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O mortal, propound a riddle and speak an allegory to the house of Israel.(A)

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“Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.(A)

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49 Then I said, “Ah Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of allegories?’ ”(A)

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49 Then I said, “Sovereign Lord,(A) they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?(B)’”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 20:49 In Hebrew texts 20:45-49 is numbered 21:1-5.

12 For now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.(A)

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12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;(A) then we shall see face to face.(B) Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.(C)

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The Use of Parables

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it;(A) 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.(B)

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33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.(A) 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(B) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

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35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:[a]

“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
    I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation.”[b](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 13.35 Other ancient authorities read the prophet Isaiah
  2. 13.35 Other ancient authorities add of the world

35 So was fulfilled(A) what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:35 Psalm 78:2

13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’(A) 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:

‘You will indeed listen but never understand,
    and you will indeed look but never perceive.(B)

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13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(A)

14 In them is fulfilled(B) the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

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10 I spoke to the prophets;
    it was I who multiplied visions,
    and through the prophets I will bring destruction.(A)

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10 I spoke to the prophets,
    gave them many visions
    and told parables(A) through them.”(B)

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And utter an allegory to the rebellious house and say to them: Thus says the Lord God:

Set on the pot; set it on;
    pour in water also;(A)

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Tell this rebellious people(A) a parable(B) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Put on the cooking pot;(C) put it on
    and pour water into it.

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12 and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.(A) The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare and drink from his cup and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.”

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Nathan Rebukes David(A)

12 The Lord sent Nathan(B) to David.(C) When he came to him,(D) he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

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12 Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can explain it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments.(A) 13 But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments.” So they said to him, “Ask your riddle; let us hear it.” 14 He said to them,

“Out of the eater came something to eat.
Out of the strong came something sweet.”

But for three days they could not explain the riddle.

15 On the fourth[a] day they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?”(B) 16 So Samson’s wife wept before him, saying, “You hate me; you do not really love me. You have asked a riddle of my people, but you have not explained it to me.” He said to her, “Look, I have not told my father or my mother. Why should I tell you?” 17 She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and because she nagged him, on the seventh day he told her. Then she explained the riddle to her people. 18 The men of the town said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”

And he said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have found out my riddle.”(C)

19 Then the spirit of the Lord rushed on him, and he went down to Ashkelon. He killed thirty men of the town, took their spoil, and gave the festal garments to those who had explained the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 14.15 Gk Syr: Heb seventh

12 “Let me tell you a riddle,(A)” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast,(B) I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.(C) 13 If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.”

“Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.”

14 He replied,

“Out of the eater, something to eat;
    out of the strong, something sweet.”(D)

For three days they could not give the answer.

15 On the fourth[a] day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax(E) your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death.(F) Did you invite us here to steal our property?”

16 Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me.(G) You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.”

“I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?” 17 She cried the whole seven days(H) of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.

18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him,

“What is sweeter than honey?
    What is stronger than a lion?”(I)

Samson said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
    you would not have solved my riddle.”

19 Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him.(J) He went down to Ashkelon,(K) struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger,(L) he returned to his father’s home.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 14:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew seventh

The trees once went out
    to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
    ‘Reign over us.’
The olive tree answered them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my rich oil
        by which gods and mortals are honored
        and go to sway over the trees?’
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
11 But the fig tree answered them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my sweetness
        and my delicious fruit
        and go to sway over the trees?’
12 Then the trees said to the vine,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
13 But the vine said to them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my wine
        that cheers gods and mortals
        and go to sway over the trees?’
14 So all the trees said to the bramble,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
15 And the bramble said to the trees,
    ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
        then come and take refuge in my shade,
    but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
        and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’(A)

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One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

“But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine,(A) which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’

14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’

15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade;(B) but if not, then let fire come out(C) of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’(D)

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