VersePhraseExplanation
Deu 32:1Give ear, you heavens ... Let the earth listenYahweh speaks to the heavens and earth as if they are there listening. Possible meanings are 1) Yahweh is speaking to the inhabitants of heaven and earth or 2) Yahweh is speaking to the heavens and earth as if they are persons.
Jdg 5:3Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you leadersDeborah and Barak speak to the kings and leaders as if they were there listening to the song.
2Sa 1:21Mountains of GilboaDavid speaks directly to the "Mountains of Gilboa" as if they were listening to his song.
2Sa 1:25on your high placesDavid continues to address this part of the song to the mountains of Gilboa as he started in [2 Samuel 1:21](./21.md).
1Ki 13:2Altar, altarThe prophet spoke to the altar as if it were a person who could hear him. He said this twice for emphasis.
Job 16:18Earth, do not cover up my bloodJobs speaks to the "earth" directly even though it cannot hear him, to add strength to his statement. The earth is personified as purposefully covering up his blood after he dies. Alternate Translation: "I wish my blood would not soak into the ground but that it would remain on top of the ground as proof of how I died"
Psa 55:13But it was youThe psalmist speaks as though the person who had rebuked and taunted him were there listening to him.
Psa 68:35God, you are fearsome in your holy placeHere the author speaks directly to God.
Psa 87:3Glorious things are said of you, city of GodThe writer speaks to the city of Jerusalem as if it were listening to him. This can be stated in active form. Alternate Translation: "You people in Jerusalem, other people say wonderful things about your city"
Psa 122:2Jerusalem, our feet are standing within your gates!The writer briefly stops speaking to his audience and speaks directly to the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is spoken to as if it was a person who could hear the writer.
Psa 122:6May those who love you have peace ... peace within your fortressesThis section states the content of the prayer that the writer wants his audience to pray. He asks them to speak directly to the city of Jerusalem, as if the city was a person who could hear them.
Psa 122:7May those who love you have peace ... peace within your fortressesThis section states the content of the prayer that the writer wants his audience to pray. He asks them to speak directly to the city of Jerusalem, as if the city was a person who could hear them.
Psa 122:8General Information:In this section, the writer speaks directly to the city of Jerusalem, as if the city was a person who could hear them.
Psa 135:9into your midst, EgyptThe psalmist speaks as if the people of Egypt were listening to him. Alternate Translation: "among you people of Egypt" or "among the people of Egypt"
Psa 137:8General Information:The psalmist addresses the people of Babylon as if they were there listening to him.
Psa 139:19get away from me, you violent menThe psalmist is only pretending to speak directly to the violent men whom he has in mind. Translators may decide to express this command as a wish.
Ecc 10:16Woe to you, land ... blessed are you, landIn these verse, the writer is speaking to the nation as if it were a person.
Ecc 10:17Woe to you, land ... blessed are you, landIn these verse, the writer is speaking to the nation as if it were a person.
Sng 2:7daughters of Jerusalemyoung women of Jerusalem. These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her.
Sng 2:7by the gazelles and the does of the fieldsAlthough the daughters of Jerusalem could not hear her, the woman speaks to them as if they could hear saying that the gazelles and the does will punish them they break their promise.
Sng 3:5daughters of Jerusalemyoung women of Jerusalem. These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her.
Sng 3:5by the gazelles and the does of the fieldsAlthough the daughters of Jerusalem are not there to hear her, the woman is telling them that the gazelles and the does will punish them they break their promise.
Sng 5:8daughters of Jerusalemyoung women of Jerusalem. These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:7](../02/07.md).
Sng 5:16daughters of Jerusalemyoung women of Jerusalem. These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:7](../02/07.md).
Sng 8:4daughters of Jerusalemyoung women of Jerusalem. These young women could not hear her and were not present, but the woman speaks as if they were present and could hear her. See how you translated this in [Song of Songs 2:7](../02/07.md).
Sng 8:11SolomonSome versions understand the woman to be speaking directly to Solomon. Others understand her to be speaking in an apostrophe to her friends, to the man, or to herself.
