07/31/2021 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 29:1-36, Romans 14:1-23, Psalms 24:1-10, Proverbs 20:12

Today is the 31st day of July welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it is wonderful to be here with you today on the last day of the week and the last day of this seventh month of the year. And, so, with today’s reading we will…well…we will have completed seven months together. And every time…every time we go into a new month I…I…well…every time we get to the end of a month I’m like, man we did it, we just keep going day by day step-by-step as a community and here we are. And, so, we’ve reached the closing of another month, but it won’t close if we don't…if we don't…we don’t close it. And, so, let’s dive in. We’ve been reading from the New English Translation this week, which is what we’ll read today. Second Chronicles chapter 29.

Prayer:


Father, we thank You for Your word and we thank You for another month in Your word, these seven months now every single day we’ve been gathering here and moving our way step-by-step day by day. And, so, we acknowledge Your faithfulness to us. We acknowledge the gift of the Scriptures. We acknowledge the presence of Your Holy Spirit that is continuing to challenge and reprove and comfort and correct and lead us forward into all truth as we remain faithful and diligent to come and feast upon Your word and allow it to wash into our lives in community as we gather around the Global Campfire. And, so, Father as we release this month and prepare to move into new territory we…we realign ourselves with You completely humbling ourselves and remind ourselves even as we learn this very week from the book of Romans that we are alive sacrifices, we are living sacrifices, and this is reasonable that we live this way, humbly surrendered to You for Your will and Your purposes in this world. So, come Holy Spirit we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, home of the Global Campfire and all things Daily Audio Bible. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app you can access all of these things from there as well.

So, the Prayer Wall is in the Community section. The Shop is full of resources that are varied, but all centered around the journey that we are on together through the Bible in a year. So, check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, I thank you. Thank you for your partnership, especially as we navigate the summer months. Thank you. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the hotline button in the app or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi this is Susie from Colorado I wanted to say that I’m praying so deeply for the woman who lost her daughter because she didn’t get the transplant. You just broke my heart, and I really really am so so sad for you. But family I wanted your prayers today, and I’m not going to try to do this without crying. And I’m really having a hard time. I have a mission in Haiti. We have 119 orphans. 63 of them are disabled and I’m so tired. I’m just so tired and I need everybody to pray because we have a church, we have clinics, and schools, and we take care of about 700 kids in our schools too and I’m so weary. And I know that God says don’t grow weary in doing good but I’m weary and I just feel, it sounds selfish, but I feel incredibly like I’m not getting enough help and I wish that God would give me strength to find joy. After 27 years I’m finally breaking down and I’m getting tired but I know that I’m supposed to continue and I just pray for strength to do that. Thank you so much.

Hi Daily Audio Bible family this is Renzo in Florida and I just want to pray for a couple people. Father God I just want to pray for…for Shana. Just please just guide her and just please just help her husband that’s dealing with false accusations God and we just thank you for everything you do Lord. Just please just please God just take…take this…take these accusations away God. We love you Lord and we believe that these accusations will be taken away and we know God it says in your word proverbs 19 five a false witness shall not go unpunished and he who speaks lies shall not escape. God just please bring justice to…to this family God just please just let justice to happen where her husband will be free from this…from these false accusations God and just heal her guide her comfort her and be with her. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. Father God I just want to thank you for everything you do for us Lord and I just please pray for the alcoholics that are just struggling and just to please help the facilities that Cathy from Kentucky was praying for just please help the Holy Spirit to guide them and let the alcoholic…the alcoholics not so relapse and just please just help the COVID outbreak to just stop in the name of Jesus. Heal God and protect and be with them in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. God bless you guys. Praying for you. Jesus loves you. Bye.

Hi DAB I have called in anonymously a couple of times. I’m going to go by my one word for the year and use that as my call name it’s a Battle Cry and I just wanted to call in and speak to those who may not have heard someone praying for them or putting in specific words of encouragement to your specific prayer requests. And I just want to say that I see you, I hear you, and God has laid on my heart to pray specifically for you. And I also wanted to just encourage you and give you Isaiah 40. It has a wonderful comforting passage, and it starts out, comfort, comfort my people says your God. And I just want to give that to you.

Dear Daily Audio Bible family my name is Loving Heart and I live in Saint Louis and I’m calling on behalf of my daughter who is struggling from anorexia. Anorexia is a terribly evil horrible illness, and it has taken such hold of my kid. And there’s been so many awful things happening and hiding and scary things that my husband and I we just need to turn to God and ask for help. We have been this whole time but I still I’m just going to keep asking and trusting in God that He will deliver us from all of this pain and help heal her mind. Please lift her up in prayer. She’s a beautiful and wonderful kid and we love her so much and she just needs to be released from this. And I pray in the name of Jesus and I believe that He can release her from this horrible thing that’s gripping…gripping her mind. Please stand with us and help us be warriors like Jehoshaphat and just put our all of our trust in God where there’s nothing else that we can do and we need Him. Thank you.

07/30/2021 DAB Transcript

2 Chron 26:1-28:27, Rom 13:1-14, Ps 23:1-6, Pr 20:11

Today is the 30th of July, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible, I’m Brian it is wonderful to be here with you today, as we continue the journey and we are right…right at the threshold of turning the page into another month. Yeah, we’ll end our week tomorrow while simultaneously ending the month of July. But that’s tomorrow and this is today and we have the next step forward today before we get to those steps out in front of us and so let’s dive in. We’re reading from the New English Translation this week, 2 Chronicles chapters 26, 27 and 28 today.

Commentary:

Alright, in the letter to the Romans today Paul is continuing to kind of lay out a framework of what a redeemed or renewed life looks like and we were talking about that some yesterday. He’s continuing that theme in today’s reading and it’s in today’s reading that it gets boiled down to the essence. The essence is love and its…it’s not supposed to be anti-climactic like it’s not supposed to be like everybody knows that love is the answer. If we know that then what’s going on in this world? If we know that what’s going on in the body? For Paul he is saying, like the law tells us, right the Commandments tell us don’t commit adultery, don’t commit murder, don’t commit theft, don’t covet. These are some of the 600+ Commandments that we find in the Bible and Paul sums it up and he’s not the first person to do this, but Paul sums it up, saying, hey, let’s remember something, everything boiled down to its essence results in “love your neighbor as yourself, love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law” and basically the logic goes like this, you can’t break those commandments while doing it in love. Right, so you can’t murder someone in love. You can’t covet in love. You can’t commit adultery, if you’re married to somebody and you’re stepping out on them, you may think you’re in love, but the devastation that follows, that is not love. We’re to love our neighbor as ourselves and we’re also told to do unto others as we would have them do to us: the golden rule. So, it kind of boils down to treat people the way that you would want to be treated. But it’s bigger, love people the way you want to be loved. And that may be some internal work for some of us because we don’t know how we want to be loved, we don’t even really know what that looks like, that’s not been what our story has been. Love is been distorted for us so we have to go back to the example of Jesus in the way that He loved in the way that He conducted himself because He is the model. He is what we are being transformed into His likeness that we are like Him on this earth and that he loved us so much that He came to rescue us. And so, we having believed this and having the spirit inside of us renewing us, we must know that love for us is within us because the spirit of Christ is within us and so we are loved from the inside. We are to receive that love for ourselves, the love of God for us and then reflected out into the world. So, in some ways it begins with us, loving ourselves, as Christ loved us and then we can love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This right there, it’s not so tricky that we don’t understand and it’s not like we didn’t know all this before we talked about it. That, though, that can change our whole life. Like that changes the direction of everything. So again, let’s ponder that as we move through the rest of our day.

Prayer:

Holy spirit come; we invite you into that. We become aware of your overwhelming love for us. And that that love, it’s not withdrawn from us when we fail as if it’s something that comes and goes; it lives in us. Your Spirit is within us and You love us, and so, we are loved from within and without and we can live this way toward one another. When we stop with the comparison and we try to stop the competition. Instead, just try to be who we were made to be and love how we were made to love. Come Holy Spirit into that we pray. In the name of Jesus we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it’s the website. It’s where you find out what’s going on around here and you can find out what’s going on around here using the Daily Audio Bible app as well. Check out the Community section, this is where the prayer wall is and this is where different links to get connected are. Check out the Daily Audio Bible Shop, that’s where resources tailored for the journey that we are on exists so check that out as well.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com, there’s a link on the homepage. And I say thank you every day because every day it is a thank you. It is heartfelt gratitude that we can be a Community, a different kind of Community wrapped all around the world, but we can still be in this together and that this is happening every day. It’s happening because we’re in this together. So, thank you, thank you for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayers and Encouragements:

Hey everyone DAB family this is Jimmy from the East Coast. I would like to just pray for the lady, the missionary from Libera. It’s a couple, it about a week or two behind right now but I just want to just say just fall into God’s arms and we’re praying for you and we’re covering you in prayer. God’s got you and just rest in Him now and watch the goodness of how He has already prepared for all these things you’re going through, just trust and believe and rest. Father, we just thank You for this missionary and her husband and everything, we know they’ve went through a lot for your namesake and we just pray Lord God that You just lavish them with Your glory and show them how much You care and love them and take care of them. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Good morning, Daily Audio Bible family. This is Tieara from Texas and I wanted to come on after hearing Shena from Canada ask for prayer for her boyfriend who was falsely accused of a crime and was charged. My heart hurts in that aspect because there are so many of our brothers and sisters who are falsely condemned and falsely persecuted. And, I can only imagine how much worry and grief and anxiety that you’re having Ms. Shena and I’m sorry that he’s going through this, you have to go through this. You have to wake up and he’s not there, you have to go through some court systems and stuff like that and I’m sorry the justice system in Canada takes so long. I just pray for the truth to be revealed. In the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit guides you and your boyfriend in this difficult time. I ask that all of us can come together and be empathetic and just pray for this to come out of fruition Father and that You protect Your daughter and You protect Your son and Your will and Your way that You move however You need to move for Your light to shine. And for Your name to be glorified in the situation Father. She also said something that has stuck with me as well, she said “thank you God for giving us life even when we go through struggles” and I just want to pray for all of us who are struggling as well. These blessings I ask in Your Son’s Holy name Jesus. Amen.

Hello, this is Theresa phoning in from London. I’m phoning in response to the 13-year-old young man who phoned in from Georgia. I was so blessed by your phone call, I really was. Your…your situation sounds like all of ours. A lot of times we allow things to, you know, we have that saying life got in the way and you say you started off strong in January and then things got tough at school and then you stopped listening and I to have been there. So, I know how you feel but I love the way you reflected on things and you said that basically you know your mistake and you should’ve prayed about it and how many of us can say the same thing. So, I pray for you young man, I really do. You sound like a wise, you have a wise head on your shoulders. So, Father, I just pray for this young man, I pray that You would bless continue to bless him in his studies. I pray that You continue to pour out Your favor and wisdom upon his life. May You truly order his footsteps. May you direct him for Your glory and for Your honor. May he be a blessing to his family and to all those around him and also help him to continue to list to the Daily Audio Bible. Father, I thank you for this platform. Jill, Brian, thank you so much for this platform, it’s wonderful and I just praise You and thank You Father in the name of Joshua Hameushua. Hallelujah. Amen.

Hi family, it’s Shannon from Texas. And I desperately need some prayer. I am hanging on by a thread. I don’t know what’s going on with me I was doing okay for a while and I feel like I just haven’t had, I don’t know, anything good happen. Like, I don’t…I don’t know, I am just not doing well. My son is about to get out and I think that’s the biggest part of the emotional, just, stress. Because everything…it’s like the world was kind of soft when he went in and I could finally take a breath and now he’s getting out and it’s just like that six months went by so fast and it’s like, I don’t know, it’s a lot of emotion. Because of all of the turmoil before he went in and I can’t even put into words all that goes into that. And then just like, I feel like I’ve been dissed and ___ by so many people. It’s like left and right from the people that I work…I feel like I’ve been a servant which is like okay that’s what I’m supposed to be doing but somethings not right about this because it’s hurting. Like, I’m ready to break from it because I know this is not where God wants me to be. And these people, I feel like my friends and everyone, I don’t really have any left. They’re like talking about me like I’m beneath them cause I’ve been it’s like yeah, I try to replace for so long. It took time for me to be lifted out of it. And I just, I can’t do it anymore. So, I rarely cry I rarely so emotion.

This is Heather from Missouri and I am Just Tired, I don’t think you ever said your name, Amen. Thank you, thank you for calling, thank you for confessing your feelings. I don’t have words or wisdom for you sir but I think you made a good step today, confessing that. It was awesome. Sometimes we all have those day. Sometimes we all live and and I don’t think we confess it enough. And I wanted to say thank you brother thank you for putting it into words. Thank you for being strong enough to step out and say it, out loud to a different community. Again, I don’t have words of wisdom. I live with things that I’m trying to give up and blah blah blah. Thank you, just thank you for confessing it. Thank you for saying it out loud. Thank you for being strong enough to say it out loud my brother. You are awesome for today on the daily prayer that I was listening to. God bless you and this, that you put out there. May he lead you to where you need to go to find that understanding. I will keep you in my prayers brother. Love you.  

07/31/2021 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 29:1-36, Romans 14:1-23, Psalms 24:1-10, Proverbs 20:12

Today is the 31st day of July welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it is wonderful to be here with you today on the last day of the week and the last day of this seventh month of the year. And, so, with today’s reading we will…well…we will have completed seven months together. And every time…every time we go into a new month I…I…well…every time we get to the end of a month I’m like, man we did it, we just keep going day by day step-by-step as a community and here we are. And, so, we’ve reached the closing of another month, but it won’t close if we don't…if we don't…we don’t close it. And, so, let’s dive in. We’ve been reading from the New English Translation this week, which is what we’ll read today. Second Chronicles chapter 29.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word and we thank You for another month in Your word, these seven months now every single day we’ve been gathering here and moving our way step-by-step day by day. And, so, we acknowledge Your faithfulness to us. We acknowledge the gift of the Scriptures. We acknowledge the presence of Your Holy Spirit that is continuing to challenge and reprove and comfort and correct and lead us forward into all truth as we remain faithful and diligent to come and feast upon Your word and allow it to wash into our lives in community as we gather around the Global Campfire. And, so, Father as we release this month and prepare to move into new territory we…we realign ourselves with You completely humbling ourselves and remind ourselves even as we learn this very week from the book of Romans that we are alive sacrifices, we are living sacrifices, and this is reasonable that we live this way, humbly surrendered to You for Your will and Your purposes in this world. So, come Holy Spirit we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, home of the Global Campfire and all things Daily Audio Bible. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app you can access all of these things from there as well.

So, the Prayer Wall is in the Community section. The Shop is full of resources that are varied, but all centered around the journey that we are on together through the Bible in a year. So, check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, I thank you. Thank you for your partnership, especially as we navigate the summer months. Thank you. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the hotline button in the app or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi this is Susie from Colorado I wanted to say that I’m praying so deeply for the woman who lost her daughter because she didn’t get the transplant. You just broke my heart, and I really really am so so sad for you. But family I wanted your prayers today, and I’m not going to try to do this without crying. And I’m really having a hard time. I have a mission in Haiti. We have 119 orphans. 63 of them are disabled and I’m so tired. I’m just so tired and I need everybody to pray because we have a church, we have clinics, and schools, and we take care of about 700 kids in our schools too and I’m so weary. And I know that God says don’t grow weary in doing good but I’m weary and I just feel, it sounds selfish, but I feel incredibly like I’m not getting enough help and I wish that God would give me strength to find joy. After 27 years I’m finally breaking down and I’m getting tired but I know that I’m supposed to continue and I just pray for strength to do that. Thank you so much.

Hi Daily Audio Bible family this is Renzo in Florida and I just want to pray for a couple people. Father God I just want to pray for…for Shana. Just please just guide her and just please just help her husband that’s dealing with false accusations God and we just thank you for everything you do Lord. Just please just please God just take…take this…take these accusations away God. We love you Lord and we believe that these accusations will be taken away and we know God it says in your word proverbs 19 five a false witness shall not go unpunished and he who speaks lies shall not escape. God just please bring justice to…to this family God just please just let justice to happen where her husband will be free from this…from these false accusations God and just heal her guide her comfort her and be with her. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. Father God I just want to thank you for everything you do for us Lord and I just please pray for the alcoholics that are just struggling and just to please help the facilities that Cathy from Kentucky was praying for just please help the Holy Spirit to guide them and let the alcoholic…the alcoholics not so relapse and just please just help the COVID outbreak to just stop in the name of Jesus. Heal God and protect and be with them in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. God bless you guys. Praying for you. Jesus loves you. Bye.

Hi DAB I have called in anonymously a couple of times. I’m going to go by my one word for the year and use that as my call name it’s a Battle Cry and I just wanted to call in and speak to those who may not have heard someone praying for them or putting in specific words of encouragement to your specific prayer requests. And I just want to say that I see you, I hear you, and God has laid on my heart to pray specifically for you. And I also wanted to just encourage you and give you Isaiah 40. It has a wonderful comforting passage, and it starts out, comfort, comfort my people says your God. And I just want to give that to you.

