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The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday July 27, 2021 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 19-20

19 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, 2 the prophet[a] Jehu son of Hanani confronted him;[b] he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord?[c] Because you have done this, the Lord is angry with you![d] 3 Nevertheless you have done some good things;[e] you removed[f] the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow God.”[g]

Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges

4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow[h] the Lord God of their ancestors.[i] 5 He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah.[j] 6 He told the judges, “Be careful what you do,[k] for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. 7 Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.”[l]

8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord[m] and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem.[n] 9 He commanded them: “Carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty, and with pure motives.[o] 10 Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you[p] (whether it involves a violent crime[q] or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues, but if you obey, you will be free of guilt.[r] 11 Take note, Amariah the chief priest will oversee[s] you in every matter pertaining to the Lord and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in every matter pertaining to the king. The Levites will serve as officials before you. Act courageously,[t] and may the Lord be with those who do well!”

The Lord Gives Jehoshaphat Military Success

20 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites,[u] attacked Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers[v] arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea,[w] from the direction of Edom.[x] Look, they are in Hazazon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).” 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice.[y] He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. 4 The people of Judah[z] assembled to ask for the Lord’s help;[aa] they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.[ab]

5 Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord’s temple, in front of the new courtyard. 6 He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors,[ac] you are the God who lives in heaven[ad] and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. 7 Our God, you drove out[ae] the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession[af] to the descendants of your friend[ag] Abraham. 8 They settled down in it and built in it a temple[ah] to honor you,[ai] saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack,[aj] judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple.[ak] We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will[al] hear and deliver us.’ 10 Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming![am] When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands.[an] They bypassed them and did not destroy them. 11 Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us! 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us. We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”[ao]

13 All the men of Judah[ap] were standing before the Lord, along with their infants, wives, and children. 14 Then in the midst of the assembly, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Jachaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph. 15 He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah,[aq] residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic[ar] because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them as[as] they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you,[at] O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic![au] Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’”

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah[av] and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him.[aw] 19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel.[ax]

20 Early the next morning they marched out to the wilderness of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah[ay] and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe![az] Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 21 He met[ba] with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.”[bb]

22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked[bc] the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir[bd] who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir[be] and annihilated them.[bf] When they had finished off the men[bg] of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another.[bh] 24 When the men of Judah[bi] arrived at the observation post overlooking the wilderness and looked at[bj] the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors. 25 Jehoshaphat and his men[bk] went to gather the plunder; they found a huge amount of supplies, clothing,[bl] and valuable items. They carried away everything they could.[bm] There was so much plunder, it took them three days to haul it off.[bn]

26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where[bo] they praised the Lord. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah[bp] to this very day. 27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat leading them; the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem to the sound of stringed instruments and trumpets and proceeded to the temple of the Lord. 29 All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God[bq] when they heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. 30 Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side.[br]

Jehoshaphat’s Reign Ends

31 Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother[bs] was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved.[bt] 33 However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors.[bu]

34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are included in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel.[bv]

35 Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who[bw] did evil. 36 They agreed[bx] to make large seagoing merchant ships;[by] they built the ships in Ezion Geber. 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, “Because[bz] you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will shatter what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.[ca]

