When a man lays hold of his brother in his father’s house, saying, “You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler! And these ruins will be under your authority,” Isaiah 3:6 NASB These ruins– What are the minimal requirements of a leader in times of anarchy? Isaiah gives us one. Any man who has been able…
And I will make mere boys their leaders, and mischievous children will rule over them, and the people will be oppressed, each one by another, and each one by his neighbor; the youth will assault the elder, and the contemptible person will assault the one honored. Isaiah 3:4-5 NASB Youth/ contemptible – These two verses in Isaiah could have been the inspiration for…
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Genesis 21:17 NIV As he lies there – We’ve looked at this verse twice before. Once in connection with Julia Blum’s…
Leave off from man, who has breath in his nostrils. For of what account is he? Isaiah 2:22 Robert Alter Of what – כִּֽי־בַמֶּ֥ה ki-va me(h). Stringing together ki (for, but, thus, because, when, . . .), ba (in, at, with, away from, among, upon . . .), and me(h) (what, which, that, how), the…
For it is a day of the LORD of Armies, over all the proud and lofty and over all on high and lifted up. Isaiah 2:12 Robert Alter Lifted up – Robert Alter’s translation comes with an explanation. “lifted up. This emends the Masoretic ‘lowly,’ which doesn’t seem plausible. This whole clause is repeated as…
Sometimes people ask us why we moved to Italy. After we explain the connection to Rosanne’s grandparents, we often talk about how different life is here. Well, a few days ago we came across another perfect example. On September 5th of each year, the restaurants in the area offer “la cena dei mille” – dinner…
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…
Skip, Our 8 month old great-niece, Everleigh, was born with a medical condition called Biliary Atresia. She has had numerous medical interventions in hospitals in Texas, where she lives, and now she is in urgent need of a liver transplant, which is the only permanent resolution that medicine has to offer. Also, it need not…
How long the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked exult? Psalm 94:3 Robert Alter How long – It’s the question of every age. It’s the critical question of all theology. It’s the torturing question of every good man and woman. How long? How long will the wicked get away with it? How long…
Rise up, O Judge of the earth, bring down on the proud requital. Psalm 94:2 Robert Alter Requital – The biblical idea of justice is summarized in the phrase “measure for measure.” In legal parlance, this is lex talionis, the principle of exact retaliation or reciprocal justice. For example, in biblical justice, if a man…
