1 Samuel 25:6

25:6 Then you will say to my brother, ¹  “Peace to you and your house! Peace to all that is yours!

Ayub 21:11-15

21:11 They allow their children to run ²  like a flock;

their little ones dance about.

21:12 They sing ³  to the accompaniment of tambourine and harp,

and make merry to the sound of the flute.

21:13 They live out ⁴  their years in prosperity

and go down ⁵  to the grave ⁶  in peace.

21:14 So they say to God, ‘Turn away from us!

We do not want to ⁷  know your ways. ⁸ 

21:15 Who is the Almighty, that ⁹  we should serve him?

What would we gain

if we were to pray ¹⁰  to him?’ ¹¹ 

Mazmur 73:5-7

73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;

they do not suffer as other men do. ¹² 

73:6 Arrogance is their necklace, ¹³ 

and violence their clothing. ¹⁴ 

73:7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; ¹⁵ 

their thoughts are sinful. ¹⁶ 

Yesaya 22:13

22:13 But look, there is outright celebration! ¹⁷ 

You say, “Kill the ox and slaughter the sheep,

eat meat and drink wine.

Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” ¹⁸ 

Amos 6:5-6

6:5 They sing ¹⁹  to the tune of ²⁰  stringed instruments; ²¹ 

like David they invent ²²  musical instruments.

6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, ²³ 

and pour the very best oils on themselves. ²⁴ 

Yet they are not concerned over ²⁵  the ruin ²⁶  of Joseph.

Lukas 12:19

12:19 And I will say to myself, ²⁷  “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’

Lukas 15:13

15:13 After ²⁸  a few days, ²⁹  the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered ³⁰  his wealth ³¹  with a wild lifestyle.

Lukas 16:19

The Rich Man and Lazarus

16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple ³²  and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously ³³  every day.

Yakobus 5:5

5:5 You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ³⁴ 

Wahyu 18:7

18:7 As much as ³⁵  she exalted herself and lived in sensual luxury, ³⁶  to this extent give her torment and grief because she said to herself, ³⁷  ‘I rule as queen and am no widow; I will never experience grief!’

[25:6]  ¹ tc The text is difficult here. The MT and most of the early versions support the reading לֶחָי (lekhai, “to life,” or “to the one who lives”). Some of the older English versions (KJV, ASV; cf. NKJV) took the expression to mean “to him who lives (in prosperity),” but this translation requires reading a good deal into the words. While the expression could have the sense of “Long life to you!” (cf. NIV, NJPS) or perhaps “Good luck to you!” this seems somewhat redundant in light of the salutation that follows in the context. The Latin Vulgate has fratribus meis (“to my brothers”), which suggests that Jerome understood the Hebrew word to have an alef that is absent in the MT (i.e., לֶאֱחָי, le’ekhay). Jerome’s plural, however, remains a problem, since in the context David is addressing a single individual, namely Nabal, and not a group. However, it is likely that the Vulgate witnesses to a consonantal Hebrew text that is to be preferred here, especially if the word were to be revocalized as a singular rather than a plural. While it is impossible to be certain about this reading, the present translation essentially follows the Vulgate in reading “my brother” (so also NJB; cf. NAB, RSV, NRSV).

[21:11]  ² tn The verb שָׁלַח (shalakh) means “to send forth,” but in the Piel “to release; to allow to run free.” The picture of children frolicking in the fields and singing and dancing is symbolic of peaceful, prosperous times.

[21:12]  ³ tn The verb is simply “they take up [or lift up],” but the understood object is “their voices,” and so it means “they sing.”

[21:13]  ⁴ tc The Kethib has “they wear out” but the Qere and the versions have יְכַלּוּ (yÿkhallu, “bring to an end”). The verb כָּלָה (kalah) means “to finish; to complete,” and here with the object “their days,” it means that they bring their life to a (successful) conclusion. Both readings are acceptable in the context, with very little difference in the overall meaning (which according to Gordis is proof the Qere does not always correct the Kethib).

[21:13]  ⁵ tc The MT has יֵחָתּוּ (yekhattu, “they are frightened [or broken]”), taking the verb from חָתַת (khatat, “be terrified”). But most would slightly repoint it to יֵחָתוּ (yekhatu), an Aramaism, “they go down,” from נָחַת (nakhat, “go down”). See Job 17:16.

