Kejadian 15:1

The Cutting of the Covenant

15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield ¹  and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” ² 

Kejadian 15:12

15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, ³  and great terror overwhelmed him. ⁴ 

Kejadian 20:3

20:3 But God appeared ⁵  to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead ⁶  because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.” ⁷ 

Kejadian 20:6-7

20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. ⁸  That is why I have kept you ⁹  from sinning against me and why ¹⁰  I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed ¹¹  he is a prophet ¹²  and he will pray for you; thus you will live. ¹³  But if you don’t give her back, ¹⁴  know that you will surely die ¹⁵  along with all who belong to you.”

Kejadian 37:5-11

37:5 Joseph ¹⁶  had a dream, ¹⁷  and when he told his brothers about it, ¹⁸  they hated him even more. ¹⁹  37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ²⁰  37:7 There we were, ²¹  binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down ²²  to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” ²³  They hated him even more ²⁴  because of his dream and because of what he said. ²⁵ 

37:9 Then he had another dream, ²⁶  and told it to his brothers. “Look,” ²⁷  he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? ²⁸  Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” ²⁹  37:11 His brothers were jealous ³⁰  of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. ³¹ 

Kejadian 40:1--41:57

The Cupbearer and the Baker

40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer ³²  to the king of Egypt and the royal baker ³³  offended ³⁴  their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, ³⁵  the cupbearer and the baker, 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. ³⁶ 

They spent some time in custody. ³⁷  40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream ³⁸  the same night. ³⁹  Each man’s dream had its own meaning. ⁴⁰  40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. ⁴¹  40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” ⁴²  40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, ⁴³  but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them ⁴⁴  to me.”

40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: ⁴⁵  “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his ⁴⁶  cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” ⁴⁷ 

40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent ⁴⁸  three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ⁴⁹  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ⁵⁰  when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me ⁵¹  when it goes well for you, and show ⁵²  me kindness. ⁵³  Make mention ⁵⁴  of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, ⁵⁵  40:15 for I really was kidnapped ⁵⁶  from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”

40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, ⁵⁷  he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread ⁵⁸  on my head. 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”

40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent ⁵⁹  three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you ⁶⁰  and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” ⁶¹  the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position ⁶²  so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. ⁶³  40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. ⁶⁴ 

Joseph’s Rise to Power

41:1 At the end of two full years ⁶⁵  Pharaoh had a dream. ⁶⁶  As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, ⁶⁷  and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, ⁶⁸  and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. ⁶⁹  41:4 The bad-looking, thin cows ate the seven fine-looking, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

41:5 Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing ⁷⁰  on one stalk, healthy ⁷¹  and good. 41:6 Then ⁷²  seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream. ⁷³ 

41:8 In the morning he ⁷⁴  was troubled, so he called for ⁷⁵  all the diviner-priests ⁷⁶  of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, ⁷⁷  but no one could interpret ⁷⁸  them for him. ⁷⁹  41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. ⁸⁰  41:10 Pharaoh was enraged with his servants, and he put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guards – me and the chief baker. 41:11 We each had a dream one night; each of us had a dream with its own meaning. ⁸¹  41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant ⁸²  of the captain of the guards, ⁸³  was with us there. We told him our dreams, ⁸⁴  and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. ⁸⁵  41:13 It happened just as he had said ⁸⁶  to us – Pharaoh ⁸⁷  restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” ⁸⁸ 

41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned ⁸⁹  Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, ⁹⁰  and there is no one who can interpret ⁹¹  it. But I have heard about you, that ⁹²  you can interpret dreams.” ⁹³  41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, ⁹⁴  but God will speak concerning ⁹⁵  the welfare of Pharaoh.” ⁹⁶ 

41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing ⁹⁷  by the edge of the Nile. 41:18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. ⁹⁸  41:19 Then ⁹⁹  seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows ¹⁰⁰  as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven ¹⁰¹  fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, ¹⁰²  no one would have known ¹⁰³  that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 41:22 I also saw in my dream ¹⁰⁴  seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then ¹⁰⁵  seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this ¹⁰⁶  to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” ¹⁰⁷ 

41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. ¹⁰⁸  God has revealed ¹⁰⁹  to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ¹¹⁰  41:26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. ¹¹¹  41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent ¹¹²  seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told ¹¹³  Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 41:30 But seven years of famine will occur ¹¹⁴  after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate ¹¹⁵  the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered ¹¹⁶  because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. ¹¹⁷  41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh ¹¹⁸  because the matter has been decreed ¹¹⁹  by God, and God will make it happen soon. ¹²⁰ 

41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look ¹²¹  for a wise and discerning man ¹²²  and give him authority ¹²³  over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do ¹²⁴  this – he should appoint ¹²⁵  officials ¹²⁶  throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt ¹²⁷  during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food ¹²⁸  during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority ¹²⁹  they should store up grain so the cities will have food, ¹³⁰  and they should preserve it. ¹³¹  41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.” ¹³² 

41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. ¹³³  41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, ¹³⁴  one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” ¹³⁵  41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning ¹³⁶  as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. ¹³⁷  Only I, the king, will be greater than you. ¹³⁸ 

41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place ¹³⁹  you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” ¹⁴⁰  41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen ¹⁴¹  clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh ¹⁴²  had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, ¹⁴³  and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” ¹⁴⁴  So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission ¹⁴⁵  no one ¹⁴⁶  will move his hand or his foot ¹⁴⁷  in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. ¹⁴⁸  He also gave him Asenath ¹⁴⁹  daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ¹⁵⁰  to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of ¹⁵¹  all the land of Egypt.

41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old ¹⁵²  when he began serving ¹⁵³  Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by ¹⁵⁴  Pharaoh and was in charge of ¹⁵⁵  all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. ¹⁵⁶  41:48 Joseph ¹⁵⁷  collected all the excess food ¹⁵⁸  in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. ¹⁵⁹  In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it. 41:49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, ¹⁶⁰  until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. ¹⁶¹  Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. ¹⁶²  41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, ¹⁶³  saying, ¹⁶⁴  “Certainly ¹⁶⁵  God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, ¹⁶⁶  saying, ¹⁶⁷  “Certainly ¹⁶⁸  God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

41:53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 41:54 Then the seven years of famine began, ¹⁶⁹  just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 41:55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, ¹⁷⁰  “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, ¹⁷¹  Joseph opened the storehouses ¹⁷²  and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country ¹⁷³  came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.

Bilangan 12:6

12:6 The Lord ¹⁷⁴  said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, ¹⁷⁵  I the Lord ¹⁷⁶  will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.

Ayub 4:12-21

Ungodly Complainers Provoke God’s Wrath

4:12 “Now a word was secretly ¹⁷⁷  brought ¹⁷⁸  to me,

and my ear caught ¹⁷⁹  a whisper ¹⁸⁰  of it.

4:13 In the troubling thoughts ¹⁸¹  of the dreams ¹⁸²  in the night

when a deep sleep ¹⁸³  falls on men,

4:14 a trembling ¹⁸⁴  gripped me – and a terror! –

and made all my bones shake. ¹⁸⁵ 

4:15 Then a breath of air ¹⁸⁶  passes ¹⁸⁷  by my face;

it makes ¹⁸⁸  the hair of my flesh stand up.

4:16 It stands still, ¹⁸⁹ 

but I cannot recognize ¹⁹⁰  its appearance;

an image is before my eyes,

and I hear a murmuring voice: ¹⁹¹ 

4:17 “Is ¹⁹²  a mortal man ¹⁹³  righteous ¹⁹⁴  before ¹⁹⁵  God?

Or a man pure ¹⁹⁶  before his Creator? ¹⁹⁷ 

4:18 If ¹⁹⁸  God ¹⁹⁹  puts no trust in ²⁰⁰  his servants ²⁰¹ 

and attributes ²⁰²  folly ²⁰³  to his angels,

4:19 how much more to those who live in houses of clay, ²⁰⁴ 

whose foundation is in the dust,

who are crushed ²⁰⁵  like ²⁰⁶  a moth?

4:20 They are destroyed ²⁰⁷  between morning and evening; ²⁰⁸ 

they perish forever ²⁰⁹  without anyone regarding it. ²¹⁰ 

4:21 Is not their excess wealth ²¹¹  taken away from them? ²¹² 

They die, ²¹³  yet without attaining wisdom. ²¹⁴ 

Ayub 33:15-16

33:15 In a dream, a night vision,

when deep sleep falls on people

as they sleep in their beds.

