1 Raja-raja 10:1-2

Solomon Entertains a Queen

10:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, ¹  she came to challenge ²  him with difficult questions. ³  10:2 She arrived in Jerusalem ⁴  with a great display of pomp, ⁵  bringing with her camels carrying spices, ⁶  a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

Rut 1:16

1:16 But Ruth replied,

“Stop urging me to abandon you! ⁷ 

For wherever you go, I will go.

Wherever you live, I will live.

Your people will become my people,

and your God will become my God.

Rut 2:11

2:11 Boaz replied to her, ⁸  “I have been given a full report of ⁹  all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband – how you left ¹⁰  your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. ¹¹ 

Rut 2:2

2:2 One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go ¹²  to the fields so I can gather ¹³  grain behind whoever permits me to do so.” ¹⁴  Naomi ¹⁵  replied, “You may go, my daughter.”

Rut 1:1

A Family Tragedy: Famine and Death

1:1 During the time of the judges ¹⁶  there was a famine in the land of Judah. ¹⁷  So a man from Bethlehem ¹⁸  in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner ¹⁹  in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. ²⁰ 

Yesaya 56:3-7

56:3 No foreigner who becomes a follower of ²¹  the Lord should say,

‘The Lord will certainly ²²  exclude me from his people.’

The eunuch should not say,

‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”

56:4 For this is what the Lord says:

“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths

and choose what pleases me

and are faithful to ²³  my covenant,

56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument ²⁴ 

that will be better than sons and daughters.

I will set up a permanent monument ²⁵  for them that will remain.

56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of ²⁶  the Lord and serve him,

who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –

all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

and who are faithful to ²⁷  my covenant –

56:7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;

I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. ²⁸ 

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,

for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” ²⁹ 

Matius 8:5

Healing the Centurion’s Servant

8:5 When he entered Capernaum, ³⁰  a centurion ³¹  came to him asking for help: ³² 

Matius 8:10-11

8:10 When ³³  Jesus heard this he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “I tell you the truth, ³⁴  I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel! 8:11 I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet ³⁵  with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ³⁶  in the kingdom of heaven,

Matius 15:22-28

15:22 A ³⁷  Canaanite woman from that area came ³⁸  and cried out, ³⁹  “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” 15:23 But he did not answer her a word. Then ⁴⁰  his disciples came and begged him, ⁴¹  “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” 15:24 So ⁴²  he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 15:25 But she came and bowed down ⁴³  before him and said, ⁴⁴  “Lord, help me!” 15:26 “It is not right ⁴⁵  to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” ⁴⁶  he said. ⁴⁷  15:27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, ⁴⁸  “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 15:28 Then ⁴⁹  Jesus answered her, “Woman, ⁵⁰  your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Lukas 17:18

17:18 Was no one found to turn back and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ⁵¹ 

Yohanes 12:20

Seekers

12:20 Now some Greeks ⁵²  were among those who had gone up to worship at the feast.

Kisah Para Rasul 10:1-4

Peter Visits Cornelius

10:1 Now there was a man in Caesarea ⁵³  named Cornelius, a centurion ⁵⁴  of what was known as the Italian Cohort. ⁵⁵  10:2 He ⁵⁶  was a devout, God-fearing man, ⁵⁷  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ⁵⁸  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ⁵⁹  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ⁶⁰  who came in ⁶¹  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ⁶²  replied, ⁶³  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ⁶⁴  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ⁶⁵  have gone up as a memorial ⁶⁶  before God.

[10:1]  ¹ tn Heb “the report about Solomon.” The Hebrew text also has, “to the name of the Lord,” which fits very awkwardly in the sentence. If retained, perhaps it should be translated, “because of the reputation of the Lord.” The phrase, which is omitted in the parallel passage in 2 Chr 9:1, may be an addition based on the queen’s declaration of praise to the Lord in v. 9.

[10:1]  ² tn Or “test.”

[10:1]  ³ tn Or “riddles.”

[10:2]  ⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew term חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or to the great wealth she brought with her.

