Kiat Bagus Yang

Raja yang mengizinkan orang Israel kembali ke Yerusalem adalah

Spirituality

Salah satu dari tiga nabi pasca pembuangan di Babel, ialah Hagai. Hagai adalah seorang nabi yang hidup sekitar tahun 520 SM, dan melayani di Yehuda. Namanya memiliki arti meriah, atau bersuasana pesta.

Hagai adalah salah satu dari dua belas nabi kecil dalam Alkitab sekaligus penulis dari Kitab Hagai. Nama Hagai disebut pertama kali dalam Ezra 5:1. Alkitab menuliskan nama Hagai sebanyak sebelas kali. Semuanya bisa kita temukan dalam Kitab Ezra dan Kitan Hagai.

Fakta terpenting dari seorang Nabi Hagai ialah bahwa dia memimpin umat Israel menyelesaikan Bait Suci yang kedua setelah mereka kembali dari pembuangan.

Hagai adalah nabi pertama dari tiga nabi pembuangan Babel. Setelah Hagai, muncul Nabi Zakharia yang hidup sezaman dengannya. Selanjutnya, Maleakhi yang hidup 100 tahun kemudian.

Hagai memulai bernubuat sekitar enam belas tahun setelah kembalinya orang-orang Yahudi ke Yehuda sekitar tahun 520 SM. Kuat dugaan bahwa ia adalah salah satu tawanan yang dibawa ke Babel oleh Nebukadnezar. Hagai dikenal sebagai nabi yang sangat keras dalam menyerukan orang-orang Yahudi untuk membangun kembali Bait Suci.

Latar Belakang

Diaspora Yahudi, atau penyebaran besar orang-orang Yahudi terjadi selama periode yang dikenal sebagai Pengasingan Babilonia pada tahun 539 SM, ketika invasi Raja Nebukadnezar dari Babel ke Yehuda.

Periode pembuangan ke Babel menandai titik penting dalam sejarah orang-orang Yahudi. Periode ini berfungsi sebagai titik pembagian antara era sebelum dan sesudah pembuangan.

Hagai dikenal sebagai nabi pasca-pembuangan. Hagai menulis kitabnya setelah bangsa Israel kembali ke Yerusalem dan Yehuda.

Hagai muncul sebagai nabi menjelang orang-orang Israel pulang dari pembuangan. Raja Koresy dari Kekaisaran Persia yang telah mengalahkan Bangsa Babel, mengeluarkan maklumat untuk mengizinkan orang Yahudi kembali ke Israel. Raja Koresy juga mengijinkan mereka untuk membangun kembali Yerusalem dan Bait Suci.

Hal tersebut sesuai dengan nubuatan Yesaya dan Yeremia (Yes 45:1-3; Yer 25:11-12; Yer 29:10-14).

Rombongan Orang Yahudi pertama yang tiba di Yerusalem sebagai orang-orang yang meletakkan dasar Bait Suci baru pada tahun 536 SM. (Ezr 3:8-10).

Namun, orang Samaria dan sejumlah bangsa tetangga lain menentang rencana pembangunan Bait Allah itu. Mereka melakukan provokasi dan intimadasi pada orang-orang Yahudi. Tindakan tersebut berhasil mematahkan semangat dan membuat lesu kerohanian bangsa Yahudi. Akibatnya pembangunan Bait Suci terhenti pada tahun 534 SM.

Selama Empat belas tahun lamanya pembangunan Bait Suci terbengkalai. Orang Yahudi mulai kehilangan semangat dan mereka jadi lebih mementingkan untuk membangun rumah mereka masing-masing daripada membangun Bait Suci terlebih dahulu.

Mereka beralasan bahwa ‘belum waktunya’ (Hagai 1:2). Dalam situasi seperti itu, tampilah Hagai pada tahun 520 SM. Ia didampingi seorang yang lebih muda, yaitu nabi Zakharia. Mereka mengobarkan kembali semangat bangsa Yahudi untuk meneruskan pembangunan Bait Suci kembali.

Pada saat itu, Raja Darius, Penguasa Persia juga membawahi Yerusalem. Penguasa lokal Yerusalem adalah bupati bernama Zerubabel bin Sealtiel dan Yosua bin Yozadak sebagai imam besarnya. Hagai mendorong kedua tokoh berpengaruh itu, untuk melanjutkan pembangunan rumah Allah.

Nubuatan dan Pembangunan Bait Suci kedua

Hagai menubuatkan bahwa Bait Suci yang baru melebihi kemegahan Bait Suci sebelumnya. Ia juga menyampaikan bahwa, jika Bait Suci tidak dibangun, akan ada kemiskinan, kelaparan dan kekeringan yang mempengaruhi bangsa Yahudi.

Meski pembangunan Bait Suci telah terhenti selama 14 tahun, Hagai tidak kenal lelah untuk membangkitkan kembali semangat Bangsa Yahudi.

Hagai mengingatkan bahwa bangsa Israel harus mengmbil kesempatan dari perubahan kebijakan yang longgar dari pemerintah kekaisaran Persia di bawah raja Darius itu. Hagai menyerukan bahwa ini adalah waktunya memulihkan Kerajaan Daud. Dia percaya bahwa Kerajaan Daud dapat bangkit dan berjaya lagi. Bangsa Yahudi bisa kembali mengurus diri sendiri tanpa campur tangan bangsa lain.

Pesan Hagai tersebut terutama ditujukan kepada Zerubabel dan para bangsawan. Hagai juga melihat ini sebagai momentum penting Yehuda untuk mengakhiri penyembahan berhala. Empat tahun kemudian Bait Suci itu selesai dibangun dan ditahbiskan (Ezr 4:1-6:22).

Baca juga: #FaktaAlkitab: Zefanya, Nabi yang Menubuatkan Kedatangan Tuhan yang Kedua Kali

Nabi yang memiliki hubungan yang baik dengan Pemerintah

Hagai dikenal memiliki kedekatan dengan pemerintah yaitu Bupati Zerubabel, dan Imam Besar Yosua. Hagai bisa menjadi akrab dengan kedua pemimpin itu karena mereka adalah pemimpin yang baik. Ini tercermin dalam Kitab Hagai, Tuhan menyebut Zerubabel sebagai "hamba-Ku", sebuah sebutan yang juga ditujukan oleh Tuhan pada Raja Daud.

Tuhan juga menyebut Zerubabel sebagai "cincin meterai," seperti kepada Raja Yoyakhin (Hagai 2:23; Yer 22:24). Dengan demikian, Hagai secara tersirat mengatakan bahwa Zerubabel akan memimpin kerajaan Daud yang dipulihkan.

Penulis Kitab Hagai

Tema keseluruhan dari Kitab Hagai adalah Membangun Kembali Bait Suci. Hagai menulis kitab ini saat umurnya berkisar 70 sampai 80 tahun, pada tahun kedua pemerintahan Raja Darius dari Persia tahun 520 SM (Hagai 1:1).

Apa yang disampaikan Hagai dalam kitabnya merupakan firman nubuat pertama yang terdengar di Yehuda sesudah pembuangan di Babel. Kitab Hagai adalah kitab terpendek kedua dalam Perjanjian Lama setelah kitab Obaja, karena kitab ini hanya berisi 38 ayat. Frase "beginilah firman Tuhan semesta alam" (dan variasinya) terjadi 29 kali. Hal ini menggarisbawahi pentingnya pesan dalam kitab itu bagi kaum sisa Israel yang kembali ke Yerusalem

Kitab ini menubuatkan tentang kedatangan Tuhan di masa depan. Bagaimana menjelang atau pada saat akhir jaman akan terjadi penggoncangan langit dan bumi (Hag 2:7-10).

Sebuah keadaan yang juga disebutkan oleh penulis surat Ibrani (Ibr 12:26-28). Penyebutan Zerubabel akan menjadi seperti "cincin meterai" dikaitkan dengan posisinya dalam silsilah Yesus Kristus (Mat 1:12-13; Luk 3:27).

Zerubabel menjadi pusat yang mempersatukan kedua garis keturunan Mesias: dari Salomo (putra Daud) sampai Zerubabel sampai Yusuf, dan dari Natan, (putra Daud) sampai Zerubabel sampai Maria.

Hari peringatan Nabi Hagai

Gereja Ortodoks Timur masih menghormati Hagai dengan mengadakan perayaan khusus untuknya, perayaan itu jatuh pada setiap 29 Desember

Itulah Fakta Alkitab tentang Nabi Hagai. Apakag JCers merasa diberkati? Ayo bagikan ke teman-temanmu juga supaya mereka tahu fakta tentang Nabi Hagai.

Kalau JCers punya pertanyaan seputar Alkitab, tulis aja di kolom komentar!

Fakta Alkitab lainnya dan video inspiratif lainnya bisa kamu temukan langsung di YouTube Jawaban. KLIK DISINI.

Sumber : jawaban.com 1

nabi kisah para nabi nabi hagai alkitab fakta alkitab nabi perjanjian lama

[36:22] 1 Full Life : TUHAN MENGGERAKKAN HATI KORESY.

Nas : 2Taw 36:22-23

Penulis mengakhiri kitab ini dengan menekankan bahwa, kendatipun dosa dan kemurtadan Yehuda, Allah masih bekerja untuk menggenapi janji-janji-Nya kepada kaum sisa umat-Nya yang masih setia. Allah akan menggerakkan para pemimpin perkasa dunia ini untuk melaksanakan maksud-Nya dan menggenapi firman-Nya (bd. Ezr 1:1-3; Yer 25:11-14; 27:22; 29:10; Yer 33:7-10).

[1:1] 2 Full Life : TUHAN MENGGERAKKAN HATI KORESY.

Nas : Ezr 1:1

Tuhan Allah mengarahkan aliran penebusan sepanjang sejarah menuju sasarannya. Ketika melakukan hal itu, kadang-kadang Ia memutuskan untuk merendahkan penguasa yang berkuasa (mis. Nebukadnezar, pasal Dan 4:1-37), menjatuhkan hukuman atas para penguasa (mis. Firaun pada keluaran, pasal Kel 14:1-31; Belsyazar di Babel, pasal Dan 5:1-31), atau mengangkat seorang pemimpin internasional (mis. Raja Koresy dari Persia, ayat Ezr 1:2) supaya menggenapi firman-Nya dan mengerjakan maksud-maksud-Nya. Dengan menggerakkan hati Koresy untuk berbuat baik kepada umat yang terkalahkan dan terbuang itu, Allah memungkinkan janji-Nya melalui Yeremia digenapi pada waktunya. Amsal mengatakan bahwa hati seorang raja bagai batang air di tangan Tuhan untuk diarahkan ke mana saja dikehendaki oleh-Nya untuk memastikan kelancaran aliran penebusan dan akhir sejarah (Ams 21:1).

[1:1] 3 Full Life : MENGGENAPKAN FIRMAN YANG DIUCAPKAN OLEH YEREMIA.

Nas : Ezr 1:1

Yeremia sudah menubuatkan bahwa orang-orang Yahudi akan ditahan di Babel selama 70 tahun sebelum kembali ke Yehuda (Yer 25:11-12; 29:10). Masa pembuangan 70 tahun dapat dihitung dari pembuangan tahap pertama tahun 605 SM, tahun ketiga pemerintahan Yoyakim (2Raj 24:1; Dan 1:1) hingga 583 SM (sekitar 70 tahun kemudian) ketika umat itu mulai kembali ke negeri mereka

(lihat cat. --> Ezr 2:1).

[atau ref. Ezr 2:1]

[1:2] 4 Full Life : KORESY, RAJA PERSIA.

Nas : Ezr 1:2

Sekitar 160 tahun sebelum Koresy muncul, Yesaya sudah bernubuat tentang seorang raja bernama Koresy yang akan mengizinkan orang Yahudi kembali ke tanah air mereka untuk membangun kembali Yerusalem dan bait suci (Yes 44:26-28; 45:1,13; juga lih. Yes 41:2; 45:4-5).

[1:5] 5 Full Life : YANG HATINYA DIGERAKKAN ALLAH.

Nas : Ezr 1:5

Melalui Roh Kudus, Allah menggerakkan hati sebagian umat-Nya yang setia untuk kembali ke negeri mereka (bd.

lihat cat. --> Fili 2:13).

[atau ref. Fili 2:13]

Sekitar 50.000 orang menanggapi panggilan Allah untuk ikut serta dalam rombongan peziarah pertama menuju Palestina. Perhatikan bahwa yang lain tinggal dalam pembuangan (ayat Ezr 1:4,6); maksud mereka ialah memberi semangat dan mendukung mereka yang kembali ke Yehuda.

[1:8] 6 Full Life : SESBAZAR.

Nas : Ezr 1:8

Sesbazar, gubernur pertama yang ditugaskan atas orang buangan yang kembali itu (bd. Ezr 5:14,16), mungkin adalah nama lain untuk Zerubabel (bd. Ezr 2:2; 3:2,8; 4:3).

[2:1] 7 Full Life : BERANGKAT PULANG DARI PEMBUANGAN.

Nas : Ezr 2:1

Kitab Ezra menguraikan dua dari tiga gelombang orang buangan Israel yang kembali ke Yehuda.

1) Rombongan pertama kembali pada tahun 538 SM di bawah pimpinan Zerubabel (ayat Ezr 2:2; 3:8; bd. Hag 1:1,14; Za 4:9). Sekitar 50.000 orang kembali (ayat Ezr 2:64-65) dan membangun kembali Bait Suci, yang selesai pada tahun 516 SM
(lihat cat. --> Ezr 6:15).

[atau ref. Ezr 6:15]
Nabi Hagai dan Zakharia melayani di sana selama masa ini (Ezr 5:1-2).
2) Rombongan kedua kembali pada tahun 457 SM di bawah pimpinan Ezra (pasal Ezr 7:1-10:44). Sebagai pemimpin, Ezra memusatkan perhatian pada pengembangan kehidupan rohani umat itu dan mendorong mereka untuk menaati hukum Allah (Ezr 7:10; 10:1-6).
3) Rombongan ketiga kembali pada tahun 444 SM di bawah pimpinan Nehemia yang pergi ke Yerusalem untuk membangun kembali tembok Yerusalem (Neh 2:17). Nabi Maleakhi mungkin melayani di Yehuda selama tahun-tahun terakhir Ezra dan Nehemia.

[2:64] 8 Full Life : ADA 42.360 ORANG.

Nas : Ezr 2:64

Seluruh jumlah yang diberikan dalam ayat Ezr 2:3-63 kurang sekitar 11.000 orang dari jumlah 42.360 orang yang disebutkan di sini: jumlah tambahan 11.000 itu mungkin menunjuk orang buangan yang bukan dari suku Yehuda (bd. ayat Ezr 2:70; 6:17; 8:35), wanita, dan anak-anak serta sejumlah imam yang tidak tercatat (ayat Ezr 2:61-62). Beberapa perbedaan jumlah dalam daftar Nehemia (Ezr 7:6-73) mungkin disebabkan oleh kesalahan jurutulis ketika menyalin angka-angka.

