chevron-left All Reading Plans / M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan / Family: 2 Samuel 18; 2 Corinthians 11. Secret: Ezekiel 25; Psalm 73. (New English Translation)
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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)
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2 Samuel 18

The Death of Absalom

18 David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds. 2 David then sent out the army—a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I too will indeed march out with you.”

3 But the soldiers replied,[a] “You should not do this![b] For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be concerned about us.[c] Even if half of us should die, they won’t be concerned. But you[d] are like 10,000 of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.” 4 Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”

So the king stayed beside the city gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.

6 Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s men.[e] The slaughter there was great that day—20,000 soldiers were killed. 8 The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.

9 Then Absalom happened to come across David’s men. Now as Absalom was riding on his[f] mule, it[g] went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair,[h] while the mule he had been riding kept going.

10 When one[i] of the men saw this, he reported it to Joab saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.” 11 Joab replied to the man who was telling him this, “What! You saw this? Why didn’t you strike him down right on the spot?[j] I would have given you ten pieces of silver[k] and a commemorative belt!”[l]

12 The man replied to Joab, “Even if[m] I were receiving[n] 1,000 pieces of silver,[o] I would not strike[p] the king’s son! In our very presence[q] the king gave this order to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’[r] 13 If I had acted at risk of my own life[s]—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”[t]

14 Joab replied, “I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree.[u] 15 Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor-bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.

16 Then Joab blew the trumpet[v] and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt. 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him. In the meantime all the Israelite soldiers fled to their homes.[w]

18 Before this[x] Absalom[y] had set up a monument[z] and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning, “I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial.

David Learns of Absalom’s Death

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.”[aa] 20 But Joab said to him, “You will not be a bearer of good news today. You will bear good news some other day, but not today,[ab] for the king’s son is dead.”

21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off. 22 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again spoke to Joab, “Whatever happens, let me go after the Cushite.” But Joab said, “Why is it that you want to go, my son? You have no good news that will bring you a reward.” 23 But he said,[ac] “Whatever happens, I want to go!” So Joab[ad] said to him, “Then go!” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite.

24 Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates,[ae] and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself. 25 So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.”[af] The runner[ag] came ever closer.

26 Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called out to the gatekeeper, “There is another man running by himself.” The king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “It appears to me that the first runner is Ahimaaz[ah] son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and he comes with good news.”

28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Greetings!”[ai] He bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and said, “May the Lord your God be praised because he has defeated[aj] the men who opposed[ak] my lord the king!”

29 The king replied, “How is the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz replied, “I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was all about.” 30 The king said, “Turn aside and take your place here.” So he turned aside and waited.

31 Then the Cushite arrived and said,[al] “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!”[am] 32 The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you[an] be like that young man!”

