The Story of 42 Inmates
Author: Omar C. Garcia
2 Corinthians 11
NIV
11:1 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness [because he was going to speak about himself and defend his credentials; this was top counter the boasts of the false teachers about themselves, their experiences, and their authority]. Yes, please put up with me [a please to listen before they are led astray]!
11:2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy [a protective kind of jealousy; Paul was guarding their relationship; Paul was protective of them because they belonged to Christ]. I promised [betrothed] you [when they came to faith in Christ] to one husband, to Christ [their loyalty belonged to Christ alone], so that I might present you as a pure [refers to spiritual faithfulness and doctrinal purity] virgin to him.
11:3 But I am afraid [an expression of pastoral concern; afraid that believers may abandon truth] that just as Eve was deceived [misled; seduced; the serpent caused her to believe what is false; believers are not immune from deception; Paul feared deception more than persecution] by the serpent’s cunning [Satan is described as crafty and deceptive; he creates doubt, distorts truth, creates confusion, and markets half-truths; Satan promises fulfillment apart from obedience], your minds [this is the battlefield] may somehow be led astray [to be corrupted or ruined] from your sincere [undivided loyalty] and pure [unmixed affection and faithfulness] devotion to Christ [wholehearted devotion to Christ is the goal].
11:4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
11:5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”
11:6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
11:7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?
11:8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you.
11:9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
11:10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine.
11:11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
11:12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
11:13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
11:14 And no wonder [refers to previous verse where Paul warned about false apostles and deceptive teachers who were masquerading as apostles of Christ and influencing believers in Corinth], for Satan himself [the ultimate source behind false teaching and spiritual deception; Satan distorts truth; see John 8:44] masquerades [to disguise or transform outward appearance; Satan presents himself deceptively in a convincing form; he does not make evil appear ugly, instead he makes evil appear attractive, reasonable, harmless, and even spiritual] as an angel of light [in Scripture, light is a symbol of truth, purity, holiness, revelation, and God’s presence; Satan can imitate what appears spiritual, good, wise and godly in order to deceive people and lead them away from sincere devotion to Christ].
11:15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
11:16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.
11:17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool.
11:18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast.
11:19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!
11:20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face.
11:21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.
11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.
11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
11:24 Five times [none of these beatings is specifically described in Acts, reminding us that Acts records only part of Paul’s missionary suffering; willing to suffer repeatedly because he believed the gospel was worth proclaiming and Christ was worth following] I received from the Jews [likely official synagogue punishments imposed by Jewish religious authorities] the forty lashes minus one [Deuteronomy 25:2–3 limited a beating to forty lashes; Jewish authorities commonly administered one less to avoid accidentally exceeding the biblical limit through a counting error; Paul endured as many as 195 lashes over five beatings].
11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods [a Roman punishment administered by government officials; see Acts 16:22–24 re incident in Philippi], once I was pelted with stones [refers to Paul’s experience in Lystra recorded in Acts 14:19], three times I was shipwrecked [three shipwrecks occurred before the famous shipwreck recorded in Acts 27, because 2 Corinthians was written earlier; Paul ultimately experienced at least four shipwrecks], I spent a night and a day [survived approximately twenty-four hours in the water after one of these shipwrecks] in the open sea [emphasizes his helplessness and vulnerability; had no control over the waves, weather, or possibility of rescue; God preserved his life because his mission was not finished],
11:26 I have been constantly on the move [ancient travel was slow, physically exhausting, and dangerous]. I have been in danger from rivers [encountered rivers without bridges or safe crossings], in danger from bandits [remote roads were vulnerable to robbers who attacked travelers], in danger from my fellow Jews [included plots, beatings, expulsions, and attempts to kill him], in danger from Gentiles [Gentile authorities, merchants, religious leaders, and crowds; resisted Paul because the gospel threatened their power, prosperity, or religious practices]; in danger in the city [faced riots, arrests, imprisonment, mob violence, and political pressure in urban centers such as Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus], in danger in the country [rural areas exposed Paul to isolation, harsh terrain, weather, wild animals, robbers, and the absence of assistance], in danger at sea [every voyage required him to accept the possibility of disaster due to weather and unforeseen circumstances]; and in danger from false believers [individuals who presented themselves as believers but worked against Paul and distorted the gospel].
