Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 451 to 475 of 2157 results

1 Chronicles 2:1-55

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... pointing. We find similar lists of Jacob’s sons in Genesis 35:23–26 and Exodus 1:2–4. The Chronicler’s list provides only the twelve names (so also Exod. 1) and does not mention the respective mothers (as does Gen. 35). The Exodus version moves Joseph to the narrative part following the name list, indicating that he was already in Egypt when the other eleven brothers came there. Chronicles positions Joseph with Benjamin (as does Gen. 35:24) and groups the name Dan with Joseph and Benjamin. In the ...

452. Reuben

1 Chronicles 5:1-10

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... against the Hagrites and other groups. The strife with the Hagrites is picked up from the reference in 5:10. This subsection already acts as a prelude to some of the battle accounts that will play such a prominent role in the Chronicler’s version of (particularly) the history during the divided kingdom. One good example is the account of King Asa’s reign (2 Chron. 14–16). The subsection under discussion here shares many motifs with that type of account, one being the cry to God in battle, which ...

453. The Genealogy of Saul the Benjamite

1 Chronicles 8:1-40

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... , who will feature later in the book (in a separate genealogy in 9:39–44, but also in a narrative in 1 Chron. 10). 8:1–2 These verses indicate that Benjamin was the father of five sons: Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, Nohah, and Rapha. At least three other versions of this line of descent are found in the Hebrew Bible. According to Genesis 46:21, Benjamin had ten children (of whom only Bela and Ashbel also occur in 1 Chron. 8:1–2). Numbers 26:38–39 gives descendants of Benjamin (again sharing only Bela and ...

454. The Genealogy of Saul

1 Chronicles 9:35-44

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... and that of David. Additional Note 9:41 The name Ahaz is normally supplied in translations at the end of this verse, although this name does not appear in the Hebrew text. On the basis of 1 Chron. 8:35 (supported by the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Peshitta versions of 9:41) we may assume that the name erroneously fell away in the process of textual transmission. See Klein, 1 Chronicles, p. 262; Knoppers, 1 Chronicles 10–29, p. 516. Summary of 1 Chron. 1:1—9:41 Read from the point of view of social-identity ...

455. David Becomes King over Israel

1 Chronicles 11:1-3

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... ), men of Zebulun (12:33), men of Naphtali (12:34), men of Dan (12:35), men of Asher (12:36), and from east of the Jordan, men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh (12:37). It is clear that the writer wanted to present a version of David’s support similar to that given in the genealogies: All-Israel supported this king! After the list is presented, the discussion proceeds in 12:38 with the indication that they all came to Hebron with one intention, namely, fully determined to make David king over ...

456. Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return

Ezra 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... and Cyrus’ Judean policy, and verse 1 has already used an argument from prophecy to support this claim. 1:4 This sentence has a complicated construction in the Hebrew that modern versions have paraphrased, thereby incorporating certain exegetical judgments. The interpretation of the NIV seems to be correct; a more literal version along the same lines appears in the NRSV. The key interpretive question is whether “the people of their place” (NRSV) refers to members of Judean settlements or to their non ...

457. Opposition to the Rebuilding

Ezra 4:1-5

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... Elam and destruction of Susa make them feasible, while his deportation of a group to Egypt shows that he continued Assyrian imperial practice (J. M. Myers, Ezra, Nehemiah [AB 14; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1965], p. 33). City: The ancient versions rightly took the Aramaic qiraʾ as plural, “cities” (NRSV; Rosenthal, Biblical Aramaic, p. 35), so that Samaria refers to the province. 4:12 Restoring . . . repairing: The Aramaic verbs, of which the meaning of the second is uncertain, are strangely perfect ...

458. The Decree of Darius

Ezra 6:1-12

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... land” (4:4, NRSV) is matched by a synonym “the nations of the land” (6:21, NRSV). A negative attitude is taken in both places to the general population, as “enemies” there and as marked by “unclean practices” here. A less obvious parallel in modern versions, but one that is preserved in the literal KJV, is that “the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah” (4:4) in the matter of building the temple, while in 6:22 the king was caused to “strengthen their hands.” As ...

