2 Raja-raja 7:1--9:37
Konteks7:1 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says, ‘About this time tomorrow a seah 1 of finely milled flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.’” 7:2 An officer who was the king’s right-hand man 2 responded to the prophet, 3 “Look, even if the Lord made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?” 4 Elisha 5 said, “Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!” 6
7:3 Now four men with a skin disease 7 were sitting at the entrance of the city gate. They said to one another, “Why are we just sitting here waiting to die? 8 7:4 If we go into the city, we’ll die of starvation, 9 and if we stay here we’ll die! So come on, let’s defect 10 to the Syrian camp! If they spare us, 11 we’ll live; if they kill us – well, we were going to die anyway.” 12 7:5 So they started toward 13 the Syrian camp at dusk. When they reached the edge of the Syrian camp, there was no one there. 7:6 The Lord had caused the Syrian camp to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a large army. Then they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has paid the kings of the Hittites and Egypt to attack us!” 7:7 So they got up and fled at dusk, leaving behind their tents, horses, and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. 7:8 When the men with a skin disease reached the edge of the camp, they entered a tent and had a meal. 14 They also took some silver, gold, and clothes and went and hid it all. 15 Then they went back and entered another tent. They looted it 16 and went and hid what they had taken. 7:9 Then they said to one another, “It’s not right what we’re doing! This is a day to celebrate, but we haven’t told anyone. 17 If we wait until dawn, 18 we’ll be punished. 19 So come on, let’s go and inform the royal palace.” 7:10 So they went and called out to the gatekeepers 20 of the city. They told them, “We entered the Syrian camp and there was no one there. We didn’t even hear a man’s voice. 21 But the horses and donkeys are still tied up, and the tents remain up.” 22 7:11 The gatekeepers relayed the news to the royal palace. 23
7:12 The king got up in the night and said to his advisers, 24 “I will tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know we are starving, so they left the camp and hid in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and enter the city.’” 7:13 One of his advisers replied, “Pick some men and have them take five of the horses that are left in the city. (Even if they are killed, their fate will be no different than that of all the Israelite people – we’re all going to die!) 25 Let’s send them out so we can know for sure what’s going on.” 26 7:14 So they picked two horsemen and the king sent them out to track the Syrian army. 27 He ordered them, “Go and find out what’s going on.” 28 7:15 So they tracked them 29 as far as the Jordan. The road was filled with clothes and equipment that the Syrians had discarded in their haste. 30 The scouts 31 went back and told the king. 7:16 Then the people went out and looted the Syrian camp. A seah 32 of finely milled flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, just as the Lord had said they would. 33
7:17 Now the king had placed the officer who was his right-hand man 34 at the city gate. When the people rushed out, they trampled him to death in the gate. 35 This fulfilled the prophet’s word which he had spoken when the king tried to arrest him. 36 7:18 The prophet told the king, “Two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel, and a seah of finely milled flour for a shekel; this will happen about this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria.” 7:19 But the officer replied to the prophet, “Look, even if the Lord made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?” 37 Elisha 38 said, “Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!” 39 7:20 This is exactly what happened to him. The people trampled him to death in the city gate.
8:1 Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while, 40 for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.” 8:2 So the woman did as the prophet said. 41 She and her family went and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 8:3 After seven years the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went to ask the king to give her back her house and field. 42 8:4 Now the king was talking to Gehazi, the prophet’s 43 servant, and said, “Tell me all the great things which Elisha has done.” 8:5 While Gehazi 44 was telling the king how Elisha 45 had brought the dead back to life, the woman whose son he had brought back to life came to ask the king for her house and field. 46 Gehazi said, “My master, O king, this is the very woman and this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life!” 8:6 The king asked the woman about it, and she gave him the details. 47 The king assigned a eunuch to take care of her request and ordered him, 48 “Give her back everything she owns, as well as the amount of crops her field produced from the day she left the land until now.”
8:7 Elisha traveled to Damascus while King Ben Hadad of Syria was sick. The king 49 was told, “The prophet 50 has come here.” 8:8 So the king told Hazael, “Take a gift 51 and go visit the prophet. Request from him an oracle from the Lord. Ask him, 52 ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 8:9 So Hazael went to visit Elisha. 53 He took along a gift, 54 as well as 55 forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, “Your son, 56 King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question, 57 ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 8:10 Elisha said to him, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover,’ 58 but the Lord has revealed to me that he will surely die.” 8:11 Elisha 59 just stared at him until Hazael became uncomfortable. 60 Then the prophet started crying. 8:12 Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, my master?” He replied, “Because I know the trouble you will cause the Israelites. You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to bits, and rip open their pregnant women.” 8:13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?” 61 Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.” 62 8:14 He left Elisha and went to his master. Ben Hadad 63 asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?” Hazael 64 replied, “He told me you would surely recover.” 8:15 The next day Hazael 65 took a piece of cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over Ben Hadad’s 66 face until he died. Then Hazael replaced him as king.
8:16 In the fifth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king over Judah. 67 8:17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 68 8:18 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter. 69 He did evil in the sight of 70 the Lord. 8:19 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of 71 his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty. 72
8:20 During his reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king. 73 8:21 Joram 74 crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. 75 The Israelite army retreated to their homeland. 76 8:22 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day. 77 At that same time Libnah also rebelled.
8:23 The rest of the events of Joram’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 78 8:24 Joram passed away 79 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
8:25 In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king over Judah. 8:26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. 80 His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter 81 of King Omri of Israel. 8:27 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty and did evil in the sight of 82 the Lord, like Ahab’s dynasty, for he was related to Ahab’s family. 83
8:28 He joined Ahab’s son Joram in a battle against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 8:29 King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians 84 in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. King Ahaziah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to visit 85 Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was ill.
9:1 Now Elisha the prophet summoned a member of the prophetic guild 86 and told him, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take this container 87 of olive oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. 9:2 When you arrive there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi and take him aside into an inner room. 88 9:3 Take the container of olive oil, pour it over his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord says, “I have designated 89 you as king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and run away quickly!” 90
9:4 So the young prophet 91 went to Ramoth Gilead. 9:5 When he arrived, the officers of the army were sitting there. 92 So he said, “I have a message for you, O officer.” 93 Jehu asked, “For which one of us?” 94 He replied, “For you, O officer.” 9:6 So Jehu 95 got up and went inside. Then the prophet 96 poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I have designated you as king over the Lord’s people Israel. 9:7 You will destroy the family of your master Ahab. 97 I will get revenge against Jezebel for the shed blood of my servants the prophets and for the shed blood of all the Lord’s servants. 98 9:8 Ahab’s entire family will die. I 99 will cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. 100 9:9 I will make Ahab’s dynasty 101 like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 9:10 Dogs will devour Jezebel on the plot of ground in Jezreel; she will not be buried.’” 102 Then he opened the door and ran away.