11:27 I have labored [emphasizes effort] and toiled [emphasizes the exhaustion produced by effort] and have often gone without sleep [he sometimes chose to remain awake to serve and at other times, hardship made sleep impossible]; I have known hunger and thirst [he sometimes lacked life’s most basic necessities] and have often gone without food [circumstances often left him without food]; I have been cold and naked [inadequately clothed; Paul sometimes lacked sufficient clothing or shelter to protect himself from cold weather].
11:28 Besides everything else [the previous hardships affected his body; this burden affected his heart and mind.], I face daily the pressure [conveys the idea of something pressing upon or weighing heavily on a person; a description of the relentless emotional and spiritual weight of Paul’s responsibility] of my concern [refers to Paul’s deep, attentive care for the spiritual welfare of believers] for all the churches [Paul carried responsibility for a growing network of churches spread throughout the Roman world; unlike the physical challenges he faced, the weight of the welfare of the churches stayed with him always].
11:29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.
11:32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.
11:33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.
Judges 16
NIV 1984 Edition
16:1 One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.
16:2 The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn we’ll kill him.”
16:3 But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.
16:4 Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.
16:5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels[a] of silver.”
16:6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”
16:7 Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
16:8 Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.
16:9 With men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.
16:10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.”
16:11 He said, “If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
16:12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.
16:13 Delilah then said to Samson, “All this time you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied.”
He replied, “If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll become as weak as any other man.” So while he was sleeping, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, wove them into the fabric
16:14 and tightened it with the pin.
Again she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and pulled up the pin and the loom, with the fabric.
16:15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.”
16:16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.
16:17 So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”
16:18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.
16:19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
16:20 Then she [Delilah, a woman from the Valley of Sorek whom Samson loved and whom the Philistine rulers bribed to discover the secret of his strength and betray him into their hands (Judges 16:4–21)] called, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’
He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before [assumed that because God had empowered him in the past, God would continue to empower him in the present] and shake myself free [he had escaped danger many times before].’ But he did not know [he had become insensitive to God’s presence and unaware of his own spiritual condition] that the LORD had left him [God had withdrawn the special empowerment by which Samson had fulfilled his role as Israel’s deliverer; he had drifted so far from God that he did not realize what he had lost; read Ps. 51:11 re: David’s fear after his sin with Bathsheba; unlike Samson, David recognized the seriousness of his sin and pleaded with God for restoration].
16:21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison.
16:22 But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
16:23 Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.”
16:24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands,
the one who laid waste our land
and multiplied our slain.”
16:25 While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them.
When they stood him among the pillars,
16:26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.”
16:27 Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform.
16:28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”
16:29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other,
16:30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.
16:31 Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led[d] Israel twenty years.
Genesis 40
NIV 1984 Edition
40:1 Some time later [an unspecified period of time; likely months but perhaps years], the cupbearer [one of Pharaoh’s highest-ranking officials; tasted wine before Pharaoh to guard against poisoning] and the baker [supervised food preparation for the royal household; held great responsibility to ensure Pharaoh’s food was not poisoned] of the king of Egypt [Pharaoh was considered divine and had absolute authority] offended [the specific offense is not stated] their master, the king of Egypt.
40:2 Pharaoh [the personal name of this Pharaoh is never given] was angry [intense displeasure; his wrath could bring severe consequences] with his two officials [members of Pharaoh’s inner circle], the chief cupbearer [one of Egypt’s most trusted positions] and the chief baker [managed food preparation and ensured its safety],
40:3 and put them in custody [literally, “he placed them under guard”] in the house of [functioned as an official government compound that included prison facilities] the captain of the guard [Potiphar; suggests that Joseph was imprisoned within Potiphar’s jurisdiction], in the same prison [the place where high-ranking officials were kept (a white-collar facility); put Jospeh in contact with the cupbearer and baker] where Joseph was confined [God providentially put Joseph, the cupbearer, and the baker in a place where they could meet].