459. Ezra's Prayer about Intermarriage

Ezra 9:1-15

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... , pp. 114–23, and by Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah, pp. 130–32. 9:3 For these procedures of ritual mourning, see 2 Kgs. 19:1; Job 1:20; 2:12–13. 9:4 The Heb. impf. verb translated gathered indicates the gradual growth of the crowd. The Syriac version gives a correct paraphrase of until the evening sacrifice, “until the ninth hour,” that is, 3:00 P.M. One wonders whether the custom of praying at traditional times of temple sacrifice grew up during the exile, as a substitute for sacrificing. 9:8 A firm ...

460. Mordecai Honored

Esther 6:1-14

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... rewards for benefactors, see Herodotus, Hist. 3.138ff.; 5.11; 9.107; Xenophon, Hell. 3.1.6.; Thucydides 1.137ff.). These rewards also served the king’s honor, for they gave him an opportunity to demonstrate his generosity as the grand patron. Josephus’ version of this encounter frames the question legitimately, “How may I honor one . . . after a manner suitable to my magnificence?” (Ant. 11.1). In essence, the king’s honor was at stake in this affair (see further Laniak, Shame, pp. 104–107). 6:7 ...

461. Triumph of the Jews

Esther 9:1-19

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... was used in 3:1 and 5:11 to explain Haman’s promotion over all the other ministers (translated in both passages as “honored”). Now the king’s officials are promoting the welfare of the Jews, the new object of their honor. The Greek versions of Esther translate the verb accordingly. The reversal in this chapter is not simply military; the fundamental issue is Jewish status and power in the Diaspora. The obvious basis for their fear is given in the following verse: Mordecai was prominent in the palace ...

462. Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 12:1-28

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... Sir. 10:27. In v. 9a a change in vocalization yields better sense: “and be self-supporting” (Hb. weʿōbēd lô). 12:12 The LXX reads, “Desires of the wicked are evil, but the roots of the just are in strongholds (i.e., endure?).” The ancient versions and modern conjectures are not much help. The NJPS translation remarks simply that the meaning of the Hb. is uncertain. 12:13 The LXX has an added couplet: “The one who looks calmly will be pitied, the one who opposes in the gates will afflict souls ...

463. Sayings of Agur

Proverbs 30:1-33

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... Massaite.” Then “oracle” (Hb. n e ʾum) is to be construed with “the man” (Hb. haggeber). The translations proposed for the rest of the verse are many, as can be seen from the survey by Whybray (Composition, p. 150, n. 3). These versions range from “There is no God . . .” to “I am not God . . .” There is simply no compelling translation. From the context (v. 2), it would seem that the beginning of the oracle must voice some desperation: weariness or weakness. Numerical Sayings This title ...

464. A Common Destiny for All

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... phrase to its context is not specified. The NIV reading is possible, as is the idea that even love and hate (whether God’s, other people’s, or one’s own) are in the hand of God. 9:2 And the bad: The NIV adds this phrase, with ancient versions, to complete the balanced pairs of opposites. 9:4 Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! Cf. 4:2–3 and 6:3–6. Qohelet continues to wrestle with the value of life. Although a living, thinking person will experience limitation, here that limitation is ...

465. I Have Come Into My Garden

Song of Songs 5:1-16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... of precious materials. The section closes with an exchange between the daughters of Jerusalem and the central woman and a second version of the mutual possession formula. 5:2–7 The central woman speaks in this, the second of two apparent dream narratives. ... . In a culture in which male control of female sexuality is the norm, the guards’ response may be seen as a heightened version of the brothers’ angry insistence that the woman be keeper of the vineyards (1:6) and the brothers’ desire to board up ...

466. If Only You Were To Me A Bother

Song of Songs 8:1-14

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... of Jerusalem, I charge you: / Do not arouse or awaken love / until it so desires: In this rendition of the adjuration, the gazelles and does are missing and the particle used to express the negative is Hb. mâ. This makes the verse a stronger prohibition than the versions in 2:7 and 3:5. 8:5 I roused you: “Roused” is appropriately ambiguous here: it is a word typically used of awakening someone from sleep, but is also the verb used in the adjuration, where it may well refer to sexual arousal. 8:6 Place ...