33:16 Then he gives a revelation ²¹⁵  to people,

and terrifies them with warnings, ²¹⁶ 

Daniel 2:1-49

Nebuchadnezzar Has a Disturbing Dream

2:1 In the second year of his ²¹⁷  reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. ²¹⁸  His mind ²¹⁹  was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia. ²²⁰  2:2 The king issued an order ²²¹  to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men ²²²  in order to explain his dreams to him. ²²³  So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. ²²⁴ 

2:3 The king told them, “I have had a dream, ²²⁵  and I ²²⁶  am anxious to understand the dream.” 2:4 The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic ²²⁷ ] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its ²²⁸  interpretation.” 2:5 The king replied ²²⁹  to the wise men, “My decision is firm. ²³⁰  If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered ²³¹  and your homes reduced to rubble! 2:6 But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!” 2:7 They again replied, “Let the king inform us ²³²  of the dream; then we will disclose its ²³³  interpretation.” 2:8 The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. 2:9 If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. ²³⁴  For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful ²³⁵  until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence ²³⁶  that you can disclose its interpretation.”

2:10 The wise men replied to the king, “There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret, ²³⁷  for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. 2:11 What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods – but they don’t live among mortals!” ²³⁸ 

2:12 Because of this the king got furiously angry ²³⁹  and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 2:13 So a decree went out, and the wise men were about ²⁴⁰  to be executed. They also sought ²⁴¹  Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed.

2:14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel ²⁴²  to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 2:15 He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” ²⁴³  Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 2:16 So Daniel went in and ²⁴⁴  requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. 2:17 Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. 2:18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he ²⁴⁵  and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 2:19 Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised ²⁴⁶  the God of heaven, 2:20 saying, ²⁴⁷ 

“Let the name of God ²⁴⁸  be praised ²⁴⁹  forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

2:21 He changes times and seasons,

deposing some kings

and establishing others. ²⁵⁰ 

He gives wisdom to the wise;

he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; ²⁵¹ 

2:22 he reveals deep and hidden things.

He knows what is in the darkness,

and light resides with him.

2:23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you,

for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me.

Now you have enabled me to understand what I ²⁵²  requested from you.

For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.” ²⁵³ 

2:24 Then Daniel went in to see ²⁵⁴  Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came ²⁵⁵  and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me ²⁵⁶  to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!” ²⁵⁷ 

2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I ²⁵⁸  have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.” 2:26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?” 2:27 Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. 2:28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, ²⁵⁹  and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. ²⁶⁰  The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed ²⁶¹  are as follows.

2:29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. ²⁶²  The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 2:30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom ²⁶³  than any other living person, but so that the king may understand ²⁶⁴  the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind. ²⁶⁵ 

2:31 “You, O king, were watching as a great statue – one ²⁶⁶  of impressive size and extraordinary brightness – was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm. 2:32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. 2:33 Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. ²⁶⁷  2:34 You were watching as ²⁶⁸  a stone was cut out, ²⁶⁹  but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. 2:35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction ²⁷⁰  and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. 2:36 This was the dream. Now we ²⁷¹  will set forth before the king its interpretation.

Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2:37 “You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 2:38 Wherever human beings, ²⁷²  wild animals, ²⁷³  and birds of the sky live – he has given them into your power. ²⁷⁴  He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. 2:39 Now after you another kingdom ²⁷⁵  will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. 2:40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces ²⁷⁶  all of these metals, ²⁷⁷  so it will break in pieces and crush the others. ²⁷⁸  2:41 In that you were seeing feet and toes ²⁷⁹  partly of wet clay ²⁸⁰  and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. ²⁸¹  2:42 In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. 2:43 And ²⁸²  in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed ²⁸³  with one another ²⁸⁴  without adhering to one another, just as ²⁸⁵  iron does not mix with clay. 2:44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. 2:45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. ²⁸⁶  The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.”

2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground ²⁸⁷  and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. 2:47 The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” 2:48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 2:49 And at Daniel’s request, the king ²⁸⁸  appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court. ²⁸⁹ 

Daniel 4:1-37

4:1 (3:31) ²⁹⁰  “King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Peace and prosperity! ²⁹¹  4:2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

4:3 “How great are his signs!

How mighty are his wonders!

His kingdom will last forever, ²⁹² 

and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”

Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down

4:4 (4:1) ²⁹³  I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home, ²⁹⁴  living luxuriously ²⁹⁵  in my palace. 4:5 I saw a dream that ²⁹⁶  frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed – these visions of my mind – were terrifying me. 4:6 So I issued an order ²⁹⁷  for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought ²⁹⁸  before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 4:7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me. 4:8 Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, ²⁹⁹  and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 4:9 saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider ³⁰⁰  my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! 4:10 Here are the visions of my mind ³⁰¹  while I was on my bed.

While I was watching,

there was a tree in the middle of the land. ³⁰² 

It was enormously tall. ³⁰³ 

4:11 The tree grew large and strong.

Its top reached far into the sky;

it could be seen ³⁰⁴  from the borders of all the land. ³⁰⁵ 

4:12 Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful;

on it there was food enough for all.

Under it the wild animals ³⁰⁶  used to seek shade,

and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest.

All creatures ³⁰⁷  used to feed themselves from it.

4:13 While I was watching in my mind’s visions ³⁰⁸  on my bed,

a holy sentinel ³⁰⁹  came down from heaven.

4:14 He called out loudly ³¹⁰  as follows: ³¹¹ 

‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches!

Strip off its foliage

and scatter its fruit!

Let the animals flee from under it

and the birds from its branches!

4:15 But leave its taproot ³¹²  in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze around it ³¹³ 

surrounded by the grass of the field.

Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,

and let it live with ³¹⁴  the animals in the grass of the land.

4:16 Let his mind ³¹⁵  be altered from that of a human being,

and let an animal’s mind be given to him,

and let seven periods of time ³¹⁶  go by for ³¹⁷  him.

4:17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;

this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,

so that ³¹⁸  those who are alive may understand

that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, ³¹⁹ 

and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.

He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’

4:18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its ³²⁰  interpretation, for none of the wise men in ³²¹  my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

4:19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time; ³²²  his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir, ³²³  if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 4:20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and which could be seen ³²⁴  in all the land, 4:21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals ³²⁵  used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest – 4:22 it is you, ³²⁶  O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. 4:23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’ – 4:24 this is the interpretation, O king! It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 4:25 You will be driven ³²⁷  from human society, ³²⁸  and you will live ³²⁹  with the wild animals. You will be fed ³³⁰  grass like oxen, ³³¹  and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before ³³²  you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 4:26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven ³³³  rules. 4:27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.” ³³⁴ 

4:28 Now all of this happened ³³⁵  to King Nebuchadnezzar. 4:29 After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements ³³⁶  of the royal palace of Babylon. 4:30 The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence ³³⁷  by my own mighty strength ³³⁸  and for my majestic honor?” 4:31 While these words were still on the king’s lips, ³³⁹  a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you, ³⁴⁰  King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 4:32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before ³⁴¹  you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”

4:33 Now in that very moment ³⁴²  this pronouncement about ³⁴³  Nebuchadnezzar came true. ³⁴⁴  He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws. ³⁴⁵ 

4:34 But at the end of the appointed time ³⁴⁶  I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up ³⁴⁷  toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.

I extolled the Most High,

and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.

For his authority is an everlasting authority,

and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.

4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. ³⁴⁸ 

He does as he wishes with the army of heaven

and with those who inhabit the earth.

No one slaps ³⁴⁹  his hand

and says to him, ‘What have you done?’

4:36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored ³⁵⁰  to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated ³⁵¹  over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live ³⁵²  in pride.

Daniel 7:1

Daniel has a Vision of Four Animals Coming up from the Sea

7:1 In the first ³⁵³  year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had ³⁵⁴  a dream filled with visions ³⁵⁵  while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion. ³⁵⁶ 

Matius 1:20

1:20 When he had contemplated this, an ³⁵⁷  angel of the Lord ³⁵⁸  appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matius 2:12-13

2:12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, ³⁵⁹  they went back by another route to their own country.

The Escape to Egypt

2:13 After they had gone, an ³⁶⁰  angel of the Lord ³⁶¹  appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod ³⁶²  is going to look for the child to kill him.”

Matius 2:19

The Return to Nazareth

2:19 After Herod ³⁶³  had died, an ³⁶⁴  angel of the Lord ³⁶⁵  appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

Ibrani 1:1

Introduction: God Has Spoken Fully and Finally in His Son

1:1 After God spoke long ago ³⁶⁶  in various portions ³⁶⁷  and in various ways ³⁶⁸  to our ancestors ³⁶⁹  through the prophets,

[15:1]  ¹ sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.

[15:1]  ² tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).

