Yehezkiel 11:17

11:17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: When I regather you from the peoples and assemble you from the lands where you have been dispersed, I will give you back the country of Israel.’

Yehezkiel 20:41

20:41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

Yehezkiel 34:13

34:13 I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land.

Yehezkiel 36:24

36:24 “‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land.

Yehezkiel 37:21

37:21 Then tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to take the Israelites from among the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from round about and bring them to their land.

Yehezkiel 39:27

39:27 When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations.

Imamat 26:44-45

26:44 In spite of this, however, when they are in the land of their enemies I will not reject them and abhor them to make a complete end of them, to break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. 26:45 I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors ¹  whom I brought out from the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.’”

Ulangan 30:3-4

30:3 the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he ²  has scattered you. 30:4 Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, ³  from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.

Mazmur 106:47

106:47 Deliver us, O Lord, our God!

Gather us from among the nations!

Then we will give thanks ⁴  to your holy name,

and boast about your praiseworthy deeds. ⁵ 

Yesaya 11:12-13

11:12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations;

he will gather Israel’s dispersed people ⁶ 

and assemble Judah’s scattered people

from the four corners of the earth.

11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, ⁷ 

and Judah’s hostility ⁸  will be eliminated.

Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah,

and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.

Yesaya 27:12-13

27:12 At that time ⁹  the Lord will shake the tree, ¹⁰  from the Euphrates River ¹¹  to the Stream of Egypt. Then you will be gathered up one by one, O Israelites. ¹²  27:13 At that time ¹³  a large ¹⁴  trumpet will be blown, and the ones lost ¹⁵  in the land of Assyria will come, as well as the refugees in ¹⁶  the land of Egypt. They will worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. ¹⁷ 

Yeremia 30:18

The Lord Will Restore Israel and Judah

30:18 The Lord says,

“I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob.

I will show compassion on their ruined homes. ¹⁸ 

Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. ¹⁹ 

Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site. ²⁰ 

Yeremia 31:8-10

31:8 Then I will reply, ²¹  ‘I will bring them back from the land of the north.

I will gather them in from the distant parts of the earth.

Blind and lame people will come with them,

so will pregnant women and women about to give birth.

A vast throng of people will come back here.

31:9 They will come back shedding tears of contrition.

I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. ²² 

I will lead them besides streams of water,

along smooth paths where they will never stumble. ²³ 

I will do this because I am Israel’s father;

Ephraim ²⁴  is my firstborn son.’”

31:10 Hear what the Lord has to say, O nations.

Proclaim it in the faraway lands along the sea.

Say, “The one who scattered Israel will regather them.

He will watch over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock.”

Yeremia 32:37

32:37 ‘I will certainly regather my people from all the countries where I will have exiled ²⁵  them in my anger, fury, and great wrath. I will bring them back to this place and allow them to live here in safety.

Hosea 1:11

1:11 Then the people ²⁶  of Judah and the people of Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves one leader, ²⁷  and will flourish in the land. ²⁸  Certainly, ²⁹  the day of Jezreel will be great!

Yoel 3:7

3:7 Look! I am rousing them from that place to which you sold them.

I will repay you for what you have done! ³⁰ 

Amos 9:14-15

9:14 I will bring back my people, Israel; ³¹ 

they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble ³²  and settle down. ³³ 

They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; ³⁴ 

they will grow orchards ³⁵  and eat the fruit they produce. ³⁶ 

9:15 I will plant them on their land

and they will never again be uprooted from the ³⁷  land I have given them,”

says the Lord your God.

Obaja 1:17-21

1:17 But on Mount Zion there will be a remnant of those who escape, ³⁸ 

and it will be a holy place once again.

The descendants ³⁹  of Jacob will conquer ⁴⁰ 

those who had conquered them. ⁴¹ 

1:18 The descendants of Jacob will be a fire,

and the descendants of Joseph a flame.

