Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 951 to 975 of 1285 results

Exodus 5:1-21

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... when the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. “Stubble” generally refers to the dried-out remains in the fields after the harvest, less suitable for bricks because it was dry (and thus contained no humic acid). The doubled task proved to be impossible, as the pharaoh knew it would be. The purpose of the law was to quell the desire for a religious holiday by driving out the “lie” of Yahweh’s request. Concomitant with this objective, the Israelite foremen . . . were ...

952. The Plague on the Firstborn

Exodus 11:1-10

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... say that the Egyptians will give graciously (khen), being “favorably disposed” toward the Hebrews. “Plunder” is a possible translation of natsal, but not if they were favorably disposed toward them. The preferable translation is the more innocuous “deliver” that has the double meaning of “deliver them of their goods” and “deliver them of their duty, or debt, toward you.” The word is used in a play between “strip off” the jewelry and “put it on” your children (3:22). In any case ...

953. The Priestly Garments

Exodus 28:1-5

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... on Priestly Garments: The Lord gave Moses specific instructions about creating sacred garments for your brother Aaron. Aaron and his sons would wear four layers: linen undergarments, a tunic (lightweight robe), a robe, and an ephod. The vest-like ephod had a small double cloth breastplate and a waist sash. A turban and its engraved medallion brought the number of garments to eight. The priests officiated with bare feet (3:5; 30:19; Josh. 5:15). The longest descriptions concern the ephod and the breast piece ...

954. The Lord Commands Joshua

Joshua 1:1-18

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... (“Joshua,” ABD 3:999), and R. D. Nelson also questions whether the materials confirm the historicity of Joshua by pointing out royal elements in the stories (Num. 27:15–23), especially parallels between Joshua and Josiah (Nelson, The Double Redaction, p. 125). However, a close reading of the canonical materials produces a clear picture of Moses’ successor. Numerous passages point out the close relationship between Joshua and Moses. Joshua first appears as a warrior who fights the Amalekites ...

955. Rahab and the Spies

Joshua 2:1-24

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... was to be limited to the people of God (see Eslinger, Into the Hands of the Living God, pp. 34–38). Ironically, the spies see only Jericho and go no farther than the house of Rahab the harlot. The narrator tantalizes readers by using words that have double meanings and sexual connotations. The two men enter (lit. go into) the house of Rahab and lie down there. The narrator continues the humor by mentioning that Rahab and the king of Jericho speak of the two men who came into (lit. entered into) the house ...

956. Danites Settle in Laish

Judges 18:1-31

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

... and moral chaos that we have not met before in Judges. 18:1–2a The story begins with the refrain that appeared in 17:6, although the second part is absent. We have seen that the phrase “there was no king in Israel” was intended as a double entendre, referring to both a human king and to the Lord (cf. Judg. 8:23). Thus the following statement becomes more meaningful—and ironic. That the Danites were seeking a place of their own . . . because they had not yet come into an inheritance is ludicrous. Why ...

957. Ruth Meets Boaz

Ruth 2:1-23

Understanding Series

Michael S. Moore

... came,” “she went,” “she gleaned”) as a sequence of back-and-forth trips over several days (b. Shabb. 113b). As it turned out is NIV’s translation of a rather rare verb (qarah) plus its cognate noun (miqreh; cf. the similar doubling of the root shpt in 1:1). A morphologically faithful translation might be something like “her chance chanced” or “her fate fated.” Perhaps the emphasis here on coincidental randomness is a subtle response to the mechanical dependence on divination in Judges 20 ...

958. God's Promise to David

1 Chronicles 17:1-15

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... “a house”) for himself with the assistance of “Hiram king of Tyre.” First Chronicles 17:1 also connects with the last verse of the previous chapter, where it was indicated that “David returned home to bless his family” (literally “his house”). The double reference to “house” in the previous chapters forms the background to 17:1, where, in David’s direct speech to Nathan, a contrast is made between David’s house and the “tent” in which the ark had to reside at that stage. This ...

959. Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return

Ezra 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... cf. Num. 1:16, “leaders,” translating the same Heb. noun). He was an obvious choice for the Persians to entrust with the responsibility of leading the initial mission. Josephus (Ant. 11.13, 92) identified him with Zerubbabel, but (1) while a number of individuals had double names, one was always Hebrew and the other foreign, so the fact that both Zerubbabel and Sheshbazzar are Babylonian names makes this unlikely, and (2) in 5:14–16 he is described as a long-gone figure of the past, distinct from the ...

960. Rebuilding the Altar

Ezra 3:1-6

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... Ezra, Nehemiah, pp. 43–45, 47. It is more likely that “Zerubbabel’s activity is stretched out over the whole length of the first period” (Japhet, “Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel,” p. 94). Their brothers posits a parallel and contrast with v. 2. The doubled Heb. ’ahehem, lit. “his brothers” (fellow priests, associates), is here resumed by the single “their brothers,” with the sense of “fellow-Israelites” (REB). The lower limit of twenty years of age, also set in 1 Chr. 23:24, 27; 2 Chr ...

961. Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

Ezra 7:1-10

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... the Torah. Now he had the opportunity to minister to the community of faith in the homeland. There could be no better qualifications for such a task than Ezra’s. 7:11–20 The editor used the announcement of Artaxerxes’ letter to reemphasize Ezra’s double role as priest and “scribe” (NRSV), explaining the latter in terms of an understanding of the Torah as the revelation of the divine will for the life of Israel. The reader can sense by now the editor’s spiritual devotion to the Torah, as ardent ...

962. List of the Family Heads Returning With Ezra

Ezra 8:1-14

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... authorities in Jerusalem. This first assignment is accomplished here. Apart from the conclusion in verses 35–36, this section comes from the Ezra memoirs and falls into three parts: 7:28b–8:20; 21–30; and 31–34. Each part has a double theme. The first part lists the members of the party that accompanied Ezra and tells of the search for a missing element. The second part details preparations for the people’s journey and for transporting the temple contributions. The third describes their safe ...

963. Nehemiah’s Prayer

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... the prey of hostile nations, but the true ending of exile would mean that God’s people would take control and regain the capital. There was a need for the walls to be rebuilt and for Jerusalem to be repopulated. This was, in fact, to be the double mission of Nehemiah. He was no innovator of such a hope. Second Isaiah had expressed this hope nearly a century before, as a twofold divine promise to Jerusalem: “your walls are ever before me. Your sons hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from ...

964. Builders of the Wall

Nehemiah 3:1-32

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... hill that was incorporated into the city in late preexilic times. See the discussion of H. G. M. Williamson, “Nehemiah’s Walls Revisited,” PEQ 116 (1984), pp. 81–88. 3:3 The beams were for the gatehouse, which was roofed (v. 15) and supplied with double front and back doors. 3:5 The Heb. word for nobles is different from that used in Nehemiah’s memoirs, for instance in 2:16. This phenomenon reinforces the idea that ch. 3 is from an independent source. The NJPS is more probably correct with its ...

965. Queen Vashti Deposed

Esther 1:1-22

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... by laws that originate in the palace. It is highly ironic that the only law in this story that the king puts into effect without the counsel of his advisers is one that lets others do as they please. This foreshadows Haman’s abuse of dat. The double feast of verses 3–8 is, at first glance, an image of the empire as “one big, happy family.” Such grand events should denote peace and prosperity. However, this scene is also, from a literary point of view, so bloated with excess as to suggest that ...

966. Esther Made Queen

Esther 2:1-18

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... prepared and coached for a night with the king. They were encouraged to take something of their own choosing with them to the king, presumably something for erotic entertainment. The verb “to go to” (bv?), used four times in this short three-verse summary, has a double entendre—it is a common idiom for sexual relations. All of the girls except the one chosen would live the life of a concubine, returning to the king’s bed only if he was pleased with her and summoned her by name (v. 14). 2:15 ...

