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Ezra 3:1-4:23

The Altar is Rebuilt

3 When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites^[a] were living^[b] in their^[c] towns, the people assembled^[d] in^[e] Jerusalem. ²Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak^[f] and his priestly colleagues^[g] and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his colleagues^[h] started to build^[i] the altar of the God of Israel so they could offer burnt offerings on it as required by^[j] the law of Moses the man of God. ³They established the altar on its foundations, even though they were in terror of the local peoples,^[k] and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings. ⁴They observed the Feast of Shelters^[l] as required^[m] and offered the proper number of^[n] daily burnt offerings according to the requirement for each day. ⁵Afterward they offered the continual burnt offerings and those for the new moons and those for all the holy assemblies of the Lord and all those that were being voluntarily offered to the Lord. ⁶From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. However, the Lord’s temple was not at that time established.^[o]

Preparations for Rebuilding the Temple

⁷So they provided money^[p] for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport^[q] at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia. ⁸In the second year after they had come to the temple of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak initiated the work,^[r] along with the rest of their associates,^[s] the priests and the Levites, and all those who were coming to Jerusalem from the exile. They appointed^[t] the Levites who were at least twenty years old^[u] to take charge of the work on the Lord’s temple. ⁹So Jeshua appointed both his sons and his relatives,^[v] Kadmiel and his sons (the sons of Yehudah^[w]), to take charge of the workers in the temple of God, along with the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their relatives^[x] the Levites. ¹⁰When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions,^[y] and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by^[z] King David of Israel.^[aa] ¹¹With antiphonal response they sang,^[ab] praising and glorifying the Lord:

“For he is good;
his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”

All the people gave a loud^[ac] shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. ¹²Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders^[ad]—older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established^[ae]—were weeping loudly,^[af] and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. ¹³People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly^[ag] that the sound was heard a long way off.

Opposition to the Building Efforts

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles^[ah] were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel, ²they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders^[ai] and said to them, “Let us help you build,^[aj] for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him^[ak] from the time^[al] of King Esarhaddon^[am] of Assyria, who brought us here.”^[an] ³But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right^[ao] to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.” ⁴Then the local people^[ap] began to discourage^[aq] the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building. ⁵They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time^[ar] of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius^[as] of Persia.^[at]

Official Complaints Are Lodged Against the Jews

⁶^[au] At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus^[av] they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. ⁷And during the reign^[aw] of Artaxerxes, Bishlam,^[ax] Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues^[ay] wrote to King Artaxerxes^[az] of Persia. This letter^[ba] was first written in Aramaic but then translated.

[What follows is in Aramaic]^[bb]

⁸Rehum the commander^[bc] and Shimshai the scribe^[bd] wrote a letter concerning^[be] Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: ⁹From^[bf] Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is,^[bg] the Elamites), ¹⁰and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal^[bh] deported and settled in the cities^[bi] of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates.^[bj] ¹¹(This is a copy of the letter they sent to him.)

“To King Artaxerxes,^[bk] from your servants in^[bl] Trans-Euphrates: ¹²Now^[bm] let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city.^[bn] They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. ¹³Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury^[bo] will suffer loss. ¹⁴In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king,^[bp] and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage,^[bq] we are sending the king this information^[br] ¹⁵so that he may initiate a search of the records^[bs] of his predecessors^[bt] and discover in those records^[bu] that this city is rebellious^[bv] and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts^[bw] from long ago.^[bx] It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. ¹⁶We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control^[by] of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”

¹⁷The king sent the following response:

“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings!^[bz] ¹⁸The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. ¹⁹So I gave orders,^[ca] and it was determined^[cb] that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in^[cc] rebellion and revolt. ²⁰Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates^[cd] and who were the beneficiaries of^[ce] tribute, custom, and toll. ²¹Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct.^[cf] ²²Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that the king sustains damage?”