[10:2]  ⁶ tn Or “balsam oil.”

[1:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “do not urge me to abandon you to turn back from after you.” Most English versions, following the lead of the KJV, use “leave” here. The use of עזב (“abandon”) reflects Ruth’s perspective. To return to Moab would be to abandon Naomi and to leave her even more vulnerable than she already is.

[2:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “answered and said to her” (so NASB). For stylistic reasons this has been translated as “replied to her.”

[2:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “it has been fully reported to me.” The infinitive absolute here emphasizes the following finite verb from the same root. Here it emphasizes either the clarity of the report or its completeness. See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 153, n. 6. Most English versions tend toward the nuance of completeness (e.g., KJV “fully been shewed”; NAB “a complete account”; NASB, NRSV “All that you have done”).

[2:11]  ¹⁰ tn The vav (ו) consecutive construction here has a specifying function. This and the following clause elaborate on the preceding general statement and explain more specifically what she did for her mother-in-law.

[2:11]  ¹¹ tn Heb “yesterday and the third day.” This Hebrew idiom means “previously, in the past” (Exod 5:7,8,14; Exod 21:29,36; Deut 4:42; 19:4,6; Josh 3:4; 1 Sam 21:5; 2 Sam 3:17; 1 Chr 11:2).

[2:2]  ¹² tn The cohortative here (“Let me go”) expresses Ruth’s request. Note Naomi’s response, in which she gives Ruth permission to go to the field.

[2:2]  ¹³ tn Following the preceding cohortative, the cohortative with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result.

[2:2]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “anyone in whose eyes I may find favor” (ASV, NIV similar). The expression אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינָיו (’emtsa’-khen bÿ’enayv, “to find favor in the eyes of [someone]”) appears in Ruth 2:2, 10, 13. It is most often used when a subordinate or servant requests permission for something from a superior (BDB 336 s.v. חֵן). Ruth will play the role of the subordinate servant, seeking permission from a landowner, who then could show benevolence by granting her request to glean in his field behind the harvest workers.

[2:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Naomi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:1]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “in the days of the judging of the judges.” The LXX simply reads “when the judges judged,” and Syriac has “in the days of the judges.” Cf. NASB “in the days when the judges governed (ruled NRSV).”

[1:1]  sn Many interpreters, reading this statement in the light of the Book of Judges which describes a morally corrupt period, assume that the narrator is painting a dark backdrop against which Ruth’s exemplary character and actions will shine even more brightly. However, others read this statement in the light of the book’s concluding epilogue which traces the full significance of the story to the time of David, the chosen king of Judah (4:18-22).

[1:1]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “in the land.” The phrase “of Judah” is supplied in the translation to clarify the referent.

[1:1]  ¹⁸ sn The name Bethlehem (בֵּית לֶחֶם, bet lekhem) is from “house, place” (בֵּית) and “bread, food” (לֶחֶם), so the name literally means “House of Bread” or “Place of Food.” Perhaps there is irony here: One would not expect a severe famine in such a location. This would not necessarily indicate that Bethlehem was under divine discipline, but merely that the famine was very severe, explaining the reason for the family’s departure.

[1:1]  map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[1:1]  ¹⁹ tn Or “to live temporarily.” The verb גּוּר (gur, “sojourn”) may refer to (1) temporary dwelling in a location (Deut 18:6; Judg 17:7) or (2) permanent dwelling in a location (Judg 5:17; Ps 33:8). When used of a foreign land, it can refer to (1) temporary dwelling as a visiting foreigner (Gen 12:10; 20:1; 21:34; 2 Kgs 8:1-2; Jer 44:14) or (2) permanent dwelling as a resident foreigner (Gen 47:4; Exod 6:4; Num 15:14; Deut 26:5; 2 Sam 4:3; Jer 49:18,33; 50:40; Ezek 47:22-23). Although Naomi eventually returned to Judah, there is some ambiguity whether or not Elimelech intended the move to make them permanent resident foreigners. Cf. NASB “to sojourn” and NIV “to live for a while,” both of which imply the move was temporary, while “to live” (NCV, NRSV, NLT) is more neutral about the permanence of the relocation.