33 (19:1)[ao] The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son,[ap] Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!”[aq]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 18:3 tn Heb “the people said.”
  2. 2 Samuel 18:3 tn Heb “march out.”
  3. 2 Samuel 18:3 tn Heb “they will not place to us heart.”
  4. 2 Samuel 18:3 tc The translation follows the LXX (except for the Lucianic recension), Symmachus, and Vulgate in reading אָתָּה (ʾattah, “you”) rather than MT עָתָּה (ʿattah, “now”).
  5. 2 Samuel 18:7 tn Heb “servants” (also in v. 9).
  6. 2 Samuel 18:9 tn Heb “the.”
  7. 2 Samuel 18:9 tn Heb “the donkey.”
  8. 2 Samuel 18:9 tn Heb “between the sky and the ground.”
  9. 2 Samuel 18:10 tc 4QSama lacks the word “one.”
  10. 2 Samuel 18:11 tn Heb “Why did you not strike him down there to the ground.”
  11. 2 Samuel 18:11 tn Heb “ten [shekels] of silver.” This would have been about 4 ounces (114 grams) of silver by weight.
  12. 2 Samuel 18:11 tn Heb “and a girdle” (so KJV); NIV “a warrior’s belt”; CEV “a special belt”; NLT “a hero’s belt.”
  13. 2 Samuel 18:12 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading וְלוּ (velu, “and if”) rather than MT וְלֹא (velo’, “and not”).
  14. 2 Samuel 18:12 tn Heb “weighing out in my hand.”
  15. 2 Samuel 18:12 tn Heb “a thousand [shekels] of silver.” This would have been about 25 pounds (11.4 kg) of silver by weight.
  16. 2 Samuel 18:12 tn Heb “extend my hand against.”
  17. 2 Samuel 18:12 tn Heb “in our ears.”
  18. 2 Samuel 18:12 tc The Hebrew text is very difficult here. The MT reads מִי (mi, “who”), apparently yielding the following sense: “Show care, whoever you might be, for the youth Absalom.” The Syriac Peshitta reads li (“for me”), the Hebrew counterpart of which may also lie behind the LXX rendering μοι (moi, “for me”). This reading seems preferable here, since it restores sense to the passage and most easily explains the rise of the variant.
  19. 2 Samuel 18:13 tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew mss, and a number of the ancient versions in reading בְנַפְשִׁי (venafshi, “against my life”) rather than the MT בְנַפְשׁוֹ (venafsho, “against his life”).
  20. 2 Samuel 18:13 tn Heb “stood aloof.”
  21. 2 Samuel 18:14 tn There is a play on the word “heart” here that is difficult to reproduce in English. Literally the Hebrew text says “he took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the heart of the oak tree.” This figure of speech involves the use of the same word in different senses and is known as antanaclasis. It is illustrated in the familiar saying from the time of the American Revolution: “If we don’t hang together, we will all hang separately.” The present translation understands “heart” to be used somewhat figuratively for “chest” (cf. TEV, CEV), which explains why Joab’s armor-bearers could still “kill” Absalom after he had been stabbed with three spears through the “heart.” Since trees do not have “chests” either, the translation uses “middle.”
  22. 2 Samuel 18:16 tn Heb “the shofar” (the ram’s horn trumpet).
  23. 2 Samuel 18:17 tn Heb “and all Israel fled, each to his tent.” In this context this refers to the supporters of Absalom (see vv. 6-7, 16).
  24. 2 Samuel 18:18 tn Heb “and in his life.”
  25. 2 Samuel 18:18 tn This disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) describes an occurrence that preceded the events just narrated.
  26. 2 Samuel 18:18 tn Heb “a pillar.”
  27. 2 Samuel 18:19 tn Heb “that the Lord has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.”
  28. 2 Samuel 18:20 tn Heb “but this day you will not bear good news.”
  29. 2 Samuel 18:23 tn The words “but he said” are not in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.
  30. 2 Samuel 18:23 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  31. 2 Samuel 18:24 tn Heb “the two gates.”
  32. 2 Samuel 18:25 tn Heb “good news is in his mouth.”
  33. 2 Samuel 18:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the runner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  34. 2 Samuel 18:27 tn Heb “I am seeing the running of the first one like the running of Ahimaaz.”
  35. 2 Samuel 18:28 tn Heb “Peace.”
  36. 2 Samuel 18:28 tn Heb “delivered over.”
  37. 2 Samuel 18:28 tn Heb “lifted their hand against.”
  38. 2 Samuel 18:31 tn Heb “And look, the Cushite came and the Cushite said.”
  39. 2 Samuel 18:31 tn Heb “for the Lord has vindicated you today from the hand of all those rising against you.”
  40. 2 Samuel 18:32 tn Heb “and all those rising against you for evil.”
  41. 2 Samuel 18:33 sn This marks the beginning of ch. 19 in the Hebrew text. Beginning with 18:33, the verse numbers through 19:43 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 18:33 ET = 19:1 HT, 19:1 ET = 19:2 HT, 19:2 ET = 19:3 HT, etc., through 19:43 ET = 19:44 HT. From 20:1 the versification in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible is again the same.
  42. 2 Samuel 18:33 tc One medieval Hebrew ms, some mss of the LXX, and the Vulgate lack this repeated occurrence of “my son” due to haplography.
  43. 2 Samuel 18:33 tc The Lucianic Greek recension and Syriac Peshitta lack this repeated occurrence of “my son” due to haplography.
2 Corinthians 11

Paul and His Opponents

11 I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband,[a] to present you as a pure[b] virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that[c] just as the serpent[d] deceived Eve by his treachery,[e] your minds may be led astray[f] from a sincere and pure[g] devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims[h] another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed,[i] or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received,[j] or a different gospel than the one you accepted,[k] you put up with it well enough![l] 5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.”[m] 6 And even if I am unskilled[n] in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way. 7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself[o] so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed[p] the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you![q] 9 When[r] I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs.[s] I[t] kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine[u] will not be stopped[v] in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do![w] 12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals[x] in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful[y] workers, disguising themselves[z] as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself[aa] as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves[ab] as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.[ac]