[2:70] 9 Full Life : SEMUA ORANG ISRAEL YANG LAIN.

Nas : Ezr 2:70

Frasa ini memberi kesan bahwa orang dari ke-12 suku diwakili dalam kaum sisa yang kembali (lih. Ezr 6:17; 8:35).

[40:1] 10 Full Life : HIBURKANLAH.

Nas : Yes 40:1-66:24

Pasal-pasal ini ditulis selama tahun-tahun akhir hidup Yesaya. Allah menyatakan nubuat-nubuat ini supaya memberikan pengharapan dan penghiburan kepada umat-Nya selama mereka tertawan di Babel 150 tahun sesudah zaman Yesaya (lih. Yes 39:5-8); pasal-pasal ini penuh dengan penyataan nubuat mengenai Mesias yang akan datang dan kerajaan-Nya di bumi kelak. Beberapa peristiwa yang dinubuatkan digenapi berhubungan dengan tertawannya Yehuda oleh Babel dan pemulihannya. Banyak nubuat lain lebih khusus berhubungan dengan datangnya Yesus Kristus ke bumi, dan yang lain lagi masih menunggu penggenapan. Secara umum, pasal Yes 40:1-48:22 menekankan pelepasan, pasal Yes 49:1-57:21 penebusan, dan Yes 58:1-66:24 kemuliaan.

[40:1] 11 Full Life : HIBURKANLAH UMAT-KU.

Nas : Yes 40:1

Yesaya menghibur umat Allah dengan bernubuat kepada angkatan mendatang tentang kabar baik bahwa masa hukuman Allah hampir usai dan keselamatan dan berkat akan tiba. Jikalau saudara sedang mengalami kesulitan besar dalam hidup saudara dan mengetahui bahwa Kristus adalah Juruselamatmu, saudara dapat berdoa kepada Allah untuk membebaskan saudara dari kesulitan itu atau untuk menyertai dan menolongmu di tengah-tengah kesulitan tersebut. Menghibur kita adalah tugas Allah tritunggal; Allah Bapa disebut "Allah sumber segala penghiburan" (2Kor 1:3), "menghibur semua orang berkabung" adalah ciri khas pelayanan Anak Allah (Yes 61:2) dan Roh Kudus disebut "penghibur" (Yoh 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7), Dia yang mendampingi kita untuk memberikan penghiburan dan pertolongan.

[40:3] 12 Full Life : ADA SUARA YANG BERSERU-SERU.

Nas : Yes 40:3-8

Ayat-ayat ini seperti halnya banyak nubuat di dalam Yesaya, mempunyai beberapa tahap penerapan:

(1) kepada pemulihan orang Yahudi dari pembuangan,
(2) kepada kedatangan Mesias dan keselamatan-Nya, dan
(3) kepada penyempurnaan penebusan di langit baru dan bumi baru. PB melihat penggenapan ayat Yes 40:3 di dalam Yohanes Pembaptis -- pendahulu Mesias (Mat 3:1-4; Mr 1:1-4; Luk 1:76-78; Yoh 1:23). Yohanes menjelaskan bahwa cara untuk mempersiapkan diri bagi kedatangan Tuhan adalah melalui pertobatan (Mat 3:1-8).

[40:5] 13 Full Life : KEMULIAAN TUHAN AKAN DINYATAKAN.

Nas : Yes 40:5

Israel akan menyaksikan kemuliaan Allah ketika Ia melepaskan mereka dari pembuangan di Babel. Tetapi Allah akan menyatakan kemuliaan dan kuasa-Nya dengan cara yang lebih hebat di dalam diri Yesus Kristus (Yoh 1:14; 11:4,40; Ibr 1:3) dan ketika Kristus datang kembali dari sorga (Mat 16:27; 24:30; Wahy 1:7).

[40:8] 14 Full Life : FIRMAN ALLAH KITA TETAP UNTUK SELAMA-LAMANYA.

Nas : Yes 40:8

Semua hidup ciptaan adalah rapuh dan lemah sehingga pada kesudahannya akan berakhir (bd. Yes 37:27; Mazm 90:5; 103:15), tetapi firman Allah tetap untuk selama-lamanya. Janji-janji Allah akan digenapi; kebenaran penebusan-Nya tidak dapat dibatalkan atau diubah

(lihat art. PENGILHAMAN DAN KEKUASAAN ALKITAB),

[40:10] 15 Full Life : DATANG DENGAN KEKUATAN.

Nas : Yes 40:10

Keselamatan, berkat, dan penghiburan semua dikaitkan dengan kedatangan Tuhan kepada umat-Nya yang setia. Dia datang dengan kuasa dan kekuasaan bagaikan pemimpin yang perkasa, namun kehadiran-Nya adalah bagaikan gembala penuh perhatian yang menggembalakan domba-dombanya (ayat Yes 40:11; bd. Kej 49:24; Yeh 34:23; 37:24; Yoh 10:11,14; Ibr 13:20; 1Pet 5:4). Kebenaran ini seharusnya memenuhi umat Allah dengan iman, pengharapan, dan kerinduan dalam doa untuk kehadiran-Nya dan kunjungan khusus sambil menantikan hari kedatangan-Nya dan penebusan terakhir (1Tes 4:14-18).

[40:11] 16 Full Life : MENGHIMPUNKANNYA DENGAN TANGAN-NYA; ANAK-ANAK DOMBA.

Nas : Yes 40:11

Allah dilukiskan sebagai seorang gembala yang mengangkat seekor anak domba supaya melindungi dan membawanya dekat di hatinya (bd. Mat 6:24-34). Walaupun Allah mahakuasa (ayat Yes 40:10) dan bangsa-bangsa dianggap-Nya seperti debu (ayat Yes 40:15), Dia masih memperhatikan setiap domba-Nya secara pribadi. Jangan sekali-kali kita berpikir bahwa Allah demikian agung sehingga mengabaikan keperluan dan persoalan pribadi seorang percaya.

[40:12] 17 Full Life : SIAPA YANG MENAKAR.

Nas : Yes 40:12-31

Ayat-ayat ini menekankan hikmat, kebesaran, keagungan, dan kuasa kreatif Allah

(lihat art. SIFAT-SIFAT KHAS ALLAH).

Kebenaran-kebenaran yang terungkap di sini mengilhami umat-Nya untuk percaya Dia, yang dapat melepaskan mereka dan menetapkan kerajaan-Nya untuk selama-lamanya.

[40:26] 18 Full Life : SIAPA YANG MENCIPTAKAN SEMUA ... ITU?

Nas : Yes 40:26

Lihat art. PENCIPTAAN.

[40:31] 19 Full Life : YANG MENANTI-NANTIKAN TUHAN MENDAPAT KEKUATAN BARU.

Nas : Yes 40:31

Berharap kepada Tuhan ialah mempercayakan sepenuhnya kehidupan kita kepada-Nya; hal itu meliputi juga memandang Dia sebagai sumber pertolongan dan kasih karunia ketika diperlukan (bd. Mazm 25:3-5; 27:14; Luk 2:25,36-38). Orang yang berharap kepada Tuhan dijanjikan:

(1) kekuatan Allah untuk menyegarkan mereka di tengah-tengah kelelahan dan kelemahan, penderitaan dan pencobaan;
(2) kemampuan untuk mengatasi persoalan-persoalan mereka bagaikan rajawali yang terbang naik ke langit; dan
(3) kesanggupan untuk berlari secara rohani tanpa merasa lelah dan terus berjalan maju tanpa merasa letih bila Allah menangguhkan pertolongan-Nya. Allah berjanji bahwa jikalau umat-Nya dengan sabar mengandalkan Dia, maka Dia akan memberikan apa pun yang mereka perlukan untuk menopang mereka senantiasa (1Pet 1:5).

[41:1] 20 Full Life : TAMPIL BERSAMA-SAMA UNTUK BERPERKARA.

Nas : Yes 41:1

Di dalam pasal ini bangsa-bangsa ditantang untuk mempertunjukkan bahwa mereka memiliki kekuatan, hikmat, dan prapengetahuan yang sama dengan Allah Israel.

[41:2] 21 Full Life : DIA DARI TIMUR.

Nas : Yes 41:2

Lebih dari 150 tahun sebelum kelahiran Koresy, Yesaya sudah bernubuat bahwa Allah akan membangkitkan seorang untuk melaksanakan kehendak-Nya dengan mengalahkan bangsa-bangsa dan melindungi Israel; orang itu adalah Koresy, raja Persia (559-530 SM; lih. Yes 44:28; 45:1), yang membebaskan orang Yahudi dari pembuangan di Babel. Ia dipanggil di dalam kebenaran, bukan karena dia sendiri benar, tetapi karena dia akan melaksanakan rencana penebusan Allah yang benar di bumi ini.

[41:6] 22 Full Life : SEORANG MENOLONG YANG LAIN.

Nas : Yes 41:6

Persekutuan di antara bangsa-bangsa tidak akan menghentikan kemajuan tentara Koresy selaku alat maksud Allah.

[41:8] 23 Full Life : YAKUB, YANG TELAH KUPILIH.

Nas : Yes 41:8

Israel tidak perlu takut akan kebinasaan karena Allah telah memilih mereka sebagai saluran untuk melaksanakan janji penebusan yang diadakan-Nya dengan leluhur mereka. Melalui bangsa Israel akan datang baik Mesias maupun penyataan Allah yang tertulis, yang olehnya keselamatan akan datang kepada semua bangsa di bumi

(lihat art. PERJANJIAN ALLAH DENGAN ABRAHAM, ...).

[41:10] 24 Full Life : AKU MENYERTAI ENGKAU.

Nas : Yes 41:10-11

Orang percaya PB juga menjadi hamba-hamba pilihan Allah (Ef 1:3-12; 1Pet 2:9). Karena itu kita dapat menuntut janji-janji dari ayat-ayat ini untuk diri kita. Kita tidak perlu takut sesama manusia, karena Allah menyertai kita (bd. Yes 40:9; 43:2,5; Kej 15:1; Kis 18:9-10):

(1) untuk memberikan kasih karunia dan kekuatan yang diperlukan untuk menghadapi semua situasi kehidupan ini;
(2) untuk menolong kita melewati masa-masa krisis sebagai sumber kesejahteraan kita; dan
(3) untuk menopang kita dan membela kita.

[41:21] 25 Full Life : AJUKANLAH PERKARAMU.

Nas : Yes 41:21-24

Allah menantang bangsa-bangsa untuk meramalkan masa depan dengan bantuan dewa-dewa mereka secermat yang dilakukan Yesaya dengan Roh Tuhan.

[41:25] 26 Full Life : SEORANG DARI UTARA.

Nas : Yes 41:25

Frasa ini menggambarkan Koresy

(lihat cat. --> Yes 41:2).

[atau ref. Yes 41:2]

Biasanya penyerbuan ke Israel datang dari arah utara (bd. Yer 1:14; Yer 6:22; Yer 25:9; 46:20; 47:2; 50:3). Sekalipun Koresy bukan pengikut Tuhan, ia memakai nama Tuhan dalam perintahnya untuk membiarkan orang Israel kembali ke tanah perjanjian (Ezr 1:2).

[42:1] 27 Full Life : ITU HAMBA-KU.

Nas : Yes 42:1-7

Sebagian dari ayat-ayat ini dikutip dalam PB (lih. Mat 12:18-21); jelas bahwa hamba yang dibicarakan sang nabi ialah Yesus Kristus, Mesias itu.

[42:1] 28 Full Life : AKU TELAH MENARUH ROH-KU KE ATAS-NYA.

Nas : Yes 42:1

Mesias akan diurapi oleh Roh Kudus supaya melaksanakan tugas penebusan-Nya (bd. Yes 61:1;

lihat art. YESUS DAN ROH KUDUS).

Para pengikut-Nya, yang akan melanjutkan apa yang telah dimulai oleh Yesus, juga memerlukan pencurahan Roh Kudus atas diri mereka (Kis 1:8; 2:4). Hanya Roh yang dapat memungkinkan orang percaya melayani dengan hikmat, penyataan, dan kuasa yang diperlukan.

[42:1] 29 Full Life : MENYATAKAN HUKUM KEPADA BANGSA-BANGSA.

Nas : Yes 42:1

Dengan kuasa Roh Kudus, Mesias akan membawa norma-norma keadilan kudus dan prinsip-prinsip kebenaran ilahi kepada semua bangsa; dengan demikian sifat pekerjaan-Nya adalah misioner. Dewasa ini tugas yang sama adalah tanggung jawab orang-orang yang membawa nama Kristus. Ia membaptis para pengikut-Nya dengan Roh Kudus supaya mereka dapat melaksanakan tugas ini

(lihat cat. --> Kis 1:8).

[atau ref. Kis 1:8]

[42:6] 30 Full Life : TERANG UNTUK BANGSA-BANGSA.

Nas : Yes 42:6

Misi Mesias mencakup pengantaran perjanjian keselamatan kepada orang bukan Yahudi dan orang Yahudi. Perjanjian yang baru akan ditetapkan oleh kematian-Nya (Yer 31:31-34; Ibr 8:6-13; 9:15;

lihat art. PERJANJIAN LAMA DAN PERJANJIAN BARU).

[42:7] 31 Full Life : MEMBUKA MATA YANG BUTA.

Nas : Yes 42:7

Dengan kematian-Nya dan kuasa Roh Kudus, Mesias akan membebaskan semua orang percaya dari kegelapan dosa dan kesalahan

(lihat cat. --> Rom 5:12)

[atau ref. Rom 5:12]

serta melepaskan mereka dari kuasa Iblis (bd. 1Yoh 3:8).

[42:10] 32 Full Life : NYANYIAN BARU BAGI TUHAN.

Nas : Yes 42:10-17

Yesaya bernubuat tentang suatu masa ketika orang bukan Yahudi dan Israel yang setia akan menyanyikan pujian kepada Tuhan mereka dari ujung-ujung bumi karena penebusan dan kemenangan mulia yang mereka alami melalui Dia.

[42:18] 33 Full Life : ORANG-ORANG TULI ... ORANG-ORANG BUTA.

Nas : Yes 42:18-25

Karena kebutaan dan ketulian rohani umat Allah, mereka dijarahi dan dirampok oleh musuh-musuh mereka; tidak ada seorang pun yang melepaskan dan memulihkan mereka.

[43:1] 34 Full Life : TETAPI SEKARANG.