40:4 The captain of the guard [same title used for Potiphar (Gen. 37:36; 39:1)] assigned [to entrust or place under someone’s care] them to Joseph [placed under his supervision], and he attended [to serve or to care for] them. After they had been in custody for some time [the exact amount of time is unspecified; thus Jospeh served them over an extended period and likely developed friendship and trust with them],
40:5 each of the two men [this is not a coincidence] —the cupbearer and the baker [these are not ordinary prisoners; they served a strategic role in God’s unfolding plan for Joseph] of the king of Egypt [an early king who ruled a nation; God rules history], who were being held in prison [the setting for God’s divine revelation] — had a dream [the vehicle through which God communicated] the same night [divine synchronization], and each dream had a meaning [interpretation] of its own.
40:6 When Joseph came to them [carrying out his daily responsibilities] the next morning [morning often symbolizes a new beginning], he saw [to see, observe, perceive; Joseph noticed that something was wrong] that they were dejected [they were deeply troubled because of their dreams].
40:7 So he asked [he did not assume he knew what was troubling them] Pharaoh’s officials [a reminder that these were no ordinary prisoners] who were in custody with him [they had this in common; he understood their hardship] in his master’s house [likely refers to Potiphar’s residence], “Why do you look so sad [troubled, distressed, unhappy] today? [literally: “Why are your faces bad today?”; in Hebrew thought, the face reflects the inner person]”
40:8 “We both had dreams,” [this was not random] they answered, “but there is no one [no one to reveal the meaning of their respective dreams] to interpret [explain or solve] them.” Then Joseph said to them [he points them to God first], “Do not interpretations [God gives dreams and He alone possesses ultimate knowledge about their meaning] belong [interpretations are God’s possession; Joseph was merely the messenger] to God [the general Hebrew word for God rather than the covenant name Yahweh]? Tell me your dreams [he was confident that if God wanted their dreams interpreted, He would provide Joseph with the understanding].”
40:9 So the chief cupbearer [still identified by his office while in prison] told [to recount or to relate carefully] Joseph his dream [the vehicle through which God chose to communicate]. He said to him [in a personal conversation], “In my dream [he tells his dream scene by scene] I saw a vine [the central image of the dream; a vine was a symbol of life, fruitfulness, blessing, joy, prosperity; the appearance of a vine carried special meaning because wine was a part of his vocation] in front of me [the events represented by the vine directly concern the cupbearer’s own future.],
40:10 and on the vine were three [the number three appears repeatedly in this chapter] branches [emphasize vitality and growth; the three branches represent three days (Gen. 40:12)]. As soon as it budded [an indication that the vine is coming to life], it blossomed [the next stage of development after budding], and its clusters ripened [to become mature or reach completion] into grapes [the next stage of development after blossoming].
40:11 Pharaoh’s cup [the defining symbol of the cupbearer’s office] was in my hand [in Scripture the hand represents responsibility, authority, stewardship, ability to act; the cup ins hand signaled that his authority was being restored and points to being reinstated in Pharaoh’s service], and I took [he acted confidently] the grapes [from the vine (verse 10)], squeezed [to press or to extract juice; winemaking process comprised possibly indicating rapid fulfillment] them into Pharaoh’s cup [the intended purpose and place for the wine] and put [to give, place, present] the cup in his hand [the cup began in the servant’s hand and ended up in Pharaoh’s hand; this transfer represents a restoration of trust].”
40:12 “This is what it means [literally, “This is its interpretation.”; thesis not a guess but instead revealing the true meaning of the dream], ” Joseph said to him. “The three branches [the central symbol of the dream] are [does not say they resemble but that they are in fact three days in symbolic form] three days [signals that the fulfillment will occur within three days; God not only reveals what will happen but when it will happen].
40:13 Within three days [a specific and short period of time; a precise prediction] Pharaoh will lift up your head [Hebrew idiom often means to restore dignity, to reinstate, to recognize favor; the head often hangs low in shame] and restore [to return, to bring back, to turn again] you to your position [to his former office; he will resume the same responsibilities he held before imprisonment], and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand [will again enjoy intimate access to Pharaoh], just as you used to do [trust, once broken, will be restored; full restoration to his previous responsibilities] when you were his cupbearer [he will regain his identity].
40:14 But when [Joseph spoke with confidence because he believed God had given him the correct interpretation of the dream] all goes well [to flourish or prosper] with you, remember [to call to mind and to act upon remembrance] me and show me kindness [loyal kindness]; mention me to Pharaoh [wanted the cupbearer to bring his case before Pharaoh who alone had the authority to release him] and get me out of [to bring out or to deliver] this prison [literally “from this house”].
