Mazmur 9:1-2
KonteksFor the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; 2 a psalm of David.
9:1 I will thank the Lord with all my heart!
I will tell about all your amazing deeds! 3
9:2 I will be happy and rejoice in you!
I will sing praises to you, O sovereign One! 4
Daniel 6:1-28
Konteks6:1 It seemed like a good idea to Darius 5 to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps 6 who would be in charge of the entire kingdom. 6:2 Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable 7 to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage. 6:3 Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 6:4 Consequently the supervisors and satraps were trying to find 8 some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters. 9 But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence, 10 because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption. 11 6:5 So these men concluded, 12 “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is 13 in connection with the law of his God.”
6:6 So these supervisors and satraps came by collusion 14 to the king and said 15 to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 6:7 To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays 16 to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions. 6:8 Now let the king issue a written interdict 17 so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed. 18 6:9 So King Darius issued the written interdict.
6:10 When Daniel realized 19 that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows 20 in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. 21 Three 22 times daily he was 23 kneeling 24 and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously. 6:11 Then those officials who had gone to the king 25 came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God. 6:12 So they approached the king and said to him, 26 “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct, 27 according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” 6:13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives 28 from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.” 29
6:14 When the king heard this, 30 he was very upset and began thinking about 31 how he might rescue Daniel. Until late afternoon 32 he was struggling to find a way to rescue him. 6:15 Then those men came by collusion to the king and 33 said to him, 34 “Recall, 35 O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.” 6:16 So the king gave the order, 36 and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den 37 of lions. The king consoled 38 Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” 6:17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening 39 to the den. The king sealed 40 it with his signet ring and with those 41 of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel. 6:18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions 42 were brought to him. He was unable to sleep. 43
6:19 In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den. 6:20 As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a worried voice, 44 “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you continually serve able to rescue you from the lions?”
6:21 Then Daniel spoke to 45 the king, “O king, live forever! 6:22 My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”
6:23 Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God. 6:24 The king gave another order, 46 and those men who had maliciously accused 47 Daniel were brought and thrown 48 into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. 49 They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
6:25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity! 50 6:26 I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God;
he endures forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed;
his authority is forever. 51
6:27 He rescues and delivers
and performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel from the power 52 of the lions!”
6:28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and 53 the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Kejadian 8:1-22
Konteks8:1 But God remembered 54 Noah and all the wild animals and domestic animals that were with him in the ark. God caused a wind to blow over 55 the earth and the waters receded. 8:2 The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed, 56 and the rain stopped falling from the sky. 8:3 The waters kept receding steadily 57 from the earth, so that they 58 had gone down 59 by the end of the 150 days. 8:4 On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on one of the mountains of Ararat. 60 8:5 The waters kept on receding 61 until the tenth month. On the first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains became visible. 62
8:6 At the end of forty days, 63 Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 64 8:7 and sent out a raven; it kept flying 65 back and forth until the waters had dried up on the earth.
8:8 Then Noah 66 sent out a dove 67 to see if the waters had receded 68 from the surface of the ground. 8:9 The dove could not find a resting place for its feet because water still covered 69 the surface of the entire earth, and so it returned to Noah 70 in the ark. He stretched out his hand, took the dove, 71 and brought it back into the ark. 72 8:10 He waited seven more days and then sent out the dove again from the ark. 8:11 When 73 the dove returned to him in the evening, there was 74 a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak! Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 8:12 He waited another seven days and sent the dove out again, 75 but it did not return to him this time. 76
8:13 In Noah’s six hundred and first year, 77 in the first day of the first month, the waters had dried up from the earth, and Noah removed the covering from the ark and saw that 78 the surface of the ground was dry. 8:14 And by the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth 79 was dry.
8:15 Then God spoke to Noah and said, 8:16 “Come out of the ark, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 8:17 Bring out with you all the living creatures that are with you. Bring out 80 every living thing, including the birds, animals, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Let them increase 81 and be fruitful and multiply on the earth!” 82
8:18 Noah went out along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives. 8:19 Every living creature, every creeping thing, every bird, and everything that moves on the earth went out of the ark in their groups.
8:20 Noah built an altar to the Lord. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 83 8:21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma 84 and said 85 to himself, 86 “I will never again curse 87 the ground because of humankind, even though 88 the inclination of their minds 89 is evil from childhood on. 90 I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done.
8:22 “While the earth continues to exist, 91
planting time 92 and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
and day and night will not cease.”
1 Samuel 17:1-58
Konteks17:1 93 The Philistines gathered their troops 94 for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 17:2 Saul and the Israelite army 95 assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against 96 the Philistines. 17:3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites 97 on another hill, with the valley between them.
17:4 Then a champion 98 came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. 99 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. 100 17:6 He had bronze shin guards 101 on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. 17:7 The shaft 102 of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. 103 His shield bearer was walking before him.