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 19:2 tn Or “seer.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 19:2 tn Heb “went out to his face.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 19:2 tn Heb “and love those who hate the Lord?”
  4. 2 Chronicles 19:2 tn Heb “and because of this upon you is anger from before the Lord.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 19:3 tn Heb “nevertheless good things are found with you.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 19:3 tn Here בָּעַר (baʿar) is not the well attested verb “burn,” but the less common homonym meaning “devastate, sweep away, remove.” See HALOT 146 s.v. II בער.
  7. 2 Chronicles 19:3 tn Heb “and you set your heart to seek God.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 19:4 tn Heb “and turned them back to.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 19:4 tn Heb “fathers.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 19:5 tn Heb “in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 19:6 tn Heb “see what you are doing.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 19:7 tn Heb “and now let the terror of the Lord be upon you, be careful and act for there is not with the Lord our God injustice, lifting up of a face, and taking a bribe.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 19:8 tn Heb “for the judgment of the Lord.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 19:8 tc Heb “and to conduct a case [or “for controversy”], and they returned [to] Jerusalem.” Some emend וַיָּשֻׁבוּ (vayyashuvu, “and they returned”) to וַיֵּשְׁבוּ (vayyeshevu, “and they lived [in]”). The present translation assumes an emendation to יֹשְׁבֵי (yoshevey, “residents of”).
  15. 2 Chronicles 19:9 tn Heb “This you must do with the fear of the Lord, with honesty, and with a complete heart.”
  16. 2 Chronicles 19:10 tn Heb “and every case which comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 19:10 tn Heb “between blood pertaining to blood.”
  18. 2 Chronicles 19:10 tn Heb “and anger will be upon you and your brothers; do this and you will not be guilty.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 19:11 tn Heb “will be over you.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 19:11 tn Heb “Be strong and act!”
  21. 2 Chronicles 20:1 tc The Hebrew text has “Ammonites,” but they are mentioned just before this. Most translations, following some mss of the LXX, read “Meunites” (see 2 Chr 26:7; so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
  22. 2 Chronicles 20:2 tn Heb “they”; the implied referent (messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  23. 2 Chronicles 20:2 tn Heb “the Sea”; in context (“from the direction of Edom”) this must refer to the Dead Sea, which has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. NEB, NLT).
  24. 2 Chronicles 20:2 tc Most Hebrew mss, the LXX, and Vulgate read “from Aram” (i.e., Syria), but this should be emended to “Edom,” which is the reading of one Hebrew ms and the Old Latin.
  25. 2 Chronicles 20:3 tn Heb “and he set his face to seek the Lord.”
  26. 2 Chronicles 20:4 tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah.
  27. 2 Chronicles 20:4 tn Heb “to seek from the Lord.” The verb here (בָּקַשׁ, baqash) is different from the one translated “seek” in v. 3 (דָּרַשׁ, darash).
  28. 2 Chronicles 20:4 tn Heb “to seek the Lord.” The verb here (בָּקַשׁ, baqash) is different from the one translated “seek” in v. 3 (דָּרַשׁ, darash).
  29. 2 Chronicles 20:6 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 33).
  30. 2 Chronicles 20:6 tn Heb “are you not God in heaven?” The rhetorical question expects the answer “yes,” resulting in the positive statement “you are the God who lives in heaven” employed in the translation.
  31. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Heb “did you not drive out . . . ?” This is another rhetorical question which expects a positive response; see the note on the word “heaven” in the previous verse.
  32. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Heb “permanently.”
  33. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Or perhaps “your covenantal partner.” See Isa 41:8.
  34. 2 Chronicles 20:8 tn Or “sanctuary.”
  35. 2 Chronicles 20:8 tn Heb “for your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “to honor you”).
  36. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Heb “sword.”
  37. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Heb “for your name is in this house.” The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name. In this case the temple is referred to as a “house” where the Lord himself can reside.
  38. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Or “so that you may.”
