[1] 1:2 chose Or, "loved."

[2] 1:3 did not accept Or, "hated."

[3] 1:3 his hill country This means the country of Edom. Edom was another name for Esau.

[4] 1:3 wild dogs Literally, "jackals."

[5] 1:7 unclean Or "unacceptable." Not pure or not fit to be eaten or used in worshiping God. See Lev. 11-15 for the Old Testament rules about clean and unclean things.

[6] 1:8 sacrifice To offer a gift to God as an expression of worship, thanksgiving, or payment for sin. Also, the gift that is offered. In the Old Testament it was usually a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. The Old Testament sacrifices offered for sins were symbolic of the perfect sacrifice that God himself would provide through Jesus Christ. Jesus gave his own life as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of all people. See Hebrews 10:1-14.

[7] 1:10 Temple The permanent building in Jerusalem that replaced the portable "Holy Tent" that was used by the Israelites from the time of their wandering in the desert to the reign of king Solomon, when the first Temple was built. Like the Holy Tent, the Temple was the center of Israelite worship, although provision was made for it to be "a house of prayer for all nations" (Isa. 56:7).

[8] 1:11 incense Special dried tree sap that was burned to make a sweet-smelling smoke and offered as a gift to God.

[9] 2:2 blessings Words asking for good things to happen to a person who tries to obey God's law.

[10] 2:2 curse To ask for bad things to happen to a person or thing. As a noun it is a request for or warning about bad things to come.

[11] 2:3 sacrifice To offer a gift to God as an expression of worship, thanksgiving, or payment for sin. Also, the gift that is offered. In the Old Testament it was usually a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. The Old Testament sacrifices offered for sins were symbolic of the perfect sacrifice that God himself would provide through Jesus Christ. Jesus gave his own life as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of all people. See Hebrews 10:1-14.

[12] 2:4 Levi The tribe of Israel from which the priests (descendants of Aaron) and the priests' helpers were chosen.

[13] 2:11 Temple The permanent building in Jerusalem that replaced the portable "Holy Tent" that was used by the Israelites from the time of their wandering in the desert to the reign of king Solomon, when the first Temple was built. Like the Holy Tent, the Temple was the center of Israelite worship, although provision was made for it to be "a house of prayer for all nations" (Isa. 56:7).

[14] 2:14 witness Anyone who tells what they have seen or heard.

[15] 2:14 vows A special promise. Here, it means the promise a man and woman make to each other when they are married.

[16] 3:1 temple Or, "palace."

[17] 3:1 agreement A contract or agreement from God to his people. The agreement that God gave his people at Mount Sinai, based on the law of Moses, became the most important for the Israelites or Jews. It replaced or incorporated all other agreements, such as that given earlier to Abraham. In the New Testament it is referred to as the "old" or "first" agreement. After Jesus Christ came and offered his life as payment for the sins of all people, God was able to offer a "new" and "better" agreement based on Christ's sacrifice.

[18] 3:3 Levite Any of the men from the tribe of Levi, who helped the Israelite priests in the Holy Tent (Tabernacle) and Temple. In later periods some Levites worked for the civil government.

[19] 3:3 clean Pure or acceptable. When used of animals, it means fit to be eaten. When used of people, it means fit to participate in the worship of God at the Tabernacle or Temple. See Lev. 11-15 for the Old Testament rules about clean and unclean things.

[20] 3:5 adultery Breaking a marriage promise by committing sexual sin.

[21] 4:2 stalls Small rooms or areas surrounded by a fence where people keep their animals.

[22] 4:4 Mount Horeb Another name for Mount Sinai.

© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.