Paul’s Sufferings for Christ

16 I say again, let no one think that I am a fool.[ad] But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying with this boastful confidence[ae] I do not say the way the Lord would.[af] Instead it is, as it were, foolishness. 18 Since many[ag] are boasting according to human standards,[ah] I too will boast. 19 For since you are so wise, you put up with[ai] fools gladly. 20 For you put up with[aj] it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly[ak] toward you, if someone strikes you in the face. 21 (To my disgrace[al] I must say that we were too weak for that!)[am] But whatever anyone else dares to boast about[an] (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.[ao] 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times. 24 Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one.[ap] 25 Three times I was beaten with a rod.[aq] Once I received a stoning.[ar] Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. 26 I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers,[as] in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness,[at] in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, 27 in hard work and toil,[au] through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing.[av] 28 Apart from other things,[aw] there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern[ax] for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin,[ay] and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If I must boast,[az] I will boast about the things that show my weakness.[ba] 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying. 32 In Damascus, the governor[bb] under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus[bc] in order to arrest[bd] me, 33 but I was let down in a rope-basket[be] through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:2 tn That is, to Christ.
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:2 tn Or “chaste.”
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Grk “I fear lest somehow.”
  4. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “the snake.”
  5. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “craftiness.”
  6. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “corrupted,” “seduced.”
  7. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tc Although most mss (א2 H Ψ 0121 0243 1739 1881 M) lack “and pure” (καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος, kai tēs hagnotētos; Grk “and purity”) several significant and early witnesses (P46 א* B D[2] F G 33 81 104 ar r co) retain these words. Their presence in such mss across such a wide geographical distribution argues for their authenticity. The omission from the majority of mss can be explained by haplography, since the -τητος ending of ἁγνότητος is identical to the ending of ἁπλότητος (haplotētos, “sincerity”) three words back (ἁπλότητος καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος); further, since the meanings of “sincerity” and “purity” are similar they might seem redundant. A copyist would scarcely notice the omission because Paul’s statement still makes sense without “and from purity.”
  8. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Or “preaches.”
  9. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “another Jesus whom we have not proclaimed.”
  10. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “a different spirit which you did not receive.”
  11. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “a different gospel which you did not accept.”
  12. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Or “you endure it very well.”
  13. 2 Corinthians 11:5 tn The implicit irony in Paul’s remark is brought out well by the TEV “I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called ‘apostles’ of yours!”sn The ‘super-apostles’ refers either (1) to the original apostles (the older interpretation) or (2) more probably, to Paul’s opponents in Corinth, in which case the designation is ironic.
  14. 2 Corinthians 11:6 sn Unskilled in speaking means not professionally trained as a rhetorician.
  15. 2 Corinthians 11:7 sn Paul is referring to humbling himself to the point of doing manual labor to support himself.
  16. 2 Corinthians 11:7 tn Or “preached.”
  17. 2 Corinthians 11:8 sn That is, serve them free of charge (cf. the end of v. 7).
  18. 2 Corinthians 11:9 tn Grk “you, and when.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.
