The Living Bible (507 page)
Authors: Inc. Tyndale House Publishers
Tags: #BIBLES / Other Translations / Text
21:9-16
the nine cities,
implied in v. 16, where a subtotal is indicated in the original text.
21:20-22
four cities,
implied in v. 22, where the total appears in the text.
24:32
had bought,
literally, “had bought for 100 pieces of silver.”
1:14
As they were leaving for their new home,
literally, “When she came to him.”
for an additional,
implied.
1:24
the entrance passage through the wall,
literally, “the way into the city.” Obviously, this does not mean via the city gates.
3:1-3
youth of Israel to exercise faith and obedience,
implied in 2:22 and 3:4.
in conquering their enemies,
literally, “that . . . the people might know war.”
4:5
to decide their disputes,
or “to listen to her speak to them about God.”
6:16
But I, Jehovah,
literally, “I Am will be with you.” The same name is used here as in Exodus 3:14. God is telling Gideon that the same one who appeared to Moses and rescued Israel from Egypt (much on Gideon’s mind: see v. 13) will now do it again, rescuing Israel from Midian.
6:32
Let Baal take care of himself,
literally, “Let Baal bring charges,” or used mockingly, “Let Baal be honored!”
7:19-20
“For the Lord and for Gideon!”
literally, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.”
8:2-3
Your actions . . . at the beginning,
more literally, “Are not the last grapes of Ephraim better than the entire crop of Abiezer?”
8:6
You haven’t caught them yet,
literally, “Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand?”
8:16
and scraped them to death,
literally, “he taught the men of Succoth.”
8:21
we’d rather be killed by a man,
literally, “for as a man is, so is his strength.” Perhaps the meaning is, “A quick death is less painful.”
8:27
The ephod was usually a linen pouch worn by the priests on their chests. In this case the ephod evidently was highly decorated with gold, and probably, because of its weight, hung upon a wall.
9:2
meaning me, your own flesh and blood.
Of all Gideon’s wives, only Abimelech’s mother was from Shechem (8:30-31), so Abimelech felt his close kinship there.
11:39
So she was never married.
It is not clear whether he killed her or satisfied his vow by consecrating her to perpetual virginity.
12:4
mere outcasts,
literally, “fugitives of Ephraim.”
14:7
so the arrangements were made,
implied.
16:8
and while he slept,
implied in v. 14.
16:9
like cotton thread,
literally, “like a string of tow snaps when it touches the fire.”
16:12
as he slept,
implied.
16:27
in the balconies,
literally, “on the roof.”
17:7-8
a young priest,
literally, “a Levite.”
17:13
a genuine priest,
literally, “a Levite as a priest.”
1:1-2
from Bethlehem,
literally, “They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah.”
1:11
Do I have younger sons . . . to be your husbands?
This refers to the custom of the day. Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) was a common practice. The brother of a deceased husband was to marry the widow.
2:2
glean the free grain,
see Leviticus 19:9 and Deuteronomy 24:19, which established this custom.
2:14
he gave her food,
literally, “he served her roasted grain.”
2:20
one of our closest relatives,
literally, “a near relative, one of our redeemers.”
4:1
the marketplace,
literally, “the gate” of the city, where legal affairs were usually transacted.
4:4
If you want it,
literally, “If you want to redeem it.”
4:6
“For her son would become an heir to my property too,”
or “That would ruin my own inheritance,” i.e., complicate his estate for the children he already had.
1:11
and his hair shall never be cut.
This was an approved custom for those who were wholly dedicated to God.
1:19-20
named him Samuel (meaning “asked of God”).
This was a play on words. The word
Samuel
in Hebrew sounds like the word “to ask.”
2:16
as the law requires,
implied.
2:18
a little linen robe just like the priest’s,
literally, “a linen ephod.”
2:27
a prophet,
literally, “a man of God.”
2:28
a priestly robe,
literally, “an ephod.”
3:7
Samuel had never had a message from Jehovah before,
literally, “Samuel did not yet know Jehovah.”
4:12
clothes torn and dirt on his head.
This was a common expression of grief in that day.
6:9
return to their calves,
implied.
10:12
Is Saul a prophet too?
This was an expression of surprise concerning worldly Saul becoming religious, equivalent to our “He’s got religion?”
13:1
Saul had reigned for one year.
The Hebrew, from which the numbers have evidently dropped out in copying, reads: “Saul was . . . years old when he began to reign, and he reigned . . . and two years over Israel.”
14:32
That evening,
implied.
14:38
Something’s wrong,
implied.
17:11
When Saul.
Probably King Saul was especially worried, for he was tallest of the Israelites and was obviously the best match!
17:18
bring us back a letter,
literally, “take their pledge.”
17:55
what sort of family does this young fellow come from?
literally, “Whose son is this?” Since David was, if successful, scheduled to marry Saul’s daughter, Saul wanted to know more about his family! The other explanation of this confusing passage is that Saul’s mental condition caused forgetfulness, so that he didn’t recognize David.
18:25
one hundred dead Philistines,
literally, “one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
19:4
the next morning,
implied.
19:13
an idol,
literally, “teraphim.”
19:14
When the soldiers came to arrest David and take him to Saul,
implied.
19:24
Is Saul a prophet too?
implied; literally, “Hence it is said, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’” See 10:10-12.
20:23
for he has witnessed them,
literally, “The Lord is our mediator forever.”
20:30
You fool,
literally, “Son of a perverse, rebellious woman.” The modern equivalent is “son of a bitch.”
this son of a nobody,
literally, “son of Jesse.”
20:41
Both of them were crying . . . especially David,
literally, “David . . . bowed himself three times and they kissed each other and wept until David exceeded.”
21:7
was there at that time for ceremonial purification,
literally, “detained before the Lord.”
21:9
in the clothes closet,
literally, “behind the ephod.”
25:37-38
he had a stroke and lay paralyzed,
literally, “his heart died within him and he became as stone.”
28:5-6
or by Urim.
The Urim and Thummim were holy instruments which were used as lots in determining the will of God. See Exodus 28:30.
1:10
So I killed him.
He was evidently lying. See 1 Samuel 31:3 for the true account. Probably he had found Saul dead upon the field and thought David would reward him for killing his rival.
1:21
Let no crops of grain grow on your slopes.
The text is uncertain in the original manuscripts.
2:17
by Joab,
implied.
3:15
Palti,
see 1 Samuel 25:44.
4:2-3
to Gittaim,
which is not in Benjamin.
6:14
was wearing priests’ clothing,
literally, “David was girded with a linen ephod.”
7:5
Tell my servant David not to do it!
literally, “Shall you build me a house to dwell in?”
8:13
Edomites,
literally, “Syrians.”