M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Balaam Blesses Israel
23 [a] Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each[b] altar a bull and a ram. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself[c] by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me[d] I will tell you.”[e] Then he went to a deserted height.[f]
4 Then God met Balaam, who[g] said to him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 5 Then the Lord put a message[h] in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.”[i]
6 So he returned to him, and he was still[j] standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. 7 Then Balaam[k] uttered[l] his oracle, saying,
“Balak, the king of Moab, brought me[m] from Aram,
out of the mountains of the east, saying,
‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’[n]
8 How[o] can I curse[p] one whom God has not cursed,
or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the rocks I see them;[q]
from the hills I watch them.[r]
Indeed, a nation that lives alone,
and it will not be reckoned[s] among the nations.
10 Who[t] can count[u] the dust[v] of Jacob,
or number[w] the fourth part of Israel?
Let me[x] die the death of the upright,[y]
and let the end of my life[z] be like theirs.”[aa]
Balaam Relocates
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary[ab] you have only blessed them!”[ac] 12 Balaam replied,[ad] “Must I not be careful[ae] to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”[af] 13 Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.”
14 So Balak brought Balaam[ag] to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah,[ah] where[ai] he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 And Balaam[aj] said to Balak, “Station yourself here[ak] by your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord there.” 16 Then the Lord met Balaam and put a message[al] in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.” 17 When Balaam[am] came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”
Balaam Prophesies Again
18 Balaam[an] uttered[ao] his oracle, and said,
“Rise up,[ap] Balak, and hear;
Listen to me, son of Zippor:
19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a human being,[aq] that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?[ar]
20 Indeed, I have received a command[as] to bless;
he has blessed,[at] and I cannot reverse it.[au]
21 He[av] has not looked on iniquity in Jacob,[aw]
nor has he seen trouble[ax] in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them;
his acclamation[ay] as king is among them.
22 God brought them[az] out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull.[ba]
23 For there is no spell[bb] against[bc] Jacob,
nor is there any divination against Israel.
At this time[bd] it must be said[be] of Jacob
and of Israel, ‘Look at[bf] what God has done!’
24 Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness,
and like a lion raises himself up;
they will not lie down until they eat their[bg] prey,
and drink the blood of the slain.”[bh]
Balaam Relocates Yet Again
25 Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all[bi] nor bless them at all!”[bj] 26 But Balaam replied[bk] to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord speaks,[bl] I must do’?”
27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God[bm] to let you curse them for me from there.”[bn] 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wastelands.[bo] 29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Footnotes
- Numbers 23:1 sn The first part of Balaam’s activity ends in disaster for Balak—he blesses Israel. The chapter falls into four units: the first prophecy (vv. 1-10), the relocation (vv. 11-17), the second prophecy (vv. 18-24), and a further location (vv. 25-30).
- Numbers 23:2 tn The Hebrew text has “on the altar,” but since there were seven of each animal and seven altars, the implication is that this means on each altar.
- Numbers 23:3 tn The verb הִתְיַצֵּב (hityatsev) means “to take a stand, station oneself.” It is more intentional than simply standing by something. He was to position himself by the sacrifice as Balaam withdrew to seek the oracle.
- Numbers 23:3 tn Heb “and the word of what he shows me.” The noun is in construct, and so the clause that follows functions as a noun clause in the genitive. The point is that the word will consist of divine revelation.
- Numbers 23:3 tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. This clause is dependent on the clause that precedes it.
- Numbers 23:3 sn He went up to a bald spot, to a barren height. The statement underscores the general belief that such tops were the closest things to the gods. On such heights people built their shrines and temples.
- Numbers 23:4 tn The relative pronoun is added here in place of the conjunction to clarify that Balaam is speaking to God and not vice versa.
- Numbers 23:5 tn Heb “word.”
- Numbers 23:5 tn Heb “and thus you shall speak.”
- Numbers 23:6 tn The Hebrew text draws the vividness of the scene with the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh)—Balaam returned, and there he was, standing there.
- Numbers 23:7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:7 tn Heb “took up.”
- Numbers 23:7 tn The passage calls for a past tense translation; since the verb form is a prefixed conjugation, this tense should be classified as a preterite without the vav (ו). Such forms do occur, especially in the ancient poetic passages.
- Numbers 23:7 sn The opening lines seem to be a formula for the seer to identify himself and the occasion for the oracle. The tension is laid out early; Balaam knows that God has intended to bless Israel, but he has been paid to curse them.
- Numbers 23:8 tn The figure is erotesis, a rhetorical question. He is actually saying he cannot curse them because God has not cursed them.
- Numbers 23:8 tn The imperfect tense should here be classified as a potential imperfect.
- Numbers 23:9 tn Heb “him,” but here it refers to the Israelites (Israel).
- Numbers 23:9 sn Balaam reports his observation of the nation of Israel spread out below him in the valley. Based on that vision, and the Lord’s word, he announces the uniqueness of Israel—they are not just like one of the other nations. He was correct, of course; they were the only people linked with the living God by covenant.
- Numbers 23:9 tn The verb could also be taken as a reflexive—Israel does not consider itself as among the nations, meaning, they consider themselves to be unique.
- Numbers 23:10 tn The question is again rhetorical; it means no one can count them—they are innumerable.
- Numbers 23:10 tn The perfect tense can also be classified as a potential nuance. It does not occur very often, but does occur several times.
- Numbers 23:10 sn The reference in the oracle is back to Gen 13:16, which would not be clear to Balaam. But God had described their growth like the dust of the earth. Here it is part of the description of the vast numbers.
- Numbers 23:10 tn Heb “and as a number, the fourth part of Israel.” The noun in the MT is not in the construct state, and so it should be taken as an adverbial accusative, forming a parallel with the verb “count.” The second object of the verse then follows, “the fourth part of Israel.” Smr and the LXX have “and who has numbered” (וּמִסְפָּר, umispar), making this colon more parallel to the preceding one. The editor of BHS prefers this reading.
- Numbers 23:10 tn The use of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) for the subject of the verb stresses the personal nature—me.
