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1 Samuel 24
New English Translation

David Spares Saul’s Life

24 (24:2) When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took 3,000 select men from all Israel and went to find[a] David and his men in the region of[b] the rocks of the mountain goats.[c] 3 He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself.[d]

Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. 4 David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’”[e] So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward David’s conscience bothered him[f] because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one,[g] by extending my hand against him. After all,[h] he is the Lord’s chosen one.” 7 David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down[i] the road.

8 Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, “My lord, O king!” When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground. 9 David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’? 10 Today your own eyes see how the Lord delivered you—this very day—into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity[j] on you and said, ‘I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.’[k] 11 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning[l] evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 13 It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you. 14 Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands.”

16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly.[m] 17 He said to David, “You are more innocent[n] than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you. 18 You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. 19 Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the Lord repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. 20 Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 So now swear to me in the Lord’s name[o] that you will not kill[p] my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.”

22 David promised Saul this on oath.[q] Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “to search [for].”
  2. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
  3. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Or “the region of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats,” if this expression is understood as a place name (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV).
  4. 1 Samuel 24:3 tn Heb “to cover his feet,” an idiom (euphemism) for relieving oneself (cf. NAB “to ease nature”).
  5. 1 Samuel 24:4 tn Heb “is good in your eyes.”
  6. 1 Samuel 24:5 tn Heb “the heart of David struck him.”
  7. 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Heb “anointed.” Also at the end of this verse.
  8. 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Or “for.”
  9. 1 Samuel 24:7 tn Heb “went on.”
  10. 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “it had pity,” apparently with the understood subject being “my eye,” in accordance with a common expression.
  11. 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “anointed.”
  12. 1 Samuel 24:11 tn Heb “there is not in my hand.”
  13. 1 Samuel 24:16 tn Heb “lifted his voice and wept.”
  14. 1 Samuel 24:17 tn Or “righteous” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “you are in the right”; NLT “are a better man than I am.”
  15. 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “by the Lord.”
  16. 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “cut off.”
  17. 1 Samuel 24:22 tn Heb “and David swore an oath to Saul.”
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1 Samuel 23
1 Samuel 25
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Job 41
New English Translation

The Description of Leviathan

41 (40:25)[a] “Can you pull in[b] Leviathan with a hook,
and tie down[c] its tongue with a rope?
2 Can you put a cord through its nose,
or pierce its jaw with a hook?
3 Will it make numerous supplications to you,[d]
will it speak to you with tender words?[e]
4 Will it make a pact[f] with you,
so you could take it[g] as your slave for life?
5 Can you play[h] with it, like a bird,
or tie it on a leash[i] for your girls?
6 Will partners[j] bargain[k] for it?
Will they divide it up[l] among the merchants?
7 Can you fill its hide with harpoons
or its head with fishing spears?
8 If you lay your hand on it,
you will remember[m] the fight.
Do not do it again![n]
9 (41:1)[o] See, his expectation is wrong,[p]
he is laid low even at the sight of it.[q]
10 Is it not fierce[r] when it is awakened?
Who is he, then, who can stand before it?[s]
11 Who has confronted[t] me that I should repay?[u]
Everything under heaven belongs to me![v]
12 I will not keep silent about its limbs,
and the extent of its might,
and the grace of its arrangement.[w]
13 Who can uncover its outer covering?[x]
Who can penetrate to the inside of its armor?[y]
14 Who can open the doors of its mouth?[z]
Its teeth all around are fearsome.
15 Its back[aa] has rows of shields,
shut up closely[ab] together as with a seal;
16 each one is so close to the next[ac]
that no air can come between them.
17 They lock tightly together, one to the next;[ad]
they cling together and cannot be separated.
18 Its snorting throws out flashes of light;
its eyes are like the red glow[ae] of dawn.
19 Out of its mouth go flames,[af]
sparks of fire shoot forth!
20 Smoke streams from its nostrils
as from a boiling pot over burning[ag] rushes.
21 Its breath sets coals ablaze
and a flame shoots from its mouth.
22 Strength lodges in its neck,
and despair[ah] runs before it.
23 The folds[ai] of its flesh are tightly joined;
they are firm on it, immovable.[aj]
24 Its heart[ak] is hard as rock,
hard as a lower millstone.
25 When it rises up, the mighty are terrified,
at its thrashing about they withdraw.[al]
26 Whoever strikes it with a sword[am]
will have no effect,[an]
nor with the spear, arrow, or dart.
27 It regards iron as straw
and bronze as rotten wood.
28 Arrows[ao] do not make it flee;
slingstones become like chaff to it.
29 A club is counted[ap] as a piece of straw;
it laughs at the rattling of the lance.
30 Its underparts[aq] are the sharp points of potsherds,
it leaves its mark in the mud
like a threshing sledge.[ar]
31 It makes the deep boil like a cauldron
and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment,[as]
32 It leaves a glistening wake behind it;
one would think the deep had a head of white hair.
33 The likes of it is not on earth,
a creature[at] without fear.
34 It looks on every haughty being;
it is king over all that are proud.”[au]