40:15 [Joseph shared his personal testimony] I was forcibly [violently] carried off [stolen or kidnapped; he left out the details of how he was betrayed] from the land of the Hebrews [at this point in history, Israel is not yet a nation], and even here [in the land of Egypt] I have done nothing [declared his innocence regarding the accusations against him] to deserve being put [he had committed no crime] in a dungeon [literally “the pit”; Joseph had moved from one pit to another; the pit represented a place of injustice and helplessness; the pit was a place where God forged Joseph for future service].”
40:16 When the chief baker saw [he had observed Joseph’s successful interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream] that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation [Joseph had interpreted correctly and favorably and wanted the same for himself], he said to Joseph [the baker voluntarily shared his dream], “I too had a dream: On my head [ancient Egyptian artwork frequently depicts servants carrying baskets, jars, and trays on their heads] were three baskets of bread [baked goods for Pharaoh].
40:17 In the top basket [baskets were stacked on the baker’s head; top basket was exposed] were all kinds [not just ordinary loaves but special delicacies] of baked goods for Pharaoh [the food belonged to the king], but the birds [function here as agents of loss] were eating them [the baker did not act to protect the bread] out of the basket [the food was lost before it reached Pharaoh; the baker never completed his service] on my head.”
40:18 “This is what it means [Joseph faithfully communicated the interpretation],” Joseph said. “The three baskets [the central symbol of the dream] are three days [timetable was the same as that in the cupbearer’s dream].
40:19 Within three days [identical wording to verse 13] Pharaoh will lift off your head [instead of “lift up” as in the cupbearer’s dream (verse 13)] and impale your body on a pole [literally “He will hang you upon a tree.”; public humiliation; his judgment would be visible to all]. And the birds [the birds in the dream are now interpreted] will eat away your flesh [same action seen in the dream now finds its fulfillment].”
40:20 Now the third day [exactly three days later, God’s Word begins to be fulfilled] was Pharaoh’s birthday [the only explicit reference to Pharaoh’s birthday in Scripture], and he gave a feast [feasts in the Old Testament were often settings where significant events occurred] for all his officials [the royal court]. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker [they stood side by side before Pharaoh but had different destinies] in the presence of his officials [witnessed by the royal court]:
40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position [restored to his official function], so that he once again put [the fulfillment of the dream was exact] the cup [the defining symbol of the cupbearer’s office] into Pharaoh’s hand [his relationship with Pharaoh was restored] —
40:22 but [conjunction creates a sharp contrast] he impaled [to hang, suspend, put on public display; likely refers to the public display of the baker’s body after execution rather than the method of execution itself; would serve as a warning to others] the chief baker [never regained his office], just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation [Joseph explained what God had revealed].
40:23 The chief cupbearer [now restored to his former position while Joseph remained in prison], however [word creates sharp disappointment], did not remember [did not call to mind; did not act upon remembrance] Joseph [became the forgotten man]; he forgot him [whether intentional or accidental, the effect is the same].
Proverbs 4
NIV
4:1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
4:2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
4:3 For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4:4 Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.
4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
4:6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
4:7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
4:8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
4:9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
4:10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
4:11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
4:12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
4:13 Hold on to instruction [this is an active command, not passive listening; the Hebrew carries the idea of seizing, gripping tightly, taking hold with intention], do not let it go [this assumes resistance — there are forces constantly working to loosen our grip]; guard it well [this introduces vigilance and protection — defending it from compromise, neglect, or selective obedience], for it is your life [this is the weight of the verse — not metaphorical exaggeration but reality; instruction is not merely helpful, it is life-giving and life-preserving].
4:14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
4:15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
4:16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
4:17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
4:18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
4:19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
4:20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
4:21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
4:22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
4:24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
4:26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
4:27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil
Joshua 14
Joshua 14:10-12
14:10 Now then [a transition from remembrance to request; Caleb moves from recounting God’s faithfulness to claiming God’s promise], just as the Lord promised [Hebrew: dābar — spoken word; Caleb anchors his appeal in the reliability of God’s declared Word, not in sentiment or seniority], he has kept me alive [literally “caused me to live”; preservation attributed entirely to divine action — survival in the wilderness was not accidental but sovereignly sustained] for forty-five years [specific duration] since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness [a gentle acknowledgment of national wandering without bitterness; Caleb does not rehearse grievance — his spirit remains whole]. So here I am today [language of availability and readiness; presenting himself for assignment, not exemption; compare Isaiah 6:8], eighty-five years old [age stated as fact, not excuse; maturity becomes a platform for courage rather than a retreat into caution]!
