chevron-left All Reading Plans / M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan / Family: Deuteronomy 20; Psalm 107. Secret: Isaiah 47; Revelation 17. (New English Translation)
Print Print Page Options Settings
Previous Prev Day
June 15, 2016 Use the calendar to view readings from this plan.
Next DayNext

M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The classic M'Cheyne plan--read the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms or Gospels every day.
Duration: 365 days
New English Translation (NET)
Version
Deuteronomy 20

Laws Concerning War with Distant Enemies

20 When you go to war against your enemies and see chariotry[a] and troops[b] who outnumber you, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you. 2 As you move forward for battle, the priest[c] will approach and say to the soldiers,[d] 3 “Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them, 4 for the Lord your God goes with you to fight on your behalf against your enemies to give you victory.”[e] 5 Moreover, the officers are to say to the troops,[f] “Who among you[g] has built a new house and not dedicated[h] it? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else[i] dedicate it. 6 Or who among you has planted a vineyard and not benefited from it? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else benefit from it. 7 Or who among you[j] has become engaged to a woman but has not married her? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else marry her.” 8 In addition, the officers are to say to the troops, “Who among you is afraid and fainthearted? He may go home so that he will not make his fellow soldier’s[k] heart as fearful[l] as his own.” 9 Then, when the officers have finished speaking,[m] they must appoint unit commanders[n] to lead the troops.

10 When you approach a city to wage war against it, offer it terms of peace. 11 If it accepts your terms[o] and submits to you, all the people found in it will become your slaves.[p] 12 If it does not accept terms of peace but makes war with you, then you are to lay siege to it. 13 The Lord your God will deliver it over to you,[q] and you must kill every single male by the sword. 14 However, the women, little children, cattle, and anything else in the city—all its plunder—you may take for yourselves as spoil. You may take from your enemies the plunder that the Lord your God has given you. 15 This is how you are to deal with all those cities located far from you, those that do not belong to these nearby nations.