The descendants of Esau will be like stubble.

They will burn them up and devour them.

There will not be a single survivor ⁴²  of the descendants of Esau!”

Indeed, the Lord has spoken it.

1:19 The people of the Negev ⁴³  will take possession ⁴⁴  of Esau’s mountain,

and the people of the Shephelah ⁴⁵  will take

possession ⁴⁶  of the land of ⁴⁷  the Philistines.

They will also take possession of the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria,

and the people of Benjamin will take possession ⁴⁸  of Gilead. ⁴⁹ 

1:20 The exiles of this fortress ⁵⁰  of the people of Israel

will take possession ⁵¹  of what belongs to

the people of Canaan, as far as Zarephath, ⁵² 

and the exiles of Jerusalem ⁵³  who are in Sepharad ⁵⁴ 

will take possession of the towns of the Negev.

1:21 Those who have been delivered ⁵⁵  will go up on Mount Zion

in order to rule over ⁵⁶  Esau’s mountain.

Then the Lord will reign as King! ⁵⁷ 

Mikha 7:11-14

7:11 It will be a day for rebuilding your walls;

in that day your boundary will be extended. ⁵⁸ 

A Closing Prayer

7:12 In that day people ⁵⁹  will come to you ⁶⁰ 

from Assyria as far as ⁶¹  Egypt,

from Egypt as far as the Euphrates River, ⁶² 

from the seacoasts ⁶³  and the mountains. ⁶⁴ 

7:13 The earth will become desolate ⁶⁵ 

because of what its inhabitants have done. ⁶⁶ 

7:14 Shepherd your people with your shepherd’s rod, ⁶⁷ 

the flock that belongs to you, ⁶⁸ 

the one that lives alone in a thicket,

in the midst of a pastureland. ⁶⁹ 

Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead, ⁷⁰ 

as they did in the old days. ⁷¹ 

Zefanya 3:19-20

3:19 Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you.

I will rescue the lame sheep ⁷² 

and gather together the scattered sheep.

I will take away their humiliation

and make the whole earth admire and respect them. ⁷³ 

3:20 At that time I will lead you –

at the time I gather you together. ⁷⁴ 

Be sure of this! ⁷⁵  I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you ⁷⁶ 

when you see me restore you,” ⁷⁷  says the Lord.

[26:45]  ¹ tn Heb “covenant of former ones.”

[26:45]  sn For similar expressions referring back to the ancestors who refused to follow the stipulations of the Mosaic covenant see, for example, Deut 19:14, Jer 11:10, and Ps 79:8 (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 192, and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 471).

[30:3]  ² tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

[30:4]  ³ tn Heb “are at the farthest edge of the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

[106:47]  ⁴ tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.

[106:47]  ⁵ tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”

[11:12]  ⁶ tn Or “the banished of Israel,” i.e., the exiles.

[11:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “turn aside”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “depart.”

[11:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “hostile ones of Judah.” Elsewhere when the substantival participle of צָרָר (tsarar) takes a pronominal suffix or appears in a construct relationship, the following genitive is objective. (For a list of texts see BDB 865 s.v. III צָרַר) In this case the phrase “hostile ones of Judah” means “those who are hostile toward Judah,” i.e., Judah’s enemies. However, the parallel couplet that follows suggests that Judah’s hostility toward Ephraim is in view. In this case “hostile ones of Judah” means “hostile ones from Judah.” The translation above assumes the latter, giving the immediate context priority over general usage.

[27:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “and it will be in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[27:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the Lord will beat out.” The verb is used of beating seeds or grain to separate the husk from the kernel (see Judg 6:11; Ruth 2:17; Isa 28:27), and of beating the olives off the olive tree (Deut 24:20). The latter metaphor may be in view here, where a tree metaphor has been employed in the preceding verses. See also 17:6.