  19. 2 Corinthians 11:9 tn If the participle ἐλθόντες (elthontes) is taken as temporal rather than adjectival, the translation would be, “for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, fully supplied my needs” (similar to NASB).
  20. 2 Corinthians 11:9 tn Grk “needs, and I kept.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.
  21. 2 Corinthians 11:10 tn That is, that Paul offers the gospel free of charge to the Corinthians (see 2 Cor 11:7).
  22. 2 Corinthians 11:10 tn Or “silenced.”
  23. 2 Corinthians 11:11 tn Grk “God knows!” The words “I do” are supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
  24. 2 Corinthians 11:12 tn Grk “an opportunity, so that they may be found just like us.”
  25. 2 Corinthians 11:13 tn Or “dishonest.”
  26. 2 Corinthians 11:13 tn Or “workers, masquerading.”
  27. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tn Or “Satan himself masquerades.”
  28. 2 Corinthians 11:15 tn Or “also masquerade.”
  29. 2 Corinthians 11:15 tn Or “their works.”
  30. 2 Corinthians 11:16 tn Or “am foolish.”
  31. 2 Corinthians 11:17 tn Grk “with this confidence of boasting.” The genitive καυχήσεως (kauchēseōs) has been translated as an attributive genitive (the noun in the genitive functions as an adjective of the noun modified).
  32. 2 Corinthians 11:17 tn Or “say with the Lord’s authority.”
  33. 2 Corinthians 11:18 sn Many is a reference to Paul’s opponents.
  34. 2 Corinthians 11:18 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
  35. 2 Corinthians 11:19 tn Or “you tolerate.”
  36. 2 Corinthians 11:20 tn Or “you tolerate.”
  37. 2 Corinthians 11:20 tn See L&N 88.212.
  38. 2 Corinthians 11:21 tn Or “my shame.”
  39. 2 Corinthians 11:21 sn It seems best, in context, to see the statement we were too weak for that as a parenthetical and ironic comment by Paul on his physical condition (weakness or sickness) while he was with the Corinthians (cf. 2 Cor 12:7-10; Gal 4:15).
  40. 2 Corinthians 11:21 tn The words “to boast about” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and this phrase serves as the direct object of the preceding verb.
  41. 2 Corinthians 11:21 tn Grk “I also dare”; the words “to boast about the same thing” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and this phrase serves as the direct object of the preceding verb.
  42. 2 Corinthians 11:24 tn Grk “forty less one”; this was a standard sentence. “Lashes” is supplied to clarify for the modern reader what is meant.
  43. 2 Corinthians 11:25 sn Beaten with a rod refers to the Roman punishment of admonitio according to BDAG 902 s.v. ῥαβδίζω. Acts 16:22 describes one of these occasions in Philippi; in this case it was administered by the city magistrates, who had wide powers in a military colony.
  44. 2 Corinthians 11:25 sn Received a stoning. See Acts 14:19, where this incident is described.
  45. 2 Corinthians 11:26 tn Or “bandits.” The word normally refers more to highwaymen (“robbers”) but can also refer to insurrectionists or revolutionaries (“bandits”).
  46. 2 Corinthians 11:26 tn Or “desert.”
  47. 2 Corinthians 11:27 tn The two different words for labor are translated “in hard work and toil” by L&N 42.48.
  48. 2 Corinthians 11:27 tn Grk “in cold and nakedness.” Paul does not mean complete nakedness, however, which would have been repugnant to a Jew; he refers instead to the lack of sufficient clothing, especially in cold weather. A related word is used to 1 Cor 4:11, also in combination with experiencing hunger and thirst.
  49. 2 Corinthians 11:28 sn Apart from other things. Paul refers here either (1) to the external sufferings just mentioned, or (2) he refers to other things he has left unmentioned.
  50. 2 Corinthians 11:28 tn “Anxious concern,” so translated in L&N 25.224.
  51. 2 Corinthians 11:29 tn Or “who is caused to stumble.”
  52. 2 Corinthians 11:30 tn Grk “If boasting is necessary.”
  53. 2 Corinthians 11:30 tn Or “about the things related to my weakness.”
  54. 2 Corinthians 11:32 tn Grk “ethnarch.”sn The governor was an official called an “ethnarch” who was appointed to rule on behalf of a king over a certain region.
  55. 2 Corinthians 11:32 tn Grk “the city of the Damascenes.”
  56. 2 Corinthians 11:32 tn Or “to seize,” “to catch.”
  57. 2 Corinthians 11:33 tn In Acts 9:25 the same basket used in Paul’s escape is called a σπυρίς (spuris), a basket larger than a κόφινος (kophinos). It was very likely made out of rope, so the translation “rope-basket” is used.
Ezekiel 25

