¹tn Heb “But the sons of Israel were unfaithful with unfaithfulness concerning what was set apart [to the Lord].”
²tn 1 Chr 2:6 lists a “Zimri” (but no Zabdi) as one of the five sons of Zerah (cf. also 1 Chr 7:17, 18).
³tn Heb “took from what was set apart [to the Lord].”
⁴tn Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.”
sn This incident illustrates well the principle of corporate solidarity and corporate guilt. The sin of one man brought the Lord’s anger down upon the entire nation.
⁵map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
⁶map For the location of Bethel see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
⁷tn Heb “and they returned to Joshua and said to him.”
⁸tn Heb “Don’t let all the people go up.”
⁹tn Heb “Let about two thousand men or about three thousand men go up to defeat Ai.”
¹⁰tn Heb “all the people for they are small.”
¹¹tn The meaning and correct translation of the Hebrew word <yr]b*V= is uncertain. The translation “fissures” is based on usage of the plural form of the noun in Ps 60:4 HT (60:2 ET), where it appears to refer to cracks in the earth caused by an earthquake. Perhaps deep ravines or gorges are in view, or the word is a proper noun (“all the way to Shebarim”).
¹²sn The precise geographical location of the Israelite defeat at this “steep slope” is uncertain.
¹³tn Or “army’s.”
¹⁴tn Heb “and the heart of the people melted and became water.”
¹⁵sn Tearing one’s clothes was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Gen 37:34; 44:13).
¹⁶tn Or “elders.”
¹⁷tn Heb “and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel.”
¹⁸sn Throwing dirt on one’s head was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Lam 2:10; Ezek 27:30).
¹⁹tn Heb “said.”
²⁰tn Heb “turned [the] back.”
²¹tn Heb “and cut off our name.”
²²tn Heb “What will you do for your great name?”
²³tn Heb “said.”
²⁴tn Heb “Why are you falling on your face?”
²⁵tn Heb “They have violated my covenant which I commanded them.”
²⁶tn Heb “what was set apart [to the Lord].”
²⁷tn Heb “and also they have stolen, and also they have lied, and also they have placed [them] among their items.”
²⁸tn Heb “they turn [the] back before their enemies because they are set apart [to destruction by the Lord].”
²⁹tn The second person pronoun is plural in Hebrew, indicating these words are addressed to the entire nation.
³⁰tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.”
³¹tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] [is] in your midst.”
³²tn Heb “remove what is set apart [i.e., to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.”
³³tn Heb “by your tribes.”
³⁴tn Heb “takes forcefully, seizes.”
³⁵tn Heb “houses.”
³⁶tn Heb “by men.”
³⁷tn Heb “with what was set apart [to the Lord].”
³⁸tn Heb “burned with fire.”
³⁹tn Heb “by tribes.”
⁴⁰tn See the note on “Zabdi” in 1 Chr 7:1.
⁴¹tn Heb “and he selected Zabdi.” The Lord is the apparent subject. The LXX supports reading a passive (Niphal) form here, as does the immediate context.
⁴²tn Heb “by men.”
⁴³tn Heb “give glory to.”
⁴⁴tn Heb “like this and like this I did.”
⁴⁵tn Heb “Shinar,” a reference to Babylon (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1). Many modern translations retain the Hebrew name “Shinar” (cf. NEB, NRSV) but some use the more familiar “Babylon” (cf. NIV, NLT).
⁴⁶tn Heb “shekels.”
⁴⁷tn Heb “Look, [it was] hidden in his tent, and the silver was beneath it.”
⁴⁸tn Heb “poured out,” probably referring to the way the silver pieces poured out of their container.
⁴⁹tn Or “Trouble” The name is “Achor” in Hebrew, which means “disaster” or “trouble” (also in v. 26).
⁵⁰tn Or “trouble.” The word is “achor” in Hebrew (also in the following clause).
⁵¹tc Heb “and they burned them with fire and they stoned them with stones.” These words are somewhat parenthetical in nature and are omitted in the LXX; they may represent a later scribal addition.
⁵²tc Heb “to this day.” The phrase “to this day” is omitted in the LXX and may represent a later scribal addition.