Mazmur 72:6

72:6 He ¹  will descend like rain on the mown grass, ² 

like showers that drench ³  the earth. ⁴ 

Mazmur 133:3

133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, ⁵ 

which flows down upon the hills of Zion. ⁶ 

Indeed ⁷  that is where the Lord has decreed

a blessing will be available – eternal life. ⁸ 

Yoel 3:18

3:18 On that day ⁹  the mountains will drip with sweet wine, ¹⁰ 

and the hills will flow with milk. ¹¹ 

All the dry stream beds ¹²  of Judah will flow with water.

A spring will flow out from the temple ¹³  of the Lord,

watering the Valley of Acacia Trees. ¹⁴ 

[72:6]  ¹ tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).

[72:6]  ² tn The rare term zg refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.

[72:6]  ³ tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS in textual note b on this verse suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirzÿfu). The translation assumes the latter.

[72:6]  ⁴ sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.

[133:3]  ⁵ sn Hermon refers to Mount Hermon, located north of Israel.

[133:3]  ⁶ sn The hills of Zion are those surrounding Zion (see Pss 87:1; 125:2). The psalmist does not intend to suggest that the dew from Mt. Hermon in the distant north actually flows down upon Zion. His point is that the same kind of heavy dew that replenishes Hermon may also be seen on Zion’s hills. See A. Cohen, Psalms (SoBB), 439. “Dew” here symbolizes divine blessing, as the next line suggests.

[133:3]  ⁷ tn Or “for.”

[133:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forever.”

[3:18]  ⁹ tn Heb “and it will come about in that day.”

[3:18]  ¹⁰ tn Many English translations read “new wine” or “sweet wine,” meaning unfermented wine, i.e., grape juice.

[3:18]  ¹¹ sn The language used here is a hyperbolic way of describing both a bountiful grape harvest (“the mountains will drip with juice”) and an abundance of cattle (“the hills will flow with milk”). In addition to being hyperbolic, the language is also metonymical (effect for cause).

[3:18]  ¹² tn Or “seasonal streams.”

[3:18]  ¹³ tn Heb “house.”

[3:18]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “valley of Shittim.” The exact location of the Valley of Acacia Trees is uncertain. The Hebrew word שִׁטִּים (shittim) refers to a place where the acacia trees grow, which would be a very arid and dry place. The acacia tree can survive in such locations, whereas most other trees require more advantageous conditions. Joel’s point is that the stream that has been mentioned will proceed to the most dry and barren of locations in the vicinity of Jerusalem.