Nas : Yes 43:1-28

Pasal ini membahas kelepasan Israel dari pembuangan di Babel karena kasih Allah akan umat-Nya.

[43:1] 35 Full Life : BEGINILAH FIRMAN TUHAN.

Nas : Yes 43:1-7

Di bagian ini, Allah mengungkapkan kasih-Nya untuk Israel dan keuntungan-keuntungannya. Semua berkat yang terdaftar di sini lebih banyak berhubungan dengan orang yang menjadi anak Allah melalui iman kepada Yesus Kristus. Allah telah menciptakan dan menebus kita; kita adalah milik-Nya, dan Ia mengenal nama masing-masing kita (ayat Yes 43:1). Apabila kita mengalami kesulitan dan kesengsaraan, kita tidak akan hancur karena Dia ada bersama dengan kita (ayat Yes 43:2,5). Kita ini berharga dan mulia di pandangan-Nya, sasaran kasih-Nya yang besar (ayat Yes 43:4).

[43:8] 36 Full Life : BUTA SEKALIPUN.

Nas : Yes 43:8-13

Walaupun Israel secara rohani masih buta, Allah memiliki masa depan bagi mereka dalam rencana penebusan-Nya; mereka masih tetap menjadi saksi dan hamba-Nya (ayat Yes 43:10;

lihat art. ISRAEL DALAM RENCANA KESELAMATAN ALLAH).

[43:14] 37 Full Life : BABEL.

Nas : Yes 43:14-21

Allah akan menghukum Babel dan melepaskan umat-Nya. Mereka akan menerima "sesuatu yang baru" (ayat Yes 43:19), yaitu masa baru dengan pengampunan, berkat, pemulihan, dan kehadiran Allah; untuk ini mereka akan memuji Allah mereka (ayat Yes 43:21).

[43:22] 38 Full Life : SUNGGUH ENGKAU TIDAK MEMANGGIL AKU.

Nas : Yes 43:22-28

Pada saat Yesaya menulis, Yehuda belum berseru kepada Allah memohon pengampunan dan pertolongan; mereka terus saja bergelimang di dalam dosa-dosa mereka (ayat Yes 43:24). Jikalau mereka tidak bertobat, mereka akan diserahkan kepada kebinasaan dan nistaan (ayat Yes 43:28).

[44:3] 39 Full Life : AKU AKAN MENCURAHKAN ROH-KU KE ATAS KETURUNANMU.

Nas : Yes 44:3

Sekalipun sebagian besar Israel merupakan bangsa yang murtad pada zaman Yesaya, ia bernubuat bahwa akan tiba waktunya ketika Roh Kudus akan dicurahkan atas angkatan yang akan datang (bd. Yes 32:15; Yer 31:33-34; Yeh 36:26-27; 39:29; Za 12:10-13:1). Sebagian nubuat ini digenapi pada hari Pentakosta (bd. Yoel 2:25-29; Kis 2:17-18;

lihat cat. --> Kis 1:8 dan

lihat cat. --> Kis 2:4)

[atau ref. Kis 1:8; Kis 2:4]

dan menantikan penggenapan penuh bagi Israel setelah mereka menerima Kristus sebagai Mesias

(lihat cat. --> Rom 11:25;

lihat cat. --> Rom 11:26).

[atau ref. Rom 11:25-26]

Pencurahan Roh Allah atas umat-Nya dikaitkan dengan pemulihan, berkat, dan keproduktifan (ayat Yes 44:3-4).

[44:5] 40 Full Life : AKU KEPUNYAAN TUHAN.

Nas : Yes 44:5

Hasil penting dari pencurahan Roh Kudus atas kita adalah kesaksian kita bahwa kita ini milik Tuhan dan bahwa Dia itu Bapa sorgawi kita. Roh menciptakan di dalam diri kita keyakinan bahwa kita adalah milik Allah dan bahwa kita mempunyai segala hak dan wewenang selaku anak-Nya

(lihat cat. --> Rom 8:16;

lihat cat. --> Gal 4:6).

[atau ref. Rom 8:16; Gal 4:6]

[44:6] 41 Full Life : BEGINILAH FIRMAN TUHAN.

Nas : Yes 44:6-20

Allah menyingkapkan kebodohan membuat berhala dari bahan atau logam dan kemudian berdoa kepada benda itu minta tolong (ayat Yes 44:12,17); bahkan dewasa ini orang membuat berbagai patung dan berhala serta tunduk kepadanya di dalam doa dan penyembahan, sambil berharap bahwa roh yang dilambangkan patung itu akan menolong dan membebaskan mereka (ayat Yes 44:17).

[44:24] 42 Full Life : YANG MENJADIKAN SEGALA SESUATU.

Nas : Yes 44:24

Lihat art. PENCIPTAAN.

[44:28] 43 Full Life : KORESY ... BAIT SUCI.

Nas : Yes 44:28

Yesaya menyebut Koresy dengan nama sebagai tokoh yang akan memulai kelepasan orang Yahudi dari penawanan (ayat Yes 44:28). Nubuat ini disampaikan 150 tahun sebelum penggenapannya; pada tahun 538 SM, Koresy mengeluarkan ketetapan yang mengizinkan orang Yahudi kembali ke Yerusalem dan membangun kembali kota dan bait suci mereka (Ezr 1:1-2). Allah mengatur peristiwa kelahiran dan kehidupan Koresy demikian rupa sehingga rencana dan maksud Allah sendiri tergenapi dengan tepat menurut perjanjian-Nya

(lihat cat. --> Yes 41:2).

[atau ref. Yes 41:2]

[45:1] 44 Full Life : KUURAPI ... KORESY.

Nas : Yes 45:1

Sekalipun bukan seorang penyembah Allah (ayat Yes 45:4-5), Koresy disebut "yang diurapi", gelar sama yang kemudian diberikan Allah kepada Anak-Nya (Mesias, atau Kristus). Koresy (550-530 SM) diurapi dalam arti bahwa ia dipakai Allah untuk melaksanakan tugas penting membebaskan Israel dari perhambaan supaya Allah dapat menyelesaikan rencana-Nya memakai Israel untuk mengadakan keselamatan bagi umat manusia. Koresy mendirikan kerajaan Persia yang bertahan selama dua abad. Ia merebut Babel pada tahun 539 SM dan kemudian membiarkan orang Yahudi kembali ke negeri mereka (lih. pasal Ezr 1:11).

[45:14] 45 Full Life : HANYA DI TENGAH-TENGAHMU ADA ALLAH.

Nas : Yes 45:14-17

Harinya akan tiba ketika semua bangsa akan mengakui bahwa Allah Israel adalah satu-satunya Allah dan Israel tidak akan dipermalukan lagi

(lihat cat. --> Wahy 20:4).

[atau ref. Wahy 20:4]

[45:22] 46 Full Life : BIARKANLAH DIRIMU DISELAMATKAN, HAI UJUNG-UJUNG BUMI!

Nas : Yes 45:22

Allah mengundang semua orang di bumi untuk bertobat dan berbalik kepada-Nya untuk menerima keselamatan. Injil Kristus berisi undangan yang sama, dan Allah telah memerintahkan gereja-Nya untuk membawa kabar baik ini ke seluruh dunia (Mat 28:19-20; Kis 1:8;

lihat cat. --> Yes 42:1).

[atau ref. Yes 42:1]

Tuhan menginginkan pertobatan semua orang (2Pet 3:9).

[45:23] 47 Full Life : SEMUA ORANG AKAN BERTEKUK LUTUT.

Nas : Yes 45:23

Paulus mengutip ayat ini dalam Rom 14:11 dan Fili 2:10-11 untuk menunjukkan bahwa sekalipun tidak semua orang akan berbalik kepada Tuhan dalam pertobatan sejati dalam hidup ini, pada suatu hari semua orang akan dengan sukarela atau terpaksa tunduk kepada Kristus dan mengakui Dia sebagai Tuhan.

[46:1] 48 Full Life : BEL ... NEBO.

Nas : Yes 46:1

Bel, juga disebut Marduk (bd. Yer 50:2) menjadi dewa tertinggi Babel; Nebo adalah dewa pengetahuan, tulis-menulis, dan astronomi. Dewa-dewa ini tidak dapat melindungi Babel dari kebinasaan.

[46:4] 49 Full Life : AKU MENGGENDONG KAMU.

Nas : Yes 46:4

Bertentangan dengan dewa-dewa ciptaan manusia (Yes 44:12-17) yang harus diangkut oleh penciptanya (ayat Yes 46:1), Tuhan, Pencipta kita, sanggup menggendong kita. Ia telah memperhatikan kita sejak awal kehidupan kita, terus bertindak demi kepentingan kita dan akan memelihara kita sampai ke akhir sekalipun.

[47:1] 50 Full Life : ANAK DARA, PUTERI BABEL!

Nas : Yes 47:1-15

Pasal ini menubuatkan kehancuran dan kejatuhan Babel. Babel mewakili kebudayaan kafir, yang mementingkan diri, dan angkuh (ayat Yes 47:8,10); penduduknya hidup dalam kenikmatan berhawa nafsu dan mengandalkan hikmat dan pengetahuan mereka sendiri dan ilmu sihir (ayat Yes 47:10,12-13). Orang semacam itu ditetapkan untuk hukuman yang hebat dan terjadi tiba-tiba (ayat Yes 47:9,11). Pada hari-hari terakhir masa kesengsaraan, Babel yang mewakili semua kebudayaan kafir dan humanistik dari dunia yang tidak ikut Tuhan, akan ditunggangbalikkan oleh Allah dalam murka-Nya

(lihat cat. --> Wahy 17:1;

lihat cat. --> Wahy 18:2).

[atau ref. Wahy 17:1; 18:2]

[48:1] 51 Full Life : BUKAN DENGAN SUNGGUH-SUNGGUH DAN DENGAN TULUS HATI.

Nas : Yes 48:1-22

Pasal ini menyatakan bahwa Yehuda adalah umat yang mengaku ikut Allah dan berseru kepada nama-Nya, tetapi sesungguhnya menolak kebenaran-kebenaran firman-Nya dan tidak bersedia hidup dengan benar di hadapan-Nya. Mereka memiliki suatu bentuk agama, namun mereka tidak mau memberi tempat yang layak kepada Allah dalam kehidupan mereka

(lihat cat. --> Mat 23:13

[atau ref. Mat 23:13]

tentang kemunafikan;

lihat cat. --> 2Tim 3:5).

[atau ref. 2Tim 3:5]

[48:5] 52 Full Life : SEJAK DAHULU.

Nas : Yes 48:5

Melalui para nabi, Allah sudah menubuatkan penawanan dan pembebasan Israel, sehingga membuktikan bahwa Dialah satu-satunya Allah yang sejati. Tidak seorang penyembah berhala atau roh jahat manapun dapat dengan tepat meramalkan masa depan atau mengatakan terjadinya peristiwa tertentu sebagaimana dilakukan Allah Israel.

[48:6] 53 Full Life : HAL-HAL YANG BARU.

Nas : Yes 48:6

"Hal-hal yang baru" termasuk kedatangan Mesias dan langit baru dan bumi baru (pasal Yes 53:1-12; 65:18).

[48:12] 54 Full Life : DENGARKANLAH AKU, HAI YAKUB.

Nas : Yes 48:12-15

Nubuat ini lagi menunjuk kepada Koresy sebagai alat pilihan Allah untuk menggulingkan Babel

(lihat cat. --> Yes 41:2;

lihat cat. --> Yes 45:1).

[atau ref. Yes 41:2; 45:1]

[48:16] 55 Full Life : MENGUTUS AKU DENGAN ROH-NYA.

Nas : Yes 48:16

Ayat ini mengacu kepada Mesias yang akan datang, yang diberi kuasa oleh Roh Kudus (bd. Yes 61:1).

[48:20] 56 Full Life : KELUARLAH DARI BABEL.

Nas : Yes 48:20

Pernyataan ini akan menjadi penting sekali bagi orang Yahudi pada akhir masa pembuangan 70 tahun di Babel (539 SM), sewaktu mereka bersiap-siap untuk meninggalkan negeri itu dan kembali ke Yehuda sesuai dengan keputusan Koresy (bd. Wahy 18:4).

Page 2

[2:1] 1 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1.

[2:1] 2 tn Heb “and all the host of them.” Here the “host” refers to all the entities and creatures that God created to populate the world.

[2:2] 3 tn Heb “on/in the seventh day.”

[2:2] 4 tn Heb “his work which he did [or “made”].”

[2:2] 5 tn The Hebrew term שָׁבַּת (shabbat) can be translated “to rest” (“and he rested”) but it basically means “to cease.” This is not a rest from exhaustion; it is the cessation of the work of creation.

[2:3] 6 tn The verb is usually translated “and sanctified it.” The Piel verb קִדֵּשׁ (qiddesh) means “to make something holy; to set something apart; to distinguish it.” On the literal level the phrase means essentially that God made this day different. But within the context of the Law, it means that the day belonged to God; it was for rest from ordinary labor, worship, and spiritual service. The day belonged to God.

[2:3] 7 tn Heb “God.” The pronoun (“he”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:3] 8 tn Heb “for on it he ceased from all his work which God created to make.” The last infinitive construct and the verb before it form a verbal hendiadys, the infinitive becoming the modifier – “which God creatively made,” or “which God made in his creating.”

[2:4] 9 tn The Hebrew phrase אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot) is traditionally translated as “these are the generations of” because the noun was derived from the verb “beget.” Its usage, however, shows that it introduces more than genealogies; it begins a narrative that traces what became of the entity or individual mentioned in the heading. In fact, a good paraphrase of this heading would be: “This is what became of the heavens and the earth,” for what follows is not another account of creation but a tracing of events from creation through the fall and judgment (the section extends from 2:4 through 4:26). See M. H. Woudstra, “The Toledot of the Book of Genesis and Their Redemptive-Historical Significance,” CTJ 5 (1970): 184-89.

[2:4] sn The expression this is the account of is an important title used throughout the Book of Genesis, serving as the organizing principle of the work. It is always a heading, introducing the subject matter that is to come. From the starting point of the title, the narrative traces the genealogy or the records or the particulars involved. Although some would make the heading in 2:4 a summary of creation (1:1–2:3), that goes against the usage in the book. As a heading it introduces the theme of the next section, the particulars about this creation that God made. Genesis 2 is not a simple parallel account of creation; rather, beginning with the account of the creation of man and women, the narrative tells what became of that creation. As a beginning, the construction of 2:4-7 forms a fine parallel to the construction of 1:1-3. The subject matter of each תּוֹלְדֹת (tolÿdot, “this is the account of”) section of the book traces a decline or a deterioration through to the next beginning point, and each is thereby a microcosm of the book which begins with divine blessing in the garden, and ends with a coffin in Egypt. So, what became of the creation? Gen 2:4–4:26 will explain that sin entered the world and all but destroyed God’s perfect creation.