[1:1]  sn Some interpreters view Elimelech’s departure from Judah to sojourn in Moab as lack of faith in the covenant God of Israel to provide for his family’s needs in the land of promise; therefore his death is consequently viewed as divine judgment. Others note that God never prohibited his people from seeking food in a foreign land during times of famine but actually sent his people to a foreign land during a famine in Canaan on at least one occasion as an act of deliverance (Gen 37-50). In this case, Elimelech’s sojourn to Moab was an understandable act by a man concerned for the survival of his family, perhaps even under divine approval, so their death in Moab was simply a tragedy, a bad thing that happened to a godly person.

[1:1]  ²⁰ tn Heb “he and his wife and his two sons.” The LXX omits “two.”

[56:3]  ²¹ tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”

[56:3]  ²² tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[56:4]  ²³ tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”

[56:5]  ²⁴ tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.

[56:5]  ²⁵ tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[56:6]  ²⁶ tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”

[56:6]  ²⁷ tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”

[56:7]  ²⁸ tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”

[56:7]  ²⁹ tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

[8:5]  ³⁰ sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.

[8:5]  map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.

[8:5]  ³¹ sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like the apostle Paul did.

[8:5]  ³² sn While in Matthew’s account the centurion came to him asking for help, Luke’s account (7:1-10) mentions that the centurion sent some Jewish elders as emissaries on his behalf.

[8:10]  ³³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[8:10]  ³⁴ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[8:11]  ³⁵ tn Grk “and recline at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away. The word “banquet” has been supplied to clarify for the modern reader the festive nature of the imagery. The banquet imagery is a way to describe the fellowship and celebration of being among the people of God at the end.

[8:11]  sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.

[8:11]  ³⁶ tn Grk “and Isaac and Jacob,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[15:22]  ³⁷ tn Grk “And behold a Canaanite.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[15:22]  ³⁸ tn Grk The participle ἐξελθοῦσα (exelqousa) is here translated as a finite verb. The emphasis is upon her crying out to Jesus.

[15:22]  ³⁹ tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:23]  ⁴⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”

[15:23]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:24]  ⁴² tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The construction in Greek is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the disciples’ request.

[15:25]  ⁴³ tn In this context the verb προσκυνέω (proskunew), which often describes worship, probably means simply bowing down to the ground in an act of reverence or supplication (see L&N 17.21).

[15:25]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “she bowed down to him, saying.”

[15:26]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “And answering, he said, ‘It is not right.’” The introductory phrase “answering, he said” has been simplified and placed at the end of the English sentence for stylistic reasons. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[15:26]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”

[15:26]  sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request.

[15:26]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.

[15:27]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “she said.”

[15:28]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “Then answering, Jesus said to her.” This expression has been simplified in the translation.

[15:28]  ⁵⁰ sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.

[17:18]  ⁵¹ sn Jesus’ point in calling the man a foreigner is that none of the other nine, who were presumably Israelites, responded with gratitude. Only the “outsiders” were listening and responding.

[12:20]  ⁵² sn These Greeks (῞Ελληνές τινες, {ellhne" tine") who had come up to worship at the feast were probably “God-fearers” rather than proselytes in the strict sense. Had they been true proselytes, they would probably not have been referred to as Greeks any longer. Many came to worship at the major Jewish festivals without being proselytes to Judaism, for example, the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:27, who could not have been a proselyte if he were physically a eunuch.

[10:1]  ⁵³ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” (BDAG 499 s.v. Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 [15.331-341]).

[10:1]  map For location see Map2 C1; Map4 B3; Map5 F2; Map7 A1; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:1]  ⁵⁴ sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[10:1]  ⁵⁵ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion (BDAG 936 s.v. σπεῖρα). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.

[10:2]  ⁵⁶ tn In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[10:2]  ⁵⁷ sn The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.

[10:2]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη).

[10:3]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[10:3]  ⁶¹ tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:4]  ⁶² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ⁶³ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ⁶⁶ sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).