[15:1]  sn Abram has just rejected all the spoils of war, and the Lord promises to reward him in great abundance. In walking by faith and living with integrity he cannot lose.

[15:12]  ³ tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”

[15:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”

[20:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “came.”

[20:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.

[20:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.

[20:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”

[20:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”

[20:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “therefore.”

[20:7]  ¹¹ tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

[20:7]  ¹² sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

[20:7]  ¹³ tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

[20:7]  sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.

[20:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

[20:7]  ¹⁵ tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

[37:5]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:5]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[37:5]  ¹⁸ sn Some interpreters see Joseph as gloating over his brothers, but the text simply says he told his brothers about it (i.e., the dream). The text gives no warrant for interpreting his manner as arrogant or condescending. It seems normal that he would share a dream with the family.

[37:5]  ¹⁹ tn The construction uses a hendiadys, “they added to hate,” meaning they hated him even more.

[37:6]  ²⁰ tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”

[37:7]  ²¹ tn All three clauses in this dream report begin with וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), which lends vividness to the report. This is represented in the translation by the expression “there we were.”

[37:7]  ²² tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.

[37:8]  ²³ tn Heb “Ruling, will you rule over us, or reigning, will you reign over us?” The statement has a poetic style, with the two questions being in synonymous parallelism. Both verbs in this statement are preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Joseph’s brothers said, “You don’t really think you will rule over us, do you? You don’t really think you will have dominion over us, do you?”

[37:8]  ²⁴ tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.

[37:8]  ²⁵ sn The response of Joseph’s brothers is understandable, given what has already been going on in the family. But here there is a hint of uneasiness – they hated him because of his dream and because of his words. The dream bothered them, as well as his telling them. And their words in the rhetorical question are ironic, for this is exactly what would happen. The dream was God’s way of revealing it.

[37:9]  ²⁶ tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”

[37:9]  ²⁷ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Look.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. Both clauses of the dream report begin with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which lends vividness to the report.

[37:10]  ²⁸ sn The question What is this dream that you had? expresses Jacob’s dismay at what he perceives to be Joseph’s audacity.

[37:10]  ²⁹ tn Heb “Coming, will we come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down to you to the ground?” The verb “come” is preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Jacob said, “You don’t really think we will come…to bow down…do you?”

[37:11]  ³⁰ sn Joseph’s brothers were already jealous of him, but this made it even worse. Such jealousy easily leads to action, as the next episode in the story shows. Yet dreams were considered a form of revelation, and their jealousy was not only of the favoritism of their father, but of the dreams. This is why Jacob kept the matter in mind.

[37:11]  ³¹ tn Heb “kept the word.” The referent of the Hebrew term “word” has been specified as “what Joseph said” in the translation for clarity, and the words “in mind” have been supplied for stylistic reasons.

[40:1]  ³² sn The Hebrew term cupbearer corresponds to the Egyptian wb’, an official (frequently a foreigner) who often became a confidant of the king and wielded political power (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD³ 248). Nehemiah held this post in Persia.

[40:1]  ³³ sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.

[40:1]  ³⁴ sn The Hebrew verb translated offended here is the same one translated “sin” in 39:9. Perhaps there is an intended contrast between these officials, who deserve to be imprisoned, and Joseph, who refused to sin against God, but was thrown into prison in spite of his innocence.

[40:2]  ³⁵ tn The Hebrew word סָרִיס (saris), used here of these two men and of Potiphar (see 39:1), normally means “eunuch.” But evidence from Akkadian texts shows that in early times the title was used of a court official in general. Only later did it become more specialized in its use.

[40:4]  ³⁶ sn He served them. This is the same Hebrew verb, meaning “to serve as a personal attendant,” that was translated “became [his] servant” in 39:4.

[40:4]  ³⁷ tn Heb “they were days in custody.”

[40:5]  ³⁸ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[40:5]  ³⁹ tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”

[40:5]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”

[40:6]  ⁴¹ tn The verb זָעַף (za’af) only occurs here and Dan 1:10. It means “to be sick, to be emaciated,” probably in this case because of depression.

[40:7]  ⁴² tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”

[40:8]  ⁴³ tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”

[40:8]  ⁴⁴ tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:9]  ⁴⁵ tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.

[40:11]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:11]  ⁴⁷ sn The cupbearer’s dream is dominated by sets of three: three branches, three stages of growth, and three actions of the cupbearer.

[40:12]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “the three branches [are].”

[40:13]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head.” This Hebrew idiom usually refers to restoring dignity, office, or power. It is comparable to the modern saying “someone can hold his head up high.”

[40:13]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[40:14]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “but you have remembered me with you.” The perfect verbal form may be used rhetorically here to emphasize Joseph’s desire to be remembered. He speaks of the action as already being accomplished in order to make it clear that he expects it to be done. The form can be translated as volitional, expressing a plea or a request.

[40:14]  ⁵² tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.

[40:14]  ⁵³ tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”

[40:14]  ⁵⁴ tn The verb זָכַר (zakhar) in the Hiphil stem means “to cause to remember, to make mention, to boast.” The implication is that Joseph would be pleased for them to tell his story and give him the credit due him so that Pharaoh would release him. Since Pharaoh had never met Joseph, the simple translation of “cause him to remember me” would mean little.

[40:14]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.

[40:15]  ⁵⁶ tn The verb גָּנַב (ganav) means “to steal,” but in the Piel/Pual stem “to steal away.” The idea of “kidnap” would be closer to the sense, meaning he was stolen and carried off. The preceding infinitive absolute underscores the point Joseph is making.

[40:16]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[40:16]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “three wicker baskets.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun חֹרִי (khori, “white bread, cake”) is uncertain; some have suggested the meaning “wicker” instead. Comparison with texts from Ebla suggests the meaning “pastries made with white flour” (M. Dahood, “Eblaite h¬a-rí and Genesis 40,16 h£o„rî,” BN 13 [1980]: 14-16).

[40:18]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”

[40:19]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you.” Joseph repeats the same expression from the first interpretation (see v. 13), but with the added words “from upon you,” which allow the statement to have a more literal and ominous meaning – the baker will be decapitated.

[40:20]  ⁶¹ tn The translation puts the verb in quotation marks because it is used rhetorically here and has a double meaning. With respect to the cup bearer it means “reinstate” (see v. 13), but with respect to the baker it means “decapitate” (see v. 19).

[40:21]  ⁶² tn Heb “his cupbearing.”

[40:22]  ⁶³ tn Heb “had interpreted for them.”

[40:22]  sn The dreams were fulfilled exactly as Joseph had predicted, down to the very detail. Here was confirmation that Joseph could interpret dreams and that his own dreams were still valid. It would have been a tremendous encouragement to his faith, but it would also have been a great disappointment to spend two more years in jail.

[40:23]  ⁶⁴ tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.

[41:1]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “two years, days.”

[41:1]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “was dreaming.”

[41:2]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “And look, he was standing by the Nile, and look, from the Nile were coming up seven cows, attractive of appearance and fat of flesh.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to see the dream through Pharaoh’s eyes.

[41:3]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”

[41:3]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:5]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “coming up.”

[41:5]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “fat.”

[41:6]  ⁷² tn Heb “And look.”

[41:7]  ⁷³ tn Heb “And look, a dream.”

[41:7]  sn Pharaoh’s two dreams, as explained in the following verses, pertained to the economy of Egypt. Because of the Nile River, the land of Egypt weathered all kinds of famines – there was usually grain in Egypt, and if there was grain and water the livestock would flourish. These two dreams, however, indicated that poverty would overtake plenty and that the blessing of the herd and the field would cease.

[41:8]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “his spirit.”

[41:8]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.

[41:8]  ⁷⁶ tn The Hebrew term חַרְטֹם (khartom) is an Egyptian loanword (hyr-tp) that describes a class of priests who were skilled in such interpretations.

[41:8]  ⁷⁷ tn The Hebrew text has the singular (though the Samaritan Pentateuch reads the plural). If retained, the singular must be collective for the set of dreams. Note the plural pronoun “them,” referring to the dreams, in the next clause. However, note that in v. 15 Pharaoh uses the singular to refer to the two dreams. In vv. 17-24 Pharaoh seems to treat the dreams as two parts of one dream (see especially v. 22).

[41:8]  ⁷⁸ tn “there was no interpreter.”

[41:8]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:9]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).

[41:11]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he, each according to the interpretation of his dream we dreamed.”

[41:12]  ⁸² tn Or “slave.”

[41:12]  ⁸³ tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.

[41:12]  ⁸⁴ tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:12]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”

[41:13]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “interpreted.”

[41:13]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:13]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:14]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.