Laws Concerning War with Canaanite Nations

16 As for the cities of these peoples that[r] the Lord your God is going to give you as an inheritance, you must not allow a single living thing[s] to survive. 17 Instead you must utterly annihilate them[t]—the Hittites,[u] Amorites,[v] Canaanites,[w] Perizzites,[x] Hivites,[y] and Jebusites[z]—just as the Lord your God has commanded you, 18 so that they cannot teach you all the abhorrent ways they worship[aa] their gods, causing you to sin against the Lord your God. 19 If you besiege a city for a long time while attempting to capture it,[ab] you must not chop down its trees,[ac] for you may eat fruit[ad] from them and should not cut them down. A tree in the field is not human that you should besiege it![ae] 20 However, you may chop down any tree you know is not suitable for food,[af] and you may use it to build siege works[ag] against the city that is making war with you until that city falls.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 20:1 tn Heb “horse and chariot.”
  2. Deuteronomy 20:1 tn Heb “people.”
  3. Deuteronomy 20:2 sn The reference to the priest suggests also the presence of the ark of the covenant, the visible sign of God’s presence. The whole setting is clearly that of “holy war” or “Yahweh war,” in which God himself takes initiative as the true commander of the forces of Israel (cf. Exod 14:14-18; 15:3-10; Deut 3:22; 7:18-24; 31:6, 8).
  4. Deuteronomy 20:2 tn Heb “and he will say to the people.” Cf. NIV, NCV, CEV “the army”; NRSV, NLT “the troops.”
  5. Deuteronomy 20:4 tn Or “to save you” (so KJV, NASB, NCV); or “to deliver you.”
  6. Deuteronomy 20:5 tn Heb “people” (also in vv. 8, 9).
  7. Deuteronomy 20:5 tn Heb “Who [is] the man” (also in vv. 6, 7, 8).
  8. Deuteronomy 20:5 tn The Hebrew term חָנַךְ (khanakh) occurs elsewhere only with respect to the dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs 8:63 = 2 Chr 7:5). There it has a religious connotation which, indeed, may be the case here as well. The noun form (חֲנֻכָּה, khanukkah) is associated with the consecration of the great temple altar (2 Chr 7:9) and of the postexilic wall of Jerusalem (Neh 12:27). In Maccabean times the festival of Hanukkah was introduced to celebrate the rededication of the temple following its desecration by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (1 Macc 4:36-61).
  9. Deuteronomy 20:5 tn Heb “another man.”
  10. Deuteronomy 20:7 tn Heb “Who [is] the man.”
  11. Deuteronomy 20:8 tn Heb “his brother’s.”
  12. Deuteronomy 20:8 tn Heb “melted.”
  13. Deuteronomy 20:9 tn The Hebrew text includes “to the people,” but this phrase has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  14. Deuteronomy 20:9 tn Heb “princes of hosts.”
  15. Deuteronomy 20:11 tn Heb “if it answers you peace.”
  16. Deuteronomy 20:11 tn Heb “become as a vassal and will serve you.” The Hebrew term translated slaves (מַס, mas) refers either to Israelites who were pressed into civil service, especially under Solomon (1 Kgs 5:13; 9:15, 21; 12:18), or (as here) to foreigners forced as prisoners of war to become slaves to Israel. The Gibeonites exemplify this type of servitude (Josh 9:3-27; cf. Josh 16:10; 17:13; Judg 1:28, 30-35; Isa 31:8; Lam 1:1).
  17. Deuteronomy 20:13 tn Heb “to your hands.”
  18. Deuteronomy 20:16 tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is “cities.”
  19. Deuteronomy 20:16 tn Heb “any breath.”
  20. Deuteronomy 20:17 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation seeks to reflect with “utterly.” Cf. CEV “completely wipe out.”sn The Hebrew verb refers to placing persons or things so evil and/or impure as to be irredeemable under God’s judgment, usually to the extent of their complete destruction. See also the note on the phrase “the divine judgment” in Deut 2:34.
  21. Deuteronomy 20:17 sn Hittite. The center of Hittite power was in Anatolia (central modern Turkey). In the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 b.c.) they were at their zenith, establishing outposts and colonies near and far. Some elements were obviously in Canaan at the time of the Conquest (1400-1350 b.c.).
  22. Deuteronomy 20:17 sn Amorite. Originally from the upper Euphrates region (Amurru), the Amorites appear to have migrated into Canaan beginning in 2200 b.c. or thereabouts.
  23. Deuteronomy 20:17 sn Canaanite. These were the indigenous peoples of the land of Palestine, going back to the beginning of recorded history (ca. 3000 b.c.). The OT identifies them as descendants of Ham (Gen 10:6), the only Hamites to have settled north and east of Egypt.
  24. Deuteronomy 20:17 sn Perizzite. This probably refers to a subgroup of Canaanites (Gen 13:7; 34:30).
  25. Deuteronomy 20:17 sn Hivite. These are usually thought to be the same as the Hurrians, a people well-known in ancient Near Eastern texts. They are likely identical to the Horites (see note on “Horites” in Deut 2:12).
  26. Deuteronomy 20:17 tc The LXX adds “Girgashites” here at the end of the list in order to list the full (and usual) complement of seven (see note on “seven” in Deut 7:1).sn Jebusite. These people inhabited the hill country, particularly in and about Jerusalem (cf. Num 13:29; Josh 15:8; 2 Sam 5:6; 24:16).
  27. Deuteronomy 20:18 tn Heb “to do according to all their abominations which they do for their gods.”
  28. Deuteronomy 20:19 tn Heb “to fight against it to capture it.”
  29. Deuteronomy 20:19 tn Heb “you must not destroy its trees by chopping them with an iron” (i.e., an ax).
  30. Deuteronomy 20:19 tn Heb “you may eat from them.” The direct object is not expressed; the word “fruit” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
  31. Deuteronomy 20:19 tn Heb “to go before you in siege.”
  32. Deuteronomy 20:20 tn Heb “however, a tree which you know is not a tree for food you may destroy and cut down.”
  33. Deuteronomy 20:20 tn Heb “[an] enclosure.” The term מָצוֹר (matsor) may refer to encircling ditches or to surrounding stagings. See R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 238.
Psalm 107

Book 5 (Psalms 107-150)

Psalm 107[a]

