Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 3101 to 3125 of 3852 results

Joshua 8:1-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... in the Lord’s speech to Joshua. It is only at the end of Joshua’s instructions to the thirty thousand warriors chosen for the mission, when Joshua charges them to do what the Lord has commanded (8:8), that it becomes clear that the entire plan must have originated directly from the Lord. The basic plan is this: Joshua will take some men and launch a frontal attack on Ai. But about five thousand (8:12) are to quietly set up an ambush behind the city. When the men of Ai come out to fight, Joshua and his ...

3102. Southern Cities Conquered

Josh 10:16-43

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to strike a number of Canaanite city-states located in the vicinity, beginning with Makkedah itself and moving on to Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir (10:28–43). Of these city-states, Lachish, Eglon, and Hebron belong to the coalition that originally launched the attack against Gibeon to start this war. Although Makkedah, Libnah, and Debir are not specially included as part of the main coalition (cf. 10:3), they must have also played supportive roles. As the Israelites move from city to city ...

3103. Hebron Given to Caleb

Joshua 14:6-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . Num. 13:33; Deut. 9:2) and for their large and well-fortified cities (14:12). So Joshua gives Hebron, located at the heart of the hill country, to Caleb as an inheritance (14:13–15). The author’s parenthetical note that the city was originally named after one of the mightiest Anakites further highlights Caleb’s faith, as the challenge before him has now become obvious. Once Caleb has been given his special inheritance, the portion of land allotted to Judah is then recorded in detail (15:1–63). The ...

3104. Allotment for Judah

Joshua 15:1-63

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Negev, even though 15:32 counts twenty-nine towns, the list in 15:21–32 actually contains thirty-six names, thus presenting a difference of seven. This discrepancy is hard to account for. Some suggest that it may be because some of the towns originally allotted to Judah in the Negev are later given to Simeon (19:1–6). But the number of towns thus reassigned is nine (Moladah, Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Ezem, Eltolad, Hormah, Ziglag, Ain, and Rimmon), not seven. Besides, two of the foothill towns (Ether and ...

3105. Allotment for Dan

Joshua 19:40-48

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Ephraim’s boundary. The rest, including Ekron, which have earlier been allotted to Judah (cf. Josh. 15:45), seem to be located in the northern part of the territory controlled by the Philistines. From this list of towns, it is clear that Dan was originally to be a southern tribe like Judah and Simeon. But as is immediately noted in 19:47, Dan is unable to take possession of its allotted territory, so the tribe eventually moves north. Having conquered Leshem (alternatively known as Laish in Judg. 18:7 ...

3106. Military Failures

Jud 1:1–2:5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of short reports concerning individual tribes, including Manasseh and Ephraim as well as the northern tribes of Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. All these tribes fail to dispossess the cities allotted to them in Joshua 16–19. Here, it should be noted that Dan was originally allotted land on the southern coastal plains next to Judah (Josh. 19:40–46). Unable to take possession of that land, the tribe eventually moved to the far north (cf. Josh. 19:47; Judg. 18:1–31), so that it ends up last on the ...

3107. Shamgar

Judges 3:31

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The account of the next judge, Shamgar (3:31), is very brief, and reminds one of Samson (13:1–16:31) because of the unusual weapon and the Philistine enemy both share in common. The name Shamgar son of Anath, however, is a non-Israelite name, possibly of Hurrian or Syrian origin. Although not much else is known about him, his inclusion as one of the judges shows that the Lord uses even non-Israelites to deliver his people.

3108. Gideon's Ephod and Death

Judges 8:22-35

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Gideon actually accepts the offer, his seventy sons apparently do end up ruling (mashal, as in 8:22–23) in Gideon’s place after his death (cf. Judg. 9:2). Regarding the manufacturing of the golden ephod (8:27), it should be noted that an ephod was originally an item of clothing worn by those in priestly offices. There is also a tradition in which the ephod had a special function in relation to oracular inquiries (1 Sam. 23:6, 9; 30:7). Although the text is silent on Gideon’s motive for manufacturing ...