14:11 I am still as strong today [the Hebrew implies firmness or capacity; not merely physical vitality but sustained capability for mission; Caleb was 85 years old] as the day Moses sent me out [as a spy into Canaan (Numbers 13:1-3)]; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle [Caleb does not redefine his role in old age — he still sees himself as a warrior] now as I was then.
14:12 Now give me this hill country [imperative request grounded in covenant promise; bold yet not presumptuous — he asks for what God already pledged] that the Lord promised me that day [the promise spoken in youth remains operative in old age]. You yourself heard then that the Anakites [the same giants reported in Numbers 13] were there and their cities were large and fortified [strongholds that intimidated ten spies still stand], but, the Lord helping me [conditional dependence; confidence rooted not in personal strength but divine partnership], I will drive them out [active obedience; faith does not negate effort — it energizes it] just as he said [promise remembered, promise claimed, promise pursued].
Malachi 4
NASB
Final Admonition
4:1 “For behold [word used four times to introduce divine proclamations (see also 2:3; 3:1; 4:5)], the day is coming [see Malachi 3:2], burning like a furnace [an oven as in Dan. 3:22]; and all the arrogant [see Malachi 3:15] and every evildoer [“impenitent sinners” (Benson Commentary); those who love sin] will be chaff [burns easily and quickly; see Matthew 6:30]; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze [fire associated with day of judgment (Ps. 50:3); fire is a symbol of God’s holiness; God is a described as a consuming fire in Deuteronomy 4:24],” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch [utterly destroyed and without the hope or potential to grow again].”
4:2“But for you [those who walk humbly with God] who fear My name [cf. Mal. 3:16] the sun [cf. Ps. 84:11; Isa. 60:19-20] of righteousness [Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness; Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12); see Luke 1:78] will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth [as one released from prison] and skip about like calves from the stall [the exuberance and joy of freedom].
4:3“And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes [evil has within it the seeds of its own destruction] under the soles of your feet [when the day of the Lord comes, the righteous will triumph over the wicked; see Psalm 1] on the day which I am preparing,” says the LORD of hosts.
4:4“Remember [includes the sentiment that one was to act of what was remembered] the law of Moses [live according to the demands of the law of Moses; the prophetic canon began with this exhortation (Joshua 1:7-8) and now ends with the same exhortation] My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.
4:5 “Behold [this prophecy was fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17)], I am going to send you Elijah [was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11-12)] the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.
4:6“And he will [notice Elijah’s mission…] restore [see 1 Kings 18:21,36-39] the hearts of the fathers [godly ancestors] to their children [Malachi’s contemporaries], and the hearts of the children to their fathers [Malachi wanted to see his own generation return to the faith of their forefathers], lest I come and smite the land with a curse [Heb. “cherem” refers to objects to be destroyed because of their unholy character; there is a terrible fate for those who persist in their rebellion against God].”
Malachi 1
NASB
God’s Love for Jacob
1:1 The oracle [prophecy] of the word of the LORD to [not against] Israel through Malachi [we know nothing about him other than he was a messenger; possibly a contemporary of Nehemiah (based on topics addressed in both books); ministered four centuries before Christ (possible date of 450 BC); name means “my messenger” or “my angel” — the Hebrew word is found only in Malachi 1:1 and 3:1].
1:2 “I have loved you,” [“That is, in a particular and extraordinary degree; not only as men, but above the rest of men, and above the other posterity, both of Abraham and Isaac.” (Benson Commentary)] says the LORD. But you say, “How hast Thou loved us?” [the people wanted proof of God’s love for them] “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob;
1:3 but I have hated [means a lesser degree of love or showing less regard or favor] Esau, and I have made his mountains [Mount Weir and region given to Esau (Deut. 2:5; Josh. 24:4)] a desolation [inhabitable; the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy in Joel 3:19; laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar (see prophecy in Jer. 49:17-22 and Ezek. 35)], and appointed his inheritance for the jackals [an animal that delights in desolate places] of the wilderness.
