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2He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you.
² And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. ³ He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. ⁴ The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD.” ⁵ Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them. ⁶ And you, O mortal, do not be afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words, and do not be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. ⁷ You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear; for they are a rebellious house.

⁸ But you, mortal, hear what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you. ⁹ I looked, and a hand was stretched out to me, and a written scroll was in it. ¹⁰ He spread it before me; it had writing on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

3He said to me, O mortal, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel. ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. ³ He said to me, Mortal, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey.

⁴ He said to me: Mortal, go to the house of Israel and speak my very words to them. ⁵ For you are not sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel—
⁶ not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. ⁷ But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me; because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. ⁸ See, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. ⁹ Like the hardest stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not fear them or be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. ¹⁰ He said to me: Mortal, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart and hear with your ears; ¹¹ then go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD”; whether they hear or refuse to hear.

¹² Then the spirit lifted me up, and as the glory of the LORD rose from its place, I heard behind me the sound of loud rumbling; ¹³ it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, that sounded like a loud rumbling. ¹⁴ The spirit lifted me up and bore me away; I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the LORD being strong upon me. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is speaking in this passage? To whom is he speaking? Why does the speaker begin with “Stand up” [see Notes]? How does the listener respond?

2. What is God telling Ezekiel? Where is God sending him? Who will be his audience? How does God describe the people? What have they done? How will they treat Ezekiel? How should Ezekiel respond?

3. What command does God give Ezekiel? How is he to act? What image does God use to emphasize his expectations of Ezekiel? What does he say about the experience?

4. How much autonomy does Ezekiel have regarding God’s message? What does God say about Israel’s likely response to the message? How has God prepared Ezekiel to deal with this?

Get Personal

How have you responded to the chance to share your experiences with Christ? How has God prepared you to do so? What message did he give you to share?

2:1. Mortal — literally “son of man.” God uses the phrase 93 times in his book to address Ezekiel, which seems to stress his status as a human.
Stand up — Ezekiel had fallen on his face in response to his vision of “the likeness of the glory of the Lord,” [1:28].
2:2. Spirit entered into me — in the Old Testament God’s Spirit “entered” certain individuals when needed to empower them for God’s work; it was not the permanent relationship that believers have with the Holy Spirit.
2:3. Sending — the Hebrew word means “designating as an official representative” – Ezekiel was to be God’s ambassador to the captive Jews (“apostle” comes from the Greek equivalence).
A nation of . . . — God does not sugar-coat the difficulty of this assignment: his fellow Jews are rebels, transgressors, impudent and stubborn – in fact, God uses “rebellious house” four times in describing Israel.
2:5. Whether they . . . — God knows most of the people will “refuse to hear,” but that will be their choice – each person is responsible for their decisions about following or ignoring God.
2:8. Do not be rebellious — God wants Ezekiel to follow him and represent him to Israel.
Eat what I give you — Ezekiel was to receive and repeat what God would say to him; he was

not to pick and choose what to say (God says speak my very words to them in 3:4).
2:9. Written scroll — God underscores the importance of conveying his message to the people by putting it in writing – and then ordering Ezekiel to actually eat it, to make it part of himself.
2:10. Lamentation and mourning and woe — actually the title of the scroll (and the content of Ezekiel’s initial prophecies).
3:3. Sweet as honey — even though the message was about judgment, God’s words were still sweet; David and Jeremiah use similar expressions: More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb, [Psalm 19:10]; and Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, Jer15:16].
3:6. Obscure speech and difficult language — God reminds Ezekiel that he will be speaking to his own people – they understand the language if not the importance of the message.
3:7. Hard forehead — the literal meaning of the word translated “impudent” in v. 3. God equips Ezekiel to withstand the opposition and rejection he is about to face.
3:14. Bitterness — Ezekiel has internalized God’s reaction to sin, as God commanded him in v. 10: Receive [my words] in your heart.

18   The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
² “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. ⁴ The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me:
⁶ Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the LORD. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. ⁷ At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, ⁸ but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it.
⁹ And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, ¹⁰ but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it.
¹¹ Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the LORD: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

¹² But they say, “It is no use! We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil will.” . . .