Dear Daily Audio Bible family my name is Loving Heart and I live in Saint Louis and I’m calling on behalf of my daughter who is struggling from anorexia. Anorexia is a terribly evil horrible illness, and it has taken such hold of my kid. And there’s been so many awful things happening and hiding and scary things that my husband and I we just need to turn to God and ask for help. We have been this whole time but I still I’m just going to keep asking and trusting in God that He will deliver us from all of this pain and help heal her mind. Please lift her up in prayer. She’s a beautiful and wonderful kid and we love her so much and she just needs to be released from this. And I pray in the name of Jesus and I believe that He can release her from this horrible thing that’s gripping…gripping her mind. Please stand with us and help us be warriors like Jehoshaphat and just put our all of our trust in God where there’s nothing else that we can do and we need Him. Thank you.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday July 31, 2021 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah Consecrates the Temple

29 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother[a] was Abijah,[b] the daughter of Zechariah. He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done.[c]

In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. He brought in the priests and Levites and assembled them in the square on the east side. He said to them: “Listen to me, you Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, so you can consecrate the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors.[d] Remove from the sanctuary what is ceremonially unclean. For our fathers were unfaithful; they did what is evil in the sight of[e] the Lord our God and abandoned him. They turned away[f] from the Lord’s dwelling place and rejected him.[g] They closed the doors of the temple porch and put out the lamps; they did not offer incense or burnt sacrifices in the sanctuary of the God of Israel. The Lord was angry at Judah and Jerusalem and made them an appalling object of horror at which people hiss out their scorn,[h] as you can see with your own eyes. Look, our fathers died violently[i] and our sons, daughters, and wives were carried off[j] because of this. 10 Now I intend[k] to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that he may relent from his raging anger.[l] 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him,[m] to be his ministers,[n] and offer sacrifices.”[o]

12 The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders:[p]

From the Kohathites: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah;

from the Merarites: Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel;

from the Gershonites: Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;

13 from the descendants of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel;

from the descendants of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah;

14 from the descendants of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei;

from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel.

15 They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word[q] of the Lord. 16 The priests then entered the Lord’s temple to purify it; they brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple every ceremonially unclean thing they discovered inside.[r] The Levites took them out to the Kidron Valley. 17 On the first day of the first month they began consecrating; by the eighth day of the month they reached the porch of the Lord’s temple.[s] For eight more days they consecrated the Lord’s temple. On the sixteenth day of the first month they were finished. 18 They went to King Hezekiah and said: “We have purified the entire temple of the Lord, including the altar of burnt sacrifice and all its equipment, and the table for the Bread of the Presence and all its equipment. 19 We have prepared and consecrated all the items that King Ahaz removed during his reign when he acted unfaithfully. They are in front of the altar of the Lord.”

20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah assembled the city officials and went up to the Lord’s temple. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah.[t] The king[u] told the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer burnt sacrifices on the altar of the Lord. 22 They slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it on the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; next they slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood on the altar. 23 Finally they brought the goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they placed their hands on them. 24 Then the priests slaughtered them. They offered their blood as a sin offering on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, because the king had decreed[v] that the burnt sacrifice and sin offering were for all Israel.

25 Hezekiah[w] stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals and stringed instruments just as David, Gad the king’s prophet,[x] and Nathan the prophet had ordered. (The Lord had actually given these orders through his prophets.) 26 The Levites had[y] David’s musical instruments and the priests had trumpets. 27 Hezekiah ordered the burnt sacrifice to be offered on the altar. As they began to offer the sacrifice, they also began to sing to the Lord, accompanied by the trumpets and the musical instruments of King David of Israel. 28 The entire assembly worshiped, as the singers sang and the trumpeters played. They continued until the burnt sacrifice was completed.

29 When the sacrifices were completed, the king and all who were with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to praise the Lord, using the psalms[z] of David and Asaph the prophet.[aa] So they joyfully offered praise and bowed down and worshiped. 31 Hezekiah said, “Now you have consecrated yourselves[ab] to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings[ac] to the Lord’s temple.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and whoever desired to do so[ad] brought burnt sacrifices.

32 The assembly brought a total of 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs as burnt sacrifices to the Lord,[ae] 33 and 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep[af] were consecrated. 34 But there were not enough priests to skin all the animals,[ag] so their brothers, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished and the priests could consecrate themselves. (The Levites had been more conscientious about consecrating themselves than the priests.)[ah] 35 There was a large number of burnt sacrifices, as well as fat from the peace offerings and drink offerings that accompanied the burnt sacrifices. So the service of the Lord’s temple was reinstituted.[ai] 36 Hezekiah and all the people were happy about what God had done[aj] for them,[ak] for it had been done quickly.[al]

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:1 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:1 tn The parallel passage in 2 Kgs 18:2 has “Abi.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 29:2 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord, according to all which David his father had done.”
  4. 2 Chronicles 29:5 tn Heb “fathers.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 29:6 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 29:6 tn Heb “turned their faces.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 29:6 tn Heb “and turned the back.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 29:8 tn Heb “and he made them [an object] of dread and devastation and hissing.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 29:9 tn Heb “fell by the sword.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 29:9 tn Heb “are in captivity.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 29:10 tn Heb “now it is with my heart.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 29:10 tn Heb “so that the rage of his anger might turn from us.” The jussive with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding statement of intention.
  13. 2 Chronicles 29:11 tn That is, to conduct the religious rituals directed to the Lord.
  14. 2 Chronicles 29:11 tn That is, to be his ministers for the nation.
  15. 2 Chronicles 29:11 tn Heb “ones who cause [sacrifices] to go up in smoke.” The Hiphil form of קָטַר (qatar) can refer specifically to offering incense (e.g. 2 Chr 26:19; 32:12), but it may also be a general word for making sacrifices (e.g. 1 Chr 6:49). If it refers to burning incense, then the altar of incense in the Holy place of the tabernacle may be in view. Otherwise it is more general (they sacrifice animals later in this chapter, 2 Chr 29:21-24) and includes making sacrifices as well as offering incense.
  16. 2 Chronicles 29:12 tn Heb “and the Levites arose.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 29:15 tn Heb “words” (plural).
  18. 2 Chronicles 29:16 tn Heb “in the temple of the Lord.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 29:17 tn Heb “porch of the Lord.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 29:21 sn Perhaps these terms refer metonymically to the royal court, the priests and Levites, and the people, respectively.
  21. 2 Chronicles 29:21 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  22. 2 Chronicles 29:24 tn Heb “said.”
  23. 2 Chronicles 29:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Hezekiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  24. 2 Chronicles 29:25 tn Or “seer.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 29:26 tn Heb “stood with” (i.e., stood holding).
  26. 2 Chronicles 29:30 tn Heb “with the words.”
  27. 2 Chronicles 29:30 tn Or “seer.”
  28. 2 Chronicles 29:31 tn Heb “filled your hand.”
  29. 2 Chronicles 29:31 tn Or “tokens of thanks.”
  30. 2 Chronicles 29:31 tn Heb “and all who were willing of heart.”
  31. 2 Chronicles 29:32 tn Heb “and the number of burnt sacrifices which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, two hundred lambs; for a burnt sacrifice to the Lord were all these.”
  32. 2 Chronicles 29:33 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (tsoʾn) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but there is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
  33. 2 Chronicles 29:34 tn Heb “the burnt sacrifices.”
  34. 2 Chronicles 29:34 tn Heb “for the Levites were more pure of heart to consecrate themselves than the priests.”
  35. 2 Chronicles 29:35 tn Or “established.”
  36. 2 Chronicles 29:36 tn Heb “prepared.”
  37. 2 Chronicles 29:36 tn Heb “the people.” The pronoun “them” has been used here for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
  38. 2 Chronicles 29:36 tn Heb “for quickly was the matter.”
New English Translation (NET)

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

Romans 14

Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions.[a] One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him. Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord[b] is able to make him stand.

One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike.[c] Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The[d] one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 But you who eat vegetables only—why do you judge your brother or sister?[e] And you who eat everything—why do you despise your brother or sister?[f] For we will all stand before the judgment seat[g] of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”[h] 12 Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God.[i]

Exhortation for the Strong not to Destroy the Weak

13 Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.[j] 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister[k] is distressed because of what you eat,[l] you are no longer walking in love.[m] Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you consider good[n] be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.[o]

19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean,[p] it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.[q] 22 The faith[r] you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. 23 But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.[s]

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 14:1 tn Grk “over opinions.” The qualifier “differing” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
  2. Romans 14:4 tc Most mss, especially Western and Byzantine (D F G L 048 33 1739 1175 1241 1505 1881 M latt), read θεός (theos, “God”) in place of κύριος (kurios, “Lord”) here. However, κύριος is found in many of the most significant mss (P46 א A B C P Ψ co), and θεός looks to be an assimilation to θεός in v. 3.
  3. Romans 14:5 tn Grk “For one judges day from day, and one judges all days.”
  4. Romans 14:6 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  5. Romans 14:10 tn Grk “But why do you judge your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “weak” Christian who eats only vegetables (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  6. Romans 14:10 tn Grk “Or again, why do you despise your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “strong” Christian who eats everything (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  7. Romans 14:10 sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bēma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.
  8. Romans 14:11 sn A quotation from Isa 45:23.
  9. Romans 14:12 tc ‡ The words “to God” are absent from some mss (B F G 6 630 1739 1881) but are found in א A C D Ψ 0209 33 1175 1241 1505 M lat sy co. External evidence somewhat favors their inclusion since Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine mss are well represented. From an internal standpoint, however, it is easy to see the words as a scribal gloss intended to clarify the referent, especially as a reinforcement to the quotation of Isa 45:23 in v. 11. Not only that, but the abrupt ending of the verse without “to God” is harsh, both in Greek and in English. In this instance, the internal considerations seem overwhelming on the side of the omission. At the same time, English stylistic needs require the words and they have been put into the translation, even though they are most likely not original. NA28 places the words in brackets, indicating doubt as to their authenticity.tn Or “each of us is accountable to God.”
  10. Romans 14:13 tn Grk “brother.”
  11. Romans 14:15 tn Grk “brother.”
  12. Romans 14:15 tn Grk “on account of food.”
  13. Romans 14:15 tn Grk “according to love.”
  14. Romans 14:16 tn Grk “do not let your good.”
  15. Romans 14:18 tn Grk “by men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is generic here (“people”) since the contrast in context is between God and humanity.
  16. Romans 14:20 sn Here clean refers to food being ceremonially clean.
  17. Romans 14:21 tc A large number of mss, some of them quite significant (P46vid א2 B D F G Ψ 0209 33 1881 M lat sa), read “or to be offended or to be made weak” after “to stumble.” The shorter reading “to stumble” is found only in Alexandrian mss (א* A C 048 81 945 1506 1739 bo). Although external evidence favors inclusion, internal evidence points to a scribal expansion, perhaps reminiscent of 1 Cor 8:11-13. The shorter reading is therefore preferred.
  18. Romans 14:22 tc ‡ Several significant Alexandrian witnesses (א A B C 048) have the relative pronoun ἥν (hēn, “the faith that you have”) at this juncture, but D F G Ψ 1175 1241 1505 1739 1881 M lat co lack it. Without the pronoun, the clause is more ambiguous (either “Keep the faith [that] you have between yourself and God” or “Do you have faith? Keep it between yourself and God”). The pronoun thus looks to be a motivated reading, created to clarify the meaning of the text. Even though it is found in the better witnesses, in this instance internal evidence should be given preference. NA28 places the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
  19. Romans 14:23 tc Some mss insert 16:25-27 at this point. See the tc note at 16:25 for more information.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Psalm 24

Psalm 24[a]

A psalm of David.

24 The Lord owns the earth and all it contains,
the world and all who live in it.
For he set its foundation upon the seas,
and established[b] it upon the ocean currents.[c]
Who is allowed to ascend[d] the mountain of the Lord?[e]
Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?
The one whose deeds are blameless
and whose motives are pure,[f]
who does not lie,[g]
or make promises with no intention of keeping them.[h]
Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord,[i]
and vindicated by the God who delivers them.[j]
Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor,
Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him.[k] (Selah)
Look up,[l] you gates.
Rise up,[m] you eternal doors.
Then the majestic king[n] will enter.[o]
Who is this majestic king?[p]
The Lord who is strong and mighty.
The Lord who is mighty in battle.
Look up, you gates.
Rise up, you eternal doors.
Then the majestic king will enter.
10 Who is this majestic king?
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies.[q]
He is the majestic king. (Selah)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 24:1 sn Psalm 24. The psalmist affirms the universal kingship of the sovereign creator, reminds his people that only the morally pure are qualified to worship him, and celebrates his splendor as a mighty warrior king.
  2. Psalm 24:2 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite, referring to the creation of the world.
  3. Psalm 24:2 sn He…established it upon the ocean currents. The description reflects ancient Israelite prescientific cosmology, which is based on outward appearances. The language also suggests that God’s creative work involved the subjugation of chaos, symbolized by the sea.
  4. Psalm 24:3 tn The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.
  5. Psalm 24:3 sn In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2-3).
  6. Psalm 24:4 tn Heb “the innocent of hands and the pure of heart.” The “hands” allude to one’s actions, the “heart” to one’s thought life and motives.
  7. Psalm 24:4 tn Heb “who does not lift up for emptiness my life.” The first person pronoun on נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my life”) makes little sense here; many medieval Hebrew mss support the ancient versions in reading a third person pronoun “his.” The idiom “lift the life” here means to “long for” or “desire strongly.” In this context (note the reference to an oath in the following line) “emptiness” probably refers to speech (see Ps 12:2).
  8. Psalm 24:4 tn Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”
  9. Psalm 24:5 tn Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the Lord.” The singular subject is representative here, as v. 6 makes clear. The referent (godly people like the individual in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The imperfect verbal form is generalizing; such people are typically rewarded for their deeds.
  10. Psalm 24:5 tn “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”
  11. Psalm 24:6 tn Heb “this [is the] generation of the ones seeking him, the ones seeking your face, Jacob.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 27:8; 105:4).sn This verse presents a somewhat idealized view of Jacobs descendants as devoted worshipers of the Lord.
  12. Psalm 24:7 tn Heb “lift up your heads.” The gates of the Lord’s dwelling place are here personified. The idiom “lift up the head” often means “be confident, bold” (see Judg 8:28; Job 10:15; Ps 83:2; Zech 1:21).
  13. Psalm 24:7 tn Heb “lift yourselves up.”
  14. Psalm 24:7 tn Or “king of glory.”
  15. Psalm 24:7 tn Following the imperatives of the preceding lines, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
  16. Psalm 24:8 sn Who is this majestic king? Perhaps the personified gates/doors ask this question, in response to the command given in v. 7.
  17. Psalm 24:10 tn Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts,” a title which here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Proverbs 20:12

12 The ear that hears and the eye that sees[a]
the Lord has made them both.[b]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 20:12 sn The first half of the verse refers to two basic senses that the Lord has given to people. C. H. Toy, however, thinks that they represent all the faculties (Proverbs [ICC], 388). But in the book of Proverbs seeing and hearing come to the fore. By usage, “hearing” also means obeying (15:31; 25:12), and “seeing” also means perceiving and understanding (Isa 6:9-10).
  2. Proverbs 20:12 sn The verse not only credits God with making these faculties of hearing and sight and giving them to people, but it also emphasizes their spiritual use in God’s service.
New English Translation (NET)

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

7/30/2021 DAB Chronological Transcription

Isaiah 54-56

Welcome to daily Audio Bible Chronological. I’m Jill. It’s the 30th day of July and we are going through the Bible together in chronological order. We do it every day until we get through the Bible together in a year. It’s a joy to be here with you reading the word of God. It’s my complete honor and I’m humbled to be able to do so, but I’m also on this journey with you. I have never been through the Bible in chronological order. So we’re doing that together individually, but collectively as a community. It’s such a beautiful thing. We are here once again centering ourselves around the word of God- we’re just going to take the next 25 to 30 minutes, and exhale first of all. We’re gonna listen and quiet ourselves and we’re going to open our hearts to receive all that God would say and speak and do in our hearts through his word. Today we’re continuing Isaiah chapter 54 and will be reading through chapter 58. And we are still in the New English translation for just a few more days. Isaiah 54.

