Yeremia 17:11

17:11 The person who gathers wealth by unjust means

is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. ¹ 

Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. ² 

At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.” ³ 

Matius 6:19-20

Lasting Treasure

6:19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth ⁴  and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 6:20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

Lukas 12:33

12:33 Sell your possessions ⁵  and give to the poor. ⁶  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ⁷  that never decreases, ⁸  where no thief approaches and no moth ⁹  destroys.

Lukas 12:1

Fear God, Not People

12:1 Meanwhile, ¹⁰  when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus ¹¹  began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against ¹²  the yeast of the Pharisees, ¹³  which is hypocrisy. ¹⁴ 

Pengkhotbah 1:4

1:4 A generation comes ¹⁵  and a generation goes, ¹⁶ 

but the earth remains ¹⁷  the same ¹⁸  through the ages. ¹⁹ 

[17:11]  ¹ tn The meaning of this line is somewhat uncertain. The word translated “broods over” occurs only here and Isa 34:15. It is often defined on the basis of an Aramaic cognate which means “to gather” with an extended meaning of “to gather together under her to hatch.” Many commentators go back to a Rabbinic explanation that the partridge steals the eggs of other birds and hatches them out only to see the birds depart when they recognize that she is not the mother. Modern studies question the validity of this zoologically. Moreover, W. L. Holladay contests the validity on the basis of the wording “and she does hatch them” (Heb “bring them to birth”). See W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 1:498, and see also P. C. Craigie, P. H. Kelley, J. F. Drinkard, Jeremiah 1-25 (WBC), 229. The point of the comparison is that the rich gather their wealth but they do not get to see the fruits of it.

[17:11]  ² tn The Hebrew text merely says “it.” But the antecedent might be ambiguous in English so the reference to wealth gained by unjust means is here reiterated for clarity.

[17:11]  ³ tn Heb “he will be [= prove to be] a fool.”

[6:19]  ⁴ tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.

[12:33]  ⁵ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

[12:33]  ⁶ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

[12:33]  ⁷ tn Grk “in the heavens.”

[12:33]  ⁸ tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

[12:33]  ⁹ tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.

[12:1]  ¹⁰ tn The phrase ἐν οἷς (en Jois) can be translated “meanwhile.”

[12:1]  ¹¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:1]  ¹² tn According to L&N 27.59, “to pay attention to, to keep on the lookout for, to be alert for, to be on your guard against.” This is another Lukan present imperative calling for constant vigilance.

[12:1]  ¹³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

[12:1]  ¹⁴ sn The pursuit of popularity can lead to hypocrisy, if one is not careful.

[1:4]  ¹⁵ tn The participle הֹלֵךְ (holekh, “to walk, to go”) emphasizes continual, durative, uninterrupted action (present universal use of participle). The root הָלַךְ (halakh) is repeated in this section (1:4a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 7c) to emphasize the continual action and constant motion of everything in nature. Despite the continual action of everything in nature, there is no completion, attainment or rest for anything. The first use of הָלַךְ is in reference to man; all subsequent usages are in reference to nature – illustrations of the futility of human endeavor. Note: All the key terms used in 1:4 to describe the futility of human endeavor are repeated in 1:5-11 as illustrations from nature. The literary monotony in 1:4-11 mirrors the actual monotony of human action that repeats itself with no real change.

[1:4]  ¹⁶ tn The participle בָּא (ba’, “to go”) emphasizes continual, durative, uninterrupted action (present universal use of participle). The term is repeated in 1:4-5 to compare the futility of secular human accomplishments with the futile actions in nature: everything is in motion, but there is nothing new accomplished.

[1:4]  ¹⁷ tn The participle עֹמָדֶת (’omadet, “to stand”) emphasizes a continual, durative, uninterrupted state (present universal condition). Man, despite all his secular accomplishments in all generations, makes no ultimate impact on the earth.

[1:4]  ¹⁸ tn The term “the same” does not appear in Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.

[1:4]  ¹⁹ tn The term עוֹלָם (’olam) has a wide range of meanings: (1) indefinite time: “long time, duration,” often “eternal” or “eternity”; (2) future time: “things to come”; and (3) past time: “a long time back,” that is, the dark age of prehistory (HALOT 798–99 s.v. עוֹלָם; BDB 761–63 s.v. III עלם). It may also denote an indefinite period of “continuous existence” (BDB 762 s.v. III עלם 2.b). It is used in this sense in reference to things that remain the same for long periods: the earth (Eccl 1:4), the heavens (Ps 148:6), ruined cities (Isa 25:2; 32:14), ruined lands (Jer 18:16), nations (Isa 47:7), families (Ps 49:12; Isa 14:20), the dynasty of Saul (1 Sam 13:13), the house of Eli (2 Sam 2:30), continual enmity between nations (Ezek 25:15; 35:5), the exclusion of certain nations from the assembly (Deut 23:4; Neh 13:1), a perpetual reproach (Ps 78:66).