19  Thus said the LORD: Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jug. Take with you some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests, ² and go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom at the entry of the Potsherd Gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you. ³ You shall say: Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to bring such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.
⁴ Because the people have forsaken me, and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, ⁵ and gone on building the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it enter my mind.
⁶ Therefore the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter. ⁷ And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth. ⁸ And I will make this city a horror, a thing to be hissed at; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. ⁹ And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and all shall eat the flesh of their neighbors in the siege, and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.

¹⁰ Then you shall break the jug in the sight of those who go with you, ¹¹ and shall say to them: Thus says the LORD of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s vessel, so that it can never be mended. In Topheth they shall bury until there is no more room to bury. ¹² Thus will I do to this place, says the LORD, and to its inhabitants, making this city like Topheth. ¹³ And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be defiled like the place of Topheth—all the houses upon whose roofs offerings have been made to the whole host of heaven, and libations have been poured out to other gods. NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. Who is speaking to Jeremiah? What does he tell him to do? What does Jeremiah see? What happens as he watches? What is the outcome?

2. What does God tell Jeremiah about the incident? How does he interpret it? Who is God really talking about? How might God respond to Israel? How could things change for the nation? What would the people have to do? 3. How do the people re- spond when Jeremiah delivers God’s message? What does this say about the people?

4. What does God tell Jeremiah to do next? Where is he supposed to go? Who should go with him? Why do you suppose God chose this spot?

5. What is Jeremiah supposed to tell the people with him? What is God promising to do to the nation? Why is God so angry with Judah? What have they been doing in that valley? What are the de- tails of God’s plan?

6. What is Jeremiah to do at the end of his message? How does this underscore God’s promised actions to Israel?

Get Personal:

How has God “reworked” you to deal with the “spoiled” aspects of your life? How has this felt to you? How has God helped you understand the need to be “reworked?” How has this affected your walk with Christ?

18:3. Wheel — literally “two stones” – a potter’s wheel consisted of two round flat stones with the top one turning on a pivot in the bottom stone.
18:4. Reworked — a potter does not throw out the clay when the pot has a flaw – by adding water and reworking the clay the potter can produce a new, more perfect vessel. In vv. 7-9, God tells Jeremiah that he reserves the right to “rework” a nation if it repents. For Christians God promises to “rework” us to be more like Jesus (but  the process involves destroying the flawed pot).
18:12. It is no use! — the people ignore Jeremiah’s warning, possibly indicating that their hearts were so hard, like clay that has dried out, they could not be reworked.
19:1. Elders . . . senior priests — God wants the leaders to hear his message.
19:2. Son of Hinnom — a valley on the southern edge of Jerusalem that was known for Baal worship during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh. King Josiah cleansed it to prevent further idolatry.

Potsherd Gate — its location is unknown (though obviously somewhere near the valley). 19:5. Burn their children — one particularly gruesome aspect of Baal worship was offering children as sacrifices to the god “Molech.”
19.9. Eat the flesh — there are records of cannibalism in the region during times of extreme famine or (as will happen to Jerusalem) siege by an opposing army [check 2 Kings 6:24-31 and Lam 4:10 for examples].
19:11. Breaks a potter’s vessel — this image was also used to describe the destruction of Ur (approximately 2000 BCE).
Topheth — the name of the area or altar on which the children were sacrificed [v.19:5]. 
19:13. Offerings on roofs — some pagan rituals involved sacrifices of burning incense of the roof of a person’s home [check the references in 2 Kings 23:12 and Zeph 1:5].

52 ¹³ See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.
¹⁴ Just as there were many who were astonished at him—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals—
¹⁵ so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.
53 ¹ Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
² For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
³ He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.
⁴ Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
   He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
⁸ By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people.
⁹ They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
¹⁰ Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the LORD shall prosper.
¹¹ Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. Who is the speaker here? Who is the subject? How does the speaker describe this servant? How do other people react to the servant? How will this situation change? Why?

2. Where did the servant come from? How did he grow up? What did he look like? How did people respond to him? How else is he de- scribed? Why did he look the way he did? What does this mean for us?

3. Why did people think the servant was cursed [see Notes]? What was actually going on with the servant?

4. How does the speaker describe the people? How have we responded to God? What did God do about this situation? How did the servant respond? What happened to the servant? How did he die? Where was he buried?

5. What will happen to the servant next? Why will God honor the servant? What will happen to the people next?

Get Personal:

Who has been a servant to you? How has this person “served” you? Who have you been a servant for? How have you “served” this person?