[41:15]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[41:15]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”

[41:15]  ⁹² tn Heb “saying.”

[41:15]  ⁹³ tn Heb “you hear a dream to interpret it,” which may mean, “you only have to hear a dream to be able to interpret it.”

[41:16]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “not within me.”

[41:16]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “God will answer.”

[41:16]  ⁹⁶ tn The expression שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה (shÿlom par’oh) is here rendered “the welfare of Pharaoh” because the dream will be about life in his land. Some interpret it to mean an answer of “peace” – one that will calm his heart, or give him the answer that he desires (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[41:17]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “In my dream look, I was standing.” The use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here (and also in vv. 18, 19, 22, 23) invites the hearer (within the context of the narrative, Joseph; but in the broader sense the reader or hearer of the Book of Genesis) to observe the scene through Pharaoh’s eyes.

[41:18]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “and look, from the Nile seven cows were coming up, fat of flesh and attractive of appearance, and they grazed in the reeds.”

[41:19]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:19]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:20]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”

[41:21]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “when they went inside them.”

[41:21]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “it was not known.”

[41:22]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”

[41:23]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:24]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:24]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”

[41:25]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”

[41:25]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “declared.”

[41:25]  ¹¹⁰ tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.

[41:26]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “one dream it is.”

[41:27]  ¹¹² tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”

[41:28]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”

[41:30]  ¹¹⁴ tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.

[41:30]  ¹¹⁵ tn The Hebrew verb כָּלָה (kalah) in the Piel stem means “to finish, to destroy, to bring an end to.” The severity of the famine will ruin the land of Egypt.

[41:31]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “known.”

[41:31]  ¹¹⁷ tn Or “heavy.”

[41:32]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “and concerning the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh two times.” The Niphal infinitive here is the object of the preposition; it is followed by the subjective genitive “of the dream.”

[41:32]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “established.”

[41:32]  ¹²⁰ tn The clause combines a participle and an infinitive construct: God “is hurrying…to do it,” meaning he is going to do it soon.

[41:33]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:33]  ¹²² tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:33]  ¹²³ tn Heb “and let him set him.”

[41:34]  ¹²⁴ tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”

[41:34]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:34]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “appointees.” The noun is a cognate accusative of the preceding verb. Since “appoint appointees” would be redundant in English, the term “officials” was used in the translation instead.

[41:34]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “and he shall collect a fifth of the land of Egypt.” The language is figurative (metonymy); it means what the land produces, i.e., the harvest.

[41:35]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:35]  ¹²⁹ tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”

[41:35]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.

[41:35]  ¹³¹ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.

[41:36]  ¹³² tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”

[41:37]  ¹³³ tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”

[41:38]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “like this,” but the referent could be misunderstood to be a man like that described by Joseph in v. 33, rather than Joseph himself. For this reason the proper name “Joseph” has been supplied in the translation.

[41:38]  ¹³⁵ tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”

[41:39]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:40]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “and at your mouth (i.e., instructions) all my people will kiss.” G. J. Wenham translates this “shall kowtow to your instruction” (Genesis [WBC], 2:395). Although there is some textual support for reading “will be judged, ruled by you,” this is probably an attempt to capture the significance of this word. Wenham lists a number of references where individuals have tried to make connections with other words or expressions – such as a root meaning “order themselves” lying behind “kiss,” or an idiomatic idea of “kiss” meaning “seal the mouth,” and so “be silent and submit to.” See K. A. Kitchen, “The Term Nsq in Genesis 41:40,” ExpTim 69 (1957): 30; D. S. Sperling, “Genesis 41:40: A New Interpretation,” JANESCU 10 (1978): 113-19.

[41:40]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”

[41:41]  ¹³⁹ tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is descriptive of a present action. Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, in which case Pharaoh describes a still future action as if it had already occurred in order to emphasize its certainty. In this case one could translate “I have placed” or “I will place.” The verb נָתַן (natan) is translated here as “to place in authority [over].”

[41:41]  ¹⁴⁰ sn Joseph became the grand vizier of the land of Egypt. See W. A. Ward, “The Egyptian Office of Joseph,” JSS 5 (1960): 144-50; and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 129-31.

[41:42]  ¹⁴¹ tn The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ (shesh) is an Egyptian loanword that describes the fine linen robes that Egyptian royalty wore. The clothing signified Joseph’s rank.

[41:43]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:43]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”

[41:43]  ¹⁴⁴ tn The verb form appears to be a causative imperative from a verbal root meaning “to kneel.” It is a homonym of the word “bless” (identical in root letters but not related etymologically).

[41:44]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “apart from you.”

[41:44]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.

[41:44]  ¹⁴⁷ tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.

[41:45]  ¹⁴⁸ sn The meaning of Joseph’s Egyptian name, Zaphenath-Paneah, is uncertain. Many recent commentators have followed the proposal of G. Steindorff that it means “the god has said, ‘he will live’” (“Der Name Josephs Saphenat-Pa‘neach,” ZÄS 31 [1889]: 41-42); others have suggested “the god speaks and lives” (see BDB 861 s.v. צָפְנָת פַּעְנֵחַ); “the man he knows” (J. Vergote, Joseph en Égypte, 145); or “Joseph [who is called] áIp-àankh” (K. A. Kitchen, NBD³ 1262).

[41:45]  ¹⁴⁹ sn The name Asenath may mean “she belongs to the goddess Neit” (see HALOT 74 s.v. אָֽסְנַת). A novel was written at the beginning of the first century entitled Joseph and Asenath, which included a legendary account of the conversion of Asenath to Joseph’s faith in Yahweh. However, all that can be determined from this chapter is that their children received Hebrew names. See also V. Aptowitzer, “Asenath, the Wife of Joseph – a Haggadic Literary-Historical Study,” HUCA 1 (1924): 239-306.

[41:45]  ¹⁵⁰ sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[41:45]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “and he passed through.”

[41:46]  ¹⁵² tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”

[41:46]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “when he stood before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “went out from before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “and he passed through all the land of Egypt”; this phrase is interpreted by JPS to mean that Joseph “emerged in charge of the whole land.”

[41:47]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”

[41:48]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:48]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:48]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”

[41:49]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “and Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, multiplying much.” To emphasize the vast amount of grain he stored up, the Hebrew text modifies the verb “gathered” with an infinitive absolute and an adverb.

[41:50]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”

[41:50]  ¹⁶² tn Heb “gave birth for him.”

[41:51]  ¹⁶³ sn The name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, mÿnasheh) describes God’s activity on behalf of Joseph, explaining in general the significance of his change of fortune. The name is a Piel participle, suggesting the meaning “he who brings about forgetfulness.” The Hebrew verb נַשַּׁנִי (nashani) may have been used instead of the normal נִשַּׁנִי (nishani) to provide a closer sound play with the name. The giving of this Hebrew name to his son shows that Joseph retained his heritage and faith; and it shows that a brighter future was in store for him.

[41:51]  ¹⁶⁴ tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:51]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Or “for.”

[41:52]  ¹⁶⁶ sn The name Ephraim (אֶפְרַיִם, ’efrayim), a form of the Hebrew verb פָּרָה (parah), means “to bear fruit.” The theme of fruitfulness is connected with this line of the family from Rachel (30:2) on down (see Gen 49:22, Deut 33:13-17, and Hos 13:15). But there is some difficulty with the name “Ephraim” itself. It appears to be a dual, for which F. Delitzsch simply said it meant “double fruitfulness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:305). G. J. Spurrell suggested it was a diphthongal pronunciation of a name ending in -an or -am, often thought to be dual suffixes (Notes on the text of the book of Genesis, 334). Many, however, simply connect the name to the territory of Ephraim and interpret it to be “fertile land” (C. Fontinoy, “Les noms de lieux en -ayim dans la Bible,” UF 3 [1971]: 33-40). The dual would then be an old locative ending. There is no doubt that the name became attached to the land in which the tribe settled, and it is possible that is where the dual ending came from, but in this story it refers to Joseph’s God-given fruitfulness.

[41:52]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:52]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Or “for.”

[41:54]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “began to arrive.”

[41:55]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.

[41:56]  ¹⁷¹ tn Or “over the entire land”; Heb “over all the face of the earth.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal to the next clause.

[41:56]  ¹⁷² tc The MT reads “he opened all that was in [or “among”] them.” The translation follows the reading of the LXX and Syriac versions.

[41:57]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “all the earth,” which refers here (by metonymy) to the people of the earth. Note that the following verb is plural in form, indicating that the inhabitants of the earth are in view.

[12:6]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “he.”