[2:4] 10 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1.

[2:4] sn This is the only use of the Hebrew noun תּוֹלְדֹת (tolÿdot) in the book that is not followed by a personal name (e.g., “this is the account of Isaac”). The poetic parallelism reveals that even though the account may be about the creation, it is the creation the Lord God made.

[2:4] 11 sn Advocates of the so-called documentary hypothesis of pentateuchal authorship argue that the introduction of the name Yahweh (Lord) here indicates that a new source (designated J), a parallel account of creation, begins here. In this scheme Gen 1:1-2:3 is understood as the priestly source (designated P) of creation. Critics of this approach often respond that the names, rather than indicating separate sources, were chosen to reflect the subject matter (see U. Cassuto, The Documentary Hypothesis). Gen 1:1–2:3 is the grand prologue of the book, showing the sovereign God creating by decree. The narrative beginning in 2:4 is the account of what this God invested in his creation. Since it deals with the close, personal involvement of the covenant God, the narrative uses the covenantal name Yahweh (Lord) in combination with the name God. For a recent discussion of the documentary hypothesis from a theologically conservative perspective, see D. A. Garrett, Rethinking Genesis. For an attempt by source critics to demonstrate the legitimacy of the source critical method on the basis of ancient Near Eastern parallels, see J. H. Tigay, ed., Empirical Models for Biblical Criticism. For reaction to the source critical method by literary critics, see I. M. Kikawada and A. Quinn, Before Abraham Was; R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 131-54; and Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, 111-34.

[2:4] 12 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1; the order here is reversed, but the meaning is the same.

[2:5] 13 tn Heb “Now every sprig of the field before it was.” The verb forms, although appearing to be imperfects, are technically preterites coming after the adverb טֶּרֶם (terem). The word order (conjunction + subject + predicate) indicates a disjunctive clause, which provides background information for the following narrative (as in 1:2). Two negative clauses are given (“before any sprig…”, and “before any cultivated grain” existed), followed by two causal clauses explaining them, and then a positive circumstantial clause is given – again dealing with water as in 1:2 (water would well up).

[2:5] 14 tn The first term, שִׂיחַ (siakh), probably refers to the wild, uncultivated plants (see Gen 21:15; Job 30:4,7); whereas the second, עֵשֶׂב (’esev), refers to cultivated grains. It is a way of saying: “back before anything was growing.”

[2:5] 15 tn The two causal clauses explain the first two disjunctive clauses: There was no uncultivated, general growth because there was no rain, and there were no grains because there was no man to cultivate the soil.

[2:5] sn The last clause in v. 5, “and there was no man to cultivate the ground,” anticipates the curse and the expulsion from the garden (Gen 3:23).

[2:6] 16 tn The conjunction vav (ו) introduces a third disjunctive clause. The Hebrew word אֵד (’ed) was traditionally translated “mist” because of its use in Job 36:27. However, an Akkadian cognate edu in Babylonian texts refers to subterranean springs or waterways. Such a spring would fit the description in this context, since this water “goes up” and waters the ground.

[2:6] 17 tn Heb “was going up.” The verb is an imperfect form, which in this narrative context carries a customary nuance, indicating continual action in past time.

[2:6] 18 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same nuance as the preceding verb. Whenever it would well up, it would water the ground.

[2:6] 19 tn The Hebrew word אֲדָמָה (’adamah) actually means “ground; fertile soil.”

[2:6] sn Here is an indication of fertility. The water would well up from the earth (אֶרֶץ, ’erets) and water all the surface of the fertile soil (אֲדָמָה). It is from that soil that the man (אָדָם, ’adam) was made (Gen 2:7).

[2:7] 20 tn Or “fashioned.” The prefixed verb form with vav (ו) consecutive initiates narrative sequence. The Hebrew word יָצַר (yatsar) means “to form” or “to fashion,” usually by plan or design (see the related noun יֵצֶר [yetser] in Gen 6:5). It is the term for an artist’s work (the Hebrew term יוֹצֵר [yotser] refers to a potter; see Jer 18:2-4.)

[2:7] sn Various traditions in the ancient Near East reflect this idea of creation. Egyptian drawings show a deity turning little people off of the potter’s wheel with another deity giving them life. In the Bible humans are related to the soil and return to it (see 3:19; see also Job 4:19, 20:9; and Isa 29:16).

[2:7] 21 tn The line literally reads “And Yahweh God formed the man, soil, from the ground.” “Soil” is an adverbial accusative, identifying the material from which the man was made.

[2:7] 22 tn The Hebrew word נְשָׁמָה (nÿshamah, “breath”) is used for God and for the life imparted to humans, not animals (see T. C. Mitchell, “The Old Testament Usage of Nÿshama,” VT 11 [1961]: 177-87). Its usage in the Bible conveys more than a breathing living organism (נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה, nefesh khayyah). Whatever is given this breath of life becomes animated with the life from God, has spiritual understanding (Job 32:8), and has a functioning conscience (Prov 20:27).

[2:7] sn Human life is described here as consisting of a body (made from soil from the ground) and breath (given by God). Both animals and humans are called “a living being” (נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה) but humankind became that in a different and more significant way.

[2:7] 23 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often translated “soul,” but the word usually refers to the whole person. The phrase נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה (nefesh khayyah, “living being”) is used of both animals and human beings (see 1:20, 24, 30; 2:19).

[2:8] 24 tn Traditionally “garden,” but the subsequent description of this “garden” makes it clear that it is an orchard of fruit trees.

[2:8] sn The Lord God planted an orchard. Nothing is said of how the creation of this orchard took place. A harmonization with chap. 1 might lead to the conclusion that it was by decree, prior to the creation of human life. But the narrative sequence here in chap. 2 suggests the creation of the garden followed the creation of the man. Note also the past perfect use of the perfect in the relative clause in the following verse.

[2:8] 25 tn Heb “from the east” or “off east.”

[2:8] sn One would assume this is east from the perspective of the land of Israel, particularly since the rivers in the area are identified as the rivers in those eastern regions.

[2:8] 26 sn The name Eden (עֵדֶן, ’eden) means “pleasure” in Hebrew.

[2:8] 27 tn The perfect verbal form here requires the past perfect translation since it describes an event that preceded the event described in the main clause.

[2:9] 28 tn Heb “ground,” referring to the fertile soil.

[2:9] 29 tn Heb “desirable of sight [or “appearance”].” The phrase describes the kinds of trees that are visually pleasing and yield fruit that is desirable to the appetite.

[2:9] 30 tn The verse ends with a disjunctive clause providing a parenthetical bit of information about the existence of two special trees in the garden.

[2:9] 31 tn In light of Gen 3:22, the construction “tree of life” should be interpreted to mean a tree that produces life-giving fruit (objective genitive) rather than a living tree (attributive genitive). See E. O. James, The Tree of Life (SHR); and R. Marcus, “The Tree of Life in Proverbs,” JBL 62 (1943): 117-20.

[2:9] 32 tn The expression “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” must be interpreted to mean that the tree would produce fruit which, when eaten, gives special knowledge of “good and evil.” Scholars debate what this phrase means here. For a survey of opinions, see G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:62-64. One view is that “good” refers to that which enhances, promotes, and produces life, while “evil” refers to anything that hinders, interrupts or destroys life. So eating from this tree would change human nature – people would be able to alter life for better (in their thinking) or for worse. See D. J. A. Clines, “The Tree of Knowledge and the Law of Yahweh,” VT 24 (1974): 8-14; and I. Engnell, “‘Knowledge’ and ‘Life’ in the Creation Story,” Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near East [VTSup], 103-19. Another view understands the “knowledge of good and evil” as the capacity to discern between moral good and evil. The following context suggests the tree’s fruit gives one wisdom (see the phrase “capable of making one wise” in 3:6, as well as the note there on the word “wise”), which certainly includes the capacity to discern between good and evil. Such wisdom is characteristic of divine beings, as the serpent’s promise implies (3:5) and as 3:22 makes clear. (Note, however, that this capacity does not include the ability to do what is right.) God prohibits man from eating of the tree. The prohibition becomes a test to see if man will be satisfied with his role and place, or if he will try to ascend to the divine level. There will be a time for man to possess moral discernment/wisdom, as God reveals and imparts it to him, but it is not something to be grasped at in an effort to become “a god.” In fact, the command to be obedient was the first lesson in moral discernment/wisdom. God was essentially saying: “Here is lesson one – respect my authority and commands. Disobey me and you will die.” When man disobeys, he decides he does not want to acquire moral wisdom God’s way, but instead tries to rise immediately to the divine level. Once man has acquired such divine wisdom by eating the tree’s fruit (3:22), he must be banned from the garden so that he will not be able to achieve his goal of being godlike and thus live forever, a divine characteristic (3:24). Ironically, man now has the capacity to discern good from evil (3:22), but he is morally corrupted and rebellious and will not consistently choose what is right.

[2:10] 33 tn The disjunctive clause (note the construction conjunction + subject + predicate) introduces an entire paragraph about the richness of the region in the east.

[2:10] 34 tn The Hebrew active participle may be translated here as indicating past durative action, “was flowing,” or as a present durative, “flows.” Since this river was the source of the rivers mentioned in vv. 11-14, which appear to describe a situation contemporary with the narrator, it is preferable to translate the participle in v. 10 with the present tense. This suggests that Eden and its orchard still existed in the narrator’s time. According to ancient Jewish tradition, Enoch was taken to the Garden of Eden, where his presence insulated the garden from the destructive waters of Noah’s flood. See Jub. 4:23-24.

[2:10] 35 sn Eden is portrayed here as a source of life-giving rivers (that is, perennial streams). This is no surprise because its orchard is where the tree of life is located. Eden is a source of life, but tragically its orchard is no longer accessible to humankind. The river flowing out of Eden is a tantalizing reminder of this. God continues to provide life-giving water to sustain physical existence on the earth, but immortality has been lost.

[2:10] 36 tn The imperfect verb form has the same nuance as the preceding participle. (If the participle is taken as past durative, then the imperfect would be translated “was dividing.”)

[2:10] 37 tn Or “branches”; Heb “heads.” Cf. NEB “streams”; NASB “rivers.”

[2:11] 38 tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[2:12] 39 tn Heb “good.”

[2:12] 40 tn The Hebrew term translated “pearls” may be a reference to resin (cf. NIV “aromatic resin”) or another precious stone (cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV “bdellium”).

[2:12] 41 tn Or “onyx.”

[2:13] 42 tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[2:13] 43 sn Cush. In the Bible the Hebrew word כּוּשׁ (kush, “Kush”) often refers to Ethiopia (so KJV, CEV), but here it must refer to a region in Mesopotamia, the area of the later Cassite dynasty of Babylon. See Gen 10:8 as well as E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 20.

[2:14] 44 tn Heb “Asshur” (so NEB, NIV).

[2:15] 45 tn The Hebrew verb נוּחַ (nuakh, translated here as “placed”) is a different verb than the one used in 2:8.

[2:15] 46 tn Traditionally translated “the Garden of Eden,” the context makes it clear that the garden (or orchard) was in Eden (making “Eden” a genitive of location).

[2:15] 47 tn Heb “to work it and to keep it.”

[2:15] sn Note that man’s task is to care for and maintain the trees of the orchard. Not until after the fall, when he is condemned to cultivate the soil, does this task change.

[2:16] 48 sn This is the first time in the Bible that the verb tsavah (צָוָה, “to command”) appears. Whatever the man had to do in the garden, the main focus of the narrative is on keeping God’s commandments. God created humans with the capacity to obey him and then tested them with commands.

[2:16] 49 tn The imperfect verb form probably carries the nuance of permission (“you may eat”) since the man is not being commanded to eat from every tree. The accompanying infinitive absolute adds emphasis: “you may freely eat,” or “you may eat to your heart’s content.”

[2:16] 50 tn The word “fruit” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied as the direct object of the verb “eat.” Presumably the only part of the tree the man would eat would be its fruit (cf. 3:2).

[2:17] 51 tn The disjunctive clause here indicates contrast: “but from the tree of the knowledge….”

[2:17] 52 tn The negated imperfect verb form indicates prohibition, “you must not eat.”

[2:17] 53 tn Or “in the very day, as soon as.” If one understands the expression to have this more precise meaning, then the following narrative presents a problem, for the man does not die physically as soon as he eats from the tree. In this case one may argue that spiritual death is in view. If physical death is in view here, there are two options to explain the following narrative: (1) The following phrase “You will surely die” concerns mortality which ultimately results in death (a natural paraphrase would be, “You will become mortal”), or (2) God mercifully gave man a reprieve, allowing him to live longer than he deserved.

[2:17] 54 tn Heb “dying you will die.” The imperfect verb form here has the nuance of the specific future because it is introduced with the temporal clause, “when you eat…you will die.” That certainty is underscored with the infinitive absolute, “you will surely die.”

[2:17] sn The Hebrew text (“dying you will die”) does not refer to two aspects of death (“dying spiritually, you will then die physically”). The construction simply emphasizes the certainty of death, however it is defined. Death is essentially separation. To die physically means separation from the land of the living, but not extinction. To die spiritually means to be separated from God. Both occur with sin, although the physical alienation is more gradual than instant, and the spiritual is immediate, although the effects of it continue the separation.

[2:18] 55 tn Heb “The being of man by himself is not good.” The meaning of “good” must be defined contextually. Within the context of creation, in which God instructs humankind to be fruitful and multiply, the man alone cannot comply. Being alone prevents the man from fulfilling the design of creation and therefore is not good.

[2:18] 56 tn Traditionally “helper.” The English word “helper,” because it can connote so many different ideas, does not accurately convey the connotation of the Hebrew word עֵזֶר (’ezer). Usage of the Hebrew term does not suggest a subordinate role, a connotation which English “helper” can have. In the Bible God is frequently described as the “helper,” the one who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, the one who meets our needs. In this context the word seems to express the idea of an “indispensable companion.” The woman would supply what the man was lacking in the design of creation and logically it would follow that the man would supply what she was lacking, although that is not stated here. See further M. L. Rosenzweig, “A Helper Equal to Him,” Jud 139 (1986): 277-80.

[2:18] 57 tn The Hebrew expression כְּנֶגְדּוֹ (kÿnegdo) literally means “according to the opposite of him.” Translations such as “suitable [for]” (NASB, NIV), “matching,” “corresponding to” all capture the idea. (Translations that render the phrase simply “partner” [cf. NEB, NRSV], while not totally inaccurate, do not reflect the nuance of correspondence and/or suitability.) The man’s form and nature are matched by the woman’s as she reflects him and complements him. Together they correspond. In short, this prepositional phrase indicates that she has everything that God had invested in him.