12:13. My servant — the Old Testament calls many people “servant,” even the nation Israel, and the Persian king Nebuchadnezzar; several prophets also refer to themselves as “God’s servant.” The New Testament uses the term for believers who follow Christ, as well as for Jesus himself. In this passage the context makes it clear Isaiah is referring to the Messiah God is promising; the passage is mentioned ten times in the New Testament.
12:14. Just as . . . so he shall . . . — Isaiah contrasts the Servant’s appearance and people’s initial reaction to it with the power he will exercise over kings and rulers.
13:2. No form or majesty — Isaiah underscores the Messiah’s off-putting appearance and people’s rejection of him and his work.
13:3. Man of suffering . . . — Jesus suffered on behalf of all of us, and he knew well (“was acquainted with”) the sickness and weakness of all people, not just his own.
13:4. Borne . . . carried — Jesus took on himself all our sins when he was crucified.
Accounted him — because he was

crucified (“hung on a tree”) the Jews could only see him as cursed by God [Deut 21:23].
53:5. Our transgressions — the Jews could not understand that the Messiah suffered because of their (and our) sin, not because of his own: “the punishment that made us whole.”
53:6. Turned to our own way — sin is ignoring God’s direction and doing things they way we want (“My way” in the song).
53:7. Like a lamb . . . sheep — Isaiah’s audience would have been very familiar with this image.
53:9. Wicked . . . rich — Jesus died like (and with) criminals, but he was buried in a wealthy person’s tomb [it belonged to Joseph of Arimathea – check Matt 27:57-60].
53:11. Out of his anguish — the Messiah’s death and suffering led to his resurrection (light) – Jesus’ obedience leads to salvation: “shall make many righteous.”
53:12. Allot him a portion — Isaiah uses the image of victorious warriors dividing the possessions of the losing soldiers. Actually there is no division – Jesus will rule everything [Psalm 110].

24 Now the LORD is about to lay waste the earth and make it desolate,
and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
² And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;
as with the slave, so with his master;
as with the maid, so with her mistress;
as with the buyer, so with the seller;
as with the lender, so with the borrower;
as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
³ The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word.

⁴ The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers;
the heavens languish together with the earth.
⁵ The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants;
for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
⁶ Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled,
and few people are left.
⁷ The wine dries up, the vine languishes,
all the merry-hearted sigh.
⁸ The mirth of the timbrels is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
⁹ No longer do they drink wine with singing;
strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
¹⁰ The city of chaos is broken down,
every house is shut up so that no one can enter.
¹¹ There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has reached its eventide;
the gladness of the earth is banished
¹² Desolation is left in the city,
the gates are battered into ruins.
¹³ For thus it shall be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten,
as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is ended.

¹⁴ They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; they shout from the west over the majesty of the LORD.
¹⁵ Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD;
in the coastlands of the sea glorify the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
¹⁶ From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One.
But I say, I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me!
For the treacherous deal treacherously,
the treacherous deal very treacherously.

¹⁷ Terror, and the pit, and the snare
are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!
¹⁸ Whoever flees at the sound of the terror
shall fall into the pit;
and whoever climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare.
For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
¹⁹ The earth is utterly broken, the earth is torn asunder,
the earth is violently shaken.
²⁰ The earth staggers like a drunkard,
it sways like a hut;
its transgression lies heavy upon it,
and it falls, and will not rise again.

²¹ On that day the LORD will punish
the host of heaven in heaven,
and on earth the kings of the earth.
²² They will be gathered together like prisoners in a pit;
they will be shut up in a prison,
and after many days they will be punished.
²³ Then the moon will be abashed,
and the sun ashamed;
for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
and before his elders he will manifest his glory.

Get into the Word:

1. What is the subject of this prophecy? What is going to happen? Who is going to do this? Why is this going to happen? Who is responsible for this situation? What have they done (or not done)?

2. Who is going to be affect- ed by this action? Will there be any differences among the people affected? Why do you suppose this is the case?

3. What will happen to the earth? What images does the prophet use to convey this destruction? Why do you think he chose these images? How do you react to these images? Would you have chosen different images?

4. How does Isaiah describe the city? How does it change? What happens to the people? How do you suppose the citizens of Jerusalem responded to these images?

5. Who is Isaiah talking about in verse 14? Why do you think he included this interlude [see Notes]? How does he respond to the idea of “joy”? Why?