17:8 Goliath 104 stood and called to Israel’s troops, 105 “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose 106 for yourselves a man so he may come down 107 to me! 17:9 If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.” 17:10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight 108 each other!” 17:11 When Saul and all the Israelites 109 heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.
17:12 110 Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem 111 in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was old and well advanced in years. 112 17:13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the 113 three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. 17:14 Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, 17:15 David was going back and forth 114 from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
17:16 Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. 17:17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly 115 to the camp to your brothers. 17:18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer. 116 Find out how your brothers are doing 117 and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. 118 17:19 They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army 119 in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”
17:20 So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. 120 After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp 121 as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. 17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. 17:22 After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, 122 he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 17:23 As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, 123 and David heard it. 17:24 When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated 124 from his presence and were very afraid.
17:25 The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so 125 to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father’s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.”
17:26 David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? 126 For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” 17:27 The soldiers 127 told him what had been promised, saying, 128 “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”
17:28 When David’s 129 oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry 130 with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! 131 You have come down here to watch the battle!”
17:29 David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” 132 17:30 Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, 133 but they 134 gave him the same answer as before. 17:31 When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. 135
17:32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. 136 Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 17:33 But Saul replied to David, “You aren’t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You’re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!”
17:34 David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father’s flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock, 17:35 I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it. 17:36 Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. 137 For he has defied the armies of the living God!” 17:37 David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.” 138
17:38 Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. 17:39 David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. 139 David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them. 17:40 He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch 140 of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.
17:41 141 The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. 17:42 When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. 17:43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” 142 Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 17:44 The Philistine said to David, “Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!” 143
17:45 But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! 17:46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God 17:47 and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves! For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will deliver you into our hand.”
17:48 The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. 144 17:49 David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.
17:50 145 David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. 146 17:51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath’s 147 sword, drew it from its sheath, 148 killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away.
17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry. 149 They chased the Philistines to the valley 150 and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 17:53 When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. 17:54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, 151 and he put Goliath’s 152 weapons in his tent.
17:55 153 Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.” 17:56 The king said, “Find out whose son this boy is!”
17:57 So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. He still had the head of the Philistine in his hand. 17:58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David replied, “I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem.” 154
Keluaran 17:1-16
Konteks17:1 155 The whole community 156 of the Israelites traveled on their journey 157 from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. 158 Now 159 there was no water for the people to drink. 160 17:2 So the people contended 161 with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” 162 Moses said to them, “Why do you contend 163 with me? Why do you test 164 the Lord?” 17:3 But the people were very thirsty 165 there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world 166 did you bring us up out of Egypt – to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” 167
17:4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with 168 this people? – a little more 169 and they will stone me!” 170 17:5 The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people; 171 take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go. 17:6 I will be standing 172 before you there on 173 the rock in Horeb, and you will strike 174 the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” 175 And Moses did so in plain view 176 of the elders of Israel.
17:7 He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, 177 saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
17:8 178 Amalek came 179 and attacked 180 Israel in Rephidim. 17:9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our 181 men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
17:10 So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him; 182 and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 17:11 Whenever Moses would raise his hands, 183 then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest 184 his hands, then Amalek prevailed. 17:12 When 185 the hands of Moses became heavy, 186 they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, 187 and so his hands were steady 188 until the sun went down. 17:13 So Joshua destroyed 189 Amalek and his army 190 with the sword. 191
17:14 The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the 192 book, and rehearse 193 it in Joshua’s hearing; 194 for I will surely wipe out 195 the remembrance 196 of Amalek from under heaven. 17:15 Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner,” 197 17:16 for he said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord 198 – that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” 199
[9:1] 1 sn Psalm 9. The psalmist, probably speaking on behalf of Israel or Judah, praises God for delivering him from hostile nations. He celebrates God’s sovereignty and justice, and calls on others to join him in boasting of God’s greatness. Many Hebrew
[9:1] 2 tc The meaning of the Hebrew term עַלְמוּת (’almut) is uncertain. Some
[9:1] 3 tn The cohortative forms in vv. 1-2 express the psalmist’s resolve to praise God publicly.
[9:2] 4 tn Heb “[to] your name, O Most High.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyo/) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
[6:1] 5 tn Aram “It was pleasing before Darius.”
[6:1] 6 tn This is a technical term for an official placed in charge of a region of the empire (cf. KJV, NLT “prince[s]”; NCV, TEV “governors”). These satraps were answerable to a supervisor, who in turn answered to Darius.
[6:2] 7 tn Aram “giving an account.”
[6:4] 8 tn Aram “looking to find.”
[6:4] 9 tn Aram “from the side of the kingdom.”
[6:4] 10 tn Aram “pretext and corruption.”
[6:4] 11 tn Aram “no negligence or corruption was found in him.” The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the phrase “and no negligence or corruption was found in him.”
[6:5] 12 tn Aram “were saying.”