9:11 When Jehu rejoined 103 his master’s servants, they 104 asked him, “Is everything all right? 105 Why did this madman visit you?” He replied, “Ah, it’s not important. You know what kind of man he is and the kinds of things he says.” 106 9:12 But they said, “You’re lying! Tell us what he said.” So he told them what he had said. He also related how he had said, 107 “This is what the Lord says, ‘I have designated you as king over Israel.’” 9:13 Each of them quickly took off his cloak and they spread them out at Jehu’s 108 feet on the steps. 109 The trumpet was blown 110 and they shouted, “Jehu is 111 king!” 9:14 Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram.
Now Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole Israelite army, 112 guarding against an invasion by King Hazael of Syria. 9:15 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians 113 when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. 114 Jehu told his supporters, 115 “If you really want me to be king, 116 then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go and warn Jezreel.” 9:16 Jehu drove his chariot 117 to Jezreel, for Joram was recuperating 118 there. (Now King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit 119 Joram.)
9:17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and saw Jehu’s troops approaching. 120 He said, “I see troops!” 121 Jehoram ordered, 122 “Send a rider out to meet them and have him ask, ‘Is everything all right?’” 123 9:18 So the horseman 124 went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” 125 Jehu replied, “None of your business! 126 Follow me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but hasn’t started back.” 9:19 So he sent a second horseman out to them 127 and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” 128 Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” 9:20 The watchman reported, “He reached them, but hasn’t started back. The one who drives the lead chariot drives like Jehu son of Nimshi; 129 he drives recklessly.” 9:21 Jehoram ordered, “Hitch up my chariot.” 130 When his chariot had been hitched up, 131 King Jehoram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah went out in their respective chariots 132 to meet Jehu. They met up with him 133 in the plot of land that had once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel.
9:22 When Jehoram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?” 134 9:23 Jehoram turned his chariot around and took off. 135 He said to Ahaziah, “It’s a trap, 136 Ahaziah!” 9:24 Jehu aimed his bow and shot an arrow right between Jehoram’s shoulders. 137 The arrow went through 138 his heart and he fell to his knees in his chariot. 9:25 Jehu ordered 139 his officer Bidkar, “Pick him up and throw him into the part of the field that once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. Remember, you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab, when the Lord pronounced this judgment on him, 9:26 ‘“Know for sure that I saw the shed blood of Naboth and his sons yesterday,” says the Lord, “and that I will give you what you deserve right here in this plot of land,” 140 says the Lord.’ So now pick him up and throw him into this plot of land, just as the Lord said.” 141
9:27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what happened, he took off 142 up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him and ordered, “Shoot him too.” They shot him while he was driving his chariot up the ascent of Gur near Ibleam. 143 He fled to Megiddo 144 and died there. 9:28 His servants took his body 145 back to Jerusalem 146 and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the city of David. 9:29 Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab.
9:30 Jehu approached Jezreel. When Jezebel heard the news, she put on some eye liner, 147 fixed up her hair, and leaned out the window. 9:31 When Jehu came through the gate, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, murderer of his master?” 148 9:32 He looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three 149 eunuchs looked down at him. 9:33 He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground, 150 her blood splattered against the wall and the horses, and Jehu drove his chariot over her. 151 9:34 He went inside and had a meal. 152 Then he said, “Dispose of this accursed woman’s corpse. Bury her, for after all, she was a king’s daughter.” 153 9:35 But when they went to bury her, they found nothing left but 154 the skull, feet, and palms of the hands. 9:36 When they went back and told him, he said, “The Lord’s word through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, has come to pass. He warned, 155 ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. 9:37 Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel. People will not be able to even recognize her.’” 156
Yohanes 1:1-28
Konteks1:1 In the beginning 157 was the Word, and the Word was with God, 158 and the Word was fully God. 159 1:2 The Word 160 was with God in the beginning. 1:3 All things were created 161 by him, and apart from him not one thing was created 162 that has been created. 163 1:4 In him was life, 164 and the life was the light of mankind. 165 1:5 And the light shines on 166 in the darkness, 167 but 168 the darkness has not mastered it. 169
1:6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 170 1:7 He came as a witness 171 to testify 172 about the light, so that everyone 173 might believe through him. 1:8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify 174 about the light. 1:9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, 175 was coming into the world. 176 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was created 177 by him, but 178 the world did not recognize 179 him. 1:11 He came to what was his own, 180 but 181 his own people 182 did not receive him. 183 1:12 But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name 184 – he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13 – children not born 185 by human parents 186 or by human desire 187 or a husband’s 188 decision, 189 but by God.
1:14 Now 190 the Word became flesh 191 and took up residence 192 among us. We 193 saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, 194 full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 1:15 John 195 testified 196 about him and shouted out, 197 “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, 198 because he existed before me.’” 1:16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 199 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but 200 grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, 201 himself God, who is in closest fellowship with 202 the Father, has made God 203 known. 204
1:19 Now 205 this was 206 John’s 207 testimony 208 when the Jewish leaders 209 sent 210 priests and Levites from Jerusalem 211 to ask him, “Who are you?” 212 1:20 He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I am not the Christ!” 213 1:21 So they asked him, “Then who are you? 214 Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” 215 “Are you the Prophet?” 216 He answered, “No!” 1:22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us 217 so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
1:23 John 218 said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight 219 the way for the Lord,’ 220 as Isaiah the prophet said.” 1:24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 221 ) 222 1:25 So they asked John, 223 “Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, 224 nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
1:26 John answered them, 225 “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, 226 1:27 who is coming after me. I am not worthy 227 to untie the strap 228 of his sandal!” 1:28 These things happened in Bethany 229 across the Jordan River 230 where John was baptizing.
[7:1] 1 sn A seah was a dry measure equivalent to about 7 quarts.
[7:2] 2 tn Heb “the officer on whose hand the king leans.”
[7:2] 4 tn Heb “the
[7:2] 5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:2] 6 tn Heb “you will not eat from there.”
[7:3] 7 sn See the note at 2 Kgs 5:1.
[7:3] 8 tn Heb “until we die.”
[7:4] 9 tn Heb “If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city and we will die there.”
[7:4] 11 tn Heb “keep us alive.”
