Jerusalem`s Doom And Redemption
Notes
Transcript
Woe
Woe
Woe to Jerusalem`sZephaniah 3:1
Woe to Jerusalem`sZephaniah 3:1
The city to which this chapter is addressed is not actually named until verse 14, but the content of the accusations made against her, especially in verse 4, makes it clear that the city is Jerusalem.
This is generally agreed among commentators, and tev makes it explicit at the beginning of the paragraph by saying “Jerusalem is doomed” (compare frcl). The words “is doomed” translate a Hebrew word that means Woe to (rsv). This sounds old fashioned in English, and tev has therefore restructured it into a more natural sentence pattern. Some translators may have a term equivalent to Woe to in current use in their own language, and they may therefore be able to remain closer to the Hebrew structure. In many languages one may say “Jerusalem will be destroyed,” “The Lord will destroy Jerusalem,” or “Enemies will destroy Jerusalem” (see comments on Nahum 3:1).
This is generally agreed among commentators, and tev makes it explicit at the beginning of the paragraph by saying “Jerusalem is doomed” (compare frcl). The words “is doomed” translate a Hebrew word that means Woe to (rsv). This sounds old fashioned in English, and tev has therefore restructured it into a more natural sentence pattern. Some translators may have a term equivalent to Woe to in current use in their own language, and they may therefore be able to remain closer to the Hebrew structure. In many languages one may say “Jerusalem will be destroyed,” “The Lord will destroy Jerusalem,” or “Enemies will destroy Jerusalem” (see comments on Nahum 3:1).
This verse consists of four negative clauses describing how the city has failed in its responsibility to God. rsv translates with four separate clauses, each with its own negative, while tev links the clauses into two pairs with only one negative in each pair. Translators should use whatever structures are appropriate to their own language.
In all four clauses the subject is literally She, referring to the city. Here, as often elsewhere, the city stands for its inhabitants, and some translators will need to make this explicit and say “The people of Jerusalem.”
She listens to no voice: the voice is that of the Lord, or perhaps that of prophets speaking on his behalf, and tev makes this explicit by saying “It has not listened to the Lord.”
She accepts no correction: the correction also comes from the Lord, and so tev again makes this clear by translating “or accepted his discipline.” This is a favorite expression in Jeremiah—see especially Jeremiah 7:28. Correction or “discipline” here means instruction in right conduct and rebuke of wrong conduct. Another possible rendering is “it (rsv she) would not let the Lord discipline it.” However, in many languages it will be necessary to say “they (the people of Jerusalem) would not let the Lord discipline them.”
She does not trust in the LORD refers not just to intellectual belief but to active reliance on the Lord in daily affairs. In some languages an idiomatic expression such as “place heart in” may be helpful here.
The fourth clause says literally she does not draw near to her God, referring probably to the inner attitude of those who attended worship in the Temple, or perhaps to their failure to attend at all (compare 1:5–6). The purpose of drawing near to God is to demonstrate trust in him by asking for his help. tev makes this clear by translating “or asked for his help.” Another way of phrasing this clause is “or asked him to help them.” Note that in rsv the LORD and her God are parallel with each other, but tev does not use both expressions.