[12:6]  ¹⁷⁵ tn The form of this construction is rare: נְבִיאֲכֶם (nÿvi’akhem) would normally be rendered “your prophet.” The singular noun is suffixed with a plural pronominal suffix. Some commentators think the MT has condensed “a prophet” with “to you.”

[12:6]  ¹⁷⁶ tn The Hebrew syntax is difficult here. “The Lord” is separated from the verb by two intervening prepositional phrases. Some scholars conclude that this word belongs with the verb at the beginning of v. 6 (“And the Lord spoke”).

[4:12]  ¹⁷⁷ tn The LXX of this verse offers special problems. It reads, “But if there had been any truth in your words, none of these evils would have fallen upon you; shall not my ear receive excellent [information] from him?” The major error involves a dittography from the word for “secret,” yielding “truth.”

[4:12]  ¹⁷⁸ tn The verb גָּנַב (ganav) means “to steal.” The Pual form in this verse is probably to be taken as a preterite since it requires a past tense translation: “it was stolen for me” meaning it was brought to me stealthily (see 2 Sam 19:3).

[4:12]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “received.”

[4:12]  ¹⁸⁰ tn The word שֵׁמֶץ (shemets, “whisper”) is found only here and in Job 26:14. A cognate form שִׁמְצָה (shimtsah) is found in Exod 32:25 with the sense of “a whisper.” In postbiblical Hebrew the word comes to mean “a little.” The point is that Eliphaz caught just a bit, just a whisper of it, and will recount it to Job.

[4:13]  ¹⁸¹ tn Here too the word is rare. The form שְׂעִפִּים (sÿ’ippim, “disquietings”) occurs only here and in 20:2. The form שַׂרְעַפִּים (sar’appim, “disquieting thoughts”), possibly related by dissimilation, occurs in Pss 94:19 and 139:23. There seems to be a connection with סְעִפִּים (sÿ’ippim) in 1 Kgs 18:21 with the meaning “divided opinion”; this is related to the idea of סְעִפָּה (sÿ’ippah, “bough”). H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 47) concludes that the point is that like branches the thoughts lead off into different and bewildering places. E. Dhorme (Job, 50) links the word to an Arabic root (“to be passionately smitten”) for the idea of “intimate thoughts.” The idea here and in Ps 139 has more to do with anxious, troubling, disquieting thoughts, as in a nightmare.

[4:13]  ¹⁸² tn Heb “visions” of the night.

[4:13]  ¹⁸³ tn The word תַּרְדֵּמָה (tardemah) is a “deep sleep.” It is used in the creation account when the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam; and it is used in the story of Jonah when the prophet was asleep during the storm. The LXX interprets it to mean “fear,” rendering the whole verse “but terror falls upon men with dread and a sound in the night.”

[4:14]  ¹⁸⁴ tn The two words פַּחַד (pakhad, “trembling”) and רְעָדָה (rÿ’adah, “terror”) strengthen each other as synonyms (see also Ps 55:6). The subject of the verb קָרָא (qara’, “befall, encounter”) is פַּחַד (pakhad, “trembling”); its compound subject has been placed at the end of the colon.

[4:14]  ¹⁸⁵ tn The subject of the Hiphil verb הִפְחִיד (hifkhid, “dread”) is פַּחַד (pakhad, “trembling”), which is why it is in the singular. The cognate verb intensifies and applies the meaning of the noun. BDB 808 s.v. פַּחַד Hiph translates it “fill my bones with dread.” In that sense “bones” would have to be a metonymy of subject representing the framework of the body, so that the meaning is that his whole being was filled with trembling.

[4:15]  ¹⁸⁶ tn The word רוּחַ (ruakh) can be “spirit” or “breath.” The implication here is that it was something that Eliphaz felt – what he saw follows in v. 16. The commentators are divided on whether this is an apparition, a spirit, or a breath. The word can be used in either the masculine or the feminine, and so the gender of the verb does not favor the meaning “spirit.” In fact, in Isa 21:1 the same verb חָלַף (khalaf, “pass on, through”) is used with the subject being a strong wind or hurricane “blowing across.” It may be that such a wind has caused Eliphaz’s hair to stand on end here. D. J. A. Clines (Job [WBC], 111) also concludes it means “wind,” noting that in Job a spirit or spirits would be called רְפָאִים (rÿfa’im), אֶלֹהִים (’elohim) or אוֹב (’ov).

[4:15]  ¹⁸⁷ tn The verbs in this verse are imperfects. In the last verse the verbs were perfects when Eliphaz reported the fear that seized him. In this continuation of the report the description becomes vivid with the change in verbs, as if the experience were in progress.

[4:15]  ¹⁸⁸ tn The subject of this verb is also רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”), since it can assume either gender. The “hair of my flesh” is the complement and not the subject; therefore the Piel is to be retained and not changed to a Qal as some suggest (and compare with Ps 119:120).

[4:16]  ¹⁸⁹ tc The LXX has the first person of the verb: “I arose and perceived it not, I looked and there was no form before my eyes; but I only heard a breath and a voice.”

[4:16]  ¹⁹⁰ tn The imperfect verb is to be classified as potential imperfect. Eliphaz is unable to recognize the figure standing before him.

[4:16]  ¹⁹¹ sn The colon reads “a silence and a voice I hear.” Some have rendered it “there is a silence, and then I hear.” The verb דָּמַם (damam) does mean “remain silent” (Job 29:21; 31:34) and then also “cease.” The noun דְּמָמָה (dÿmamah, “calm”) refers to the calm after the storm in Ps 107:29. Joined with the true object of the verb, “voice,” it probably means something like stillness or murmuring or whispering here. It is joined to “voice” with a conjunction, indicating that it is a hendiadys, “murmur and a voice” or a “murmuring voice.”

[4:17]  ¹⁹² tn The imperfect verbs in this verse express obvious truths known at all times (GKC 315 §107.f).

[4:17]  ¹⁹³ tn The word for man here is first אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh), stressing man in all his frailty, his mortality. This is paralleled with גֶּבֶר (gever), a word that would stress more of the strength or might of man. The verse is not making a great contrast between the two, but it is rhetorical question merely stating that no human being of any kind is righteous or pure before God the Creator. See H. Kosmala, “The Term geber in the OT and in the Scrolls,” VTSup 17 (1969): 159-69; and E. Jacob, Theology of the Old Testament, 156-57.

[4:17]  ¹⁹⁴ tn The imperfect verb in this interrogative sentence could also be interpreted with a potential nuance: “Can a man be righteous?”

[4:17]  ¹⁹⁵ tn The classification of מִן (min) as a comparative in this verse (NIV, “more righteous than God”; cf. also KJV, ASV, NCV) does not seem the most probable. The idea of someone being more righteous than God is too strong to be reasonable. Job will not do that – but he will imply that God is unjust. In addition, Eliphaz had this vision before hearing of Job’s trouble and so is not addressing the idea that Job is making himself more righteous than God. He is stating that no man is righteous before God. Verses 18-21 will show that no one can claim righteousness before God. In 9:2 and 25:4 the preposition “with” is used. See also Jer 51:5 where the preposition should be rendered “before” [the Holy One].

[4:17]  ¹⁹⁶ sn In Job 15:14 and 25:4 the verb יִזְכֶּה (yizkeh, from זָכָה [zakhah, “be clean”]) is paralleled with יִצְדַּק (yitsdaq, from צָדֵק [tsadeq, “be righteous”).

[4:17]  ¹⁹⁷ tn The double question here merely repeats the same question with different words (see GKC 475 §150.h). The second member could just as well have been connected with ו (vav).

[4:18]  ¹⁹⁸ tn The particle הֵן (hen) introduces a conditional clause here, although the older translations used “behold.” The clause forms the foundation for the point made in the next verse, an argument by analogy – if this be true, then how much more/less the other.

[4:18]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:18]  ²⁰⁰ tn The verb יַאֲמִין (ya’amin), a Hiphil imperfect from אָמַן (’aman) followed by the preposition בּ (bet), means “trust in.”

[4:18]  ²⁰¹ sn The servants here must be angels in view of the parallelism. The Targum to Job interpreted them to be the prophets. In the book we have already read about the “sons of God” who take their stand as servants before the Lord (1:6; 2:1). And Ps 104:4 identifies the angels as servants (using שָׁרַת, sharat).

[4:18]  ²⁰² tn The verb שִׂים (sim, “set”) with the preposition בּ (bet) has the sense of “impute” or “attribute something to someone.”