  39. 2 Chronicles 20:10 tn Heb “now, look, the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir.”
  40. 2 Chronicles 20:10 tn Heb “whom you did not allow Israel to enter when they came from the land of Egypt.”
  41. 2 Chronicles 20:12 tn Heb “for [or “indeed”] upon you are our eyes.”
  42. 2 Chronicles 20:13 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
  43. 2 Chronicles 20:15 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah. Unlike the previous instance in v. 13 where infants, wives, and children are mentioned separately, this reference appears to include them all.
  44. 2 Chronicles 20:15 tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”
  45. 2 Chronicles 20:16 tn Heb “look.”
  46. 2 Chronicles 20:17 tn Heb “the deliverance of the Lord with you.”
  47. 2 Chronicles 20:17 tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”
  48. 2 Chronicles 20:18 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.
  49. 2 Chronicles 20:18 tn Heb “to worship the Lord.”
  50. 2 Chronicles 20:19 tn Heb “arose to praise the Lord God of Israel with a very loud voice.”
  51. 2 Chronicles 20:20 tn Heb “O Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.
  52. 2 Chronicles 20:20 tn There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The Hiphil verb form הַאֲמִינוּ (haʾaminu, “trust”) and the Niphal form תֵאָמֵנוּ (teʾamenu, “you will be safe”) come from the same verbal root (אָמַן, ʾaman).
  53. 2 Chronicles 20:21 tn Or “consulted.”
  54. 2 Chronicles 20:21 tn Or “is eternal.”
  55. 2 Chronicles 20:22 tn Heb “set ambushers against.” This is probably idiomatic here for launching a surprise attack.
  56. 2 Chronicles 20:22 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.”
  57. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the residents of Mount Seir.”
  58. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “to annihilate and to destroy.”
  59. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “residents.”
  60. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “they helped, each one his fellow, for destruction.” The verb עָזַר (ʿazar), traditionally understood as the well-attested verb meaning “to help,” is an odd fit in this context. It is possible that it is from a homonymic root, perhaps meaning to “attack.” This root is attested in Ugaritic in a nominal form meaning “young man, warrior, hero.” For a discussion of the proposed root, see HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר.
  61. 2 Chronicles 20:24 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
  62. 2 Chronicles 20:24 tn Heb “turned toward.”
  63. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Or “army.”
  64. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tc The MT reads פְגָרִים (fegarim, “corpses”), but this seems odd among a list of plunder. A few medieval Hebrew mss and the Vulgate read בְגָדִים (vegadim, “clothing”), which fits the context much better.
  65. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Heb “and they snatched away for themselves so that there was no carrying away.”
  66. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Heb “and they were three days looting the plunder for it was great.”
  67. 2 Chronicles 20:26 tn Heb “for there.”
  68. 2 Chronicles 20:26 sn The name Berachah, which means “blessing” in Hebrew, is derived from the verbal root “to praise [or “to bless”],” which appears earlier in the verse.
  69. 2 Chronicles 20:29 tn Heb “and the terror of God [or “a great terror”] was upon all the kingdoms of the lands.” It is uncertain if אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) should be understood as a proper name here (“God”), or taken in an idiomatic superlative sense.
  70. 2 Chronicles 20:30 tn Heb “and his God gave him rest all around.”
  71. 2 Chronicles 20:31 tn Heb “The name of his mother.”
  72. 2 Chronicles 20:32 tn Heb “he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn from it, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.”
  73. 2 Chronicles 20:33 tn Heb “and still the people did not set their heart[s] on the God of their fathers.”
  74. 2 Chronicles 20:34 tn Heb “the rest of the events of Jehoshaphat, the former and the latter, look, they are written in the records of Jehu son of Hanani, which are taken up in the scroll of the kings of Israel.”
  75. 2 Chronicles 20:35 tn Heb “he.” The pronoun has been translated as a relative pronoun for stylistic reasons.
  76. 2 Chronicles 20:36 tn Heb “he made an alliance with him.”
  77. 2 Chronicles 20:36 tn Heb “make ships to go to Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish; a “Tarshish-ship” was essentially a large seagoing merchant ship.
  78. 2 Chronicles 20:37 tn Heb “when.”
  79. 2 Chronicles 20:37 tn Heb “to go to Tarshish.”
New English Translation (NET)