[2:19] 58 tn Or “fashioned.” To harmonize the order of events with the chronology of chapter one, some translate the prefixed verb form with vav (ו) consecutive as a past perfect (“had formed,” cf. NIV) here. (In chapter one the creation of the animals preceded the creation of man; here the animals are created after the man.) However, it is unlikely that the Hebrew construction can be translated in this way in the middle of this pericope, for the criteria for unmarked temporal overlay are not present here. See S. R. Driver, A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew, 84-88, and especially R. Buth, “Methodological Collision between Source Criticism and Discourse Analysis,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 138-54. For a contrary viewpoint see IBHS 552-53 §33.2.3 and C. J. Collins, “The Wayyiqtol as ‘Pluperfect’: When and Why,” TynBul 46 (1995): 117-40.

[2:19] 59 tn The imperfect verb form is future from the perspective of the past time narrative.

[2:20] 60 tn Here for the first time the Hebrew word אָדָם (’adam) appears without the article, suggesting that it might now be the name “Adam” rather than “[the] man.” Translations of the Bible differ as to where they make the change from “man” to “Adam” (e.g., NASB and NIV translate “Adam” here, while NEB and NRSV continue to use “the man”; the KJV uses “Adam” twice in v. 19).

[2:20] 61 tn Heb “there was not found a companion who corresponded to him.” The subject of the third masculine singular verb form is indefinite. Without a formally expressed subject the verb may be translated as passive: “one did not find = there was not found.”

[2:21] 62 tn Heb “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man.”

[2:21] 63 tn Heb “and he slept.” In the sequence the verb may be subordinated to the following verb to indicate a temporal clause (“while…”).

[2:21] 64 tn Traditionally translated “rib,” the Hebrew word actually means “side.” The Hebrew text reads, “and he took one from his sides,” which could be rendered “part of his sides.” That idea may fit better the explanation by the man that the woman is his flesh and bone.

[2:21] 65 tn Heb “closed up the flesh under it.”

[2:22] 66 tn The Hebrew verb is בָּנָה (banah, “to make, to build, to construct”). The text states that the Lord God built the rib into a woman. Again, the passage gives no indication of precisely how this was done.

[2:23] 67 tn The Hebrew term הַפַּעַם (happa’am) means “the [this] time, this place,” or “now, finally, at last.” The expression conveys the futility of the man while naming the animals and finding no one who corresponded to him.

[2:23] 68 tn The Hebrew text is very precise, stating: “of this one it will be said, ‘woman’.” The text is not necessarily saying that the man named his wife – that comes after the fall (Gen 3:20).

[2:23] sn Some argue that naming implies the man’s authority or ownership over the woman here. Naming can indicate ownership or authority if one is calling someone or something by one’s name and/or calling a name over someone or something (see 2 Sam 12:28; 2 Chr 7:14; Isa 4:1; Jer 7:14; 15:16), especially if one is conquering and renaming a site. But the idiomatic construction used here (the Niphal of קָרָא, qara’, with preposition lamed [לְ, lÿ]) does not suggest such an idea. In each case where it is used, the one naming discerns something about the object being named and gives it an appropriate name (See 1 Sam 9:9; 2 Sam 18:18; Prov 16:21; Isa 1:26; 32:5; 35:8; 62:4, 12; Jer 19:6). Adam is not so much naming the woman as he is discerning her close relationship to him and referring to her accordingly. He may simply be anticipating that she will be given an appropriate name based on the discernible similarity.

[2:23] 69 tn Or “from” (but see v. 22).

[2:23] 70 sn This poetic section expresses the correspondence between the man and the woman. She is bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh. Note the wordplay (paronomasia) between “woman” (אִשָּׁה, ’ishah) and “man” (אִישׁ, ’ish). On the surface it appears that the word for woman is the feminine form of the word for man. But the two words are not etymologically related. The sound and the sense give that impression, however, and make for a more effective wordplay.

[2:24] 71 tn This statement, introduced by the Hebrew phrase עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore” or “that is why”), is an editorial comment, not an extension of the quotation. The statement is describing what typically happens, not what will or should happen. It is saying, “This is why we do things the way we do.” It links a contemporary (with the narrator) practice with the historical event being narrated. The historical event narrated in v. 23 provides the basis for the contemporary practice described in v. 24. That is why the imperfect verb forms are translated with the present tense rather than future.

[2:24] 72 tn The imperfect verb form has a habitual or characteristic nuance. For other examples of עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore, that is why”) with the imperfect in a narrative framework, see Gen 10:9; 32:32 (the phrase “to this day” indicates characteristic behavior is in view); Num 21:14, 27; 1 Sam 5:5 (note “to this day”); 19:24 (perhaps the imperfect is customary here, “were saying”); 2 Sam 5:8. The verb translated “leave” (עָזָב, ’azab) normally means “to abandon, to forsake, to leave behind, to discard,” when used with human subject and object (see Josh 22:3; 1 Sam 30:13; Ps 27:10; Prov 2:17; Isa 54:6; 60:15; 62:4; Jer 49:11). Within the context of the ancient Israelite extended family structure, this cannot refer to emotional or geographical separation. The narrator is using hyperbole to emphasize the change in perspective that typically overtakes a young man when his thoughts turn to love and marriage.

[2:24] 73 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same habitual or characteristic nuance as the preceding imperfect. The verb is traditionally translated “cleaves [to]”; it has the basic idea of “stick with/to” (e.g., it is used of Ruth resolutely staying with her mother-in-law in Ruth 1:14). In this passage it describes the inseparable relationship between the man and the woman in marriage as God intended it.

[2:24] 74 tn Heb “and they become one flesh.” The perfect with vav consecutive carries the same habitual or characteristic nuance as the preceding verbs in the verse. The retention of the word “flesh” (בָּשָׂר, basar) in the translation often leads to improper or incomplete interpretations. The Hebrew word refers to more than just a sexual union. When they unite in marriage, the man and woman bring into being a new family unit (הָיָה + לְ, hayah + lamed preposition means “become”). The phrase “one flesh” occurs only here and must be interpreted in light of v. 23. There the man declares that the woman is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. To be one’s “bone and flesh” is to be related by blood to someone. For example, the phrase describes the relationship between Laban and Jacob (Gen 29:14); Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg 9:2; his mother was a Shechemite); David and the Israelites (2 Sam 5:1); David and the elders of Judah (2 Sam 19:12); and David and his nephew Amasa (2 Sam 19:13, see 2 Sam 17:2; 1 Chr 2:16-17). The expression “one flesh” seems to indicate that they become, as it were, “kin,” at least legally (a new family unit is created) or metaphorically. In this first marriage in human history, the woman was literally formed from the man’s bone and flesh. Even though later marriages do not involve such a divine surgical operation, the first marriage sets the pattern for how later marriages are understood and explains why marriage supersedes the parent-child relationship.

[2:25] 75 tn Heb “And the two of them were naked, the man and his wife.”

[2:25] sn Naked. The motif of nakedness is introduced here and plays an important role in the next chapter. In the Bible nakedness conveys different things. In this context it signifies either innocence or integrity, depending on how those terms are defined. There is no fear of exploitation, no sense of vulnerability. But after the entrance of sin into the race, nakedness takes on a negative sense. It is then usually connected with the sense of vulnerability, shame, exploitation, and exposure (such as the idea of “uncovering nakedness” either in sexual exploitation or in captivity in war).

[2:25] 76 tn The imperfect verb form here has a customary nuance, indicating a continuing condition in past time. The meaning of the Hebrew term בּוֹשׁ (bosh) is “to be ashamed, to put to shame,” but its meaning is stronger than “to be embarrassed.” The word conveys the fear of exploitation or evil – enemies are put to shame through military victory. It indicates the feeling of shame that approximates a fear of evil.

[20:1] 77 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”

[20:1] sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[20:1] 78 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”

[20:3] 79 tn Heb “came.”

[20:3] 80 tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.

[20:3] 81 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.

[20:4] 82 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[20:4] 83 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.

[20:5] 84 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:5] 85 tn Heb “and she, even she.”

[20:5] 86 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”

[20:6] 87 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”

[20:6] 88 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”

[20:6] 89 tn Heb “therefore.”

[20:7] 90 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

[20:7] 91 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

[20:7] 92 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

[20:7] sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.

[20:7] 93 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

[20:7] 94 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

[20:8] 95 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”

[20:8] 96 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”

[20:8] 97 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”

[20:8] 98 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[20:9] 99 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.

[20:9] 100 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.

[20:10] 101 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”

[20:10] 102 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.

[20:11] 103 tn Heb “Because I said.”

[20:11] 104 tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[20:12] 105 tn Heb “but also.”

[20:13] 106 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”

[20:13] 107 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”

[20:14] 108 tn Heb “took and gave.”

[20:15] 109 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”

[20:16] 110 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).

[20:16] 111 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).

[20:16] 112 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).

[20:18] 113 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”

[20:18] 114 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[20:18] sn The Lord had closed up every womb. This fact indicates that Sarah was in Abimelech’s household for weeks or months before the dream revelation was given (20:6-7). No one in his household could have children after Sarah arrived on the scene.

[20:18] 115 tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:22] 116 tn While the translation “blessed” has been retained here for the sake of simplicity, it would be most helpful to paraphrase it as “God endowed them with fruitfulness” or something similar, for here it refers to God’s giving the animals the capacity to reproduce. The expression “blessed” needs clarification in its different contexts, for it is one of the unifying themes of the Book of Genesis. The divine blessing occurs after works of creation and is intended to continue that work – the word of blessing guarantees success. The word means “to enrich; to endow,” and the most visible evidence of that enrichment is productivity or fruitfulness. See C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).

[1:22] 117 sn The instruction God gives to creation is properly a fuller expression of the statement just made (“God blessed them”), that he enriched them with the ability to reproduce. It is not saying that these were rational creatures who heard and obeyed the word; rather, it stresses that fruitfulness in the animal world is a result of the divine decree and not of some pagan cultic ritual for fruitfulness. The repeated emphasis of “be fruitful – multiply – fill” adds to this abundance God has given to life. The meaning is underscored by the similar sounds: בָּרָךְ (barakh) with בָּרָא (bara’), and פָּרָה (parah) with רָבָה (ravah).

[20:1] 118 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”

[20:1] sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[20:1] 119 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”

[20:3] 120 tn Heb “came.”

[20:3] 121 tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.

[20:3] 122 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.

[20:4] 123 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[20:4] 124 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.

[20:5] 125 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:5] 126 tn Heb “and she, even she.”

[20:5] 127 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”

[20:6] 128 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”

[20:6] 129 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”

[20:6] 130 tn Heb “therefore.”

[20:7] 131 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

[20:7] 132 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

[20:7] 133 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

[20:7] sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.

[20:7] 134 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

[20:7] 135 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

[20:8] 136 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”

[20:8] 137 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”

[20:8] 138 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”

[20:8] 139 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[20:9] 140 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.

[20:9] 141 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.

[20:10] 142 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”

[20:10] 143 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.

[20:11] 144 tn Heb “Because I said.”

[20:11] 145 tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[20:12] 146 tn Heb “but also.”

[20:13] 147 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”

[20:13] 148 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”

[20:14] 149 tn Heb “took and gave.”

[20:15] 150 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”

[20:16] 151 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).

[20:16] 152 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).

[20:16] 153 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).

[20:18] 154 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”

[20:18] 155 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[20:18] 156 tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:1] 157 tn The translation assumes that the form translated “beginning” is in the absolute state rather than the construct (“in the beginning of,” or “when God created”). In other words, the clause in v. 1 is a main clause, v. 2 has three clauses that are descriptive and supply background information, and v. 3 begins the narrative sequence proper. The referent of the word “beginning” has to be defined from the context since there is no beginning or ending with God.

[1:1] sn In the beginning. The verse refers to the beginning of the world as we know it; it affirms that it is entirely the product of the creation of God. But there are two ways that this verse can be interpreted: (1) It may be taken to refer to the original act of creation with the rest of the events on the days of creation completing it. This would mean that the disjunctive clauses of v. 2 break the sequence of the creative work of the first day. (2) It may be taken as a summary statement of what the chapter will record, that is, vv. 3-31 are about God’s creating the world as we know it. If the first view is adopted, then we have a reference here to original creation; if the second view is taken, then Genesis itself does not account for the original creation of matter. To follow this view does not deny that the Bible teaches that God created everything out of nothing (cf. John 1:3) – it simply says that Genesis is not making that affirmation. This second view presupposes the existence of pre-existent matter, when God said, “Let there be light.” The first view includes the description of the primordial state as part of the events of day one. The following narrative strongly favors the second view, for the “heavens/sky” did not exist prior to the second day of creation (see v. 8) and “earth/dry land” did not exist, at least as we know it, prior to the third day of creation (see v. 10).

[1:1] 158 sn God. This frequently used Hebrew name for God (אֱלֹהִים,’elohim ) is a plural form. When it refers to the one true God, the singular verb is normally used, as here. The plural form indicates majesty; the name stresses God’s sovereignty and incomparability – he is the “God of gods.”

[1:1] 159 tn The English verb “create” captures well the meaning of the Hebrew term in this context. The verb בָּרָא (bara’) always describes the divine activity of fashioning something new, fresh, and perfect. The verb does not necessarily describe creation out of nothing (see, for example, v. 27, where it refers to the creation of man); it often stresses forming anew, reforming, renewing (see Ps 51:10; Isa 43:15, 65:17).

[1:1] 160 tn Or “the entire universe”; or “the sky and the dry land.” This phrase is often interpreted as a merism, referring to the entire ordered universe, including the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The “heavens and the earth” were completed in seven days (see Gen 2:1) and are characterized by fixed laws (see Jer 33:25). “Heavens” refers specifically to the sky, created on the second day (see v. 8), while “earth” refers specifically to the dry land, created on the third day (see v. 10). Both are distinct from the sea/seas (see v. 10 and Exod 20:11).

[1:2] 161 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) at the beginning of v. 2 gives background information for the following narrative, explaining the state of things when “God said…” (v. 3). Verse one is a title to the chapter, v. 2 provides information about the state of things when God spoke, and v. 3 begins the narrative per se with the typical narrative construction (vav [ו] consecutive followed by the prefixed verbal form). (This literary structure is paralleled in the second portion of the book: Gen 2:4 provides the title or summary of what follows, 2:5-6 use disjunctive clause structures to give background information for the following narrative, and 2:7 begins the narrative with the vav consecutive attached to a prefixed verbal form.) Some translate 1:2a “and the earth became,” arguing that v. 1 describes the original creation of the earth, while v. 2 refers to a judgment that reduced it to a chaotic condition. Verses 3ff. then describe the re-creation of the earth. However, the disjunctive clause at the beginning of v. 2 cannot be translated as if it were relating the next event in a sequence. If v. 2 were sequential to v. 1, the author would have used the vav consecutive followed by a prefixed verbal form and the subject.