[7:4] 12 tn Heb “we will die.” The paraphrastic translation attempts to bring out the logical force of their reasoning.
[7:5] 13 tn Heb “they arose to go to.”
[7:8] 14 tn Heb “they ate and drank.”
[7:8] 15 tn Heb “and they hid [it].”
[7:8] 16 tn Heb “and they took from there.”
[7:9] 17 tn Heb “this day is a day of good news and we are keeping silent.”
[7:9] 18 tn Heb “the light of the morning.”
[7:9] 19 tn Heb “punishment will find us.”
[7:10] 20 tn The MT has a singular form (“gatekeeper”), but the context suggests a plural. The pronoun that follows (“them”) is plural and a plural noun appears in v. 11. The Syriac Peshitta and the Targum have the plural here.
[7:10] 21 tn Heb “and, look, there was no man or voice of a man there.”
[7:10] 22 tn Heb “but the horses are tied up and the donkeys are tied up and the tents are as they were.”
[7:11] 23 tn Heb “and the gatekeepers called out and they told [it] to the house of the king.”
[7:12] 24 tn Heb “servants” (also in v. 13).
[7:13] 25 tn Heb “Let them take five of the remaining horses that remain in it. Look, they are like all the people of Israel that remain in it. Look, they are like all the people of Israel that have come to an end.” The MT is dittographic here; the words “that remain in it. Look they are like all the people of Israel” have been accidentally repeated. The original text read, “Let them take five of the remaining horses that remain in it. Look, they are like all the people of Israel that have come to an end.”
[7:13] 26 tn Heb “and let us send so we might see.”
[7:14] 27 tn Heb “and the king sent [them] after the Syrian camp.”
[7:14] 28 tn Heb “Go and see.”
[7:15] 29 tn Heb “went after.”
[7:15] 30 tn Heb “and look, all the road was full of clothes and equipment that Syria had thrown away in their haste.”
[7:16] 32 sn A seah was a dry measure equivalent to about 7 quarts.
[7:16] 33 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[7:17] 34 tn Heb “the officer on whose hand he leans.”
[7:17] 35 tn Heb “and the people trampled him in the gate and he died.”
[7:17] 36 tn Heb “just as the man of God had spoken, [the word] which he spoke when the king came down to him.”
[7:19] 37 tn Heb “the
[7:19] 38 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:19] 39 tn Heb “you will not eat from there.”
[7:19] tn In the Hebrew text vv. 18-19a are one lengthy sentence, “When the man of God spoke to the king…, the officer replied to the man of God, ‘Look…so soon?’” The translation divides this sentence up for stylistic reasons.
[8:1] 40 tn Heb “Get up and go, you and your house, and live temporarily where you can live temporarily.”
[8:2] 41 tn Heb “and the woman got up and did according to the word of the man of God.”
[8:3] 42 tn Heb “and went out to cry out to the king for her house and her field.”
[8:4] 43 tn Heb “man of God’s.”
[8:5] 44 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gehazi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:5] 45 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:5] 46 tn Heb “and look, the woman whose son he had brought back to life was crying out to the king for her house and her field.”
[8:5] sn The legal background of the situation is uncertain. For a discussion of possibilities, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 87-88.
[8:6] 47 tn Heb “and the king asked the woman and she told him.”
[8:6] 48 tn Heb “and he assigned to her an official, saying.”
[8:7] 49 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:7] 50 tn Heb “man of God” (also a second time in this verse and in v. 11).
[8:8] 51 tn The Hebrew text also has “in your hand.”
[8:8] 52 tn Heb “Inquire of the
[8:9] 53 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:9] 54 tn The Hebrew text also has “in his hand.”
[8:9] 55 tn Heb “and.” It is possible that the conjunction is here explanatory, equivalent to English “that is.” In this case the forty camel loads constitute the “gift” and one should translate, “He took along a gift, consisting of forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus.”
[8:9] 56 sn The words “your son” emphasize the king’s respect for the prophet.
[8:10] 58 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) reads, “Go, say, ‘Surely you will not (לֹא, lo’) recover” In this case the vav beginning the next clause should be translated, “for, because.” The marginal reading (Qere) has, “Go, say to him (לוֹ, lo), ‘You will surely recover.” In this case the vav (ו) beginning the next clause should be translated, “although, but.” The Qere has the support of some medieval Hebrew
[8:11] 59 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:11] 60 tn Heb “and he made his face stand [i.e., be motionless] and set [his face?] until embarrassment.”
[8:13] 61 tn Heb “Indeed, what is your servant, a dog, that he could do this great thing?” With his reference to a dog, Hazael is not denying that he is a “dog” and protesting that he would never commit such a dastardly “dog-like” deed. Rather, as Elisha’s response indicates, Hazael is suggesting that he, like a dog, is too insignificant to ever be in a position to lead such conquests.
[8:13] 62 tn Heb “The
[8:14] 63 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:14] 64 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Hazael) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:15] 65 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Hazael) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:15] 66 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:16] 67 tc The Hebrew text reads, “and in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, and [or, ‘while’?] Jehoshaphat [was?] king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king.” The first reference to “Jehoshaphat king of Judah” is probably due to a scribe accidentally copying the phrase from the later in the verse. If the Hebrew text is retained, the verse probably refers to the beginning of a coregency between Jehoshaphat and Jehoram.
[8:17] 68 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[8:18] 69 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.”
[8:18] 70 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[8:19] 71 tn The Hebrew has only one sentence, “and the
[8:19] 72 tn Heb “just as he had promised to give him and his sons a lamp all the days.” The metaphorical “lamp” symbolizes the Davidic dynasty; this is reflected in the translation.
[8:20] 73 tn Heb “in his days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah and enthroned a king over them.”
[8:21] 74 sn Joram is a short form of the name Jehoram.
[8:21] 75 tn 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 Joram was surrounded and launched a victorious night counterattack. It would then be quite natural to understand the last statement in the verse to refer to an Edomite retreat. Yet v. 22 goes on to state that the Edomite revolt was successful. Therefore, if the MT is retained, it may be better to understand the final statement in v. 21 as a reference to an Israelite retreat (made in spite of the success described in the preceding sentence). The translation above assumes an emendation of the Hebrew text. Adding a third masculine singular pronominal suffix to the accusative sign before Edom (reading אֶתוֹ [’eto], “him,” instead of just אֶת [’et]) 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. There is, however, no evidence for this emendation.
[8:21] 76 tn Heb “and the people fled to their tents.”
[8:22] 77 tn Heb “and Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah until this day.”