3109. The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron

1 Samuel 5:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of some sort, and the disease follows the ark to Gath, a city several miles to the east. Death comes to many, and the people panic, as do the residents of Ekron, about eleven miles northeast of Ashdod. The spread of the plague confirms the original reaction of the Philistines when the ark was brought into the Israelites’ camp (4:7–8). They have heard how Israel’s God struck the Egyptians with terrible plagues, and now they are experiencing a similar plague firsthand. Instead of having a prized trophy ...

3110. Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh

1 Sam 11:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . 11:29–33). Note that the great Samuel scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran (4QSama) provides a transition between the end of chapter 10 and the beginning of chapter 11, a transition that most scholars take to be the original text that was lost by scribal errors. Before this scroll was discovered, the received text of this episode had long been puzzling. What are the reasons for the Ammonites’ sudden aggression against Jabesh Gilead? Why would Nahash, the Ammonite king, demand mutilation ...

3111. Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

1 Sam 13:23–14:14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and refer to the Israelites as “Hebrews,” a term sometimes used by foreigners in a disparaging way (cf. Gen. 39:17). This usage might be related to the word’s apparent etymology, from a term meaning “movers,” or it might refer to the Israelites’ origins in the hill country, as in “hillbillies.” Clearly the Philistines expect to make short work of the two men, but convinced that God is with them, Jonathan and his armor bearer fight and kill about twenty men. Their faith has been vindicated.

3112. Wise Options

1 Kings 3:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... asked for a king “like other nations” back in 1 Samuel 8, they hardly conceived that they would be getting a player on the world stage. The notice about the people continuing to sacrifice on the high places—worship installations perched on hilltops originally having Canaanite roots—underlines the idea of Israel moving toward a kingship model that is indebted to the surrounding nations and stands in uneasy tension with torah. To be sure, the next section of the chapter (3:3–9) begins with a notice ...

3113. Solomon's Wisdom

1 Kings 4:29-34

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... s God-endowed wisdom, which exceeds the greatest sages of the day, and his far-reaching fame. Solomon’s intellectual authority extends even to matters of flora and fauna, with no shortage of audience. Even foreign kings journey to hear this original Renaissance man, a composer of songs and proverbs. A key question remains: how will these remarkable capabilities and the extraordinary gift of such wisdom be used? According to the NIV translation of 4:29, Solomon has “breadth of understanding,” a phrase ...

3114. Israel Rebels Against Reheboam

1 Kings 12:1-33

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... trouble), and a glimpse into Jeroboam’s mind reveals that he is paranoid about southern loyalties. He takes counsel (like Rehoboam) and quickly builds alternative cultic objects and sites of worship. Golden calves may not be particularly original (see Exodus 32), but their installation at the extremities of the northern kingdom is designed to divert the populace from participating in temple worship at Jerusalem. For similar reasons, Jeroboam also changes the calendar of religious observance, erects ...

3115. Prophetic Contests: Elijah Appears

1 Kings 17:1-6

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... about Hiel of Bethel and the fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken through Joshua many centuries before, Elijah the prophet bursts onto the scene (17:1) without much introduction (like Ahijah, Shemaiah, and Jehu before him), though he seems to originate from a settlement beyond the Jordan River. Elijah’s initial confrontation with Ahab consists of a single sentence about rain, an important narrative signal of a key theme in this stretch of text. As numerous scholars maintain, there is a theological ...

3116. God’s Chosen People Among the Nations

1 Chronicles 1:1-54

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the Rodanim, are associated with the ancient maritime world—a reference made explicit in Gen. 10:7 but omitted by the Chronicler. See Klein, 1 Chronicles, p. 65. 1:27 The phrase Abram (that is . . .) might be an addition by a later hand. The original Hebrew text probably just had Abraham (like the Septuagint). A later reader probably felt uncomfortable that the patriarch was called by his covenant name here, understandably so in light of the source text in Gen. 11:26, which has “Abram.” It might also ...