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 sn Beginning with 41:1, the verse numbers through 41:9 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 41:1 ET = 40:25 HT, 41:2 ET = 40:26 HT, etc., through 41:34 ET = 41:26 HT. The Hebrew verse numbers in the remainder of the chapter differ from the verse numbers in the English Bible. Beginning with 42:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
  2. Job 41:1 tn The verb מָשַׁךְ (mashakh) means “to extract from the water; to fish.” The question here includes the use of a hook to fish the creature out of the water so that its jaws can be tied safely.
  3. Job 41:1 tn The verb שָׁקַע (shaqaʿ) means “to cause to sink,” if it is connected with the word in Amos 8:8 and 9:5. But it may have the sense of “to tie; to bind.” If the rope were put around the tongue and jaw, binding tightly would be the sense.
  4. Job 41:3 tn The line asks if the animal, when caught and tied and under control, would keep on begging for mercy. Absolutely not. It is not in the nature of the beast. The construction uses יַרְבֶּה (yarbeh, “[will] he multiply” [= “make numerous”]), with the object, “supplications” i.e., prayers for mercy.
  5. Job 41:3 tn The rhetorical question again affirms the opposite. The poem is portraying the creature as powerful and insensitive.
  6. Job 41:4 tn Heb “will he cut a covenant.”
  7. Job 41:4 tn The imperfect verb serves to express what the covenant pact would cover, namely, “that you take.”
  8. Job 41:5 tn The Hebrew verb is שָׂחַק (sakhaq, “to sport; to trifle; to play,” Ps 104:26).
  9. Job 41:5 tn The idea may include putting Leviathan on a leash. D. W. Thomas suggested on the basis of an Arabic cognate that it could be rendered “tie him with a string like a young sparrow” (“Job XL 29b: Text and Translation,” VT 14 [1964]: 114-16).
  10. Job 41:6 tn The word חָבַּר (khabbar) is a hapax legomenon, but the meaning is “to associate” since it is etymologically related to the verb “to join together.” The idea is that fishermen usually work in companies or groups, and then divide up the catch when they come ashore—which involves bargaining.
  11. Job 41:6 tn The word כָּרַה (karah) means “to sell.” With the preposition עַל (ʿal, “upon”) it has the sense “to bargain over something.”
  12. Job 41:6 tn The verb means “to cut up; to divide up” in the sense of selling the dead body (see Exod 21:35). This will be between them and the merchants (כְּנַעֲנִים, kenaʿanim).
  13. Job 41:8 tn The verse uses two imperatives which can be interpreted in sequence: do this, and then this will happen.
  14. Job 41:8 tc The LXX reads “You will lay a hand on it, [though] remembering the battle that [be]comes in its body, don’t let it happen again.” The LXX appear to have read the first verb as an imperfect, implying the addition of a yod, rather than an imperative. If that is correct, it could be read as another question in the series. Also the LXX reading “a hand” rather than “your hand” The LXX could imply a different verb division with the כ (kaf) of the pronominal suffix going instead with the following word. This doesn’t work in the MT, which reads an imperative, but the LXX assumes different vowels for the second verb, treating it as a participle. If these cues are correct, the verse may have originally read, “Will you lay a hand on it? Like one remembering the fight, do not do it again.”
  15. Job 41:9 sn Job 41:9 in the English Bible is 41:1 in the Hebrew text (BHS). From here to the end of the chapter the Hebrew verse numbers differ from those in the English Bible, with 41:10 ET = 41:2 HT, 41:11 ET = 41:3 HT, etc. See also the note on 41:1.
  16. Job 41:9 tn The line is difficult. “His hope [= expectation]” must refer to any assailant who hopes or expects to capture the creature. Because there is no antecedent, Dhorme and others transpose it with the next verse. The point is that the man who thought he was sufficient to confront Leviathan soon finds his hope—his expectation—false (a derivative from the verb כָּזַב [kazav, “lie”] is used for a mirage).
  17. Job 41:9 tn There is an interrogative particle in this line, which most commentators ignore. But others freely emend the MT. Gunkel, following the mythological approach, has “his appearance casts down even a god.” Cheyne likewise has: “even divine beings the fear of him brings low” (JQR 9 [1896/97]: 579). Pope has, “Were not the gods cast down at the sight of him?” There is no need to bring in this mythological element.
  18. Job 41:10 sn The description is of the animal, not the hunter (or fisherman). Leviathan is so fierce that no one can take him on alone.
  19. Job 41:10 tc MT has “before me” and can best be rendered as “Who then is he that can stand before me?” (ESV, NASB, NIV, NLT, NJPS). The following verse (11) favors the MT since both express the lesson to be learned from Leviathan: If a man cannot stand up to Leviathan, how can he stand up to its creator? The translation above has chosen to read the text as “before him” (cf. NRSV, NJB).
  20. Job 41:11 tn The verb קָדַם (qadam) means “to come to meet; to come before; to confront” to the face.
