◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 120 (Woe to me); Ezra 1:1-11 (Blessings return to Jerusalem); 2 Corinthians 1:12-19 (The day of the Lord Jesus) (New English Translation)

Prev Day

February 15, 2022

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

February 2022
Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28

Return to today's reading

Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 120

Psalm 120^[a]

A song of ascents.^[b]

120 In my distress I cried out
to the Lord and he answered me.
²I said,^[c] “O Lord, rescue me^[d]
from those who lie with their lips^[e]
and those who deceive with their tongues.^[f]
³How will he severely punish you,
you deceptive talker?^[g]
⁴Here’s how!^[h] With the sharp arrows of warriors,
with arrowheads forged over the hot coals.^[i]
⁵How miserable I am.^[j]
For I have lived temporarily^[k] in Meshech;
I have resided among the tents of Kedar.^[l]
⁶For too long I have had to reside
with those who hate^[m] peace.
⁷I am committed to peace,^[n]
but when I speak, they want to make war.^[o]

Footnotes

Psalm 120:1 sn Psalm 120. The genre and structure of this psalm are uncertain. It begins like a thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7). Perhaps vv. 2-7 recall the psalmist’s prayer when he cried out to the Lord.
Psalm 120:1 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
Psalm 120:2 tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.
Psalm 120:2 tn Or “my life.”
Psalm 120:2 tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”
Psalm 120:2 tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”
Psalm 120:3 tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The Lord is the understood subject of the verbs “give” and “add.” The second part of the question echoes a standard curse formula, “thus the Lord/God will do…and thus he will add” (see Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:9, 35; 19:13; 1 Kgs 2:23; 2 Kgs 6:31).
Psalm 120:4 tn The words “here’s how” are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.
Psalm 120:4 tn Heb “with coals of the wood of the broom plant.” The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.
Psalm 120:5 tn Or “woe to me.” The Hebrew term אוֹיָה (ʾoyah, “woe”) which occurs only here, is an alternate form of אוֹי (ʾoy).
Psalm 120:5 tn Heb “I live as a resident foreigner.”
Psalm 120:5 sn Meshech was located in central Anatolia (modern Turkey). Kedar was located in the desert to east-southeast of Israel. Because of the reference to Kedar, it is possible that Ps 120:5 refers to a different Meshech, perhaps one associated with the individual mentioned as a descendant of Aram in 1 Chr 1:17. (However, the LXX in 1 Chr 1:17 follows the parallel text in Gen 10:23, which reads “Mash,” not Meshech.) It is, of course, impossible that the psalmist could have been living in both the far north and the east at the same time. For this reason one must assume that he is recalling his experience as a wanderer among the nations or that he is using the geographical terms metaphorically and sarcastically to suggest that the enemies who surround him are like the barbarians who live in these distant regions. For a discussion of the problem, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 146.
Psalm 120:6 tn The singular participial form probably has a representative function here. The psalmist envisions the typical hater of peace who represents the entire category of such individuals.
Psalm 120:7 tn Heb “I, peace.”
Psalm 120:7 tn Heb “they [are] for war.”

Ezra 1

The Decree of Cyrus

1 ^[a] In the first^[b] year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the Lord’s message spoken through^[c] Jeremiah,^[d] the Lord motivated^[e] King Cyrus of Persia to issue^[f] a proclamation^[g] throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing. It read:^[h]

²“This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:

“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed^[i] me to build a temple^[j] for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ³Anyone of^[k] his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. ⁴Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors^[l] with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem

⁵Then the leaders^[m] of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites—all those whose mind God had stirred—got ready^[n] to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. ⁶All their neighbors assisted them^[o] with silver utensils,^[p] gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention^[q] all the voluntary offerings.

⁷Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed^[r] in the temple of his gods. ⁸King Cyrus of Persia entrusted^[s] them to^[t] Mithredath^[u] the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar^[v] the leader of the Judahite exiles.^[w]

⁹The inventory^[x] of these items was as follows:

30 gold basins,^[y]
1,000 silver basins,
29 silver utensils,^[z]
¹⁰30 gold bowls,
410 other^[aa] silver bowls,
and 1,000 other vessels.

¹¹All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400.^[ab] Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

