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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

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Psalm 72

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.

72 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions.^[c]
Grant the king’s son^[d] the ability to make fair decisions.^[e]
²Then he will judge^[f] your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones^[g] equitably.
³The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice.^[h]
⁴He will defend^[i] the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver^[j] the children^[k] of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
⁵People will fear^[l] you^[m] as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation.^[n]
⁶He^[o] will descend like rain on the mown grass,^[p]
like showers that drench^[q] the earth.^[r]
⁷During his days the godly will flourish;^[s]
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.^[t]
⁸May he rule^[u] from sea to sea,^[v]
and from the Euphrates River^[w] to the ends of the earth.
⁹Before him the coastlands^[x] will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust.^[y]
¹⁰The kings of Tarshish^[z] and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba^[aa] and Seba^[ab] will bring tribute.
¹¹All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
¹²For he will rescue the needy^[ac] when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed^[ad] who have no defender.
¹³He will take pity^[ae] on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
¹⁴From harm and violence he will defend them;^[af]
he will value their lives.^[ag]
¹⁵May he live!^[ah] May they offer him gold from Sheba.^[ai]
May they continually pray for him.
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long.^[aj]
¹⁶May there be^[ak] an abundance^[al] of grain in the earth;
on the tops^[am] of the mountains may it^[an] sway.^[ao]
May its^[ap] fruit trees^[aq] flourish^[ar] like the forests of Lebanon.^[as]
May its crops^[at] be as abundant^[au] as the grass of the earth.^[av]
¹⁷May his fame endure.^[aw]
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky.^[ax]
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings.^[ay]
May all nations consider him to be favored by God.^[az]
¹⁸The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise.^[ba]
He alone accomplishes amazing things.^[bb]
¹⁹His glorious name deserves praise^[bc] forevermore.
May his majestic splendor^[bd] fill the whole earth.
We agree! We agree!^[be]
²⁰This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.^[bf]

