted at the beginning of the verse, but have been adapted by the writer of Hebrews to fit his argument.
[2:9] 193 tn Or “who was made a little lower than the angels.”
[2:9] 194 tn Grk “because of the suffering of death.”
[2:9] 195 tn Grk “would taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).
[2:10] 196 tn Grk “for whom are all things and through whom are all things.”
[2:10] 197 sn The Greek word translated pioneer is used of a “prince” or leader, the representative head of a family. It also carries nuances of “trailblazer,” one who breaks through to new ground for those who follow him. It is used some thirty-five times in the Greek OT and four times in the NT, always of Christ (Acts 3:15; 5:31; Heb 2:10; 12:2).
[9:23] 198 tn Or “prototypes,” “outlines,” referring to the earthly sanctuary. See Heb 8:5 above for the prior use of this term.
[9:23] 199 tn Grk “with these”; in the translation the referent (sacrifices) has been specified for clarity.
[9:23] 200 tn Grk “the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
[9:1] 201 tn Grk “the first” (referring to the covenant described in Heb 8:7, 13). In the translation the referent (covenant) has been specified for clarity.
[1:3] 202 tn The term “profit” (יֹתְרוֹן, yotÿron) is used in Ecclesiastes to evaluate the ultimate benefit/effects of human activities, as is טוֹב (tov, “good, worthwhile”) as well (e.g., 2:1, 3). While some relative advantage/profit is recognized (e.g., light over darkness, and wisdom over folly), Qoheleth denies the ultimate advantage of all human endeavors (e.g., 2:11, 15).
[1:3] 203 tn Heb “the man.” The Hebrew term could be used here in a generic sense, referring to the typical man (hence, “a man”). However, it is more likely that the form is collective and that humankind in general is in view (note NIV “man”). Note the reference to “a generation” coming and going in the next verse, as well as v. 13, where the phrase “the sons of man” (= humankind) appears. In this case the singular pronominal suffix and singular verb later in v. 3 reflect grammatical agreement, not individuality.
[1:3] 204 tn The use of the relative pronoun שֶׁ (she, “which”) – rather than the more common אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) – is a linguistic feature that is often used to try to date the Book of Ecclesiastes. Noting that שֶׁ is the dominant relative pronoun in Mishnaic Hebrew and that אֲשֶׁר does not appear as frequently (Jastrow 130 s.v. אֲשֶׁר), many scholars conclude that אֲשֶׁר is early and שֶׁ is late. They conclude that the use of שֶׁ in Ecclesiastes points to a late date for the book. However, as Samuel-Kings suggest, the שֶׁ versus אֲשֶׁר phenomena may simply be a dialectical issue: אֲשֶׁר is commonly used in the south, and שֶׁ in the north. The use of שֶׁ in Ecclesiastes may indicate that the book was written in a northern rather than a southern province, not that it is a late book. This is supported from related Akkadian terms which occur in texts from the same periods: אֲשֶׁר is related to asru (“place”) and שֶׁ is related to sa (“what”).
[1:3] 205 sn The Hebrew root עָמָל, (’amal, “toil”) is repeated here for emphasis: “What gain does anyone have in his toil with which he toils.” For all his efforts, man’s endeavors and secular achievements will not produce anything of ultimate value that will radically revolutionize anything in the world. The term “toil” is used in a pejorative sense to emphasize that the only thing that man obtains ultimately from all his efforts is weariness and exhaustion. Due to sin, mankind has been cursed with the futility of his labor that renders work a “toilsome” task (Gen 3:17-19). Although it was not yet revealed to Qoheleth, God will one day deliver the redeemed from this plight in the future kingdom when man’s labor will no longer be toilsome, but profitable, fulfilling, and enjoyable (Isa 65:17-23).
[1:3] 206 tn Heb “under the sun.”
[1:3] sn This rhetorical question expects a negative answer: “Man has no gain in all his toil.” Ecclesiastes often uses rhetorical questions in this manner (e.g., 2:2; 3:9; 6:8, 11, 12; see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949).
[1:11] 207 tn Heb “There is no remembrance of former things.” The term רִאשֹׁנִים (ri’shonim, “former things”) is the masculine plural form of the adjective רִאשׁוֹן (ri’shon,“former, first, chief”; BDB 911 s.v. רִאשׁוֹן). When used in a temporal sense, the singular denotes “former” in time (BDB 911 s.v. 1.a) or “first” in time (BDB 911 s.v. 2.a). The plural form is only used to denote “former” in time: “former persons,” i.e., ancestors, men of old (e.g., Lev 26:45; Deut 19:14; Job 18:20; Isa 61:4; Ps 79:8; Sirach 4:16) or “former things,” i.e., past events (e.g., Isa 41:22; 42:9; 43:9, 18; 46:9; 48:3). See BDB 911 s.v. 1.a, which suggests that this usage refers to “former persons.” This approach is adopted by several translations: “men of old” (NEB, NAB, NIV, Moffatt), “people of long ago” (NRSV), “earlier ones” (NJPS), and “former generations” (ASV). On the other hand, this Hebrew phrase may be nuanced “former things” or “earlier things” (HALOT 1168 s.v. ן(וֹ)רִאשֹׁ). This is adopted by some translations: “former things” (KJV, RSV) and “earlier things” (NASB). Although future generations are mentioned in 1:11, what they will not remember is the past events. The context of 1:3-11 focuses on human achievement, that is, former things.
[1:11] 208 tn The term “remember” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:11] 209 tn Heb “and also of the last things which will be.” The term אַחֲרֹנִים (’akharonim, “the future things”) is the masculine plural form of the adjective אַחֲרוֹן (’akharon) which means “coming after” (BDB 30 s.v. אַחֲרוֹן) or “at the back” (HALOT 36 s.v. אַחֲרוֹן). When used in a temporal sense, it may mean (1) “later one; (2) “in the future”; (3) “last”; or (4) “at the last” or “in the end” (HALOT 36 s.v. 2). The plural form may be used in reference to (1) future generations, e.g., Deut 29:21; Pss 48:14; 78:4, 6; 102:19; Job 18:20; Eccl 4:16, or (2) future events, e.g., Neh 8:18 (BDB 30 s.v.). BDB 30 s.v. b suggests that this usage refers to “future generations,” while HALOT 36 s.v. 2.c suggests future events. As mentioned in the previous note, it probably refers to future events rather than future generations.
[1:11] sn The Hebrew terms translated former events and future events create a merism (two polar extremes encompass everything in between). This encompasses all secular achievements in human history past to future things yet to be done.
[1:11] 210 tn Heb “There will not be any remembrance of them among those who come after.”
[1:11] sn According to Qoheleth, nothing new really happens under the sun (1:9). Apparent observations of what appears to be revolutionary are due to a lack of remembrance by subsequent generations of what happened long before their time in past generations (1:10-11a). And what will happen in future generations will not be remembered by the subsequent generations to arise after them (1:11b).