  21. Job 41:11 sn The verse seems an intrusion (and so E. Dhorme, H. H. Rowley, and many others change the pronouns to make it refer to the animal). But what the text is saying is that it is more dangerous to confront God than to confront this animal.
  22. Job 41:11 tn This line also focuses on the sovereign God rather than Leviathan. H. H. Rowley, however, wants to change לִי־חוּא (li huʾ, “it [belongs] to me”) into לֹא הוּא (loʾ huʾ, “there is no one”). So it would say that there is no one under the whole heaven who could challenge Leviathan and live, rather than saying it is more dangerous to challenge God to make him repay.
  23. Job 41:12 tn Dhorme changes the noun into a verb, “I will tell,” and the last two words into אֵין עֶרֶךְ (ʾen ʿerekh, “there is no comparison”). The result is “I will tell of his incomparable might.”
  24. Job 41:13 tn Heb “the face of his garment,” referring to the outer garment or covering. Some take it to be the front as opposed to the back.
  25. Job 41:13 tc The word רֶסֶן (resen) has often been rendered “bridle” (cf. ESV), but that leaves a number of unanswered questions. The LXX reads סִרְיוֹן (siryon), with the transposition of letters, but that means “coat of armor.” If the metathesis stands, there is also support from the cognate Akkadian.
  26. Job 41:14 tn Heb “his face.”
  27. Job 41:15 tc The MT has גַּאֲוָה (gaʾavah, “his pride”), but the LXX, Aquila, and the Vulgate all read גַּוּוֹ (gavvo, “his back”). Almost all the modern English versions follow the variant reading, speaking about “his [or its] back.”
  28. Job 41:15 tn Instead of צָר (tsar, “closely”) the LXX has צֹר (tsor, “stone”) to say that the seal was rock hard.
  29. Job 41:16 tn The expression “each one…to the next” is literally “one with one.”
  30. Job 41:17 tn Heb “a man with his brother.”
  31. Job 41:18 tn Heb “the eyelids,” but it represents the early beams of the dawn as the cover of night lifts.
  32. Job 41:19 sn For the animal, the image is that of pent-up breath with water in a hot steam jet coming from its mouth, like a stream of fire in the rays of the sun. The language is hyperbolic, probably to reflect the pagan ideas of the dragon of the deep in a polemical way—they feared it as a fire breathing monster, but in reality it might have been a steamy crocodile.
  33. Job 41:20 tn The word “burning” is supplied. The Syriac and Vulgate have “a seething and boiling pot” (reading אֹגֵם [ʾogem] for אַגְמֹן [ʾagmon]). This view is widely accepted.
  34. Job 41:22 tn This word, דְּאָבָה (deʾavah) is a hapax legomenon. But the verbal root means “to languish; to pine.” A related noun talks of dejection and despair in Deut 28:65. So here “despair” as a translation is preferable to “terror.”
  35. Job 41:23 tn Heb “fallings.”
  36. Job 41:23 tn The last clause says “it cannot be moved.” But this part will function adverbially in the sentence.
  37. Job 41:24 tn The description of his heart being “hard” means that he is cruel and fearless. The word for “hard” is the word encountered before for molten or cast metal.
  38. Job 41:25 tc This verse has created all kinds of problems for the commentators. The first part is workable: “when he raises himself up, the mighty [the gods] are terrified.” The mythological approach would render אֵלִים (ʾelim) as “gods.” But the last two words, which could be rendered “at the breaking [crashing, or breakers] they fail,” receive much attention. E. Dhorme (Job, 639) suggests “majesty” for “raising up” and “billows” (גַּלִּים, gallim) for אֵלִים (ʾelim), and gets a better parallelism: “the billows are afraid of his majesty, and the waves draw back.” But H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 263) does not think this is relevant to the context, which is talking about the creature’s defense against attack. The RSV works well for the first part, but the second part need some change; so Rowley adopts “in their dire consternation they are beside themselves.”
  39. Job 41:26 tn This is the clearest reading, following A. B. Davidson, Job, 285. The versions took different readings of the construction.
  40. Job 41:26 tn The verb קוּם (qum, “stand”) with בְּלִי (beli, “not”) has the sense of “does not hold firm,” or “gives way.”
  41. Job 41:28 tn Heb “the son of the bow.”
  42. Job 41:29 tn The verb is plural, but since there is no expressed subject it is translated as a passive here.
  43. Job 41:30 tn Heb “under him.”
  44. Job 41:30 tn Here only the word “sharp” is present, but in passages like Isa 41:15 it is joined with “threshing sledge.” Here and in Amos 1:3 and Isa 28:27 the word stands alone, but represents the “sledge.”
  45. Job 41:31 sn The idea is either that the sea is stirred up like the foam from beating the ingredients together, or it is the musk-smell that is the point of comparison.
  46. Job 41:33 tn Heb “one who was made.”
  47. Job 41:34 tn Heb “the sons of pride.” Dhorme repoints the last word to get “all the wild beasts,” but this misses the point of the verse. This animal looks over every proud creature—but he is king of them all in that department.
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Job 40
Job 42
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Revelation 18
New English Translation