[6:5] 13 tn Aram “unless we find [it] against him.”
[6:6] 14 tn The Aramaic verb רְגַשׁ (rÿgash) occurs three times in this chapter (vv. 7, 12, 16). Its meaning is widely disputed by commentators, and the versions vary considerably in how they render the word. The suggestion that it means “to come thronging” (BDB 1112 s.v.; cf. NAB) seems inappropriate, since it is unlikely that subordinates would enter a royal court in such a reckless fashion. The ancient versions struggled with the word and are not in agreement in their understanding of its meaning. In this chapter the word apparently means to act in agreement with other parties in the pursuit of a duplicitous goal, namely the entrapment of Daniel. Cf. NIV, NCV “went as a group”; NRSV “conspired and came to the king.”
[6:6] 15 tn Aram “thus they were saying.”
[6:7] 16 tn Aram “prays a prayer.”
[6:8] 17 tn Aram “establish a written interdict and inscribe a written decree.”
[6:10] 20 sn In later rabbinic thought this verse was sometimes cited as a proof text for the notion that one should pray only in a house with windows. See b. Berakhot 34b.
[6:10] 21 map For the location of Jerusalem see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[6:10] 22 sn This is apparently the only specific mention in the OT of prayer being regularly offered three times a day. The practice was probably not unique to Daniel, however.
[6:10] 23 tc Read with several medieval Hebrew
[6:10] 24 tn Aram “kneeling on his knees” (so NASB).
[6:10] sn No specific posture for offering prayers is prescribed in the OT. Kneeling, as here, and standing were both practiced.
[6:11] 25 tn Aram “those men”; the referent (the administrative officials who had earlier approached the king about the edict) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:12] 26 tc The MT also has “about the edict of the king,” but this phrase is absent in the LXX and the Syriac. The present translation deletes the expression.
[6:12] tn Aram “before the king.”
[6:12] 27 tn Aram “the word is true.”
[6:13] 28 tn Aram “from the sons of the captivity [of].”
[6:13] 29 tn Aram “prays his prayer.”
[6:14] 31 tn Aram “placed his mind on.”
[6:14] 32 tn Aram “the entrances of the sun.”
[6:15] 33 tc Theodotion lacks the words “came by collusion to the king and.”
[6:15] 35 tn Aram “know”; NAB “Keep in mind”; NASB “Recognize”; NIV, NCV “Remember.”
[6:16] 36 tn Aram “said.” So also in vv. 24, 25.
[6:16] 37 sn The den was perhaps a pit below ground level which could be safely observed from above.
[6:16] 38 tn Aram “answered and said [to Daniel].”
[6:17] 40 sn The purpose of the den being sealed was to prevent unauthorized tampering with the opening of the den. Any disturbance of the seal would immediately alert the officials to improper activity of this sort.
[6:17] 41 tn Aram “the signet rings.”
[6:18] 42 tn The meaning of Aramaic דַּחֲוָה (dakhavah) is a crux interpretum. Suggestions include “music,” “dancing girls,” “concubines,” “table,” “food” – all of which are uncertain. The translation employed here, suggested by earlier scholars, is deliberately vague. A number of recent English versions follow a similar approach with “entertainment” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On this word see further, HALOT 1849-50 s.v.; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 37.
[6:18] 43 tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”
[6:20] 44 tn Aram “The king answered and said to Daniel.” This phrase has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons; it is redundant in English.
[6:24] 47 tn Aram “had eaten the pieces of.” The Aramaic expression is ironic, in that the accusers who had figuratively “eaten the pieces of Daniel” are themselves literally devoured by the lions.
[6:24] 48 tn The Aramaic active impersonal verb is often used as a substitute for the passive.
[6:24] 49 tc The LXX specifies only the two overseers, together with their families, as those who were cast into the lions’ den.
[6:25] 50 tn Aram “May your peace be increased!”
[6:26] 51 tn Aram “until the end.”
[6:28] 53 tn Or perhaps “in the reign of Darius, even in the reign of Cyrus.” The identity of this Darius is disputed. Some take the name to be referring to Cyrus, understanding the following vav (ו, “and”) in an epexegetical sense (“even”). Others identify Darius with a governor of Babylon known from extra-biblical records as Gubaru, or with Cambyses, son of Cyrus. Many scholars maintain that the reference is historically inaccurate.
[8:1] 54 tn The Hebrew word translated “remembered” often carries the sense of acting in accordance with what is remembered, i.e., fulfilling covenant promises (see B. S. Childs, Memory and Tradition in Israel [SBT], especially p. 34).
[8:1] 55 tn Heb “to pass over.”
[8:2] 56 tn Some (e.g., NIV) translate the preterite verb forms in this verse as past perfects (e.g., “had been closed”), for it seems likely that the sources of the water would have stopped before the waters receded.
[8:3] 57 tn The construction combines a Qal preterite from שׁוּב (shuv) with its infinitive absolute to indicate continuous action. The infinitive absolute from הָלָךְ (halakh) is included for emphasis: “the waters returned…going and returning.”