Commentary:

We have a really powerful ending to the reading today. Could’ve pulled from several different places from today if I’m just being honest. But the part that was particularly uncomfortable that sort of hit right right where it counts is in chapter 58. They seek me day after day. They want to know my requirements like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They asked me for just decrees. They want to be near God. They lament. Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves? Look at the same time you fast you satisfy your selfish desires. You oppress your workers. Your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls and fistfights. Do not fast as you do today trying to make your voice heard in heaven. Is this really the kind of fasting I want? Do I want a day when people merely humbled themselves bowing their heads like a reed stretched out on sackcloth and ashes? is this really what you call a day that is pleasing to the Lord? No, this is the kind of fast I want. Here it is, I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, to break every burdensome yoke. This could make me weep. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe them. Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood, Then your light will shine like the sunrise, your restoration will quickly arrive. Your godly behavior will go before you and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard. I don’t know exactly what this means to be honest with you, and for the record, if you’re reading along its it’s worth rereading all the way to the end. I think the point that hurts is that we can so easily do the things and check off the boxes thinking that we’re following the rules and we’re doing all the things. We’re getting it so right and were completely missing the heart of God because we are missing the heart of God’s people. We’re walking past the hungry and we dismiss the marginalized. We blame the oppressed that they got what they deserved. We elevate the rich and the prideful because just maybe maybe deep down it makes us seem rich for a moment, might make us feel a little more elevated in our egos and our conscience. Remember a few years ago during a fast and just walking around telling people how hungry I was. And finally, the Lord convicted me of- ya you are missing the whole point if all you’re doing is complaining the whole time you’re fasting. Then just don’t fast- don’t do it if all you’re doing is complaining about how much you want a cheeseburger. And I was at a crossroads, either needed to break fast and attend to my selfish desires or I had to stay on course and stop complaining and press into what exactly I was doing. I was fasting in hopes to obtain something that I wanted instead of shifting my awareness to what I was willing to give up and reaching toward God as my dependency in place of what I would normally reach for and gravitate towards. I don’t know about you…I don’t want to miss the mark anymore and I want to jump and shout and make a scene in hopes to bring attention, that hopefully people will come to Christ because look at me, look at all the things I’m doing right and I’m totally missing the heart of God. How do we know the heart of God? We ask him. We spend time, we seek it out, we read it in his word. We so easily speak for God instead of speaking to God and we must remember to spend time that connects our heart to his heart through worship, prayer, through dialogue, through quietness and stillness.

Prayer:

So father, this is my prayer today that we will not miss the mark that we will not be busy doing the things that we think that you want us to do and we completely miss your heart. I’m tired and so weary of hearing people speak for you father without speaking to you, And even this, even this word speaks to our hearts today that comes from the prophet Isaiah, speaking to your children who refused to listen to you, who chose to worship other gods, who turned their back on you, and hearing these words that you spoke through your prophet to the people, let them not fall on deaf ears today. As your children, open our eyes to see that which we have been blind to, open our ears to hear what we have avoided, what we have let fall on deaf ears and once again we pray father that you would turn these hearts of stone to flesh- let us be open to receive all that you want to say and speak into in our lives through your word. I pray that we would only take this and internalize it to ourselves, not for anybody else. Not for the people that we think need to hear this and they need to change. We can only change our own selves. We can only choose to do the work for our own lives and may it be so. I pray, and I pray this in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Announcements:

I’m a little tore up today. Daily Audio Bible, that’s home base, it’s where you can go to check out anything you want to know about the Daily Audio Bible or Daily Audio Bible Chronological or any other channel that is available on the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that on the app- just a click of your fingertips. If you would like to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you immensely for your partnership. If you’re giving by mail its DAB PO Box 1996 Spring Hill, TN 37174 or we’ve tried to make it convenient by using the app, just click the give icon at the top right hand corner of your app- you may also hit the give icon on the website. Again, thank you immensely for every log to throw onto the global campfire. If you have a prayer request, if you’re calling to pray for someone that’s previously called in needing prayer, you can do so by calling 800 583 2164 or again hit that red circle button at the top right hand corner of your app or your mobile device. Whichever finger you’re using make sure you hit submit and then turn the dial to chronological as we continue to be a community that prays and lifts one another up and you know there’s never there should never be any shame for whatever it is that you’re going through, that you need to not go through alone. So there’s no need to apologize feeling that the need is less than some of the other great needs. I think we’ve all been there. We’ve all felt that but there’s no shame in needing prayer, needing just be reminded that you are not alone, so that we remind you that you are not alone. That’s going to do it for me today and we will turn the page together tomorrow. Until then, love one another.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday July 30, 2021 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 26-28

Uzziah’s Reign

26 All the people of Judah took Uzziah,[a] who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. Uzziah[b] built up Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah[c] had passed away.[d]

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done.[e] He followed[f] God during the lifetime of[g] Zechariah, who taught him how to honor God. As long as he followed[h] the Lord, God caused him to succeed.[i]

Uzziah attacked[j] the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. He built cities in the region of Ashdod and throughout Philistine territory.[k] God helped him in his campaigns[l] against the Philistines, the Arabs living in Gur Baal, and the Meunites. The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah and his fame reached[m] the border of Egypt, for he grew in power.

Uzziah built and fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, Valley Gate, and at the Angle.[n] 10 He built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the foothills[o] and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel,[p] for he loved agriculture.[q]

11 Uzziah had an army of skilled warriors trained for battle. They were organized by divisions according to the muster rolls made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, a royal official. 12 The total number of family leaders who led warriors was 2,600. 13 They commanded an army of 307,500 skilled and able warriors who were ready to defend[r] the king against his enemies. 14 Uzziah supplied shields, spears, helmets, breastplates, bows, and slingstones for the entire army. 15 In Jerusalem he made war machines carefully designed to shoot arrows and large stones from the towers and corners of the walls. He became very famous, for he received tremendous support and became powerful.[s]

16 But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him.[t] He disobeyed[u] the Lord his God. He entered the Lord’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar. 17 Azariah the priest and eighty other brave priests of the Lord followed him in. 18 They confronted[v] King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not proper for you, Uzziah, to offer incense to the Lord. That is the responsibility of the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to offer incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have disobeyed[w] and the Lord God will not honor you!” 19 Uzziah, who had an incense censer in his hand, became angry. While he was ranting and raving[x] at the priests, a skin disease[y] appeared on his forehead right there in front of the priests in the Lord’s temple near the incense altar. 20 When Azariah the high priest and the other priests looked at him, there was a skin disease on his forehead. They hurried him out of there; even the king[z] himself wanted to leave quickly because the Lord had afflicted him. 21 King Uzziah suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters,[aa] afflicted by a skin disease and banned from the Lord’s temple. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.

22 The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from start to finish, were recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.[ab] 23 Uzziah passed away[ac] and was buried near his ancestors[ad] in a cemetery[ae] belonging to the kings. (This was because he had a skin disease.)[af] His son Jotham replaced him as king.

Jotham’s Reign

27 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother[ag] was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done.[ah] (He did not, however, have the audacity to enter the temple.)[ai] Yet the people were still sinning.

He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple and did a lot of work on the wall in the area known as Ophel.[aj] He built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.

He launched a military campaign[ak] against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. That year the Ammonites paid him 100 talents[al] of silver, 10,000 cors[am] of wheat, and 10,000 cors[an] of barley. The Ammonites also paid this same amount of annual tribute the next two years.[ao]

Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to please the Lord his God.[ap] The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including all his military campaigns and his accomplishments, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah.[aq] He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. Jotham passed away[ar] and was buried in the City of David.[as] His son Ahaz replaced him as king.

Ahaz’s Reign

28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what pleased the Lord, in contrast to his ancestor David.[at] He followed in the footsteps of[au] the kings of Israel; he also made images of the Baals. He offered sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and passed his sons through the fire,[av] a horrible sin practiced by the nations[aw] whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

The Lord his God handed him over to the king of Syria. The Syrians[ax] defeated him and deported many captives to Damascus.[ay] He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who thoroughly defeated him.[az] In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 warriors in Judah, because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors.[ba] Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam, the supervisor of the palace, and Elkanah, the king’s second-in-command. The Israelites seized from their brothers 200,000 wives, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a huge amount of plunder and took it[bb] back to Samaria.

Oded, a prophet of the Lord, was there. He went to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them: “Look, because the Lord God of your ancestors was angry with Judah he handed them over to you. You have killed them so mercilessly that God has taken notice.[bc] 10 And now you are planning[bd] to enslave[be] the people[bf] of Judah and Jerusalem. Yet are you not also guilty before the Lord your God? 11 Now listen to me! Send back those you have seized from your brothers, for the Lord is very angry at you!”[bg] 12 So some of[bh] the Ephraimite family leaders, Azariah son of Jehochanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jechizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai confronted[bi] those returning from the battle. 13 They said to them, “Don’t bring those captives here! Are you planning on making us even more sinful and guilty before the Lord?[bj] Our guilt is already great, and the Lord is very angry at Israel.”[bk] 14 So the soldiers released the captives and the plunder before the officials and the entire assembly. 15 Men were assigned to take the prisoners and find clothes among the plunder for those who were naked.[bl] So they clothed them, supplied them with sandals, gave them food and drink, and provided them with oil to rub on their skin.[bm] They put the ones who couldn’t walk on donkeys.[bn] They brought them back to their brothers at Jericho, the city of date palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.

16 At that time King Ahaz asked the king[bo] of Assyria for help. 17 The Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried off captives. 18 The Philistines had raided the cities of Judah in the foothills[bp] and the Negev.[bq] They captured and settled in Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its surrounding villages, Timnah and its surrounding villages, and Gimzo and its surrounding villages. 19 The Lord humiliated[br] Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel,[bs] for he encouraged Judah to sin and was very[bt] unfaithful to the Lord. 20 King Tiglath-Pileser[bu] of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support.[bv] 21 Ahaz gathered riches[bw] from the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and the officials and gave them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help.

22 During his time of trouble King Ahaz was even more unfaithful to the Lord. 23 He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus whom he thought had defeated him.[bx] He reasoned,[by] “Since the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they caused him and all Israel to stumble. 24 Ahaz gathered the items in God’s temple and removed them. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and erected altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. 25 In every city throughout Judah he set up high places to offer sacrifices to other gods. He angered the Lord God of his ancestors.

26 The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel.[bz] 27 Ahaz passed away[ca] and was buried in the city of Jerusalem; they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:1 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 15:1-8 has the variant spelling “Azariah.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 26:2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Uzziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. 2 Chronicles 26:2 tn Heb “after the king”; the referent (Amaziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  4. 2 Chronicles 26:2 tn “slept with his fathers.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 26:4 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord, according to all which Amaziah his father had done.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 26:5 tn Heb “sought.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 26:5 tn Heb “in the days of.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 26:5 tn Heb “in the days of his seeking.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 26:5 tn Or “prosper.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 26:6 tn Heb “went out and fought.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 26:6 tn Heb “in Ashdod and among the Philistines.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 26:7 tn The words “in his campaigns” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
  13. 2 Chronicles 26:8 tn Heb “and his name went to.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 26:9 tn On the meaning of the Hebrew word מִקְצוֹעַ (miqtsoaʿ), see HALOT 628 s.v. עַ(וֹ)מִקְצֹ. The term probably refers to an “angle” or “corner” somewhere on the eastern wall of Jerusalem.
  15. 2 Chronicles 26:10 sn The foothills (שְׁפֵלָה, shephelah) are the region between the Judean hill country and the Mediterranean coastal plain.
  16. 2 Chronicles 26:10 tn Heb “workers and vinedressers in the hills and in Carmel.” The words “he had” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  17. 2 Chronicles 26:10 tn Heb “for a lover of the ground he [was].”
  18. 2 Chronicles 26:13 tn Heb “help.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 26:15 tn Heb “and his name went out to a distant place, for he did extraordinarily to be helped until he was strong.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 26:16 tn Heb “his heart was high [i.e., proud] until to destroy.”
  21. 2 Chronicles 26:16 tn Or “was unfaithful to.”
  22. 2 Chronicles 26:18 tn Heb “stood against.”
  23. 2 Chronicles 26:18 tn Or “been unfaithful.”
  24. 2 Chronicles 26:19 tn Heb “angry.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 26:19 tn Traditionally “leprosy,” but this was probably a skin disorder of some type, not leprosy (technically known today as Hansen’s disease). See 2 Kgs 5:1.
  26. 2 Chronicles 26:20 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  27. 2 Chronicles 26:21 tn The precise meaning of בֵּית הַחָפְשִׁית (bet hakhofshit, “house of [?]”) is uncertain. NASB, NIV, NRSV all have “in a separate house”; NEB has “in his own house…relieved of all duties.” For a discussion of various proposals, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 166-67.
  28. 2 Chronicles 26:22 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Uzziah, the former and the latter, Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, recorded.”
  29. 2 Chronicles 26:23 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
  30. 2 Chronicles 26:23 tn Heb “fathers.”
  31. 2 Chronicles 26:23 tn Heb “a field of burial.”
  32. 2 Chronicles 26:23 tn Heb “for they said, ‘He had a skin disease.’”
  33. 2 Chronicles 27:1 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
  34. 2 Chronicles 27:2 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord, according to all which Uzziah his father had done.”
  35. 2 Chronicles 27:2 tn Heb “except he did not enter the house of the Lord.”
  36. 2 Chronicles 27:3 tn Heb “wall of Ophel.” See HALOT 861 s.v. II עֹפֶל.
  37. 2 Chronicles 27:5 tn Heb “he fought with.”
  38. 2 Chronicles 27:5 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the silver was 6,730 lbs. (3,060 kg).
  39. 2 Chronicles 27:5 sn As a unit of dry measure a cor was roughly equivalent to six bushels (about 220 liters).
  40. 2 Chronicles 27:5 tn Heb “10,000 cors of wheat and 10,000 of barley.” The unit of measure of the barley is omitted in the Hebrew text, but is understood to be “cors,” the same as the measures of wheat.
  41. 2 Chronicles 27:5 tn Heb “This the sons of Ammon brought to him, and in the second year and the third.”
  42. 2 Chronicles 27:6 tn Heb “because he established his ways before the Lord his God.”
  43. 2 Chronicles 27:7 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jotham, and his battles and his ways, look, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Israel and Judah.”
  44. 2 Chronicles 27:9 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
  45. 2 Chronicles 27:9 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
  46. 2 Chronicles 28:1 tn Heb “and he did not do what was proper in the eyes of the Lord, like David his father.”
  47. 2 Chronicles 28:2 tn Heb “he walked in the ways of.”
  48. 2 Chronicles 28:3 sn This may refer to child sacrifice, though some interpret it as a less drastic cultic practice (NEB “burnt his sons in the fire”; NASB “burned his sons in the fire”; NIV “sacrificed his sons in the fire”; NRSV “made his sons pass through fire”). For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 266-67.
  49. 2 Chronicles 28:3 tn Heb “like the abominable practices of the nations.”
  50. 2 Chronicles 28:5 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Syrians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  51. 2 Chronicles 28:5 tn Heb “and took captive from him a great captivity and brought [them] to Damascus.”
  52. 2 Chronicles 28:5 tn Heb “who struck him down with a great striking.”
  53. 2 Chronicles 28:6 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 25).
  54. 2 Chronicles 28:8 tn Heb “the loot.” The pronoun (“it”) has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
  55. 2 Chronicles 28:9 tn Heb “and you killed them with anger [that] reaches as far as heaven.”
  56. 2 Chronicles 28:10 tn Heb “saying.”
  57. 2 Chronicles 28:10 tn Heb “to enslave as male servants and female servants.”
  58. 2 Chronicles 28:10 tn Heb “sons.”
  59. 2 Chronicles 28:11 tn Heb “for the rage of the anger of the Lord is upon you.”
  60. 2 Chronicles 28:12 tn Heb “men from.”
  61. 2 Chronicles 28:12 tn Heb “arose against.”
  62. 2 Chronicles 28:13 tn Heb “for to the guilt of the Lord upon us you are saying to add to our sins and our guilty deeds.”
  63. 2 Chronicles 28:13 tn Heb “for great is [the] guilt to us and rage of anger is upon Israel.”
  64. 2 Chronicles 28:15 tn Heb “and the men who were designated by names arose and took the captives and all their naked ones they clothed from the loot.”
  65. 2 Chronicles 28:15 tn Heb “and poured oil on them.”
  66. 2 Chronicles 28:15 tn Heb “and they led them on donkeys, with respect to everyone stumbling.”
  67. 2 Chronicles 28:16 tc Most Hebrew mss read the plural, “kings,” but one Hebrew ms, the LXX and Vulgate read the singular “king.” Note the singular in v. 20.
  68. 2 Chronicles 28:18 sn The foothills (שְׁפֵלָה, shephelah) are the region between the Judean hill country and the Mediterranean coastal plain.
  69. 2 Chronicles 28:18 sn The Negev is an area of central, southern Judah, south of the hill country and Beer Sheba and west of the rift valley.
  70. 2 Chronicles 28:19 tn Or “subdued.”
  71. 2 Chronicles 28:19 sn That is, “of Judah.” Frequently in 2 Chronicles “Israel” is substituted for “Judah.”
  72. 2 Chronicles 28:19 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the cognate nominal form to emphasize the degree of Ahaz’s unfaithfulness.
  73. 2 Chronicles 28:20 tn Heb “Tilgath-Pilneser,” a variant spelling of Tiglath-Pileser.
  74. 2 Chronicles 28:20 tn Heb “and he caused him distress and did not strengthen him.”
  75. 2 Chronicles 28:21 tn Heb “divided up,” but some read חִלֵּץ (khillets, “despoiled”).
  76. 2 Chronicles 28:23 tn Heb “the gods of Damascus, the ones who had defeated him.” The words “he thought” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The perspective is that of Ahaz, not the narrator! Another option is that “the kings” has been accidentally omitted after “gods of.” See v. 23b.
  77. 2 Chronicles 28:23 tn Heb “said.”
  78. 2 Chronicles 28:26 tn Heb “As for the rest of his events, and all his ways, the former and the latter, look, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.”
  79. 2 Chronicles 28:27 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
New English Translation (NET)