6. How will the earthly leaders be punished? How does this compare to the prophecies in Revelation [see Notes]?

Get Personal:

How do you respond to the idea of extreme hardship? Do you think it would affect how you acted in the future? How does God help you understand the importance of following his direction?

24:1. Lay waste the earth — this prophecy follows a series of judgments on specific nations, which were carried out through invasion by Assyria. In this Isaiah anticipates the judgment and devastation that John reports in Revelation [check Rev 6, 8-9, and 15-16].
24:2. As with . . . so with — everyone, regardless of position, will be subject to God’s judgment.
24:5. For they have . . . — sin – human selfishness and disobedience – is the reason for the judgment.
Everlasting covenant — scholars believe Isaiah is referring to the obligation we have as created beings to obey our creator.
24:6. A curse devours the earth — God told Adam “cursed is the ground because of [your sin],” [Gen 3:17].
24:14. They lift up — there will be a faithful remnant after the destruction who will rejoice and praise God.

24:16. But I say — Isaiah cannot rejoice because of the evil that he sees around him.
24:18. Windows . . . foundations — many ancient cultures believed that floods and earthquakes were signs that the gods were angry – and Isaiah’s audience would certainly know about God’s judgment through water in Genesis 6-9 (Noah). 
24:21-22. On that day — again, Isaiah anticipates the punishment of evil in a way very similar to John’s vision in Revelation: And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur, [19:20].

The Four Loves

C.S. Lewis, the English author and Christian apologist, identifies four different types of love in his book of the same name:

• Affection – the love that grows out of familiarity and relationships. It is the love among members of a family (also called “brotherly love”) or other close relationships. It is a natural, unforced attraction that is not based on any specific characteristics of the people in the relationship.
• Friendship – the relationship between people who have something in common – an activity, an interest, a set of experiences. It is a relationship based on choosing to be with the other person because of the rewards of doing things together (Lewis points to the relationship between David and Jonathan).

• Romantic or Erotic Love – the sexual relationship between two people based on a combination of attractions – physical, emotional and psycholo-gical. The Bible celebrates this love in the context of a committed long-term relationship, and condemns it when it is used for selfish gratification or to harm another person. 
• Agape or unselfish love – the love that seeks the welfare of another person. This love is based on a decision, not an emotion or the characteristics or qualities of the other person. It is the love that led Christ to Jerusalem and the cross. It is the love that Paul referred to as “the greatest,” [1 Cor 13:13]. It is the love that forgives our sin and restores us to a relationship with God.

1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s. 

Colloquy of Bride and Friends

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine, 
³ your anointing oils are fragrant,
your name is perfume poured out;
therefore the maidens love you. 
⁴ Draw me after you, let us make haste.
The king has brought me into his chambers.
We will exult and rejoice in you;
we will extol your love more than wine;
rightly do they love you. 
⁵ I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem,
like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. 
⁶ Do not gaze at me because I am dark, 
because the sun has gazed on me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
they made me keeper of the vineyards, 
but my own vineyard I have not kept! 
⁷ Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
where you pasture your flock,
where you make it lie down at noon;

Colloquy of Bridegroom, Friends, and Bride

⁹ I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. 
¹⁰ Your cheeks are comely with ornaments,
your neck with strings of jewels. 
¹¹ We will make you ornaments of gold, studded with silver. 
¹² While the king was on his couch,
my nard gave forth its fragrance. 
¹³ My beloved is to me a bag of myrrh that lies between my breasts. 
¹⁴ My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
in the vineyards of En-gedi. 
¹⁵ Ah, you are beautiful, my love; ah, you are beautiful;
your eyes are doves. 
¹⁶ Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly lovely. Our couch is green; 
¹⁷ the beams of our house are cedar, our rafters are pine. 
2 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. 
² As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens. 
³ As an apple tree among the trees of the wood,
so is my beloved among young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow, 
and his fruit was sweet to my taste. 
⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house,
and his intention toward me was love. 
⁵ Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples; 
for I am faint with love. 
⁶ O that his left hand were under my head,
and that his right hand embraced me! 
⁷ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, 
by the gazelles or the wild does:
do not stir up or awaken love until it is ready!  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. How does Solomon begin this poem? Who is speaking at the beginning? How does she describe her beloved? What images does she use? Where are the lovers? How does she describe his love?