1:4 Though Edom [no cities in the region apart from Petra] says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up [as Jerusalem was rebuilt by those who had returned from captivity] the ruins [such efforts would be in vain; the region was doomed to perpetual desolation]”; thus says the LORD of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down [an indication that God was against them and thus they would not succeed]; and men will call them the wicked territory [or the border of wickedness as opposed to the border of Edom; an accursed land; they became a reproach], and the people toward whom the LORD is indignant forever.”
1:5 And your [Jacob] eyes will see this [the destruction of the Edomites] and you will say, “The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel [in contrast to border of wickedness or “the wicked territory” in v. 4]!”
Sin of the Priests
1:6 “ ‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master [a generally accepted custom]. Then if I am a father [God is the Father of Israel (see Deut. 32:6,18)], where is My honor [to give weight or consideration to]? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests [the ones who should have been most concerned about God’s honor] who despise [to neglect or to care little about as opposed to blaspheme] My name [the sum of God’s revealed character; the character and reputation of God]. But you say, ‘How [they doubted that God’s claim against them was accurate] have we despised [felt contempt for] Thy name?’
1:7 “You are presenting defiled food [essentially food unfit to be offered; something diminished or less than what the law required; blemished sacrifices] upon My altar. But you [those who had offered defiled food] say, ‘How have we defiled [to show dishonor or a diminished value of the worship of God] Thee?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is to be despised [as expressed and evidenced by the offering of “defiled food”].
1:8 “But when you present the blind [cf. Lev. 22:17-25] for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick [cf. Lev. 22:17-25], is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor [even their own governor would not be pleased with their unacceptable sacrifices]? Would he be pleased with you [no, because such an offering would be regarded as an insult]? Or would he receive you kindly [no, absolutely not; if their offerings would be unfit for a man they would certainly be unfit for God]?” says the LORD of hosts.
1:9 “But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering [“defiled food” (v. 7); blemished animals] on your part [the priests had not led the people well because they had offered “defiled food” (v. 7) at the Lord’s altar], will He receive any of you [their actions precluded the Lord’s favor] kindly?” says the LORD of hosts.
1:10 “Oh that there were one among you [those (priests and Levites) who should be leading by a good example and promoting God’s service] who would shut the gates [doors to the inner court of the temple; because they had made a mockery of God’s service], that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar [to cease unworthy and useless sacrifices]! I am not pleased with you,” [if the Lord is displeased with us it does not matter who else is pleased with us] says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from you [“Better no sacrifices than vain ones (Isa 1:11-15).” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary); better for the temple to be closed than profaned].
1:11 “For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations [by Jews of the diaspora and those converted through their witness; among the Gentiles in NT], and in every place [not just one place like the Jewish temple] incense [“incense was considered by the Jews themselves as a figure or emblem of prayer and praise” (see Ps. 141:2; Luke 1:10)] is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure [as opposed to the defiled and impure offerings the people were guilty of offering on the altar]; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts.
1:12 “But you [priests and consequently the people who followed their bad example] are profaning it [God’s name], in that you say [likely more by their example than their words], ‘The table [or the altar] of the Lord is defiled [not sacred or worthy of reverence], and as for its fruit, its food [perhaps a reference to the priests allotted portion] is to be despised [the priests allowed unworthy sacrifices and then complained that their allotted portion was bad].’
1:13 “You [the priests] also say, ‘My, how tiresome [to do things as God had prescribed; the priests and the people were weary with serving God; serving God becomes an intolerable burden when we serve Him without heart or faith] it [God’s service] is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it [to despise or treat with contempt],” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery [a reference to that which was unfit to be offered], and what is lame or sick [unacceptable offerings]; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that [what is unfit and unworthy] from your hand?” says the LORD.
1:14 “But cursed be the swindler [deceiver; hypocrite] who has a male in his flock [a proper and acceptable sacrifice without blemish that could be offered as a burnt offering; see Leviticus 22:18-19], and vows [a deliberate promise to do the right thing; see the warning of Ecclesiastes 5:5] it, but [instead of doing the right thing, switches the acceptable sacrificial animal with a lesser and unacceptable one; says he will give God the best and then gives Him the worst] sacrifices a blemished animal [an improper sacrifice and one worth less] to the Lord, for I am a great King [thus worthy of our best],” says the LORD of hosts, “and My name is feared among the nations [including Gentiles when converted].”