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

Romans 13

Submission to Civil Government

13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment,[a] and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority[b] resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation because it is God’s servant for your well-being. But be afraid if you do wrong because government[c] does not bear the sword for nothing. It is God’s servant to administer punishment on the person who does wrong. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities[d] but also because of your conscience.[e] For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities[f] are God’s servants devoted to governing.[g] Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Exhortation to Love Neighbors

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For the commandments,[h]Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,[i] (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[j] 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Motivation to Godly Conduct

11 And do this[k] because we know[l] the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. 12 The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires.[m]

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 13:1 tn Grk “by God.”
  2. Romans 13:2 tn Grk “the authority,” referring to the authority just described.
  3. Romans 13:4 tn Grk “it.”
  4. Romans 13:5 tn Grk “its wrath”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  5. Romans 13:5 tn Grk “because of (the) conscience,” but the English possessive “your” helps to show whose conscience the context implies.
  6. Romans 13:6 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  7. Romans 13:6 tn Grk “devoted to this very thing.”
  8. Romans 13:9 tn Grk “For the…” (with the word “commandments” supplied for clarity). The Greek article (“the”) is used here as a substantiver to introduce the commands that are quoted from the second half of the Decalogue (ExSyn 238).
  9. Romans 13:9 sn A quotation from Exod 20:13-15, 17; Deut 5:17-19, 21.
  10. Romans 13:9 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
  11. Romans 13:11 tn Grk “and this,” probably referring to the command to love (13:8-10); hence, “do” is implied from the previous verses.
  12. Romans 13:11 tn The participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
  13. Romans 13:14 tn Grk “make no provision for the flesh unto desires.”
New English Translation (NET)

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

Psalm 23

Psalm 23[a]

A psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd,[b]
I lack nothing.[c]
He takes me to lush pastures,[d]
he leads me to refreshing water.[e]
He restores my strength.[f]
He leads me down[g] the right paths[h]
for the sake of his reputation.[i]
Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,[j]
I fear[k] no danger,[l]
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff reassure me.[m]
You prepare a feast before me[n]
in plain sight of my enemies.
You refresh[o] my head with oil;
my cup is completely full.[p]
Surely your goodness and faithfulness[q] will pursue[r] me all my days,[s]
and I will live in[t] the Lord’s house[u] for the rest of my life.[v]

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 23:1 sn Psalm 23. In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence.
  2. Psalm 23:1 sn The Lord is my shepherd. The opening metaphor suggests the psalmist is assuming the role of a sheep. In vv. 1b-4 the psalmist extends the metaphor and explains exactly how the Lord is like a shepherd to him. At the surface level the language can be understood in terms of a shepherd’s relationship to his sheep. The translation of vv. 1-4 reflects this level. But, of course, each statement also points to an underlying reality.
  3. Psalm 23:1 tn The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the Lord as his shepherd (habitual present use). The next verse explains more specifically what he means by this statement.
  4. Psalm 23:2 tn Heb “he makes me lie down in lush pastures.” The Hiphil verb יַרְבִּיצֵנִי (yarbitseni) has a causative-modal nuance here (see IBHS 445-46 §27.5 on this use of the Hiphil), meaning “allows me to lie down” (see also Jer 33:12). The point is that the shepherd takes the sheep to lush pastures and lets them eat and rest there. Both imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing and highlight the psalmist’s typical experience.
  5. Psalm 23:2 tn Both genitives in v. 2 indicate an attribute of the noun they modify: דֶּשֶׁא (desheʾ) characterizes the pastures as “lush” (i.e., rich with vegetation), while מְנֻחוֹת (menukhot) probably characterizes the water as refreshing. In this case the plural indicates an abstract quality. Some take מְנֻחוֹת in the sense of “still, calm” (i.e., as describing calm pools in contrast to dangerous torrents), but it is unlikely that such a pastoral scene is in view. Shepherds usually watered their sheep at wells (see Gen 29:2-3; Exod 2:16-19). Another option is to take מְנֻחוֹת as “resting places” and to translate, “water of/at the resting places” (i.e., a genitive of location; see IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2e).sn Within the framework of the metaphor, the psalmist/sheep is declaring in v. 2 that his shepherd provides the essentials for physical life. At a deeper level the psalmist may be referring to more than just physical provision, though that would certainly be included.
  6. Psalm 23:3 tn The appearance of the Hebrew term נַפְשִׁי (nafshi), traditionally translated “my soul,” might suggest a spiritualized interpretation for the first line of v. 3. However, at the surface level of the shepherd/sheep metaphor, this is unlikely. When it occurs with a pronominal suffix נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v.נֶפֶשׁ 4.a). In this context, where the statement most naturally refers to the physical provision just described, the form is best translated simply “me.” The accompanying verb (a Polel form [factitive use] of שׁוּב [shuv]), if referring to the physical provision just described, carries the nuance “refresh, restore strength.”
  7. Psalm 23:3 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 (יְשׁוֹבֵב [yeshovev] and יַנְחֵנִי [yankheni]), like those in vv. 1-2, highlight what is typical of the shepherd/sheep relationship.
  8. Psalm 23:3 tn The attributive genitive צֶדֶק (tsedeq) is traditionally translated “righteousness” here, as if designating a moral or ethical quality. But this seems unlikely, for it modifies מַעְגְּלֵי (maʿgele, “paths”). Within the shepherd/sheep metaphor, the phrase likely refers to “right” or “correct” paths, i.e., ones that lead to pastures, wells, or the fold. While צֶדֶק usually does carry a moral or ethical nuance, it can occasionally refer to less abstract things, such as weights and offerings. In this context, which emphasizes divine provision and protection, the underlying reality is probably God’s providential guidance. The psalmist is confident that God takes him down paths that will ultimately lead to something beneficial, not destructive.
  9. Psalm 23:3 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the shepherd’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.) The statement לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (lemaʿan shemo, “for the sake of his name”) makes excellent sense within the framework of the shepherd/sheep metaphor. Shepherds, who sometimes hired out their services, were undoubtedly concerned about their vocational reputation. To maintain their reputation as competent shepherds, they had to know the “lay of the land” and make sure they led the sheep down the right paths to the proper destinations. The underlying reality is a profound theological truth: God must look out for the best interests of the one he has promised to protect, because if he fails to do so, his faithfulness could legitimately be called into question and his reputation damaged.
  10. Psalm 23:4 tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל [tsel] + מָוֶת [mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צָלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צָלַם, tsalam) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. If the word does indeed mean “darkness,” it modifies גַיְא (gayʾ, “valley, ravine”) quite naturally. At the metaphorical level, v. 4 pictures the shepherd taking his sheep through a dark ravine where predators might lurk. The life-threatening situations faced by the psalmist are the underlying reality behind the imagery.
  11. Psalm 23:4 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 4, as in vv. 1-3, highlight what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.
  12. Psalm 23:4 tn The Hebrew term רָע (raʿ) is traditionally translated “evil” here, perhaps suggesting a moral or ethical nuance. But at the level of the metaphor, the word means “danger, injury, harm,” as a sheep might experience from a predator. The life-threatening dangers faced by the psalmist, especially the enemies mentioned in v. 5, are the underlying reality.
  13. Psalm 23:4 tn The Piel of נָחַם (nakham), when used with a human object, means “comfort, console.” But here, within the metaphorical framework, it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.
  14. Psalm 23:5 sn In v. 5 the metaphor switches. (It would be very odd for a sheep to have its head anointed and be served wine.) The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet. Ancient Near Eastern texts describe such banquets in similar terms to those employed by the psalmist. (See M. L. Barre and J. S. Kselman, “New Exodus, Covenant, and Restoration in Psalm 23, ” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, 97-127.) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.
  15. Psalm 23:5 tn The imperfect verbal form in v. 5a carries on the generalizing mood of vv. 1-4. However, in v. 5b the psalmist switches to a perfect (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ, dishanta), which may have a generalizing force as well. But then again the perfect is conspicuous here and may be present perfect in sense, indicating that the divine host typically pours oil on his head prior to seating him at the banquet table. The verb דָשַׁן (dashan; the Piel is factitive) is often translated “anoint,” but this is misleading, for it might suggest a symbolic act of initiation into royal status. One would expect the verb מָשָׁח (mashan) in this case; דָשַׁן here describes an act of hospitality extended to guests and carries the nuance “refresh.” In Prov 15:30 it stands parallel to “make happy” and refers to the effect that good news has on the inner being of its recipient.
  16. Psalm 23:5 tn The rare noun רְוָיָה (revayah) is derived from the well-attested verb רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated, drink one’s fill”). In this context, where it describes a cup, it must mean “filled up,” but not necessarily to overflowing.
  17. Psalm 23:6 tn The noun חֶסֶד (khesed; v. 6) has been the subject of several monographs. G. R. Clark concludes that חֶסֶד “is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.” He explains that an act of חֶסֶד is “a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him- or herself.” (See G. R. Clark, The Word Hesed in the Hebrew Bible [JSOTSup], 267.) HALOT 336-37 s.v. defines the word as “loyalty,” or “faithfulness.” Other appropriate meanings might be “commitment” and “devotion.”
  18. Psalm 23:6 tn The use of רָדַף (radaf, “pursue, chase”) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, “goodness and faithfulness”) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, “pursue”). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 5) to chase him, but ironically God’s “goodness and faithfulness” (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word “pursue” is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) “chasing down” the one whom he loves.
  19. Psalm 23:6 tn Heb “all the days of my life.”
  20. Psalm 23:6 tn The verb form וְשַׁבְתִּי (veshavti) is a Qal perfect (with vav [ו] consecutive), first common singular, from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) and should be translated, “and I will return.” But this makes no sense when construed with the following phrase, “in the house of the Lord.” The term שׁוּב (shuv) appears only here with the following phrase בְּבֵית (bevet). The form should be emended to וְשִׁבְתִּי (veshivti; an infinitive construct from יָשַׁב [yashav, “live”] with pronominal suffix) or to וְיָשַׁבְתִּי (veyashavti; a Qal perfect with vav [ו] consecutive, first common singular, from ישׁב [see BHS, note c]). In either case one could then translate, “and I will live [in the house of the Lord].” The phrase “in the house” frequently follows the verb יָשַׁב in the OT.
  21. Psalm 23:6 tn Heb “the house of the Lord.” The phrase may be purely metaphorical here, referring to the royal palace where the royal host of v. 5 holds his banquet and lives. If one takes the phrase more literally, it would refer to the earthly tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the later temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
  22. Psalm 23:6 tn The phrase אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (ʾorekh yamim, “length of days”) is traditionally translated “forever.” However, this phrase, when used elsewhere of people, usually refers to a lengthy period of time, such as one’s lifetime, and does not mean “forever” in the sense of eternity. (Cf. Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20.) Furthermore, the parallel phrase “all the days of my life” suggests this more limited meaning. Psalm 21:4, where the phrase is followed by “forever and ever,” may be an exception, though the juxtaposition of the phrases may be an example of intensification, where the second phrase goes beyond the limits of the first, rather than synonymity. Even if one takes both expressions as referring to eternal life, the language is part of the king’s hyperbolic description of the Lord’s blessings and should not be taken literally.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Proverbs 20:11

11 Even a young man[a] is known[b] by his actions,
whether his activity is pure and whether it is right.[c]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 20:11 sn In the first nine chapters of the book of Proverbs the Hebrew term נַעַר (naʿar) referred to an adolescent, a young person whose character was being formed in his early life.
  2. Proverbs 20:11 sn The Hebrew verb נָכַר (nakhar) means “to recognize” more than simply “to know.” Certain character traits can be recognized in a child by what he does (cf. NCV “by their behavior”).
  3. Proverbs 20:11 sn Character is demonstrated by actions at any age. But the emphasis of the book of Proverbs would also be that if the young child begins to show such actions, then the parents must try to foster and cultivate them; if not, they must try to develop them through teaching and discipline.
New English Translation (NET)

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

07/29/2021 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28, Romans 12:1-21, Psalms 22:19-31, Proverbs 20:8-10

Today is the 29th day of July welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it’s great to be here with you as we continue our journey through this week and push ourselves into the end of the week. And obviously we’ll get there, one step at a time, day by day taking the next step forward together. And our step today leads us back into the book of second Chronicles. We’re reading from the New English Translation this week. Second Chronicles chapters 24 and 25 today.

Commentary:

Okay. Our reading for the book of Romans today, the letter to the Romans is potent. It is, at least in…to me, one of the most potent clear descriptions of what life is supposed to be looking like, what our postures and motivations are supposed to be looking. Like we’re moving through the theology of Paul and we’re understanding, like okay we’ve died to the law, we’ve been resurrected with Christ, sin doesn’t have a claim to us, all of the things that we’re discussing about the transformative nature of salvation, the things that happen because we believe. We believe leave Jesus. And often when we acknowledge…when we acknowledge to ourselves that we still struggle with plenty of things that plague us from our history or our presence, and there are times that it feels like, you know, we’re not being transformed without moving forward. Sometimes it feels like we’re moving backward and what it this supposed to look like? And, so, we can look at…at the things that are laid out in the New Testament as essentially a new law that we have to live up to and the same result happens. We realize we can’t make ourselves perfect. We have no power to do that no matter what color prescription gets laid out about how we should be living. It’s difficult for us to be perfect all the time. And yet there are postures of our hearts that we do have a say in, right? And we do have a mind and although it may play tricks on us we do have a say in what we are going to put into action. And we have all kinds of thoughts swirling in our minds, but we do have a say into what we going to then engage our body to participate in. So, we do have control we just…we just can’t keep self-control 100% of the time. Paul lays out today a picture of what this transformation process should be looking like within ourselves and within the body, the body of Christ, the followers of Jesus on this earth, what we’re supposed to be living into and what our lives are supposed to be. And there are plenty lists like this found in the Bible. So, you know, we’ll go back through this, but rather than going back through this and looking at the ways that were failing and just kind of allow the condemnation to descend upon us, so that we’re like, yeah, I can't…just I can't…I can’t keep up with all this. Let’s look at what’s described here because what’s described here will be what we want and what we’re going for. And we’ll also see that we’re failing at it, but let’s at least ask ourselves, are we even trying at these things? Because not trying, yeah that might be failing, but trying to live in this direction, beginning to move toward these things slowly, systematically, that is transformation, but we have to be participants in it. In other words, we have to collaborate with what God is doing with in us by surrendering to what He is doing within us rather than shutting it down and trying to take control and being our own sovereign, which we probably know pretty well leads us in ways we don’t want to go. So, let’s kinda look back over what Paul is saying today. He says that we should present our bodies as a sacrifice, a living one, like not one that’s, you know, gonna die and be burned up, a living sacrifice, Holy y and pleasing to God. That’s where we start. And according to Paul, that’s reasonable. So, it’s not beyond us, it’s the default, it’s the reasonable thing that we should do in response to the love of God for us. We’re told to not conform ourselves to this present world. In other words, to conform ourselves and use the tactics and convictions of the world around us. Instead of that we’re supposed to be being transformed by the renewing of our mind, renewing of our mind. Re-new. New all over again of our minds. We’re actively participating in this. We’re actively cooperating and collaborating and purging the things in our minds that lead us in all kinds of directions, whether that be in action or in stuff that we push down inside of us and hold their, bitterness and rage and anger and jealousy and envy. When these things come up into our minds and get triggered that’s when we capture them. We observe what’s going on. We see where that is leading us. We surrender it to God, which is reasonable and allow the renewing of our mind so that we are then awake and aware enough to test and approve what the will of God is, what is good and well pleasing and perfect. And that just gets us through the first two verses in Romans that we read today. Paul goes on to tell us we should think more highly of ourselves. Then well…then we should, and we shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to each other. Rather, we should be sober about who we are and know that all that we have has come from God. God is…I’m quoting Paul. “God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith. For just as in one body we have many members and not all the members serve the same function. So, we who are many, are one body in Christ and individually we are members who belong to one another, and we have different gifts according to the grace given to us.” So, Paul’s saying like, yeah, this isn’t a game of comparison, this isn’t a game of being better than, this isn’t a game of even measuring up, this isn’t even a game. All you have to do is be. You have been gifted by God. Do that. Be that. So, Paul is like, if the gift you were given this prophecy then do that, if it’s serving then do that, if it’s teaching then do that, if it’s exhorting then do that, if it’s giving and contributing then do that sincerely, if its leadership than do that with diligence. If it’s being merciful, then do that with cheerfulness. There are things that are true of you that have always been true of you that need to be offered to God’s people and to the world, not so that you can be validated, not so that you can compete or be better than somebody else, or that you can be less than somebody else, so that you can be who you are. And do we not spend most of our lives in a struggle in that direction just trying to be who we are while being confronted with all of the pressures that are pulling us in a million directions and pulling us apart so that we’re not whole. Paul’s saying yeah, live…live your life as a living sacrifice. That’s a reasonable thing to do in response to God who has come for you, who has come to rescue you. Be who you are. Let the glory of the Lord shine through you as compared to no one else. And then he goes on to say, love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another with mutual love showing eagerness in honoring one another. Do not lack in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, endure suffering, persists in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality, bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Consider what is good before all people if possible, so far as it depends on you. Live peaceably with all people. Is this not the life we’re invited into? Is this not where we’re trying to go? Is this not who we want to be? Because this is the description of what it looks like to be transformed. And we can look at these things and see the places that we’re failing but we have to be fair and say am I even trying? And let’s try with all of our might knowing that in our own strength we cannot sustain perfection, we cannot sustain any of this. I mean just get a bad night sleep and you can’t control your day. But can we look at these things and know that they all have action involved. Like this is a collaboration. We’re not just going to be able to sit on the couch and be sanctified. The things Paul says are actions, things that we have to participate in. Like be devoted, do not lack in zeal, rejoice, contribute, bless and do not curse, rejoice, live in harmony, do not be haughty, do not be conceited, do not repay anyone evil. You see, these things aren’t just gonna happen. We have to do them. We have to try. We have to live in this direction and read train ourselves, renew our minds, retrain the way that we react to things. So if we’re used…if our default position is to strike back when we’re struck, whether…whether physically or with words, if somebody is gonna bring some kind of thing against us with words then we’re gonna strike back and take them down with even harsher words. If that’s our default position we have to catch ourselves in it and understand that we’re supposed to bless those who persecute us. We’re supposed to bless and not curse. We have to try. We have to retrain ourselves by opening ourselves to the renewing of our minds, the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives. So, we have to catch ourselves and remind ourselves this isn’t the way I’m going. And, so, to go where I want to go I have to do this differently. We have to re-train re-new, collaborate in the renewing of our minds. And, so, there’s an awful lot here in just a few paragraphs from Paul today that really…really affects the way we live. And let’s take that into our day and ponder it.