2. Who does she talk to next? How does she describe herself? What does she reveal about herself? What has she been doing? Why does she look as she does?

3. Who does she address next? What does she ask? What image does she use? Why does she want to know this? What answer does she get?

4. Who speaks next? How does he describe his bride? What images does he use? Why do you suppose he chose these images?

5. What does she say in response? What images does she mention? How appropriate are these images [see Notes]? How does she refer to her bridegroom?

6. What happens to the lovers next? Where do they go? How does she feel? What does she wish? What warning does she give to the “daughters of Jerusalem”?

Get Personal:

How does God help you experience the joy of your relationship with him? How about the joy of a loving relationship with another person?

1:1. Song of Songs — actually a Hebrew expression for “the best.”
1:2. Kiss — an expression of affection and/or passion throughout the ancient world (as well as the modern one).
1:3. Perfume — used to mask unpleasant odors as well as make one’s body smell good, perfumes were also burned as incense to give a pleasant fragrance to a room.
1:5. Black — probably deeply tanned from working outdoors (in v. 6 she explains that her brothers or step-brothers forced her to work in the vineyards where “the sun has gazed on me,” but she was not able to care for herself properly).
Daughters of Jerusalem — probably a poetic device to give the speakers an “audience” and to give the writer a means of commenting on the characters.
Kedar — a tribe of Bedouin Arabs known for tents made of black goat hair.
1:7. Veiled — the custom of the times required women to wear a veil in public but not in the home or where only family members would be present – the bride is suggesting she is part of the bridegroom’s family.
1:9. Mare among Pharaoh’s chariots — not only would a mare stand out among a group of stallions, she could cause

considerable chaos by distracting other the horses.
1:11. Ornaments — also translated “earrings.” High quality jewelry symbolized wisdom and beauty [as in Proverbs 25:11-12].
1:13. Bag of myrrh — the resin from the bark of the plant smells similar to turpentine.
1:14. Henna blossoms — the flowers of this bush smell like roses.
En-gedi — an oasis near the Dead Sea, southeast of Jerusalem – it was in a ravine, which continues the symbolism of “between my breasts.” (David hid here to escape from Saul.)
1:15. Doves — were a symbol of sexual attraction throughout the culture.
2:1. Rose of Sharon — probably a lily or crocus.
2:4. Banqueting house — literally “Wine House” – raisins and apples were delicacies and, along with wine, indicate the richness of the bridegroom’s love.
2:7. Adjure — actually a legal term for putting some one under a vow (as if the other had taken an oath).
Until it is ready — the bride warns about prematurely yielding to the passion of sexual attraction.

3For everything there is a season, 
and a time for every matter under heaven: 
² a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 
³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up; 
⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 
⁵ a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 
⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away; 
⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 
⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace. 

The God-Given Task

⁹ What gain have the workers from their toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. ¹¹ He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; ¹³ moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. ¹⁴ I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. ¹⁵ That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by. 

Judgment and the Future Belong to God

¹⁶ Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. ¹⁷ I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work. ¹⁸ I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing them to show that they are but animals. ¹⁹ For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. ²⁰ All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. ²¹ Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? ²² So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. What is the general theme of the opening?  Why do you suppose the writer chose the actions listed here? What is significant about the number of actions and their pairing [see Notes]? Might a contemporary writer use different actions?
Such as . . . ?

2. What does the author think about God’s creation? How does he describe the world? Humanity’s relation to creation? God’s purpose in creation? What purpose do the seasons serve?

3. How does the writer respond to injustice? What does the author say about our human condition? Why do you think the author focused on the similarities?

4. What does the writer conclude from looking at the seasons? From examining injustice in the world? From the similarities between humans and animals?

Get Personal:

Do you agree with the writer’s  view of our work (vv. 12, 22)? How does God help you understand the purpose and value of your work?

