Woe, offending nation, people weighed down with crime, seed of evildoers, sons acting ruinously. They have forsaken the LORD, scorned Israel’s Holy One, they have fallen behind. Isaiah 1:4 Robert Alter Have forsaken – Now we turn to the first of three verbs describing the cause of Israel’s crime wave: ʿāzab. “The basic meaning of…
Woe, offending nation, people weighed down with crime, seed of evildoers, sons acting ruinously. They have forsaken the LORD, scorned Israel’s Holy One, they have fallen behind. Isaiah 1:4 Robert Alter Woe, offending nation – Robert Alter’s translation of the Hebrew Bible attempts to use the same English words for the same Hebrew words whenever…
The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s stall. Israel did not know, my people did not pay heed. Isaiah 1:3 Robert Alter Did not pay heed – Robert Alter’s translation captures the urgency of God’s warning. Most translations render bîn with the usual “understand” or “perceive,” but that isn’t strong enough. It’s…
Hear , O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken. Sons I have nurtured and raised but they rebelled against Me. Isaiah 1:2 Robert Alter Nurtured and raised – Let’s look at Isaiah. For centuries believers have turned to the prophecies of the son of Amoz for understanding and inspiration: understanding…
But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. Matthew 13:16 NASB Because they see – On All Saints Day, November 1, 1755 at 9:40 in the morning the status of Portugal as a world power completely changed. Before 9:40 Lisbon was the center of worldwide exploration and economic prosperity. …
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! Galatians 1:8-9 NASB…
“Now then, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps His covenant and faithfulness, do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You, which has happened to us, our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and to all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria to this…
They who sow in tears in glad song will reap. Psalm 126:5 Robert Alter In tears – Don’t take this verse out of context. Read the whole psalm. David clearly writes about the historical circumstances of Israel. The nation has suffered. For centuries it has been afflicted by others. Now he summarizes Israel’s perspective. Suffering…
Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. Exodus 34:23 NASB Are to appear – You probably know about this requirement. According to Jewish practice, three times a year all Israelite males had to appear before the Lord. In the days of the Temple, this…