Footnotes

Psalm 72:1 sn Psalm 72. This royal psalm contains a prayer for the Davidic king (note the imperatival form in v. 1 and the jussive forms in vv. 16-17). It is not entirely clear if vv. 2-15 express a prayer or anticipate a future reign. The translation assumes a blend of petition and vision: (I) opening prayer (v. 1), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 2-7); (II) prayer (v. 8), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 9-14); (III) closing prayer (vv. 15-17). Whether a prayer, vision, or combination of the two, the psalm depicts the king’s universal rule of peace and prosperity. As such it is indirectly messianic, for the ideal it expresses will only be fully realized during the Messiah’s earthly reign. Verses 18-19 are a conclusion for Book 2 of the Psalter (Pss 42-72; cf. Ps 41:13, which contains a similar conclusion for Book 1), while v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter.
Psalm 72:1 tn The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (“Of Solomon”), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “O God, your judgments to [the] king give.”
Psalm 72:1 sn Grant the king…Grant the king’s son. It is not entirely clear whether v. 1 envisions one individual or two. The phrase “the king’s son” in the second line may simply refer to “the king” of the first line, drawing attention to the fact that he has inherited his dynastic rule. Another option is that v. 1 envisions a co-regency between father and son (a common phenomenon in ancient Israel) or simply expresses a hope for a dynasty that champions justice.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “and your justice to [the] son of [the] king.”
Psalm 72:2 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:2 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
Psalm 72:3 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “judge [for].”
Psalm 72:4 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “sons.”
Psalm 72:5 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.” See Ps 33:8. Some interpreters, with the support of the LXX, prefer to read וְיַאֲרִיךְ (v^eyaʾarikh, “and he [the king in this case] will prolong [days]”), that is, “will live a long time” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 72:5 tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).
Psalm 72:5 tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.
Psalm 72:6 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
Psalm 72:6 tn The rare term גֵּז (gez) 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.
Psalm 72:6 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 suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirz^efu). The translation assumes the latter.
Psalm 72:6 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”
Psalm 72:8 tn The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.
Psalm 72:8 sn From sea to sea. This may mean from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. See Amos 8:12. The language of this and the following line also appears in Zech 9:10.
Psalm 72:8 tn Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.
Psalm 72:9 tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.
Psalm 72:9 sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.
Psalm 72:10 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
Psalm 72:10 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
Psalm 72:10 sn Seba was located in Africa.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:13 tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).
Psalm 72:14 tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).
Psalm 72:14 tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”
Psalm 72:15 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav (ו), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14.) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (y^ekhi hammelekh, “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24; 2 Sam 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39; 2 Kgs 11:12).
Psalm 72:15 tn Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.
Psalm 72:15 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.
Psalm 72:16 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. The translation assumes the subject is impersonal (rather than the king).
Psalm 72:16 tn The Hebrew noun פִסַּה (pissah; which appears here in the construct form) occurs only here in the OT. Perhaps the noun is related to the verbal root פָּשָׂה (pasah, “to spread,” see BDB 832 s.v.; the root appears as פָּסָה [pasah] in postbiblical Hebrew), which is used in postbiblical Hebrew of the rising sun’s rays spreading over the horizon and a tree’s branches spreading out (see Jastrow 1194 s.v. פסי, פָּסָה, פָּשָׂה). In Ps 72:16 a “spreading of grain” would refer to grain fields extending out over the land. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:139) emend the form to סְפִיחַ (s^efiakh, “second growth”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “top” (singular).
Psalm 72:16 tn That is, the grain.
Psalm 72:16 tn According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the translator’s note at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse.
Psalm 72:16 tn The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is unclear. It is unlikely that the antecedent is אֶרֶץ (ʾerets, “earth”) because this noun is normally grammatically feminine. Perhaps רֹאשׁ (roʾsh, “top [of the mountains]”) is the antecedent. Another option is to understand the pronoun as referring to the king, who would then be viewed as an instrument of divine agricultural blessing (see v. 6).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “fruit.”
Psalm 72:16 tc According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the note on the word “earth” at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse. The present translation takes it with the preceding words, “like Lebanon its fruit” and emends the verb form from וְיָצִיצוּ (v^eyatsitsu; Qal imperfect third masculine plural with prefixed vav, [ו]) to יָצִיץ (yatsits; Qal imperfect third masculine singular). The initial vav is eliminated as dittographic (note the vav on the ending of the preceding form פִּרְיוֹ, piryo, “its/his fruit”) and the vav at the end of the form is placed on the following emended form (see the note on the word “crops”), yielding וַעֲמִיר (vaʿamir, “and [its] crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “like Lebanon.”
Psalm 72:16 tc The MT has “from the city.” The translation assumes an emendation to עֲמִיר (ʿamir, “crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn The translation assumes that the verb צוּץ (tsuts, “flourish”) goes with the preceding line. The words “be as abundant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
Psalm 72:16 tc The traditional accentuation and vocalization of the MT differ from the text assumed by the present translation. The MT reads as follows: “May there be an abundance of grain in the earth, / and on the tops of the mountains! / May its [or “his”?] fruit [trees?] rustle like [the trees of] Lebanon! / May they flourish from the city, like the grass of the earth!” If one follows the MT, then it would appear that the “fruit” of the third line is a metaphorical reference to the king’s people, who flow out from the cities to populate the land (see line 4). Elsewhere in the OT people are sometimes compared to grass that sprouts up from the land (see v. 7, as well as Isa 27:6; Pss 92:7; 103:15). The translation understands a different poetic structural arrangement and, assuming the emendations mentioned in earlier notes, interprets each line of the verse to be a prayer for agricultural abundance.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין (yanin; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין, nin) or יְנַיֵן (y^enayen; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן (yinnon; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן, נִין) or “produce shoots, get descendants” (HALOT 696 s.v. נין). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ (barakh, “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4. In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16: “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ. In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ (vo, “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (ʾashar) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13.
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “[be] blessed.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Or “glory.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [ʾamen v^eʾamen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.
Psalm 72:20 tn Heb “the prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded.” As noted earlier, v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter. In the present arrangement of the Book of Psalms, not all psalms prior to this are attributed to David (see Pss 1-2, 10, 33, 42-50, 66-67, 71-72) and several psalms attributed to David appear after this (see Pss 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 138-145).