3:1. Season — this unusual Hebrew word usually refers to an “appropriate time.” Even though humans have the ability to decide when to do something, God created the cycles of this world (“under heaven”) so there is an appropriate time for many activities. The poem has seven pairs of opposites. Seven often represents completeness in Hebrew poetry and the use of paired opposites can imply “everything.” Psalm 139 uses the same literary device: You know when I sit down and when I rise up . . . and are acquainted with all  my ways, [v. 2-3].
3:2. Born . . . die — interestingly, the author begins with the two activities that God controls, not the person. Job also talked about God’s control: Their days are determined, and the number of their months is known to you and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass, [14:5]. 
3:3. Kill — the Hebrew word here usually means killing an animal or reacting violently to another person, but not premeditated murder. It is not the same as the word in the sixth commandment. 
3:4. Weep . . . laugh — the Bible contrasts joy and sorrow often: For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for lifetime! Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning, [Psalm 30:5], and, may those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy, [Psalm 126:5].
3:5. Stones — one of the farmer’s tasks was to get the stones out of the fields – sometimes by throwing them into the field of an enemy.
3:9. toil — as in 1:3, this refers to work that is very hard to do, a crushing burden.
3:11. Suitable for its own time — this reinforces the idea of purpose in creation in v. 1. “Suitable” can be translated “proper” or “appropriate.”

A sense of past and future — God has given humans the ability to conceive of time other than the 24/7/365 of this world, the ability to understand – at least partially (“cannot find out”) – the kind of “place” where God is. David called on God to “teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom,” [Psalm 90:12].
3:14. Whatever God does — this is a preview of Solomon’s conclusion at the end of the book [you can peek at 12:13, if this isn’t enough]. Solomon is affirming that God created the “seasons” of this world, but he is not bound by them; he exists in a different realm.
Stand in awe — the meaning here is the same as “fear” in Proverbs: understanding and respecting one’s relationship to God.
3:16-17. Here Solomon acknowledges the injustice in this world (“under the sun”) and concludes that eventually (“in due season”) God will balance things out.
3:18. Show they are but animals — on the surface there is no difference between humans and the other animals: both are born, breathe, die and decompose. There is no visible evidence of any difference (v. 21: “who knows whether . . . ?”).
3:22. Nothing better — since we don’t know God’s purposes or whether our work will have any value in the future, Solomon concludes that the best response to this meaningless situation is to take some enjoyment in doing one’s work in this life; and he notes, again, that this is a gift from God. Jesus had a slightly different perception of this issue: Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today, [Matt 6:34]

3My child, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments; 
² for length of days and years of life
and abundant welfare they will give you. 
³ Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 
⁴ So you will find favor and good repute
in the sight of God and of people. 
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 
⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 
⁸ It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body. 
⁹ Honor the Lord with your substance
and with the first fruits of all your produce; 
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine. 
¹¹ My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 
¹² for the Lord reproves the one he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights. 
¹³ Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, 
¹⁴ for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. 
¹⁵ She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her. 
¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 
¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 
¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. 
¹⁹ The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens; 
²⁰ by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew. 
²¹ My child, do not let these escape from your sight: keep sound wisdom and prudence, 
²² and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 
²³ Then you will walk on your way securely and your foot will not stumble. 
²⁴ If you sit down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 
²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden panic, or of the storm that strikes the wicked; 
²⁶ for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught. 
²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. 
²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it” — when you have it with you. 
²⁹ Do not plan harm against your neighbor
who lives trustingly beside you. 
³⁰ Do not quarrel with anyone without cause,
when no harm has been done to you. 
³¹ Do not envy the violent and do not choose any of their ways; 
³² for the perverse are an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. 
³³ The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the abode of the righteous. 
³⁴ Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor. 
³⁵ The wise will inherit honor, but stubborn fools, disgrace.   NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. How does the speaker begin this chapter? What is the “do” and the “don’t do”? What is the result of following this advice? [see Notes]

2. What does the author say about our knowledge? What should we do with our wisdom? What is more trustworthy? What happens if we take this advice?

3. What is the relationship between wisdom and health? Between wisdom and wealth? Between wisdom and discipline? 

4. What does the writer say about the value of wisdom? What does wisdom offer or provide that things in this world do not? How are wisdom, understanding and knowledge related to the universe? Why is this important?

6. What is the practical value of common sense and discernment? What benefits do they provide a person?

7. What does the speaker say about our relationships with our neighbors? How should we conduct ourselves? 

8. Why should we avoid envy, especially of violent people? How does God respond to violence? 

Get Personal:

This chapter has several parallel statements – a “do” and a “don’t do.” As you look at your life do you see yourself more on the “Do” side or the “Don’t do” side?

