Lukas 16:21

16:21 who longed to eat ¹  what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs ²  came and licked ³  his sores.

Lukas 16:20

16:20 But at his gate lay ⁴  a poor man named Lazarus ⁵  whose body was covered with sores, ⁶ 

¹ tn Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.

² tn The term κύνες (kunes) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).

³ sn When the dogs came and licked his sores it meant that he was unclean. See the negative image of Rev 22:15 that draws on this picture.

⁴ tn The passive verb ἐβέβλητο (ebeblhto) does not indicate how Lazarus got there. Cf. BDAG 163 s.v. βάλλω 1.b, “he lay before the door”; Josephus, Ant. 9.10.2 (9.209).

⁵ sn This is the one time in all the gospels that a figure in a parable is mentioned by name. It will become important later in the account.

⁶ tn Or “was covered with ulcers.” The words “whose body” are implied in the context (L&N 23.180).