Psalm 119:73-96

י (Yod)

⁷³Your hands made me and formed me.^[a]
Give me understanding so that I might learn^[b] your commands.
⁷⁴Your loyal followers will be glad when they see me,^[c]
for I find hope in your word.
⁷⁵I know, Lord, that your regulations^[d] are just.
You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.^[e]
⁷⁶May your loyal love console me,
as you promised your servant.^[f]
⁷⁷May I experience your compassion,^[g] so I might live.
For I find delight in your law.
⁷⁸May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me.^[h]
But I meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹May your loyal followers^[i] turn to me,
those who know your rules.
⁸⁰May I be fully committed to your statutes,^[j]
so that I might not be ashamed.

כ (Kaf)

⁸¹I desperately long for^[k] your deliverance.
I find hope in your word.
⁸²My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled.^[l]
I say,^[m] “When will you comfort me?”
⁸³For^[n] I am like a wineskin^[o] dried up in smoke.^[p]
I do not forget your statutes.
⁸⁴How long must your servant endure this?^[q]
When will you judge those who pursue me?
⁸⁵The arrogant dig pits to trap me,^[r]
which violates your law.^[s]
⁸⁶All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason.^[t] Help me!
⁸⁷They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
⁸⁸Revive me with^[u] your loyal love,
that I might keep^[v] the rules you have revealed.^[w]

ל (Lamed)

⁸⁹O Lord, your instructions endure;
they stand secure in heaven.^[x]
⁹⁰You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations.^[y]
You established the earth and it stood firm.
⁹¹Today they stand firm by your decrees,
for all things are your servants.
⁹²If I had not found encouragement in your law,^[z]
I would have died in my sorrow.^[aa]
⁹³I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
⁹⁴I belong to you. Deliver me!
For I seek your precepts.
⁹⁵The wicked prepare to kill me,^[ab]
yet I concentrate on your rules.
⁹⁶I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension.^[ac]

Footnotes

Psalm 119:73 tn Heb “made me and established me.” The two verbs also appear together in Deut 32:6, where God, compared to a father, is said to have “made and established” Israel.
Psalm 119:73 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:74 tn Heb “those who fear you will see me and rejoice.”
Psalm 119:75 tn In this context (note the second line) the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim), which so often refers to the regulations of God’s law elsewhere in this psalm, may refer instead to his decisions or disciplinary judgment.
Psalm 119:75 tn Heb “and [in] faithfulness you afflicted me.”
Psalm 119:76 tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”
Psalm 119:77 tn Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”
Psalm 119:78 tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”
Psalm 119:79 tn Heb “those who fear you.”
Psalm 119:80 tn Heb “may my heart be complete in your statutes.”
Psalm 119:81 tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “saying.”
Psalm 119:83 tn Or “even though.”
Psalm 119:83 tn The Hebrew word נֹאד (noʾd, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20).
Psalm 119:83 tn Heb “in the smoke.”
Psalm 119:84 tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “for me.”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”
Psalm 119:86 sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “according to.”
Psalm 119:88 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
Psalm 119:89 tn Heb “Forever, O Lord, your word stands firm in heaven,” or “Forever, O Lord, [is] your word; it stands firm in heaven.” The translation assumes that “your word” refers here to the body of divine instructions contained in the law (note the frequent references to the law in vv. 92-96). See vv. 9, 16-17, 57, 101, 105, 130, 139 and 160-61. The reference in v. 86 to God’s law being faithful favors this interpretation. Another option is that “your word” refers to God’s assuring word of promise, mentioned in vv. 25, 28, 42, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147 and 169. In this case one might translate, “O Lord, your promise is reliable, it stands firm in heaven.”
Psalm 119:90 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Or “my suffering.”
Psalm 119:95 tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”
Psalm 119:96 tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).

Genesis 22:1-18

The Sacrifice of Isaac

22 Some time after these things God tested^[a] Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham^[b] replied. ²God^[c] said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac^[d]—and go to the land of Moriah!^[e] Offer him up there as a burnt offering^[f] on one of the mountains which I will indicate to^[g] you.”

³Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey.^[h] He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out^[i] for the place God had spoken to him about.

⁴On the third day Abraham caught sight of^[j] the place in the distance. ⁵So he^[k] said to his servants, “You two stay^[l] here with the donkey while^[m] the boy and I go up there. We will worship^[n] and then return to you.”^[o]

⁶Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand,^[p] and the two of them walked on together. ⁷Isaac said to his father Abraham,^[q] “My father?” “What is it,^[r] my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said,^[s] “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” ⁸“God will provide^[t] for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.