[27:12]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the river,” a frequent designation in the OT for the Euphrates. For clarity most modern English versions substitute the name “Euphrates” for “the river” here.

[27:12]  ¹² sn The Israelites will be freed from exile (likened to beating the olives off the tree) and then gathered (likened to collecting the olives).

[27:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “and it will be in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[27:13]  ¹⁴ tn Traditionally, “great” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “loud.”

[27:13]  ¹⁵ tn Or “the ones perishing.”

[27:13]  ¹⁶ tn Or “the ones driven into.”

[27:13]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[30:18]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and will have compassion on his habitations.” For the meaning of the idiom “restore the fortunes of” see the translator’s note on 29:14. The “tents of Jacob” refers to their homes or houses (see BDB 14 s.v. אֹהֶל 2 and compare usage in Judg 19:9; Mal 2:12). The word “ruined” has been supplied in the translation to show more clearly the idea of restoration of their houses on their former sites in conformity to the concepts in the latter half of the verse.

[30:18]  ¹⁹ sn Heb “on its tel.” A tel is a site where successive layers of occupation are built upon one another after the destruction or decay of the former city. The original site was not abandoned because it had been chosen for strategic purposes, such as proximity to water or ease of defense. Many modern archaeological sites have the designation “Tel” as a component of their name because of this practice.

[30:18]  ²⁰ tn Heb “according to its custom [or plan].” Cf. BDB 1049 s.v. מִשְׁפָּט 6.d and compare usage in 1 Sam 27:11.

[31:8]  ²¹ tn The words “And I will reply” are not in the text but the words vv. 8-9 appear to be the answer to the petition at the end of v. 7. These words are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[31:9]  ²² tn Heb “They will come with weeping; I will bring them with supplication.” The ideas of contrition and repentance are implicit from the context (cf. vv. 18-19) and are supplied for clarity.

[31:9]  ²³ sn Jer 31:8-9 are reminiscent of the “New Exodus” motif of Isa 40-66 which has already been referred to in Jer 16:14-15; 23:7-8. See especially Isa 35:3-10; 40:3-5, 11; 41:17-20; 42:14-17; 43:16-21; 49:9-13. As there, the New Exodus will so outstrip the old that the old will pale in comparison and be almost forgotten (see Jer 23:7-8).

[31:9]  ²⁴ sn Ephraim was the second son of Joseph who was elevated to a place of prominence in the family of Jacob by the patriarch’s special blessing. It was the strongest tribe in northern Israel and Samaria lay in its territory. It is often used as a poetic parallel for Israel as here. The poetry is not speaking of two separate entities here; it is a way of repeating an idea for emphasis. Moreover, there is no intent to show special preference for northern Israel over Judah. All Israel is metaphorically God’s son and the object of his special care and concern (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:6).

[32:37]  ²⁵ tn The verb here should be interpreted as a future perfect; though some of the people have already been exiled (in 605 and 597 b.c.), some have not yet been exiled at the time this prophesy is given (see study note on v. 1 for the date). However, contemporary English style does not regularly use the future perfect, choosing instead to use the simple future or the simple perfect as the present translation has done here.

[1:11]  ²⁶ tn Heb “sons” (twice in this verse, so NASB); KJV, ASV “children”; NIV, NRSV, TEV “people.”

[1:11]  ²⁷ tn Heb “head” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV).

[1:11]  ²⁸ tn Alternatively, “gain possession of the land” (cf. NRSV) or “rise up from the land” (cf. NIV). This clause may be understood in two ways: (1) Israel will gain ascendancy over the land or conquer the land (e.g., Exod 1:10; cf. NAB “come up from other lands”) or (2) Israel will be “planted” in the land (Hos 2:24-25; cf. NLT “will…plant his people”).

[1:11]  ²⁹ tn Or “For” (so NASB); NCV “because”; TEV “Yes.”

[3:7]  ³⁰ tn Heb “I will return your recompense on your head.”

