7:1 Then the people 5 of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.
12:6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable. 6
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined. 7
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life. 8
The rules set down by the Lord 9 are reliable 10
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. 11
119:144 Your rules remain just. 12
Give me insight so that I can live. 13
119:151 You are near, O Lord,
and all your commands are reliable. 14
119:152 I learned long ago that
you ordained your rules to last. 15
2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with 18 sound teaching.
2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with 19 sound teaching.
1 tn Grk “seeking.”
2 tn Grk “has spoken to you.”
3 tn The Greek word order is emphatic: “This Abraham did not do.” The emphasis is indicated in the translation by an exclamation point.
4 tn An ingressive sense for the imperfect fits well here following the aorist participle.
7 tn Heb “men.”
10 tn Heb “the words of the
11 tn Heb “[like] silver purified in a furnace of [i.e., “on”] the ground, refined seven times.” The singular participle מְזֻקָּק (mÿzuqqaq, “refined”) modifies “silver.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of שִׁבְעָתָיִם (shiv’atayim, “seven times”), see Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.
13 tn Heb “[it] restores life.” Elsewhere the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) when used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”) as object, means to “rescue or preserve one’s life” (Job 33:30; Ps 35:17) or to “revive one’s strength” (emotionally or physically; cf. Ruth 4:15; Lam 1:11, 16, 19). Here the point seems to be that the law preserves the life of the one who studies it by making known God’s will. Those who know God’s will know how to please him and can avoid offending him. See v. 11a.
14 tn Traditionally, “the testimony of the
15 tn God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
16 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly.
16 tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”
17 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
19 tn Or “truth.”
22 tn Heb “long ago I knew concerning your rules, that forever you established them.” See v. 89 for the same idea. The translation assumes that the preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “your rules” introduces the object of the verb יָדַע (yada’), as in 1 Sam 23:23. Another option is that the preposition indicates source, in which case one might translate, “Long ago I realized from your rules that forever you established them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
25 tn Or “meekness.” The word is often used in Hellenistic Greek of the merciful execution of justice on behalf of those who have no voice by those who are in a position of authority (Matt 11:29; 21:5).
26 tn Or “putting up with”; or “forbearing.”
28 tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).
31 tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).