- Numbers 23:10 sn Here the seer’s words link with the promise of Gen 12:3, that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. Since the blessing belongs to them, the upright (and not Balak), Balaam would like his lot to be with them.
- Numbers 23:10 tn Heb “my latter end.”
- Numbers 23:10 tn Heb “his.”
- Numbers 23:11 tn The Hebrew text uses הִנֵּה (hinneh) here to stress the contrast.
- Numbers 23:11 tn The construction is emphatic, using the perfect tense and the infinitive absolute to give it the emphasis. It would have the force of “you have done nothing but bless,” or “you have indeed blessed.” The construction is reminiscent of the call of Abram and the promise of the blessing in such elaborate terms.
- Numbers 23:12 tn Heb “he answered and said.” The referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:12 tn The verb שָׁמַר (shamar) means “to guard, watch, observe” and so here with a sense of “be careful” or even “take heed” (so KJV, ASV). The nuance of the imperfect tense would be obligatory: “I must be careful”—to do what? to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth. The infinitive construct “to speak” is therefore serving as the direct object of שָׁמַר.
- Numbers 23:12 tn The clause is a noun clause serving as the direct object of “to speak.” It begins with the sign of the accusative, and then the relative pronoun that indicates the whole clause is the accusative.
- Numbers 23:14 tn Heb “he brought him”; the referents (Balak and Balaam) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:14 tn Some scholars do not translate this word as “Pisgah,” but rather as a “lookout post” or an “elevated place.”
- Numbers 23:14 tn Heb “and he built.”
- Numbers 23:15 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:15 tn The verse uses כֹּה (koh) twice: “Station yourself here…I will meet [the Lord] there.”
- Numbers 23:16 tn Heb “word.”
- Numbers 23:17 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:18 tn Heb “he.” The antecedent has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:18 tn Heb “took up.”
- Numbers 23:18 tn The verb probably means “pay attention” in this verse.
- Numbers 23:19 tn Heb “son of man.”
- Numbers 23:19 tn The verb is the Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “to cause to rise; to make stand”). The meaning here is more of the sense of fulfilling the promises made.
- Numbers 23:20 tn The Hebrew text simply has “I have received [to] bless.” The infinitive is the object of the verb, telling what he received. Balaam was not actually commanded to bless, but was given the word of blessing so that he was given a divine decree that would bless Israel.
- Numbers 23:20 sn The reference is probably to the first speech, where the Lord blessed Israel. Balaam knows that there is nothing he can do to reverse what God has said.
- Numbers 23:20 tn The verb is the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv), meaning “to cause to return.” He cannot return God’s word to him, for it has been given, and it will be fulfilled.
- Numbers 23:21 tn These could be understood as impersonal and so rendered “no one has discovered.”
- Numbers 23:21 sn The line could mean that God has regarded Israel as the ideal congregation without any blemish or flaw. But it could also mean that God has not looked on their iniquity, meaning, held it against them.
- Numbers 23:21 tn The word means “wrong, misery, trouble.” It can mean the idea of “disaster” as well, for that too is trouble. Here it is parallel to “iniquity” and so has the connotation of something that would give God reason to curse them.
- Numbers 23:21 tn The people are blessed because God is their king. In fact, the shout of acclamation is among them—they are proclaiming the Lord God as their king. The word is used normally for the sound of the trumpet, but also of battle shouts, and then here acclamation. This would represent their conviction that Yahweh is king. On the usage of this Hebrew word see further BDB 929-30 s.v. תְּרוּעָה; HALOT 1790-91 s.v.
- Numbers 23:22 tn The form is the Hiphil participle from יָצַא (yatsaʾ) with the object suffix. He is the one who brought them out.
- Numbers 23:22 sn The expression is “the horns of the wild ox” (KJV “unicorn”). The point of the image is strength or power. Horns are also used in the Bible to represent kingship (see Pss 89; 132).
- Numbers 23:23 tn The words נַחַשׁ (nakhash, “magic curse, omen”) and קֶסֶם (qesem, “prediction, divination”) describe two techniques of consulting gods. The first concerns omens generally, perhaps the flight of birds (HALOT 690 s.v.). The second relates to casting lots, sometimes done with arrows (Ezek 21:26). See N. H. Snaith, Leviticus and Numbers (NCB), 295-296.
- Numbers 23:23 tn The ASV says “with Jacob,” but most translations use “against” (both are theoretically possible) because of the context, esp. v. 20.
- Numbers 23:23 tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time”—according to the time, about this time, now.
- Numbers 23:23 tn The Niphal imperfect here carries the nuance of obligation—one has to say in amazement that God has done something marvelous or “it must be said.”
- Numbers 23:23 tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 23:24 tn The pronoun “their” has been supplied for clarity; it is not present in the Hebrew text.
- Numbers 23:24 sn The oracle compares Israel first to a lion, or better, lioness, because she does the tracking and hunting of food while the lion moves up and down roaring and distracting the prey. But the lion is also the traditional emblem of Judah, Dan and Gad, as well as the symbol of royalty. So this also supports the motif of royalty as well as power for Israel.
- Numbers 23:25 tn The verb is preceded by the infinitive absolute: “you shall by no means curse” or “do not curse them at all.” He brought him to curse, and when he tried to curse there was a blessing. Balak can only say it would be better not to bother.
- Numbers 23:25 tn The same construction now works with “nor bless them at all.” The two together form a merism—“don’t say anything.” He does not want them blessed, so Balaam is not to do that, but the curse isn’t working either.
- Numbers 23:26 tn Heb “answered and said.”
- Numbers 23:26 tn This first clause, “all that the Lord speaks”—is a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb that comes at the end of the verse. It is something of an independent accusative case, since it is picked up with the sign of the accusative: “all that the Lord speaks, it I must do.”
- Numbers 23:27 tn Heb “be pleasing in the eyes of God.”
- Numbers 23:27 sn Balak is stubborn, as indeed Balaam is persistent. But Balak still thinks that if another location were used it just might work. Balaam had actually told Balak in the prophecy that other attempts would fail. But Balak refuses to give up so easily. So he insists they perform the ritual and try again. This time, however, Balaam will change his approach, and this will result in a dramatic outpouring of power on him.