Ezra 1:1 sn In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.
Ezra 1:1 sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539 b.c. Cyrus reigned in Persia from ca. 539-530 b.c.
Ezra 1:1 tc The MT reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (b^efi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.tn Heb “from the mouth of.”
Ezra 1:1 sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612 b.c.) or with Nebuchadnezzar’s coronation (605 b.c.) and continuing till the fall of Babylon to the Persians in 539 b.c. Others take the seventy years to refer to the period from the destruction of the temple in 586 b.c. till its rebuilding in 516 b.c.
Ezra 1:1 tn Heb “stirred the spirit of.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in v. 5. The entire phrase “stirred the spirit” has been rendered as “motivated” to better reflect normal English.
Ezra 1:1 tn Heb “caused to pass.”
Ezra 1:1 tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause—effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.
Ezra 1:1 tn Heb “in writing, saying.”sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).
Ezra 1:2 tn Or “instructed.”
Ezra 1:2 tn Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 s.v. 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).
Ezra 1:3 tn Heb “from all.”
Ezra 1:4 tn Heb “the men of his place.”
Ezra 1:5 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
Ezra 1:5 tn Heb “arose.”
Ezra 1:6 tn Heb “strengthened their hands.”
Ezra 1:6 tc The MT reads בִּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף (bikhle khesef, “with silver vessels”). However, part of the LXX manuscript tradition reads ἐν πᾶσιν ἀργυρίῳ (en pasin arguriō), which reflects an alternate Hebrew reading of בַּכֹּל־בַּכֶּסֶף (bakkol bakkesef, “everywhere, with silver”). The textual variant involves (1) simple omission of yod (י) between two words, a common scribal mistake; (2) haplography of the preposition bet (ב); and (3) an alternate vocalization tradition of the first term.
Ezra 1:6 tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
Ezra 1:7 tn Heb “and he gave them.”
Ezra 1:8 tn Heb “brought them forth.”
Ezra 1:8 tn Heb “upon the hand of.”
Ezra 1:8 sn A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See HALOT 656 s.v. מִתְרְדָת.
Ezra 1:8 sn A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See HALOT 1664-65 s.v. שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.
Ezra 1:8 tn Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; TEV, CEV “the governor of Judah.”
Ezra 1:9 tn Heb “these are their number.”
Ezra 1:9 tn The exact meaning of the Hebrew noun אֲגַרְטָל (ʾagartal, which occurs twice in this verse) is somewhat uncertain. The lexicons suggest that it is related to a common Semitic root (the Hebrew derivative has a prosthetic prefixed א [aleph] and interchange between ג [gimel] and ק [kof]): Judean Aramaic and Syriac qartalla, Arabic qirtallat, Ethiopic qartalo, all meaning “basket” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.). There is debate whether this is a loanword from Greek κάρταλλος (kartallos, “basket”), Persian hirtal (“leather bag”) or Hittite kurtal (“container”). The term is traditionally understood as a kind of vessel, such as “basket, basin” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.); but some suggest “leather bag” or a basket-shaped container of some sort (P. Humbert, “En marge du dictionnaire hébraïque,” ZAW 62 [1950]: 199-207; DCH 1:118 s.v.). The LXX translated it as ψυκτήρ (psuktēr, “metal bowl”). The precise meaning depends on whether the nouns כֶּסֶף (kesef, “silver”) and זָהָב (zahav, “gold”), which follow each use of this plural construct noun, are genitives of content (“containers full of silver” and “containers full of gold”) or genitives of material (“silver containers” and “gold containers” = containers made from silver and gold). If they are genitives of content, the term probably means “baskets” or “leather bags” (filled with silver and gold); however, if they are genitives of material, the term would mean “basins” (made of silver and gold). Elsewhere in Ezra 1, the nouns כֶּסֶף (“silver”) and זָהָב (“gold”) are used as genitives or material, not genitives of content; therefore, the translation “gold basins” and “silver basins” is preferred.
Ezra 1:9 tn Heb “knives.” The Hebrew noun מַחֲלָפִים (makhalafim, “knives”) is found only here in the OT. While the basic meaning of the term is fairly clear, what it refers to here is unclear. The verb II חָלַף (khalaf) means “to pass through” (BDB 322 s.v. חָלַף) or “to cut through” (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף; see also Judg 5:26; Job 20:24); thus, the lexicons suggest מַחֲלָפִים means “knives” (BDB 322 s.v. מַחֲלָף; HALOT 569 s.v. *מַחֲלָף). The related noun חֲלָפוֹת (khalafot, “knife”) is used in Mishnaic Hebrew (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף), and חֲלִיפוֹת (khalifot, “knives”) appears in the Talmud. The noun appears in the cognate languages: Ugaritic khlpnm “(“knives”; UT 19) and Syriac khalofta (“shearing knife”; HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף). The Vulgate translated it as “knives,” while the LXX understood it as referring to replacement pieces for the offering basins. The English translations render it variously; some following the Vulgate and others adopting the approach of the LXX: “knives” (KJV, NKJV, NRSV), “censers” (RSV), “duplicates” (NASB), “silver pans” (NIV), “bowls” (TEV), “other dishes” (CEV). Verse 11 lists these twenty-nine objects among the “gold and silver vessels” brought back to Jerusalem for temple worship. The translation above offers the intentionally ambiguous “silver utensils” (the term מַחֲלָפִים [“knives”] would hardly refer to “gold” items, but could refer to “silver items”).
Ezra 1:10 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מִשְׁנִים (mishnim) is uncertain. The noun מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh) means “double, second” (BDB 1041 s.v.), “what is doubled, two-fold” (HALOT 650 s.v. מִשְׁנֶה 3). The translations reflect a diversity of approaches: “410 silver bowls of a second kind” (KJV, NASB, RSV margin), “410 other silver bowls” (NRSV) and “410 matching silver bowls” (NIV). BDB 1041 s.v. משׁנה 3.a suggests it was originally a numeral that was garbled in the transmission process, as reflected in the LXX: “two thousand” (so RSV “two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of silver”). The BHS editor suggests revocalizing the term to מְשֻׁנִים (m^eshunim, “changed”).
Ezra 1:11 sn The total number as given in the MT does not match the numbers given for the various items in v. 9. It is not clear whether the difference is due to error in textual transmission or whether the constituent items mentioned are only a selection from a longer list, in which case the total from that longer list may have been retained. The numbers provided in 1 Esdras come much closer to agreeing with the number in Ezra 1:9-11, but this does not necessarily mean that 1 Esdras has been better preserved here than Ezra. 1 Esdras 2:13-15 (RSV) says, “The number of these was: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censers, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels. All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, and they were carried back by Shesbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.”