Isa 1:2Hear, heavens, and give ear, earthAlthough these prophecies were meant for the people of Jerusalem and Judah to hear, Isaiah knows they will not listen. Possible meanings are 1) he speaks in apostrophe, as though the "heavens" and "earth" would be able to listen to what Yahweh said, or 2) the words "heavens" and "earth" are metonyms and a merism for all living beings everywhere. Alternate Translation: "you who live in the heavens ... you who live on the earth"
Isa 8:9Listen, all you distant countriesIsaiah speaks as if people in other countries can hear him. Alternate Translation: "Listen, all you people in far away places"
Isa 21:2Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, MediaIn the vision given to Isaiah, Yahweh speaks to the armies of Elam and Media as if they are there listening to him.
Isa 23:2Be silent, you inhabitants of the coastIsaiah speaks to the people who live on the coast as if they could hear him.
Isa 44:23Sing, you heavens ... glory in IsraelHere Isaiah speaks various parts of creation as if they were people and commands them to praise Yawheh.
Isa 45:8You heavensYahweh momentarily turns his attention from his people and begins to speak to the heavens.
Isa 49:13Sing, heavens, and be joyful, earth; break into singing, you mountains!Isaiah turns his attention from the people of Israel and speaks to the heavens, earth, and mountains as if they were people.
Isa 54:11Afflicted oneHere Yahweh speaks to the city of Jerusalem as if it were listening to him. Here Jerusalem represents the people who live there. Alternate Translation: "You afflicted people of Jerusalem"
Jer 12:9Go and gather all the wild beasts and bring them to devour herYahweh speaks here in the form of a command to strengthen what he says. This command is not directed to a specific person and may be written as a statement. Alternate Translation: "Let all the wild beasts in the fields come and eat her"
Jer 15:10Woe to me, my motherJeremiah pretends to speak to his mother as a way to emphasize how sad he is.
Jer 22:29Land, Land, LandYahweh speaks his message to all the people of the land by calling out to the land where they live. The title is repeated to call attention to the message.
Jer 31:7Shout ... Shout ... Let praise be heard ... SayYahweh is speaking in an apostrophe to all people of the world, so these verbs are plural.
Jer 31:23May Yahweh bless you, you righteous place where he lives, you holy mountainJerusalem is on the top of a hill, and the temple was built at the highest point in Jerusalem. AT; "May Yahweh bless those who live in Jerusalem with Yahweh, where his temple is"
Jer 49:31Arise! Attack ... themselvesHere Yahweh is speaking to Nebuchadnezzar as if he was there listening to him.
Jer 49:32For their camels will become plunder, and the abundance of their property will become war plunderYahweh is still speaking to Nebuchadnezzar as if he were there listening to him. This can be stated in second person. Alternate Translation: "For your soldiers will take their camels and all of their property"
Jer 51:11General Information:Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Jerusalem as if he were speaking to the people of Babylon and their enemies, who cannot hear him, telling them that Yahweh will destroy Babylon before the Babylonians can prepare to defend themselves.
Jer 51:13General Information:Jeremiah continues to speak to the people of Jerusalem as if he were speaking to the people of Babylon, who cannot hear him.
Jer 51:25General Information:Yahweh speaks to the people of Jerusalem, who could hear him, as if he were speaking to the people of Babylon, who could not hear him. He speaks to the city of Babylon as if he were speaking to the people of Babylon itself. He speaks of the city as if it were a mountain.
Lam 2:18walls of the daughter of Zion! Make your tears flow ... of every streetThe writer speaks to the walls of Jerusalem. He wants the people of Jerusalem to do what he is telling the walls to do. Some translations take this whole section to be spoken to the "walls," though this can be written with the first phrase "walls of the daughter of Zion!" spoken to the "walls," and the rest of the section spoken directly to the people.
Lam 2:19walls of the daughter of Zion! Make your tears flow ... of every streetThe writer speaks to the walls of Jerusalem. He wants the people of Jerusalem to do what he is telling the walls to do. Some translations take this whole section to be spoken to the "walls," though this can be written with the first phrase "walls of the daughter of Zion!" spoken to the "walls," and the rest of the section spoken directly to the people.