- Numbers 23:28 tn Or perhaps as a place name, “Jeshimon” (cf. 21:20).
Psalm 64[a]
For the music director, a psalm of David.
64 Listen to me,[b] O God, as I offer my lament!
Protect[c] my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks.[d]
2 Hide me from the plots of evil men,
from the crowd of evildoers.[e]
3 They[f] sharpen their tongues like swords;
they aim their arrows, a slanderous charge,[g]
4 in order to shoot down the innocent[h] in secluded places.
They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation.[i]
5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed.[j]
They plan how to hide[k] snares,
and boast,[l] “Who will see them?”[m]
6 They devise[n] unjust schemes;
they disguise[o] a well-conceived plot.[p]
Man’s inner thoughts cannot be discovered.[q]
7 But God will shoot[r] at them;
suddenly they will be[s] wounded by an arrow.[t]
8 Their slander will bring about their demise.[u]
All who see them will shudder,[v]
9 and all people will fear.[w]
They will proclaim what God has done,[x]
and reflect on his deeds.
10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord
and take shelter in him.
All the morally upright[y] will boast.[z]
Psalm 65[aa]
For the music director, a psalm of David, a song.
65 Praise awaits you,[ab] O God, in Zion.
Vows made to you are fulfilled.
2 You hear prayers;[ac]
all people approach you.[ad]
3 Our record of sins overwhelms me,[ae]
but you forgive[af] our acts of rebellion.
4 How blessed[ag] is the one whom you choose,
and allow to live in your palace courts.[ah]
May we be satisfied with the good things of your house—
your holy palace.[ai]
5 You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance,
O God, our savior.[aj]
All the ends of the earth trust in you,[ak]
as well as those living across the wide seas.[al]
6 You created the mountains by your power,[am]
and demonstrated your strength.[an]
7 You calmed the raging seas[ao]
and their roaring waves,
as well as the commotion made by the nations.[ap]
8 Even those living in the remotest areas are awestruck by your acts;[aq]
you cause those living in the east and west to praise you.[ar]
9 You visit the earth and give it rain;[as]
you make it rich and fertile.[at]
God’s streams are full of water;[au]
you provide grain for the people of the earth,[av]
for you have prepared the earth in this way.[aw]
10 You saturate[ax] its furrows,
and soak[ay] its plowed ground.[az]
With rain showers you soften its soil,[ba]
and make its crops grow.[bb]
11 You crown the year with your good blessings,[bc]
and you leave abundance in your wake.[bd]
12 The pastures in the wilderness glisten with moisture,[be]
and the hills are clothed with joy.[bf]
13 The meadows are clothed with sheep,
and the valleys are covered with grain.
They shout joyfully, yes, they sing.
Footnotes
- Psalm 64:1 sn Psalm 64. The psalmist asks God to protect him from his dangerous enemies and then confidently affirms that God will destroy his enemies and demonstrate his justice in the sight of all observers.
- Psalm 64:1 tn Heb “my voice.”
- Psalm 64:1 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s request.
- Psalm 64:1 tn Heb “from the terror of [the] enemy.” “Terror” is used here metonymically for the enemy’s attacks that produce fear because they threaten the psalmist’s life.
- Psalm 64:2 tn Heb “workers of wickedness.”
- Psalm 64:3 tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Psalm 64:3 tn Heb “a bitter word.”
- Psalm 64:4 tn The psalmist uses the singular because he is referring to himself here as representative of a larger group.
- Psalm 64:4 tn Heb “and are unafraid.” The words “of retaliation” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Psalm 64:5 tn Heb “they give strength to themselves, an evil matter [or “word”].”
- Psalm 64:5 tn Heb “they report about hiding.”
- Psalm 64:5 tn Heb “they say.”
- Psalm 64:5 tn If this is a direct quotation (cf. NASB, NIV), the pronoun “them” refers to the snares mentioned in the previous line. If it is an indirect quotation, then the pronoun may refer to the enemies themselves (cf. NEB, which is ambiguous). Some translations retain the direct quotation but alter the pronoun to “us,” referring clearly to the enemies (cf. NRSV).
- Psalm 64:6 tn Heb “search out, examine,” which here means (by metonymy) “devise.”
- Psalm 64:6 tc The MT has תַּמְנוּ (tamnu, “we are finished”), a Qal perfect first common plural form from the verbal root תָּמַם (tamam). Some understand this as the beginning of a quotation of the enemies’ words and translate, “we have completed,” but the Hiphil would seem to be required in this case. The present translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss in reading טָמְנוּ (tamenu, “they hide”), a Qal perfect third common plural form from the verbal root טָמַן (taman).
- Psalm 64:6 tn Heb “a searched-out search,” which is understood as referring here to a thoroughly planned plot to destroy the psalmist.
- Psalm 64:6 tn Heb “and the inner part of man, and a heart [is] deep.” The point seems to be that a man’s inner thoughts are incapable of being discovered. No one is a mind reader! Consequently the psalmist is vulnerable to his enemies’ well-disguised plots.
- Psalm 64:7 tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive is normally used in narrative contexts to describe completed past actions. It is possible that the conclusion to the psalm (vv. 7-10) was added to the lament after God’s judgment of the wicked in response to the psalmist’s lament (vv. 1-6). The translation assumes that these verses are anticipatory and express the psalmist’s confidence that God would eventually judge the wicked. The psalmist uses a narrative style as a rhetorical device to emphasize his certitude. See GKC 329-30 §111.w.
- Psalm 64:7 tn The perfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s certitude about the coming demise of the wicked.