²³Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem^[cg] and stopped them with threat of armed force.^[ch]

Footnotes

Ezra 3:1 tn Heb “the sons of Israel.”
Ezra 3:1 tn The word “living” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied. Some translations supply “settled” (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).
Ezra 3:1 tc The translation reads with some medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions בְּעָרֵיהֶם (b^eʿarehem, “in their towns”), rather than the reading בֶּעָרִים (beʿarim, “in the towns”) found in the MT. Cf. Neh 7:72 HT [7:73 ET].
Ezra 3:1 tn The Hebrew text adds the phrase “like one man.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Ezra 3:1 tn Heb “to.”
Ezra 3:2 sn Jozadak (also in 3:8) is a variant spelling of Jehozadak.
Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “his brothers the priests.”
Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “his brothers.”
Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “arose and built.”
Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “written in.” Cf. v. 4.
Ezra 3:3 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
Ezra 3:4 tn The Hebrew phrase אֶת חַג־הַסֻּכּוֹת (ʾet khag hassukot, “Feast of Shelters” [or “Huts”]) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The rendering “booths” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV) is probably better than the traditional “tabernacles” in light of the meaning of the term סֻכָּה (sukkah, “hut; booth”), but “booths” are frequently associated with trade shows and craft fairs in contemporary American English. The nature of the celebration during this feast as a commemoration of the wanderings of the Israelites after they left Egypt suggests that a translation like “shelters” is more appropriate.
Ezra 3:4 tn Heb “according to what is written.”
Ezra 3:4 tn Heb “by number.”
Ezra 3:6 tn Or “the foundation of the Lord’s temple was not yet laid.”
Ezra 3:7 tn Heb “silver.”
Ezra 3:7 tn Heb “to the sea”
Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “began”; the phrase “the work” is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “their brothers.”
Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “stood.”
Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “from twenty years and upward.”
Ezra 3:9 tn Heb “brothers.”
Ezra 3:9 sn The name יְהוּדָה (Yehudah; cf. KJV, ASV, NASB “Judah”) is probably a variant of Hodaviah (see Ezra 2:40; cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
Ezra 3:9 tn Heb “brothers.”
Ezra 3:10 sn This was a long, straight, metallic instrument used for signal calls, rather than the traditional ram’s horn (both instruments are typically translated “trumpet” by English versions).
Ezra 3:10 tn Heb “according to the hands of.”
Ezra 3:10 sn See Pss 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1. Cf. 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3; 20:21.
Ezra 3:11 tn Heb “they answered.”
Ezra 3:11 tn Heb “great.”
Ezra 3:12 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
Ezra 3:12 sn The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.
Ezra 3:12 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
Ezra 3:13 tn Heb “a great shout.”
Ezra 4:1 tn Heb “the sons of the exile.”
Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.
Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “Let us build with you.”
Ezra 4:2 tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran ms, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version וְלוֹ (v^elo, “and him”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְלֹא (v^eloʾ, “and not”).
Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “days.”
Ezra 4:2 sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669 b.c.
Ezra 4:2 sn The Assyrian policy had been to resettle Samaria with peoples from other areas (cf. 2 Kgs 17:24-34). These immigrants acknowledged Yahweh as well as other deities in some cases. The Jews who returned from the Exile regarded them with suspicion and were not hospitable to their offer of help in rebuilding the temple.
Ezra 4:3 tn Heb “not to you and to us.”
Ezra 4:4 tn Heb “the people of the land.” Elsewhere this expression sometimes has a negative connotation, referring to a lay population that was less zealous for Judaism than it should have been. Here, however, it seems to refer to the resident population of the area without any negative connotation.
Ezra 4:4 tn Heb “were making slack the hands of.”
Ezra 4:5 tn Heb “all the days of.”
Ezra 4:5 sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c.
Ezra 4:5 sn The purpose of the opening verses of this chapter is to summarize why the Jews returning from the exile were unable to complete the rebuilding of the temple more quickly than they did. The delay was due not to disinterest on their part but to the repeated obstacles that had been placed in their path by determined foes.
Ezra 4:6 sn The chronological problems of Ezra 4:6-24 are well known and have been the subject of extensive discussion since ancient times. Both v. 5 and v. 24 describe the reign of Darius I Hystaspes, who ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c. and in whose time the rebuilt temple was finished. The material in between is from later times (v. 16 describes the rebuilding of the walls, not the temple), and so appear to be a digression. Even recognizing this, there are still questions, such as why Cambyses (530-522 b.c.) is not mentioned at all, and why events from the time of Xerxes (486-465 b.c.) and Artaxerxes (464-423 b.c.) are included here if the author was discussing opposition to the building of the temple, which was finished in 516 b.c. Theories to explain these difficulties are too numerous to mention here, but have existed since ancient times: Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, rearranged the account to put Cambyses before Xerxes and replacing Artaxerxes with Xerxes (for further discussion of Josephus’ rearrangement see L. L. Grabbe, “Josephus and the Reconstruction of the Judean Restoration” JBL 106 [1987]: 231-46). In brief, it seems best to view the author’s primary concern here as thematic (the theme of opposition to the Jewish resettlement in Jerusalem, including the rebuilding of the temple and restoration of Jerusalem’s walls) rather than purely chronological. In the previous verses the author had shown how the Jews had rejected an offer of assistance from surrounding peoples and how these people in turn harassed them. The inserted account shows how, in light of the unremitting opposition the Jews experienced (even extending down to more recent times), this refusal of help had been fully justified. Some of the documents the author employed show how this opposition continued even after the temple was rebuilt. (The failure to mention Cambyses may simply mean the author had no documents available from that period.) For detailed discussion of the difficulties presented by the passage and the various theories advanced to explain them, see H. G. M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC), 56-60.