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

Romans 10:14-11:12

14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?[a] 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely[b] is the arrival[c] of those who proclaim the good news.”[d] 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”[e] 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word[f] of Christ.[g]

18 But I ask, have they[h] not heard?[i] Yes, they have:[j] Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.[k] 19 But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand?[l] First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.”[m] 20 And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.”[n] 21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!”[o]

Israel’s Rejection not Complete nor Final

11 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!”[p] 4 But what was the divine response[q] to him? “I have kept for myself 7,000 people[r] who have not bent the knee to Baal.”[s]

5 So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. 7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The[t] rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear,
to this very day.”[u]

9 And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see,
and make their backs bend continually.”[v]

11 I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall,[w] did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel[x] jealous. 12 Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration[y] bring?

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 10:14 tn Grk “preaching”; the words “to them” are supplied for clarification.
  2. Romans 10:15 tn The word in this context seems to mean “coming at the right or opportune time” (see BDAG 1103 s.v. ὡραῖος 1); it may also mean “beautiful, attractive, welcome.”
  3. Romans 10:15 tn Grk “the feet.” The metaphorical nuance of “beautiful feet” is that such represent timely news.
  4. Romans 10:15 sn A quotation from Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15.
  5. Romans 10:16 sn A quotation from Isa 53:1.
  6. Romans 10:17 tn The Greek term here is ῥῆμα (rhēma), which often (but not exclusively) focuses on the spoken word.
  7. Romans 10:17 tc Most mss (א1 A D1 Ψ 33 1175 1241 1505 1881 2464 M sy) have θεοῦ (theou) here rather than Χριστοῦ (Christou; found in א* B C D* 6 81 629 1506 1739 lat co). Although the Nestle-Aland apparatus includes P46vid for this reading, more recent photographs by CSNTM reveal it to be κυρίου (“Lord”), a singular reading. External evidence strongly favors the reading “Christ” here. Internal evidence is also on its side, for the expression ῥῆμα Χριστοῦ (rhēma Christou) occurs nowhere else in the NT; thus scribes would be prone to change it to a known expression.tn The genitive could be understood as either subjective (“Christ does the speaking”) or objective (“Christ is spoken about”), but the latter is more likely here.
  8. Romans 10:18 tn That is, Israel (see the following verse).
  9. Romans 10:18 tn Grk “they have not ‘not heard,’ have they?” This question is difficult to render in English. The basic question is a negative sentence (“Have they not heard?”), but it is preceded by the particle μή (mē) which expects a negative response. The end result in English is a double negative (“They have not ‘not heard,’ have they?”). This has been changed to a positive question in the translation for clarity. See BDAG 646 s.v. μή 3.a.; D. Moo, Romans (NICNT), 666, fn. 32; and C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 537, for discussion.
  10. Romans 10:18 tn Here the particle μενοῦνγε (menounge) is correcting the negative response expected by the particle μή (mē) in the preceding question. Since the question has been translated positively, the translation was changed here to reflect that rendering.
  11. Romans 10:18 sn A quotation from Ps 19:4.
  12. Romans 10:19 tn Grk “Israel did not ‘not know,’ did he?” The double negative in Greek has been translated as a positive affirmation for clarity (see v. 18 above for a similar situation).
  13. Romans 10:19 sn A quotation from Deut 32:21.
  14. Romans 10:20 sn A quotation from Isa 65:1.
  15. Romans 10:21 sn A quotation from Isa 65:2.
  16. Romans 11:3 sn A quotation from 1 Kgs 19:10, 14.
  17. Romans 11:4 tn Grk “the revelation,” “the oracle.”
  18. Romans 11:4 tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it appears to be a generic usage (“people”) since when Paul speaks of a remnant of faithful Israelites (“the elect,” v. 7), he is not referring to males only. It can also be argued, however, that it refers only to adult males here (“men”), perhaps as representative of all the faithful left in Israel.
  19. Romans 11:4 sn A quotation from 1 Kgs 19:18.
  20. Romans 11:7 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  21. Romans 11:8 sn A quotation from Deut 29:4; Isa 29:10.
  22. Romans 11:10 sn A quotation from Ps 69:22-23.
  23. Romans 11:11 tn Grk “that they might fall.”
  24. Romans 11:11 tn Grk “them”; the referent (Israel, cf. 11:7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  25. Romans 11:12 tn Or “full inclusion”; Grk “their fullness.”
New English Translation (NET)