[1:2] 162 tn That is, what we now call “the earth.” The creation of the earth as we know it is described in vv. 9-10. Prior to this the substance which became the earth (= dry land) lay dormant under the water.

[1:2] 163 tn Traditional translations have followed a more literal rendering of “waste and void.” The words describe a condition that is without form and empty. What we now know as “the earth” was actually an unfilled mass covered by water and darkness. Later תֹהוּ (tohu) and בֹּהוּ (bohu), when used in proximity, describe a situation resulting from judgment (Isa 34:11; Jer 4:23). Both prophets may be picturing judgment as the reversal of creation in which God’s judgment causes the world to revert to its primordial condition. This later use of the terms has led some to conclude that Gen 1:2 presupposes the judgment of a prior world, but it is unsound method to read the later application of the imagery (in a context of judgment) back into Gen 1:2.

[1:2] 164 sn Darkness. The Hebrew word simply means “darkness,” but in the Bible it has come to symbolize what opposes God, such as judgment (Exod 10:21), death (Ps 88:13), oppression (Isa 9:1), the wicked (1 Sam 2:9) and in general, sin. In Isa 45:7 it parallels “evil.” It is a fitting cover for the primeval waste, but it prepares the reader for the fact that God is about to reveal himself through his works.

[1:2] 165 tn The Hebrew term תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “deep”) refers to the watery deep, the salty ocean – especially the primeval ocean that surrounds and underlies the earth (see Gen 7:11).

[1:2] sn The watery deep. In the Babylonian account of creation Marduk killed the goddess Tiamat (the salty sea) and used her carcass to create heaven and earth. The form of the Hebrew word for “deep” is distinct enough from the name “Tiamat” to deny direct borrowing; however, it is possible that there is a polemical stress here. Ancient Israel does not see the ocean as a powerful deity to be destroyed in creation, only a force of nature that can be controlled by God.

[1:2] 166 tn The traditional rendering “Spirit of God” is preserved here, as opposed to a translation like “wind from/breath of God” (cf. NRSV) or “mighty wind” (cf. NEB), taking the word “God” to represent the superlative. Elsewhere in the OT the phrase refers consistently to the divine spirit that empowers and energizes individuals (see Gen 41:38; Exod 31:3; 35:31; Num 24:2; 1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 19:20, 23; Ezek 11:24; 2 Chr 15:1; 24:20).

[1:2] 167 tn The Hebrew verb has been translated “hovering” or “moving” (as a bird over her young, see Deut 32:11). The Syriac cognate term means “to brood over; to incubate.” How much of that sense might be attached here is hard to say, but the verb does depict the presence of the Spirit of God moving about mysteriously over the waters, presumably preparing for the acts of creation to follow. If one reads “mighty wind” (cf. NEB) then the verse describes how the powerful wind begins to blow in preparation for the creative act described in vv. 9-10. (God also used a wind to drive back the flood waters in Noah’s day. See Gen 8:1.)

[1:2] 168 tn Heb “face.”

[1:2] 169 sn The water. The text deliberately changes now from the term for the watery deep to the general word for water. The arena is now the life-giving water and not the chaotic abyss-like deep. The change may be merely stylistic, but it may also carry some significance. The deep carries with it the sense of the abyss, chaos, darkness – in short, that which is not good for life.

[1:3] 170 tn The prefixed verb form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the narrative sequence. Ten times in the chapter the decree of God in creation will be so expressed. For the power of the divine word in creation, see Ps 33:9, John 1:1-3, 1 Cor 8:6, and Col 1:16.

[1:3] sn God said. By speaking, God brings the world into existence. The efficacious nature of the word of the Lord is a prominent theme in this chapter. It introduces the Law, the words and commandments from the Lord that must be obeyed. The ten decrees of God in this chapter anticipate the ten words in the Decalogue (Exod 20:2-17).

[1:3] 171 tn “Let there be” is the short jussive form of the verb “to be”; the following expression “and there was” is the short preterite form of the same verb. As such, יְהִי (yÿhi) and וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) form a profound wordplay to express both the calling into existence and the complete fulfillment of the divine word.

[1:3] 172 sn Light. The Hebrew word simply means “light,” but it is used often in scripture to convey the ideas of salvation, joy, knowledge, righteousness, and life. In this context one cannot ignore those connotations, for it is the antithesis of the darkness. The first thing God does is correct the darkness; without the light there is only chaos.

[1:4] 173 tn Heb “And God saw the light, that it was good.” The verb “saw” in this passage carries the meaning “reflected on,” “surveyed,” “concluded,” “noted.” It is a description of reflection of the mind – it is God’s opinion.

[1:4] 174 tn The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) in this context signifies whatever enhances, promotes, produces, or is conducive for life. It is the light that God considers “good,” not the darkness. Whatever is conducive to life in God’s creation is good, for God himself is good, and that goodness is reflected in all of his works.

[1:4] 175 tn The verb “separate, divide” here explains how God used the light to dispel the darkness. It did not do away with the darkness completely, but made a separation. The light came alongside the darkness, but they are mutually exclusive – a theme that will be developed in the Gospel of John (cf. John 1:5).

[1:4] sn The idea of separation is critical to this chapter. God separated light from darkness, upper water from lower water, day from night, etc. The verb is important to the Law in general. In Leviticus God separates between clean and unclean, holy and profane (Lev 10:10, 11:47 and 20:24); in Exodus God separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exod 26:33). There is a preference for the light over the darkness, just as there will be a preference for the upper waters, the rain water which is conducive to life, over the sea water.

[1:5] 176 tn Heb “he called to,” meaning “he named.”

[1:5] sn God called. Seven times in this chapter naming or blessing follows some act of creation. There is clearly a point being made beyond the obvious idea of naming. In the Babylonian creation story Enuma Elish, naming is equal to creating. In the Bible the act of naming, like creating, can be an indication of sovereignty (see 2 Kgs 23:34). In this verse God is sovereign even over the darkness.

[1:5] 177 tn Heb “and the darkness he called night.” The words “he called” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:5] 178 tn Another option is to translate, “Evening came, and then morning came.” This formula closes the six days of creation. It seems to follow the Jewish order of reckoning time: from evening to morning. Day one started with the dark, continued through the creation of light, and ended with nightfall. Another alternative would be to translate, “There was night and then there was day, one day.”

[1:5] sn The first day. The exegetical evidence suggests the word “day” in this chapter refers to a literal twenty-four hour day. It is true that the word can refer to a longer period of time (see Isa 61:2, or the idiom in 2:4, “in the day,” that is, “when”). But this chapter uses “day,” “night,” “morning,” “evening,” “years,” and “seasons.” Consistency would require sorting out how all these terms could be used to express ages. Also, when the Hebrew word יוֹם (yom) is used with a numerical adjective, it refers to a literal day. Furthermore, the commandment to keep the sabbath clearly favors this interpretation. One is to work for six days and then rest on the seventh, just as God did when he worked at creation.

[1:6] 179 tn The Hebrew word refers to an expanse of air pressure between the surface of the sea and the clouds, separating water below from water above. In v. 8 it is called “sky.”

[1:6] sn An expanse. In the poetic texts the writers envision, among other things, something rather strong and shiny, no doubt influencing the traditional translation “firmament” (cf. NRSV “dome”). Job 37:18 refers to the skies poured out like a molten mirror. Dan 12:3 and Ezek 1:22 portray it as shiny. The sky or atmosphere may have seemed like a glass dome. For a detailed study of the Hebrew conception of the heavens and sky, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World (AnBib), 37-60.

[1:6] 180 tn Heb “the waters from the waters.”

[1:7] 181 tn Heb “the expanse.”

[1:7] 182 tn This statement indicates that it happened the way God designed it, underscoring the connection between word and event.

[1:8] 183 tn Though the Hebrew word can mean “heaven,” it refers in this context to “the sky.”

[1:9] 184 sn Let the water…be gathered to one place. In the beginning the water covered the whole earth; now the water was to be restricted to an area to form the ocean. The picture is one of the dry land as an island with the sea surrounding it. Again the sovereignty of God is revealed. Whereas the pagans saw the sea as a force to be reckoned with, God controls the boundaries of the sea. And in the judgment at the flood he will blur the boundaries so that chaos returns.

[1:9] 185 tn When the waters are collected to one place, dry land emerges above the surface of the receding water.

[1:10] 186 tn Heb “earth,” but here the term refers to the dry ground as opposed to the sea.

[1:11] 187 tn The Hebrew construction employs a cognate accusative, where the nominal object (“vegetation”) derives from the verbal root employed. It stresses the abundant productivity that God created.

[1:11] sn Vegetation. The Hebrew word translated “vegetation” (דֶּשֶׁא, deshe’) normally means “grass,” but here it probably refers more generally to vegetation that includes many of the plants and trees. In the verse the plants and the trees are qualified as self-perpetuating with seeds, but not the word “vegetation,” indicating it is the general term and the other two terms are sub-categories of it. Moreover, in vv. 29 and 30 the word vegetation/grass does not appear. The Samaritan Pentateuch adds an “and” before the fruit trees, indicating it saw the arrangement as bipartite (The Samaritan Pentateuch tends to eliminate asyndetic constructions).

[1:11] 188 sn After their kinds. The Hebrew word translated “kind” (מִין, min) indicates again that God was concerned with defining and dividing time, space, and species. The point is that creation was with order, as opposed to chaos. And what God created and distinguished with boundaries was not to be confused (see Lev 19:19 and Deut 22:9-11).

[1:11] 189 tn The conjunction “and” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation to clarify the relationship of the clauses.

[1:14] 190 sn Let there be lights. Light itself was created before the light-bearers. The order would not seem strange to the ancient Hebrew mind that did not automatically link daylight with the sun (note that dawn and dusk appear to have light without the sun).

[1:14] 191 tn The language describing the cosmos, which reflects a prescientific view of the world, must be interpreted as phenomenal, describing what appears to be the case. The sun and the moon are not in the sky (below the clouds), but from the viewpoint of a person standing on the earth, they appear that way. Even today we use similar phenomenological expressions, such as “the sun is rising” or “the stars in the sky.”

[1:14] 192 tn The text has “for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” It seems likely from the meanings of the words involved that “signs” is the main idea, followed by two categories, “seasons” and “days and years.” This is the simplest explanation, and one that matches vv. 11-13. It could even be rendered “signs for the fixed seasons, that is [explicative vav (ו)] days and years.”

[1:14] sn Let them be for signs. The point is that the sun and the moon were important to fix the days for the seasonal celebrations for the worshiping community.

[1:16] 193 sn Two great lights. The text goes to great length to discuss the creation of these lights, suggesting that the subject was very important to the ancients. Since these “lights” were considered deities in the ancient world, the section serves as a strong polemic (see G. Hasel, “The Polemical Nature of the Genesis Cosmology,” EvQ 46 [1974]: 81-102). The Book of Genesis is affirming they are created entities, not deities. To underscore this the text does not even give them names. If used here, the usual names for the sun and moon [Shemesh and Yarih, respectively] might have carried pagan connotations, so they are simply described as greater and lesser lights. Moreover, they serve in the capacity that God gives them, which would not be the normal function the pagans ascribed to them. They merely divide, govern, and give light in God’s creation.

[1:16] 194 tn Heb “and the stars.” Now the term “stars” is added as a third object of the verb “made.” Perhaps the language is phenomenological, meaning that the stars appeared in the sky from this time forward.

[1:17] 195 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the lights mentioned in the preceding verses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18] 196 sn In days one to three there is a naming by God; in days five and six there is a blessing by God. But on day four there is neither. It could be a mere stylistic variation. But it could also be a deliberate design to avoid naming “sun” and “moon” or promoting them beyond what they are, things that God made to serve in his creation.

[1:20] 197 tn The Hebrew text again uses a cognate construction (“swarm with swarms”) to emphasize the abundant fertility. The idea of the verb is one of swift movement back and forth, literally swarming. This verb is used in Exod 1:7 to describe the rapid growth of the Israelite population in bondage.

[1:20] 198 tn The Hebrew text uses the Polel form of the verb instead of the simple Qal; it stresses a swarming flight again to underscore the abundant fruitfulness.

[1:21] 199 tn For the first time in the narrative proper the verb “create” (בָּרָא, bara’) appears. (It is used in the summary statement of v. 1.) The author wishes to underscore that these creatures – even the great ones – are part of God’s perfect creation. The Hebrew term תַנִּינִם (tanninim) is used for snakes (Exod 7:9), crocodiles (Ezek 29:3), or other powerful animals (Jer 51:34). In Isa 27:1 the word is used to describe a mythological sea creature that symbolizes God’s enemies.

[1:22] 200 tn While the translation “blessed” has been retained here for the sake of simplicity, it would be most helpful to paraphrase it as “God endowed them with fruitfulness” or something similar, for here it refers to God’s giving the animals the capacity to reproduce. The expression “blessed” needs clarification in its different contexts, for it is one of the unifying themes of the Book of Genesis. The divine blessing occurs after works of creation and is intended to continue that work – the word of blessing guarantees success. The word means “to enrich; to endow,” and the most visible evidence of that enrichment is productivity or fruitfulness. See C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).

[1:22] 201 sn The instruction God gives to creation is properly a fuller expression of the statement just made (“God blessed them”), that he enriched them with the ability to reproduce. It is not saying that these were rational creatures who heard and obeyed the word; rather, it stresses that fruitfulness in the animal world is a result of the divine decree and not of some pagan cultic ritual for fruitfulness. The repeated emphasis of “be fruitful – multiply – fill” adds to this abundance God has given to life. The meaning is underscored by the similar sounds: בָּרָךְ (barakh) with בָּרָא (bara’), and פָּרָה (parah) with רָבָה (ravah).

[1:24] 202 tn There are three groups of land animals here: the cattle or livestock (mostly domesticated), things that creep or move close to the ground (such as reptiles or rodents), and the wild animals (all animals of the field). The three terms are general classifications without specific details.