[8:23] 78 tn Heb “As for the rest of the acts of Joram and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[8:24] 79 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[8:26] 80 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[8:26] 81 tn Hebrew בַּת (bat), “daughter,” can refer, as here to a granddaughter. See HALOT 166 s.v. בַּת.
[8:27] 82 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[8:27] 83 tn Heb “and he walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the
[8:29] 84 tn Heb “which the Syrians inflicted [on] him.”
[9:1] 86 tn Heb “one of the sons of the prophets.”
[9:2] 88 tn Heb “and go and set him apart from his brothers and bring him into an inner room in an inner room.”
[9:3] 90 tn Heb “and open the door and run away and do not delay.”
[9:4] 91 tc Heb “the young man, the young man, the prophet.” The MT is probably dittographic, the phrase “the young man” being accidentally repeated. The phrases “the young man” and “the prophet” are appositional, with the latter qualifying more specifically the former.
[9:5] 92 tn Heb “and he arrived and look, the officers of the army were sitting.”
[9:5] 93 tn Heb “[there is] a word for me to you, O officer.”
[9:5] 94 tn Heb “To whom from all of us?”
[9:6] 95 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:6] 96 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:7] 97 tn Or “strike down the house of Ahab your master.”
[9:7] 98 tn Heb “I will avenge the shed blood of my servants the prophets and the shed blood of all the servants of the
[9:8] 99 tc The LXX has the second person, “you.”
[9:8] 100 tn Heb “and I will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against a wall, [including both those who are] restrained and let free [or, ‘abandoned’] in Israel.” On the phrase וְעָצוּר וְעָזוּב (vÿ’atsur vÿ’azur, translated here “weak and incapacitated”) see the note at 1 Kgs 14:10.
[9:10] 102 sn Note how the young prophet greatly expands the message Elisha had given to him. In addition to lengthening the introductory formula (by adding “the God of Israel”) and the official declaration that accompanies the act of anointing (by adding “the
[9:11] 103 tn Heb “went out to.”
[9:11] 104 tc The MT has the singular, “he said,” but many witnesses correctly read the plural.
[9:11] 105 tn Heb “Is there peace?”
[9:11] 106 tn Heb “He said, ‘You, you know the man and his thoughts.’” Jehu tries to deflect their question by reminding them that the man is an eccentric individual who says strange things. His reply suggests that the man said nothing of importance. The translation seeks to bring out the tone and intent of Jehu’s reply.
[9:12] 107 tn Heb “So he said, ‘Like this and like this he said to me, saying.’” The words “like this and like this” are probably not a direct quote of Jehu’s words to his colleagues. Rather this is the narrator’s way of avoiding repetition and indicating that Jehu repeated, or at least summarized, what the prophet had said to him.
[9:13] 108 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:13] 109 tn Heb “and they hurried and took, each one his garment, and they placed [them] beneath him on the bone [?] of the steps.” The precise nuance of גֶרֶם (gerem), “bone,” is unclear. Some suggest the nuance “bare” here; it may be a technical architectural term in this context.
[9:13] 110 tn Heb “they blew the trumpet.” This has been translated as a passive to avoid the implication that the same ones who shouted had all blown trumpets.
[9:13] 111 tn Or “has become.”
[9:14] 112 tn Heb “he and all Israel.”
[9:15] 113 tn Heb “which the Syrians inflicted [on] him.”
[9:15] 114 sn See 2 Kgs 8:28-29a.
[9:15] 115 tn The words “his supporters” are added for clarification.
[9:15] 116 tn Heb “If this is your desire.” נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) refers here to the seat of the emotions and will. For other examples of this use of the word, see BDB 660-61 s.v.
[9:16] 117 tn Heb “rode [or, ‘mounted’] and went.”
[9:16] 118 tn Heb “lying down.”
[9:17] 120 tn Heb “the quantity [of the men] of Jehu, when he approached.” Elsewhere שִׁפְעַה (shif’ah), “quantity,” is used of a quantity of camels (Isa 60:6) or horses (Ezek 26:10) and of an abundance of water (Job 22:11; 38:34).
[9:17] 121 tn The term שִׁפְעַת (shifat) appears to be a construct form of the noun, but no genitive follows.
[9:17] 123 tn Heb “Get a rider and send [him] to meet him and let him ask, ‘Is there peace?’”
[9:18] 124 tn Heb “the rider of the horse.”
[9:18] 125 tn Heb “Is there peace?”
[9:18] 126 tn Heb “What concerning you and concerning peace?” That is, “What concern is that to you?”
[9:19] 127 tn Heb “and he came to them.”
[9:19] 128 tc The MT has simply “peace,” omitting the prefixed interrogative particle. It is likely that the particle has been accidentally omitted; several ancient witnesses include it or assume its presence.
[9:20] 129 tn Heb “and the driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi.”
[9:21] 130 tn The words “my chariot” are added for clarification.
[9:21] 131 tn Heb “and he hitched up his chariot.”
[9:21] 132 tn Heb “each in his chariot and they went out.”
[9:21] 133 tn Heb “they found him.”
[9:22] 134 tn Heb “How [can there be] peace as long as the adulterous acts of Jezebel your mother and her many acts of sorcery [continue]?” In this instance “adulterous acts” is employed metaphorically for idolatry. As elsewhere in the OT, worshiping other gods is viewed as spiritual adultery and unfaithfulness to the one true God. The phrase “many acts of sorcery” could be taken literally, for Jezebel undoubtedly utilized pagan divination practices, but the phrase may be metaphorical, pointing to her devotion to pagan customs in general.
[9:23] 135 tn Heb “and Jehoram turned his hands and fled.” The phrase “turned his hands” refers to how he would have pulled on the reins in order to make his horses turn around.
[9:23] 136 tn Heb “Deceit, Ahaziah.”
[9:24] 137 tn Heb “and Jehu filled his hand with the bow and he struck Jehoram between his shoulders.”
[9:24] 138 tn Heb “went out from.”
[9:26] 140 tn Heb “and I will repay you in this plot of land.”
[9:26] 141 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[9:27] 142 tn Heb “and Ahaziah king of Judah saw and fled.”
[9:27] 143 tn After Jehu’s order (“kill him too”), the MT has simply, “to the chariot in the ascent of Gur which is near Ibleam.” The main verb in the clause, “they shot him” (וַיִּכְהוּ, vayyikhhu), has been accidentally omitted by virtual haplography/homoioteleuton. Note that the immediately preceding form הַכֻּהוּ (hakkuhu), “shoot him,” ends with the same suffix.