107 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures.[b]
2 Let those delivered by the Lord speak out,[c]
those whom he delivered[d] from the power[e] of the enemy,
3 and gathered from foreign lands,[f]
from east and west,
from north and south.
4 They wandered through the wilderness, in a wasteland;[g]
they found no road to a city in which to live.
5 They were hungry and thirsty;
they fainted from exhaustion.[h]
6 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
7 He led them on a level road,[i]
that they might find a city in which to live.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[j]
9 For he has satisfied those who thirst,[k]
and those who hunger he has filled with food.[l]
10 They sat in utter darkness,[m]
bound in painful iron chains,[n]
11 because they had rebelled against God’s commands,[o]
and rejected the instructions of the Most High.[p]
12 So he used suffering to humble them;[q]
they stumbled and no one helped them up.
13 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
14 He brought them out of the utter darkness,[r]
and tore off their shackles.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[s]
16 For he shattered the bronze gates,
and hacked through the iron bars.[t]
17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways,[u]
and suffered because of their sins.
18 They lost their appetite for all food,[v]
and they drew near the gates of death.
19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
20 He sent them an assuring word[w] and healed them;
he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped.[x]
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[y]
22 Let them present thank offerings,
and loudly proclaim what he has done.[z]
23 [aa] Some traveled on[ab] the sea in ships,
and carried cargo over the vast waters.[ac]
24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord,
his amazing feats on the deep water.
25 He gave the order for a windstorm,[ad]
and it stirred up the waves of the sea.[ae]
26 They[af] reached up to the sky,
then dropped into the depths.
The sailors’ strength[ag] left them[ah] because the danger was so great.[ai]
27 They swayed[aj] and staggered like drunks,
and all their skill proved ineffective.[ak]
28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
29 He calmed the storm,[al]
and the waves[am] grew silent.
30 The sailors[an] rejoiced because the waves[ao] grew quiet,
and he led them to the harbor[ap] they desired.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[aq]
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people.
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside.[ar]
33 He turned[as] streams into a desert,
springs of water into arid land,
34 and a fruitful land into a barren place,[at]
because of the sin of its inhabitants.
35 As for his people,[au] he turned[av] a desert into a pool of water,
and a dry land into springs of water.
36 He allowed the hungry to settle there,
and they established a city in which to live.
37 They cultivated[aw] fields,
and planted vineyards,
which yielded a harvest of fruit.[ax]
38 He blessed[ay] them so that they became very numerous.
He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number.[az]
39 As for their enemies,[ba] they decreased in number and were beaten down,
because of painful distress[bb] and suffering.
40 He would pour[bc] contempt upon princes,
and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.
41 Yet he protected[bd] the needy from oppression,
and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.
42 When the godly see this, they rejoice,
and every sinner[be] shuts his mouth.
43 Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things.
Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:1 sn Psalm 107. The psalmist praises God for his kindness to his exiled people.
  2. Psalm 107:1 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
  3. Psalm 107:2 tn Or “let the redeemed of the Lord say [so].”
  4. Psalm 107:2 tn Or “redeemed.”
  5. Psalm 107:2 tn Heb “hand.”
  6. Psalm 107:3 tn Heb “from lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
  7. Psalm 107:4 tc The MT divides the verse so the line ends “on a wasteland of a road.” The LXX divides the line before “road” as in the translation.
  8. Psalm 107:5 tn Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”
  9. Psalm 107:7 sn A level road. See Jer 31:9.
  10. Psalm 107:8 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”
  11. Psalm 107:9 tn Heb “[the] longing throat.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), which frequently refers to one’s very being or soul, here probably refers to one’s parched “throat” (note the parallelism with נֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה, nefesh reʿevah, “hungry throat”).
  12. Psalm 107:9 tn Heb “and [the] hungry throat he has filled [with] good.”
  13. Psalm 107:10 tn Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet, “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל + מָוֶת [tsel + mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2-3).
  14. Psalm 107:10 tn Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.
  15. Psalm 107:11 tn Heb “the words of God.”