Ezra 4:6 sn Ahasuerus, otherwise known as Xerxes I, ruled ca. 486-464 b.c.
Ezra 4:7 tn Heb “And in the days.”
Ezra 4:7 tn The LXX understands this word as a prepositional phrase (“in peace”) rather than as a proper name (“Bishlam”). Taken this way it would suggest that Mithredath was “in agreement with” the contents of Tabeel’s letter. Some scholars regard the word in the MT to be a textual variation of an original “in Jerusalem” (i.e., “in the matter of Jerusalem”) or “in the name of Jerusalem.” The translation adopted above follows the traditional understanding of the word as a name.
Ezra 4:7 tc The translation reads the plural with the Qere rather than the singular found in the MT Kethib.
Ezra 4:7 sn Artaxerxes I ruled in Persia from ca. 465-425 b.c.
Ezra 4:7 tc It is preferable to delete the MT’s וּכְתָב (ukh^etav) here.
Ezra 4:7 sn The double reference in v. 7 to the Aramaic language is difficult. It would not make sense to say that the letter was written in Aramaic and then translated into Aramaic. Some interpreters understand the verse to mean that the letter was written in the Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language, but this does not seem to give sufficient attention to the participle “translated” at the end of the verse. The second reference to Aramaic in the verse is more probably a gloss that calls attention to the fact that the following verses retain the Aramaic language of the letter in its original linguistic form. A similar reference to Aramaic occurs in Dan 2:4b, where the language of that book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. Ezra 4:8-6:18 and 7:12-26 are written in Aramaic, whereas the rest of the book is written in Hebrew.
Ezra 4:8 tn Aram “lord of the command.” So also in vv. 9, 17.
Ezra 4:8 sn Like Rehum, Shimshai was apparently a fairly high-ranking official charged with overseeing Persian interests in this part of the empire. His title was “scribe” or “secretary,” but in a more elevated political sense than that word sometimes has elsewhere. American governmental titles such as “Secretary of State” perhaps provide an analogy in that the word “secretary” can have a broad range of meaning.
Ezra 4:8 tn Or perhaps “against.”
Ezra 4:9 tn Aram “then.” What follows in v. 9 seems to be the preface of the letter, serving to identify the senders of the letter. The word “from” is not in the Aramaic text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
Ezra 4:9 tn For the Qere of the MT (דֶּהָיֵא, dehayeʾ, a proper name) it seems better to retain the Kethib דִּהוּא (dihuʾ, “that is”). See F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 25, §35; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 36.
Ezra 4:10 tn Aram “Osnappar” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV), another name for Ashurbanipal.sn Ashurbanipal succeeded his father Esarhaddon as king of Assyria in 669 b.c. Around 645 b.c. he sacked the city of Susa, capital of Elam, and apparently some of these people were exiled to Samaria and other places.
Ezra 4:10 tc The translation reads with the ancient versions the plural בְּקֻרְיַהּ (b^equryah, “in the cities”) rather than the singular (“in the city”) of the MT.
Ezra 4:10 tn Aram “beyond the river.” In Ezra this term is a technical designation for the region west of the Euphrates river.
Ezra 4:11 tn The Masoretic accents indicate that the phrase “to Artaxerxes the king” goes with what precedes and that the letter begins with the words “from your servants.” But it seems better to understand the letter to begin by identifying the addressee.
Ezra 4:11 tn Aram “men of.”
Ezra 4:12 tn The MT takes this word with the latter part of v. 11, but in English style it fits better with v. 12.
Ezra 4:12 sn Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.
Ezra 4:13 tn Aram “the treasury of kings.” The plural “kings” is Hebrew, not Aramaic. If the plural is intended in a numerical sense the reference is not just to Artaxerxes but to his successors as well. Some scholars understand this to be the plural of majesty, referring to Artaxerxes. See F. C. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (NICOT), 74.
Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “we eat the salt of the palace.”
Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “the dishonor of the king is not fitting for us to see.”
Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “and we have made known.”
Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”
Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “of your fathers.”
Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”
Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”
Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.
Ezra 4:16 tn Aram “will not be to you.”
Ezra 4:17 tn Aram “peace.”
Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”
Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “and they searched and found.”
Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “are being done.”
Ezra 4:20 sn The statement that prior Jewish kings ruled over the entire Trans-Euphrates is an overstatement. Not even in the days of David and Solomon did the kingdom of Israel extend its borders to such an extent.
Ezra 4:20 tn Aram “were being given to them.”
Ezra 4:21 tn Aram “until a command is issued from me.”
Ezra 4:23 tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”
Ezra 4:23 tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4