Psalm 38
NASB
Prayer of a Suffering Penitent.
A Psalm of David, for a memorial.
Note: This is one of the penitential psalms (see also Psalms 6, 32, 51, 102, 130, 143). The specific occasion in David’s life that prompted him to write this psalm is not given.
38:1 O Lord, rebuke [a form of judgment; we can and should learn the lessons God would have us to learn in such times] me not in Thy wrath [David asked God to temper His punishment];
And chasten [David was aware that he had done something deserving of rebuke and chastisement] me not in Thy burning anger [“As thy love is most sweet to my heart, so thy displeasure is most cutting to my conscience.” (The Treasury of David)].
38:2 For Thine arrows [represent conviction of sin; God’s judgements; God shoots these arrows at our sin and we feel them when they pierce’ cf. Job 6:4] have sunk deep into me [the conviction of God caused spiritual pain and grief],
And Thy hand has pressed down on me [an indication of God’s conviction and displeasure].
38:3 [see Ps. 32:3-4] There is no soundness [a consequence of sin] in my flesh [sin takes a physical as well as a spiritual toll] because of Thine indignation [David understood that he had displeased God];
There is no health [a consequence of sin; David found no rest or comfort because of his sin] in my bones because of my sin [David understood that his sin was the cause of his crisis; David took ownership of his sin; see Ps. 119:67; “Sin comes as a friend to entice you and then becomes a master to enslave you.” (Wiersbe)].
38:4 For my iniquities are gone over my head [David was in deep water, drowning in a sea of troubles; David found himself entangled in deep weeds after he strayed from the path];
As a heavy burden they weigh [cf. Heb. 12:1; weight pulls people down; some Roman authorities were known to have shackled the dead body of a victim to the convicted killer to carry the weight of his victim and eventually to smell the rotting flesh of his victim] too much for me [the crushing weight of his sin was more than he could bear].
38:5 My wounds [caused by sin] grow foul and fester.
Because of my folly [a synonym for his sin],
38:6 I am bent over [distorted and in pain] and greatly bowed down [a picture of the weight of depression; sin causes the upright to bend under the weight of guilt; the awareness of our sin should cause us to bow down with sorrow and shame and then to look up with hope];
I go mourning [clothed in black garments] all day long [without interruption].
38:7 [David’s sin impacted his physical health] For my loins [“the seat of strength” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)] are filled with burning;
And there is no soundness in my flesh [his entire being was in pain].
38:8 I am benumbed [feeble] and badly crushed [broken in spirit];
I groan [“His exhaustion left him only the power to groan.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)] because of the agitation [brought about by the deep sense his sins] of my heart.
38:9 Lord, all my desire [everything that David would ask; God knows the longings of our hearts; often after everything else has failed we finally look to God as a last resort] is before Thee [known by God];
And my sighing [expression of sorrow or anguish over sin] is not hidden [everything we do is done in God’s sight and known by Him; nothing is hidden from Him; we can never do anything behind God’s back] from Thee.
38:10 My heart throbs [an indication of anxiety and distress; to shake with fear or dread; runs about with no rest], my strength [physical and spiritual] fails me;
And the light of my eyes [our eyes reflect the condition of our heart; it is easy to lose sight of God and to lose perspective when we are struggling under the weight of our sin; weakness and weeping can also contribute to the dimming of our eyes; he had lost the sparkle in his eyes], even that has gone from me.
38:11 My loved ones and my friends [those dearest and nearest to us] stand aloof [unwilling to draw near to him, thus leaving him to suffer alone] from my plague [seen by others as someone stricken by God];
And my kinsmen stand afar off [David’s “plague” created distance between himself and others, leaving him alone and vulnerable to those who wanted to do him harm].
38:12 Those who seek my life [those who did not care about David’s welfare] lay snares [cf. Ps. 124:7] for me [David’s enemies were determined to destroy him; David’s enemies took advantage of he fact that he was weak, helpless, abandoned by friends, vulnerable];
And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction,
And they devise treachery [contrive hurtful schemes; to speak malignity] all day long [constantly].