- Psalm 64:7 tn The translation follows the traditional accentuation of the MT. Another option is to translate, “But God will shoot them down with an arrow, suddenly they will be wounded” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
- Psalm 64:8 tc The MT reads literally, “and they caused him [or it] to stumble upon them, their tongue.” Perhaps the third plural subject of the verb is indefinite with the third singular pronominal suffix on the verb being distributive (see Ps 63:10). In this case one may translate, “each one will be made to stumble.” The preposition עַל (ʿal) might then be taken as adversative, “against them [is] their tongue.” Many prefer to emend the text to וַיַּכְשִׁילֵמוֹ עֲלֵי לְשׁוֹנָם (vayyakhshilemo ʿale leshonam, “and he caused them to stumble over their tongue”). However, if this reading is original, it is difficult to see how the present reading of the MT arose. Furthermore, the preposition is not collocated with the verb כָּשַׁל (kashal) elsewhere. Perhaps a better option is that the third singular pronominal suffix “it” refers to the following noun “tongue” translated “they caused it, their tongue, to stumble on themselves” (see GKC 425-26 §131.m, o).
- Psalm 64:8 tn The Hitpolel verbal form is probably from the root נוּד (nud; see HALOT 678 s.v. נוד), which is attested elsewhere in the Hitpolel stem, not the root נָדַד (nadad, as proposed by BDB 622 s.v. I נָדַד), which does not occur elsewhere in this stem.
- Psalm 64:9 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read וַיִּרְאוּ (vayyirʾu, “and they will see”) instead of וַיִּירְאוּ (vayyireʾu, “and they will fear”).
- Psalm 64:9 tn Heb “the work of God,” referring to the judgment described in v. 7.
- Psalm 64:10 tn Heb “upright in heart.”
- Psalm 64:10 tn That is, about the Lord’s accomplishments on their behalf.
- Psalm 65:1 sn Psalm 65. The psalmist praises God because he forgives sin and blesses his people with an abundant harvest.
- Psalm 65:1 tn Heb “for you, silence, praise.” Many prefer to emend the noun דֻּמִיָּה (dumiyyah, “silence”) to a participle דּוֹמִיָּה (domiyyah), from the root דָּמָה (damah, “be silent”), understood here in the sense of “wait.”
- Psalm 65:2 tn Heb “O one who hears prayer.”
- Psalm 65:2 tn Heb “to you all flesh comes.”
- Psalm 65:3 tn Heb “the records of sins are too strong for me.”
- Psalm 65:3 tn Or “make atonement for.”
- Psalm 65:4 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
- Psalm 65:4 tn Heb “[whom] you bring near [so that] he might live [in] your courts.”
- Psalm 65:4 tn Or “temple.”
- Psalm 65:5 tn Heb “[with] awesome acts in deliverance you answer us, O God of our salvation.”
- Psalm 65:5 tn Heb “a source of confidence [for] all the ends of the earth.”sn All the ends of the earth trust in you. This idealistic portrayal of universal worship is typical hymnic hyperbole, though it does anticipate eschatological reality.
- Psalm 65:5 tc Heb “and [the] distant sea.” The plural adjective is problematic after the singular form “sea.” One could emend יָם (yam, “sea”) to יָמִים (yamim, “seas”), or emend the plural form רְחֹקִים (rekhoqim, “far”) to the singular רָחֹק (rakhoq). In this case the final mem (ם) could be treated as dittographic; note the mem on the beginning of the first word in v. 6.
- Psalm 65:6 tn Heb “[the] one who establishes [the] mountains by his power.”
- Psalm 65:6 tn Heb “one [who] is girded with strength”; or “one [who] girds himself with strength.”
- Psalm 65:7 tn Heb “the roar of the seas.”
- Psalm 65:7 sn The raging seas…the commotion made by the nations. The raging seas symbolize the turbulent nations of the earth (see Ps 46:2-3, 6; Isa 17:12).
- Psalm 65:8 tn Heb “and the inhabitants of the ends fear because of your signs.” God’s “signs” are the “awesome acts” (see v. 5) he performs in the earth.
- Psalm 65:8 tn Heb “the goings out of the morning and the evening you cause to shout for joy.” The phrase “goings out of the morning and evening” refers to the sunrise and sunset, that is, the east and the west.
- Psalm 65:9 tn The verb form is a Polel from שׁוּק (shuq, “be abundant”), a verb which appears only here and in Joel 2:24 and 3:13, where it is used in the Hiphil stem and means “overflow.”
- Psalm 65:9 tn Heb “you greatly enrich it.”
- Psalm 65:9 tn Heb “[with] a channel of God full of water.” The divine name is probably may be used here in a superlative sense to depict a very deep stream (“a stream fit for God,” as it were).
- Psalm 65:9 tn The pronoun apparently refers to the people of the earth, mentioned in v. 8.
- Psalm 65:9 tn Heb “for thus [referring to the provision of rain described in the first half of the verse] you prepare it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix attached to the verb “prepare” refers back to the “earth,” which is a feminine noun with regard to grammatical form.
- Psalm 65:10 tn Heb “saturating” [the form is an infinitive absolute].
- Psalm 65:10 tn Heb “flatten, cause to sink.”
- Psalm 65:10 tn Heb “trenches,” or “furrows.”
- Psalm 65:10 tn Heb “soften it,” that is, the earth.
- Psalm 65:10 tn Heb “its vegetation you bless.” Divine “blessing” often involves endowing an object with special power or capacity.
- Psalm 65:11 tn Heb “your good,” which refers here to agricultural blessings.
- Psalm 65:11 tn Heb “and your paths drip with abundance.”
- Psalm 65:12 tn Heb “drip.”
- Psalm 65:12 tn That is, with rich vegetation that brings joy to those who see it.
The Lord Will Judge Babylon
13 [a] This is an oracle[b] about Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:
2 [c] On a bare hill raise a signal flag;
shout to them,
wave your hand,
so they might enter the gates of the princes!
3 I have given orders to my chosen soldiers;[d]
I have summoned the warriors through whom I will vent my anger[e]—
my boasting, arrogant ones.[f]
4 [g] There is a loud noise on the mountains—
it sounds like a large army![h]
There is great commotion among the kingdoms[i]—
nations are being assembled!
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is mustering
forces for battle.
5 They come from a distant land,
from the horizon.[j]
It is the Lord with his instruments of judgment,[k]
coming to destroy the whole earth.[l]
6 Wail, for the Lord’s day of judgment[m] is near;
it comes with all the destructive power of the Sovereign One.[n]
7 For this reason all hands hang limp,[o]
every human heart loses its courage.[p]
8 They panic—
cramps and pain seize hold of them
like those of a woman who is straining to give birth.