[9:27] 144 map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.
[9:28] 145 tn Heb “drove him.”
[9:28] 146 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:30] 147 tn Heb “she fixed her eyes with antimony.” Antimony (פּוּךְ, pukh) was used as a cosmetic. The narrator portrays her as a prostitute (see Jer 4:30), a role she has played in the spiritual realm (see the note at v. 22).
[9:31] 148 sn Jezebel associates Jehu with another assassin, Zimri, who approximately 44 years before had murdered King Elah, only to meet a violent death just a few days later (1 Kgs 16:9-20). On the surface Jezebel’s actions seem contradictory. On the one hand, she beautifies herself as if to seduce Jehu, but on the other hand, she insults and indirectly threatens him with this comparison to Zimri. Upon further reflection, however, her actions reveal a clear underlying motive. She wants to retain her power, not to mention her life. By beautifying herself, she appeals to Jehu’s sexual impulses; by threatening him, she reminds him that he is in the same precarious position as Zimri. But, if he makes Jezebel his queen, he can consolidate his power. In other words through her actions and words Jezebel is saying to Jehu, “You desire me, don’t you? And you need me!”
[9:32] 149 tn Heb “two, three.” The narrator may be intentionally vague or uncertain here, or the two numbers may represent alternate traditions.
[9:33] 150 tn The words “when she hit the ground” are added for stylistic reasons.
[9:33] 151 tn Heb “and he trampled her.”
[9:34] 152 tn Heb “and he went and ate and drank.”
[9:34] 153 tn Heb “Attend to this accursed woman and bury her for she was the daughter of a king.”
[9:35] 154 tn Heb “they did not find her, except for.”
[9:36] 155 tn Heb “It is the word of the
[9:37] 156 tn Heb “so that they will not say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”
[1:1] 157 sn In the beginning. The search for the basic “stuff” out of which things are made was the earliest one in Greek philosophy. It was attended by the related question of “What is the process by which the secondary things came out of the primary one (or ones)?,” or in Aristotelian terminology, “What is the ‘beginning’ (same Greek word as beginning, John 1:1) and what is the origin of the things that are made?” In the New Testament the word usually has a temporal sense, but even BDAG 138 s.v. ἀρχή 3 lists a major category of meaning as “the first cause.” For John, the words “In the beginning” are most likely a conscious allusion to the opening words of Genesis – “In the beginning.” Other concepts which occur prominently in Gen 1 are also found in John’s prologue: “life” (1:4) “light” (1:4) and “darkness” (1:5). Gen 1 describes the first (physical) creation; John 1 describes the new (spiritual) creation. But this is not to play off a false dichotomy between “physical” and “spiritual”; the first creation was both physical and spiritual. The new creation is really a re-creation, of the spiritual (first) but also the physical. (In spite of the common understanding of John’s “spiritual” emphasis, the “physical” re-creation should not be overlooked; this occurs in John 2 with the changing of water into wine, in John 11 with the resurrection of Lazarus, and the emphasis of John 20-21 on the aftermath of Jesus’ own resurrection.)
[1:1] 158 tn The preposition πρός (pros) implies not just proximity, but intimate personal relationship. M. Dods stated, “Πρός …means more than μετά or παρά, and is regularly employed in expressing the presence of one person with another” (“The Gospel of St. John,” The Expositor’s Greek Testament, 1:684). See also Mark 6:3, Matt 13:56, Mark 9:19, Gal 1:18, 2 John 12.
[1:1] 159 tn Or “and what God was the Word was.” Colwell’s Rule is often invoked to support the translation of θεός (qeos) as definite (“God”) rather than indefinite (“a god”) here. However, Colwell’s Rule merely permits, but does not demand, that a predicate nominative ahead of an equative verb be translated as definite rather than indefinite. Furthermore, Colwell’s Rule did not deal with a third possibility, that the anarthrous predicate noun may have more of a qualitative nuance when placed ahead of the verb. A definite meaning for the term is reflected in the traditional rendering “the word was God.” From a technical standpoint, though, it is preferable to see a qualitative aspect to anarthrous θεός in John 1:1c (ExSyn 266-69). Translations like the NEB, REB, and Moffatt are helpful in capturing the sense in John 1:1c, that the Word was fully deity in essence (just as much God as God the Father). However, in contemporary English “the Word was divine” (Moffatt) does not quite catch the meaning since “divine” as a descriptive term is not used in contemporary English exclusively of God. The translation “what God was the Word was” is perhaps the most nuanced rendering, conveying that everything God was in essence, the Word was too. This points to unity of essence between the Father and the Son without equating the persons. However, in surveying a number of native speakers of English, some of whom had formal theological training and some of whom did not, the editors concluded that the fine distinctions indicated by “what God was the Word was” would not be understood by many contemporary readers. Thus the translation “the Word was fully God” was chosen because it is more likely to convey the meaning to the average English reader that the Logos (which “became flesh and took up residence among us” in John 1:14 and is thereafter identified in the Fourth Gospel as Jesus) is one in essence with God the Father. The previous phrase, “the Word was with God,” shows that the Logos is distinct in person from God the Father.
[1:1] sn And the Word was fully God. John’s theology consistently drives toward the conclusion that Jesus, the incarnate Word, is just as much God as God the Father. This can be seen, for example, in texts like John 10:30 (“The Father and I are one”), 17:11 (“so that they may be one just as we are one”), and 8:58 (“before Abraham came into existence, I am”). The construction in John 1:1c does not equate the Word with the person of God (this is ruled out by 1:1b, “the Word was with God”); rather it affirms that the Word and God are one in essence.
[1:2] 160 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the Word) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:3] 161 tn Or “made”; Grk “came into existence.”
[1:3] 162 tn Or “made”; Grk “nothing came into existence.”
[1:3] 163 tc There is a major punctuation problem here: Should this relative clause go with v. 3 or v. 4? The earliest
[1:3] tn Or “made”; Grk “that has come into existence.”
[1:4] 164 tn John uses ζωή (zwh) 37 times: 17 times it occurs with αἰώνιος (aiwnios), and in the remaining occurrences outside the prologue it is clear from context that “eternal” life is meant. The two uses in 1:4, if they do not refer to “eternal” life, would be the only exceptions. (Also 1 John uses ζωή 13 times, always of “eternal” life.)
[1:4] sn An allusion to Ps 36:9, which gives significant OT background: “For with you is the fountain of life; In your light we see light.” In later Judaism, Bar 4:2 expresses a similar idea. Life, especially eternal life, will become one of the major themes of John’s Gospel.
