24:21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:
“Your dwelling place seems strong,
and your nest 1 is set on a rocky cliff.
33:28 Israel lives in safety,
the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, 2
in a land of grain and new wine;
indeed, its heavens 3 rain down dew. 4
3:23 Then you will walk on your way 5 with security,
and you 6 will not stumble. 7
1 sn A pun is made on the name Kenite by using the word “your nest” (קִנֶּךָ, qinnekha); the location may be the rocky cliffs overlooking Petra.
2 tn Heb “all alone.” The idea is that such vital resources as water will some day no longer need protection because God will provide security.
3 tn Or “skies.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
4 tn Or perhaps “drizzle, showers.” See note at Deut 32:2.
5 tn The noun דַּרְכֶּךָ (darkekha, “your way”) functions as an adverbial accusative of location: “on your way.”
6 tn Heb “your foot.” The term רַגְלְךָ (raglÿkha, “your foot”) functions as a synecdoche of part (= foot) for the whole person (= you).
7 sn The verb נָגַף (ragaf, “to strike; to smite”) sometimes means “to stumble” against a stone (e.g., Ps 91:12). Here the object (“stone”) is implied (BDB 619 s.v.). This is a figure (hypocatastasis) comparing stumbling on a stone in the path to making serious mistakes in life that bring harm.