⁹When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there^[u] and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up^[v] his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. ¹⁰Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter^[w] his son. ¹¹But the angel of the Lord^[x] called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. ¹²“Do not harm the boy!”^[y] the angel said.^[z] “Do not do anything to him, for now I know^[aa] that you fear^[ab] God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”

¹³Abraham looked up^[ac] and saw^[ad] behind him^[ae] a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he^[af] went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.”^[ag] It is said to this day,^[ah] “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”^[ai]

¹⁵The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶and said, “I solemnly swear by my own name,^[aj] decrees the Lord,^[ak] that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷I will indeed bless you,^[al] and I will greatly multiply^[am] your descendants^[an] so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of^[ao] the strongholds^[ap] of their enemies. ¹⁸Because you have obeyed me,^[aq] all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another^[ar] using the name of your descendants.”

Footnotes

Genesis 22:1 sn The Hebrew verb used here means “to test; to try; to prove.” In this passage God tests Abraham to see if he would be obedient. See T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 44-48. See also J. L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment (OBT), 9-30; and J. I. Lawlor, “The Test of Abraham,” GTJ 1 (1980): 19-35.
Genesis 22:1 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Genesis 22:2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Genesis 22:2 sn Take your son…Isaac. The instructions are very clear, but the details are deliberate. With every additional description the commandment becomes more challenging.
Genesis 22:2 sn There has been much debate over the location of Moriah; 2 Chr 3:1 suggests it may be the site where the temple was later built in Jerusalem.
Genesis 22:2 sn A whole burnt offering signified the complete surrender of the worshiper and complete acceptance by God. The demand for a human sacrifice was certainly radical and may have seemed to Abraham out of character for God. Abraham would have to obey without fully understanding what God was about.
Genesis 22:2 tn Heb “which I will say to.”
Genesis 22:3 tn Heb “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.”
Genesis 22:3 tn Heb “he arose and he went.”
Genesis 22:4 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.”
Genesis 22:5 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
Genesis 22:5 tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey.
Genesis 22:5 tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal.
Genesis 22:5 tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.”
Genesis 22:5 sn It is impossible to know what Abraham was thinking when he said, “we will…return to you.” When he went he knew (1) that he was to sacrifice Isaac, and (2) that God intended to fulfill his earlier promises through Isaac. How he reconciled those facts is not clear in the text. Heb 11:17-19 suggests that Abraham believed God could restore Isaac to him through resurrection.
Genesis 22:6 sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead.
Genesis 22:7 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said.” This is redundant and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
Genesis 22:7 tn Heb “Here I am” (cf. Gen 22:1).
Genesis 22:7 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here is the fire and the wood.’” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here and in the following verse the order of the introductory clauses and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Genesis 22:8 tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”sn God will provide is the central theme of the passage and the turning point in the story. Note Paul’s allusion to the story in Rom 8:32 (“how shall he not freely give us all things?”) as well as H. J. Schoeps, “The Sacrifice of Isaac in Paul’s Theology,” JBL 65 (1946): 385-92.
Genesis 22:9 sn Abraham built an altar there. The theme of Abraham’s altar building culminates here. He has been a faithful worshiper. Will he continue to worship when called upon to make such a radical sacrifice?
Genesis 22:9 sn Then he tied up. This text has given rise to an important theme in Judaism known as the Aqedah, from the Hebrew word for “binding.” When sacrifices were made in the sanctuary, God remembered the binding of Isaac, for which a substitute was offered. See D. Polish, “The Binding of Isaac,” Jud 6 (1957): 17-21.
Genesis 22:10 tn Heb “in order to slaughter.”
Genesis 22:11 sn Heb “the messenger of the Lord” (also in v. 15). Some identify the angel of the Lord as the preincarnate Christ because in some texts the angel is identified with the Lord himself. However, see the note on the phrase “the angel of the Lord” in Gen 16:7.
Genesis 22:12 tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.”
Genesis 22:12 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Do not extend…’”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the context for clarity. The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Genesis 22:12 sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1).
Genesis 22:12 sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith.
Genesis 22:13 tn Heb “lifted his eyes.”
Genesis 22:13 tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to what Abraham saw and invites the audience to view the scene through his eyes.
Genesis 22:13 tc The translation follows the reading of the MT; a number of Hebrew mss, the LXX, Syriac, and Smr read “one” (אֶחָד, ʾekhad) instead of “behind him” (אַחַר, ʾakhar).
Genesis 22:13 tn Heb “Abraham”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Genesis 22:14 tn Heb “the Lord sees” (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, y^ehvah yirʾeh, traditionally transliterated “Jehovah Jireh”; see the note on the word “provide” in v. 8). By so naming the place Abraham preserved in the memory of God’s people the amazing event that took place there.