Babylon is Destroyed

18 After these things I saw another angel, who possessed great authority, coming down out of heaven, and the earth was lit up by his radiance.[a] 2 He[b] shouted with a powerful voice:

“Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great!
She[c] has become a lair for demons,
a haunt[d] for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detested beast.[e]
3 For all the nations[f] have fallen[g] from
the wine of her immoral passion,[h]
and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth have gotten rich from the power of her sensual behavior.”[i]

4 Then[j] I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so you will not take part in her sins and so you will not receive her plagues, 5 because her sins have piled[k] up all the way to heaven[l] and God has remembered[m] her crimes.[n] 6 Repay her the same way she repaid others;[o] pay her back double[p] corresponding to her deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix double the amount for her. 7 As much as[q] she exalted herself and lived in sensual luxury,[r] to this extent give her torment and grief because she said to herself,[s] ‘I rule as queen and am no widow; I will never experience grief!’ 8 For this reason, she will experience her plagues[t] in a single day: disease,[u] mourning,[v] and famine, and she will be burned down[w] with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is powerful!”

9 Then[x] the kings of the earth who committed immoral acts with her and lived in sensual luxury[y] with her will weep and wail for her when they see the smoke from the fire that burns her up.[z] 10 They will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment, and will say,

“Woe, woe, O great city,
Babylon the powerful city!
For in a single hour your doom[aa] has come!”

11 Then[ab] the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no one buys their cargo[ac] any longer— 12 cargo such as gold, silver,[ad] precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk,[ae] scarlet cloth,[af] all sorts of things made of citron wood,[ag] all sorts of objects made of ivory, all sorts of things made of expensive wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice,[ah] incense, perfumed ointment,[ai] frankincense,[aj] wine, olive oil and costly flour,[ak] wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and four-wheeled carriages,[al] slaves and human lives.[am]

14 (The ripe fruit[an] you greatly desired[ao]
has gone from you,
and all your luxury[ap] and splendor[aq]
have gone from you—
they will never ever be found again!)[ar]

15 The merchants who sold[as] these things, who got rich from her, will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment. They will weep[at] and mourn, 16 saying,

“Woe, woe, O great city—
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet clothing,[au]
and adorned with gold,[av] precious stones, and pearls—
17 because in a single hour such great wealth has been destroyed!”[aw]