[8:3] 58 tn Heb “the waters.” The pronoun (“they”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[8:3] 59 tn The vav (ו) consecutive with the preterite here describes the consequence of the preceding action.
[8:4] 60 tn Heb “on the mountains of Ararat.” Obviously a boat (even one as large as the ark) cannot rest on multiple mountains. Perhaps (1) the preposition should be translated “among,” or (2) the plural “mountains” should be understood in the sense of “mountain range” (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 53). A more probable option (3) is that the plural indicates an indefinite singular, translated “one of the mountains” (see GKC 400 §124.o).
[8:4] sn Ararat is the Hebrew name for Urartu, the name of a mountainous region located north of Mesopotamia in modern day eastern Turkey. See E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 29-32; G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:184-85; C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:443-44.
[8:5] 61 tn Heb “the waters were going and lessening.” The perfect verb form הָיָה (hayah) is used as an auxiliary verb with the infinitive absolute חָסוֹר (khasor, “lessening”), while the infinitive absolute הָלוֹךְ (halokh) indicates continuous action.
[8:5] 62 tn Or “could be seen.”
[8:6] 63 tn The introductory verbal form וַיְהִי (vayÿhi), traditionally rendered “and it came to pass,” serves as a temporal indicator and has not been translated here.
[8:6] 64 tn Heb “opened the window in the ark which he had made.” The perfect tense (“had made”) refers to action preceding the opening of the window, and is therefore rendered as a past perfect. Since in English “had made” could refer to either the ark or the window, the order of the phrases was reversed in the translation to clarify that the window is the referent.
[8:7] 65 tn Heb “and it went out, going out and returning.” The Hebrew verb יָצָא (yatsa’), translated here “flying,” is modified by two infinitives absolute indicating that the raven went back and forth.
[8:8] 66 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Noah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:8] 67 tn The Hebrew text adds “from him.” This has not been translated for stylistic reasons, because it is redundant in English.
[8:8] 68 tn The Hebrew verb קָלָל (qalal) normally means “to be light, to be slight”; it refers here to the waters receding.
[8:9] 69 tn The words “still covered” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[8:9] 70 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Noah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:9] 71 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the dove) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:9] 72 tn Heb “and he brought it to himself to the ark.”
[8:11] 73 tn The clause introduced by vav (ו) consecutive is translated as a temporal clause subordinated to the following clause.
[8:11] 74 tn The deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to the olive leaf. It invites readers to enter into the story, as it were, and look at the olive leaf with their own eyes.
[8:12] 75 tn The word “again” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[8:12] 76 tn Heb “it did not again return to him still.” For a study of this section of the flood narrative, see W. O. E. Oesterley, “The Dove with the Olive Leaf (Gen VIII 8–11),” ExpTim 18 (1906/07): 377-78.
[8:13] 77 tn Heb In the six hundred and first year.” Since this refers to the six hundred and first year of Noah’s life, the word “Noah’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:13] 78 tn Heb “and saw and look.” As in v. 11, the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites readers to enter into the story, as it were, and look at the dry ground with their own eyes.
[8:14] 79 tn In v. 13 the ground (הָאֲדָמָה, ha’adamah) is dry; now the earth (הָאָרֶץ, ha’arets) is dry.
[8:17] 80 tn The words “bring out” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[8:17] 81 tn Following the Hiphil imperative, “bring out,” the three perfect verb forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry an imperatival nuance. For a discussion of the Hebrew construction here and the difficulty of translating it into English, see S. R. Driver, A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew, 124-25.
[8:17] 82 tn Heb “and let them swarm in the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
[8:20] 83 sn Offered burnt offerings on the altar. F. D. Maurice includes a chapter on the sacrifice of Noah in The Doctrine of Sacrifice. The whole burnt offering, according to Leviticus 1, represented the worshiper’s complete surrender and dedication to the
[8:21] 84 tn The
[8:21] 85 tn Heb “and the
[8:21] 86 tn Heb “in his heart.”
[8:21] 87 tn Here the Hebrew word translated “curse” is קָלָל (qalal), used in the Piel verbal stem.
[8:21] 88 tn The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) can be used in a concessive sense (see BDB 473 s.v. כִּי), which makes good sense in this context. Its normal causal sense (“for”) does not fit the context here very well.
[8:21] 89 tn Heb “the inclination of the heart of humankind.”
[8:21] 90 tn Heb “from his youth.”
[8:22] 91 tn Heb “yet all the days of the earth.” The idea is “[while there are] yet all the days of the earth,” meaning, “as long as the earth exists.”
[8:22] 92 tn Heb “seed,” which stands here by metonymy for the time when seed is planted.
