“Then some people came
To Jesus.
They were bringing
A paralyzed man
Carried by four men.”
καὶ ἔρχονται φέροντες πρὸς αὐτὸν παραλυτικὸν αἰρόμενον ὑπὸ τεσσάρων.
A similar story can be found in Luke and Matthew. However, neither Luke, chapter 5:18, nor Matthew, chapter 9:2, mention the four men, just men in general, carrying the paralytic. Mark said some people came to Jesus (καὶ ἔρχονται φέροντες πρὸς αὐτὸν). Four men were carrying a paralyzed man (παραλυτικὸν αἰρόμενον ὑπὸ τεσσάρων).
“Habakkuk said.
‘Sir!
I have never seen Babylon.
I know nothing
About the den.’
Then the angel
Of the Lord
Took him
By the crown
Of his head.
He carried him
By his hair,
With the speed
Of the wind.
He set him down
In Babylon,
Right over the den.”
This prophet Habakkuk rightly said that he knew nothing about Babylon or any lion’s den. He had no idea of where he was to go. The angel of the Lord had a quick answer. He took Habakkuk by the hair on the crown of his head. He carried him away with the speed of the wind to Babylon, right over the lion’s den where Daniel was. That was a simple solution to a big transportation problem.
“The eagle broke off
The topmost shoot.
He carried it
To a land of trade.
He set it
In a city of merchants.”
In this riddle, Yahweh said that the eagle broke off a top shoot. He then carried it to a land of traders. He put this twig in a city of merchants. Is this an indication of King Jehoiakim (609-598 BCE) being deported to Babylon?
“As for the gold
That these idol gods wear
For beauty,
It will not shine
Unless someone
Wipes off the tarnish.
Even when
They were being cast,
They had no feeling.
They are bought
Without regard to cost.
But there is no breath
In them.
Having no feet,
They are carried
On the shoulders of others.
They reveal
To all humans
Their worthlessness.”
This author’s diatribe against the false idols continues with an accusation that these idols have no feelings. They wear gold for beauty, but it will not shine unless someone else wipes off its tarnish. As these idols were cast in an iron furnace, they had no feelings while this was going on. However, money is not a problem with creating these idols. Even so, these expensive idol images have no breath and no feet. They have to be carried on the shoulders of others. Thus they reveal to everyone that they are worthless.
“Now in Babylon
You will see gods
Made of silver,
Or made of gold,
Or made of wood.
People carry them
On their shoulders.
This inspires fear
Among the heathens.
Take care!
Beware of becoming at all
Like the foreigners!
Do not let fear
Of these gods
Possess you,
When you see the multitude
Before and behind them
Worshiping them!
But say in your heart!
‘It is you!
O Lord!
Whom we must worship!’
My angel
Is with you!
He is watching
Over your lives.”
The author of this letter has a warning for the exiles while they are in Babylon. They will see gods made of silver, gold, and wood that will be carried on people’s shoulders to inspire fear. They should be careful to not become like these foreigners. They should not fear these gods. Even when they see the multitudes before and behind these gods in possessions or parades, they should not be intimidated. They were to remember in their hearts that they were to only worship the Lord. To help them out, an angel would be watching over their lives.
“We have sinned!
We have been ungodly!
We have done wrong!
O Lord!
Our God!
Against all your ordinances!
Let your anger
Turn away
From us!
We are left,
Few in number,
Among the nations
Where you have
Scattered us.
Hear!
O Lord!
Our prayer!
Hear
Our supplication!
For your own sake
Deliver us!
Grant us favor
In the sight of those
Who have carried us
Into exile!
Thus all the earth
May know
That you are
The Lord our God!
For Israel
With his descendants,
You are
Called by your name.”
These sinners admit that they have been ungodly, doing wrong since they had disobeyed the ordinances of their Lord and God. They wanted him to turn his anger away from them, because they were only a few of them left. They had been scattered among the various nations, not just in one country. They wanted the Lord to hear their prayers and grant them favors among the people who carried them away into exile. Then the whole world would know what the God of Israel had done for his people and their descendants. They will call out his name to all.
“The customs of the people
Are false.
A tree from the forest
Is cut down.
It is worked with an ax
By the hands of an artisan.
People deck it with silver.
They deck it with gold.
They fasten it with a hammer.
They fasten it with nails.
Thus it cannot move.
Their idols are
Like scarecrows in a cucumber field.
They cannot speak.
They have to be carried.
They cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them!
They cannot do evil.
It is not in them to do good.”
This section is a lot like that of Second Isaiah, especially chapters 40-44, against false human made idol gods. Thus this probably also comes from the later exilic times. Many people have this false custom of idol worship. He reminded them that these wooden idols come from a tree. Someone cut down the tree in the forest. Then an artisan or wood carver axed or created an image with a hammer and nails. Then they put silver and gold on it. Thus these false wooden idols cannot move. They are more like a scarecrow in a cucumber patch. They cannot talk or walk, since they have to be carried around. No one should be afraid of these scarecrow idols, since they cannot do any evil to you. However, they also cannot do any good for you either. Once again, this is an argument against the false wooden idol gods and their human makers.
“Yahweh said.
‘Surely they are my people.
Children will not deal falsely.’
He became their Savior
In all their distress.
It was no messenger.
It was no angel.
But it was his presence that saved them.
In his love,
In his pity,
He redeemed them.
He lifted them up.
He carried them
All the days of old.
But they rebelled.
They grieved his Holy Spirit.
Therefore he became their enemy.
He himself fought against them.”
Yahweh responded that surely his people and children would not respond falsely. He was their savior in times of distress. He did not merely send a messenger or an angel. It was his very presence that saved them. He showed them love and pity as he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them away as in the good old days. However, they rebelled against him as they saddened the Holy Spirit. They became his enemy so that Yahweh had to fight against them.
“Lift up your eyes!
Look around!
They all gather together.
They come to you.
Your sons
Shall come from far away.
Your daughters
Shall be carried on their nurse’s arms.
Then you shall see.
You shall be radiant.
Your heart shall thrill.
Your heart shall rejoice.
Because the abundance of the sea
Shall be brought to you.
The wealth of the nations
Shall come to you.”
Jerusalem should lift up its eyes. They should look around and see all the people coming together. Their sons were coming from far away. Their daughters were being carried by their nurses. There will be rejoicing because of the abundance of the sea and the wealth that they are bringing back to Jerusalem.
“When King Hezekiah heard this,
He also tore his clothes.
He covered himself with sackcloth.
He went into the house of Yahweh.”
Once again, this is almost word for word from 2 Kings, chapter 19. The 3 envoys of the king reported to him what they had heard. King Hezekiah also tore his clothes. Apparently it was common to tear your clothes whenever you heard bad news. If you were a pessimist, you would need a large wardrobe or you would often wear torn clothes. Here the king also put on sack cloth, the cloth that carried the various vegetables or foods. Being a good king, King Hezekiah (716-687 BCE) went into the house of Yahweh, the temple.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 