3:2. Abundant welfare — the Hebrew word (also translated “peace” or “prosperity”) includes the concepts of health or wholeness.
3:3. The tablet of your heart — God told Jeremiah he would “put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts,
[Jer 31:33].
3:4. Repute — the Hebrew word refers to effectiveness or competence.
3:5. Trust . . . do not rely — another example of a positive and negative pair – the Hebrew word translated “rely” actually means “lean on” or use as a prop. Implicit in this proverb is the fact that God’s ways are so different than ours they are beyond our ability to comprehend; Paul asks, who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? [Rom 11:33-34]. Verse 7 echoes this wisdom.
3:6. Make straight your paths — trusting God’s wisdom gives us the ability to “see” the direction he is calling us to follow. 
3:8. Healing . . . refreshment — the writer refers to the link between wisdom (spiritual health) and physical health many times [12:4; 14:30; 15:30; 16:24; 17:22], a concept modern medicine has “discovered” and is applying today.

3:9. Honor . . . first fruits — echoes the requirement of the law [Deut 26:1-3, 9-11] to bring the “first fruits” of the harvest as an acknowledgement of and thanks for God’s provision. Note that v. 10 is not a guarantee as we use the term; vv. 11-12 provide the other aspect of God’s love (remember: his ways are not our ways).
3:19-20. Wisdom . . . understanding . . . knowledge — are the means by which God created our universe; Jeremiah says, It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens, [Jer 10:12]. If God depends on them, we must also. 
3:24. Compare this common sense benefit with the lot of those love money: People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night’s sleep, [Eccl 5:12].
3:27-35. The author concludes this chapter with five practical applications of wisdom in everyday life – how we should live in relationships with our “neighbor.” He also provides four reasons for the fifth maxim about envy and violence: they move a person away from, not toward God

145 Praise. Of David
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever. 
² Every day I will bless you,
and praise your name forever and ever. 
³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable. 
⁴ One generation shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts. 
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 
⁶ The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
and I will declare your greatness. 
⁷ They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 
⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
⁹ The Lord is good to all, 
and his compassion is over all that he has made. 
¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful shall bless you. 
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, 
¹² to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. 
¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down. 
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you, 
and you give them their food in due season. 
¹⁶ You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. 
¹⁷ The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. 
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;
he also hears their cry, and saves them. 
²⁰ The Lord watches over all who love him, 
but all the wicked he will destroy. 
²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.

150 Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament! 
² Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness! 
³ Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp! 
⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe! 
⁵ Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 
⁶ Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. How does the psalmist begin this psalm? What does he say about God? Why does he bless and praise God’s name [see Notes]?

2. What attributes of God does the writer talk about? Why do you suppose he chose these character-
istics? Would you have chosen different attributes?

3. How does the psalmist describe God’s relationship with people? Why is this important to the author? Why is it important to us today?

4. How do people respond to God’s greatness? What should they tell others about God? About his actions? About his kingdom?

5. What does the psalmist focus on at the end of this psalm? What images of God’s goodness does he use? How does he describe God’s relationship with his people? 

6. What is Psalm 150 about? How does the writer begin this psalm? Why does the writer praise God? Who all should praise God?

7. What should people use when they praise God? What might we use today in addition to those in the psalm?

Get Personal:

When you pray do you open by praising God or do you start right in with requests?

145:1. Extol — “praise loudly,” “acclaim.”
Psalms uses four Hebrew words for praise, each with its own meaning: 

• “Hallel” focuses on God’s greatness. 
• “Yadah” is related to the Hebrew verb for “confess” and focuses on Gods goodness (often in contrast to our weaknesses).
• “Zamar” refers to praise through singing or use of musical instruments. 
• “Sabah” includes the idea of love in praise for who God is and what he has done for us. 
• Incidentally, “Hallel” is the first part of “Hallelujah” – literally “Praise to God.”

Psalm 145 is an acrostic. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet (although the actual text between verses 13 and 14 is missing in the Hebrew Bible; the second part of v. 13 does appear in the Greek Septuagint, Latin Vulgate and some other translations as the 14^th verse).
Bless your name — Jews believe a person’s name contains his or her character and attributes, so David is praising God for who he is.
145:4. One generation — God’s greatness extends throughout time.