[1:26] 203 sn The plural form of the verb has been the subject of much discussion through the years, and not surprisingly several suggestions have been put forward. Many Christian theologians interpret it as an early hint of plurality within the Godhead, but this view imposes later trinitarian concepts on the ancient text. Some have suggested the plural verb indicates majesty, but the plural of majesty is not used with verbs. C. Westermann (Genesis, 1:145) argues for a plural of “deliberation” here, but his proposed examples of this use (2 Sam 24:14; Isa 6:8) do not actually support his theory. In 2 Sam 24:14 David uses the plural as representative of all Israel, and in Isa 6:8 the Lord speaks on behalf of his heavenly court. In its ancient Israelite context the plural is most naturally understood as referring to God and his heavenly court (see 1 Kgs 22:19-22; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; Isa 6:1-8). (The most well-known members of this court are God’s messengers, or angels. In Gen 3:5 the serpent may refer to this group as “gods/divine beings.” See the note on the word “evil” in 3:5.) If this is the case, God invites the heavenly court to participate in the creation of humankind (perhaps in the role of offering praise, see Job 38:7), but he himself is the one who does the actual creative work (v. 27). Of course, this view does assume that the members of the heavenly court possess the divine “image” in some way. Since the image is closely associated with rulership, perhaps they share the divine image in that they, together with God and under his royal authority, are the executive authority over the world.

[1:26] 204 tn The Hebrew word is אָדָם (’adam), which can sometimes refer to man, as opposed to woman. The term refers here to humankind, comprised of male and female. The singular is clearly collective (see the plural verb, “[that] they may rule” in v. 26b) and the referent is defined specifically as “male and female” in v. 27. Usage elsewhere in Gen 1-11 supports this as well. In 5:2 we read: “Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and called their name ‘humankind’ (אָדָם).” The noun also refers to humankind in 6:1, 5-7 and in 9:5-6.

[1:26] 205 tn The two prepositions translated “in” and “according to” have overlapping fields of meaning and in this context seem to be virtually equivalent. In 5:3 they are reversed with the two words. The word צֶלֶם (tselem, “image”) is used frequently of statues, models, and images – replicas (see D. J. A. Clines, “The Etymology of Hebrew selem,” JNSL 3 [1974]: 19-25). The word דְּמוּת (dÿmut, “likeness”) is an abstract noun; its verbal root means “to be like; to resemble.” In the Book of Genesis the two terms describe human beings who in some way reflect the form and the function of the creator. The form is more likely stressing the spiritual rather than the physical. The “image of God” would be the God-given mental and spiritual capacities that enable people to relate to God and to serve him by ruling over the created order as his earthly vice-regents.

[1:26] sn In our image, after our likeness. Similar language is used in the instructions for building the tabernacle. Moses was told to make it “according to the pattern” he was shown on the mount (Exod 25:9, 10). Was he shown a form, a replica, of the spiritual sanctuary in the heavenly places? In any case, what was produced on earth functioned as the heavenly sanctuary does, but with limitations.

[1:26] 206 tn Following the cohortative (“let us make”), the prefixed verb form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result (see Gen 19:20; 34:23; 2 Sam 3:21). God’s purpose in giving humankind his image is that they might rule the created order on behalf of the heavenly king and his royal court. So the divine image, however it is defined, gives humankind the capacity and/or authority to rule over creation.

[1:26] 207 tc The MT reads “earth”; the Syriac reads “wild animals” (cf. NRSV).

[1:26] 208 tn Heb “creep” (also in v. 28).

[1:27] 209 tn The Hebrew text has the article prefixed to the noun (הָאָדָם, ha’adam). The article does not distinguish man from woman here (“the man” as opposed to “the woman”), but rather indicates previous reference (see v. 26, where the noun appears without the article). It has the same function as English “the aforementioned.”

[1:27] 210 tn The third person suffix on the particle אֵת (’et) is singular here, but collective.

[1:27] 211 sn The distinction of “humankind” as “male” and “female” is another point of separation in God’s creation. There is no possibility that the verse is teaching that humans were first androgynous (having both male and female physical characteristics) and afterward were separated. The mention of male and female prepares for the blessing to follow.

[1:28] 212 tn As in v. 22 the verb “bless” here means “to endow with the capacity to reproduce and be fruitful,” as the following context indicates. As in v. 22, the statement directly precedes the command “be fruitful and multiply.” The verb carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); Gen 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).

[1:28] 213 tn Heb “and God said.” For stylistic reasons “God” has not been repeated here in the translation.

[1:28] 214 tn Elsewhere the Hebrew verb translated “subdue” means “to enslave” (2 Chr 28:10; Neh 5:5; Jer 34:11, 16), “to conquer,” (Num 32:22, 29; Josh 18:1; 2 Sam 8:11; 1 Chr 22:18; Zech 9:13; and probably Mic 7:19), and “to assault sexually” (Esth 7:8). None of these nuances adequately meets the demands of this context, for humankind is not viewed as having an adversarial relationship with the world. The general meaning of the verb appears to be “to bring under one’s control for one’s advantage.” In Gen 1:28 one might paraphrase it as follows: “harness its potential and use its resources for your benefit.” In an ancient Israelite context this would suggest cultivating its fields, mining its mineral riches, using its trees for construction, and domesticating its animals.

[1:28] 215 sn The several imperatives addressed to both males and females together (plural imperative forms) actually form two commands: reproduce and rule. God’s word is not merely a form of blessing, but is now addressed to them personally; this is a distinct emphasis with the creation of human beings. But with the blessing comes the ability to be fruitful and to rule. In procreation they will share in the divine work of creating human life and passing on the divine image (see 5:1-3); in ruling they will serve as God’s vice-regents on earth. They together, the human race collectively, have the responsibility of seeing to the welfare of that which is put under them and the privilege of using it for their benefit.

[1:29] 216 tn The text uses הִנֵּה (hinneh), often archaically translated “behold.” It is often used to express the dramatic present, the immediacy of an event – “Look, this is what I am doing!”

[1:29] 217 sn G. J. Wenham (Genesis [WBC], 1:34) points out that there is nothing in the passage that prohibits the man and the woman from eating meat. He suggests that eating meat came after the fall. Gen 9:3 may then ratify the postfall practice of eating meat rather than inaugurate the practice, as is often understood.

[1:30] 218 tn The phrase “I give” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:31] 219 tn The Hebrew text again uses הִנֵּה (hinneh) for the sake of vividness. It is a particle that goes with the gesture of pointing, calling attention to something.

[2:1] 220 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1.

[2:1] 221 tn Heb “and all the host of them.” Here the “host” refers to all the entities and creatures that God created to populate the world.

[2:2] 222 tn Heb “on/in the seventh day.”

[2:2] 223 tn Heb “his work which he did [or “made”].”

[2:2] 224 tn The Hebrew term שָׁבַּת (shabbat) can be translated “to rest” (“and he rested”) but it basically means “to cease.” This is not a rest from exhaustion; it is the cessation of the work of creation.

[2:3] 225 tn The verb is usually translated “and sanctified it.” The Piel verb קִדֵּשׁ (qiddesh) means “to make something holy; to set something apart; to distinguish it.” On the literal level the phrase means essentially that God made this day different. But within the context of the Law, it means that the day belonged to God; it was for rest from ordinary labor, worship, and spiritual service. The day belonged to God.

[2:3] 226 tn Heb “God.” The pronoun (“he”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:3] 227 tn Heb “for on it he ceased from all his work which God created to make.” The last infinitive construct and the verb before it form a verbal hendiadys, the infinitive becoming the modifier – “which God creatively made,” or “which God made in his creating.”

[2:4] 228 tn The Hebrew phrase אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot) is traditionally translated as “these are the generations of” because the noun was derived from the verb “beget.” Its usage, however, shows that it introduces more than genealogies; it begins a narrative that traces what became of the entity or individual mentioned in the heading. In fact, a good paraphrase of this heading would be: “This is what became of the heavens and the earth,” for what follows is not another account of creation but a tracing of events from creation through the fall and judgment (the section extends from 2:4 through 4:26). See M. H. Woudstra, “The Toledot of the Book of Genesis and Their Redemptive-Historical Significance,” CTJ 5 (1970): 184-89.

[2:4] 229 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1.

[2:4] 230 sn Advocates of the so-called documentary hypothesis of pentateuchal authorship argue that the introduction of the name Yahweh (Lord) here indicates that a new source (designated J), a parallel account of creation, begins here. In this scheme Gen 1:1-2:3 is understood as the priestly source (designated P) of creation. Critics of this approach often respond that the names, rather than indicating separate sources, were chosen to reflect the subject matter (see U. Cassuto, The Documentary Hypothesis). Gen 1:1–2:3 is the grand prologue of the book, showing the sovereign God creating by decree. The narrative beginning in 2:4 is the account of what this God invested in his creation. Since it deals with the close, personal involvement of the covenant God, the narrative uses the covenantal name Yahweh (Lord) in combination with the name God. For a recent discussion of the documentary hypothesis from a theologically conservative perspective, see D. A. Garrett, Rethinking Genesis. For an attempt by source critics to demonstrate the legitimacy of the source critical method on the basis of ancient Near Eastern parallels, see J. H. Tigay, ed., Empirical Models for Biblical Criticism. For reaction to the source critical method by literary critics, see I. M. Kikawada and A. Quinn, Before Abraham Was; R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 131-54; and Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, 111-34.

[2:4] 231 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1; the order here is reversed, but the meaning is the same.

[2:5] 232 tn Heb “Now every sprig of the field before it was.” The verb forms, although appearing to be imperfects, are technically preterites coming after the adverb טֶּרֶם (terem). The word order (conjunction + subject + predicate) indicates a disjunctive clause, which provides background information for the following narrative (as in 1:2). Two negative clauses are given (“before any sprig…”, and “before any cultivated grain” existed), followed by two causal clauses explaining them, and then a positive circumstantial clause is given – again dealing with water as in 1:2 (water would well up).

[2:5] 233 tn The first term, שִׂיחַ (siakh), probably refers to the wild, uncultivated plants (see Gen 21:15; Job 30:4,7); whereas the second, עֵשֶׂב (’esev), refers to cultivated grains. It is a way of saying: “back before anything was growing.”

[2:5] 234 tn The two causal clauses explain the first two disjunctive clauses: There was no uncultivated, general growth because there was no rain, and there were no grains because there was no man to cultivate the soil.

[2:5] sn The last clause in v. 5, “and there was no man to cultivate the ground,” anticipates the curse and the expulsion from the garden (Gen 3:23).

[2:6] 235 tn The conjunction vav (ו) introduces a third disjunctive clause. The Hebrew word אֵד (’ed) was traditionally translated “mist” because of its use in Job 36:27. However, an Akkadian cognate edu in Babylonian texts refers to subterranean springs or waterways. Such a spring would fit the description in this context, since this water “goes up” and waters the ground.

[2:6] 236 tn Heb “was going up.” The verb is an imperfect form, which in this narrative context carries a customary nuance, indicating continual action in past time.

[2:6] 237 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same nuance as the preceding verb. Whenever it would well up, it would water the ground.

[2:6] 238 tn The Hebrew word אֲדָמָה (’adamah) actually means “ground; fertile soil.”

[2:7] 239 tn Or “fashioned.” The prefixed verb form with vav (ו) consecutive initiates narrative sequence. The Hebrew word יָצַר (yatsar) means “to form” or “to fashion,” usually by plan or design (see the related noun יֵצֶר [yetser] in Gen 6:5). It is the term for an artist’s work (the Hebrew term יוֹצֵר [yotser] refers to a potter; see Jer 18:2-4.)

[2:7] 240 tn The line literally reads “And Yahweh God formed the man, soil, from the ground.” “Soil” is an adverbial accusative, identifying the material from which the man was made.

[2:7] 241 tn The Hebrew word נְשָׁמָה (nÿshamah, “breath”) is used for God and for the life imparted to humans, not animals (see T. C. Mitchell, “The Old Testament Usage of Nÿshama,” VT 11 [1961]: 177-87). Its usage in the Bible conveys more than a breathing living organism (נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה, nefesh khayyah). Whatever is given this breath of life becomes animated with the life from God, has spiritual understanding (Job 32:8), and has a functioning conscience (Prov 20:27).

[2:7] 242 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often translated “soul,” but the word usually refers to the whole person. The phrase נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה (nefesh khayyah, “living being”) is used of both animals and human beings (see 1:20, 24, 30; 2:19).

[2:8] 243 tn Traditionally “garden,” but the subsequent description of this “garden” makes it clear that it is an orchard of fruit trees.

[2:8] 244 tn Heb “from the east” or “off east.”

[2:8] sn One would assume this is east from the perspective of the land of Israel, particularly since the rivers in the area are identified as the rivers in those eastern regions.

[2:8] 245 sn The name Eden (עֵדֶן, ’eden) means “pleasure” in Hebrew.

[2:8] 246 tn The perfect verbal form here requires the past perfect translation since it describes an event that preceded the event described in the main clause.

[2:9] 247 tn Heb “ground,” referring to the fertile soil.

[2:9] 248 tn Heb “desirable of sight [or “appearance”].” The phrase describes the kinds of trees that are visually pleasing and yield fruit that is desirable to the appetite.

[2:9] 249 tn The verse ends with a disjunctive clause providing a parenthetical bit of information about the existence of two special trees in the garden.

[2:9] 250 tn In light of Gen 3:22, the construction “tree of life” should be interpreted to mean a tree that produces life-giving fruit (objective genitive) rather than a living tree (attributive genitive). See E. O. James, The Tree of Life (SHR); and R. Marcus, “The Tree of Life in Proverbs,” JBL 62 (1943): 117-20.

[2:9] 251 tn The expression “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” must be interpreted to mean that the tree would produce fruit which, when eaten, gives special knowledge of “good and evil.” Scholars debate what this phrase means here. For a survey of opinions, see G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:62-64. One view is that “good” refers to that which enhances, promotes, and produces life, while “evil” refers to anything that hinders, interrupts or destroys life. So eating from this tree would change human nature – people would be able to alter life for better (in their thinking) or for worse. See D. J. A. Clines, “The Tree of Knowledge and the Law of Yahweh,” VT 24 (1974): 8-14; and I. Engnell, “‘Knowledge’ and ‘Life’ in the Creation Story,” Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near East [VTSup], 103-19. Another view understands the “knowledge of good and evil” as the capacity to discern between moral good and evil. The following context suggests the tree’s fruit gives one wisdom (see the phrase “capable of making one wise” in 3:6, as well as the note there on the word “wise”), which certainly includes the capacity to discern between good and evil. Such wisdom is characteristic of divine beings, as the serpent’s promise implies (3:5) and as 3:22 makes clear. (Note, however, that this capacity does not include the ability to do what is right.) God prohibits man from eating of the tree. The prohibition becomes a test to see if man will be satisfied with his role and place, or if he will try to ascend to the divine level. There will be a time for man to possess moral discernment/wisdom, as God reveals and imparts it to him, but it is not something to be grasped at in an effort to become “a god.” In fact, the command to be obedient was the first lesson in moral discernment/wisdom. God was essentially saying: “Here is lesson one – respect my authority and commands. Disobey me and you will die.” When man disobeys, he decides he does not want to acquire moral wisdom God’s way, but instead tries to rise immediately to the divine level. Once man has acquired such divine wisdom by eating the tree’s fruit (3:22), he must be banned from the garden so that he will not be able to achieve his goal of being godlike and thus live forever, a divine characteristic (3:24). Ironically, man now has the capacity to discern good from evil (3:22), but he is morally corrupted and rebellious and will not consistently choose what is right.

