1 Corinthians 15:55

_ _ Quoted from Hosea 13:14, substantially; but freely used by the warrant of the Spirit by which Paul wrote. The Hebrew may be translated, “O death, where are thy plagues? Where, O Hades, is thy destruction?” The Septuagint, “Where is thy victory (literally, in a lawsuit), O death? Where is thy sting, O Hades? ... Sting” answers to the Hebrew “plagues,” namely, a poisoned sting causing plagues. Appropriate, as to the old serpent (Genesis 3:14, Genesis 3:15; Numbers 21:6). “Victory” answers to the Hebrew “destruction.” Compare Isaiah 25:7, “destroy ... veil ... over all nations,” namely, victoriously destroy it; and to “in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54), which he triumphantly repeats. The “where” implies their past victorious destroying power and sting, now gone for ever; obtained through Satan’s triumph over man in Eden, which enlisted God’s law on the side of Satan and death against man (Romans 5:12, Romans 5:17, Romans 5:21). The souls in Hades being freed by the resurrection, death’s sting and victory are gone. For “O grave,” the oldest manuscripts and versions read, “O death,” the second time.