[17:1] 93 tc The content of 1 Sam 17–18, which includes the David and Goliath story, differs considerably in the LXX as compared to the MT, suggesting that this story circulated in ancient times in more than one form. The LXX for chs. 17–18 is much shorter than the MT, lacking almost half of the material (39 of a total of 88 verses). Many scholars (e.g., McCarter, Klein) think that the shorter text of the LXX is preferable to the MT, which in their view has been expanded by incorporation of later material. Other scholars (e.g., Wellhausen, Driver) conclude that the shorter Greek text (or the Hebrew text that underlies it) reflects an attempt to harmonize certain alleged inconsistencies that appear in the longer version of the story. Given the translation characteristics of the LXX elsewhere in this section, it does not seem likely that these differences are due to deliberate omission of these verses on the part of the translator. It seems more likely that the Greek translator has faithfully rendered here a Hebrew text that itself was much shorter than the MT in these chapters. Whether or not the shorter text represented by the LXX is to be preferred over the MT in 1 Sam 17–18 is a matter over which textual scholars are divided. For a helpful discussion of the major textual issues in this unit see D. Barthélemy, D. W. Gooding, J. Lust, and E. Tov, The Story of David and Goliath (OBO). Overall it seems preferable to stay with the MT, at least for the most part. However, the major textual differences between the LXX and the MT will be mentioned in the notes that accompany the translation so that the reader may be alert to the major problem passages.
[17:2] 95 tn Heb “the men of Israel” (so KJV, NASB); NAB, NIV, NRSV “the Israelites.”
[17:4] 98 tn Heb “the man of the space between the two [armies].” See v. 23.
[17:4] 99 tc Heb “his height was six cubits and a span” (cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV). A cubit was approximately eighteen inches, a span nine inches. So, according to the Hebrew tradition, Goliath was about nine feet, nine inches tall (cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “over nine feet”; NCV “nine feet, four inches”; TEV “nearly 3 metres”). However, some Greek witnesses, Josephus, and a manuscript of 1 Samuel from Qumran read “four cubits and a span” here, that is, about six feet, nine inches (cf. NAB “six and a half feet”). This seems more reasonable; it is likely that Goliath’s height was exaggerated as the story was retold. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 286, 291.
[17:5] 100 sn Although the exact weight of Goliath’s defensive body armor is difficult to estimate in terms of modern equivalency, it was obviously quite heavy. Driver, following Kennedy, suggests a modern equivalent of about 220 pounds (100 kg); see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 139. Klein, taking the shekel to be equal to .403 ounces, arrives at a somewhat smaller weight of about 126 pounds (57 kg); see R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 175. But by any estimate it is clear that Goliath presented himself as a formidable foe indeed.
[17:6] 101 sn Or “greaves.” These were coverings (probably lined for comfort) that extended from about the knee to the ankle, affording protection for the shins of a warrior.
[17:7] 102 tn The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[17:7] 103 sn That is, about fifteen or sixteen pounds.
[17:8] 104 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:8] 105 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to them.”
[17:8] 106 tc The translation follows the ancient versions in reading “choose,” (from the root בחר, bkhr), rather than the MT. The verb in MT (ברה, brh) elsewhere means “to eat food”; the sense of “to choose,” required here by the context, is not attested for this root. The MT apparently reflects an early scribal error.
[17:8] 107 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (either an imperfect or jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result here.
[17:10] 108 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative verbal form indicates purpose/result here.
[17:11] 109 tn Heb “all Israel.”
[17:12] 110 tc Some
[17:12] 111 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[17:12] 112 tc The translation follows the Lucianic recension of the LXX and the Syriac Peshitta in reading “in years,” rather than MT “among men.”
[17:15] 114 tn Heb “was going and returning.”
[17:18] 116 tn Heb “officer of the thousand.”
[17:18] 117 tn Heb “and your brothers, observe with respect to welfare.”
[17:18] 118 tn Heb “and their pledge take.” This probably refers to some type of confirmation that the goods arrived safely. See R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 177. Cf. NIV “bring back some assurance”; NCV “some proof to show me they are all right”; NLT “bring me back a letter from them.”
[17:19] 119 tn Heb “all the men of Israel.”
[17:20] 120 tn Heb “to a guard”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “with a keeper”; NIV “with a shepherd.” Since in contemporary English “guard” sounds like someone at a military installation or a prison, the present translation uses “to someone else who would watch over it.”
[17:20] 121 tn Or “entrenchment.”
[17:22] 122 tn Heb “the guard of the equipment.”
[17:23] 123 tn Heb “according to these words.”
[17:25] 125 tn Heb “he is coming up.”
[17:26] 126 tn Heb “and turns aside humiliation from upon Israel.”
[17:27] 128 tn Heb “according to this word, saying.”
[17:28] 129 tn Heb “his”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:28] 130 tn Heb “the anger of Eliab became hot.”
[17:28] 131 tn Heb “the wickedness of your heart.”
[17:29] 132 tn Heb “Is it not [just] a word?”
