His brothers planned to kill him, therefore it is ironic that they would speak of his dream coming true, since he would be dead. Alternate Translation: "That way we will make sure his dreams do not come true"
Deu 32:38
Let them rise up and help you; let them be your protection
Yahweh says this to mock the Israelites. He knows these gods cannot help them. Alternate Translation: "These idols are not even able to get up and help or to protect you"
1Sa 2:30
those who despise me will be lightly esteemed
The words "lightly esteemed" is an ironic euphemism for "greatly despised." This can be stated in active form. Alternate Translation: "I will lightly esteem those who despise me" or "I will greatly despise those who despise me"
2Sa 6:20
How honored the king of Israel was today
This is an ironic statement. Michal means the opposite of what she said, and she does not believe David acted honorably. Michal speaks disrespectfully to King David about his dancing attire and behavior.
2Sa 6:22
I will be even more undignified than this
David is being ironic and means the opposite of what he said. He does not believe what he did was actually undignified or that his actions in the future will be undignified.
2Ch 20:11
See how they are rewarding us; they are coming to drive us out of your land
Here Jehoshaphat speaks of the ironic situation. Alternate Translation: "This is how they 'repay' us for the mercy we showed to them; they are coming to drive us out of your land"
Job 8:19
this is the "joy" of such a person's behavior
Bildad is speaking with irony to express that there is not any real joy for the godless person. Alternate Translation: "this is all the joy they will receive from their godless actions"
Job 10:16
again you would show yourself with marvellous acts of power against me
This phrase expresses irony in how God displays his marvelous power by acting to harm Job.
Job 11:12
they will get it when a wild donkey gives birth to a man
Since a wild donkey can never give birth to a man, this means that foolish people will never get understanding. Alternate Translation: "only if a wild donkey could give birth to a man could foolish people get understanding" or "it is as impossible for a foolish person to get understanding as it is for a donkey to give birth to a man"
Job 12:2
No doubt you are the people; wisdom will die with you
Job mocks how they are acting and shows how ridiculous they sound. Alternate Translation: "Surely you are such important people that wisdom cannot exist without you" or "You all act like you are the only wise people and that when you die, wisdom will disappear"
Job 15:27
he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat on his loins
This wicked man is described as fat and weak, while believing himself to be strong enough to defeat God. Alternate Translation: "he is weak with a fat face and fat loins"
Job 21:3
mock on
you can continue mocking me. Job is using sarcasm to imply that his friends would ignore what he would say and continue to mock him.
Job 26:2
How you have helped one ... the arm that has no strength
In these statements, Job is accusing Bildad. The word "one" refers to Job. And, the word "arm" represents the whole person. Alternate Translation: "I am powerless and have no strength, but you act like you have helped me; but really, you have not helped me at all"
Job 26:3
How you have advised one who has no wisdom and announced to him sound knowledge
Job is saying that Bildad has not provided him with good advice and knowledge. Alternate Translation: "You act like I have no wisdom and that you have advised me, that you have given me good advice"
Job 34:2
you wise men ... you who have knowledge
Elihu is criticizing Job and his friends. He does not think they are actually wise.
Job 34:10
you men of understanding
Elihu is criticizing Job and his friends. He does not actually think they are wise.
Job 38:15
their 'light'
The wicked consider darkness to be their light, because they do their evil deeds in the darkness and they are familiar with the darkness.
Job 38:21
Undoubtedly ... so large
Yahweh uses mocking irony to emphasize that Job does not understand light and darkness. Alternate Translation: "It is obvious that you do not know, because you were not born when I created them, and you are not very old"
Psa 22:8
He trusts in Yahweh ... delights in him
The people are saying this to mock the writer. They do not really believe Yahweh will rescue him.
Psa 52:1
you mighty man
David may have been using irony when he called Doeg this. Alternate Translation: "you, who think you are so mighty"
Pro 28:19
will have plenty of poverty
The person following worthless pursuits is spoken of as getting the opposite of plenty of food. The abstract noun "poverty" can be translated as an adjective. Alternate Translation: "will be very poor"
Pro 30:4
Surely you know!
The writer uses irony to show that neither he nor the reader know any person who can do what the "who" in the earlier questions can do. Alternate Translation: "I do not think you really know anyone who can do those things."