Laud — an older word for praise (as in “applaud”).
145:7. Goodness . . . — David shifts from God’s power and actions to four key aspects of his character: goodness, righteousness, graciousness and mercy.
145:8. God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love — this affirmation appears six times in the Old Testament [Exodus 34:6; Neh 9:17; Psalm 86:15; 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2].
145:10. Faithful — often translated “saints.”
145:14. Upholds . . . — David gives examples of God’s faithfulness and graciousness [v. 13]: he upholds and raises up people in trouble; he provides food; he satisfies our desires; he is “just” and “kind;” he responds to us when we pray; he saves us.
150:1. Firmament — the same word as Genesis 1:6, (there translated “dome”) – refers to something that is expansive or spread out.
150:5. Clanging cymbals — the Hebrew word actually means “loud.”
150:6. Everything that breathes — the psalmist calls on the entire creation to praise the creator.

22 Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon
To the leader. A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

58 ³ The wicked go astray from the womb;
they err from their birth, speaking lies.
⁴ They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
⁵ so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
or of the cunning enchanter.
⁶ O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
⁷ Let them vanish like water that runs away;
like grass let them be trodden down and wither.
⁸ Let them be like the snail that dissolves into
slime;
like the untimely birth that never sees the sun.
⁹ Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,
whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

69 Prayer for Deliverance from Persecution
To the leader: according to Lilies. Of David.
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
² I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
³ I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
⁴ More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
many are those who would destroy me,
my enemies who accuse me falsely.
What I did not steal must I now restore?
⁵ O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
  ^{. . .
9} It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; 
the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
¹⁰ When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so.
¹¹ When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
¹² I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,
and the drunkards make songs about me.
¹³ But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
¹⁴ rescue me from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
¹⁵ Do not let the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me.
¹⁶ Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
¹⁷ Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress — 
make haste to answer me.
¹⁸ Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies. NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. What is the situation of Psalm 51? What three things is David asking from God? Why does he need this from God [get details at 2 Samuel 11]? What is he depending on when he asks?

2. What is the psalmist (probably David) talking about in Psalm 58? How does he describe his subjects? Why do you suppose he chose to use these images?

3. What does the writer want God to do to these people? Why would he ask God for these types of harm? Which image strikes you as the strongest? Why? When does he want this to happen?

4. Who is the speaker in Psalm 69? How does he describe his situation? What are the predominant images? How do you respond to these metaphors?

5. How does the psalmist describe his enemies? How does he describe his relationship with God? How is God involved with the speaker’s enemies?

6. What does the psalmist want God to do? When should these things happen? Why is the writer confident this will happen? What is he relying on?

Get Personal

What image do you have of God when you pray? How confident are you? How often do you ask God for something? How often does God respond the way you expect?

51:1. Mercy — acting favorably to someone who does not deserve it, also translated “compassion” or “forgiveness.”
Steadfast love — David had experienced God’s love in the past, he trusted God would love in the future.
Blot out — actually a legal term: “remove from the record.”
51:2. Wash me — a fairly common image for forgiveness in the Bible.
Cleanse me — echoes the ritual purification required in the Law.
58:6. Break the teeth — the writer calls on God to punish the leaders: without teeth animals of prey cannot attack and eat their victims; grass that is pressed down (“trodden”) will die; without water snails dry up in their shells.
NOTE: this type of request is known as an Imprecation – a curse or request that someone else suffer harm (often in order to make up for harm done to the requester). The New Testament also contains imprecations [check Matt 26:23-24, Gal 1:8-9, 1 Tim 4:14, Rev 6:10].
69:1. Waters . . . — David uses the image of drowning to describe his situation.

69:3. Throat . . . eyes — he then describes two actual symptoms: a dry, parched throat from crying, and dimming eyesight from waiting.
69:4. Hairs of my head — Jesus referred to this image.
69:5. You know — David knows that he is not innocent, either, but he asks God not to punish the people for his own sins.
69:7. For your sake — David’s actions to honor God have caused his enemies to attack him.
69:9. Zeal for your house — John refers to this when Jesus drives the money-
changers out of the temple [John 2:17]. Paul cites the second phrase in Romans 15:3, about Jesus’ sacrificial approach.
69:13. Acceptable time — even though David wants God to save him quickly, he realizes God’s time is not necessarily equal to our time (but he still asks God to “make haste” in v. 17).
69:15. Pit — usually a reference to “the place of the dead.”
69:21. Gave me vinegar — the same thing will happen to Jesus on the cross [Matt 27:28, Mark 15:36, Luke 23:36, John 19:29].