[9:14]  ³¹ tn This line can also be translated “I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel” and is a common idiom (e.g., Deut 30:3; Jer 30:3; Hos 6:11; Zeph 3:20). This rendering is followed by several modern English versions (e.g., NEB, NRSV, NJPS).

[9:14]  ³² tn Or “the ruined [or “desolate”] cities.”

[9:14]  ³³ tn Or “and live [in them].”

[9:14]  ³⁴ tn Heb “drink their wine.”

[9:14]  ³⁵ tn Or “gardens.”

[9:14]  ³⁶ tn Heb “eat their fruit.”

[9:15]  ³⁷ tn Heb “their.” The pronoun was replaced by the English definite article in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:17]  ³⁸ tn Heb “will be a fugitive.” This is a collective singular. Cf. NCV “some will escape the judgment.”

[1:17]  ³⁹ tn Heb “house” (so most English versions); NCV, TEV “the people of Jacob.” The word “house” also occurs four times in v. 18.

[1:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “dispossess.” This root is repeated in the following line to emphasize poetic justice: The punishment will fit the crime.

[1:17]  ⁴¹ tc The present translation follows the reading מוֹרִשֵׁיהֶם (morishehem; literally, “those dispossessing them”; cf. NAB, NRSV, CEV) rather than מוֹרָשֵׁיהֶם (morashehem, “their possessions”) of the MT (cf. LXX, Syriac, and Vg, followed by KJV, ASV, NASB).

[1:18]  ⁴² tn Heb “will be no survivor”; NAB “none shall survive.”

[1:19]  ⁴³ tn Heb “the Negev”; ASV “the South”; NCV, TEV “southern Judah.” The Hebrew text does not have the words “the people of,” but these words have been supplied in the translation for clarity. The place name “the Negev” functions as a synecdoche (container for contents) for the people living in the Negev.

[1:19]  sn The Negev is a dry, hot, arid region in the southern portion of Judah.

[1:19]  ⁴⁴ sn The verb יָרַשׁ (yarash, “to take possession of [something]”) which is repeated three times in vv. 19-20 for emphasis, often implies a violent means of acquisition, such as through military conquest. Obadiah here pictures a dramatic reversal: Judah’s enemies, who conquered them then looted all her valuable possessions, will soon be conquered by the Judeans who will in turn take possession of their valuables. The punishment will fit the crime.

[1:19]  ⁴⁵ tn The Hebrew text does not have the words “the people of,” but they are supplied in the translation since “the Shephelah” functions as a synecdoche referring to residents of this region.

[1:19]  sn The Shephelah as a region refers to the Palestinian foothills that rise from the coastal plain. In much of Old Testament times they served as a divide between the people of Judah and the Philistines.

[1:19]  ⁴⁶ tn The phrase “will take possession” does not appear in this clause, but is implied from its previous use in this verse. It is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.

[1:19]  ⁴⁷ tn The words “the land of” are not present in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:19]  ⁴⁸ tn The phrase “will take possession” does not appear in this clause, but is implied from its previous use in this verse. It is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:19]  ⁴⁹ sn Gilead is a mountainous region on the eastern side of the Jordan River in what is today the country of Jordan.

[1:20]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “army” (TEV); KJV, NAB, NASB “host”; NIV “company.” Some text critics suggest revocalizing MT הַחֵל (hakhel, “the fortress”) to the place- name הָלָה (halah, “Halah”; so NRSV), the location to which many of the Israelite exiles were sent in the 8th century (2 Kgs 7:6; 18:11; 1 Chr 5:26). The MT form is from הַיִל (hayil, “strength”), which is used elsewhere to refer to an army (Exod 14:17; 1 Sam 17:20; 2 Sam 8:9), military fortress (2 Sam 20:15; 22:33), leaders (Exod 18:21) and even wealth or possessions (Obad 1:11, 13).