A Prophecy Against Ammon

25 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, turn toward[a] the Ammonites[b] and prophesy against them. 3 Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You said “Aha!” about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile. 4 So take note,[c] I am about to make you slaves of[d] the tribes[e] of the east. They will make camps among you and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon[f] a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced with intense scorn[g] over the land of Israel, 7 take note—I have stretched out my hand against you, and I will hand you over as plunder[h] to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands. I will destroy you; then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

A Prophecy Against Moab

8 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Moab[i] and Seir say, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.” 9 So look, I am about to open up Moab’s flank,[j] eliminating the cities,[k] including its frontier cities,[l] the beauty of the land—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim. 10 I will hand it over,[m] along with the Ammonites,[n] to the tribes[o] of the east, so that the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations. 11 I will execute judgments against Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

A Prophecy Against Edom

12 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Edom[p] has taken vengeance against the house of Judah; they have made themselves fully culpable[q] by taking vengeance[r] on them.[s] 13 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom, and I will kill the people and animals within her,[t] and I will make her desolate; from Teman to Dedan they will die[u] by the sword. 14 I will exact my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel. They will carry out in Edom my anger and rage; they will experience[v] my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

A Prophecy Against Philistia

15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘The Philistines[w] have exacted merciless revenge,[x] showing intense scorn[y] in their effort to destroy Judah[z] with unrelenting hostility.[aa] 16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take note, I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines. I will kill[ab] the Kerethites[ac] and destroy those who remain on the seacoast. 17 I will exact great vengeance upon them with angry rebukes.[ad] Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I exact my vengeance upon them.’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 25:2 tn Heb “set your face toward.”
  2. Ezekiel 25:2 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon.” Ammon was located to the east of Israel.
  3. Ezekiel 25:4 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates being aware of or taking notice of something and has been translated here with a verb (so also throughout the chapter).
  4. Ezekiel 25:4 tn Heb “Look, I am about to give you for a possession to.”
  5. Ezekiel 25:4 tn Heb “sons.”
  6. Ezekiel 25:5 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon.”
  7. Ezekiel 25:6 tn Heb “with all your scorn in (the) soul.”
  8. Ezekiel 25:7 tc The translation here follows the Qere reading: בַּז (baz, “spoil, plunder”). The Kethib reading of the consonantal text, בַּג (bag), is not a word.
  9. Ezekiel 25:8 sn Moab was located immediately south of Ammon.
  10. Ezekiel 25:9 tn Heb “shoulder.”
  11. Ezekiel 25:9 tn Heb “from the cities.” The verb “eliminating” has been added in the translation to reflect the privative use of the preposition (see BDB 583 s.v. מִן 7.b).
  12. Ezekiel 25:9 tn Heb “from its cities, from its end.”
  13. Ezekiel 25:10 tn Heb “I will give it for a possession.”
  14. Ezekiel 25:10 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon” (twice in this verse).
  15. Ezekiel 25:10 tn Heb “the sons.”
  16. Ezekiel 25:12 sn Edom was located south of Moab.
  17. Ezekiel 25:12 tn Heb “and they have become guilty, becoming guilty.” The infinitive absolute following the finite verb makes the statement emphatic and draws attention to the degree of guilt incurred by Edom due to its actions.
  18. Ezekiel 25:12 tn Heb “and they have taken vengeance.”
  19. Ezekiel 25:12 sn Edom apparently in some way assisted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 587/6 b.c. (Ps 137:7; Lam 4:21, 22; Joel 3:19; Obadiah).
  20. Ezekiel 25:13 tn Heb “and I will cut off from her man and beast.”
  21. Ezekiel 25:13 tn Heb “fall.”
  22. Ezekiel 25:14 tn Heb “know.”
  23. Ezekiel 25:15 sn The Philistines inhabited the coastal plain by the Mediterranean Sea, west of Judah.
  24. Ezekiel 25:15 tn Heb “have acted with vengeance and taken vengeance with vengeance.” The repetition emphasizes the degree of vengeance which they exhibited, presumably toward Judah.
  25. Ezekiel 25:15 tn Heb “with scorn in (the) soul.”
  26. Ezekiel 25:15 tn The object is not specified in the Hebrew text, but has been clarified as “Judah” in the translation.
  27. Ezekiel 25:15 tn Heb “to destroy (with) perpetual hostility.” Joel 3:4-8 also speaks of the Philistines taking advantage of the fall of Judah.
  28. Ezekiel 25:16 tn In Hebrew the verb “and I will cut off” sounds like its object, “the Kerethites,” and draws attention to the statement.
  29. Ezekiel 25:16 sn This is a name for the Philistines, many of whom migrated to Palestine from Crete.
  30. Ezekiel 25:17 tn Heb “with acts of punishment of anger.”
Psalm 73

Book 3 (Psalms 73-89)

Psalm 73[a]

A psalm by Asaph.