  16. Psalm 107:11 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
  17. Psalm 107:12 tn Heb “and he subdued with suffering their heart.”
  18. Psalm 107:14 tn Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. 10.
  19. Psalm 107:15 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
  20. Psalm 107:16 sn The language of v. 16 recalls Isa 45:2.
  21. Psalm 107:17 tn Heb “fools [they were] because of the way of their rebellion.”
  22. Psalm 107:18 tn Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”
  23. Psalm 107:20 tn Heb “he sent his word.” This probably refers to an oracle of assurance which announced his intention to intervene (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 59).
  24. Psalm 107:20 tn Heb “he rescued from their traps.” The Hebrew word שְׁחִית (shekhit, “trap”) occurs only here and in Lam 4:20, where it refers to a trap or pit in which one is captured. Because of the rarity of the term and the absence of an object with the verb “rescued,” some prefer to emend the text of Ps 107:20, reading מִשַּׁחַת חַיָּתָם (mishakhat khayyatam, “[he rescued] their lives from the pit”). Note also NIV “from the grave,” which interprets the “pit” as Sheol or the grave.
  25. Psalm 107:21 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
  26. Psalm 107:22 tn Heb “and let them proclaim his works with a ringing cry.”
  27. Psalm 107:23 sn Verses 23-30, which depict the Lord rescuing sailors from a storm at sea, do not seem to describe the exiles’ situation, unless the word picture is metaphorical. Perhaps the psalmist here broadens his scope and offers an example of God’s kindness to the needy beyond the covenant community.
  28. Psalm 107:23 tn Heb “those going down [into].”
  29. Psalm 107:23 tn Heb “doers of work on the mighty waters.”
  30. Psalm 107:25 tn Heb “he spoke and caused to stand a stormy wind.”
  31. Psalm 107:25 tn Heb “and it stirred up its [i.e., the sea’s, see v. 23] waves.”
  32. Psalm 107:26 tn That is, the waves (see v. 25).
  33. Psalm 107:26 tn Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
  34. Psalm 107:26 tn Or “melted.”
  35. Psalm 107:26 tn Heb “from danger.”
  36. Psalm 107:27 tn Only here does the Hebrew verb חָגַג (khagag; normally meaning “to celebrate”) carry the nuance “to sway.”
  37. Psalm 107:27 tn The Hitpael of בָּלַע (balaʿ) occurs only here in the OT. Traditionally the form is derived from the verbal root בלע (“to swallow”), but HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע understands a homonym here with the meaning “to be confused.”
  38. Psalm 107:29 tn Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”
  39. Psalm 107:29 tn Heb “their waves.” The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not readily apparent, unless it refers back to “waters” in v. 23.
  40. Psalm 107:30 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the sailors) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  41. Psalm 107:30 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the waves) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  42. Psalm 107:30 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT.
  43. Psalm 107:31 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
  44. Psalm 107:32 tn Heb “in the seat of the elders.”
  45. Psalm 107:33 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. (The use of prefixed forms with vav [ו] consecutive in vv. 36-37 favor this.) The psalmist may return to the theme of God’s intervention for the exiles (see vv. 4-22, especially vv. 4-9). However, many regard vv. 33-41 as a hymnic description which generalizes about God’s activities among men. In this case it would be preferable to use the English present tense throughout (cf. NEB, NRSV).
  46. Psalm 107:34 tn Heb “a salty land.”
  47. Psalm 107:35 tn The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. 39 for further discussion.
  48. Psalm 107:35 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. 33.
  49. Psalm 107:37 tn Heb “sowed seed in.”
  50. Psalm 107:37 tn Heb “fruit [as] produce.”
  51. Psalm 107:38 tn “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).
  52. Psalm 107:38 tn The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).
  53. Psalm 107:39 tn The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33-42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33-34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35-38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. 35.) In vv. 39-40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41-42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.
  54. Psalm 107:39 tn Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”
  55. Psalm 107:40 tn The active participle is understood as past durative here, drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame. However, it could be taken as generalizing (in which case one should translate using the English present tense), in which case the psalmist moves from narrative to present reality. Perhaps the participial form appears because the statement is lifted from Job 12:21.
  56. Psalm 107:41 tn Heb “set on high.”
  57. Psalm 107:42 tn Heb “all evil,” which stands metonymically for those who do evil.
Isaiah 47