[1:20]  ⁵¹ tn The Hebrew text has no verb here. The words “will possess” have been supplied from the context.

[1:20]  ⁵² sn Zarephath was a Phoenician coastal city located some ten miles south of Sidon.

[1:20]  ⁵³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:20]  ⁵⁴ sn The exact location of Sepharad is uncertain. Suggestions include a location in Spain, or perhaps Sparta in Greece, or perhaps Sardis in Asia Minor. For inscriptional evidence that bears on this question see E. Lipinski, “Obadiah 20,” VT 23 (1973): 368-70. The reason for mentioning this location in v. 20 seems to be that even though it was far removed from Jerusalem, the Lord will nonetheless enable the Jewish exiles there to return and participate in the restoration of Israel that Obadiah describes.

[1:21]  ⁵⁵ tc The present translation follows the reading מוּשָׁעִים (musha’im, “those who have been delivered”; cf. NRSV, CEV) rather than מוֹשִׁעִים (moshi’im,“deliverers”; cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) of the MT (cf. LXX, Aquila, Theodotion, and Syriac).

[1:21]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “to judge.” In this context the term does not mean “to render judgment on,” but “to rule over” (cf. NAB “to rule”; NIV “to govern”).

[1:21]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “then the kingdom will belong to the Lord.”

[7:11]  ⁵⁸ sn Personified Jerusalem declares her confidence in vv. 8-10; in this verse she is assured that she will indeed be vindicated.

[7:12]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “they.” The referent has been specified as “people,” referring either to the nations (coming to God with their tribute) or to the exiles of Israel (returning to the Lord).

[7:12]  ⁶⁰ tn The masculine pronominal suffix suggests the Lord is addressed. Some emend to a feminine form and take Jerusalem as the addressee.

[7:12]  ⁶¹ tc The MT reads וְעָרֵי (vÿ’arey, “and the cities [of Egypt]”), but the parallel line indicates this is a corruption of וְעַד (vÿ’ad, “even to”).

[7:12]  ⁶² tn Heb “the River,” referring to the Euphrates River. This has been specified in the translation for clarity (so also NASB, NIV).

[7:12]  ⁶³ tn Heb “and sea from sea.” Many prefer to emend this to מִיָּם עַד יָם (miyyam ’ad yam, “from sea to sea”).

[7:12]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “and mountain of the mountain.” Many prefer to emend this to וּמֵהַר עַד הַר (umehar ’ad har, “and mountain to mountain”).

[7:13]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “will be ruined.”

[7:13]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “on account of its inhabitants, because of the fruit of their deeds.”

[7:14]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “with your scepter” (the Hebrew term can mean either “rod” or “scepter”).

[7:14]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “the flock of your inheritance.”

[7:14]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “in the midst of Carmel.” The Hebrew term translated “pastureland” may be a place name.

[7:14]  sn The point seems to be that Israel is in a vulnerable position, like sheep in a thicket populated by predators, while rich pastureland (their homeland and God’s blessings) is in view.

[7:14]  ⁷⁰ sn The regions of Bashan and Gilead, located in Transjordan, were noted for their rich grazing lands.

[7:14]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “as in the days of antiquity.”

[3:19]  ⁷² tn The word “sheep” is supplied for clarification. As in Mic 4:6-7, the exiles are here pictured as injured and scattered sheep whom the divine shepherd rescues from danger.

[3:19]  ⁷³ tn Heb “I will make them into praise and a name, in all the earth, their shame.” The present translation assumes that “their shame” specifies “them” and that “name” stands here for a good reputation.

[3:20]  ⁷⁴ tn In this line the second person pronoun is masculine plural, indicating that the exiles are addressed.

[3:20]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “for.”

[3:20]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “I will make you into a name and praise among all the peoples of the earth.” Here the word “name” carries the nuance of “good reputation.”

[3:20]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “when I restore your fortunes to your eyes.” See the note on the phrase “restore them” in 2:7.