And every ship’s captain,[ax] and all who sail along the coast[ay]—seamen, and all who[az] make their living from the sea, stood a long way off 18 and began to shout[ba] when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up,[bb] “Who is like the great city?” 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning,[bc]

“Woe, Woe, O great city—
in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth—
because in a single hour she has been destroyed!”[bd]
20 (Rejoice over her, O heaven,
and you saints and apostles and prophets,
for God has pronounced judgment[be] against her on your behalf!)[bf]

21 Then[bg] one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said,

“With this kind of sudden violent force[bh]
Babylon the great city will be thrown down[bi]
and it will never be found again!
22 And the sound of the harpists, musicians,
flute players, and trumpeters
will never be heard in you[bj] again.
No[bk] craftsman[bl] who practices any trade
will ever be found in you again;
the noise of a mill[bm] will never be heard in you again.
23 Even the light from a lamp
will never shine in you again!
The voices of the bridegroom and his bride
will never be heard in you again.
For your merchants were the tycoons of the world,
because all the nations[bn] were deceived by your magic spells![bo]
24 The[bp] blood of the saints and prophets was found in her,[bq]
along with the blood[br] of all those who had been killed on the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:1 tn Grk “glory”; but often in the sense of splendor, brightness, or radiance (see L&N 14.49).
  2. Revelation 18:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style
  3. Revelation 18:2 tn Or “It” (the subject is embedded in the verb in Greek; the verb only indicates that it is third person). Since the city has been personified as the great prostitute, the feminine pronoun was used in the translation.
  4. Revelation 18:2 tn Here BDAG 1067 s.v. φυλακή 3 states, “a place where guarding is done, prison…Of the nether world or its place of punishment (πνεῦμα 2 and 4c) 1 Pt 3:19 (BReicke, The Disobedient Spirits and Christian Baptism ’46, 116f). It is in a φ. in the latter sense that Satan will be rendered harmless during the millennium Rv 20:7. The fallen city of Babylon becomes a φυλακή haunt for all kinds of unclean spirits and birds 18:2ab.”
  5. Revelation 18:2 tc There are several problems in this verse. It seems that according to the ms evidence the first two phrases (i.e., “and a haunt for every unclean spirit, and a haunt for every unclean bird” [καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου, kai phulakē pantos pneumatos akathartou kai phulakē pantos orneou akathartou]) are to be regarded as authentic, though there are some ms discrepancies. The similar beginnings (καὶ φυλακὴ παντός) and endings (ἀκαθάρτου) of each phrase would easily account for some mss omitting one or the other phrase. The third phrase (“a haunt for every unclean animal” [καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς θηρίου ἀκαθάρτου, kai phulakē pantos thēriou akathartou]), however, is more problematic since it is missing in several significant mss (א C 051 M). The passage as a whole, including the third phrase, seems to be an allusion to Isa 13:21 and 34:11. It seems reasonable, in such a case, to assume that since there is good ms evidence to support the third phrase (A 1611 2329 al), it probably dropped out of certain mss because of its similarity to the two preceding clauses. It is the presence of all three phrases in the initial text that most likely gave rise to the divergent ms evidence extant today.
  6. Revelation 18:3 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