[4:18]  ²⁰³ tn The word תָּהֳלָה (toholah) is a hapax legomenon, and so has created some confusion in the various translations. It seems to mean “error; folly.” The word is translated “perverseness” in the LXX; but Symmachus connects it with the word for “madness.” “Some commentators have repointed the word to תְּהִלָּה (tÿhillah, “praise”) making the line read: “he finds no [cause for] praise in his angels.” Others suggest תִּפְלָה (tiflah, “offensiveness, silliness”) a bigger change; this matches the idiom in Job 24:12. But if the etymology of the word is הָלַל (halal, “to be mad”) then that change is not necessary. The feminine noun “madness” still leaves the meaning of the line a little uncertain: “[if] he does not impute madness to his angels.” The point of the verse is that God finds flaws in his angels and does not put his trust in them.

[4:19]  ²⁰⁴ sn Those who live in houses of clay are human beings, for the human body was made of clay (Job 10:9; 33:6; and Isa 64:7). In 2 Cor 4:7 the body is an “earthen vessel” – a clay pot. The verse continues the analogy: houses have foundations, and the house of clay is founded on dust, and will return to dust (Gen 3:19; Ps 103:14). The reasoning is that if God finds defects in angels, he will surely find them in humans who are inferior to the angels because they are but dust. In fact, they are easily crushed like the moth.

[4:19]  ²⁰⁵ tn The imperfect verb is in the plural, suggesting “they crush.” But since there is no subject expressed, the verb may be given an impersonal subject, or more simply, treated as a passive (see GKC 460 §144.g).

[4:19]  ²⁰⁶ tn The prepositional compound לִפְנֵי (lifne) normally has the sense of “before,” but it has been used already in 3:24 in the sense of “like.” That is the most natural meaning of this line. Otherwise, the interpretation must offer some explanation of a comparison between how quickly a moth and a human can be crushed. There are suggestions for different readings here; see for example G. R. Driver, “Linguistic and Textual Problems: Jeremiah,” JQR 28 (1937/38): 97-129 for a change to “bird’s nest”; and J. A. Rimbach, “‘Crushed before the Moth’ (Job 4:19),” JBL 100 (1981): 244-46, for a change of the verb to “they are pure before their Maker.” However, these are unnecessary emendations.

[4:20]  ²⁰⁷ tn The form יֻכַּתּוּ (yukkatu) is the Hophal imperfect of the root כָּתַת (katat, “to be pounded, pulverized, reduced to ashes” [Jer 46:5; Mic 1:7]). It follows the Aramaic formation (see GKC 182 §67.y). This line appears to form a parallelism with “they are crushed like a moth,” the third unit of the last verse; but it has its own parallel idea in this verse. See D. J. A. Clines, “Verb Modality and the Interpretation of Job 4:20, 21,” VT 30 (1980): 354-57.

[4:20]  ²⁰⁸ tn Or “from morning to evening.” The expression “from morning to evening” is probably not a merism, but rather describes the time between the morning and the evening, as in Isa 38:12: “from day to night you make an end of me.”

[4:20]  ²⁰⁹ sn The second colon expresses the consequence of this day-long reducing to ashes – they perish forever! (see 20:7 and 14:20).

[4:20]  ²¹⁰ tn This rendering is based on the interpretation that מִבְּלִי מֵשִׂים (mibbÿli mesim) uses the Hiphil participle of שִׂים (sim, “set”) with an understood object “heart” to gain the idiom of “taking to heart, considering, regarding it” – hence, “without anyone regarding it.” Some commentators have attempted to resolve the difficulty by emending the text, a procedure that has no more support than positing the ellipses. One suggested emendation does have the LXX in its favor, namely, a reading of מֹשִׁיעַ (moshia’, “one who saves”) in place of מֵשִׂים (mesim, “one who sets”). This would lead to “without one who saves they perish forever” (E. Dhorme, Job, 55).

[4:21]  ²¹¹ tn The word יֶתֶר (yeter, here with the suffix, יִתְרָם [yitram]) can mean “what remains” or “rope.” Of the variety of translations, the most frequently used idea seems to be “their rope,” meaning their tent cord. This would indicate that their life was compared to a tent – perfectly reasonable in a passage that has already used the image “houses of clay.” The difficulty is that the verb נָסַע (nasa’) means more properly “to tear up; to uproot.” and not “to cut off.” A similar idea is found in Isa 38:12, but there the image is explicitly that of cutting the life off from the loom. Some have posited that the original must have said their tent peg was pulled up” as in Isa 33:20 (A. B. Davidson, Job, 34; cf. NAB). But perhaps the idea of “what remains” would be easier to defend here. Besides, it is used in 22:20. The wealth of an individual is what has been acquired and usually is left over when he dies. Here it would mean that the superfluous wealth would be snatched away. The preposition בּ (bet) would carry the meaning “from” with this verb.

[4:21]  ²¹² tc The text of the LXX does not seem to be connected to the Hebrew of v. 21a. It reads something like “for he blows on them and they are withered” (see Isa 40:24b). The Targum to Job has “Is it not by their lack of righteousness that they have been deprived of all support?”

[4:21]  tn On the interpretation of the preposition in this construction, see N. Sarna, “The Interchange of the Preposition bet and min in Biblical Hebrew,” JBL 78 (1959): 310-16.

[4:21]  ²¹³ sn They die. This clear verb interprets all the images in these verses – they die. When the house of clay collapses, or when their excess perishes – their life is over.

[4:21]  ²¹⁴ tn Heb “and without wisdom.” The word “attaining” is supplied in the translation as a clarification.

[4:21]  sn The expression without attaining wisdom is parallel to the previous without anyone regarding it. Both verses describe how easily humans perish: there is no concern for it, nor any sense to it. Humans die without attaining wisdom which can solve the mystery of human life.

[33:16]  ²¹⁵ tn The idiom is “he uncovers the ear of men.” This expression means “inform” in Ruth 4:4; 1 Sam 20:2, etc. But when God is the subject it means “make a revelation” (see 1 Sam 9:15; 2 Sam 7:27).

[33:16]  ²¹⁶ tc Heb “and seals their bonds.” The form of the present translation, “and terrifies them with warnings,” is derived only by emending the text. Aquila, the Vulgate, Syriac, and Targum Job have “their correction” for “their bond,” which is what the KJV used. But the LXX, Aquila, and the Syriac have “terrifies” for the verb. This involves a change in pointing from יָחְתֹּם (yakhtom) to יְחִתֵּם (yÿkhittem). The LXX has “appearances of fear” instead of “bonds.” The point of the verse seems to be that by terrifying dreams God makes people aware of their ways.

[2:1]  ²¹⁷ tn Heb “Nebuchadnezzar’s.” The possessive pronoun is substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:1]  ²¹⁸ tn Heb “dreamed dreams.” The plural is used here and in v. 2, but the singular in v. 3. The plural “dreams” has been variously explained. Some interpreters take the plural as denoting an indefinite singular (so GKC 400 §124.o). But it may be that it is describing a stream of related dreams, or a dream state. In the latter case, one might translate: “Nebuchadnezzar was in a trance.” See further, J. A. Montgomery, Daniel (ICC), 142.

[2:1]  ²¹⁹ tn Heb “his spirit.”

[2:1]  ²²⁰ tn Heb “his sleep left (?) him.” The use of the verb הָיָה (hayah, “to be”) here is unusual. The context suggests a meaning such as “to be finished” or “gone.” Cf. Dan 8:27. Some scholars emend the verb to read נָדְדָה (nadÿdah, “fled”); cf. Dan 6:19. See further, DCH 2:540 s.v. היה I Ni.3; HALOT 244 s.v. היה nif; BDB 227-28 s.v. הָיָה Niph.2.

[2:2]  ²²¹ tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.

[2:2]  ²²² tn Heb “Chaldeans.” The term Chaldeans (Hebrew כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim) is used in the book of Daniel both in an ethnic sense and, as here, to refer to a caste of Babylonian wise men and astrologers.

[2:2]  ²²³ tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”

[2:2]  ²²⁴ tn Heb “stood before the king.”

[2:3]  ²²⁵ tn Heb “I have dreamed a dream” (so KJV, ASV).

[2:3]  ²²⁶ tn Heb “my spirit.”

[2:4]  ²²⁷ sn Contrary to common belief, the point here is not that the wise men (Chaldeans) replied to the king in the Aramaic language, or that this language was uniquely the language of the Chaldeans. It was this view that led in the past to Aramaic being referred to as “Chaldee.” Aramaic was used as a lingua franca during this period; its origins and usage were not restricted to the Babylonians. Rather, this phrase is better understood as an editorial note (cf. NAB) marking the fact that from 2:4b through 7:28 the language of the book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. In 8:1, and for the remainder of the book, the language returns to Hebrew. Various views have been advanced to account for this change of language, most of which are unconvincing. Most likely the change in language is a reflection of stages in the transmission history of the book of Daniel.