[1:4] 165 tn Or “humanity”; Grk “of men” (but ἄνθρωπος [anqrwpo"] is used in a generic sense here, not restricted to males only, thus “mankind,” “humanity”).
[1:5] 166 tn To this point the author has used past tenses (imperfects, aorists); now he switches to a present. The light continually shines (thus the translation, “shines on”). Even as the author writes, it is shining. The present here most likely has gnomic force (though it is possible to take it as a historical present); it expresses the timeless truth that the light of the world (cf. 8:12, 9:5, 12:46) never ceases to shine.
[1:5] sn The light shines on. The question of whether John has in mind here the preincarnate Christ or the incarnate Christ is probably too specific. The incarnation is not really introduced until v. 9, but here the point is more general: It is of the very nature of light, that it shines.
[1:5] 167 sn The author now introduces what will become a major theme of John’s Gospel: the opposition of light and darkness. The antithesis is a natural one, widespread in antiquity. Gen 1 gives considerable emphasis to it in the account of the creation, and so do the writings of Qumran. It is the major theme of one of the most important extra-biblical documents found at Qumran, the so-called War Scroll, properly titled The War of the Sons of Light with the Sons of Darkness. Connections between John and Qumran are still an area of scholarly debate and a consensus has not yet emerged. See T. A. Hoffman, “1 John and the Qumran Scrolls,” BTB 8 (1978): 117-25.
[1:5] 168 tn Grk “and,” but the context clearly indicates a contrast, so this has been translated as an adversative use of καί (kai).
[1:5] 169 tn Or “comprehended it,” or “overcome it.” The verb κατέλαβεν (katelaben) is not easy to translate. “To seize” or “to grasp” is possible, but this also permits “to grasp with the mind” in the sense of “to comprehend” (esp. in the middle voice). This is probably another Johannine double meaning – one does not usually think of darkness as trying to “understand” light. For it to mean this, “darkness” must be understood as meaning “certain people,” or perhaps “humanity” at large, darkened in understanding. But in John’s usage, darkness is not normally used of people or a group of people. Rather it usually signifies the evil environment or ‘sphere’ in which people find themselves: “They loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:19). Those who follow Jesus do not walk in darkness (8:12). They are to walk while they have light, lest the darkness “overtake/overcome” them (12:35, same verb as here). For John, with his set of symbols and imagery, darkness is not something which seeks to “understand (comprehend)” the light, but represents the forces of evil which seek to “overcome (conquer)” it. The English verb “to master” may be used in both sorts of contexts, as “he mastered his lesson” and “he mastered his opponent.”
[1:6] 170 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[1:7] 171 tn Grk “came for a testimony.”
[1:7] sn Witness is also one of the major themes of John’s Gospel. The Greek verb μαρτυρέω (marturew) occurs 33 times (compare to once in Matthew, once in Luke, 0 in Mark) and the noun μαρτυρία (marturia) 14 times (0 in Matthew, once in Luke, 3 times in Mark).
[1:7] 172 tn Or “to bear witness.”
[1:8] 174 tn Or “to bear witness.”
[1:9] 175 tn Grk “every man” (but in a generic sense, “every person,” or “every human being”).
[1:9] 176 tn Or “He was the true light, who gives light to everyone who comes into the world.” The participle ἐρχόμενον (ercomenon) may be either (1) neuter nominative, agreeing with τὸ φῶς (to fw"), or (2) masculine accusative, agreeing with ἄνθρωπον (anqrwpon). Option (1) results in a periphrastic imperfect with ἦν (hn), ἦν τὸ φῶς… ἐρχόμενον, referring to the incarnation. Option (2) would have the participle modifying ἄνθρωπον and referring to the true light as enlightening “every man who comes into the world.” Option (2) has some rabbinic parallels: The phrase “all who come into the world” is a fairly common expression for “every man” (cf. Leviticus Rabbah 31.6). But (1) must be preferred here, because: (a) In the next verse the light is in the world; it is logical for v. 9 to speak of its entering the world; (b) in other passages Jesus is described as “coming into the world” (6:14, 9:39, 11:27, 16:28) and in 12:46 Jesus says: ἐγὼ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθα (egw fw" ei" ton kosmon elhluqa); (c) use of a periphrastic participle with the imperfect tense is typical Johannine style: 1:28, 2:6, 3:23, 10:40, 11:1, 13:23, 18:18 and 25. In every one of these except 13:23 the finite verb is first and separated by one or more intervening words from the participle.
[1:9] sn In v. 9 the world (κόσμος, kosmos) is mentioned for the first time. This is another important theme word for John. Generally, the world as a Johannine concept does not refer to the totality of creation (the universe), although there are exceptions at 11:9. 17:5, 24, 21:25, but to the world of human beings and human affairs. Even in 1:10 the world created through the Logos is a world capable of knowing (or reprehensibly not knowing) its Creator. Sometimes the world is further qualified as this world (ὁ κόσμος οὗτος, Jo kosmos Joutos) as in 8:23, 9:39, 11:9, 12:25, 31; 13:1, 16:11, 18:36. This is not merely equivalent to the rabbinic phrase “this present age” (ὁ αἰών οὗτος, Jo aiwn Joutos) and contrasted with “the world to come.” For John it is also contrasted to a world other than this one, already existing; this is the lower world, corresponding to which there is a world above (see especially 8:23, 18:36). Jesus appears not only as the Messiah by means of whom an eschatological future is anticipated (as in the synoptic gospels) but also as an envoy from the heavenly world to this world.
[1:10] 177 tn Or “was made”; Grk “came into existence.”
[1:10] 178 tn Grk “and,” but in context this is an adversative use of καί (kai) and is thus translated “but.”
[1:11] 180 tn Grk “to his own things.”
[1:11] 181 tn Grk “and,” but in context this is an adversative use of καί (kai) and is thus translated “but.”
[1:11] 182 tn “People” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[1:11] 183 sn His own people did not receive him. There is a subtle irony here: When the λόγος (logos) came into the world, he came to his own (τὰ ἴδια, ta idia, literally “his own things”) and his own people (οἱ ἴδιοι, Joi idioi), who should have known and received him, but they did not. This time John does not say that “his own” did not know him, but that they did not receive him (παρέλαβον, parelabon). The idea is one not of mere recognition, but of acceptance and welcome.