38:13 [David expressed how powerless he felt] But I, like a deaf man, do not hear [those who were seeking his life];
And I am like a dumb man who does not open his mouth [to speak to those seeking his life].
38:14 Yes, I am like a man who does not hear [David did not pay attention to what was being said against him],
And in whose mouth are no arguments [with which to defend himself; he longed for God to vindicate him].
38:15 For I hope [this was the reason he was patient and chose not to listen or speak to his enemies] in Thee [hope is renewed when we look to the Lord; David allowed his woes to point him toward God rather than away from Him], O LORD [translated from Yahweh (the covenant God of Israel)];
Thou wilt answer [the expectation of those who hope in the Lord], O Lord [translated from Adonai (God as Master)] my God [translated from Elohim (the plural word for God)].
38:16 For I said, “May they not rejoice over me [David’s enemies wanted nothing more than to rejoice because of his downfall; cf. Ps. 13:4-5],
Who, when my foot slips [David’s enemies wanted to see David slip], would magnify themselves against me [David’s enemies wanted to look down on him in triumph].”
38:17 For I am ready to fall [David was ready to give up in despair],
And my sorrow [over his sin] is continually before me.
38:18 For I confess [cf. Ps. 32:5; read Ps. 32:3-4 regarding what happens when we do not confess our sin] my iniquity;
I am full of anxiety [grief over his sin] because of my sin.
38:19 But [David was aware of the strength of those who hated him and hoped for his downfall and destruction] my enemies [as opposed to himself] are vigorous and strong;
And many are those who hate me wrongfully [without a cause; based on misinformation and misconceptions].
38:20 And those who repay evil for good,
They [David’s adversaries] oppose me, because I follow what is good.
38:21 Do not forsake me [the urgent cry of a hurting soul; cf. Ps. 27:9], O LORD;
O my God, do not be far from me [David did not want for his sin to keep him distanced from God]!
38:22 Make haste [those in imminent danger want help sooner than later] to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!
Psalm 43
NASB
Note: Some scholars suggest that Psalms 42 and 43 are likely a single poem. Psalm 43 has no title, which is seen as a reason for putting the two psalms together. The language of the psalm indicates that the psalmist was in some kind of trouble or facing a threat.
43:1 Vindicate me [undertake my cause], O God, and plead my case against an ungodly [unmerciful, cruel] nation [possibly a reference to a large company of enemies];
O deliver me [that the world may know of my innocence] from the deceitful and unjust [deceit and injustice are companions] man [context seems to point to the time of Absalom’s rebellion (2 Sam. 15)]!
43:2 For Thou art the God of my strength [cf. Ps. 18:1-2]; why hast Thou rejected [to cast off; cf. Ps. 22:1] me [the cry of one who “feels” alone and vulnerable; cf. Ps. 42:9; because the Islamist was under intense pressure, he wrongly concluded that he had been cast off or was rejected by God]?
Why do I go mourning [cf. Ps. 42:9] because of the oppression of the enemy?
43:3 O send out Thy [God’s] light [the plea of those who find themselves in oppressive darkness; a plea for God’s favor] and Thy truth [the plea of those who are surrounded by deceitful people], let them [the light and truth of God’s word] lead me [God’s light and truth are reliable guides];
Let them bring me [in a time of trouble the psalmist longed to return to the familiar places where he enjoyed the presence of God] to Thy holy hill [God’s light and truth will lead one toward the presence and the heart of God],
And to Thy dwelling places [God’s light and truth will lead one to the place where God (and therefore safety) dwells].
43:4 Then I will go to the altar [the place where both sacrifices and thanksgiving were offered] of God [the place where things become clearer; read Ps. 73:16-17],
To God my exceeding joy [God was the One who made the psalmist joyous];
And upon the lyre [a musical instrument used in the worship of God] I shall praise Thee, O God, my God.
43:5 [cf. Ps. 42:5,11] Why are you in despair [to be cast down, to be depressed, to sink under the weight of sorrow], O my soul?
And why are you disturbed within me [suggests an agitated and troubled mind]?
Hope in God [the psalmist commanded himself to remember that God would deliver him from all his troubles], for I shall again [because God would indeed vindicate and deliver him] praise Him,
The help of my countenance [our countenance changes when God is present; He is the One who “lifts my head” (Ps. 3:3)], and my God.