They look at one another in astonishment;
their faces are flushed red.[q]
9 Look, the Lord’s day of judgment[r] is coming;
it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger,[s]
destroying[t] the earth[u]
and annihilating its sinners.
10 Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations
no longer give out their light;[v]
the sun is darkened as soon as it rises,
and the moon does not shine.[w]
11 [x] I will punish the world for its evil,[y]
and wicked people for their sin.
I will put an end to the pride of the insolent,
I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants.[z]
12 I will make human beings more scarce than pure gold,
and people more scarce[aa] than gold from Ophir.
13 So I will shake the heavens,[ab]
and the earth will shake loose from its foundation,[ac]
because of the fury of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
in the day he vents his raging anger.[ad]
14 Like a frightened gazelle[ae]
or a sheep with no shepherd,
each will turn toward home,[af]
each will run to his homeland.
15 Everyone who is caught will be stabbed;
everyone who is seized[ag] will die[ah] by the sword.
16 Their children will be smashed to pieces before their very eyes;
their houses will be looted
and their wives raped.
17 Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them;[ai]
they are not concerned about silver,
nor are they interested in gold.[aj]
18 Their arrows will cut young men to ribbons;[ak]
they have no compassion on a person’s offspring;[al]
they will not[am] look with pity on children.
19 Babylon, the most admired[an] of kingdoms,
the Chaldeans’ source of honor and pride,[ao]
will be destroyed by God
just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.[ap]
20 No one will live there again;
no one will ever reside there again.[aq]
No bedouin[ar] will camp[as] there,
no shepherds will rest their flocks[at] there.
21 Wild animals will rest there,
the ruined[au] houses will be full of hyenas.[av]
Ostriches will live there,
wild goats will skip among the ruins.[aw]
22 Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses,
jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces.[ax]
Her time is almost up,[ay]
her days will not be prolonged.[az]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 13:1 sn Isa 13-23 contains a series of judgment oracles against various nations. It is likely that Israel, not the nations mentioned, actually heard these oracles. The oracles probably had a twofold purpose. For those leaders who insisted on getting embroiled in international politics, these oracles were a reminder that Judah need not fear foreign nations or seek international alliances for security reasons. For the righteous remnant within the nation, these oracles were a reminder that Israel’s God was indeed the sovereign ruler of the earth, worthy of his people’s trust.
- Isaiah 13:1 tn The term מַשָּׂא (massaʾ, “pronouncement, a lifting up [of the voice]”) is a technical term introducing a message from the Lord (cf. Nah 1:1; Hab 1:1; Zech 9:1; Mal 1:1). Derived from the root נָשָׂא (nasaʾ, “to lift”), it is probably connected to the phrase “to raise one’s voice” (HALOT 639 s.v. II מַשָּׂא) and is usually translated as “oracle” or “utterance.” Because the root can also mean “to carry (a burden)” it has also been suggested that its nuance is of a burdensome message (KJV). Here it is the message which the prophet saw, suggesting that it is the report of a prophetic vision. In Nahum 1:1, the oracle is called “the book of vision.”
- Isaiah 13:2 sn The Lord is speaking here (see v. 3).
- Isaiah 13:3 tn Heb “my consecrated ones,” i.e., those who have been set apart by God for the special task of carrying out his judgment.
- Isaiah 13:3 tn Heb “my warriors with respect to my anger.”
- Isaiah 13:3 tn Heb “the boasting ones of my pride”; cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV “my proudly exulting ones.”
- Isaiah 13:4 sn In vv. 4-10 the prophet appears to be speaking, since the Lord is referred to in the third person. However, since the Lord refers to himself in the third person later in this chapter (see v. 13), it is possible that he speaks throughout the chapter.
- Isaiah 13:4 tn Heb “a sound, a roar, [is] on the mountains, like many people.”
- Isaiah 13:4 tn Heb “a sound, tumult of kingdoms.”
- Isaiah 13:5 tn Heb “from the end of the sky.”
- Isaiah 13:5 tn Or “anger”; cf. KJV, ASV “the weapons of his indignation.”
- Isaiah 13:5 tn Or perhaps, “land” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT). Even though the heading and subsequent context (see v. 17) indicate Babylon’s judgment is in view, the chapter has a cosmic flavor suggesting that the coming judgment is universal in scope. Perhaps Babylon’s downfall occurs in conjunction with a wider judgment, or the cosmic style is poetic hyperbole used to emphasize the magnitude and importance of the coming event.
- Isaiah 13:6 tn Heb “the day of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB).