[21:13]  ⁶ tn The word רֶגַע (rega’) has been interpreted as “in a moment” or “in peace” (on the basis of Arabic raja`a, “return to rest”). Gordis thinks this is a case of talhin – both meanings present in the mind of the writer.

[21:14]  ⁷ tn The absence of the preposition before the complement adds greater vividness to the statement: “and knowing your ways – we do not desire.”

[21:14]  ⁸ sn Contrast Ps 25:4, which affirms that walking in God’s ways means to obey God’s will – the Torah.

[21:15]  ⁹ tn The interrogative clause is followed by ki, similar to Exod 5:2, “Who is Yahweh, that I should obey him?”

[21:15]  ¹⁰ tn The verb פָּגַע (paga’) means “to encounter; to meet,” but also “to meet with request; to intercede; to interpose.” The latter meaning is a derived meaning by usage.

[21:15]  ¹¹ tn The verse is not present in the LXX. It may be that it was considered too blasphemous and therefore omitted.

[73:5]  ¹² tn Heb “in the trouble of man they are not, and with mankind they are not afflicted.”

[73:6]  ¹³ sn Arrogance is their necklace. The metaphor suggests that their arrogance is something the wicked “wear” proudly. It draws attention to them, just as a beautiful necklace does to its owner.

[73:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “a garment of violence covers them.” The metaphor suggests that violence is habitual for the wicked. They “wear” it like clothing; when one looks at them, violence is what one sees.

[73:7]  ¹⁵ tc The MT reads “it goes out from fatness their eye,” which might be paraphrased, “their eye protrudes [or “bulges”] because of fatness.” This in turn might refer to their greed; their eyes “bug out” when they see rich food or produce (the noun חֵלֶב [khelev, “fatness”] sometimes refers to such food or produce). However, when used with the verb יָצָא (yatsa’, “go out”) the preposition מִן (“from”) more naturally indicates source. For this reason it is preferable to emend עֵינֵמוֹ (’enemo, “their eye”) to עֲוֹנָמוֹ, (’avonamo, “their sin”) and read, “and their sin proceeds forth from fatness,” that is, their prosperity gives rise to their sinful attitudes. If one follows this textual reading, another interpretive option is to take חֵלֶב (“fatness”) in the sense of “unreceptive, insensitive” (see its use in Ps 17:10). In this case, the sin of the wicked proceeds forth from their spiritual insensitivity.

[73:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “the thoughts of [their] heart [i.e., mind] cross over” (i.e., violate God’s moral boundary, see Ps 17:3).

[22:13]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “happiness and joy.”

[22:13]  ¹⁸ tn The prophet here quotes what the fatalistic people are saying. The introductory “you say” is supplied in the translation for clarification; the concluding verb “we die” makes it clear the people are speaking. The six verbs translated as imperatives are actually infinitives absolute, functioning here as finite verbs.

[6:5]  ¹⁹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”

[6:5]  ²⁰ tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”

[6:5]  ²¹ sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).

[6:5]  ²² tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase חָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם (khoshvu lahem) is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 206-7).

[6:6]  ²³ sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).

[6:6]  ²⁴ tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”

[6:6]  ²⁵ tn Or “not sickened by.”

[6:6]  ²⁶ sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.

[12:19]  ²⁷ tn Grk “to my soul,” which is repeated as a vocative in the following statement, but is left untranslated as redundant.

[15:13]  ²⁸ tn Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[15:13]  ²⁹ tn Grk “after not many days.”

[15:13]  ³⁰ tn Or “wasted.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).

[15:13]  ³¹ tn Or “estate” (the same word has been translated “estate” in v. 12).

[16:19]  ³² sn Purple describes a fine, expensive dye used on luxurious clothing, and by metonymy, refers to clothing colored with that dye. It pictures someone of great wealth.

[16:19]  ³³ tn Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.

[5:5]  ³⁴ sn James’ point seems to be that instead of seeking deliverance from condemnation, they have defied God’s law (fattened your hearts) and made themselves more likely objects of his judgment (in a day of slaughter).

[18:7]  ³⁵ tn “As much as” is the translation of ὅσα (Josa).

[18:7]  ³⁶ tn On the term ἐστρηνίασεν (estrhniasen) BDAG 949 s.v. στρηνιάω states, “live in luxury, live sensually Rv 18:7. W. πορνεύειν vs. 9.”

[18:7]  ³⁷ tn Grk “said in her heart,” an idiom for saying something to oneself.