Ecc 7:10
it is not because of wisdom that you ask this question
Here the author uses irony to rebuke the person's question. Alternate Translation: "if you were wise you would not ask this question"
Isa 5:19
those who say
This refers to those who continue to sin (verse 18) and then mockingly challenge God to stop them. Alternate Translation: "those mockers who say"
Isa 19:12
Let them tell you and make known what Yahweh of hosts plans concerning Egypt
Isaiah is implying that wise men should be able to understand God's plans, but Isaiah does not really believe they are wise. Alternate Translation: "If they were really wise, they would be able to tell you what Yahweh of hosts plans concerning Egypt"
Isa 29:1
Add year to year; let the festivals come round
Keep celebrating your festival year after year. This is an ironic statement. Yahweh tells the people to keep celebrating their festivals where they sacrifice to him, but he knows it will not prevent him from destroying them.
Isa 36:8
if you are able to find riders for them
The chief commander continues to ridicule Hezekiah and his army by implying that he did not have many soldiers.
Isa 41:21
General Information:
In these verses, Yahweh is mocking the people and their idols. He is challenging the idols to tell what will happen in the future, but he knows they cannot.
Isa 43:9
Let them bring their witnesses to prove themselves right, let them listen and affirm, 'It is true.'
Yahweh challenges the gods whom the nations worship to provide witnesses who will testify that they have been able to do these things, although he knows that they cannot do so. Alternate Translation: "These gods have no witnesses who will prove them right, witnesses who will listen and affirm, 'It is true'"
Isa 43:26
present your cause, that you may be proved innocent
Yahweh challenges the people to offer proof that they are innocent of the charges that he has brought against them, although he knows that they cannot do so. Alternate Translation: "present your case, but you cannot prove yourselves to be innocent"
Isa 47:12
Persist in casting your spells ... perhaps you will scare away disaster
Yahweh mocks Babylon by telling her to continue to practice her sorcery to keep bad things away, but he knows that it will not help her.
Isa 55:1
buy wine and milk without money and without cost
There is a sense of irony in this statement since a person usually has to use money to buy something. This emphasizes Yahweh's amazing grace in giving these things freely.
Isa 57:12
I will proclaim all your righteous acts and tell all that you have done
Yahweh is being sarcastic, calling their evil deeds so-called righteousness.
Isa 57:13
let your collection of idols rescue you
Yahweh is mocking the people and their idols. He tells the idols to save the people though he knows they cannot.
Jer 2:28
Let them arise if they wish to save you in your time of troubles
God implies that false gods should help the people who worship them. He knows that false gods cannot help people. When he said this he was using irony to show that he was angry that his people worshiped false gods. Alternate Translation: "You do not ask them because know you that they cannot save you in your time of troubles"
Jer 2:33
How well you make your way to look for love
God appears to be praising his people for looking for love, but this is irony. He was showing that he was angry with them for being unfaithful to him.
Jer 2:33
You have even taught your ways to wicked women
God speaks of how unfaithful his people are to him as though they were even teaching prostitutes how to be unfaithful to their husbands and find other men to be their lovers.
Jer 7:21
Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and the meat from them
This is an ironic statement emphasizing that none of their sacrifices were acceptable to Yahweh. Alternate Translation: "Go ahead and eat the burnt offerings along with your sacrifices and meat from them"
Jer 8:9
The wise men will be ashamed
This is irony because the wise men are normally honored for their wisdom. Alternate Translation: "Those men who think they are wise will feel ashamed"
Jer 9:3
but it is not because of any faithfulness of theirs that they grow strong on the earth
They do not grow strong on the earth because they are faithful to Yahweh, as they are wicked and "This means that the people are not faithful to Yahweh, but rather are wicked and have gained their power through wickedness"
Jer 13:23
If so, then you yourself, although accustomed to wickedness, would be able to do good
This statement is ironic because the examples about the Cushite and the leopard are impossible situations. This states that if those impossible things could happen then they could do good. Alternate Translation: "Just like these things are impossible, so it is also impossible for you who always do evil to do good"
Jer 25:34
for the days of your slaughter have come
Usually it is the sheep that are slaughtered, but here Yahweh says that he will slaughter the shepherds. The word "slaughter" can be translated with a verbal phrase. Alternate Translation: "for the time has come for me to slaughter you"
Jer 34:17
I am about to proclaim freedom to you ... freedom for the sword, the plague, and famine
Jeremiah uses irony to say that the "freedom" the people will enjoy will actually be suffering. Alternate Translation: "I will proclaim misery to you ... misery from the sword, the plague, and famine"
Jer 44:25
Now fulfill your vows; carry them out
This is an ironic statement. Yahweh does not really want them to fulfill their vow to a false goddess. Yahweh knows they will not listen to him so he tells them to go ahead and do what they want. Alternate Translation: "Very well! If that is what you want to do, then go fulfill your vows and do what you promised to do"
Jer 46:11
Go up to Gilead and obtain medicine
Gilead was a region famous for having people skillful with medicine. Yahweh is mocking the Egyptians by telling them to go get medicine, but he knows it will not help them.