Wisdom from God

⁶Now we do speak wisdom among the mature,^[a] but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing. ⁷Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. ⁸None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined,^[b] are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”^[c] ¹⁰God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. ¹³And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.^[d] ¹⁴The unbeliever^[e] does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵The one who is spiritual discerns^[f] all things, yet he himself is understood^[g] by no one. ¹⁶For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him?^[h] But we have the mind of Christ.

Immaturity and Self-deception

3 So, brothers and sisters,^[i] I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh,^[j] as infants in Christ. ²I fed you milk,^[k] not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, ³for you are still influenced by the flesh.^[l] For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people?^[m] ⁴For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human?^[n]

Footnotes

1 Corinthians 2:6 tn In extrabiblical literature this word was applied to an initiate of a mystery religion (BDAG 995 s.v. τέλειος 3, gives numerous examples and states this was a technical term of the mystery religions). It could here refer to those who believed Paul’s message, the mystery of God (v. 1), and so be translated as “those who believe God’s message.”
1 Corinthians 2:9 tn Grk “entered the heart,” an OT expression, in which the heart functions like the mind.
1 Corinthians 2:9 sn A quotation from Isa 64:4.
1 Corinthians 2:13 tn Or “combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (i.e., words the Spirit gives, as just described).
1 Corinthians 2:14 tn Grk “natural person.” Cf. BDAG 1100 s.v. ψυχικός a, “an unspiritual pers., one who merely functions bodily, without being touched by the Spirit of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:15 tn Or “evaluates.”
1 Corinthians 2:15 tn Or “is evaluated” (i.e., “is subject to evaluation”); Grk “he himself is discerned,” that is, the person without the Spirit does not understand the person with the Spirit, particularly in relation to the life of faith.
1 Corinthians 2:16 sn A quotation from Isa 40:13.
1 Corinthians 3:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
1 Corinthians 3:1 tn Grk “fleshly [people]”; the Greek term here is σαρκινός (BDAG 914 s.v. 1).
1 Corinthians 3:2 sn Milk refers figuratively to basic or elementary Christian teaching. Paul’s point was that the Corinthian believers he was writing to here were not mature enough to receive more advanced teaching. This was not a problem at the time, when they were recent converts, but the problem now is that they are still not ready.
1 Corinthians 3:3 tn Or “are still merely human”; Grk “fleshly.” Cf. BDAG 914 s.v. σαρκικός 2, “pert. to being human at a disappointing level of behavior or characteristics, (merely) human.” The same phrase occurs again later in this verse.
1 Corinthians 3:3 tn Grk “and walking in accordance with man,” i.e., living like (fallen) humanity without the Spirit’s influence; hence, “unregenerate people.”
1 Corinthians 3:4 tn Grk “are you not men,” i.e., (fallen) humanity without the Spirit’s influence. Here Paul does not say “walking in accordance with” as in the previous verse; he actually states the Corinthians are this. However, this is almost certainly rhetorical hyperbole.