Babylon Will Fall

47 “Fall down! Sit in the dirt,
O virgin[a] daughter Babylon!
Sit on the ground, not on a throne,
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed,[b] you will no longer be called delicate and pampered.
2 Pick up millstones and grind flour.
Remove your veil,
strip off your skirt,
expose your legs,
cross the streams.
3 Let your naked body be exposed.
Your shame will be on display![c]
I will get revenge;
I will not have pity on anyone,”[d]
4 says our Protector—
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name,
the Holy One of Israel.[e]
5 “Sit silently! Go to a hiding place,[f]
O daughter of the Babylonians!
Indeed,[g] you will no longer be called ‘Queen of kingdoms.’
6 I was angry at my people;
I defiled my special possession
and handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy;[h]
you even placed a very heavy burden on old people.[i]
7 You said,
‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’[j]
You did not think about these things;[k]
you did not consider how it would turn out.[l]
8 So now, listen to this,
O one who lives so lavishly,[m]
who lives securely,
who says to herself,[n]
‘I am unique! No one can compare to me![o]
I will never have to live as a widow;
I will never lose my children.’[p]
9 Both of these will come upon you
suddenly, in one day!
You will lose your children and be widowed.[q]
You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies,[r]
despite[s] your many incantations
and your numerous amulets.[t]
10 You were complacent in your evil deeds;[u]
you thought,[v] ‘No one sees me.’
Your self-professed[w] wisdom and knowledge lead you astray,
when you say, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me!’[x]
11 Disaster will overtake you;
you will not know how to charm it away.[y]
Destruction will fall on you;
you will not be able to appease it.
Calamity will strike you suddenly,
before you recognize it.[z]
12 Persist[aa] in trusting[ab] your amulets
and your many incantations,
which you have faithfully recited[ac] since your youth!
Maybe you will be successful[ad]—
maybe you will scare away disaster.[ae]
13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice.[af]
Let them take their stand—
the ones who see omens in the sky,
who gaze at the stars,
who make monthly predictions—
let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you![ag]
14 Look, they are like straw,
that the fire burns up;
they cannot rescue themselves
from the heat[ah] of the flames.
There are no coals to warm them,
no firelight to enjoy.[ai]
15 They will disappoint you,[aj]
those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth.[ak]
Each strays off in his own direction,[al]
leaving no one to rescue you.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 47:1 tn בְּתוּלַה (betulah) often refers to a virgin, but the phrase “virgin daughter” is apparently stylized (see also 23:12; 37:22). In the extended metaphor of this chapter, where Babylon is personified as a queen (vv. 5, 7), she is depicted as being both a wife and mother (vv. 8-9).
  2. Isaiah 47:1 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
  3. Isaiah 47:3 tn Heb In this context “shame” is a euphemism referring to their naked bodies.
  4. Isaiah 47:3 tn Heb “I will not meet a man.” The verb פָּגַע (paga‘) apparently carries the nuance “meet with kindness” here (cf. 64:5, and see BDB 803 s.v. Qal.2).
  5. Isaiah 47:4 tc The Hebrew text reads, “Our redeemer—the Lord of armies [traditionally, “the Lord of hosts”] is his name, the Holy One of Israel.” The ancient Greek version adds “says” before “our redeemer.” אָמַר (ʾamar) may have accidentally dropped from the text by virtual haplography. Note that the preceding word אָדָם (ʾadam) is graphically similar.sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
  6. Isaiah 47:5 tn Heb “darkness,” which may indicate a place of hiding where a fugitive would seek shelter and protection.