  7. Revelation 18:3 tc ‡ Several mss (א A C 1006* 1611 1841 2030 MK), including the best witnesses, read “have fallen” (πεπτώκασιν or πέπτωκαν [peptōkasin or peptōkan]). The singular πέπτωκεν (peptōken), which is better grammatically with the neuter plural subject πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (panta ta ethnē, “all the nations”), is read by 1854 2062; 2042 reads πεπότικεν (pepotiken). A few mss (1006c 2329 latt syh) read “have drunk” (πέπωκαν/πεπώκασιν, pepōkan/pepōkasin); the singular πέπωκεν (pepōken) is read by P 051 1 2053* al. The more difficult reading and that which has the best ms support is “have fallen.” That it is not too difficult is evidenced by the fact that the great majority of Byzantine minuscules, which have a tendency to smooth out problems, left it stand as is. Nonetheless, it is somewhat difficult (TCGNT 683 says that this reading is “scarcely suitable in the context”), and for that reason certain mss seem to have changed it to “have drunk” to agree with the idea of “wine” (οἴνου, oinou). One can understand how this could happen: A scribe coming to the text and seeing the term “wine” expects a verb of drinking. When he sees “have fallen” and knows that in Greek the verbs “have fallen” and “have drunk” are spelled similarly, he concludes that there has been a slip of the pen in the ms he is using, which he then seeks to correct back to the “have drunk” reading. This appears to be more reasonable than to conclude that three early majuscules (i.e., א A C) as well as a great number of other witnesses all felt the need to change “have drunk” (πέπωκαν) to “have fallen” (πέπτωκαν), even if “fallen” occurs in the immediate context (“fallen, fallen, [ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν, epesen epesen] Babylon the great” in the preceding verse). The preferred reading, on both external and internal grounds, is “have fallen,” and thus the Seer intends to focus on the effects of wine, namely, a drunken stupor.
  8. Revelation 18:3 tn See the notes on the words “passion” in Rev 14:8 and “wrath” in 16:19.
  9. Revelation 18:3 tn According to BDAG 949 s.v. στρῆνος and στρηνιάω, these terms can refer either to luxury or sensuality. In the context of Rev 18, however (as L&N 88.254 indicate) the stress is on gratification of the senses by sexual immorality, so that meaning was emphasized in the translation here.
  10. Revelation 18:4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
  11. Revelation 18:5 tn On ἐκολλήθησαν (ekollēthēsan) BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.a.β states, “fig. cling to = come in close contact with (cp. Ps 21:16; 43:26 ἐκολλήθη εἰς γῆν ἡ γαστὴρ ἡμῶν. The act.=‘bring into contact’ PGM 5, 457 κολλήσας τ. λίθον τῷ ὠτίῳ) ἐκολλήθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἄχρι τ. οὐρανοῦ the sins have touched the heaven = reached the sky (two exprs. are telescoped) Rv 18:5.”
  12. Revelation 18:5 tn Or “up to the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
  13. Revelation 18:5 tn That is, remembered her sins to execute judgment on them.
  14. Revelation 18:5 tn Or “her sins.”
  15. Revelation 18:6 tn The word “others” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
  16. Revelation 18:6 tn On this term BDAG 252 s.v. διπλόω states, “to double τὰ διπλᾶ pay back double Rv 18:6.”
  17. Revelation 18:7 tn “As much as” is the translation of ὅσα (hosa).
  18. Revelation 18:7 tn On the term ἐστρηνίασεν (estrēniasen) BDAG 949 s.v. στρηνιάω states, “live in luxury, live sensually Rv 18:7. W. πορνεύειν vs. 9.”
  19. Revelation 18:7 tn Grk “said in her heart,” an idiom for saying something to oneself.
  20. Revelation 18:8 tn Grk “For this reason, her plagues will come.”
  21. Revelation 18:8 tn Grk “death.” θάνατος (thanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).
  22. Revelation 18:8 tn This is the same Greek word (πένθος, penthos) translated “grief” in vv. 7-8.
  23. Revelation 18:8 tn Here “burned down” was used to translate κατακαυθήσεται (katakauthēsetai) because a city is in view.
  24. Revelation 18:9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
  25. Revelation 18:9 tn On the term ἐστρηνίασεν (estrēniasen) BDAG 949 s.v. στρηνιάω states, “live in luxury, live sensually Rv 18:7. W. πορνεύειν vs. 9.”
  26. Revelation 18:9 tn Grk “from the burning of her.” For the translation “the smoke from the fire that burns her up,” see L&N 14.63.
  27. Revelation 18:10 tn Or “judgment,” condemnation,” “punishment.” BDAG 569 s.v. κρίσις 1.a.β states, “The word oft. means judgment that goes against a person, condemnation, and the sentence that follows…ἡ κ. σου your judgment Rv 18:10.”
  28. Revelation 18:11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
  29. Revelation 18:11 tn On γόμος (gomos) BDAG 205 s.v. states, “load, freight…cargo of a ship…Ac 21:3. W. gen. of the owner Rv 18:11. W. gen. of content…γ. χρυσοῦ a cargo of gold vs. 12.”
