He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Isaiah 53:3 NASB Despised and forsaken – In Messiah Journal, Special Supplement of 2011[1], Steven Lancaster and James Monson examine the Isaiah…
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 1 Corinthians 1:2 NASB Church – Slow down! Take your time reading each word of…
But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8 NASB Contrary – There is a marginal note concerning the translation of this preposition (para) in the NASB. There should probably be a marginal note…
But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Turn back, each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.” Ruth 1:8 JPS The dead – Why should God express hesed toward Ruth and Orpah? Naomi’s answer demonstrates that she isn’t an…
But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Turn back, each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.” Ruth 1:8 JPS Mother’s house – There are only two other places where the mother’s house appears in Scripture. One is in…
So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. Ruth 1:7 NASB Departed from/ to return – Doesn’t this verse seem redundant? Doesn’t it say the same thing too many times? You’ve probably never asked why…
. . . she heard that the LORD had taken note of His people and given them food. Ruth 1:6 JPS Had taken note – Once or twice in life it’s nice to hear something from the Lord. Two times is the extent of direct mention of God in the story of Ruth. Yes, the…
Then those two – Mahlon and Chilion – also died; so the woman was left without her two sons and without her husband. Ruth 1:5 JPS Without – What Naomi lost completely overshadows what Naomi gained. In her mind, the loss of husband and sons means the loss of everything important to her. In fact,…
Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 NASB From the ground – Why does the text use the word ha-adamah (the ground)? Once more we are confronted with the first occurrence of a word. …
Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 NASB Dust – Now we come to the remarkable phrase, “dust of the ground.” The Hebrew is apar min ha’adamah. Apar is the common noun for dust,…