Genesis 22:14 sn On the expression to this day see B. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until this Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.
Genesis 22:14 sn The saying connected with these events has some ambiguity, which was probably intended. The Niphal verb could be translated (1) “in the mountain of the Lord it will be seen/provided” or (2) “in the mountain the Lord will appear.” If the temple later stood here (see the note on “Moriah” in Gen 22:2), the latter interpretation might find support, for the people went to the temple to appear before the Lord, who “appeared” to them by providing for them his power and blessings. See S. R. Driver, Genesis, 219.
Genesis 22:16 tn Heb “By myself I swear.”
Genesis 22:16 tn Heb “the oracle of the Lord.” The phrase refers to a formal oracle or decree from the Lord.
Genesis 22:17 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form (either an imperfect or cohortative) emphasizes the certainty of the blessing.
Genesis 22:17 tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).sn I will greatly multiply. The Lord here ratifies his earlier promise to give Abram a multitude of descendants. For further discussion see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54.
Genesis 22:17 tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zeraʿ) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.
Genesis 22:17 tn Or “inherit.”
Genesis 22:17 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. To break through the gate complex would be to conquer the city, for the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”).
Genesis 22:18 tn In the Hebrew text this causal clause comes at the end of the sentence. The translation alters the word order for stylistic reasons.sn Because you have obeyed me. Abraham’s obedience brought God’s ratification of the earlier conditional promise (see Gen 12:2).
Genesis 22:18 tn The denominative verb בָּרַךְ (barakh) is active in the Piel and passive in the Pual. Here it is in the Hitpael which is typically middle or reflexive. Traditionally it is rendered as passive (“will be blessed”) here. Some reference grammars consider the Hitpael to be passive on rare occasions but their examples can be disputed. The LXX translates with a passive spelling, but this does not mean the Hebrew is passive. For example, the LXX uses a passive spelling for the Hitpael in Gen 3:8 where the Hebrew says “they hid themselves from the Lord.” The English understanding of the Greek’s passive spelling does not mean that the Hebrew is passive, i.e., “they were hidden;” it merely reflects translation issues going from Hebrew to Greek (or from Semitic to Indo-European) and may reveal the broader range of meanings that the Greek spelling can convey. The Hitpael is better understood here as middle or reflexive/reciprocal, as in its other instances (Gen 26:4; Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2). One option would be to treat it like the middle voice Niphal cases in Gen 12:3; 18:18 and 28:14, “they may find blessing through your descendants.” This extends to the nation the Lord’s promise to Abraham to bless those who bless him. But one may expect the continued use of the Niphal for that and a distinct middle voice meaning of the Hitpael here. The Hitpael can mean to pronounce blessings on each other, as in Isa 65:16 where the expression of blessing each other through (or in the name of) the true God is parallel to taking oaths in the Lord’s name (as opposed to holding oneself accountable to other gods). For other examples of blessing formulae using an individual as an example of blessing, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. To pronounce blessings referring to the divinely blessed Israel who possesses its enemies’ gates (v. 17) also acknowledges Israel’s God. So the surface statement “they will bless themselves” (an option acknowledged in the note in the NASB) in the name of, or in light of, Abraham’s blessed descendants implies more than the speech act itself. It implies at least acknowledgment of Israel’s God and allows room for being allegiant to or joining with Israel’s God. This thought is consistent with being made great and successful internationally in v. 17 and is not opposed to the iterations with the Niphal of being able to receive blessing by blessing Israel.

Hebrews 11:23-31

²³By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him^[a] for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. ²⁴By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure. ²⁶He regarded abuse suffered for Christ^[b] to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on^[c] the reward. ²⁷By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible. ²⁸By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood,^[d] so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. ²⁹By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up. ³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them^[e] for seven days. ³¹By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of^[f] the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

John 6:52-59

⁵²Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus^[a] began to argue with one another,^[b] “How can this man^[c] give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth,^[d] unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,^[e] you have no life^[f] in yourselves. ⁵⁴The one who eats^[g] my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.^[h] ⁵⁵For my flesh is true^[i] food, and my blood is true^[j] drink. ⁵⁶The one who eats^[k] my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him.^[l] ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes^[m] me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This^[n] is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors^[o] ate, but then later died.^[p] The one who eats^[q] this bread will live forever.”