[17:30] 133 tn Heb “and spoke according to this word.”
[17:30] 134 tn Heb “the people.”
[17:31] 135 tn Heb “he took him.”
[17:32] 136 tn Heb “Let not the heart of a man fall upon him.” The LXX reads “my lord,” instead of “a man.”
[17:36] 137 tc The LXX includes here the following words not found in the MT: “Should I not go and smite him, and remove today reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised one?”
[17:37] 138 tn Or “Go, and may the
[17:39] 139 tn Heb “he had not tested.”
[17:40] 140 tn This Hebrew word occurs only here and its exact meaning is not entirely clear. It refers to a receptacle of some sort and apparently was a common part of a shepherd’s equipment. Here it serves as a depository for the stones that David will use in his sling.
[17:41] 141 tc Most LXX
[17:43] 142 sn Sticks is a pejorative reference to David’s staff (v. 40); the same Hebrew word (מַקֵּל, maqqel) is used for both.
[17:44] 143 tc Many medieval Hebrew
[17:48] 144 tc Most LXX
[17:50] 145 tc Most LXX
[17:50] 146 tn Verse 50 is a summary statement; v. 51 gives a more detailed account of how David killed the Philistine.
[17:51] 147 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:51] 148 tc Most LXX
[17:52] 149 tn Heb “arose and cried out.”
[17:52] 150 tc Most of the LXX
[17:54] 151 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[17:54] 152 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:55] 153 tc Most LXX
[17:58] 154 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[17:1] 155 sn This is the famous story telling how the people rebelled against Yahweh when they thirsted, saying that Moses had brought them out into the wilderness to kill them by thirst, and how Moses with the staff brought water from the rock. As a result of this the name was called Massa and Meribah because of the testing and the striving. It was a challenge to Moses’ leadership as well as a test of Yahweh’s presence. The narrative in its present form serves an important point in the argument of the book. The story turns on the gracious provision of God who can give his people water when there is none available. The narrative is structured to show how the people strove. Thus, the story intertwines God’s free flowing grace with the sad memory of Israel’s sins. The passage can be divided into three parts: the situation and the complaint (1-3), the cry and the miracle (4-6), and the commemoration by naming (7).
[17:1] 156 tn Or “congregation” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
[17:1] 157 tn The text says that they journeyed “according to their journeyings.” Since the verb form (and therefore the derived noun) essentially means to pull up the tent pegs and move along, this verse would be saying that they traveled by stages, or, from place to place.
[17:1] 158 sn The location is a bit of a problem. Exod 19:1-2 suggests that it is near Sinai, whereas it is normally located near Kadesh in the north. Without any details provided, M. Noth concludes that two versions came together (Exodus [OTL], 138). S. R. Driver says that the writer wrote not knowing that they were 24 miles apart (Exodus, 157). Critics have long been bothered by this passage because of the two names given at the same place. If two sources had been brought together, it is not possible now to identify them. But Noth insisted that if there were two names there were two different locations. The names Massah and Meribah occur alone in Scripture (Deut 9:22, and Num 20:1 for examples), but together in Ps 95 and in Deut 33:8. But none of these passages is a clarification of the difficulty. Most critics would argue that Massah was a secondary element that was introduced into this account, because Exod 17 focuses on Meribah. From that starting point they can diverge greatly on the interpretation, usually having something to do with a water test. But although Num 20 is parallel in several ways, there are major differences: 1) it takes place 40 years later than this, 2) the name Kadesh is joined to the name Meribah there, and 3) Moses is punished there. One must conclude that if an event could occur twice in similar ways (complaint about water would be a good candidate for such), then there is no reason a similar name could not be given.
[17:1] 159 tn The disjunctive vav introduces a parenthetical clause that is essential for this passage – there was no water.
[17:1] 160 tn Here the construction uses a genitive after the infinitive construct for the subject: “there was no water for the drinking of the people” (GKC 353-54 §115.c).
[17:2] 161 tn The verb וַיָּרֶב (vayyarev) is from the root רִיב (riv); it forms the basis of the name “Meribah.” The word means “strive, quarrel, be in contention” and even “litigation.” A translation “quarrel” does not appear to capture the magnitude of what is being done here. The people have a legal dispute – they are contending with Moses as if bringing a lawsuit.
[17:2] 162 tn The imperfect tense with the vav (ו) follows the imperative, and so it carries the nuance of the logical sequence, showing purpose or result. This may be expressed in English as “give us water so that we may drink,” but more simply with the English infinitive, “give us water to drink.”
[17:2] sn One wonders if the people thought that Moses and Aaron had water and were withholding it from the people, or whether Moses was able to get it on demand. The people should have come to Moses to ask him to pray to God for water, but their action led Moses to say that they had challenged God (B. Jacob, Exodus, 476).
[17:2] 163 tn In this case and in the next clause the imperfect tenses are to be taken as progressive imperfects – the action is in progress.