  7. Isaiah 47:5 tn Or “For” (NASB, NRSV).
  8. Isaiah 47:6 tn Or “compassion.”
  9. Isaiah 47:6 tn Heb “on the old you made very heavy your yoke.”
  10. Isaiah 47:7 tn Heb “Forever I [will be] permanent queen”; NIV “the eternal queen”; CEV “queen forever.”
  11. Isaiah 47:7 tn Heb “you did not set these things upon your heart [or “mind”].”
  12. Isaiah 47:7 tn Heb “you did not remember its outcome”; NAB “you disregarded their outcome.”
  13. Isaiah 47:8 tn Or perhaps, “voluptuous one” (NAB); NAB “you sensual one”; NLT “You are a pleasure-crazy kingdom.”
  14. Isaiah 47:8 tn Heb “the one who says in her heart.”
  15. Isaiah 47:8 tn Heb “I [am], and besides me there is no other.” See Zeph 2:15.
  16. Isaiah 47:8 tn Heb “I will not live [as] a widow, and I will not know loss of children.”
  17. Isaiah 47:9 tn Heb “loss of children and widowhood.” In the Hebrew text the phrase is in apposition to “both of these” in line 1.
  18. Isaiah 47:9 tn Heb “according to their fullness, they will come upon you.”
  19. Isaiah 47:9 tn For other examples of the preposition bet (בְּ) having the sense of “although, despite,” see BDB 90 s.v. III.7.
  20. Isaiah 47:9 sn Reference is made to incantations and amulets, both of which were important in Mesopotamian religion. They were used to ward off danger and demons.
  21. Isaiah 47:10 tn Heb “you trusted in your evil”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “wickedness.”
  22. Isaiah 47:10 tn Or “said”; NAB “said to yourself”’ NASB “said in your heart.”
  23. Isaiah 47:10 tn The words “self-professed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  24. Isaiah 47:10 tn See the note at v. 8.
  25. Isaiah 47:11 tc The Hebrew text has שַׁחְרָהּ (shakhrah), which is either a suffixed noun (“its dawning,” i.e., origin) or infinitive (“to look early for it”). Some have suggested an emendation to שַׁחֲדָהּ (shakhadah), a suffixed infinitive from שָׁחַד (shakhad, “[how] to buy it off”; see BDB 1005 s.v. שָׁחַד). This forms a nice parallel with the following couplet. The above translation is based on a different etymology of the verb in question. HALOT 1466 s.v. III שׁחר references a verbal root with these letters (שׁחד) that refers to magical activity.
  26. Isaiah 47:11 tn Heb “you will not know”; NIV “you cannot foresee.”
  27. Isaiah 47:12 tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”
  28. Isaiah 47:12 tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.
  29. Isaiah 47:12 tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”
  30. Isaiah 47:12 tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”
  31. Isaiah 47:12 tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.
  32. Isaiah 47:13 tn Heb “you are tired because of the abundance of your advice.”
  33. Isaiah 47:13 tn Heb “let them stand and rescue you—the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make known by months—from those things which are coming upon you.”
  34. Isaiah 47:14 tn Heb “hand,” here a metaphor for the strength or power of the flames.
  35. Isaiah 47:14 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “there is no coal [for?] their food, light to sit before it.” Some emend לַחְמָם (lakhmam, “their food”) to לְחֻמָּם (lekhummam, “to warm them”; see HALOT 328 s.v. חמם). This statement may allude to Isa 44:16, where idolaters are depicted warming themselves over a fire made from wood, part of which was used to form idols. The fire of divine judgment will be no such campfire; its flames will devour and destroy.
  36. Isaiah 47:15 tn Heb “So they will be to you”; NIV “That is all they can do for you.”
  37. Isaiah 47:15 tn Heb “that for which you toiled, your traders from your youth.” The omen readers and star gazers are likened to merchants with whom Babylon has had an ongoing economic relationship.
  38. Isaiah 47:15 tn Heb “each to his own side, they err.”
Revelation 17

