And He will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; And they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war. Isaiah 2:4 NASB Learn war – “Giving birth to one child is…
Therefore, says the Master, LORD of Armies, Israel’s Mighty One: Oh, I will settle scores with my foes and take vengeance on my enemies. Isaiah 1:24 Robert Alter Settle scores – It’s surprising that Alter’s translation employs a modern euphemism, but examination of the actual Hebrew might justify his choice. The NASB 1995 attempts a…
Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am wretched. Heal me, for my limbs are stricken. Psalm 6:3 Robert Alter My limbs – Now you will read a reflection that I wrote more than a month ago. My left knee still hurts, every day, all the time. But it isn’t excruciating. No wheelchair. Nevertheless, it’s…
but you shall fully open your hand to him, and generously lend him enough for his need in whatever he lacks. Deuteronomy 15:8 NASB Fully open – Today is Yom Kippur, a day to reflect on God’s forgiveness. It’s easy to recall our obvious faults, those behaviors that pulled us away from God in this last year, but…
A merciful person does himself good, but the cruel person does himself harm. Proverbs 11:17 NASB Cruel – Who is the cruel person? The torturer? The egotistic dictator? Men like Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin? When we think of the antonym of “cruel” these days, what term comes to mind? Kind? Forgiving? Merriam-Webster lists “tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful.” The…
So He remembered that they were only flesh, a wind that passes and does not return. Psalm 78:39 NASB Only flesh – Human life is a fairy tale. Oh, I don’t mean it isn’t real. I mean it’s a “once upon a time” story. Every human life is a wind that passes and does not return. It’s…
You will arise and have compassion on Zion; for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come. Psalm 102:13 NASB Have compassion – The first description of God’s character in Exodus 34:6 is raḥûm. It comes from the Hebrew verb rāḥam, a verb that means “to love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate.” The importance of this…
Immediately the Spirit *impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. Mark 1:12 NASB Impelled – Why was Yeshua “impelled” to go into the wilderness? The Greek term is quite strong. ekbállō isn’t just personal compulsion. It is literally, “throw out.” Yeshua was thrown out into the wilderness, the sort of thing that happens without choice. Mark…
Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;” Exodus 34:6 NASB Compassionate – Exodus 34:6-7 is God’s personally endorsed self-description. As such, it is vitally important, perhaps one of the most important parts of the entire Bible. If you want to…
Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. Genesis 32:24 NASB Left alone – I just can’t get past Jacob. Maybe it’s because years ago when the financial collapse happened that started this written journey of recovery, I was tempted to think I was kind of like Job. You know, innocent. Not deserving the…