[1:12] 184 tn On the use of the πιστεύω + εἰς (pisteuw + ei") construction in John: The verb πιστεύω occurs 98 times in John (compared to 11 times in Matthew, 14 times in Mark [including the longer ending], and 9 times in Luke). One of the unsolved mysteries is why the corresponding noun form πίστις (pistis) is never used at all. Many have held the noun was in use in some pre-Gnostic sects and this rendered it suspect for John. It might also be that for John, faith was an activity, something that men do (cf. W. Turner, “Believing and Everlasting Life – A Johannine Inquiry,” ExpTim 64 [1952/53]: 50-52). John uses πιστεύω in 4 major ways: (1) of believing facts, reports, etc., 12 times; (2) of believing people (or the scriptures), 19 times; (3) of believing “in” Christ” (πιστεύω + εἰς + acc.), 36 times; (4) used absolutely without any person or object specified, 30 times (the one remaining passage is 2:24, where Jesus refused to “trust” himself to certain individuals). Of these, the most significant is the use of πιστεύω with εἰς + accusative. It is not unlike the Pauline ἐν Χριστῷ (en Cristw) formula. Some have argued that this points to a Hebrew (more likely Aramaic) original behind the Fourth Gospel. But it probably indicates something else, as C. H. Dodd observed: “πιστεύειν with the dative so inevitably connoted simple credence, in the sense of an intellectual judgment, that the moral element of personal trust or reliance inherent in the Hebrew or Aramaic phrase – an element integral to the primitive Christian conception of faith in Christ – needed to be otherwise expressed” (The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, 183).
[1:13] 185 tn The Greek term translated “born” here also involves conception.
[1:13] 186 tn Grk “of blood(s).” The plural αἱμάτων (Jaimatwn) has seemed a problem to many interpreters. At least some sources in antiquity imply that blood was thought of as being important in the development of the fetus during its time in the womb: thus Wis 7:1: “in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh, within the period of 10 months, compacted with blood, from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage.” In John 1:13, the plural αἱμάτων may imply the action of both parents. It may also refer to the “genetic” contribution of both parents, and so be equivalent to “human descent” (see BDAG 26 s.v. αἷμα 1.a). E. C. Hoskyns thinks John could not have used the singular here because Christians are in fact ‘begotten’ by the blood of Christ (The Fourth Gospel, 143), although the context would seem to make it clear that the blood in question is something other than the blood of Christ.
[1:13] 187 tn Or “of the will of the flesh.” The phrase οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός (oude ek qelhmato" sarko") is more clearly a reference to sexual desire, but it should be noted that σάρξ (sarx) in John does not convey the evil sense common in Pauline usage. For John it refers to the physical nature in its weakness rather than in its sinfulness. There is no clearer confirmation of this than the immediately following verse, where the λόγος (logos) became σάρξ.
[1:13] 189 tn The third phrase, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός (oude ek qelhmato" andros), means much the same as the second one. The word here (ἀνηρ, anhr) is often used for a husband, resulting in the translation “or a husband’s decision,” or more generally, “or of any human volition whatsoever.” L. Morris may be right when he sees here an emphasis directed at the Jewish pride in race and patriarchal ancestry, although such a specific reference is difficult to prove (John [NICNT], 101).
[1:14] 190 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic, the incarnation of the Word. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
[1:14] 191 tn This looks at the Word incarnate in humility and weakness; the word σάρξ (sarx) does not carry overtones of sinfulness here as it frequently does in Pauline usage. See also John 3:6.
[1:14] 192 tn Grk “and tabernacled.”
[1:14] sn The Greek word translated took up residence (σκηνόω, skhnow) alludes to the OT tabernacle, where the Shekinah, the visible glory of God’s presence, resided. The author is suggesting that this glory can now be seen in Jesus (note the following verse). The verb used here may imply that the Shekinah glory that once was found in the tabernacle has taken up residence in the person of Jesus. Cf. also John 2:19-21. The Word became flesh. This verse constitutes the most concise statement of the incarnation in the New Testament. John 1:1 makes it clear that the Logos was fully God, but 1:14 makes it clear that he was also fully human. A Docetic interpretation is completely ruled out. Here for the first time the Logos of 1:1 is identified as Jesus of Nazareth – the two are one and the same. Thus this is the last time the word logos is used in the Fourth Gospel to refer to the second person of the Trinity. From here on it is Jesus of Nazareth who is the focus of John’s Gospel.
[1:14] 193 tn Grk “and we saw.”
[1:14] 194 tn Or “of the unique one.” Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12, 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clem. 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant., 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God, Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 1:18, 3:16, and 3:18).
[1:15] 195 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[1:15] 196 tn Or “bore witness.”
[1:15] 197 tn Grk “and shouted out saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant is English and has not been translated.
[1:15] 198 tn Or “has a higher rank than I.”
[1:16] 199 tn Grk “for from his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” The meaning of the phrase χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος (carin anti carito") could be: (1) love (grace) under the New Covenant in place of love (grace) under the Sinai Covenant, thus replacement; (2) grace “on top of” grace, thus accumulation; (3) grace corresponding to grace, thus correspondence. The most commonly held view is (2) in one sense or another, and this is probably the best explanation. This sense is supported by a fairly well-known use in Philo, Posterity 43 (145). Morna D. Hooker suggested that Exod 33:13 provides the background for this expression: “Now therefore, I pray you, if I have found χάρις (LXX) in your sight, let me know your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find χάρις (LXX) in your sight.” Hooker proposed that it is this idea of favor given to one who has already received favor which lies behind 1:16, and this seems very probable as a good explanation of the meaning of the phrase (“The Johannine Prologue and the Messianic Secret,” NTS 21 [1974/75]: 53).
[1:16] sn Earlier commentators (including Origen and Luther) took the words For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another to be John the Baptist’s. Most modern commentators take them as the words of the author.
[1:17] 200 tn “But” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the implied contrast between the Mosaic law and grace through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 seems to indicate clearly that the Old Covenant (Sinai) was being contrasted with the New. In Jewish sources the Law was regarded as a gift from God (Josephus, Ant. 3.8.10 [3.223]; Pirqe Avot 1.1; Sifre Deut 31:4 §305). Further information can be found in T. F. Glasson, Moses in the Fourth Gospel (SBT).
[1:18] 201 tc The textual problem μονογενὴς θεός (monogenh" qeo", “the only God”) versus ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός (Jo monogenh" Juio", “the only son”) is a notoriously difficult one. Only one letter would have differentiated the readings in the
[1:18] tn Or “The unique one.” For the meaning of μονογενής (monogenh") see the note on “one and only” in 1:14.