The Great Prostitute and the Beast

17 Then[a] one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me.[b] “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishment[c] of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth’s inhabitants got drunk with the wine of her immorality.”[d] 3 So[e] he carried me away in the Spirit[f] to a wilderness,[g] and there[h] I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 Now[i] the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing,[j] and adorned with gold,[k] precious stones, and pearls. She held[l] in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality.[m] 5 On[n] her forehead was written a name, a mystery:[o] “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.” 6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus.[p] I[q] was greatly astounded[r] when I saw her. 7 But[s] the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret[t] for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss[u] and then go to destruction. The[v] inhabitants of the earth—all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world—will be astounded when they see that[w] the beast was, and is not, but is to come. 9 (This requires[x] a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains[y] the woman sits on. They are also seven kings: 10 five have fallen; one is,[z] and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time. 11 The[aa] beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction. 12 The[ab] ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority[ac] as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These kings[ad] have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying[ae] the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”

15 Then[af] the angel[ag] said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes,[ah] nations, and languages. 16 The[ai] ten horns that you saw, and the beast—these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They[aj] will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.[ak] 17 For God has put into their minds[al] to carry out his purpose[am] by making[an] a decision[ao] to give their royal power[ap] to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.[aq] 18 As for[ar] the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 17:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
  2. Revelation 17:1 tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.”
  3. Revelation 17:1 tn Here one Greek term, κρίμα (krima), has been translated by the two English terms “condemnation” and “punishment.” See BDAG 567 s.v. 4.b, “mostly in an unfavorable sense, of the condemnatory verdict and sometimes the subsequent punishment itself 2 Pt 2:3; Jd 4…τὸ κ. τῆς πόρνης the condemnation and punishment of the prostitute Rv 17:1.”
  4. Revelation 17:2 tn This is a cognate noun of the verb translated “sexual immorality” earlier in the verse, but here the qualifier “sexual” has not been repeated for stylistic reasons.
  5. Revelation 17:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation to witness the fate of the prostitute.
  6. Revelation 17:3 tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).
  7. Revelation 17:3 tn Or “desert.”
  8. Revelation 17:3 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.
  9. Revelation 17:4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the detailed description of the woman, which is somewhat parenthetical in nature.
  10. Revelation 17:4 tn The word “clothing” is supplied to clarify that the words “purple” and “scarlet” refer to cloth or garments rather than colors.
  11. Revelation 17:4 tn Grk “gilded with gold” (an instance of semantic reinforcement, see L&N 49.29).
  12. Revelation 17:4 tn Grk “pearls, having in her hand.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  13. Revelation 17:4 tc Several mss (including 1611 1854 2053 MK) read “sexual immorality on/of the earth” (πορνείας τῆς γῆς, porneias tēs gēs) instead of “her sexual immorality.” Other mss (א syh** [co]) read “her sexual immorality and the earth’s” (πορνείας αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς γῆς, porneias autēs kai tēs gēs). The translation is a rendering of πορνείας αὐτῆς, found in A 1006 2344 al. It seems that the first reading “sexuality immorality on/of the earth” was a scribal mistake in which letters may have been confused (auths would have been read as thsghs), or was perhaps influenced by the presence of “of the world” (τῆς γῆς) at the end of v. 5. The earliest wording seems to be “her sexual immorality”; codex א has conflated the two readings.
  14. Revelation 17:5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  15. Revelation 17:5 tn Some translations consider the word μυστήριον (mustērion, “mystery”) a part of the name written (“Mystery Babylon the Great,” so KJV, NIV), but the gender of both ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) and μυστήριον are neuter, while the gender of “Babylon” is feminine. This strongly suggests that μυστήριον should be understood as an appositive to ὄνομα (“a name, i.e., a mystery”).
  16. Revelation 17:6 tn Or “of the witnesses to Jesus.” Here the genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Iēsou) is taken as an objective genitive; Jesus is the object of their testimony.
  17. Revelation 17:6 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  18. Revelation 17:6 tn Grk “I marveled a great marvel” (an idiom for great astonishment).
  19. Revelation 17:7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  20. Revelation 17:7 tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.
  21. Revelation 17:8 tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”
  22. Revelation 17:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  23. Revelation 17:8 tn Some translations take the ὅτι (hoti) here as causal: “because he was, and is not, but is to come” (so NIV, NRSV), but it is much more likely that the subject of the ὅτι clause has been assimilated into the main clause: “when they see the beast, that he was…” = “when they see that the beast was” (so BDAG 732 s.v. ὅτι 1.f, where Rev 17:8 is listed).
  24. Revelation 17:9 tn Grk “Here is the mind that has wisdom.”
  25. Revelation 17:9 tn It is important to note that the height of “mountains” versus “hills” or other topographical terms is somewhat relative. In terms of Palestinian topography, Mount Tabor (traditionally regarded as the mount of transfiguration) is some 1,800 ft (550 m) above sea level, while the Mount of Olives is only some 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem.
  26. Revelation 17:10 tn That is, one currently reigns.
  27. Revelation 17:11 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  28. Revelation 17:12 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  29. Revelation 17:12 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
  30. Revelation 17:13 tn The word “kings” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the referent.
  31. Revelation 17:14 tn See BDAG 636 s.v. μετά A.2.a.α.
  32. Revelation 17:15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
  33. Revelation 17:15 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  34. Revelation 17:15 tn Grk “and multitudes,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
  35. Revelation 17:16 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  36. Revelation 17:16 tn A new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  37. Revelation 17:16 tn The final clause could also be turned into an adverbial clause of means: “They will consume her flesh by burning her with fire.”
  38. Revelation 17:17 tn Grk “hearts.”
  39. Revelation 17:17 tn Or “his intent.”
  40. Revelation 17:17 tn The infinitive ποιῆσαι (poiēsai) was translated here as giving the logical means by which God’s purpose was carried out.
  41. Revelation 17:17 tn On this term BDAG 203 s.v. γνώμη 4 states, “declaration, decision, resolution…of God Rv 17:17.”
  42. Revelation 17:17 tn For this translation see BDAG 168 s.v. βασιλεία 1.a, “kingship, royal power, royal rule.”
  43. Revelation 17:17 tn Or “completed.”
  44. Revelation 17:18 tn Grk “And.” Because this remark is somewhat resumptive in nature, “as for” is used in the translation.
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Prev Day Prev Day
Top
Next Day Next Day