  30. Revelation 18:12 tn Grk “and silver,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before most of these terms since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more
  31. Revelation 18:12 tn On this term BDAG 924-25 s.v. σιρικός states, “per. to silk from Ser, subst. τὸ σιρικόν silk cloth or garments w. other costly materials Rv 18:12.”
  32. Revelation 18:12 tn On the translation of κόκκινον (kokkinon) as “scarlet cloth” see L&N 6.170.
  33. Revelation 18:12 tn On the phrase πᾶν ξύλον θύϊνον (pan xulon thuinon) L&N 3.63 states, “pertaining to being made or consisting of citron wood (that is, from a citron tree)—‘of citron wood.’ καὶ πᾶν ξύλον θύϊνον καὶ πᾶν σκεῦος ἐλεφάντινον ‘and all kinds of things made of citron wood and all kinds of objects made of ivory’ Re 18:12. The citron tree belongs to the citrus family of plants, and it produces a pale yellow fruit somewhat larger than a lemon, the rind of which is often candied. In Re 18:12, however, the focus is upon the fine quality of the wood.”
  34. Revelation 18:13 tn On the term ἄμωμον (amōmon) L&N 5.23 states, “a generic term for any kind of spice, though often a specific reference to amomum, an Indian type of spice—‘spice, amomum.’ κιννάμωμον καὶ ἄμωμον καὶ θυμιάματα ‘cinnamon and spice and incense’ Re 18:13. In most translations ἄμωμον is interpreted as spice in general.”
  35. Revelation 18:13 tn Or “myrrh,” a strong aromatic ointment often used to prepare a body for burial (L&N 6.205).
  36. Revelation 18:13 tn The Greek term λίβανος (libanos) refers to the aromatic resin of a certain type of tree (L&N 6.212).
  37. Revelation 18:13 tn On σεμίδαλις (semidalis) L&N 5.10 states, “a fine grade of wheat flour—‘fine flour.’ οἶνον καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ σεμίδαλιν καὶ σῖτον ‘wine and oil and fine flour and wheat’ Re 18:13. In some languages ‘fine flour’ may be best expressed as ‘expensive flour.’ Such a rendering fits well the context of Re 18:13.”
  38. Revelation 18:13 tn Or “and wagons.” On the term ῥέδη (rhedē) see L&N 6.53: “a four-wheeled carriage or wagon used for travel or the transportation of loads—‘carriage, wagon.’ The term ῥέδη occurs only in Re 18:13 in a list of products bought and sold by merchants.”
  39. Revelation 18:13 tn Grk “and bodies and souls of men.” This could be understood (1) as a hendiadys (two things mentioned = one thing meant), referring only to slave trade; (2) it could be referring to two somewhat different concepts: slavery (bodies) and the cheapness of human life—some of the items earlier in the list of merchandise were to be obtained only at great cost of human life; or (3) a somewhat related idea, that the trade is in not just physical bodies (slavery) but human souls (people whose lives are destroyed through this trade).
  40. Revelation 18:14 tn On ὀπώρα (opōra) L&N 3.34 states, “ἡ ὀπώρα σου τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ψυχῆς ‘the ripe fruit for which you longed’ Re 18:14. In this one occurrence of ὀπώρα in the NT, ‘ripe fruit’ is to be understood in a figurative sense of ‘good things.’”
  41. Revelation 18:14 tn Grk “you desired in your soul.”
  42. Revelation 18:14 tn On λιπαρός (liparos) BDAG 597 s.v. states, “luxury Rv 18:14.”
  43. Revelation 18:14 tn On τὰ λαμπρά (ta lampra) BDAG 585 s.v. λαμπρός 4 states, “splendor…in which a rich man takes delight (cp. Jos., Ant. 12, 220 δωρεὰς δοὺς λαμπράς) Rv 18:14.”
  44. Revelation 18:14 tn Verse 14 is set in parentheses because in it the city, Babylon, is addressed directly in second person. sn This verse forms a parenthetical aside in the narrative.
  45. Revelation 18:15 tn Grk “the merchants [sellers] of these things.”
  46. Revelation 18:15 tn Grk “her torment, weeping.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation by supplying the words “They will” here.
  47. Revelation 18:16 tn The word “clothing” is supplied to clarify that the words “purple” and “scarlet” refer to cloth or garments rather than colors.
  48. Revelation 18:16 tn Grk “gilded with gold” (an instance of semantic reinforcement, see L&N 49.29).
  49. Revelation 18:17 tn On ἠρημώθη (ērēmōthē) L&N 20.41 states, “to suffer destruction, with the implication of being deserted and abandoned—‘to be destroyed, to suffer destruction, to suffer desolation.’ ἐρημόομαι: μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος ‘such great wealth has been destroyed within a single hour’ Re 18:17.”