- Isaiah 13:6 tn Heb “like destruction from the Sovereign One it comes.” The comparative preposition (כ, kaf) has here the rhetorical nuance, “in every way like.” The point is that the destruction unleashed will have all the earmarks of divine judgment. One could paraphrase, “it comes as only destructive divine judgment can.” On this use of the preposition in general, see GKC 376 §118.x.sn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (shaddai, “Shaddai”). Shaddai (or El Shaddai) is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life/blesses and kills/judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name is uncertain (see discussion below), its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. In Gen 17:1-8 he appears to Abram, introduces himself as El Shaddai, and announces his intention to make the patriarch fruitful. In the role of El Shaddai God repeats these words (now elevated to the status of a decree) to Jacob (35:11). Earlier Isaac had pronounced a blessing upon Jacob in which he asked El Shaddai to make Jacob fruitful (28:3). Jacob later prays that his sons will be treated with mercy when they return to Egypt with Benjamin (43:14). The fertility theme is not as apparent here, though one must remember that Jacob viewed Benjamin as the sole remaining son of the favored and once-barren Rachel (cf. 29:31; 30:22-24; 35:16-18). It is quite natural that he would appeal to El Shaddai to preserve Benjamin’s life, for it was El Shaddai’s miraculous power which made it possible for Rachel to give him sons in the first place. In 48:3 Jacob, prior to blessing Joseph’s sons, tells him how El Shaddai appeared to him at Bethel (cf. chapter 28) and promised to make him fruitful. When blessing Joseph on his deathbed Jacob refers to Shaddai (we should probably read “El Shaddai,” along with a few Hebrew mss, Smr, LXX, and Syriac) as the one who provides abundant blessings, including “blessings of the breast and womb” (49:25). (The direct association of the name with שָׁדַיִם [shadayim, “breasts”] suggests the name might mean “the one of the breast” [i.e., the one who gives fertility], but the juxtaposition is probably better explained as wordplay. Note the wordplay involving the name and the root שָׁדַד [shadad, “destroy”] here in Isa 13:6 and in Joel 1:15.) Outside Genesis the name Shaddai (minus El, “God”) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14; Isa 13:6; and Joel 1:15 Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. (In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubim’s wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.) Last but not least, the name occurs 31 times in the Book of Job. Job and his “friends” assume that Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world (11:7; 37:23a) who is the source of life (33:4b) and is responsible for maintaining justice (8:3; 34:10-12; 37:23b). He provides abundant blessings, including children (22:17-18; 29:4-6), but can also discipline, punish, and destroy (5:17; 6:4; 21:20; 23:16). It is not surprising to see the name so often in this book, where the theme of God’s justice is primary and even called into question (24:1; 27:2). The most likely proposal is that the name means “God, the one of the mountain” (an Akkadian cognate means “mountain,” to which Heb. שַׁד [shad, “breast”] is probably related). For a discussion of proposed derivations see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 70-71. The name may originally depict God as the sovereign judge who, in Canaanite style, rules from a sacred mountain. Isa 14:13 and Ezek 28:14, 16 associate such a mountain with God, while Ps 48:2 refers to Zion as “Zaphon,” the Canaanite Olympus from which the high god El ruled. (In Isa 14 the Canaanite god El may be in view. Note that Isaiah pictures pagan kings as taunting the king of Babylon, suggesting that pagan mythology may provide the background for the language and imagery.)
- Isaiah 13:7 tn Heb “drop”; KJV “be faint”; ASV “be feeble”; NAB “fall helpless.”
- Isaiah 13:7 tn Heb “melts” (so NAB).
- Isaiah 13:8 tn Heb “their faces are faces of flames.” Their faces are flushed with fear and embarrassment.
- Isaiah 13:9 tn Heb “the day of the Lord.”
- Isaiah 13:9 tn Heb “[with] cruelty, and fury, and rage of anger.” Three synonyms for “anger” are piled up at the end of the line to emphasize the extraordinary degree of divine anger that will be exhibited in this judgment.
- Isaiah 13:9 tn Heb “making desolate.”
- Isaiah 13:9 tn Or “land” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT).
- Isaiah 13:10 tn Heb “do not flash forth their light.”
- Isaiah 13:10 tn Heb “does not shed forth its light.”
- Isaiah 13:11 sn The Lord is definitely speaking (again?) at this point. See the note at v. 4.
- Isaiah 13:11 tn Or “I will bring disaster on the world.” Hebrew רָעָה (raʿah) could refer to the judgment (i.e., disaster, calamity) or to the evil that prompts it. The structure of the parallel line favors the latter interpretation.
- Isaiah 13:11 tn Or perhaps, “the violent”; cf. NASB, NIV “the ruthless.”
- Isaiah 13:12 tn The verb is supplied in the translation from the first line. The verb in the first line (“I will make scarce”) does double duty in the parallel structure of the verse.
- Isaiah 13:13 tn Or “the sky.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
- Isaiah 13:13 tn Heb “from its place” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV).
- Isaiah 13:13 tn Heb “and in the day of the raging of his anger.”
- Isaiah 13:14 tn Or “like a gazelle being chased.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
- Isaiah 13:14 tn Heb “his people” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “his nation” (cf. TEV “their own countries”).
- Isaiah 13:15 tn Heb “carried off,” i.e., grabbed from the fleeing crowd. See HALOT 764 s.v. ספה.
- Isaiah 13:15 tn Heb “will fall” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NLT “will be run through with a sword.”
- Isaiah 13:17 tn Heb “against them”; NLT “against Babylon.”
- Isaiah 13:17 sn They cannot be bought off, for they have a lust for bloodshed.
- Isaiah 13:18 tn Heb “and bows cut to bits young men.” “Bows” stands by metonymy for arrows.
- Isaiah 13:18 tn Heb “the fruit of the womb.”
- Isaiah 13:18 tn Heb “their eye does not.” Here “eye” is a metonymy for the whole person.
- Isaiah 13:19 tn Or “most beautiful” (NCV, TEV).
- Isaiah 13:19 tn Heb “the beauty of the pride of the Chaldeans.”sn The Chaldeans were a group of tribes who lived in southern Mesopotamia. They established the so-called neo-Babylonian empire in the late seventh century b.c. Their most famous king, Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Judah in 605 b.c. and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 b.c.
- Isaiah 13:19 tn Heb “and Babylon…will be like the overthrow by God of Sodom and Gomorrah.” On מַהְפֵּכַת (mahpekhat, “overthrow”) see the note on the word “destruction” in 1:7.
- Isaiah 13:20 tn Heb “she will not be inhabited forever, and she will not be dwelt in to generation and generation (i.e., forever).” The Lord declares that Babylon, personified as a woman, will not be inhabited. In other words, her people will be destroyed, and the Chaldean empire will come to a permanent end.
- Isaiah 13:20 tn Or “Arab” (NAB, NASB, NIV); cf. CEV, NLT “nomads.”
- Isaiah 13:20 tn יַהֵל (yahel) is probably an alternate form or a scribal error of יֶאֱהַל (yeʾehal). See GKC 186 §68.k.
- Isaiah 13:20 tn The words “their flocks” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text does not supply the object here, but see Jer 33:12.
- Isaiah 13:21 tn The word “ruined” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Isaiah 13:21 tn The precise referent of this word in uncertain. See HALOT 29 s.v. *אֹחַ. Various English versions translate as “owls” (e.g., NAB, NASB), “wild dogs” (NCV); “jackals” (NIV); “howling creatures” (NRSV, NLT).
