6:9
This verse gives an example of the wicked behavior of the priests. Groups of priests murdered people who were traveling to a place of worship.
6:9a
Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests: This verse part is a simile. It compares the actions of groups of priests to the actions of raiders who ambush and kill their victims.
Here are some other ways to translate this simile:
The priests are like gangs of robbers who lie in ambush for a person. (God’s Word)
-or-
The priests are like robbers waiting to attack people (New Century Version)
raiders: In Hebrew, this word refers to groups of robbers who stole from people and often murdered them.
a band of priests: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “association of priests.” It refers to priests of Israel who gathered into groups to do evil things.
6:9b
they murder: This phrase refers to the groups of priests who killed people deliberately. The form of the Hebrew verb indicates that they murdered people regularly or repeatedly.
on the way to Shechem: Shechem was located on an important road that many people used. The road led from Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, to Bethel, an important place of worship. The location of the murders was on this road, not within the city of Shechem.
surely they have committed atrocities: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “they have done wickedness.” The word “wickedness” is a strong word for sin of various kinds. Try to express the severity of this evil in your translation. For example:
they commit a monstrous crime (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
their behaviour is an outrage (Revised English Bible)
In Hebrew, this phrase begins with a word the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as surely to give emphasis. Some versions leave this word implied.
Here are some other ways to translate it explicitly:
Certainly, they have committed a crime. (God’s Word)
-or-
How terrible is the evil they have done!
General Comment on 6:9a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder some of the parts within these two lines. For example:
Like so many robbers in ambush, a gang of priests commits murder on the road to Shechem—what infamous behavior!
-or-
The priests are like a gang of robbers who wait in ambush for someone. Even on the road to the holy place at Shechem they commit murder. And they do all this evil deliberately! (Good News Translation)
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