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…
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…
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…
God of vengeance, O LORD, God of vengeance, shine forth. Psalm 94:1 Robert Alter Vengeance – Robert Alter’s translation comes with a footnote. “This boldly aggressive characterization of God, ‘el naqamot, which occurs only here, is fudged by the modern translations that render it in mitigating language as ‘God of retribution.’ As in many psalms…
On 2 July I offered a free seminar, “50 years of questions,” a personal reflection on my spiritual journey. Here is the link for the audio or video of that session. Audio https://ivebeenskipped.s3.amazonaws.com/Fifty-years-of-questions/Audio/Fifty-years-of-questions.mp3 Video https://ivebeenskipped.s3.amazonaws.com/Fifty-years-of-questions/Video/Fifty-years-of-questions.mp4 We are disembarking today and traveling by train back to Parma. I’ll be back tomorrow with a new series on…
Today we are sailing the Amalfi Coast on the way back to Rome – and a train home after 30 days on the ship. No text investigation today. I need some recovery time. But I will leave you with a few citations from Jewish scholars that should encourage you to think about things. “ ….
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NASB Believes – In an online document entitled, “How to Motivate Anyone to Become a Christian,” the author offers the following as “compelling” proof (I will not cite this source) that…