[17:2] 164 tn The verb נָסָה (nasah) means “to test, tempt, try, prove.” It can be used of people simply trying to do something that they are not sure of (such as David trying on Saul’s armor), or of God testing people to see if they will obey (as in testing Abraham, Gen 22:1), or of people challenging others (as in the Queen of Sheba coming to test Solomon), and of the people in the desert in rebellion putting God to the test. By doubting that God was truly in their midst, and demanding that he demonstrate his presence, they tested him to see if he would act. There are times when “proving” God is correct and required, but that is done by faith (as with Gideon); when it is done out of unbelief, then it is an act of disloyalty.
[17:3] 165 tn The verbs and the pronouns in this verse are in the singular because “the people” is singular in form.
[17:3] 166 tn The demonstrative pronoun is used as the enclitic form for special emphasis in the question; it literally says, “why is this you have brought us up?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).
[17:3] 167 sn Their words deny God the credit for bringing them out of Egypt, impugn the integrity of Moses and God by accusing them of bringing the people out here to die, and show a lack of faith in God’s ability to provide for them.
[17:4] 168 tn The preposition lamed (ל) is here specification, meaning “with respect to” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 49, §273).
[17:4] 169 tn Or “they are almost ready to stone me.”
[17:4] 170 tn The perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive almost develops an independent force; this is true in sentences where it follows an expression of time, as here (see GKC 334 §112.x).
[17:5] 171 tn “Pass over before” indicates that Moses is the leader who goes first, and the people follow him. In other words, לִפְנֵי (lifney) indicates time and not place here (B. Jacob, Exodus, 477-78).
[17:6] 172 tn The construction uses הִנְנִי עֹמֵד (hinni ’omed) to express the futur instans or imminent future of the verb: “I am going to be standing.”
[17:6] sn The reader has many questions when studying this passage – why water from a rock, why Horeb, why strike the rock when later only speak to it, why recall the Nile miracles, etc. B. Jacob (Exodus, 479-80) says that all these are answered when it is recalled that they were putting God to the test. So water from the rock, the most impossible thing, cleared up the question of his power. Doing it at Horeb was significant because there Moses was called and told he would bring them to this place. Since they had doubted God was in their midst, he would not do this miracle in the camp, but would have Moses lead the elders out to Horeb. If people doubt God is in their midst, then he will choose not to be in their midst. And striking the rock recalled striking the Nile; there it brought death to Egypt, but here it brought life to Israel. There could be little further doubting that God was with them and able to provide for them.
[17:6] 173 tn Or “by” (NIV, NLT).
[17:6] 174 tn The form is a Hiphil perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; it follows the future nuance of the participle and so is equivalent to an imperfect tense nuance of instruction.
[17:6] 175 tn These two verbs are also perfect tenses with vav (ו) consecutive: “and [water] will go out…and [the people] will drink.” But the second verb is clearly the intent or the result of the water gushing from the rock, and so it may be subordinated.
[17:6] sn The presence of Yahweh at this rock enabled Paul to develop a midrashic lesson, an analogical application: Christ was present with Israel to provide water for them in the wilderness. So this was a Christophany. But Paul takes it a step further to equate the rock with Christ, for just as it was struck to produce water, so Christ would be struck to produce rivers of living water. The provision of bread to eat and water to drink provided for Paul a ready analogy to the provisions of Christ in the gospel (1 Cor 10:4).
[17:6] 176 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[17:7] 177 sn The name Massah (מַסָּה, massah) means “Proving”; it is derived from the verb “test, prove, try.” And the name Meribah (מְרִיבָה, mÿrivah) means “Strife”; it is related to the verb “to strive, quarrel, contend.” The choice of these names for the place would serve to remind Israel for all time of this failure with God. God wanted this and all subsequent generations to know how unbelief challenges God. And yet, he gave them water. So in spite of their failure, he remained faithful to his promises. The incident became proverbial, for it is the warning in Ps 95:7-8, which is quoted in Heb 3:15: “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness. There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years.” The lesson is clear enough: to persist in this kind of unbelief could only result in the loss of divine blessing. Or, to put it another way, if they refused to believe in the power of God, they would wander powerless in the wilderness. They had every reason to believe, but they did not. (Note that this does not mean they are unbelievers, only that they would not take God at his word.)
[17:8] 178 sn This short passage gives the first account of Israel’s holy wars. The war effort and Moses’ holding up his hands go side by side until the victory is won and commemorated. Many have used this as an example of intercessory prayer – but the passage makes no such mention. In Exodus so far the staff of God is the token of the power of God; when Moses used it, God demonstrated his power. To use the staff of God was to say that God did it; to fight without the staff was to face defeat. Using the staff of God was a way of submitting to and depending on the power of God in all areas of life. The first part of the story reports the attack and the preparation for the battle (8,9). The second part describes the battle and its outcome (10-13). The final section is the preservation of this event in the memory of Israel (14-16).