- Isaiah 13:21 tn Heb “will skip there.”
- Isaiah 13:22 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “wild dogs will yip among his widows, and jackals in the palaces of pleasure.” The verb “yip” is supplied in the second line; it does double duty in the parallel structure. “His widows” makes little sense in this context; many emend the form (אַלְמנוֹתָיו, ʾalmnotayv) to the graphically similar אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ (ʾarmenoteha, “her fortresses”), a reading that is assumed in the present translation. The use of “widows” may represent an intentional wordplay on “fortresses,” indicating that the fortresses are like dejected widows (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:308, n. 1).
- Isaiah 13:22 tn Heb “near to come is her time.”
- Isaiah 13:22 sn When was the prophecy of Babylon’s fall fulfilled? Some argue that the prophecy was fulfilled in 689 b.c. when the Assyrians under Sennacherib sacked and desecrated the city (this event is alluded to in 23:13). This may have been an initial phase in the fulfillment of the prophecy, but the reference to the involvement of the Medes (v. 17) and the suggestion that Babylon’s demise will bring about the restoration of Israel (14:1-2) indicate that the fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians in 538 b.c. is the primary focus of the prophecy. (After all, the Lord did reveal to Isaiah that the Chaldeans [not the Assyrians] would someday conquer Jerusalem and take the people into exile [see 39:5-7].) However, the vivid picture of destruction in vv. 15-22 raises a problem. The Medes and Persians did not destroy the city; in fact Cyrus’ takeover of Babylon, though preceded by a military campaign, was relatively peaceful and even welcomed by some Babylonian religious officials. How then does one explain the prophecy’s description of the city’s violent fall? As noted above, the events of 689 b.c. and 538 b.c. may have been merged in the prophecy. However, it is more likely that the language is stylized and exaggerated for rhetorical effect. See Isa 34:11-15; Jer 50:39-40 (describing Babylon’s fall in 538 b.c.); 51:36-37 (describing Babylon’s fall in 538 b.c.); Zeph 2:13-15; the extra-biblical Sefire treaty curses; and Ashurbanipal’s description of the destruction of Elam in his royal annals. In other words, the events of 538 b.c. essentially, though not necessarily literally, fulfill the prophecy.
Salutation
1 From Peter,[a] an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing[b] abroad[c] (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia,[d] and Bithynia) who are chosen[e] 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling[f] with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure![g]
New Birth to Joy and Holiness
3 Blessed be[h] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 that is,[i] into[j] an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 This brings you great joy,[k] although you may have to suffer[l] for a short time in various trials. 7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith,[m] which is much more valuable than gold—gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away[n]—and will bring praise[o] and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.[p] 8 You[q] have not seen him, but you love him. You[r] do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice[s] with an indescribable and glorious[t] joy, 9 because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation,[u] the prophets[v] who predicted the grace that would come to you[w] searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed[x] into what person or time[y] the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ[z] and his subsequent glory.[aa] 12 They were shown[ab] that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things angels long to catch a glimpse of.
13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action[ac] by being fully sober, and set your hope[ad] completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.[ae] 14 Like obedient children, do not comply with[af] the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance,[ag] 15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”[ah] 17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here[ai] in reverence. 18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. 20 He was foreknown[aj] before the foundation of the world but[ak] was manifested in these last times[al] for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust[am] in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 You have purified[an] your souls by obeying the truth[ao] in order to show sincere mutual love.[ap] So[aq] love one another earnestly from a pure heart.[ar] 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For
all flesh[as] is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of the grass;[at]
the grass withers and the flower falls off,
25 but the word of the Lord[au] endures forever.[av]
And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “Peter.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
- 1 Peter 1:1 tn Or “to those living as resident foreigners,” “to the exiles.” This term is used metaphorically of Christians who live in this world as foreigners, since their homeland is heaven.
- 1 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles. But here it is probably metaphorical, used of Gentile Christians spread out as God’s people in the midst of a godless world.
- 1 Peter 1:1 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
- 1 Peter 1:1 tn Or “to the chosen sojourners…” On this reading the phrases in v. 2 describe their entire existence as sojourners, etc., not just their election.
- 1 Peter 1:2 sn For obedience and for sprinkling indicates the purpose of their choice or election by God.
- 1 Peter 1:2 tn Grk “be multiplied to you.”
- 1 Peter 1:3 tn There is no verb in the Greek text; either the optative (“be”) or the indicative (“is”) can be supplied. The meaning of the term εὐλογητός (eulogētos) and the author’s intention at this point in the epistle must both come into play to determine which is the preferred nuance. εὐλογητός as an adjective can mean either that one is praised or that one is blessed, that is, in a place of favor and benefit. Two factors of the author’s style come into play. At this point the author is describing the reality of believers’ salvation and will soon explain believers’ necessary response; this is in emulation of Pauline style which generally follows the same logical order (although the author here discusses the reality in a much more compressed fashion). On the other hand, when imitating the Pauline greeting, which is normally verbless, the author inserts the optative (see v. 2 above). When considered as a whole, although a decision is difficult, the fact that the author in the immediate context has used the optative when imitating a Pauline stylized statement would argue for the optative here. The translation uses the term “blessed” in the sense “worthy of praise” as this is in keeping with the traditional translation of berakah psalms. Cf. also 2 Cor 1:3; Eph 1:3.
- 1 Peter 1:4 tn The phrase “that is” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the imperishable inheritance is in apposition to the living hope of v. 3.
- 1 Peter 1:4 tn Grk “into,” continuing the description of v. 3 without an “and.”
- 1 Peter 1:6 tn Grk “in which you exult.”
- 1 Peter 1:6 tc ‡ The oldest and best witnesses lack the verb (א* B, along with 1448 1611 syh), but most mss (P72 א2 A C P Ψ 048 33 1739 M) have ἐστίν here (estin, “[if] it is [necessary]”). The verb looks to be an explanatory gloss. But if no verb is present, this opens up the time frame in the author’s mind even more, since the conditional particle for both the first class condition and the fourth class condition is εἰ (ei). That may well be what was on the author’s mind, as evidenced by some of his other allusions to suffering in this little letter (3:14, 17). NA27 has the verb in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity, while NA28 omits the brackets altogether.tn Grk “Though now, for a little while if necessary, you may have to suffer.”