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

Psalm 21

Psalm 21[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

21 O Lord, the king rejoices in the strength you give;[b]
he takes great delight in the deliverance you provide.[c]
2 You grant[d] him his heart’s desire;
you do not refuse his request.[e] (Selah)
3 For you bring him[f] rich[g] blessings;[h]
you place a golden crown on his head.
4 He asked you to sustain his life,[i]
and you have granted him long life and an enduring dynasty.[j]
5 Your deliverance brings him great honor;[k]
you give him majestic splendor.[l]
6 For you grant him lasting blessings;
you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence.[m]
7 For the king trusts[n] in the Lord,
and because of the Most High’s[o] faithfulness he is not shaken.[p]
8 You[q] prevail over[r] all your enemies;
your power is too great for those who hate you.[s]
9 You burn them up like a fiery furnace[t] when you appear.[u]
The Lord angrily devours them;[v]
the fire consumes them.
10 You destroy their offspring[w] from the earth,
their descendants[x] from among the human race.[y]
11 Yes,[z] they intend to do you harm;[aa]
they dream up a scheme,[ab] but they do not succeed.[ac]
12 For you make them retreat[ad]
when you aim your arrows at them.[ae]
13 Rise up, O Lord, in strength![af]
We will sing and praise[ag] your power.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 21:1 sn Psalm 21. The psalmist praises the Lord for the way he protects and blesses the Davidic king.
  2. Psalm 21:1 tn Heb “in your strength.” The translation interprets the pronominal suffix as subjective, rather than merely descriptive (or attributive).
  3. Psalm 21:1 tn Heb “and in your deliverance, how greatly he rejoices.”
  4. Psalm 21:2 tn The translation assumes the perfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing, stating factually what God typically does for the king. Another option is to take them as present perfects, “you have granted…you have not refused.” See v. 4, which mentions a specific request for a long reign.
  5. Psalm 21:2 tn Heb “and the request of his lips you do not refuse.”
  6. Psalm 21:3 tn Or “meet him [with].”
  7. Psalm 21:3 tn Heb “good.”
  8. Psalm 21:3 sn You bring him rich blessings. The following context indicates that God’s “blessings” include deliverance/protection, vindication, sustained life, and a long, stable reign (see also Pss 3:8; 24:5).
  9. Psalm 21:4 tn Heb “life he asked from you.” Another option is to translate the perfect verbal forms in v. 4 with the present tense, “he asks…you grant.”
  10. Psalm 21:4 tn Heb “you have granted him length of days forever and ever.” The phrase “length of days,” when used of human beings, usually refers to a lengthy period of time (such as one’s lifetime). See, for example, Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20. The additional phrase “forever and ever” is hyperbolic. While it seems to attribute eternal life to the king (see Pss 61:6-7; 72:5 as well), the underlying reality is the king’s enduring dynasty. He will live on, as it were, through his descendants, who will continue to rule over his kingdom long after he has passed off the scene.
  11. Psalm 21:5 tn Or “great glory.”
  12. Psalm 21:5 tn Heb “majesty and splendor you place upon him.” For other uses of the phrase הוֹד וְהָדָר (hod vehadar, “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27; Job 40:10; Pss 96:6; 104:1; 111:3.
  13. Psalm 21:6 tn Heb “you make him happy with joy with [i.e., “close by” or “in”] your face.” On the idiom “with your face” (i.e., “in your presence”) see Ps 16:11 and BDB 816 s.v. פָּנֻה II.2.a.
  14. Psalm 21:7 tn The active participle draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action.
  15. Psalm 21:7 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. Note the focus of vv. 8-12 and see Ps 47:2.
  16. Psalm 21:7 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “he will not be shaken” (cf. NRSV “he shall not be moved”). Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense.
  17. Psalm 21:8 tn The king is now addressed. One could argue that the Lord is still being addressed, but v. 9 militates against this proposal, for there the Lord is mentioned in the third person and appears to be distinct from the addressee (unless, of course, one takes “Lord” in v. 9 as vocative; see the note on “them” in v. 9b). Verse 7 begins this transition to a new addressee by referring to both the king and the Lord in the third person (in vv. 1-6 the Lord is addressed and only the king referred to in the third person).
  18. Psalm 21:8 tn Heb “your hand finds.” The idiom pictures the king grabbing hold of his enemies and defeating them (see 1 Sam 23:17). The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 8-12 may be translated with the future tense, as long as the future is understood as generalizing.
  19. Psalm 21:8 tn Heb “your right hand finds those who hate you.”
  20. Psalm 21:9 tn Heb “you make them like a furnace of fire.” Although many modern translations retain the literal Hebrew, the statement is elliptical. The point is not that he makes them like a furnace, but like an object burned in a furnace (cf. NEB, “at your coming you shall plunge them into a fiery furnace”).
  21. Psalm 21:9 tn Heb “at the time of your face.” The “face” of the king here refers to his angry presence. See Lam 4:16.
  22. Psalm 21:9 tn Heb “the Lord, in his anger he swallows them, and fire devours them.” Some take “the Lord” as a vocative, in which case he is addressed in vv. 8-9a. But this makes the use of the third person in v. 9b rather awkward, though the king could be the subject (see vv. 1-7).
  23. Psalm 21:10 tn Heb “fruit.” The next line makes it clear that offspring is in view.
  24. Psalm 21:10 tn Heb “seed.”
  25. Psalm 21:10 tn Heb “sons of man.”
  26. Psalm 21:11 tn Or “for.”
  27. Psalm 21:11 tn Heb “they extend against you harm.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 11 are taken as generalizing, stating factually what the king’s enemies typically do. Another option is to translate with the past tense (“they intended…planned”).
  28. Psalm 21:11 sn See Ps 10:2.
  29. Psalm 21:11 tn Heb “they lack ability.”
  30. Psalm 21:12 tn Heb “you make them a shoulder,” i.e., “you make them turn and run, showing the back of their neck and shoulders.”
  31. Psalm 21:12 tn Heb “with your bowstrings you fix against their faces,” i.e., “you fix your arrows on the bowstrings to shoot at them.”
  32. Psalm 21:13 tn Heb “in your strength,” but English idiom does not require the pronoun.sn The psalm concludes with a petition to the Lord, asking him to continue to intervene in strength for the king and nation.
  33. Psalm 21:13 tn Heb “sing praise.”
New English Translation (NET)