3117. Judah

2 Chronicles 2:1--4:23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... tribes, placed in first position, with the longest list. This genealogy of Judah is bracketed by an introduction to all the sons of Judah in 2:3–9 and a short description of the nonelect clans in 4:17–23. Genesis 38 explains the origins of these various clans. Judah’s Canaanite wife Bathshua produced Er, Onan, and Shelah, with only the last surviving and having offspring. Judah’s unknowing tryst with his Canaanite daughter-in-law Tamar produces the twins Perez and Zerah. The short description in 4 ...

3118. The List of Returnees

Ezra 2:1-70

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The modern reader may wonder why this long list of names is included in the narrative. Why would the original readers be interested in this list? Since Israel, God’s covenant people, descended from Jacob, their family records were always important to them. Here their genealogy is especially important to show they are the continuation of the preexilic Jewish community. Each person wanted to confirm his or her identity as ...

3119. Nehemiah Helps the Poor

Nehemiah 5:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Mosaic law provides regulations to maintain a respectable level of equality in the community and also provides ways to alleviate poverty when it exists: (1) Those in dire need can sell the crop value of their land until the next Jubilee year; then the land reverts to the original owner (Lev. 25:8–17). (2) Those with means are to help the poor. No interest is to be charged on loaned money, nor is food to be sold to the poor for profit (Lev. 25:35–38). (3) People in extreme poverty can sell themselves to ...

3120. The Agreement of the People

Nehemiah 9:38--10:39

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , but those laws are applied to this new situation. This illustrates early Jewish biblical exegesis. For example, the rule concerning intermarriage (Exod. 34:11–16; Deut. 7:1–4; 20:10–18) is slightly different here. The Sabbath laws must also be clarified. Originally the Jews would not have bought and sold among themselves on the Sabbath, but now non-Jewish neighbors are trying to sell them grain, even on the Sabbath. Hence, the laws pertaining to the Sabbath forbid buying and selling grain (10:31 ...

3121. Priests and Levites

Nehemiah 12:1-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 12:1–7. Nearly all are seen again in 12:12–21 to show the continuity of the priestly houses. Fifteen of those who signed the special “binding” covenant in Nehemiah 10:2–8 had these family names, although there are some spelling differences. Since originally there were twenty-four priestly divisions (1 Chron. 24:7–19), and the same was true in later Judaism, two names may have dropped out of this list (12:1–7), or perhaps no representatives of those families were among the returnees. The list ...

3122. Haman’s Plot to Annihilate the Jews

Esther 3:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Susa become confused and mystified by the sudden news of the impending “final solution” (3:15). The Hebrew word translated “confused” (nabokah) appears in only two other passages in the Hebrew Bible. In Exodus 14:3, after the Israelites experience the original Passover in Egypt and leave their homes with the plunder of the Egyptians, they find themselves “confused” (nebukim) as they wander between their former homes and the Red Sea. In Joel 1:18, the cattle are said to be “wandering aimlessly ...

3123. The King Rewards Mordecai

Esther 6:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the distressing report, his counselors utter one of the most critical statements of the narrative, a declaration that provides a needed ray of hope for the Jews of the empire: “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall [Hebrew napal] has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin [napal]” (6:13). The repetition of the key Hebrew word napal (“to fall”) is significant, as it foreshadows Haman’s impending fall from nobility (cf. 7:8). No sooner has Haman ...

3124. The King’s Edict to Spare the Jews

Esther 8:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... a tearful and deeply emotional plea (8:3). She receives immediate favor and is given permission for her and Mordecai to issue a new royal decree that will allow the Jews from Persia to defend themselves against their enemies (8:8). The new decree, originally written in the Persian language, is dictated by Mordecai and transcribed into the scripts and languages of all peoples and provinces in Persia (8:9). Although Esther is the one who pled before the king, the focus quickly shifts to Mordecai, who assumes ...

3125. Job’s Opening Soliloquy

Job 3:1-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . 3:1–10 · The narrator tells us that Job opens his mouth to curse (the Hebrew root here is not brk, used in the prologue; see comments on 1:1–5), literally, “his day.” In Job’s soliloquy, we discover quickly that “his day” is about his origins: the day of his birth, the night of his conception. The NIV’s wording of 3:3, which has in mind only a birth, diminishes Job’s brilliant interplay. His words fade skillfully between the day of his birth and the night of his conception (3:3a: day ...

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