- 1 Peter 1:7 tn Or “genuineness,” the result of testing. On the other hand it may denote the process of testing: “that the proving of your faith…may bring praise.”sn The author is not asserting that the quality of the readers’ faith is in doubt and will be proven by future trials. He declares their faith to be a present reality in v. 5 and 9, so in context v. 8 affirms that their faith is indeed genuine.
- 1 Peter 1:7 tn Grk “which is passing away but is tested by fire,” describing gold in a lesser-to-greater comparison with faith’s proven character.
- 1 Peter 1:7 tn Grk “that the testing of your faith…may be found unto praise,” showing the result of the trials mentioned in v. 6.
- 1 Peter 1:7 tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 13).
- 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “whom not having seen, you love.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “in whom not now seeing…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “in whom not now seeing but believing, you exult.” The participles have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.
- 1 Peter 1:8 tn Grk “glorified.”
- 1 Peter 1:10 tn Grk “about which salvation.”
- 1 Peter 1:10 sn Prophets refers to the OT prophets.
- 1 Peter 1:10 tn Grk “who prophesied about the grace that is to/for you.”
- 1 Peter 1:11 tn Grk “probing.” The participle continues the sentence from v. 10 but has been translated as an indicative for English style.
- 1 Peter 1:11 tn Or “time or circumstances,” focusing not on the person but on the timing and circumstances of the fulfillment.sn The OT prophets wondered about the person and the surrounding circumstances (time) through which God would fulfill his promised salvation.
- 1 Peter 1:11 tn Grk “the sufferings unto Christ,” i.e., sufferings directed toward him, what he was destined to suffer.
- 1 Peter 1:11 tn Grk “the glories after these things.”
- 1 Peter 1:12 tn Grk “to whom [pl.] it was revealed.”
- 1 Peter 1:13 tn Grk “binding up the loins of your mind,” a figure of speech drawn from the Middle Eastern practice of gathering up long robes around the waist to prepare for work or action.
- 1 Peter 1:13 tn Grk “having bound up…, being sober, set your hope…”
- 1 Peter 1:13 tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 7).
- 1 Peter 1:14 tn Or “do not be conformed to”; Grk “not being conformed to.”
- 1 Peter 1:14 tn Grk “the former lusts in your ignorance.”
- 1 Peter 1:16 sn A quotation from Lev 19:2.
- 1 Peter 1:17 tn Grk “the time of your sojourn,” picturing the Christian’s life in this world as a temporary stay in a foreign country (cf. 1:1).
- 1 Peter 1:20 tn Grk “who was foreknown,” describing Christ in v. 19. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 1:20 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.
- 1 Peter 1:20 tn Grk “at the last of the times.”
- 1 Peter 1:21 tc Although there may be only a slight difference in translation, the term translated as “trust” is the adjective πιστούς (pistous). This is neither as common nor as clear as the verb πιστεύω (pisteuō, “believe, trust”). Consequently, most mss have the present participle πιστεύοντας (pisteuontas; P72 א C P Ψ 5 81 436 442 1175 1243 1611 1739 1852 2492 M), or the aorist participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusantes; 33 2344), while A B 307c 1735 vg have the adjective. Though the external evidence on its behalf is not in itself compelling, internally πιστούς is to be preferred. In the NT the adjective is routinely taken passively in the sense of “faithful” (BDAG 820 s.v. πιστός 1). That may be part of the force here as well: “you are now faithful to God,” although the primary force in this context seems to be that of trusting. Nevertheless, it is difficult to separate faith from faithfulness in NT descriptions of Christians’ dependence on God.tn Grk “who through him [are] trusting,” describing the “you” of v. 20. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 1:22 tn Grk “having purified,” as the preparation for the love described in the second half of the verse.
- 1 Peter 1:22 tc Most later mss (P M) have διὰ πνεύματος (dia pneumatos, “through the Spirit”) after ἀληθείας (alētheias, “truth”), while the words are lacking in a broad spectrum of early and significant witnesses (P72 א A B C Ψ 33 81 323 945 1241 1739 vg sy co). On external grounds, the shorter reading cannot be easily explained if it were not autographic. The longer reading is clearly secondary, added to show more strongly God’s part in man’s obedience to the truth. But the addition ignores the force that the author gives to “purified” and ruins the balance between v. 22 and v. 23 (for in v. 23 the emphasis is on God’s part; here, on mankind’s).
- 1 Peter 1:22 tn Grk “for sincere brotherly love.”
- 1 Peter 1:22 tn Verses 22-23 are a single sentence in the Greek text. To improve clarity (and because contemporary English tends to use shorter sentences) these verses have been divided into three sentences in the translation. In addition, “So” has been supplied at the beginning of the second English sentence (v. 22b) to indicate the relationship with the preceding statement.
- 1 Peter 1:22 tc A few mss (A B 1852 vg) lack καθαρᾶς (katharas, “pure”) and read simply καρδίας (kardias, “from the heart”) ”) or καρδίας ἀληθινῆς (kardias alēthinēs, “from a true heart,” found in א2 vgms), but there is excellent ms support (P72 א* C P Ψ 33 1739 M co) for the word. The omission may have been accidental. In the majuscule script (kaqaras kardias) an accidental omission could have happened via homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. καθαρᾶς should be considered the initial reading. The NA28 prints καθαρᾶς καρδίας with a diamond, indicating that the decision was a toss-up or, in the words of the preface, “there are two variants which in the editors’ judgement could equally well be adopted in the reconstructed initial text.”
- 1 Peter 1:24 sn Here all flesh is a metaphor for humanity—human beings as both frail and temporary.
- 1 Peter 1:24 tn Or “a wildflower.”
- 1 Peter 1:25 sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rhēma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logos tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8; 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.
- 1 Peter 1:25 sn A quotation from Isa 40:6, 8.
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