73 Certainly God is good to Israel,[b]
and to those whose motives are pure.[c]
2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my feet almost slid out from under me.[d]
3 For I envied those who are proud,
as I observed[e] the prosperity[f] of the wicked.
4 For they suffer no pain;[g]
their bodies[h] are strong and well fed.[i]
5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;
they do not suffer as other men do.[j]
6 Arrogance is their necklace,[k]
and violence covers them like clothing.[l]
7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong;[m]
their thoughts are sinful.[n]
8 They mock[o] and say evil things;[p]
they proudly threaten violence.[q]
9 They speak as if they rule in heaven,
and lay claim to the earth.[r]
10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat,
and even suck up the water of the sea.[s]
11 They say, “How does God know what we do?
Is the Most High aware of what goes on?”[t]
12 Take a good look. This is what the wicked are like,[u]
those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.[v]
13 I concluded,[w] “Surely in vain I have kept my motives[x] pure
and maintained a pure lifestyle.[y]
14 I suffer all day long,
and am punished every morning.”
15 If I had publicized these thoughts,[z]
I would have betrayed your people.[aa]
16 When I tried to make sense of this,
it was troubling to me.[ab]
17 Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple,[ac]
and understood the destiny of the wicked.[ad]
18 Surely[ae] you put them in slippery places;
you bring them down[af] to ruin.
19 How desolate they become in a mere moment.
Terrifying judgments make their demise complete.[ag]
20 They are like a dream after one wakes up.[ah]
O Lord, when you awake[ai] you will despise them.[aj]
21 Yes,[ak] my spirit was bitter,[al]
and my insides felt sharp pain.[am]
22 I was ignorant[an] and lacked insight;[ao]
I was as senseless as an animal before you.[ap]
23 But I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide[aq] me by your wise advice,
and then you will lead me to a position of honor.[ar]
25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?
On earth there is no one I desire but you.[as]
26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak,[at]
but God always[au] protects my heart and gives me stability.[av]
27 Yes,[aw] look! Those far from you[ax] die;
you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.[ay]
28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.[az]
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
as[ba] I declare all the things you have done.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 73:1 sn Psalm 73. In this wisdom psalm the psalmist offers a personal testimony of his struggle with the age-old problem of the prosperity of the wicked. As he observed evil men prosper, he wondered if a godly lifestyle really pays off. In the midst of his discouragement, he reflected upon spiritual truths and realities. He was reminded that the prosperity of the wicked is only temporary. God will eventually vindicate his people.
  2. Psalm 73:1 tn Since the psalm appears to focus on an individual’s concerns, not the situation of Israel, this introduction may be a later addition designed to apply the psalm’s message to the entire community. To provide a better parallel with the next line, some emend the Hebrew phrase לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים (leyisra’el ʾelohim, “to Israel, God”) to אֱלֹהִים [or אֵל] לָיָּשָׁר (layyashar ʾelohim [or ʾel], “God [is good] to the upright one”).
  3. Psalm 73:1 tn Heb “to the pure of heart.”
  4. Psalm 73:2 tn The Hebrew verb normally means “to pour out,” but here it must have the nuance “to slide.”sn My feet almost slid out from under me. The language is metaphorical. As the following context makes clear, the psalmist almost “slipped” in a spiritual sense. As he began to question God’s justice, the psalmist came close to abandoning his faith.
  5. Psalm 73:3 tn The imperfect verbal form here depicts the action as continuing in a past time frame.
  6. Psalm 73:3 tn Heb “peace” (שָׁלוֹם, shalom).
  7. Psalm 73:4 tn In Isa 58:6, the only other occurrence of this word in the OT, the term refers to “bonds” or “ropes.” In Ps 73:4 it is used metaphorically of pain and suffering that restricts one’s enjoyment of life.
  8. Psalm 73:4 tn Or “bellies.”
  9. Psalm 73:4 tc Or “fat.” The MT of v. 4 reads as follows: “for there are no pains at their death, and fat [is] their body.” Since a reference to the death of the wicked seems incongruous in the immediate context (note v. 5) and premature in the argument of the psalm (see vv. 18-20, 27), some prefer to emend the text by redividing it. The term לְמוֹתָם (lemotam, “at their death”) is changed to לָמוֹ תָּם (lamo tam, “[there are no pains] to them, strong [and fat are their bodies]”). The term תָּם (tam, “complete; sound”) is used of physical beauty in Song 5:2; 6:9. This emendation is the basis for the present translation. However, in defense of the MT (the traditional Hebrew text), one may point to an Aramaic inscription from Nerab which views a painful death as a curse and a nonpainful death in one’s old age as a sign of divine favor. See ANET 661.