Prayer:

And Holy Spirit we invite you into that, into that pondering. In fact come Holy Spirit and reveal to us the places that we’re not even trying, because that would explain so much, so much of the state of affairs of our lives. Help us Jesus we pray. In your mighty name, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

Dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it is the website, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here. So, check it out. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app you can check out these things by using the little Drawer icon in the upper left-hand corner. Places like the Community section where the Prayer Wall lives. The Daily Audio Bible Shop, where there are resources for the journey through the Scriptures in a year. So, check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you humbly. If this mission to bring the spoken word of God to anyone who will listen anywhere on this planet any time of day or night, and to build community around that rhythm so that we’re not…we’re not in this alone and we begin to realize we’ve never been in this alone. If that is life-giving to you than thank you for your partnership. There’s a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement you can hit the Hotline button in the app, which is the little red button up at the top or there are a number of numbers that you can use depending on where you are in the world. In the Americas 877-942-4253 is the number to call. If you’re in the UK or Europe 44-20-3608-8078 is the number to dial. And if you are in Australia or that part of the world 61-3-8820-5459 is the number to call.

And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Good morning Daily Audio Bible community this is Diane Olive Braun from Newburgh IN an encourager, one of many. It is 6:55 AM on July 27th 2021, and it is Tuesday and we have the story of how great great kings came against Jehoshaphat. And he had several options, but he chose the right one, he chose to stay in the presence of the Lord and to yield his will to the Lord and to say we can’t defeat this vast army, we don’t know what to do but our eyes are on You. Holy Spirit help us to remember this story of Jehoshaphat and how he went to the Lord. He did not deliver himself. He trusted himself in the hands of the Lord and that is the safest place to be. So, we trust ourselves in your hands, we are your very own children. You are our very own God, and we love You and we magnify You and we glorify You and we humble ourselves under Your mighty hand…

Hi DAB family it’s James here from the UK it’s been a long time since I’ve put in a prayer request but here I am and here I’m…this is what I’m doing. I'm…I would really appreciate prayers for my family. In particular, our family holiday is coming up. It’s been a really stressful year. And I know it’s been a stressful year for so many people. But we are just loggerheads a lot of times with our three teenagers and, you know, it goes…it moves…it changes from a relationship with our kids where you can go on a holiday and you know that people are going to be, you know, really having…having a great time to one where, you know, this is going to be putting ourselves through quite some ordeal. But I feel like this is a really important time for us to be together. And, so, I’m just asking for prayers that we would be able to humble ourselves in front of each other and allow ourselves just to be real, be natural, be normal, but also be respectful and just rekindle a sense of family. And, so, I’d really appreciate your prayers for that. Thanks. Thanks family.

Hey Brian, hey DABbers, hey happy family. I just wanted to share…Oh my name is Mary and I’ve been listening now for maybe…well just started at the beginning of the year and I just wanted to share that I had a dream last night about the Global Campfire and how it’s like this constant flame. And then I’ve thought Oh my gosh what a symbol of the Holy Spirit this Global Campfire that we share together. So, I just wanted to share that because I thought that that was a…a really nice God inspired dream that I had about just how wonderful and we’re so blessed to have this community. So, Brian I just thank you so much for doing this for all these years and for bringing us together. No matter where we are in the world, we have this eternal flame of this Global Campfire. So, I thought that was cool. Anyway, everybody have a great day and we’ll see you around the Global Campfire. Bye.

Hey faith fam it’s Holly Heart. Career of Contrite Spirit I really like the story you shared about helping someone both physically and spiritually it helped…it brings me such joy when I can help people. I’m sure it does you too. Dear Lord please watch over Jose and please let him get the help that he needs. Joe the Protector. Dear Lord please watch over my brother Joe. He needs help at his new workplace, which is full of non-believers Lord. Use him to help save some of those fellow workers or clients. You have a purpose for him in being there. Joe my husband’s also in the same kind of situation at work and it is very difficult. I am praying for you both. Cindy from California. Dear father please help Cindy heal the cause of her RSD. She cannot bear the pain and needs you to comfort and to heal her. Thankfully Overcome. Congratulations on making it an entire year. I’m glad that you have lots of people praying continually for you and now I am one of them. Dear Lord please watch over Thankfully Overcome and please help her continue on this path that she is on towards you. Zach. Dear Lord please watch over Zach’s marriage. He needs Your guidance. They both need to feel You’re loving touch so that they can treat each other the same way. Esther from Orlando. Dear Lord, please help to guide Esther in her living situation. Please help to alleviate the fear she’s having because with you Lord there is no reason to fear Anonymous. Dear Lord, please watch over the anonymous caller who said she needed a new beginning. She lost her husband brother and family dog. So much pain. She is not in this pain alone Father. Her…she has a daughter and two sons, and they also need healing and a new start. Please help bring them Your divine peace. Please help her find a good career so that she can care for her children and please help them find an exceptional living place. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Good morning this is Emily in Minnesota. High DABbers. Brian’s message today, oh, so great. Psalm 22 1 and 2. My God my God why have you abandoned me. I groan in prayer but helps seems so far away. I cry out during the day, but you do not answer and during the night my prayers don’t let up. Lord Jesus thank you so much for hearing our cries, understanding our grief and our pain and loss and suffering on…in this world. Things I’ve heard in the last few years in my story from others I cannot imagine. There are no words. You’re living out my worst nightmare. Our society is not comfortable with grief, loss, lament. Our tears are better when wiped away around others. I’ve seen this. I’ve learned to journey through my grief and lament one tear at a time at the foot of the cross with a Father that knows earthy brokenness and suffering and listens unconditionally when I know it and not. Please continue to lift up my family through our losses. As most of you know, my parents are…my families out of state and I have a brother who lost his wife to cancer with a young family in November 2020. My parents are simultaneously diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia in the summer of 2019. I have another brother who is homeless and is struggling with mental health or addiction out of state. And then I lost my son, college freshman, to suicide spring of 2019. My own family is to choosing to turn away from God in this time of loss but they know His presence and I continue to pray. Thank you. Have a wonderful day.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday July 29, 2021 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 24-25

Joash’s Reign

24 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. He reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother[a] was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. Joash did what the Lord approved[b] throughout the lifetime[c] of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada chose two wives for him who gave him sons and daughters.

Later, Joash was determined to repair the Lord’s temple.[d] He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!” But the Levites delayed.

So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest,[e] and said to him, “Why have you not made[f] the Levites collect[g] from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?”[h] (Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.) The king ordered a chest to be made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple.[i] An edict was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, God’s servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness.[j] 10 All the officials and all the people gladly brought their silver and threw it into the chest until it was full. 11 Whenever the Levites brought the chest to the royal accountant and they saw there was a lot of silver, the royal scribe and the accountant of the high priest emptied the chest and then took it back to its place. They went through this routine every day and collected a large amount of silver.

12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to the construction foremen[k] assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and craftsmen to repair the Lord’s temple, as well as those skilled in working with iron and bronze to restore the Lord’s temple. 13 They worked hard and made the repairs.[l] They followed the measurements specified for God’s temple and restored it.[m] 14 When they were finished, they brought the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to make items for the Lord’s temple, including items used in the temple service and for burnt sacrifices, pans, and various other gold and silver items. Throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime, burnt sacrifices were offered regularly in the Lord’s temple.

15 Jehoiada grew old and died at the age of 130. 16 He was buried in the City of David[n] with the kings, because he had accomplished good in Israel and for God and his temple.

17 After Jehoiada died, the officials of Judah visited the king and declared their loyalty to him.[o] The king listened to their advice.[p] 18 They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors[q] and worshiped[r] the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. 19 The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him.[s] They warned[t] the people, but they would not pay attention. 20 God’s Spirit energized[u] Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why are you violating the commands of the Lord? You will not be prosperous. Because you have rejected the Lord, he has rejected you!’” 21 They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 22 King Joash disregarded[v] the loyalty Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s[w] son. As Zechariah[x] was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!”[y]

23 At the beginning[z] of the year the Syrian army attacked[aa] Joash[ab] and invaded Judah and Jerusalem. They wiped out all the leaders of the people and sent all the plunder they gathered to the king of Damascus. 24 Even though the invading Syrian army was relatively weak, the Lord handed over to them Judah’s very large army,[ac] for the people of Judah[ad] had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. The Syrians[ae] gave Joash what he deserved.[af] 25 When they withdrew, they left Joash[ag] badly wounded. His servants plotted against him because of what he had done to[ah] the son[ai] of Jehoiada the priest. They murdered him on his bed. Thus[aj] he died and was buried in the City of David,[ak] but not in the tombs of the kings. 26 The conspirators were Zabad son of Shimeath (an Ammonite woman) and Jehozabad son of Shimrith (a Moabite woman).

27 The list of Joash’s[al] sons, the many prophetic oracles about him, and the account of his building project on God’s temple are included in the record of the Scroll of the Kings.[am] His son Amaziah replaced him as king.

Amaziah’s Reign

25 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother[an] was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. He did what the Lord approved,[ao] but not with wholehearted devotion.[ap]

When he had secured control of the kingdom,[aq] he executed the servants who had assassinated his father the king. However, he did not execute their sons. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the law scroll of Moses,[ar] “Fathers must not be executed for what their sons do,[as] and sons must not be executed for what their fathers do.[at] A man must be executed only for his own sin.”[au]

Amaziah assembled the people of Judah[av] and assigned them by families to the commanders of units of 1,000 and the commanders of units of 100 for all Judah and Benjamin. He counted those twenty years old and up and discovered there were 300,000 young men of fighting age[aw] equipped with spears and shields.[ax] He hired 100,000 Israelite warriors for 100 talents[ay] of silver.

But a prophet[az] visited him and said: “O king, the Israelite troops must not go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel or any of the Ephraimites.[ba] Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you[bb] before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.”[bc] Amaziah asked the prophet:[bd] “But what should I do about the 100 talents of silver I paid the Israelite troops?” The prophet[be] replied, “The Lord is capable of giving you more than that.” 10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops that had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home.[bf] They were very angry at Judah and returned home incensed. 11 Amaziah boldly led his army to the Valley of Salt,[bg] where he defeated[bh] 10,000 Edomites.[bi] 12 The men[bj] of Judah captured 10,000 men alive. They took them to the top of a cliff and threw them over.[bk] All the captives[bl] fell to their death.[bm] 13 Now the troops Amaziah had dismissed and had not allowed to fight in the battle[bn] raided[bo] the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed[bp] 3,000 people and carried off a large amount of plunder.

14 When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people[bq] of Seir and made them his personal gods.[br] He bowed down before them and offered them sacrifices. 15 The Lord was angry at Amaziah and sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why are you following[bs] these gods[bt] that could not deliver their own people from your power?”[bu] 16 While he was speaking, Amaziah[bv] said to him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!”[bw] So the prophet stopped, but added, “I know that God has decided[bx] to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.”

17 After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers,[by] he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, “Come, face me on the battlefield.”[bz] 18 King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush.[ca] 19 You defeated Edom[cb] and it has gone to your head.[cc] Gloat over your success,[cd] but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?”[ce]

20 But Amaziah did not heed the warning,[cf] for God wanted to hand them over to Joash because they followed the gods of Edom.[cg] 21 So King Joash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other on the battlefield[ch] in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 22 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home.[ci] 23 King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Joash son of Jehoahaz, in Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—a distance of about 600 feet.[cj] 24 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in God’s temple that were in the care of Obed-Edom, the riches in the royal palace, and some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.

25 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Joash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 26 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel.[ck] 27 From the time Amaziah turned from following the Lord, conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem,[cl] so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him[cm] and they killed him there. 28 His body was carried back by horses,[cn] and he was buried with his ancestors[co] in the City of David.[cp]