2 Corinthians 1:12-19

Paul Defends His Changed Plans

¹²For our reason for confidence^[a] is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives^[b] and sincerity which are from God^[c]—not by human wisdom^[d] but by the grace of God—we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more^[e] toward you. ¹³For we do not write you anything other than what^[f] you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely^[g] ¹⁴just as also you have partly understood us, that we are your source of pride just as you also are ours^[h] in the day of the Lord Jesus.^[i] ¹⁵And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us,^[j] ¹⁶and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back^[k] to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you. ¹⁷Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I?^[l] Or do I make my plans^[m] according to mere human standards^[n] so that I would be saying^[o] both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? ¹⁸But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” ¹⁹For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us—by me and Silvanus^[p] and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but it has always been “Yes” in him.

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Or “for boasting.”
2 Corinthians 1:12 tc Two viable variants exist at this place in the text: ἁγιότητι (hagiotēti, “holiness”) vs. ἁπλότητι (haplotēti, “pure motives”). A confusion of letters could well have produced the variant (TCGNT 507): In majuscule script the words would have been written agiothti and aplothti. This, however, does not explain which reading created the other. Overall ἁπλότητι, though largely a Western-Byzantine reading (א² D F G M lat sy), is better suited to the context; it is also a Pauline word while ἁγιότης (hagiotēs) is not. It also best explains the rise of the other variants, πραότητι (praotēti, “gentleness”) and σπλάγχνοις (splanchnois, “compassion”). On the other hand, the external evidence in favor of ἁγιότητι is extremely strong (P⁴⁶ א* A B C K P Ψ 0121 0243 33 81 1739 1881 al co). This diversity of mss provides excellent evidence for authenticity, but because of the internal evidence listed above, ἁπλότητι is to be preferred, albeit only slightly.tn Or “sincerity.” The two terms translated “pure motives” (ἁπλότης, haplotēs) and “sincerity” (εἰλικρίνεια, eilikrineia) are close synonyms.
2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Grk “pure motives and sincerity of God.”
2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Or “not by worldly wisdom.”
2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Or “and especially.”
2 Corinthians 1:13 tn Grk “than the things.”
2 Corinthians 1:13 tn Grk “to the end,” a Greek idiom for “fully,” “totally,” “completely.”
2 Corinthians 1:14 tn Grk “that we are your boast even as you are our boast.”
2 Corinthians 1:14 tc ‡ On the wording “the Lord Jesus” (τοῦ κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ, tou kuriou Iēsou) there is some variation in the extant witnesses: ἡμῶν (hēmōn, “our”) is found after κυρίου in several significant witnesses (א B F G P 0121 0243 6 33 81 1739 1881 2464 al lat co); the pronoun is lacking from P^46vid A C D Ψ M. Although in Paul “our Lord Jesus Christ” is a common expression, “our Lord Jesus” is relatively infrequent (cf., e.g., Rom 16:20; 2 Cor 1:14; 1 Thess 2:19; 3:11, 13; 2 Thess 1:8, 12). “The Lord Jesus” occurs about as often as “our Lord Jesus” (cf. 1 Cor 11:23; 16:23; 2 Cor 4:14; 11:31; Eph 1:15; 1 Thess 4:2; 2 Thess 1:7; Phlm 5). Thus, on balance, since scribes would tend to expand on the text, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic. NA²⁸ places the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
2 Corinthians 1:15 tn Grk “a second grace,” “a second favor” (used figuratively of a second visit by Paul).
2 Corinthians 1:16 tn Grk “come again.”
2 Corinthians 1:17 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer. This is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question “did I?” at the end of the sentence.
2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “the things that I plan, do I plan (them).”
2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “so that with me there should be.”
2 Corinthians 1:19 sn Silvanus is usually considered to be the same person as Silas (L&N 93.340).

New English Translation (NET)

Prev Day

Top

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

Log in to read this devotional and:

Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 120[a]

A song of ascents.[b]

Footnotes

The Decree of Cyrus

The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem

Footnotes

Paul Defends His Changed Plans

Footnotes

Psalm 120^[a]

A song of ascents.^[b]