translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ZEC

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “your plunder.” Cf. NCV “the wealth you have taken.”


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Heb “not be cut off from the city” (so NRSV); NAB “not be removed.”


text: Heb “as he fights on a day of battle” (similar NASB, NIV, NRSV).


label: NET textual note

text: For the MT reading נַסְתֶּם ( nastem , “you will escape”) the LXX presupposes נִסְתַּם ( nistam , “will be stopped up”; this reading is followed by NAB). This appears to derive from a perceived need to eliminate the unexpected “you” as subject. This not only is unnecessary to Hebrew discourse (see “you” in the next clause), but it contradicts the statement in the previous verse that the mountain will be split open, not stopped up.


text: Heb “the splendid will congeal.” This difficult phrase (MT יְקָרוֹת יְקִפָּאוֹן , yÿqarot yÿqippa ’ on ) is not clarified by the LXX which presupposes וְקָרוּת וְקִפָּאוֹן ( vÿqarut vÿqippa ’ on , “and cold and ice,” a reading followed by NAB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV). Besides the fact that cold and ice do not necessarily follow the absence of light, the idea here is that day will be night and night day. The heavenly sources of light “freeze up” as it were, and refuse to shine.


text: Or “like a plain” (similar KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT); or “like a steppe”; cf. CEV “flatlands.” The Hebrew term עֲרָבָה (’ aravah ) refers to an arid plain or steppe, but can be used specifically as the name of the rift valley running from the Sea of Galilee via the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.


text: Or “old gate” (NLT); or “former gate” (NRSV).


text: The Hebrew phrase בִּירוּשָׁלָם ( birushalam ) with the verb נִלְחַם ( nilkham , “make war”) would ordinarily suggest that Judah is fighting against Jerusalem (so NAB, CEV). While this could happen accidentally, the context here favors the idea that Judah is fighting alongside Jerusalem against a common enemy. The preposition בְּ ( bÿ ), then, should be construed as locative (“at”; cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).


text: The term translated “gathered up” could also be rendered “collected” (so NIV, NCV, NRSV, although this might suggest a form of taxation) or “confiscated” (which might imply seizure of property against someone’s will). The imagery in the context, however, suggests the aftermath of a great battle, where the spoils are being picked up by the victors (cf. NLT “captured”).


text: Heb “house” (also in the following verse).


text: Or “merchant”; “trader” (because Canaanites, especially Phoenicians, were merchants and traders; cf. BDB 489 s.v. I and II כְּנַעֲנִי ). English versions have rendered the term as “Canaanite” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV), “trader” (RSV, NEB), “traders” (NRSV, NLT), or “merchant” (NAB), although frequently a note is given explaining the other option. Cf. also John 2:16 . sn This is not to preclude the Canaanite (or anyone else) from worship; the point is that in the messianic age all such ethnic and religious distinctions will be erased and all people will be eligible to worship the Lord .