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 24:1 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 24:2 tn Heb “and Joash did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 24:2 tn Heb “all the days of.”
  4. 2 Chronicles 24:4 tn Heb “and it was, later, there was with the heart of Joash to repair the house of the Lord.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 24:6 tn Heb “Jehoiada the head”; the word “priest” not in the Hebrew text but is implied.
  6. 2 Chronicles 24:6 tn Heb “demanded of.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 24:6 tn Heb “to bring.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 24:6 tn Heb “the tent of testimony.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 24:8 tn Heb “and the king said [it] and they made a chest and placed it in the gate of the house of the Lord outside.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 24:9 tn Heb “and they gave voice in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord the tax of Moses the servant of God upon Israel in the wilderness.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 24:12 tn Heb “doers of the work.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 24:13 tn Heb “and the doers of the work worked, and the repairs went up for the work by their hand.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 24:13 tn Heb “and they caused the house of God to stand according to its measurements and they strengthened it.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 24:16 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
  15. 2 Chronicles 24:17 tn Heb “came and bowed down to the king.”
  16. 2 Chronicles 24:17 tn Heb “to them.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 24:18 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 24).
  18. 2 Chronicles 24:18 tn Heb “served.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 24:19 tn Heb “and he sent among them prophets to bring them back to the Lord.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 24:19 tn Heb “testified among.”
  21. 2 Chronicles 24:20 tn Heb “clothed.”
  22. 2 Chronicles 24:22 tn Heb “did not remember.”
  23. 2 Chronicles 24:22 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Jehoiada) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  24. 2 Chronicles 24:22 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Zechariah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  25. 2 Chronicles 24:22 tn Heb “and seek [—].” The direct object of “seek” is omitted in the Hebrew text but implied; “vengeance” is supplied for clarification.
  26. 2 Chronicles 24:23 tn Heb “turning.”
  27. 2 Chronicles 24:23 tn Heb “went up against.”
  28. 2 Chronicles 24:23 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joash) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  29. 2 Chronicles 24:24 tn Heb “though with a small amount of men the army of Aram came, the Lord gave into their hand an army [that was] very large.”
  30. 2 Chronicles 24:24 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  31. 2 Chronicles 24:24 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Syrians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  32. 2 Chronicles 24:24 tn Heb “executed judgments on Joash.”
  33. 2 Chronicles 24:25 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joash) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  34. 2 Chronicles 24:25 tn Heb “because of the shed blood of.”
  35. 2 Chronicles 24:25 tc The MT has the plural בְּנֵי (bene, “sons”), but the final yod is dittographic. Note the yod that immediately follows.
  36. 2 Chronicles 24:25 tn Heb “and he died.”
  37. 2 Chronicles 24:25 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
  38. 2 Chronicles 24:27 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joash) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  39. 2 Chronicles 24:27 tn Heb “and the founding of the house of God, look, they are written on the writing of the scroll of the kings?”
  40. 2 Chronicles 25:1 tn Heb “the name of his mother.”
  41. 2 Chronicles 25:2 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord.”
  42. 2 Chronicles 25:2 tn Heb “a complete heart.”
  43. 2 Chronicles 25:3 tn Heb “when the kingdom was secure upon him.”
  44. 2 Chronicles 25:4 tn Heb “as it is written in the scroll of the law of Moses which the Lord commanded, saying.”
  45. 2 Chronicles 25:4 tn Heb “on account of sons.”
  46. 2 Chronicles 25:4 tn Heb “on account of fathers.”
  47. 2 Chronicles 25:4 sn This law is recorded in Deut 24:16.
  48. 2 Chronicles 25:5 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy here for the people of Judah.
  49. 2 Chronicles 25:5 tn Heb “young men going out to war.”
  50. 2 Chronicles 25:5 tn Heb “holding a spear and a shield.”
  51. 2 Chronicles 25:6 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the silver was 6,730 lbs. (3,060 kg).
  52. 2 Chronicles 25:7 tn Heb “man of God.”
  53. 2 Chronicles 25:7 tn Heb “Israel, all the sons of Ephraim.”
  54. 2 Chronicles 25:8 tn Heb “cause you to stumble.”
  55. 2 Chronicles 25:8 tn Heb “to cause to stumble.”
  56. 2 Chronicles 25:9 tn Heb “said to the man of God.”
  57. 2 Chronicles 25:9 tn Heb “man of God.”
  58. 2 Chronicles 25:10 tn Heb “and Amaziah separated them, the troops who came to him from Ephraim, to go to their place.”
  59. 2 Chronicles 25:11 tn Heb “and Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people and went to the Valley of Salt.”
  60. 2 Chronicles 25:11 tn Or “struck down.”
  61. 2 Chronicles 25:11 tn Heb “sons of Seir.”
  62. 2 Chronicles 25:12 tn Heb “sons.”
  63. 2 Chronicles 25:12 tn Heb “and threw them from the top of the cliff.”
  64. 2 Chronicles 25:12 tn Heb “all of them.”
  65. 2 Chronicles 25:12 tn Heb “smashed in pieces.”
  66. 2 Chronicles 25:13 tn Heb “had sent back from going with him to the battle.”
  67. 2 Chronicles 25:13 tn Heb “stripped.”
  68. 2 Chronicles 25:13 tn Heb “struck down.”
  69. 2 Chronicles 25:14 tn Heb “sons.”
  70. 2 Chronicles 25:14 tn Heb “caused them to stand for him as gods.”
  71. 2 Chronicles 25:15 tn Heb “seeking,” perhaps in the sense of “consulting [an oracle from].”
  72. 2 Chronicles 25:15 tn Heb “the gods of the people.”
  73. 2 Chronicles 25:15 tn Heb “hand.”
  74. 2 Chronicles 25:16 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Amaziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  75. 2 Chronicles 25:16 tn Heb “Stop yourself! Why should they strike you down?”
  76. 2 Chronicles 25:16 tn The verb יָעַץ (yaʿats, “has decided”) is from the same root as יוֹעֵץ (yoʿets, “counselor”) in v. 16 and עֵצָה (ʿetsah, “advice”) later in v. 16. The wordplay highlights the appropriate nature of the divine punishment. Amaziah rejected the counsel of God’s prophet; now he would be the victim of God’s “counsel.”
  77. 2 Chronicles 25:17 tn The words “with his advisers” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  78. 2 Chronicles 25:17 tn Heb “let us look at each other [in the] face.” The expression refers here not to a visit but to meeting in battle. See v. 21.
  79. 2 Chronicles 25:18 sn The thorn bush in the allegory is Judah. Amaziah’s success had deceived him into thinking he was on the same level as the major powers in the area (symbolized by the cedar). In reality he was not capable of withstanding an attack by a real military power such as Israel (symbolized by the wild animal).
  80. 2 Chronicles 25:19 tn Heb “you say [to yourself], ‘look, you have defeated Edom.’”
  81. 2 Chronicles 25:19 tn Heb “and your heart is lifted up.”
  82. 2 Chronicles 25:19 tn Heb “to glorify.”
  83. 2 Chronicles 25:19 tn Heb “Why get involved in calamity and fall, you and Judah with you?”
  84. 2 Chronicles 25:20 tn Heb “did not listen.”
  85. 2 Chronicles 25:20 tn Heb “because it was from God in order to give them into the hand because they sought the gods of Edom.”
  86. 2 Chronicles 25:21 tn Heb “looked at each other [in the] face.” See the note on the expression “Come on, face me on the battlefield” in v. 17.
  87. 2 Chronicles 25:22 tn Heb “and Judah was struck down before Israel and they fled, each to his tent.”
  88. 2 Chronicles 25:23 tn Heb “400 cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the distance would have been about 600 feet (180 m).
  89. 2 Chronicles 25:26 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Amaziah, the former and the latter, are they not—behold, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.”
  90. 2 Chronicles 25:27 tn Heb “and they conspired against him [with] a conspiracy in Jerusalem.”
  91. 2 Chronicles 25:27 tn Heb “and they sent after him to Lachish.”
  92. 2 Chronicles 25:28 tn Heb “and they carried him on horses.”
  93. 2 Chronicles 25:28 tn Heb “fathers.”
  94. 2 Chronicles 25:28 tc The Hebrew text has “Judah,” but some medieval mss read “David,” as does the parallel passage in 2 Kgs 14:20.sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Romans 12

Consecration of the Believer’s Life

12 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God[b]—which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed[c] to this present world,[d] but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve[e] what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

Conduct in Humility

For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you[f] a measure of faith.[g] For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. And we have different gifts[h] according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith.[i] If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

Conduct in Love

Love must be[j] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.[k] Do not be conceited.[l] 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.[m] 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.[n] 19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath,[o] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”[p] says the Lord. 20 Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.[q] 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 12:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
  2. Romans 12:1 tn The participle and two adjectives “alive, holy, and pleasing to God” are taken as predicates in relation to “sacrifice,” making the exhortation more emphatic. See ExSyn 618-19.sn Taken as predicate adjectives, the terms alive, holy, and pleasing are showing how unusual is the sacrifice that believers can now offer, for OT sacrifices were dead. As has often been quipped about this text, “The problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar.”
  3. Romans 12:2 tn Although συσχηματίζεσθε (suschēmatizesthe) could be either a passive or middle, the passive is more likely since it would otherwise have to be a direct middle (“conform yourselves”) and, as such, would be quite rare for NT Greek. It is very telling that being “conformed” to the present world is viewed as a passive notion, for it may suggest that it happens, in part, subconsciously. At the same time, the passive could well be a “permissive passive,” suggesting that there may be some consciousness of the conformity taking place. Most likely, it is a combination of both.
  4. Romans 12:2 tn Grk “to this age.”
  5. Romans 12:2 sn The verb translated test and approve (δοκιμάζω, dokimazō) carries the sense of “test with a positive outcome,” “test so as to approve.”
  6. Romans 12:3 tn The words “of you” have been supplied for clarity.
  7. Romans 12:3 tn Or “to each as God has distributed a measure of faith.”
  8. Romans 12:6 tn This word comes from the same root as “grace” in the following clause; it means “things graciously given,” “grace-gifts.”
  9. Romans 12:6 tn The last part of this verse has no verb; either an indicative or imperative is implied. Most likely an imperative is intended because of the general tenor of this section of the epistle as exhortation and because of the particular flow of this verse, which seems to imply how to use spiritual gifts.
  10. Romans 12:9 tn The verb “must be” is understood in the Greek text.
  11. Romans 12:16 tn Or “but give yourselves to menial tasks.” The translation depends on whether one takes the adjective “lowly” as masculine or neuter.
  12. Romans 12:16 tn Grk “Do not be wise in your thinking.”
  13. Romans 12:17 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used as a generic and refers to both men and women.
  14. Romans 12:18 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used as a generic and refers to both men and women.
  15. Romans 12:19 tn Grk “the wrath,” referring to God’s wrath as the remainder of the verse shows.
  16. Romans 12:19 sn A quotation from Deut 32:35.
  17. Romans 12:20 sn A quotation from Prov 25:21-22.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Psalm 22:19-31

19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away.
You are my source of strength.[a] Hurry and help me![b]
20 Deliver me[c] from the sword.
Save[d] my life[e] from the claws[f] of the wild dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion,[g]
and from the horns of the wild oxen.[h]
You have answered me.[i]
22 I will declare your name to my countrymen.[j]
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you.
23 You loyal followers of the Lord,[k] praise him.
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him.
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him.[l]
24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering[m] of the oppressed.[n]
He did not ignore him;[o]
when he cried out to him, he responded.[p]
25 You are the reason I offer praise[q] in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers.[r]
26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled.[s]
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord.
May you[t] live forever!
27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him.[u]
Let all the nations[v] worship you.[w]
28 For the Lord is king[x]
and rules over the nations.
29 All the thriving people[y] of the earth will join the celebration and worship;[z]
all those who are descending into the grave[aa] will bow before him,
including those who cannot preserve their lives.[ab]
30 A whole generation[ac] will serve him;
they will tell the next generation about the Lord.[ad]
31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds;[ae]
they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished.[af]

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 22:19 tn Heb “O my strength.”
  2. Psalm 22:19 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
  3. Psalm 22:20 tn Or “my life.”
  4. Psalm 22:20 tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).
  5. Psalm 22:20 tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.
  6. Psalm 22:20 tn Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.
  7. Psalm 22:21 sn The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).
  8. Psalm 22:21 tn The Hebrew term רֵמִים (remim) appears to be an alternate spelling of רְאֵמִים (reʾemim, “wild oxen”; see BDB 910 s.v. רְאֵם).
  9. Psalm 22:21 tn Heb “and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.” Most take the final verb with the preceding prepositional phrase. Some understand the verb form as a relatively rare precative perfect, expressing a wish or request (see IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew. (See the discussion at Ps 3:7.) Others prefer to take the perfect in its usual indicative sense. The psalmist, perhaps in response to an oracle of salvation, affirms confidently that God has answered him, assuring him that deliverance is on the way. The present translation takes the prepositional phrase as parallel to the preceding “from the mouth of the lion” and as collocated with the verb “rescue” at the beginning of the verse. “You have answered me” is understood as a triumphant shout which marks a sudden shift in tone and introduces the next major section of the psalm. By isolating the statement syntactically, the psalmist highlights the declaration.
  10. Psalm 22:22 tn Or “brothers,” but here the term does not carry a literal familial sense. It refers to the psalmist’s fellow members of the Israelite covenant community (see v. 23).
  11. Psalm 22:23 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.
  12. Psalm 22:23 tn Heb “fear him.”
  13. Psalm 22:24 tn Or “affliction”; or “need.”
  14. Psalm 22:24 sn In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.
  15. Psalm 22:24 tn Heb “he did not hide his face from him.” For other uses of the idiom “hide the face” meaning “ignore,” see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9. Sometimes the idiom carries the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 27:9; 88:14).
  16. Psalm 22:24 tn Heb “heard.”
  17. Psalm 22:25 tn Heb “from with you [is] my praise.”
  18. Psalm 22:25 tn Heb “my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.” When asking the Lord for help, the psalmists would typically promise to praise the Lord publicly if he intervened and delivered them.
  19. Psalm 22:26 sn Eat and be filled. In addition to praising the Lord, the psalmist also offers a thank offering to the Lord and invites others to share in a communal meal.
  20. Psalm 22:26 tn Heb “may your heart[s].”
  21. Psalm 22:27 tn Heb “may all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the Lord.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27 are understood as jussives (cf. NEB). Another option (cf. NIV, NRSV) is to take the forms as imperfects and translate, “all the people of the earth will acknowledge and turn…and worship.” See vv. 29-32.
  22. Psalm 22:27 tn Heb “families of the nations.”
  23. Psalm 22:27 tn Heb “before you.”
  24. Psalm 22:28 tn Heb “for to the Lord [is] dominion.”
  25. Psalm 22:29 tn Heb “fat [ones].” This apparently refers to those who are healthy and robust, i.e., thriving. In light of the parallelism, some prefer to emend the form to יְשֵׁנֵי (yeshene, “those who sleep [in the earth]”; cf. NAB, NRSV), but דִּשְׁנֵי (dishne, “fat [ones]”) seems to form a merism with “all who descend into the grave” in the following line. The psalmist envisions all people, whether healthy or dying, joining in worship of the Lord.
  26. Psalm 22:29 tn Heb “eat and worship.” The verb forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) are normally used in narrative to relate completed actions. Here the psalmist uses the forms rhetorically as he envisions a time when the Lord will receive universal worship. The mood is one of wishful thinking and anticipation; this is not prophecy in the strict sense.
  27. Psalm 22:29 tn Heb “all of the ones going down [into] the dust.” This group stands in contrast to those mentioned in the previous line. Together the two form a merism encompassing all human beings—the healthy, the dying, and everyone in between.
  28. Psalm 22:29 tn Heb “and his life he does not revive.”
  29. Psalm 22:30 tn Heb “offspring.”
  30. Psalm 22:30 tn Heb “it will be told concerning the Lord to the generation.” The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
  31. Psalm 22:31 tn Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.
  32. Psalm 22:31 tn Heb “to a people [to be] born that he has acted.” The words “they will tell” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Proverbs 20:8-10

A king sitting on the throne to judge[a]
separates out[b] all evil with his eyes.[c]
Who can say,[d] “I have kept my heart[e] clean;[f]
I am pure[g] from my sin”?
10 Diverse weights and diverse measures[h]
the Lord abhors[i] both of them.

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 20:8 tn The infinitive construct דִּין (din, “to judge”) indicates purpose (so NIV, NCV), even though it does not have a preposition with it.
  2. Proverbs 20:8 tn The second line uses the image of winnowing (cf. NIV, NRSV) to state that the king’s judgment removes evil from the realm. The verb form is מְזָרֶה (mezareh), the Piel participle. It has been translated “to sift; to winnow; to scatter” and “to separate”—i.e., separate out evil from the land. The text is saying that a just government roots out evil (cf. NAB “dispels all evil”), but few governments have been consistently just.
  3. Proverbs 20:8 sn The phrase with his eyes indicates that the king will closely examine or look into all the cases that come before him.
  4. Proverbs 20:9 sn The verse is a rhetorical question; it is affirming that no one can say this because no one is pure and free of sin.
  5. Proverbs 20:9 tn The noun לֵב (lev) commonly translated “heart” includes the “mind” and embraces both motives and thoughts.
  6. Proverbs 20:9 tn In the Qal this verb, זָכָה (zakhah), means to be (morally) “clean; pure.” Here in the Piel it is factitive to “make clean” (so NRSV) or “keep clean” (so NIV). This verb only appears 8 times in the Bible, but this phrase “to cleanse the heart/mind” also occurs in Ps 73:13, where Asaph despairs of having cleansed his heart (or kept it clean). Ps 119:9 remarks that one can keep your path clean by carefully observing God’s word. And Isa 1:16 advises cleansing oneself by putting away and ceasing to do evil. In an ultimate sense, no one has kept a clean heart in every regard. However these other passages suggest that one can repent in order to cleanse the heart and attend to God’s word to keep it clean. The question thus points out the inherent lack of purity and poses the obligation to take steps to safeguard purity. In other words, since my heart is not (natively) pure, what do I need to do to keep it pure (as in being true to God not in a sense of works adding up to purity)?
  7. Proverbs 20:9 sn The Hebrew verb (טָהֵר, taher) means to “be clean; pure” and may refer to physical cleanliness or the absence of disease, mildew, infectants, or blemishes. As a Levitical term it normally refers to cleanness from infectants or religious ceremonial cleanness (though often the two are related). The term is applied morally (specifically “clean from sin” as in this verse) in Lev 16:30 as part of the Day of Atonement. After the High Priest confesses the sins of the people and makes the sacrifice on their behalf, the people are considered “clean.” So on the one hand, the question sounds rhetorical—no one can claim to be pure on their own merit. On the other hand, the cultic answer would be those who have confessed sin and offered a sacrifice are cleansed.
  8. Proverbs 20:10 tn The construction simply uses repetition to express different kinds of weights and measures: “a stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah.”
  9. Proverbs 20:10 tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” The phrase features a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.” sn Behind this proverb is the image of the dishonest merchant who has different sets of weights and measures which are used to cheat customers. The Lord hates dishonesty in business transactions.
New English Translation (NET)

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

07/28/2021 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21, Romans 11:13-36, Psalm 22:1-18, Proverbs 20:7

Today is the 28th day of July, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible, I’m Brian, it is wonderful to be here with you today. As we move through the center of a week together and continue our journey through this year. So, we are continuing to work our way through the book of 2 Chronicles, we’re reading from the New English Translation this week. Today, second Chronicles chapters 21, 22 and 23.