967. Esther's Request to the King

Esther 5:1-8

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... , “during the wine course,” the king renews and intensifies his congenial interrogation of Esther: “Now what is your petition? . . . what is your request?” (v. 6). Her answer (like his question) is more involved, repeating her original request with a double statement of formal deference: “If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, . . .” Although the narrator points out that Esther actively gains favor from those around her, she ...

968. Sayings of the Wise

Proverbs 22:17--24:22

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... you keep them . . .” The presence of a verb is also suggested by the repetition of these words about hope in 24:14. 23:22–25 There are no serious textual problems here. The NIV correctly chose the Qere readings in v. 24. Many commentators question the double mention of the female parent in v. 25 and eliminate mother in v. 25a. 23:29–35 There are some words of unknown or doubtful meaning, but the pericope (section) is clear enough. The NIV rightly reads the Qere (cup) instead of the Kethib (bag) in v ...

969. I Have Come Into My Garden

Song of Songs 5:1-16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... used to describe the woman and the drinking images associated with their lovemaking. These are evocative of the body fluids associated with sexual arousal. She finally opens for her lover (again, no door is mentioned). But all of this is in the realm of double entendre. Contrary to the claims of some interpreters, on a descriptive level the passage narrates the man’s visit to the woman’s house. Yet the language raises sexual associations in every line. 5:8 The beginning of the refrain from 2:7 and ...

970. If Only You Were To Me A Bother

Song of Songs 8:1-14

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... her. In this case, since the woman has been expressing a wish in verses 1–2, it is best to understand verse 3 as anticipatory as well. Finally, she repeats the adjuration to the daughters of Jerusalem in a slightly modified version. The use of double refrains indicates that this is the close of the main body of the book; the rest is epilogue. 8:5–14 Corresponding to the opening section of the book (1:2–6) which introduced the characters (the lovers, the daughters of Jerusalem, and the brothers ...

971. The Call of Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1:1-19

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... unit tells the reader that Jeremiah’s words to follow are not to be understood as the opinion or advice of a mere human, but rather as God’s very words. Verse 10 then gives the divine motivation for this action, and it is double-edged. There is a positive and a negative purpose. As with Jeremiah’s oracles that follow, there is an emphasis on the destructive, judgmental aspect of his ministry (uproot, tear down, destroy, overthrow), but also, anticipating in particular the Book of Consolation (chs. 30 ...

972. Jeremiah’s Complaint

Jeremiah 20:7-18

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... lies in seeing what the stronger alternative would be. He does not curse father or mother, thus breaking the fifth commandment, nor does he curse God himself, at least directly, thus breaking the third commandment. See parallels in Job 3 and 10. See also the discussion by J. Lundbom, “The Double Curse in Jeremiah 20:14–18,” JBL 104 (1985), pp. 589–600.

973. Restoration of Israel

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... future return to the promise given to Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3) and maintained by the other patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob. 30:4–11 A second oracle initially reverts to lament and judgment but then turns at the end again to hope. It too is introduced by the double introduction identifying it as a divine oracle (These are the words the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah and This is what the LORD says). The second phrase introduces a number of the oracles in chapters 30–31 (see 30:12, 18; 31:2, 7, 15, 16 ...

974. A Message About Babylon

Jeremiah 50:1--51:64

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... points to the region in the south of Babylon where the Tigris and Euphrates meet what is now called the Persian Gulf. It may also include a play on the Hebrew root mrh (“to rebel”). If so, it is a noun in the dual form and could mean “double rebellion.” As for Pekod, it refers to an important tribe within Babylon, the Puqudu. The Hebrew root is pqd, which means “to punish,” and thus we may have another significant word play. 50:36 There is not a lot of evidence for the presence of prophets in ...

975. The Charge Against Israel

Hosea 4:1-19

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... Rather, he lays the blame on the men who go to the cult sites to ravish such young women. If the men did not participate, the women would not be violated and harlotrous! The verse forms a marvelous and early divine rejection of all sexual double standards. Indeed, Yahweh says that the men corrupt not only the young women, but also the cultic prostitutes, who are regular employees at the baal shrines. If the men did not seek them out, the prostitutes’ trade would be eliminated. This verse is very pertinent ...

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