  10. Psalm 73:5 tn Heb “in the trouble of man they are not, and with mankind they are not afflicted.”
  11. Psalm 73:6 sn Arrogance is their necklace. The metaphor suggests that their arrogance is something the wicked “wear” proudly. It draws attention to them, just as a beautiful necklace does to its owner.
  12. Psalm 73:6 tn Heb “a garment of violence covers them.” The metaphor suggests that violence is habitual for the wicked. They “wear” it like clothing; when one looks at them, violence is what one sees.
  13. Psalm 73:7 tc The MT reads “it goes out from fatness their eye,” which might be paraphrased, “their eye protrudes [or “bulges”] because of fatness.” This in turn might refer to their greed; their eyes “bug out” when they see rich food or produce (the noun חֵלֶב [khelev, “fatness”] sometimes refers to such food or produce). However, when used with the verb יָצָא (yatsaʾ, “go out”) the preposition מִן (“from”) more naturally indicates source. For this reason it is preferable to emend עֵינֵמוֹ (ʿenemo, “their eye”) to עֲוֹנָמוֹ, (ʿavonamo, “their sin”) and read, “and their sin proceeds forth from fatness,” that is, their prosperity gives rise to their sinful attitudes. If one follows this textual reading, another interpretive option is to take חֵלֶב (“fatness”) in the sense of “unreceptive, insensitive” (see its use in Ps 17:10). In this case, the sin of the wicked proceeds forth from their spiritual insensitivity.
  14. Psalm 73:7 tn Heb “the thoughts of [their] heart [i.e., mind] cross over” (i.e., violate God’s moral boundary, see Ps 17:3).
  15. Psalm 73:8 tn The verb מוּק (muq, “mock”) occurs only here in the OT.
  16. Psalm 73:8 tn Heb “and speak with evil.”
  17. Psalm 73:8 tn Heb “oppression from an elevated place they speak.” The traditional accentuation of the MT places “oppression” with the preceding line. In this case, one might translate, “they mock and speak with evil [of] oppression, from an elevated place [i.e., “proudly”] they speak.” By placing “oppression” with what follows, one achieves better poetic balance in the parallelism.
  18. Psalm 73:9 tn Heb “they set in heaven their mouth, and their tongue walks through the earth.” The meaning of the text is uncertain. Perhaps the idea is that they lay claim to heaven (i.e., speak as if they were ruling in heaven) and move through the earth declaring their superiority and exerting their influence. Some take the preposition ב (bet) the first line as adversative and translate, “they set their mouth against heaven,” that is, they defy God.
  19. Psalm 73:10 tc Heb “therefore his people return [so Qere (marginal reading); Kethib (consonantal text) has “he brings back”] to here, and waters of abundance are sucked up by them.” The traditional Hebrew text (MT) defies explanation. The present translation reflects M. Dahood’s proposed emendations (Psalms [AB], 2:190) and reads the Hebrew text as follows: לָכֵן יִשְׂבְעוּם לֶחֶם וּמֵי מָלֵא יָמֹצּוּ לָמוֹ (“therefore they are filled with food, and waters of abundance they suck up for themselves”). The reading יִשְׂבְעוּם לֶחֶם (yisveʿum lekhem, “they are filled with food”) assumes (1) an emendation of יָשִׁיב עַמּוֹ (yashiv ʿammo, “he will bring back his people”) to יִשְׂבְעוּם (yisveʿum, “they will be filled”; a Qal imperfect third masculine plural form from שָׂבַע [savaʿ] with enclitic mem [ם]), and (2) an emendation of הֲלֹם (halom, “to here”) to לֶחֶם (“food”). The expression “be filled/fill with food” appears elsewhere at least ten times (see Ps 132:15, for example). In the second line the Niphal form יִמָּצוּ (yimmatsu, derived from מָצָה, matsah, “drain”) is emended to a Qal form יָמֹצּוּ (yamotsu), derived from מָצַץ (matsats, “to suck”). In Isa 66:11 the verbs שָׂבַע (savaʿ; proposed in Ps 73:10a) and מָצַץ (proposed in Ps 73:10b) are parallel. The point of the emended text is this: Because they are seemingly sovereign (v. 9), they become greedy and grab up everything they need and more.
  20. Psalm 73:11 tn Heb “How does God know? Is there knowledge with the Most High?” They appear to be practical atheists, who acknowledge God’s existence and sovereignty in theory, but deny his involvement in the world (see Pss 10:4, 11; 14:1).
  21. Psalm 73:12 tn Heb “Look, these [are] the wicked.”
  22. Psalm 73:12 tn Heb “the ones who are always at ease [who] increase wealth.”
  23. Psalm 73:13 tn The words “I concluded” are supplied in the translation. It is apparent that vv. 13-14 reflect the psalmist’s thoughts at an earlier time (see vv. 2-3), prior to the spiritual awakening he describes in vv. 17-28.
  24. Psalm 73:13 tn Heb “heart,” viewed here as the seat of one’s thoughts and motives.