Commentary:

Okay, let’s talk about getting honest. Let’s talk about…well let’s just think back over the last say 18 months. Isn’t it funny like 18 months ago or a little longer than that, this idea of a pandemic and all that stuff, that was just not really on our radar and then a whole year of it and we’re kinda coming out the other side of it? But things aren’t really exactly the same, and even, even when we’re trying to get back to what we would call normal, if we look back at what normal was, it wasn’t really normal. We had all kinds of struggles and stuff that we were facing then. It felt like the world was at absolute warp speed so we couldn’t even hardly catch our breath. And then this thing came and we got still for a second but our idea of kinda going back to normal is how busy, like how full can I make things, how can I numb things by activity? How can I just keep running so I don’t have to face anything? That brings us to this idea of honesty. What we see in the Psalms today is pretty, pretty famous because it’s words that Jesus spoke while dying, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why have you abandoned me?” Right, and then the Psalm goes on, “Why are You so far away when I groan for help? Every day I called to You my God, but You do not answer. Every night I lift my voice but I find no relief.” That’s quoted out of the Bible. And it’s not taken out of any context. Like, that’s the first two verses of Psalm 22. That’s how the Psalm opens. It sets the context. When we hear those kinds of words confessed, maybe not spoken eloquently like that, when we hear that sentiment, what is going on? Where is God? I’m confused. So often we’ll like pull out scriptures, like well don’t you know greater is He that’s in you than he that’s in the world. Like, we…we try to use the, the Scriptures to offer words of encouragement by stating truths and the person who feels far away or abandoned or in grief or pain or agony of some sort, usually, we would receive the council of the Scriptures right. Usually we, we affirm what it’s telling us in an encouraging us in some way so that we can lead our heart out of our feeling, but so often we’re invited to fake that it’s not really happening that this isn’t how we’re supposed to feel. So, we deny that it is how we’re feeling. And so, can I read Psalm 20:21-22 again? “My God, my God, why have You abandoned me? Why are You so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to You my God, but You do not answer. Every night I lift my voice but I find no relief.” This was penned by the king of Israel, the great musician and poet David. It was also quoted from the cross of Christ. It has to be okay then to say these words, to describe this date occurring within our hearts. It’s not a permanent stay forever and ever. But we go through these kinds of things and we fake it and we numb in all kinds of unhealthy ways instead of just simply being honest and releasing it to God. Let it out, this it’s what is happening inside of me even if I know this is what supposed to be happening. This is what is happening. I cry out to release this and be honest about this. Otherwise, we just numb and numb and numb and this…it stays in us. Like it just stays there in ways that we can’t find any more. It becomes the ball of anxiety that is nameless and constant because it is this accumulation of stuff that we’re stuffing. The Bible certainly does encourage us. It certainly indeed does tell us of our identity and what that means. But as we can see from today’s reading, it is also giving us permission to be honest about what’s going on. This entire Psalm is just so full of honesty. David said You brought me safely from my mother’s womb. And You led me to trust You at my mother’s breast. I was thrust into Your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born. Don’t stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. That’s honest. This Psalm doesn’t kind of turn its way into something that it’s not it just is what was in his heart when he wrote it down and it has stood the test of time because it has reflected seasons of our lives ever since. It’s honestly human experience, and David concluded right, no one else can help me and maybe that actually is the key. Because haven’t we been learning all along the Bible is teaching us many things but one key thing is that the safest place to possibly be is to be hopelessly and utterly dependent upon God. And that the things that we try to construct an erect in our own strength, there fallible, they fall apart. Eventually, we can’t do this without God. And so, for David to cry out, and absolute honesty while acknowledging there is no one else to help me. This is like the bottom of it all. This is…this is where the upturn begins. When we feel like we’ve gone down into the valley again and we reached that place of awareness. Only God can help me. That is painful is that season or that experience might be. We have actually then found what we were looking for. Only God can help me, but God can help me. And so, if that’s where we find ourselves the let’s press into that reality, and that truth because that…well that changes the atmosphere. It’s like once we reach that point, that’s the end of the bottom.

Prayer:

And so, Father we acknowledge that coming to the end of ourselves, we struggle and we fight and we fight and we fight to not surrender and so, so often we get ourselves into things that simply crush us into surrender when it could’ve been willful all along, we could’ve been walking with You. And Father there are things that come and blind side us and we’re tipped upside down or sideways and we don’t know what’s going on anymore and so we cry out to You because no one else can help, and we acknowledged that, and then instead of looking at that as some kind of we’re abandoned here and alone, we look at it as, we finally found what we we’re looking for. We finally realize that there’s only one place of safety. So, come Holy Spirit into our broken hearts and heal us because You are a healer, You are a Redeemer, restore what is broken in us so that we might give our wholeness back to You. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base. It is the websites, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here. And of course, using the Daily Audio Bible app also lets you access all of these things, so check out like the Daily Audio Bible Shop which is chock-full of resources that…that have come to be over our journey together over these years; ways to go deeper ways to just stay connected to the journey that we are on: things to wear, things to write with, things to write on, a coffee and tea that can be sent freshly roasted and sourced to you. All the kinds of stuff that just works into the daily rhythms of our lives. So, check out the Daily Audio Bible Shop.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you, thank you humbly. Thank you humbly, especially as we navigate the summer time. Thank you for your partnership. I’ve said it…well probably over a thousand times now over all these years we’re a community, we wouldn’t be here if we weren’t in this together. So, thank you for your partnership. There’s a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you are using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner. Or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today. I’m Brian and I love you. And I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayers and Encouragements:

Hi, this is Lynn from Louisiana calling for Denise from Denver. I heard her call yesterday and it really touched my heart. So, with that being said, I wanted to read to her 2 Corinthians 1:3 and 4, Praise to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of our comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. I felt so led to read that because I know the pain that she’s feeling being also the mother of a deceased child. So, I wanted to reach out to her and to say that God has comforted my heart and he is comforting my heart. My son will now be dead, it will be 17 years this October and I can honestly say that God has been with me all the way. And Denise, I know that He will do the same for you. So, it is my prayer that He would wrap His arms around you and that you would so feel His presence. That without a shadow of a doubt that you’ll know it’s Him. That He would comfort your heart the same comfort that He’s comforted me. And I’m praying this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us all. Be blessed Denise. In Jesus name. Amen.

Prayer waves like the waves of the sea, no matter where you stand, no matter when you call in, no matter when you hear whether ankle-deep, knee deep or chest deep in the sea or in the cares of this world the waves keep coming. In the morning, at night when the sun is high in the sky. The waves of prayer never die down. Once you lay your cares at the foot of the cross or the shore of the sea the prayers never stop like the waves of the sea. Hey my DAB family. I am way behind like 30 days and the Community Prayer. But what just overwhelmed me today is that I heard Dorothy from Delaware lift me up from a request that I made a month ago or two months ago. And that just…it just dawned on me that how blessed we are in this community with this particular app and how we pray. And that those prayers continue day after day, morning, night and evening at different times of the month, all across this globe. I’m just blown away. Anyway, today I am prayer waver J from the Everglades wishing all a very blessed day.

Morning Daily Audio Bible family my name is Shana, I’m calling from Saskatchewan, Canada. I’m asking for prayer for my boyfriend. He’s been charged with a crime that de did not commit. And we are both God-fearing people. We both believe in Christ, and we just…we’re just beside ourselves. We, between the two of us, we have six young children who are going through this with us and it’s just unthinkable that he would be accused of something like this. I guess I’m just asking for prayer and I’m asking the Lord for guidance and wisdom. Whether it’s to help support him, help support his kids, his family, my kids, myself. I just…we’re looking for prayer. Yeah, I don’t know we’re kind of stuck, it’s gonna be a long road. Canada’s justice system takes long time. Thank you. Thank you, Lord, for giving us life, even though it’s a struggle. In Jesus name. Amen.

This is Cathy from Kentucky. I’d like to ask for prayers for protection over the meeting places in treatment centers where alcoholics and addicts. We had a Corona outbreak and one of the treatment centers and also one of the meeting spaces. So, these are sacred places for recovery and we ask protection. If alcoholics and addicts cannot meet in person they may relapse, so we ask for your protection over that. Thank you, Cathy from Kentucky.

Good afternoon DAB family God Bless you all. A woman called in and said this is your first year going through the Bible and you lost your hubby to cancer unexpectedly your brother and the family dog. You have two boys and a daughter and I am praying for the Comforter to be with you as you are navigating through life without these people that you’ve loved, your husband, your brother and your family dog, you know. I am praying for the Lord to just bless each and every one of you. I am praying for a career job to be given to you in the name of Jesus. I am praying in the name of Jesus for a new place to live, you know. And a new beginning on your life for you and your children in the name of Jesus. Hally Heart praise report thank you Jesus you know that you’re no longer on those meds and we are our own worst enemy Hally. You know we really are; we condemn ourselves you know for things that Christ died to forgive us so that we may have our redemption and our salvation in Him. You know so there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. And I’m so thankful for the DAB platform. And to be there for you when you needed it as it has been for me and so many others. Diane, from Denver, I am so sorry for the passing of your daughter 5 weeks ago. I can’t imagine that pain. The fear of losing a child has tormented me so I am so sorry that you are going through that. And know that I am carrying you deep in my heart and I am praying for you. And I am praying that the Lord, your God, our God, my God, is comforting you in the way that only He can. Because in the flesh I don’t even imagine how that could be comforted but with God I know it’s possible. So, we have to hold on to that truth. I love you. Esther from Kissimmee.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday July 28, 2021 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 21-23

21 Jehoshaphat passed away[a] and was buried with his ancestors[b] in the City of David.[c] His son Jehoram[d] replaced him as king.

Jehoram’s Reign

His brothers, Jehoshaphat’s sons, were Azariah, Jechiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel.[e] Their father gave them many presents, including silver, gold, and other precious items, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

Jehoram took control of his father’s kingdom and became powerful.[f] Then he killed all his brothers,[g] as well as some of the officials of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter.[h] He did evil in the sight of[i] the Lord. But the Lord was unwilling to destroy David’s dynasty[j] because of the promise[k] he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.[l]

During Jehoram’s[m] reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king.[n] Jehoram crossed over with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers.[o] 10 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day.[p] At that same time Libnah also rebelled and freed themselves from Judah’s control[q] because Jehoram[r] rejected the Lord God of his ancestors. 11 He also built high places on the hills of Judah; he encouraged the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord[s] and led Judah away from the Lord.[t]

12 Jehoram[u] received this letter from Elijah the prophet: “This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: ‘You[v] have not followed in the footsteps[w] of your father Jehoshaphat and of[x] King Asa of Judah, 13 but have instead followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. You encouraged the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord, just as the family of Ahab does in Israel.[y] You also killed your brothers, members of your father’s family,[z] who were better than you. 14 So look, the Lord is about to severely afflict[aa] your people, your sons, your wives, and all you own. 15 And you will get a serious, chronic intestinal disease which will cause your intestines to come out.’”[ab]

16 The Lord stirred up against Jehoram the Philistines[ac] and the Arabs who lived beside the Cushites. 17 They attacked Judah and swept through it.[ad] They carried off everything they found in the royal palace,[ae] including his sons and wives. None of his sons was left, except for his youngest, Ahaziah. 18 After all this happened, the Lord afflicted him with an incurable intestinal disease.[af] 19 After about two years his intestines came out because of the disease, so that he died a very painful death.[ag] His people did not make a bonfire to honor him, as they had done for his ancestors.[ah]

20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. No one regretted his death;[ai] he was buried in the City of David,[aj] but not in the royal tombs.

Ahaziah’s Reign

22 The residents of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place, for the raiding party that invaded the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older sons.[ak] So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. Ahaziah was twenty-two[al] years old when he became king, and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother[am] was Athaliah, the granddaughter[an] of Omri. He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty,[ao] for his mother gave him evil advice.[ap] He did evil in the sight of[aq] the Lord like Ahab’s dynasty because, after his father’s death, they[ar] gave him advice that led to his destruction. He followed their advice and joined Ahab’s son King Joram[as] of Israel in a battle against King Hazael of Syria[at] at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. Joram[au] returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians[av] in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Ahaziah[aw] son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he had been wounded.[ax]

God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall through his visit to Joram.[ay] When Ahaziah[az] arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had commissioned[ba] to wipe out Ahab’s family.[bb] While Jehu was dishing out punishment to Ahab’s family, he discovered the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives who were serving Ahaziah and killed them. He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned,[bc] “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart.” There was no one in Ahaziah’s family strong enough to rule in his place.[bd]

Athaliah is Eliminated

10 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line[be] of Judah.[bf] 11 So Jehoshabeath,[bg] the daughter of King Jehoram,[bh] took Ahaziah’s son Joash and stole him away from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so she could not execute him. 12 He remained in hiding in God’s temple[bi] for six years while Athaliah was ruling over the land.

23 In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact[bj] with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders.

They came to Jerusalem, and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada[bk] said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. This is what you must do. One-third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others[bl] will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple[bm] must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.”[bn]

The Levites and all the men of Judah[bo] did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and shields[bp] that were kept in God’s temple. 10 He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.[bq] 11 Jehoiada and his sons led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia.[br] They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head.[bs] They declared, “Long live the king!”

12 When Athaliah heard the royal guard[bt] shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd[bu] at the Lord’s temple. 13 Then she saw[bv] the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!”[bw] 14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, and ordered them, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards.[bx] Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple.[by] 15 They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance.[bz] There they executed her.

16 Jehoiada then drew up a covenant stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should be loyal to the Lord.[ca] 17 All the people went and demolished[cb] the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols.[cc] They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. 18 Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord’s temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord’s temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to[cd] the law of Moses and the edict of David. 19 He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple, so no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. 20 He summoned[ce] the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and he then led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. 21 All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah.[cf]