Lam 2:7
They have raised a shout in the house of Yahweh, as on the day of an appointed feast
This is an ironic comparison between the happy, noisy festivals of Israel and the loud shouts of victory of the Babylonians. Alternate Translation: "They have raised a shout in the house of Yahweh, as the Israelites would during an appointed feast"
Ezk 21:10
such rod
This phrase is used to mock the king's scepter by calling it a "rod." Alternate Translation: "such scepter"
Ezk 39:18
they will be rams, lambs, goats, and bulls
Yahweh is speaking with irony. Normally people sacrificed animals to God. Here, God is sacrificing people to animals. Alternate Translation: "as if they were male sheep, lambs, goats, and bulls"
Jol 3:9
General Information:
Yahweh continues the speech he began in [Joel 2:25](../02/24.md), promising good things for the people of Israel. Here he begins an ironic call to the nations to prepare for a war in which Yahweh will completely destroy the nations.
Jol 3:11
Hurry and come ... together there
These words continue the ironic call to battle that begins in [Joel 3:9](./09.md).
Amo 4:4
Go to Bethel and sin, to Gilgal and multiply sin
People would go to Bethel and Gilgal to make sacrifices to God, but they kept sinning anyway. God makes these commands to show that he is angry with them for doing these things. These commands can be expressed as statements. Alternate Translation: "You go to Bethel to worship, but you sin. You go to Gilgal to worship, but you sin even more"
Amo 4:4
bring your sacrifices ... every three days. Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice ... proclaim freewill offerings; announce them
God makes these commands in order to show the people that he is angry that even though they do these things, they continue to sin against him in other ways. These commands can be expressed as statements. Alternate Translation: "You bring your sacrifices ... every three days. You offer a thanksgiving sacrifice ... you proclaim freewill offerings. And you announce them"
Amo 4:5
bring your sacrifices ... every three days. Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice ... proclaim freewill offerings; announce them
God makes these commands in order to show the people that he is angry that even though they do these things, they continue to sin against him in other ways. These commands can be expressed as statements. Alternate Translation: "You bring your sacrifices ... every three days. You offer a thanksgiving sacrifice ... you proclaim freewill offerings. And you announce them"
Amo 6:1
the notable men of the best of the nations
the most important men of this great nation. Yahweh may be using irony to describe how these men think of themselves. Alternate Translation: "the men who think they are the most important people in the best nation"
Mic 2:4
lament with a wailing lamentation
they will cry loudly. They are pretending to mourn, as if those they love have died.
Mic 2:4
We Israelites ... to traitors
This is the song that the enemies will sing to make fun of the Israelites and laugh as the Israelites suffer.
Mic 5:1
the judge of Israel
This irony describes the king as having lost so much of his power and authority that he is really only a judge.
Nam 2:1
Man the city walls, guard the roads, make yourselves strong, assemble your armies
Nahum speaks to the people of Nineveh. He tells them to prepare for battle, although he knows that the enemy will destroy the city.
Nam 3:14
Go draw water for the siege ... pick up the molds for the bricks
Nahum speaks to the people of Nineveh. He tells them to prepare for battle and to repair the walls, although he knows that the enemy will destroy the city.
Hab 1:13
those more righteous than they are
This refers to the Israelites, about whom Habakkuk had been complaining. The reader should understand that these are wicked people, but they are "more righteous than" or not as wicked as the Chaldeans.
Zec 9:2
for they are very wise
Possible meanings are 1) the people are wise for looking at Yahweh for help or 2) Zechariah did not really mean that the people of Hamath were wise and was using irony. Alternate Translation: "though they think they are very wise"
Zec 11:13
the excellent price
Yahweh uses irony to say that this price was very small for a shepherd doing Yahweh's work. Alternate Translation: "the ridiculously small amount of money"