[2:4]  ²²⁸ tn Or “the.”

[2:5]  ²²⁹ tn Aram “answered and said,” a common idiom to indicate a reply, but redundant in contemporary English.

[2:5]  ²³⁰ tn It seems clear from what follows that Nebuchadnezzar clearly recalls the content of the dream, although obviously he does not know what to make of it. By not divulging the dream itself to the would-be interpreters, he intends to find out whether they are simply leading him on. If they can tell him the dream’s content, which he is able to verify, he then can have confidence in their interpretation, which is what eludes him. The translation “the matter is gone from me” (cf. KJV, ASV), suggesting that the king had simply forgotten the dream, is incorrect. The Aramaic word used here (אַזְדָּא, ’azda’) is probably of Persian origin; it occurs in the OT only here and in v. 8. There are two main possibilities for the meaning of the word: “the matter is promulgated by me” (see KBL 1048 s.v.) and therefore “publicly known” (cf. NRSV; F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 62-63, §189), or “the matter is irrevocable” (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV, CEV, NLT; HALOT 1808 s.v. אזד; cf. also BDB 1079 s.v.). The present translation reflects this latter option. See further E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 3.

[2:5]  ²³¹ tn Aram “made limbs.” Cf. 3:29.

[2:7]  ²³² tn Aram “his servants.”

[2:7]  ²³³ tn Or “the.”

[2:9]  ²³⁴ tn Aram “one is your law,” i.e., only one thing is applicable to you.

[2:9]  ²³⁵ tn Aram “a lying and corrupt word.”

[2:9]  ²³⁶ tn Aram “I will know.”

[2:10]  ²³⁷ tn Aram “matter, thing.”

[2:11]  ²³⁸ tn Aram “whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

[2:12]  ²³⁹ tn Aram “was angry and very furious.” The expression is a hendiadys (two words or phrases expressing a single idea).

[2:13]  ²⁴⁰ tn The Aramaic participle is used here to express the imminent future.

[2:13]  ²⁴¹ tn The impersonal active plural (“they sought”) of the Aramaic verb could also be translated as an English passive: “Daniel and his friends were sought” (cf. NAB).

[2:14]  ²⁴² tn Aram “returned prudence and counsel.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[2:15]  ²⁴³ tn The Aramaic word מְהַחְצְפָה (mÿhakhtsÿfah) may refer to the severity of the king’s decree (i.e., “harsh”; so HALOT 1879 s.v. חצף; BDB 1093 s.v. חֲצַף), although it would seem that in a delicate situation such as this Daniel would avoid this kind of criticism of the king’s actions. The translation above understands the word to refer to the immediacy, not harshness, of the decree. See further, F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 50, §116; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 67.

[2:16]  ²⁴⁴ tc Theodotion and the Syriac lack the words “went in and.”

[2:18]  ²⁴⁵ tn Aram “Daniel.” The proper name is redundant here in English, and has not been included in the translation.

[2:19]  ²⁴⁶ tn Or “blessed.”

[2:20]  ²⁴⁷ tn Aram “Daniel answered and said.”

[2:20]  ²⁴⁸ sn As is often the case in the Bible, here the name represents the person.

[2:20]  ²⁴⁹ tn Or “blessed.”

[2:21]  ²⁵⁰ tn Aram “kings.”

[2:21]  ²⁵¹ tn Aram “the knowers of understanding.”

[2:23]  ²⁵² tn Aram “we.” Various explanations have been offered for the plural, but it is probably best understood as the editorial plural; so also with “me” later in this verse.

[2:23]  ²⁵³ tn Aram “the word of the king.”

[2:24]  ²⁵⁴ tc The MT has עַל עַל (’al ’al, “he entered upon”). Several medieval Hebrew MSS lack the verb, although this may be due to haplography.

[2:24]  ²⁵⁵ tc The LXX and Vulgate, along with one medieval Hebrew MS, lack this verb.

[2:24]  ²⁵⁶ tn Aram “cause me to enter.” So also in v. 25.

[2:24]  ²⁵⁷ tn Aram “the king.”

[2:25]  ²⁵⁸ sn Arioch’s claim is self-serving and exaggerated. It is Daniel who came to him, and not the other way around. By claiming to have found one capable of solving the king’s dilemma, Arioch probably hoped to ingratiate himself to the king.

[2:28]  ²⁵⁹ tn Aram “a revealer of mysteries.” The phrase serves as a quasi-title for God in Daniel.

[2:28]  ²⁶⁰ tn Aram “in the latter days.”

[2:28]  ²⁶¹ tn Aram “your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed.”

[2:29]  ²⁶² tn Aram “your thoughts upon your bed went up to what will be after this.”

[2:30]  ²⁶³ tn Aram “not for any wisdom which is in me more than [in] any living man.”

[2:30]  ²⁶⁴ tn Aram “they might cause the king to know.” The impersonal plural is used here to refer to the role of God’s spirit in revealing the dream and its interpretation to the king. As J. A. Montgomery says, “it appropriately here veils the mysterious agency” (Daniel [ICC], 164-65).

[2:30]  ²⁶⁵ tn Aram “heart.”

[2:31]  ²⁶⁶ tn Aram “an image.”

[2:33]  ²⁶⁷ sn Clay refers to baked clay, which – though hard – was also fragile. Cf. the reference in v. 41 to “wet clay.”

[2:34]  ²⁶⁸ tn Aram “until.”

[2:34]  ²⁶⁹ tc The LXX, Theodotion, and the Vulgate have “from a mountain,” though this is probably a harmonization with v. 45.

[2:35]  ²⁷⁰ tn Aram “as one.” For the meaning “without distinction” see the following: F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 36, §64, and p. 93; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 60.

[2:36]  ²⁷¹ tn Various suggestions have been made concerning the plural “we.” It is probably the editorial plural and could be translated here as “I.”

[2:38]  ²⁷² tn Aram “the sons of man.”

[2:38]  ²⁷³ tn Aram “the beasts of the field.”

[2:38]  ²⁷⁴ tn Aram “hand.”

[2:39]  ²⁷⁵ sn The identity of the first kingdom is clearly Babylon. The identification of the following three kingdoms is disputed. The common view is that they represent Media, Persia, and Greece. Most conservative scholars identify them as Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

[2:40]  ²⁷⁶ tc Theodotion and the Vulgate lack the phrase “and as iron breaks in pieces.”

[2:40]  ²⁷⁷ tn The Aramaic text does not have this word, but it has been added in the translation for clarity.

[2:40]  ²⁷⁸ tn The words “the others” are supplied from the context.

[2:41]  ²⁷⁹ tc The LXX lacks “and toes.”

[2:41]  ²⁸⁰ tn Aram “potter’s clay.”

[2:41]  ²⁸¹ tn Aram “clay of clay” (also in v. 43).

[2:43]  ²⁸² tc The present translation reads the conjunction, with most medieval Hebrew MSS, LXX, Vulgate, and the Qere. The Kethib lacks the conjunction.

[2:43]  ²⁸³ sn The reference to people being mixed is usually understood to refer to intermarriage.

[2:43]  ²⁸⁴ tn Aram “with the seed of men.”

[2:43]  ²⁸⁵ tc The present translation reads הֵיךְ דִּי (hekh diy) rather than the MT הֵא־כְדִי (he’-khÿdi). It is a case of wrong word division.

[2:45]  ²⁸⁶ tn Aram “after this.”

[2:46]  ²⁸⁷ tn Aram “fell on his face.”

[2:49]  ²⁸⁸ tn Aram “and Daniel sought from the king and he appointed.”

[2:49]  ²⁸⁹ tn Aram “was at the gate of the king.”

[4:1]  ²⁹⁰ sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:37 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:31 AT, 4:2 ET = 3:32 AT, 4:3 ET = 3:33 AT, 4:4 ET = 4:1 AT, etc., through 4:37 ET = 4:34 AT. Thus Dan 3:31-33 of the Aramaic text appears as Dan 4:1-3 in the English Bible, and the corresponding verses of ch. 4 differ accordingly. In spite of the division of the Aramaic text, a good case can be made that 3:31-33 AT (= 4:1-3 ET) is actually the introduction to ch. 4.

[4:1]  ²⁹¹ tn Aram “May your peace increase!”