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 21:1 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 21:1 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 10, 12, 19).
  3. 2 Chronicles 21:1 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
  4. 2 Chronicles 21:1 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 8:20-24 has the variant spelling “Joram” for the son of Jehoshaphat.
  5. 2 Chronicles 21:2 sn A number of times in 2 Chronicles “Israel” is used instead of the more specific “Judah”; see 2 Chr 12:6; 23:2). In the interest of consistency some translations (e.g., NAB, NRSV) substitute “Judah” for “Israel” here.
  6. 2 Chronicles 21:4 tn Heb “and Jehoram arose over the kingdom of his father and strengthened himself.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 21:4 tn Heb “and he killed all his brothers with the sword.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 21:6 tn Heb “he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 21:6 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 21:7 tn Heb “house.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 21:7 tn Or “covenant.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 21:7 tn Heb “which he made to David, just as he had promised to give him and his sons a lamp all the days.” Here “lamp” is metaphorical, symbolizing the Davidic dynasty.
  13. 2 Chronicles 21:8 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Jehoram) has been specified in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
  14. 2 Chronicles 21:8 tn Heb “in his days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah and enthroned a king over them.”
  15. 2 Chronicles 21:9 tc Heb “and he arose at night and defeated Edom, who had surrounded him, and the chariot officers.” The Hebrew text as it stands gives the impression that Jehoram was surrounded and launched a victorious nighttime counterattack. Yet v. 10 goes on to state that the Edomite revolt was successful. The translation above assumes an emendation of the Hebrew text. Adding a third masculine singular pronominal suffix to the accusative sign before Edom (reading אֹתוֹ [ʾoto, “him”] instead of just אֶת [ʾet]) and taking Edom as the subject of verbs allows one to translate the verse in a way that is more consistent with the context, which depicts an Israelite defeat, not victory. See also 2 Kgs 8:21.
  16. 2 Chronicles 21:10 tn Heb “and Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah until this day.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 21:10 tn Or “from Jehoram’s control”; Heb “from under his hand.” The pronominal suffix may refer to Judah in general or, more specifically, to Jehoram.
  18. 2 Chronicles 21:10 tn Heb “he.” This pronoun could refer to Judah, but the context focuses on Jehoram’s misdeeds. See especially v. 11.
  19. 2 Chronicles 21:11 tn Heb “and he caused the residents of Jerusalem to commit adultery.” In this context spiritual unfaithfulness to the Lord is in view rather than physical adultery.
  20. 2 Chronicles 21:11 tn Heb “and drove Judah away.”
  21. 2 Chronicles 21:12 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehoram) has been specified in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
  22. 2 Chronicles 21:12 tn Heb “Because you…” In the Hebrew text this lengthy sentence is completed in vv. 14-15. Because of its length and complexity (and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences), the translation has divided it up into several English sentences.
  23. 2 Chronicles 21:12 tn Heb “walked in the ways.”
  24. 2 Chronicles 21:12 tn Heb “in the ways of.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 21:13 tn Heb “and you walked in the way of the kings of Israel and caused Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to commit adultery, like the house of Ahab causes to commit adultery.”
  26. 2 Chronicles 21:13 tn Heb “the house of your father.”
  27. 2 Chronicles 21:14 tn Heb “to strike with a great striking.”
  28. 2 Chronicles 21:15 tn Heb “and you [will have] a serious illness, an illness of the intestines until your intestines come out because of the illness days upon days.”
  29. 2 Chronicles 21:16 tn Heb “the spirit of the Philistines.”
  30. 2 Chronicles 21:17 tn Heb “broke it up.”
  31. 2 Chronicles 21:17 tn Heb “all the property which was found in the house of the king.”
  32. 2 Chronicles 21:18 tn Heb “in his intestines with an illness [for which] there was no healing.”
  33. 2 Chronicles 21:19 tn Heb “and it was to days from days, and about the time of the going out of the end for the days, two, his intestines came out with his illness and he died in severe illness.”
  34. 2 Chronicles 21:19 tn Heb “and his people did not make for him a fire, like the fire of his fathers.”
  35. 2 Chronicles 21:20 tn Heb “and he went without desire.”
  36. 2 Chronicles 21:20 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
  37. 2 Chronicles 22:1 tn Heb “for all the older [ones] the raiding party that came with the Arabs to the camp had killed.”
  38. 2 Chronicles 22:2 tc Heb “forty-two,” but some mss of the LXX and the Syriac along with the parallel passage in 2 Kgs 8:26 read “twenty-two.”
  39. 2 Chronicles 22:2 tn Heb “The name of his mother.”
  40. 2 Chronicles 22:2 tn The Hebrew term בַּת (bat, “daughter”) can refer, as here, to a granddaughter. See HALOT 165-66 s.v. I בַּת 1.
  41. 2 Chronicles 22:3 tn Heb “and also he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab.”
  42. 2 Chronicles 22:3 tn Heb “for his mother was his adviser to do evil.”
  43. 2 Chronicles 22:4 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
  44. 2 Chronicles 22:4 tn That is, the members of Ahab’s royal house.
  45. 2 Chronicles 22:5 tn Heb “Jehoram.”Jehoram and Joram are alternate spellings of the Israelite king’s name (also in vv. 6-7). The shorter form is used in these verses to avoid confusion with King Jehoram of Judah, father of Azariah.
  46. 2 Chronicles 22:5 tn Heb “Aram” (also in v. 6).
  47. 2 Chronicles 22:6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  48. 2 Chronicles 22:6 tn Heb “which they inflicted [on] him.”
  49. 2 Chronicles 22:6 tc Most Hebrew mss read “Azariah.” A few Hebrew mss, the LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac read “Ahaziah” (cf. 2 Kgs 8:29).
  50. 2 Chronicles 22:6 tn Heb “because he was sick,” presumably referring to the wounds he received in the battle with the Syrians.
  51. 2 Chronicles 22:7 tn Heb “From God was the downfall of Ahaziah by going to Joram.”
  52. 2 Chronicles 22:7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahaziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  53. 2 Chronicles 22:7 tn Heb “anointed.”
  54. 2 Chronicles 22:7 tn Heb “to cut off the house of Ahab.”
  55. 2 Chronicles 22:9 tn Heb “they said.”
  56. 2 Chronicles 22:9 tn Heb “and there was no one belonging to the house of Ahaziah to retain strength for kingship.”
  57. 2 Chronicles 22:10 tn Heb “she arose and she destroyed all the royal offspring.” The verb קוּם (qum, “arise”) is here used in an auxiliary sense to indicate that she embarked on a campaign to destroy the royal offspring. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 125.
  58. 2 Chronicles 22:10 tn Heb “house of Judah.”
  59. 2 Chronicles 22:11 sn Jehoshabeath is a variant spelling of the name Jehosheba (2 Kgs 11:2).
  60. 2 Chronicles 22:11 tn Heb “the king”; the referent (King Jehoram, see later in this verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  61. 2 Chronicles 22:12 tn Heb “and he was with them in the house of God hiding.”
  62. 2 Chronicles 23:1 tn Or “covenant.”
  63. 2 Chronicles 23:3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehoiada the priest, cf. v. 8) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  64. 2 Chronicles 23:5 tn Heb “all the people.”
  65. 2 Chronicles 23:7 tn Heb “house.”
  66. 2 Chronicles 23:7 tn Heb “and be with the king when he goes in/enters and when he goes out/exits.”
  67. 2 Chronicles 23:8 tn Heb “all 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.
  68. 2 Chronicles 23:9 tn The Hebrew text lists two different types of shields here. Most translations render “the large and small shields” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV; NEB “King David’s spears, shields, and bucklers”).
  69. 2 Chronicles 23:10 tn Heb “and he stationed all the people, each with his weapon in his hand, from the south shoulder of the house to the north shoulder of the house, at the altar and at the house, near the king all around.”
  70. 2 Chronicles 23:11 tn The Hebrew word עֵדוּת (ʿedut) normally means “witness” or “testimony.” Here it probably refers to some tangible symbol of kingship, perhaps a piece of jewelry such as an amulet or neck chain (see the discussion in M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings [AB], 128). Some suggest that a document is in view, perhaps a copy of the royal protocol or of the stipulations of the Davidic covenant (see HALOT 790-91 s.v.).
  71. 2 Chronicles 23:11 tn Or “they made him king and anointed him.”
  72. 2 Chronicles 23:12 tn Heb “and Athaliah heard the sound of the people, the runners.”
  73. 2 Chronicles 23:12 tn Heb “she came to the people.”
  74. 2 Chronicles 23:13 tn Heb “and she saw, and behold.”
  75. 2 Chronicles 23:13 tn Or “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”
  76. 2 Chronicles 23:14 tn Heb “ranks.”
  77. 2 Chronicles 23:14 tn Heb “for the priest had said, ‘Do not put her to death in the house of the Lord.’”
  78. 2 Chronicles 23:15 tn Heb “and they placed hands on her, and she went through the entrance of the gate of the horses [into] the house of the king.” Some English versions treat the phrase “gate of the horses” as the name of the gate (“the Horse Gate”; e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
  79. 2 Chronicles 23:16 tn Heb “and Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and [between] all the people and [between] the king, to become a people for the Lord.”
  80. 2 Chronicles 23:17 tn Or “tore down.”
  81. 2 Chronicles 23:17 tn Or “images.”
  82. 2 Chronicles 23:18 tn Heb “as it is written in.”
  83. 2 Chronicles 23:20 tn Heb “took.”
  84. 2 Chronicles 23:21 tn Heb “killed Athaliah with the sword.”
New English Translation (NET)

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

Romans 11:13-36

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the first portion[a] of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches.[b]

17 Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in[c] the richness of the olive root, 18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted![d] They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. 22 Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God—harshness toward those who have fallen, but[e] God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness;[f] otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And even they—if they do not continue in their unbelief—will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters,[g] so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel[h] until the full number[i] of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so[j] all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

The Deliverer will come out of Zion;
he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them,[k]
when I take away their sins.[l]

28 In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now[m] receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.[n]

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?[o]
35 Or who has first given to God,[p]
that God[q] needs to repay him?[r]

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 11:16 tn Grk “firstfruits,” a term for the first part of something that has been set aside and offered to God before the remainder can be used.
  2. Romans 11:16 sn Most interpreters see Paul as making use of a long-standing metaphor of the olive tree (the root…the branches) as a symbol for Israel. See, in this regard, Jer 11:16, 19. A. T. Hanson, Studies in Paul’s Technique and Theology, 121-24, cites rabbinic use of the figure of the olive tree, and goes so far as to argue that Rom 11:17-24 is a midrash on Jer 11:16-19.
  3. Romans 11:17 tn Grk “became a participant of.”
  4. Romans 11:20 tn Grk “well!”, an adverb used to affirm a statement. It means “very well,” “you are correct.”
  5. Romans 11:22 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.
  6. Romans 11:22 tn Grk “if you continue in (the) kindness.”
  7. Romans 11:25 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
  8. Romans 11:25 tn Or “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”
  9. Romans 11:25 tn Grk “fullness.”
  10. Romans 11:26 tn It is not clear whether the phrase καὶ οὕτως (kai houtōs, “and so”) is to be understood in a modal sense (“and in this way”) or in a temporal sense (“and in the end”). Neither interpretation is conclusive from a grammatical standpoint, and in fact the two may not be mutually exclusive. Some, like H. Hübner, who argue strongly against the temporal reading, nevertheless continue to give the phrase a temporal significance, saying that God will save all Israel in the end (Gottes Ich und Israel [FRLANT], 118).
  11. Romans 11:27 sn A quotation from Isa 59:20-21.
  12. Romans 11:27 sn A quotation from Isa 27:9; Jer 31:33-34.
  13. Romans 11:31 tc Some significant Alexandrian and Western mss (א B D*,c 1506 bo) read νῦν (nun, “now”) here. A few other mss (33 365 sa) have ὕστερον (husteron, “finally”). mss that lack the word are P46 A D1 F G Ψ 81 1175 1241 1505 1739 1881 M latt. External evidence slightly favors omission with good representatives from the major text-forms, and because of the alliance of Alexandrian and Byzantine mss (with the Byzantine going against its normal tendency to embrace the longer reading). Internally, scribes could have added νῦν here to give balance to the preceding clause (οὗτοι νῦν ἠπείθησαναὐτοὶ νῦν ἐλεηθῶσιν [|outoi nun ēpeithēsanautoi nun eleēthōsin; “they have now been disobedient…they may now receive mercy”]). However, it seems much more likely that they would have deleted it because of its seeming inappropriateness in this context. That some witnesses have ὕστερον presupposes the presence of νῦν in their ancestors. A decision is difficult, but νῦν is slightly preferred, since it is the more difficult reading and is adequately represented in the mss.
  14. Romans 11:32 tn Grk “to all”; “them” has been supplied for stylistic reasons.
  15. Romans 11:34 sn A quotation from Isa 40:13.
  16. Romans 11:35 tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  17. Romans 11:35 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  18. Romans 11:35 sn A quotation from Job 41:11.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Psalm 22:1-18

Psalm 22[a]

For the music director, according to the tune “Morning Doe”;[b] a psalm of David.

22 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?[c]
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away.[d]
My God, I cry out during the day,
but you do not answer,
and during the night my prayers do not let up.[e]
You are holy;
you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel.[f]
In you our ancestors[g] trusted;
they trusted in you[h] and you rescued them.
To you they cried out, and they were saved;
in you they trusted and they were not disappointed.[i]
But I[j] am a worm,[k] not a man;[l]
people insult me and despise me.[m]
All who see me taunt[n] me;
they mock me[o] and shake their heads.[p]
They say,[q]
“Commit yourself[r] to the Lord!
Let the Lord[s] rescue him!
Let the Lord[t] deliver him, for he delights in him.”[u]
Yes, you are the one who brought me out[v] from the womb
and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
10 I have been dependent on you since birth;[w]
from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God.[x]
11 Do not remain far away from me,
for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.[y]
12 Many bulls[z] surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan[aa] hem me in.
13 They[ab] open their mouths to devour me[ac]
like a roaring lion that rips its prey.[ad]
14 My strength drains away like water;[ae]
all my bones are dislocated.
My heart[af] is like wax;
it melts away inside me.
15 The roof of my mouth[ag] is as dry as a piece of pottery;
my tongue sticks to my gums.[ah]
You[ai] set me in the dust of death.[aj]
16 Yes,[ak] wild dogs surround me—
a gang of evil men crowd around me;
like a lion they pin my hands and feet.[al]
17 I can count[am] all my bones;
my enemies[an] are gloating over me in triumph.[ao]
18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice[ap] for my garments.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 22:1 sn Psalm 22. The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.
  2. Psalm 22:1 tn Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.
  3. Psalm 22:1 sn From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1b-2).
  4. Psalm 22:1 tn Heb “far from my deliverance [are] the words of my groaning.” The Hebrew noun שְׁאָגָה (sheʾagah) and its related verb שָׁאַג (shaʾag) are sometimes used of a lion’s roar, but they can also describe human groaning (see Job 3:24 and Pss 32:3 and 38:8.
  5. Psalm 22:2 tn Heb “there is no silence to me.”
  6. Psalm 22:3 tn Heb “[O] one who sits [on] the praises of Israel.” The verb “receiving” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The metaphorical language pictures the Lord as sitting enthroned as king in his temple, receiving the praises that his people Israel offer up to him.
  7. Psalm 22:4 tn Heb “fathers.”
  8. Psalm 22:4 tn The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
  9. Psalm 22:5 tn Or “were not ashamed.”
  10. Psalm 22:6 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
  11. Psalm 22:6 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
  12. Psalm 22:6 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
  13. Psalm 22:6 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
  14. Psalm 22:7 tn Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”
  15. Psalm 22:7 tn Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.
  16. Psalm 22:7 sn Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.
  17. Psalm 22:8 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. The psalmist here quotes the sarcastic taunts of his enemies.
  18. Psalm 22:8 tn Heb “roll [yourself].” The Hebrew verb גָּלַל (galal) here has the sense of “commit” (see Prov 16:3). The imperatival form in the Hebrew text indicates the enemies here address the psalmist. Since they refer to him in the third person in the rest of the verse, some prefer to emend the verb to a perfect, “he commits himself to the Lord.”
  19. Psalm 22:8 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  20. Psalm 22:8 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  21. Psalm 22:8 tn That is, “for he [the Lord] delights in him [the psalmist].” For other cases where the expression “delight in” refers to God’s delight in a person, see Num 14:8; 1 Kgs 10:9; Pss 18:19; 40:8.sn This statement does not necessarily reflect the enemies’ actual belief, but it does reflect the psalmist’s confession. The psalmist’s enemies sarcastically appeal to God to help him, because he claims to be an object of divine favor. However, they probably doubted the reality of his claim.
  22. Psalm 22:9 tn Or “the one who pulled me.” The verb is derived from either גָּחָה (gakhah; see HALOT 187 s.v. גחה) or גִּיחַ (giakh; see BDB 161 s.v. גִּיחַ) and seems to carry the nuance “burst forth” or “pull out.”
  23. Psalm 22:10 tn Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”
  24. Psalm 22:10 tn Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.”sn Despite the enemies’ taunts, the psalmist is certain of his relationship with God, which began from the time of his birth (from the time I came out of my mother’s womb).
  25. Psalm 22:11 tn Heb “and there is no helper.”
  26. Psalm 22:12 sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
  27. Psalm 22:12 sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
  28. Psalm 22:13 tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”
  29. Psalm 22:13 tn Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).
  30. Psalm 22:13 tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”
  31. Psalm 22:14 tn Heb “like water I am poured out.”
  32. Psalm 22:14 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.
  33. Psalm 22:15 tc Heb “my strength” (כֹּחִי, kokhi), but many prefer to emend the text to חִכִּי (khiki, “my palate”; cf. NEB, NRSV “my mouth”) assuming that an error of transposition has occurred in the traditional Hebrew text.
  34. Psalm 22:15 tn Cf. NEB “my jaw”; NASB, NRSV “my jaws”; NIV “the roof of my mouth.”
  35. Psalm 22:15 sn Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1-2, 11).
  36. Psalm 22:15 sn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.
  37. Psalm 22:16 tn Or “for.”
  38. Psalm 22:16 tc The Masoretic text reads “like a lion, my hands and my feet.” The reading is difficult and the ancient versions vary, so the textual difficulty is probably very early. Without a verb, the syntax appears broken and the role of “hands and feet” unclear. One option is to understand the verb of the previous line to apply again, a poetic technique called ellipsis and double duty. But “my hands and feet” would be an odd object for a verb meaning “they encircled.” Otherwise, the broken syntax may represent the emotional outcry of the Psalmist, first mentioning the lion as part of the third person description, but suddenly shifting to the first person perspective and crying out as the lion attacks, pinning down his hands and feet (a scene depicted in ancient Near Eastern art). But this development seems late textually. All the other witnesses have a verb instead of “like a lion.” The LXX says “they dug my hands and feet; the verb ὀρύσσω (orussō) means “to burrow in the ground, to dig.” A Qumran witness seems to read similarly, “they dug.” Instead of the MT’s כארי (kᵉʾariy; like a lion”), the scroll from Nahal Hever has a verb form כארו (kaʾaru) ending with vav instead of yod. Supposing that the א (ʾaleph) is a superfluous spelling variant, the form would be understood as כרו (karu) from the root כרה (karah), meaning “they dug.” In that case, the Qumran scroll and the LXX agree because כרה is one of the two verbs translated in the LXX by ὀρύσσω. But as both these verbs mean “to dig [in the dirt]” this has not helped us understand the context. Assuming that the enemies are still the subject, we might expect “they dug a pit for my hands and feet.” In fact the Hebrew words behind “they dug a pit” look similar (כרו בור) so it is not hard to imagine that one of these two would be overlooked by a scribed and dropped from the text. Some suppose that “to dig [in the ground]” means “to pierce” in reference to hands and feet (possibly from the root כור). Other variants and suggestions include “they bound,” or “they picked clean” (from אָרָה, ʾarah, “to pluck”) my hands and feet. Or “my hands and feet are consumed,” or “worn out.” The latter two assume a copying error of resh for lamed, making the verb come from כלה. P. Craigie (Psalms [WBC], 1:196) opts for this last but also cites Syriac and Akkadian for additional root K-R-H meaning “to be shrunken, shriveled.” The Akkadian verb (karu) is said of body parts and can refer to paralysis, which is the kind of metaphor which occurs in battle contexts elsewhere (e.g. Ps 76:5). It would be very natural to read “my hands and my feet” as the subject of the verb because verb-subject is typical word order. There is no decisive answer to the problem and the NET translation includes the lion imagery (cf. v. 13) and supposes a verb that conveys an attack.
  39. Psalm 22:17 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
  40. Psalm 22:17 tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  41. Psalm 22:17 tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
  42. Psalm 22:18 tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
New English Translation (NET)

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

Proverbs 20:7

The righteous person[a] behaves in integrity;[b]
blessed are his children after him.[c]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 20:7 sn Two terms describe the subject of this proverb: “righteous” and “integrity.” The first describes the person as a member of the covenant community who strives to live according to God’s standards; the second emphasizes that his lifestyle is blameless.
  2. Proverbs 20:7 tn Heb “walks in his integrity” (so NASB); cf. NIV “leads a blameless life.” The Hitpael participle of הָלַךְ (halakh) means “to walk about; to walk to and fro.” The idiom of walking representing living is intensified here in this stem. This verbal stem is used in scripture to describe people “walking with” God.
  3. Proverbs 20:7 sn The nature and the actions of parents have an effect on children (e.g., Exod 20:4-6); if the parents are righteous, the children will enjoy a blessing—the respect and the happiness which the parent reflects on them.
New English Translation (NET)

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