467. A Promised Ruler from Bethlehem

Micah 5:1-4

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... and his people will live in security (Hebrew: “dwell”) in everlasting fulfillment of 2 Samuel 7:10. Luke 2:4 and John 7:42 both understand Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem of Judea as a fulfillment of this prophecy, and Micah 5:2–4 is quoted from the LXX version in Matthew 2:6. Thus, the Christian church has always understood Jesus Christ to be this Messiah promised by the prophet. Certainly he is the one who rules over all in the power of God. He is the one who manifests the glory and majesty of God. He ...

468. The Word Became Flesh

John 1:1-18

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... the first part of the prologue its stylistic flavor run through the first so-called prose section (vv. 6–8) as well as through the supposed poetry. Though the prologue of John’s Gospel is haunting and in its way poetic, the NIV (like most English versions) prints all of it as prose. If there is an underlying hymn, no sure way has been found of reconstructing it. Whatever its sources, the prologue in its present form is just what it appears to be—the literary introduction to John’s Gospel. If the ...

469. Jesus Clears the Temple

John 2:12-25

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... Jesus actually cleansed the temple twice. John’s Gospel has taken the symbolic acts with which Passion week begins in the synoptic Gospels (i.e., the triumphal entry and the temple cleansing) and separated them, so that each serves as a heading for its own version of the Passion drama: the book of Judgment (2:13–11:54) and the book of Glory (11:55–21:25; see Introduction). The note of judgment is struck almost immediately in the temple cleansing. Fashioning a cat-o’-nine-tails out of cords, Jesus ...

470. Love One Another

1 John 3:11-24

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

... ) by a group of secessionists with high-sounding spiritual claims (e.g., 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6, 9; see the Introduction for discussion of them). They continue to press the remaining followers of the Elder to join them (2:26; 3:7; 2 John 10–11), and their version of the truth has caused confusion and insecurity among the Elder’s readers (2:21; 4:6; 2 John 1–4; 3 John 1–4, 8). Thus the need for assurance. It was the author’s use of the word “truth” in 3:18 which reminded him to strengthen the ...

471. God’s Love and Ours

1 John 4:7-21, 1 John 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

... is through the Spirit that the community of faith recognizes the truth (v. 6) about Jesus (John 14:26). The AV contains the following words which are not in any of the early MSS of the NT. They appeared first in some copies of the Old Latin version in the fourth century, probably as a marginal note which later found its way into the text. The added words, following testify (NIV; “bear record,” AV) are: “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And there are three ...

472. The Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... into existence as a result of God’s initial creative act reported in verse 1. That is, after making the raw materials, God went about ordering the cosmos from these raw materials as recounted in verses 3–31. This view, found in the early versions, has received wide support throughout the centuries. It falters, however, before the intolerable tension between the cosmic order depicted in verse 1 and the chaos described in verse 2. In addition, a comparison of the language of verse 1 with the language used ...

473. Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-26

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... . 4:8 Some time later Cain made an appointment with Abel to meet him in a field, a remote place that offered the sense of privacy. In the field Cain spoke with Abel, but the MT records none of that conversation. So various sources, including some of the versions, have supplied a speech. On the basis of the Septuagint (or LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew OT, ca. 250 B.C.) the NIV reads, Let’s go out to the field. Given the outcome, the conversation must have been far from civil. We can ...

474. Love the Lord Your God

Deuteronomy 6:1-25

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... will, and intention. You think in your heart, and your heart shapes your character, choices, and decisions. It is also the center of the human being as a moral agent (cf. also its prominence in Proverbs). It is understandable, therefore, that the gospel version of the great commandment adds the word “mind” (dianoia) to the list. Dianoia (understanding, intelligence) is the word the LXX uses to translate lēbāb, in this text and most others. Soul is more often than not a misleading translation of Hebrew ...

475. Exclusion From the Assembly

Deuteronomy 23:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... self-inflicted castration was a feature of certain religious rites that Israel so utterly rejected. Those born of a forbidden marriage (v. 2). The rare Hebrew word mamzēr [MT v. 3] refers not merely to children born out of wedlock (“bastard” in older versions) but also to those born as a result of incest or marriages that broke the prohibited degrees of relationship (Lev. 18:6–20; 20:10–21). Certain foreigners (vv. 3–6). It should be noted that this is not an exclusion of all foreigners per ...

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