[4:3]  ²⁹² tn Aram “his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”

[4:4]  ²⁹³ sn This verse marks the beginning of chap. 4 in the Aramaic text of Daniel (see the note on 4:1). The Greek OT (LXX) has the following addition: “In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign he said.” This date would suggest a link to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. In general, the LXX of chapters 4-6 is very different from the MT, so much so that the following notes will call attention only to selected readings. In Daniel 4 the LXX lacks sizable portions of material in the MT (e.g., vv. 3-6, 31-32), includes sizable portions of material not in the MT (e.g., v. 14a, parts of vv. 16, 28), has a different order of some material (e.g., v. 8 after v. 9), and in some instances is vastly different from the MT (e.g., vv. 30, 34). Whether these differences are due to an excessively paraphrastic translation technique adopted for these chapters in the LXX, or are due to differences in the underlying Vorlage of the LXX, is a disputed matter. The latter seems more likely. There is a growing trend in modern scholarship to take the LXX of chapters 4-6 much more seriously than was the case in most earlier text-critical studies that considered this issue.

[4:4]  ²⁹⁴ tn Aram “my house.”

[4:4]  ²⁹⁵ tn Aram “happy.”

[4:5]  ²⁹⁶ tn Aram “and it.”

[4:6]  ²⁹⁷ tn Aram “from me there was placed a decree.”

[4:6]  ²⁹⁸ tn The Aramaic infinitive here is active.

[4:8]  ²⁹⁹ sn This explanation of the meaning of the name Belteshazzar may be more of a paronomasia than a strict etymology.

[4:9]  ³⁰⁰ tc The present translation assumes the reading חֲזִי (khazi, “consider”) rather than the MT חֶזְוֵי (khezvey, “visions”). The MT implies that the king required Daniel to disclose both the dream and its interpretation, as in chapter 2. But in the following verses Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream, while Daniel presents only its interpretation.

[4:10]  ³⁰¹ tc The LXX lacks the first two words (Aram “the visions of my head”) of the Aramaic text.

[4:10]  ³⁰² tn Instead of “in the middle of the land,” some English versions render this phrase “a tree at the center of the earth” (NRSV); NAB, CEV “of the world”; NLT “in the middle of the earth.” The Hebrew phrase can have either meaning.

[4:10]  ³⁰³ tn Aram “its height was great.”

[4:11]  ³⁰⁴ tn Aram “its sight.” So also v. 17.

[4:11]  ³⁰⁵ tn Or “to the end of all the earth” (so KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “from anywhere on earth.”

[4:12]  ³⁰⁶ tn Aram “the beasts of the field.”

[4:12]  ³⁰⁷ tn Aram “all flesh.”

[4:13]  ³⁰⁸ tn Aram “the visions of my head.”

[4:13]  ³⁰⁹ tn Aram “a watcher and a holy one.” The expression is a hendiadys; so also in v. 23. This “watcher” is apparently an angel. The Greek OT (LXX) in fact has ἄγγελος (angelo", “angel”) here. Theodotion simply transliterates the Aramaic word (’ir). The term is sometimes rendered “sentinel” (NAB) or “messenger” (NIV, NLT).

[4:14]  ³¹⁰ tn Aram “in strength.”

[4:14]  ³¹¹ tn Aram “and thus he was saying.”

[4:15]  ³¹² tn Aram “the stock of its root.” So also v. 23. The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.

[4:15]  ³¹³ sn The function of the band of iron and bronze is not entirely clear, but it may have had to do with preventing the splitting or further deterioration of the portion of the tree that was left after being chopped down. By application it would then refer to the preservation of Nebuchadnezzar’s life during the time of his insanity.

[4:15]  ³¹⁴ tn Aram “its lot be.”

[4:16]  ³¹⁵ tn Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.

[4:16]  ³¹⁶ sn The seven periods of time probably refer to seven years.

[4:16]  ³¹⁷ tn Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).

[4:17]  ³¹⁸ tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (’al-divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (’ad-divrat, “until”).

[4:17]  ³¹⁹ tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”

[4:18]  ³²⁰ tc The present translation reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew MSS; the Kethib is פִּשְׁרָא (pishra’, “the interpretation”); so also v. 16.

[4:18]  ³²¹ tn Aram “of.”

[4:19]  ³²² tn Aram “about one hour.” The expression refers idiomatically to a brief period of time of undetermined length.

[4:19]  ³²³ tn Aram “my lord.”

[4:20]  ³²⁴ tn Aram “its sight.”

[4:21]  ³²⁵ tn Aram “the beasts of the field” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).

[4:22]  ³²⁶ sn Much of modern scholarship views this chapter as a distortion of traditions that were originally associated with Nabonidus rather than with Nebuchadnezzar. A Qumran text, the Prayer of Nabonidus, is often cited for parallels to these events.

[4:25]  ³²⁷ tn The Aramaic indefinite active plural is used here like the English passive. So also in v. 28, 29,32.

[4:25]  ³²⁸ tn Aram “from mankind.” So also in v. 32.

[4:25]  ³²⁹ tn Aram “your dwelling will be.” So also in v. 32.

[4:25]  ³³⁰ tn Or perhaps “be made to eat.”

[4:25]  ³³¹ sn Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity has features that are associated with the mental disorder known as boanthropy, in which the person so afflicted imagines himself to be an ox or a similar animal and behaves accordingly.

[4:25]  ³³² tn Aram “until.”

[4:26]  ³³³ sn The reference to heaven here is a circumlocution for God. There was a tendency in Jewish contexts to avoid direct reference to God. Cf. the expression “kingdom of heaven” in the NT and such statements as “I have sinned against heaven and in your sight” (Luke 15:21).

[4:27]  ³³⁴ tn Aram “if there may be a lengthening to your prosperity.”

[4:28]  ³³⁵ tn Aram “reached.”

[4:29]  ³³⁶ tn The word “battlements” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied from context. Many English versions supply “roof” here (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); cf. NLT “on the flat roof.”

[4:30]  ³³⁷ tn Aram “house.”

[4:30]  ³³⁸ tn Aram “by the might of my strength.”

[4:31]  ³³⁹ tn Aram “in the mouth of the king.”

[4:31]  ³⁴⁰ tn Aram “to you they say.”

[4:32]  ³⁴¹ tn Aram “until.”

[4:33]  ³⁴² tn Aram “hour.”

[4:33]  ³⁴³ tn Or “on.”

[4:33]  ³⁴⁴ tn Aram “was fulfilled.”

[4:33]  ³⁴⁵ tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[4:34]  ³⁴⁶ tn Aram “days.”

[4:34]  ³⁴⁷ tn Aram “lifted up my eyes.”

[4:35]  ³⁴⁸ tc The present translation reads כְּלָא (kÿla’), with many medieval Hebrew MSS, rather than כְּלָה (kÿlah) of BHS.

[4:35]  ³⁴⁹ tn Aram “strikes against.”

[4:36]  ³⁵⁰ tc The translation reads הַדְרֵת (hadret, “I returned”) rather than the MT הַדְרִי (hadri, “my honor”); cf. Theodotion.

[4:36]  ³⁵¹ tc The translation reads הָתְקְנֵת (hotqÿnet, “I was established”) rather than the MT הָתְקְנַת (hotqÿnat, “it was established”). As it stands, the MT makes no sense here.

[4:37]  ³⁵² tn Aram “walk.”

[7:1]  ³⁵³ sn The first year of Belshazzar’s reign would have been ca. 553 B.C. Daniel would have been approximately 67 years old at the time of this vision.

[7:1]  ³⁵⁴ tn Aram “saw.”

[7:1]  ³⁵⁵ tn Aram “and visions of his head.” The Aramaic is difficult here. Some scholars add a verb thought to be missing (e.g., “the visions of his head [were alarming him]”), but there is no external evidence to support such a decision and the awkwardness of the text at this point may be original.

[7:1]  ³⁵⁶ tn Aram “head of words.” The phrase is absent in Theodotion. Cf. NIV “the substance of his dream.”

[1:20]  ³⁵⁷ tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[1:20]  ³⁵⁸ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” Linguistically, “angel of the Lord” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of the Lord” or “the angel of the Lord” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[2:12]  ³⁵⁹ sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

[2:13]  ³⁶⁰ tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:13]  ³⁶¹ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.

[2:13]  ³⁶² sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Herod the Great was particularly ruthless regarding the succession to his throne.

[2:19]  ³⁶³ sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. When Herod the Great died in 4 b.c., his kingdom was divided up among his three sons: Archelaus, who ruled over Judea (where Bethlehem was located, v. 22); Philip, who became tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis (cf. Luke 3:1); and Antipas, who became tetrarch of Galilee.

[2:19]  ³⁶⁴ tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:19]  ³⁶⁵ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.

[1:1]  ³⁶⁶ tn Or “spoke formerly.”

[1:1]  ³⁶⁷ tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).

[1:1]  ³⁶⁸ tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.

[1:1]  ³⁶⁹ tn Grk “to the fathers.”