  25. Psalm 73:13 tn Heb “and washed my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The reference to “hands” suggests actions.
  26. Psalm 73:15 tn Heb “If I had said, ‘I will speak out like this.’”
  27. Psalm 73:15 tn Heb “look, the generation of your sons I would have betrayed.” The phrase “generation of your [i.e., God’s] sons” occurs only here in the OT. Some equate the phrase with “generation of the godly” (Ps 14:5), “generation of the ones seeking him” (Ps 24:6), and “generation of the upright” (Ps 112:2). In Deut 14:1 the Israelites are referred to as God’s “sons.” Perhaps the psalmist refers here to those who are “Israelites” in the true sense because of their loyalty to God (note the juxtaposition of “Israel” with “the pure in heart” in v. 1).
  28. Psalm 73:16 tn Heb “and [when] I pondered to understand this, troubling it [was] in my eyes.”
  29. Psalm 73:17 tn The plural of the term מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash) probably refers to the temple precincts (see Ps 68:35; Jer 51:51).
  30. Psalm 73:17 tn Heb “I discerned their end.” At the temple the psalmist perhaps received an oracle of deliverance announcing his vindication and the demise of the wicked (see Ps 12) or heard songs of confidence (for example, Ps 11), wisdom psalms (for example, Pss 1, 37), and hymns (for example, Ps 112) that describe the eventual downfall of the proud and wealthy.
  31. Psalm 73:18 tn The use of the Hebrew term אַךְ (ʾakh, “surely”) here literarily counteracts its use in v. 13. The repetition draws attention to the contrast between the two statements, the first of which expresses the psalmist’s earlier despair and the second his newly discovered confidence.
  32. Psalm 73:18 tn Heb “cause them to fall.”
  33. Psalm 73:19 tn Heb “they come to an end, they are finished, from terrors.”
  34. Psalm 73:20 tn Heb “like a dream from awakening.” They lack any real substance; their prosperity will last for only a brief time.
  35. Psalm 73:20 sn When you awake. The psalmist compares God’s inactivity to sleep and the time of God’s judgment to his awakening from sleep.
  36. Psalm 73:20 tn Heb “you will despise their form.” The Hebrew term צֶלֶם (tselem, “form; image”) also suggests their short-lived nature. Rather than having real substance, they are like the mere images that populate one’s dreams. Note the similar use of the term in Ps 39:6.
  37. Psalm 73:21 tn Or perhaps “when.”
  38. Psalm 73:21 tn The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing attitude in a past time frame.
  39. Psalm 73:21 tn Heb “and [in] my kidneys I was pierced.” The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing condition in a past time frame.
  40. Psalm 73:22 tn Or “brutish, stupid.”
  41. Psalm 73:22 tn Heb “and I was not knowing.”
  42. Psalm 73:22 tn Heb “an animal I was with you.”
  43. Psalm 73:24 tn The imperfect verbal form here suggests this is the psalmist’s ongoing experience.
  44. Psalm 73:24 tn Heb “and afterward [to] glory you will take me.” Some interpreters view this as the psalmist’s confidence in an afterlife in God’s presence and understand כָּבוֹד (kavod) as a metonymic reference to God’s presence in heaven. But this seems unlikely in the present context. The psalmist anticipates a time of vindication, when the wicked are destroyed and he is honored by God for his godly life style. The verb לָקַח (laqakh, “take”) here carries the nuance “lead, guide, conduct,” as in Num 23:14, 27-28; Josh 24:3 and Prov 24:11.
  45. Psalm 73:25 tn Heb “Who [is there] for me in heaven? And besides you I do not desire [anyone] in the earth.” The psalmist uses a merism (heaven/earth) to emphasize that God is the sole object of his desire and worship in the entire universe.
  46. Psalm 73:26 tn The Hebrew verb כָלָה (khalah, “to fail; to grow weak”) does not refer here to physical death per se, but to the physical weakness that sometimes precedes death (see Job 33:21; Pss 71:9; 143:7; Prov 5:11).
  47. Psalm 73:26 tn Or “forever.”
  48. Psalm 73:26 tn Heb “is the rocky summit of my heart and my portion.” The psalmist compares the Lord to a rocky summit where one could go for protection and to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel.
  49. Psalm 73:27 tn Or “for.”
  50. Psalm 73:27 sn The following line defines the phrase far from you in a spiritual sense. Those “far” from God are those who are unfaithful and disloyal to him.
  51. Psalm 73:27 tn Heb “everyone who commits adultery from you.”
  52. Psalm 73:28 tn Heb “but as for me, the nearness of God for me [is] good.”
  53. Psalm 73:28 tn The infinitive construct with ל (lamed) is understood here as indicating an attendant circumstance. Another option is to take it as indicating purpose (“so that I might declare”) or result (“with the result that I declare”).
New English Translation (NET)

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