Psalm 28

Psalm 28^[a]

By David.

28 To you, O Lord, I cry out!
My Protector,^[b] do not ignore me.^[c]
If you do not respond to me,^[d]
I will join^[e] those who are descending into the grave.^[f]
²Hear my plea for mercy when I cry out to you for help,
when I lift my hands^[g] toward your holy temple.^[h]
³Do not drag me away with evil men,
with those who behave wickedly,^[i]
who talk so friendly to their neighbors,^[j]
while they plan to harm them.^[k]
⁴Pay them back for their evil deeds.
Pay them back for what they do.
Punish them.^[l]
⁵For they do not understand the Lord’s actions,
or the way he carries out justice.^[m]
The Lord^[n] will permanently demolish them.^[o]
⁶The Lord deserves praise,^[p]
for he has heard my plea for mercy.^[q]
⁷The Lord strengthens and protects me;^[r]
I trust in him with all my heart.^[s]
I am rescued^[t] and my heart is full of joy;^[u]
I will sing to him in gratitude.^[v]
⁸The Lord strengthens his people;^[w]
he protects and delivers his chosen king.^[x]
⁹Deliver your people.
Empower^[y] the nation that belongs to you.^[z]
Care for them like a shepherd and carry them in your arms^[aa] at all times!^[ab]

Footnotes

Psalm 28:1 sn Psalm 28. The author looks to the Lord for vindication, asks that the wicked be repaid in full for their evil deeds, and affirms his confidence that the Lord will protect his own.
Psalm 28:1 tn Heb “my rocky summit.” The Lord is compared to a rocky summit where one can find protection from enemies. See Ps 18:2.
Psalm 28:1 tn Heb “do not be deaf from me.”
Psalm 28:1 tn Heb “lest [if] you are silent from me.”
Psalm 28:1 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
Psalm 28:1 tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
Psalm 28:2 sn I lift my hands. Lifting one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer.
Psalm 28:2 tn The Hebrew term דְּבִיר (d^evir, “temple”) actually refers to the most holy place within the sanctuary.
Psalm 28:3 tn Heb “workers of wickedness.”
Psalm 28:3 tn Heb “speakers of peace with their neighbors.”
Psalm 28:3 tn Heb “and evil [is] in their heart[s].”
Psalm 28:4 tn Heb “Give to them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds. According to the work of their hands give to them. Return their due to them.” The highly repetitive style reflects the psalmist’s agitated emotional state and draws attention to his yearning for justice.
Psalm 28:5 tn Heb “or the work of his hands.” In this context “the Lord’s actions” and “the work of his hands” probably refer to the way he carries out justice by vindicating the godly and punishing the wicked. (Note the final line of the verse, which refers to divine judgment. See also Ps 92:4-7.) Evil men do not “understand” God’s just ways; they fail to realize he will protect the innocent. Consequently they seek to harm the godly, as if they believe they will never be held accountable for their actions.
Psalm 28:5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord, who is referred to in the two immediately preceding lines) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Psalm 28:5 tn Heb “will tear them down and not rebuild them.” The ungodly are compared to a structure that is permanently demolished.
Psalm 28:6 tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”
Psalm 28:6 sn He has heard my plea for mercy. The psalmist’s mood abruptly changes at this point, because the Lord responded positively to his petition and assured him that he would deliver him.
Psalm 28:7 tn Heb “The Lord [is] my strength and my shield.”
Psalm 28:7 tn Heb “in him my heart trusts.”
Psalm 28:7 tn Or “I am helped.”
Psalm 28:7 tn Heb “and my heart exults.”
Psalm 28:7 tn Heb “and from my song I will thank him.” As pointed in the Hebrew text, מִשִּׁירִי (mishiri) appears to be “from my song,” but the preposition “from” never occurs elsewhere with the verb “to thank” (Hiphil of יָדָה, yadah). Perhaps משׁיר is a noun form meaning “song.” If so, it can be taken as an adverbial accusative, “and [with] my song I will thank him.” See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 236.
Psalm 28:8 tn Heb “the Lord [is] strength to them” (or perhaps, “to him”). The form לָמוֹ (lamo, “to them/him”) probably needs to be emended to לְעַמּוֹ (l^eʿammo, “to his people”; see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 236), perhaps due to quiescence of the letter ʿayin (ע; see P. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 55). Note the reference to the Lord’s “people” in the next verse. Also, a few Hebrew mss, the LXX, and Syriac support לְעַמּוֹ (l^eʿammo, “to his people”).
Psalm 28:8 tn Heb “he [is] a refuge of help for his anointed one.” The noun מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh, “anointed one”) refers to the Davidic king, who perhaps speaks as representative of the nation in this psalm. See Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17.
Psalm 28:9 tn Or “bless.”
Psalm 28:9 tn Heb “your inheritance.” The parallelism (note “your people”) indicates that Israel is in view.
Psalm 28:9 tn Heb “shepherd them and lift them up.”sn The shepherd metaphor is sometimes associated with royal responsibility. See 2 Sam 5:2; 7:7; Mic 5:2-4).
Psalm 28:9 tn Or “forever.”