Many Followers Depart

⁵⁹Jesus^[r] said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue^[s] in Capernaum.^[t]

Footnotes

John 6:52 tn Grk “Then the Jews began to argue.” Here the translation restricts the phrase to those Jews who were hostile to Jesus (cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e.β), since the “crowd” mentioned in 6:22-24 was almost all Jewish (as suggested by their addressing Jesus as “Rabbi” (6:25). See also the note on the phrase “the Jews who were hostile to Jesus” in v. 41.
John 6:52 tn Grk “with one another, saying.”
John 6:52 tn Grk “this one,” “this person.”
John 6:53 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
John 6:53 sn Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. These words are at the heart of the discourse on the Bread of Life, and have created great misunderstanding among interpreters. Anyone who is inclined toward a sacramental viewpoint will almost certainly want to take these words as a reference to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, or the Eucharist, because of the reference to eating and drinking. But this does not automatically follow: By anyone’s definition there must be a symbolic element to the eating which Jesus speaks of in the discourse, and once this is admitted, it is better to understand it here, as in the previous references in the passage, to a personal receiving of (or appropriation of) Christ and his work.
John 6:53 tn That is, “no eternal life” (as opposed to physical life).
John 6:54 tn Or “who chews”; Grk ὁ τρώγων (ho trōgōn). The alternation between ἐσθίω (esthiō, “eat,” v. 53) and τρώγω (trōgō, “eats,” vv. 54, 56, 58; “consumes,” v. 57) may simply reflect a preference for one form over the other on the author’s part, rather than an attempt to express a slightly more graphic meaning. If there is a difference, however, the word used here (τρώγω) is the more graphic and vivid of the two (“gnaw” or “chew”).
John 6:54 sn Notice that here the result (has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day) is produced by eating (Jesus’) flesh and drinking his blood. Compare John 6:40 where the same result is produced by “looking on the Son and believing in him.” This suggests that the phrase here (eats my flesh and drinks my blood) is to be understood by the phrase in 6:40 (looks on the Son and believes in him).
John 6:55 tn Or “real.”
John 6:55 tn Or “real.”
John 6:56 tn Or “who chews.” On the alternation between ἐσθίω (esthiō, “eat,” v. 53) and τρώγω (trōgō, “eats,” vv. 54, 56, 58; “consumes,” v. 57) see the note on “eats” in v. 54.
John 6:56 sn Resides in me, and I in him. Note how in John 6:54 eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood produces eternal life and the promise of resurrection at the last day. Here the same process of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood leads to a relationship of mutual indwelling (resides in me, and I in him). This suggests strongly that for the author (and for Jesus) the concepts of ‘possessing eternal life’ and of ‘residing in Jesus’ are virtually interchangeable.
John 6:57 tn Or “who chews”; Grk “who eats.” Here the translation “consumes” is more appropriate than simply “eats,” because it is the internalization of Jesus by the individual that is in view. On the alternation between ἐσθίω (esthiō, “eat,” v. 53) and τρώγω (trōgō, “eats,” vv. 54, 56, 58; “consumes,” v. 57) see the note on “eats” in v. 54.
John 6:58 tn Or “This one.”
John 6:58 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
John 6:58 tn Grk “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not just like your ancestors ate and died.” The cryptic Greek expression has been filled out in the translation for clarity.
John 6:58 tn Or “who chews.” On the alternation between ἐσθίω (esthiō, “eat,” v. 53) and τρώγω (trōgō, “eats,” vv. 54, 56, 58; “consumes,” v. 57) see the note on “eats” in v. 54.
John 6:59 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
John 6:59 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
John 6:59 sn See the note on Capernaum at John 6:17.

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 72[a]

For[b] Solomon.

Footnotes

י (Yod)

כ (Kaf)

ל (Lamed)

Footnotes

The Sacrifice of Isaac

Footnotes

Footnotes

Many Followers Depart

Footnotes

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.