Ezk 6:1General Information:Yahweh is telling Ezekiel to speak to the mountains as if they were people so that the people of Israel would hear the words and know that Ezekiel's words were for them.
Ezk 21:16You, sword! Strike to the right! ... Go wherever your face is turned. ForHere Yahweh speaks to those who will attack his people as if they could hear him and as if they were a sword that they would use in the attack. He does this to emphasize that he is in control of what is happening during the attack. The phrase "wherever your face is turned" is an idiom for "wherever you desire to go." Alternate Translation: "I tell those attacking with swords, 'Strike to the right! ... Attack in every direction.' For"
Ezk 21:17You, sword! Strike to the right! ... Go wherever your face is turned. ForHere Yahweh speaks to those who will attack his people as if they could hear him and as if they were a sword that they would use in the attack. He does this to emphasize that he is in control of what is happening during the attack. The phrase "wherever your face is turned" is an idiom for "wherever you desire to go." Alternate Translation: "I tell those attacking with swords, 'Strike to the right! ... Attack in every direction.' For"
Ezk 22:10General Information:God continues to speak through Ezekiel about the terrible things that the people of Jerusalem have done. He speaks to the people of Jerusalem as if they were the city itself, and of the city of Jerusalem as if it were a woman. The word "you" is always feminine singular.
Ezk 22:10Within youIn all instances of this phrase, the writer refers to the people of Jerusalem as if they were the city itself, and of the city of Jerusalem as if it were a woman. Alternate Translation: "within this city" or "among you people of Jerusalem"
Ezk 22:13General Information:Yahweh continues to speak to the people of Jerusalem by speaking directly to the city of Jerusalem as if it were a woman.
Hos 10:8The people will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"People do not normally speak to things that cannot think or hear them. Translators may choose to have a different format for this passage if their languages do not allow such speech. Alternate Translation: "The people will say, 'We wish the mountains would cover us!' and 'We wish the hills would fall on us!'"
Jol 2:21Do not fear, landJoel speaks to the people of the land as if he were speaking to the land itself. Alternate Translation: "Do not be afraid, you people of the land"
Jol 2:22Do not fear, beasts of the fieldJoel speaks to people who own livestock as if he were speaking to the animals themselves. Alternate Translation: "Do not be afraid, you people who own livestock"
Mic 1:2Listen, all you peoples. Listen, earth, and all that is in youThis begins Micah's prophecy. Micah speaks to the people of Samaria as if all the people of the earth and even the earth itself were able to hear him.
Mic 4:8As for you, watchtower for the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion—to you it will come, your former dominionMicah speaks to the people of Jerusalem by speaking to the temple mount as if it could hear him. You may need to make explicit that Micah is giving his message to the people. Alternate Translation: "As for the temple mount, the place from which Yahweh watches over you, his sheep, the place that Jerusalem's people are most proud of—its former dominion will return"
Mic 5:2But you, Bethlehem EphrathahYahweh speaks to the people of Judah, and especially to the people of Bethlehem, as if he were speaking to the town of Bethlehem itself.
Mic 6:1Now listen ... Listen to Yahweh's lawsuitMicah speaks to the people of Israel as if he were speaking to mountains that can hear him, so both instances of "listen" are plural.
Mic 6:2Now listen ... Listen to Yahweh's lawsuitMicah speaks to the people of Israel as if he were speaking to mountains that can hear him, so both instances of "listen" are plural.
Mic 6:16I will make you, city, a ruin, and you inhabitants an object of hissingMicah speaks to the people of the city, who can hear him, as if he were speaking to the city itself, which cannot hear him. You may need to make explicit the words that the ellipsis omits. Alternate Translation: "I will make your city a ruin, and I will make you inhabitants an object of hissing" or "I will make you, city, a ruin, and I will cause everyone who sees you, inhabitants of the city, to hiss at you" or "I will make the city a ruin, and I will make people hiss at the inhabitants"
Nam 2:9Take the silver plunder ... Nineveh's beautiful thingsIt is not clear who is speaking here. This may be an apostrophe in which Nahum gives directions to the attackers, or the attackers may be speaking and giving directions to one another.