  50. Revelation 18:17 tn On κυβερνήτης (kubernētēs) BDAG 574 s.v. 1 states, “one who is responsible for the management of a ship, shipmaster, lit. Rv 18:17.”
  51. Revelation 18:17 tn Or perhaps, “everyone who sails as a passenger.” On πλέων (pleōn) BDAG 825 s.v. πλέω states, “πᾶς ὁ ἐπὶ τόπον πλέων everyone who sails to a place = seafarer, sea traveler…Rv 18:17. The vv.ll.…have led to various interpretations. Some render: everyone who sails along the coast…See EbNestle, Einführung in das Griech. NT 1909, 182; AFridrichsen, K. Hum. Vetensk.-Samf. i Upps. Årsb. ’43, 31 note ὁ ἐπίτοπον πλέων=one who sails occasionally, a passenger.—S. also IHeikel, StKr 106, ’34/’35, 317).”
  52. Revelation 18:17 tn Grk “and as many as.”
  53. Revelation 18:18 tn Here the imperfect ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated ingressively.
  54. Revelation 18:18 tn Grk “from the burning of her, saying.” For the translation “the smoke from the fire that burned her up,” see L&N 14.63. Here the participle λέγοντες (legontes, “saying”) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.
  55. Revelation 18:19 tn Grk “with weeping and mourning, saying.” Here the participle λέγοντες (legontes) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.
  56. Revelation 18:19 tn On ἡρημώθη (hērēmōthē) L&N 20.41 states, “to suffer destruction, with the implication of being deserted and abandoned—‘to be destroyed, to suffer destruction, to suffer desolation.’ ἐρημόομαι: μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος ‘such great wealth has been destroyed within a single hour’ Re 18:17.”
  57. Revelation 18:20 tn On the phrase “pronounced judgment” BDAG 567 s.v. κρίμα 4.b states, “The OT is the source of the expr. κρίνειν τὸ κρ. (cp. Zech 7:9; 8:16; Ezk 44:24) ἔκρινεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ κρίμα ὑμῶν ἐξ αὐτῆς God has pronounced judgment for you against her or God has pronounced on her the judgment she wished to impose on you (HHoltzmann, Hdb. 1893 ad loc.) Rv 18:20.”
  58. Revelation 18:20 tn Grk “God has judged a judgment of you of her.” Verse 20 is set in parentheses because in it the saints, etc. are addressed directly in the second person. sn This verse forms a parenthetical aside in the narrative.
  59. Revelation 18:21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
  60. Revelation 18:21 tn On ὅρμημα (hormēma) BDAG 724 s.v. states, “violent rush, onset ὁρμήματι βληθήσεται Βαβυλών Babylon will be thrown down with violence Rv 18:21.” L&N 68.82 refers to the suddenness of the force or violence.
  61. Revelation 18:21 sn Thrown down is a play on both the words and the action. The angel’s action with the stone illustrates the kind of sudden violent force with which the city will be overthrown.
  62. Revelation 18:22 tn The shift to a second person pronoun here corresponds to the Greek text.
  63. Revelation 18:22 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  64. Revelation 18:22 tn On this term BDAG 1001 s.v. τεχνίτης states, “craftsperson, artisan, designer…Of a silversmith Ac 19:24, 25 v.l., 38….Of a potter 2 Cl 8:2 (metaph., cp. Ath. 15:2). πᾶς τεχνίτης πάσης τέχνης Rv 18:22.”
  65. Revelation 18:22 tn This is a different Greek word (μύλος, mulos) from the one for the millstone in v. 21 (μύλινος, mulinos). See L&N 7.68.
  66. Revelation 18:23 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
  67. Revelation 18:23 tn On the term φαρμακεία (pharmakeia, “magic spells”) see L&N 53.100: “the use of magic, often involving drugs and the casting of spells upon people—‘to practice magic, to cast spells upon, to engage in sorcery, magic, sorcery.’ φαρμακεία: ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου ἐπλανήθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ‘with your magic spells you deceived all the peoples (of the world)’ Re 18:23.”
  68. Revelation 18:24 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  69. Revelation 18:24 tn The shift in pronouns from second to third person corresponds to the Greek text.
  70. Revelation 18:24 tn Grk “and of all.” The phrase “along with the blood” has been repeated from the previous clause for stylistic reasons.
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