[1:18] 202 tn Grk “in the bosom of” (an idiom for closeness or nearness; cf. L&N 34.18; BDAG 556 s.v. κόλπος 1).
[1:18] 203 tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 204 sn Has made God known. In this final verse of the prologue, the climactic and ultimate statement of the earthly career of the Logos, Jesus of Nazareth, is reached. The unique One (John 1:14), the One who has taken on human form and nature by becoming incarnate (became flesh, 1:14), who is himself fully God (the Word was God, 1:1c) and is to be identified with the ever-living One of the Old Testament revelation (Exod 3:14), who is in intimate relationship with the Father, this One and no other has fully revealed what God is like. As Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father.”
[1:19] 205 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
[1:19] 207 sn John’s refers to John the Baptist.
[1:19] sn John the Baptist’s testimony seems to take place over 3 days: day 1, John’s testimony about his own role is largely negative (1:19-28); day 2, John gives positive testimony about who Jesus is (1:29-34); day 3, John sends his own disciples to follow Jesus (1:35-40).
[1:19] 209 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Iουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. Here the author refers to the authorities or leaders in Jerusalem. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.)
[1:19] 210 tc ‡ Several important witnesses have πρὸς αὐτόν (pro" auton, “to him”) either here (B C* 33 892c al it) or after “Levites” (Ì66c vid A Θ Ψ Ë13 579 al lat), while the earliest
[1:19] 211 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:19] 212 sn “Who are you?” No uniform Jewish expectation of a single eschatological figure existed in the 1st century. A majority expected the Messiah. But some pseudepigraphic books describe God’s intervention without mentioning the anointed Davidic king; in parts of 1 Enoch, for example, the figure of the Son of Man, not the Messiah, embodies the expectations of the author. Essenes at Qumran seem to have expected three figures: a prophet, a priestly messiah, and a royal messiah. In baptizing, John the Baptist was performing an eschatological action. It also seems to have been part of his proclamation (John 1:23, 26-27). Crowds were beginning to follow him. He was operating in an area not too far from the Essene center on the Dead Sea. No wonder the authorities were curious about who he was.
[1:20] 213 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[1:20] sn “I am not the Christ.” A 3rd century work, the pseudo-Clementine Recognitions (1.54 and 1.60 in the Latin text; the statement is not as clear in the Syriac version) records that John’s followers proclaimed him to be the Messiah. There is no clear evidence that they did so in the 1st century, however – but Luke 3:15 indicates some wondered. Concerning the Christ, the term χριστός (cristos) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in LXX into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”). In the intertestamental period it developed further into a technical term referring to the hoped-for anointed one, that is, a specific individual. In the NT the development starts there (technical-specific), is so used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.
[1:21] 214 tn Grk “What then?” (an idiom).
[1:21] 215 sn According to the 1st century rabbinic interpretation of 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah. How does one reconcile John the Baptist’s denial here (“I am not”) with Jesus’ statements in Matt 11:14 (see also Mark 9:13 and Matt 17:12) that John the Baptist was Elijah? Some have attempted to remove the difficulty by a reconstruction of the text in the Gospel of John which makes the Baptist say that he was Elijah. However, external support for such emendations is lacking. According to Gregory the Great, John was not Elijah, but exercised toward Jesus the function of Elijah by preparing his way. But this avoids the real difficulty, since in John’s Gospel the question of the Jewish authorities to the Baptist concerns precisely his function. It has also been suggested that the author of the Gospel here preserves a historically correct reminiscence – that John the Baptist did not think of himself as Elijah, although Jesus said otherwise. Mark 6:14-16 and Mark 8:28 indicate the people and Herod both distinguished between John and Elijah – probably because he did not see himself as Elijah. But Jesus’ remarks in Matt 11:14, Mark 9:13, and Matt 17:12 indicate that John did perform the function of Elijah – John did for Jesus what Elijah was to have done for the coming of the Lord. C. F. D. Moule pointed out that it is too simple to see a straight contradiction between John’s account and that of the synoptic gospels: “We have to ask by whom the identification is made, and by whom refused. The synoptic gospels represent Jesus as identifying, or comparing, the Baptist with Elijah, while John represents the Baptist as rejecting the identification when it is offered him by his interviewers. Now these two, so far from being incompatible, are psychologically complementary. The Baptist humbly rejects the exalted title, but Jesus, on the contrary, bestows it on him. Why should not the two both be correct?” (The Phenomenon of the New Testament [SBT], 70).
[1:21] 216 sn The Prophet is a reference to the “prophet like Moses” of Deut 18:15, by this time an eschatological figure in popular belief. Acts 3:22 identifies Jesus as this prophet.
[1:22] 217 tn The words “Tell us” are not in the Greek but are implied.
[1:23] 218 tn Grk “He”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:23] 219 sn This call to “make straight” is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
[1:23] 220 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
[1:24] 221 sn Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.
[1:24] 222 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[1:25] 223 tn Grk “And they asked him, and said to him”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the phrase has been simplified in the translation to “So they asked John.”
[1:25] 224 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[1:25] sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.
[1:26] 225 tn Grk “answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:27] 227 tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”
[1:27] sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy. This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet.
[1:27] 228 tn The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.
[1:28] 229 tc Many witnesses ([א2] C2 K T Ψc 083 Ë1,13 33 pm sa Or) read Βηθαβαρᾷ (Bhqabara, “Bethabara”) instead of Βηθανίᾳ (Bhqania, “Bethany”). But the reading Βηθανίᾳ is strongly supported by {Ì66,75 A B C* L Ws Δ Θ Ψ* 565 579 700 1241 1424 pm latt bo as well as several fathers}. Since there is no known Bethany “beyond the Jordan,” it is likely that the name would have been changed to a more etymologically edifying one (Origen mistakenly thought the name Bethabara meant “house of preparation” and for this reason was appropriate in this context; see TCGNT 171 for discussion). On the other hand, both since Origen’s understanding of the Semitic etymology of Bethabara was incorrect, and because Bethany was at least a well-known location in Palestine, mentioned in the Gospels about a dozen times, one has to wonder whether scribes replaced Βηθαβαρᾷ with Βηθανίᾳ. However, if Origen’s understanding of the etymology of the name was representative, scribes may have altered the text in the direction of Bethabara. And even if most scribes were unfamiliar with what the name might signify, that a reading which did not contradict the Gospels’ statements of a Bethany near Jerusalem was already at hand may have been sufficient reason for them to adopt Bethabara. Further, in light of the very strong testimony for Βηθανίᾳ, this reading should be regarded as authentic.
[1:28] 230 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