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Proverbs 20:4-6

4 The sluggard will not plow[a] during the planting season,[b]
so at harvest time he asks[c] for grain[d] but has nothing.
5 Counsel[e] in a person’s heart[f] is like[g] deep water,[h]
but an understanding person[i] draws it out.
6 Many people profess their loyalty,[j]
but a faithful person[k]—who can find?[l]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 20:4 sn The act of plowing is put for the whole process of planting a crop.
  2. Proverbs 20:4 tn Heb “from winter.” The preposition מִן (min) may designate the starting point “from winter [onward]” or the cause “due to” (so ASV “by reason of the winter”). The noun “winter” refers to the time for sowing seed and having the early growth of crops. The right time for planting was after the autumn harvest and the rainy season of autumn and winter began.
  3. Proverbs 20:4 tc The Kethib reads a Qal imperfect, while the Qere reads a vav plus Qal perfect consecutive. Both forms would be future; the Qere more overtly states this as a consequence.tn The basic meaning of the Qal verb שָׁאַל (shaʾal) is “to ask;” by extension it sometimes means “to wish for; to desire; to borrow” and perhaps “to beg.” The Piel can mean “to beg” and does not require emending the consonantal text. Because he did not plant, or did not do it at the right time, he is reduced to begging and will have nothing (cf. KJV, ASV; NASB “he begs during the harvest”).
  4. Proverbs 20:4 tn The phrase “for grain” does not appear in the Hebrew but is implied; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
  5. Proverbs 20:5 sn The noun means “advice, counsel”; it can have the connotation of planning or making decisions. Those with understanding can sort out plans.
  6. Proverbs 20:5 tn The Hebrew term לֶב (lev) refers to the “mind” (NRSV) as well as the “heart” (KJV, NIV, NASB). The expression refers to unspoken thoughts.
  7. Proverbs 20:5 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.
  8. Proverbs 20:5 sn The motives or plans of a person are “difficult to fathom”; it takes someone with understanding to discover and surface them (the verb in the last colon continues the figure with the sense of bringing the plans to the surface and sorting them out).
  9. Proverbs 20:5 tn Heb “a man of understanding”; TEV “someone with insight”; NLT “the wise.”
  10. Proverbs 20:6 tn Heb “many a man calls/proclaims a man of his loyal love.” The Syriac and Tg. Prov 20:6 render the verb as passive: “many are called kind.” Other suggestions include: “most men meet people who will do them occasional kindnesses” (RSV); “many men profess friendship” (C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 384); “many men invite only the one who has shown them kindness.” The simplest interpretation in this context is “many proclaim [themselves to be] a kind person (= a loyal friend).” The contrast is between many who claim to be loyal friends and the one who actually proves to be faithful.
  11. Proverbs 20:6 tn The shift to the expression “a man of faithfulness[es]” in the second line indicates that of all those who claim to show faithful love, it is rare to find one who is truly reliable (as the word אֱמוּנִים [ʾemunim] indicates clearly); cf. NAB, NRSV “one worthy of trust.”
  12. Proverbs 20:6 sn The point of the rhetorical question is that a truly faithful friend is very difficult to find.
New English Translation (NET)

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