[17:8] 179 tn Heb “and Amalek came”; NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV “the Amalekites.”
[17:8] 180 tn Or “fought with.”
[17:9] 181 tn This could be rendered literally “choose men for us.” But the lamed (ל) preposition probably indicates possession, “our men,” and the fact that Joshua was to choose from Israel, as well as the fact that there is no article on “men,” indicates he was to select some to fight.
[17:10] 182 tn The line in Hebrew reads literally: And Joshua did as Moses had said to him, to fight with Amalek. The infinitive construct is epexegetical, explaining what Joshua did that was in compliance with Moses’ words.
[17:11] 183 tn The two verbs in the temporal clauses are by וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר (vÿhaya ka’asher, “as long as” or, “and it was that whenever”). This indicates that the two imperfect tenses should be given a frequentative translation, probably a customary imperfect.
[17:12] 185 tn Literally “now the hands of Moses,” the disjunctive vav (ו) introduces a circumstantial clause here – of time.
[17:12] 186 tn The term used here is the adjective כְּבֵדִים (kÿvedim). It means “heavy,” but in this context the idea is more that of being tired. This is the important word that was used in the plague stories: when the heart of Pharaoh was hard, then the Israelites did not gain their freedom or victory. Likewise here, when the staff was lowered because Moses’ hands were “heavy,” Israel started to lose.
[17:12] 187 tn Heb “from this, one, and from this, one.”
[17:12] 188 tn The word “steady” is אֱמוּנָה (’emuna) from the root אָמַן (’aman). The word usually means “faithfulness.” Here is a good illustration of the basic idea of the word – firm, steady, reliable, dependable. There may be a double entendre here; on the one hand it simply says that his hands were stayed so that Israel might win, but on the other hand it is portraying Moses as steady, firm, reliable, faithful. The point is that whatever God commissioned as the means or agency of power – to Moses a staff, to the Christians the Spirit – the people of God had to know that the victory came from God alone.
[17:13] 189 tn The verb means “disabled, weakened, prostrated.” It is used a couple of times in the Bible to describe how man dies and is powerless (see Job 14:10; Isa 14:12).
[17:13] 191 tn Heb “mouth of the sword.” It means as the sword devours – without quarter (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 159).
[17:14] 192 tn The presence of the article does not mean that he was to write this in a book that was existing now, but in one dedicated to this purpose (book, meaning scroll). See GKC 408 §126.s.
[17:14] 193 tn The Hebrew word is “place,” meaning that the events were to be impressed on Joshua.
[17:14] 194 tn Heb “in the ears of Joshua.” The account should be read to Joshua.
[17:14] 195 tn The construction uses the infinitive absolute and the imperfect tense to stress the resolution of Yahweh to destroy Amalek. The verb מָחָה (makhah) is often translated “blot out” – but that is not a very satisfactory image, since it would not remove completely what is the object. “Efface, erase, scrape off” (as in a palimpsest, a manuscript that is scraped clean so it can be reused) is a more accurate image.
[17:14] 196 sn This would seem to be defeated by the preceding statement that the events would be written in a book for a memorial. If this war is recorded, then the Amalekites would be remembered. But here God was going to wipe out the memory of them. But the idea of removing the memory of a people is an idiom for destroying them – they will have no posterity and no lasting heritage.
[17:15] 197 sn Heb “Yahweh-nissi” (so NAB), which means “Yahweh is my banner.” Note that when Israel murmured and failed God, the name commemorated the incident or the outcome of their failure. When they were blessed with success, the naming praised God. Here the holding up of the staff of God was preserved in the name for the altar – God gave them the victory.
[17:16] 198 tn The line here is very difficult. The Hebrew text has כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ (ki yad ’al kes yah, “for a hand on the throne of Yah”). If the word is “throne” (and it is not usually spelled like this), then it would mean Moses’ hand was extended to the throne of God, showing either intercession or source of power. It could not be turned to mean that the hand of Yah was taking an oath to destroy the Amalekites. The LXX took the same letters, but apparently saw the last four (כסיה) as a verbal form; it reads “with a secret hand.” Most scholars have simply assumed that the text is wrong, and כֵּס should be emended to נֵס (nes) to fit the name, for this is the pattern of naming in the OT with popular etymologies – some motif of the name must be found in the sentiment. This would then read, “My hand on the banner of Yah.” It would be an expression signifying that the banner, the staff of God, should ever be ready at hand when the Israelites fight the Amalekites again.
[17:16] 199 sn The message of this short narrative, then, concerns the power of God to protect his people. The account includes the difficulty, the victory, and the commemoration. The victory must be retained in memory by the commemoration. So the expositional idea could focus on that: The people of God must recognize (both for engaging in warfare and for praise afterward) that victory comes only with the power of God. In the NT the issue is even more urgent, because the warfare is spiritual – believers do not wrestle against flesh and blood. So only God’s power will bring victory.