Proverbs 20:24-25

²⁴The steps of a person^[a] are ordained by^[b] the Lord—
so how can anyone^[c] understand his own^[d] way?
²⁵It is a snare^[e] for a person^[f] to rashly cry,^[g] “Holy!”
and only afterward to consider^[h] what he has vowed.^[i]

Footnotes

Proverbs 20:24 tn Heb “the steps of a man,” but “man” is the noun גֶּבֶר (gever, in pause), indicating an important, powerful person. BDB 149-50 s.v. suggests it is used of men in their role of defending women and children; if that can be validated, then a translation of “man” would be appropriate here. But the line seems to have a wider, more general application. The “steps” represent (by implied comparison) the course of life (cf. NLT “the road we travel”).
Proverbs 20:24 tn Heb “from the Lord”; NRSV “ordered by the Lord”; NIV “directed by the Lord.”sn To say that one’s steps are ordained by the Lord means that one’s course of actions, one’s whole life, is divinely prepared and sovereignly superintended (e.g., Gen 50:26; Prov 3:6). Ironically, man is not actually in control of his own steps.
Proverbs 20:24 tn The verse uses an independent nominative absolute to point up the contrast between the mortal and the immortal: “and man, how can he understand his way?” The verb in the sentence would then be classified as a potential imperfect; and the whole question rhetorical. It is affirming that humans cannot understand very much at all about their lives.
Proverbs 20:24 tn Heb “his way.” The referent of the third masculine singular pronoun is unclear, so the word “own” was supplied in the translation to clarify that the referent is the human individual, not the Lord.
Proverbs 20:25 sn It would be a “snare” because it would lead people into financial difficulties; Leviticus 27 talks about foolish or rash vows.
Proverbs 20:25 tn Heb “a man.”
Proverbs 20:25 tn The verb is from לוּע (luʿ) or לָעַע (laʿaʿ); it means “to talk wildly” (not to be confused with the homonym “to swallow”). It occurs here and in Job 6:3. sn This refers to speaking rashly in dedicating something to the sanctuary by calling it “Holy.”
Proverbs 20:25 tn Heb “reflect on.” The person is to consider the vows before making them, to ensure that they can be fulfilled. Too many people make their vow or promise without thinking, and then later worry about how they will fulfill their vows.
Proverbs 20:25 tn Heb “the vows” (so NASB); CEV “promises.”

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The Daily Audio Bible

The Altar is Rebuilt

Preparations for Rebuilding the Temple

Opposition to the Building Efforts

Official Complaints Are Lodged Against the Jews

Footnotes

Wisdom from God

Immaturity and Self-deception

Footnotes

Psalm 28[a]

By David.

Footnotes

Footnotes

Psalm 28^[a]