[2:10] 252 tn The disjunctive clause (note the construction conjunction + subject + predicate) introduces an entire paragraph about the richness of the region in the east.

[2:10] 253 tn The Hebrew active participle may be translated here as indicating past durative action, “was flowing,” or as a present durative, “flows.” Since this river was the source of the rivers mentioned in vv. 11-14, which appear to describe a situation contemporary with the narrator, it is preferable to translate the participle in v. 10 with the present tense. This suggests that Eden and its orchard still existed in the narrator’s time. According to ancient Jewish tradition, Enoch was taken to the Garden of Eden, where his presence insulated the garden from the destructive waters of Noah’s flood. See Jub. 4:23-24.

[2:10] 254 sn Eden is portrayed here as a source of life-giving rivers (that is, perennial streams). This is no surprise because its orchard is where the tree of life is located. Eden is a source of life, but tragically its orchard is no longer accessible to humankind. The river flowing out of Eden is a tantalizing reminder of this. God continues to provide life-giving water to sustain physical existence on the earth, but immortality has been lost.

[2:10] 255 tn The imperfect verb form has the same nuance as the preceding participle. (If the participle is taken as past durative, then the imperfect would be translated “was dividing.”)

[2:10] 256 tn Or “branches”; Heb “heads.” Cf. NEB “streams”; NASB “rivers.”

[2:11] 257 tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[2:12] 258 tn Heb “good.”

[2:12] 259 tn The Hebrew term translated “pearls” may be a reference to resin (cf. NIV “aromatic resin”) or another precious stone (cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV “bdellium”).

[2:12] 260 tn Or “onyx.”

[2:13] 261 tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[2:13] 262 sn Cush. In the Bible the Hebrew word כּוּשׁ (kush, “Kush”) often refers to Ethiopia (so KJV, CEV), but here it must refer to a region in Mesopotamia, the area of the later Cassite dynasty of Babylon. See Gen 10:8 as well as E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 20.

[2:14] 263 tn Heb “Asshur” (so NEB, NIV).

[2:15] 264 tn The Hebrew verb נוּחַ (nuakh, translated here as “placed”) is a different verb than the one used in 2:8.

[2:15] 265 tn Traditionally translated “the Garden of Eden,” the context makes it clear that the garden (or orchard) was in Eden (making “Eden” a genitive of location).

[2:15] 266 tn Heb “to work it and to keep it.”

[2:15] sn Note that man’s task is to care for and maintain the trees of the orchard. Not until after the fall, when he is condemned to cultivate the soil, does this task change.

[2:16] 267 sn This is the first time in the Bible that the verb tsavah (צָוָה, “to command”) appears. Whatever the man had to do in the garden, the main focus of the narrative is on keeping God’s commandments. God created humans with the capacity to obey him and then tested them with commands.

[2:16] 268 tn The imperfect verb form probably carries the nuance of permission (“you may eat”) since the man is not being commanded to eat from every tree. The accompanying infinitive absolute adds emphasis: “you may freely eat,” or “you may eat to your heart’s content.”

[2:16] 269 tn The word “fruit” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied as the direct object of the verb “eat.” Presumably the only part of the tree the man would eat would be its fruit (cf. 3:2).

[2:17] 270 tn The disjunctive clause here indicates contrast: “but from the tree of the knowledge….”

[2:17] 271 tn The negated imperfect verb form indicates prohibition, “you must not eat.”

[2:17] 272 tn Or “in the very day, as soon as.” If one understands the expression to have this more precise meaning, then the following narrative presents a problem, for the man does not die physically as soon as he eats from the tree. In this case one may argue that spiritual death is in view. If physical death is in view here, there are two options to explain the following narrative: (1) The following phrase “You will surely die” concerns mortality which ultimately results in death (a natural paraphrase would be, “You will become mortal”), or (2) God mercifully gave man a reprieve, allowing him to live longer than he deserved.

[2:17] 273 tn Heb “dying you will die.” The imperfect verb form here has the nuance of the specific future because it is introduced with the temporal clause, “when you eat…you will die.” That certainty is underscored with the infinitive absolute, “you will surely die.”

[2:18] 274 tn Heb “The being of man by himself is not good.” The meaning of “good” must be defined contextually. Within the context of creation, in which God instructs humankind to be fruitful and multiply, the man alone cannot comply. Being alone prevents the man from fulfilling the design of creation and therefore is not good.

[2:18] 275 tn Traditionally “helper.” The English word “helper,” because it can connote so many different ideas, does not accurately convey the connotation of the Hebrew word עֵזֶר (’ezer). Usage of the Hebrew term does not suggest a subordinate role, a connotation which English “helper” can have. In the Bible God is frequently described as the “helper,” the one who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, the one who meets our needs. In this context the word seems to express the idea of an “indispensable companion.” The woman would supply what the man was lacking in the design of creation and logically it would follow that the man would supply what she was lacking, although that is not stated here. See further M. L. Rosenzweig, “A Helper Equal to Him,” Jud 139 (1986): 277-80.

[2:18] 276 tn The Hebrew expression כְּנֶגְדּוֹ (kÿnegdo) literally means “according to the opposite of him.” Translations such as “suitable [for]” (NASB, NIV), “matching,” “corresponding to” all capture the idea. (Translations that render the phrase simply “partner” [cf. NEB, NRSV], while not totally inaccurate, do not reflect the nuance of correspondence and/or suitability.) The man’s form and nature are matched by the woman’s as she reflects him and complements him. Together they correspond. In short, this prepositional phrase indicates that she has everything that God had invested in him.

[2:19] 277 tn Or “fashioned.” To harmonize the order of events with the chronology of chapter one, some translate the prefixed verb form with vav (ו) consecutive as a past perfect (“had formed,” cf. NIV) here. (In chapter one the creation of the animals preceded the creation of man; here the animals are created after the man.) However, it is unlikely that the Hebrew construction can be translated in this way in the middle of this pericope, for the criteria for unmarked temporal overlay are not present here. See S. R. Driver, A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew, 84-88, and especially R. Buth, “Methodological Collision between Source Criticism and Discourse Analysis,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 138-54. For a contrary viewpoint see IBHS 552-53 §33.2.3 and C. J. Collins, “The Wayyiqtol as ‘Pluperfect’: When and Why,” TynBul 46 (1995): 117-40.

[2:19] 278 tn The imperfect verb form is future from the perspective of the past time narrative.

[2:20] 279 tn Here for the first time the Hebrew word אָדָם (’adam) appears without the article, suggesting that it might now be the name “Adam” rather than “[the] man.” Translations of the Bible differ as to where they make the change from “man” to “Adam” (e.g., NASB and NIV translate “Adam” here, while NEB and NRSV continue to use “the man”; the KJV uses “Adam” twice in v. 19).

[2:20] 280 tn Heb “there was not found a companion who corresponded to him.” The subject of the third masculine singular verb form is indefinite. Without a formally expressed subject the verb may be translated as passive: “one did not find = there was not found.”

[2:21] 281 tn Heb “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man.”

[2:21] 282 tn Heb “and he slept.” In the sequence the verb may be subordinated to the following verb to indicate a temporal clause (“while…”).

[2:21] 283 tn Traditionally translated “rib,” the Hebrew word actually means “side.” The Hebrew text reads, “and he took one from his sides,” which could be rendered “part of his sides.” That idea may fit better the explanation by the man that the woman is his flesh and bone.

[2:21] 284 tn Heb “closed up the flesh under it.”

[2:22] 285 tn The Hebrew verb is בָּנָה (banah, “to make, to build, to construct”). The text states that the Lord God built the rib into a woman. Again, the passage gives no indication of precisely how this was done.

[2:23] 286 tn The Hebrew term הַפַּעַם (happa’am) means “the [this] time, this place,” or “now, finally, at last.” The expression conveys the futility of the man while naming the animals and finding no one who corresponded to him.

[2:23] 287 tn The Hebrew text is very precise, stating: “of this one it will be said, ‘woman’.” The text is not necessarily saying that the man named his wife – that comes after the fall (Gen 3:20).

[2:23] 288 tn Or “from” (but see v. 22).

[2:23] 289 sn This poetic section expresses the correspondence between the man and the woman. She is bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh. Note the wordplay (paronomasia) between “woman” (אִשָּׁה, ’ishah) and “man” (אִישׁ, ’ish). On the surface it appears that the word for woman is the feminine form of the word for man. But the two words are not etymologically related. The sound and the sense give that impression, however, and make for a more effective wordplay.

[2:24] 290 tn This statement, introduced by the Hebrew phrase עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore” or “that is why”), is an editorial comment, not an extension of the quotation. The statement is describing what typically happens, not what will or should happen. It is saying, “This is why we do things the way we do.” It links a contemporary (with the narrator) practice with the historical event being narrated. The historical event narrated in v. 23 provides the basis for the contemporary practice described in v. 24. That is why the imperfect verb forms are translated with the present tense rather than future.

[2:24] 291 tn The imperfect verb form has a habitual or characteristic nuance. For other examples of עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore, that is why”) with the imperfect in a narrative framework, see Gen 10:9; 32:32 (the phrase “to this day” indicates characteristic behavior is in view); Num 21:14, 27; 1 Sam 5:5 (note “to this day”); 19:24 (perhaps the imperfect is customary here, “were saying”); 2 Sam 5:8. The verb translated “leave” (עָזָב, ’azab) normally means “to abandon, to forsake, to leave behind, to discard,” when used with human subject and object (see Josh 22:3; 1 Sam 30:13; Ps 27:10; Prov 2:17; Isa 54:6; 60:15; 62:4; Jer 49:11). Within the context of the ancient Israelite extended family structure, this cannot refer to emotional or geographical separation. The narrator is using hyperbole to emphasize the change in perspective that typically overtakes a young man when his thoughts turn to love and marriage.

[2:24] 292 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same habitual or characteristic nuance as the preceding imperfect. The verb is traditionally translated “cleaves [to]”; it has the basic idea of “stick with/to” (e.g., it is used of Ruth resolutely staying with her mother-in-law in Ruth 1:14). In this passage it describes the inseparable relationship between the man and the woman in marriage as God intended it.

[2:24] 293 tn Heb “and they become one flesh.” The perfect with vav consecutive carries the same habitual or characteristic nuance as the preceding verbs in the verse. The retention of the word “flesh” (בָּשָׂר, basar) in the translation often leads to improper or incomplete interpretations. The Hebrew word refers to more than just a sexual union. When they unite in marriage, the man and woman bring into being a new family unit (הָיָה + לְ, hayah + lamed preposition means “become”). The phrase “one flesh” occurs only here and must be interpreted in light of v. 23. There the man declares that the woman is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. To be one’s “bone and flesh” is to be related by blood to someone. For example, the phrase describes the relationship between Laban and Jacob (Gen 29:14); Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg 9:2; his mother was a Shechemite); David and the Israelites (2 Sam 5:1); David and the elders of Judah (2 Sam 19:12); and David and his nephew Amasa (2 Sam 19:13, see 2 Sam 17:2; 1 Chr 2:16-17). The expression “one flesh” seems to indicate that they become, as it were, “kin,” at least legally (a new family unit is created) or metaphorically. In this first marriage in human history, the woman was literally formed from the man’s bone and flesh. Even though later marriages do not involve such a divine surgical operation, the first marriage sets the pattern for how later marriages are understood and explains why marriage supersedes the parent-child relationship.

[2:25] 294 tn Heb “And the two of them were naked, the man and his wife.”

[2:25] 295 tn The imperfect verb form here has a customary nuance, indicating a continuing condition in past time. The meaning of the Hebrew term בּוֹשׁ (bosh) is “to be ashamed, to put to shame,” but its meaning is stronger than “to be embarrassed.” The word conveys the fear of exploitation or evil – enemies are put to shame through military victory. It indicates the feeling of shame that approximates a fear of evil.

[20:1] 296 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”

[20:1] sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[20:1] 297 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”

[20:3] 298 tn Heb “came.”

[20:3] 299 tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.

[20:3] 300 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.

[20:4] 301 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[20:4] 302 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.

[20:5] 303 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:5] 304 tn Heb “and she, even she.”

[20:5] 305 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”

[20:6] 306 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”

[20:6] 307 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”

[20:6] 308 tn Heb “therefore.”

[20:7] 309 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

[20:7] 310 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

[20:7] 311 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

[20:7] sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.

[20:7] 312 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

[20:7] 313 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

[20:8] 314 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”

[20:8] 315 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”

[20:8] 316 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”

[20:8] 317 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[20:9] 318 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.

[20:9] 319 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.

[20:10] 320 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”

[20:10] 321 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.

[20:11] 322 tn Heb “Because I said.”

[20:11] 323 tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[20:12] 324 tn Heb “but also.”

[20:13] 325 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”

[20:13] 326 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”

[20:14] 327 tn Heb “took and gave.”

[20:15] 328 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”

[20:16] 329 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).

[20:16] 330 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).

[20:16] 331 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).

[20:18] 332 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”

[20:18] 333 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[20:18] 334 tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:1] 335 tn The translation assumes that the form translated “beginning” is in the absolute state rather than the construct (“in the beginning of,” or “when God created”). In other words, the clause in v. 1 is a main clause, v. 2 has three clauses that are descriptive and supply background information, and v. 3 begins the narrative sequence proper. The referent of the word “beginning” has to be defined from the context since there is no beginning or ending with God.

[1:1] 336 sn God. This frequently used Hebrew name for God (אֱלֹהִים,’elohim ) is a plural form. When it refers to the one true God, the singular verb is normally used, as here. The plural form indicates majesty; the name stresses God’s sovereignty and incomparability – he is the “God of gods.”

[1:1] 337 tn The English verb “create” captures well the meaning of the Hebrew term in this context. The verb בָּרָא (bara’) always describes the divine activity of fashioning something new, fresh, and perfect. The verb does not necessarily describe creation out of nothing (see, for example, v. 27, where it refers to the creation of man); it often stresses forming anew, reforming, renewing (see Ps 51:10; Isa 43:15, 65:17).

[1:1] 338 tn Or “the entire universe”; or “the sky and the dry land.” This phrase is often interpreted as a merism, referring to the entire ordered universe, including the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The “heavens and the earth” were completed in seven days (see Gen 2:1) and are characterized by fixed laws (see Jer 33:25). “Heavens” refers specifically to the sky, created on the second day (see v. 8), while “earth” refers specifically to the dry land, created on the third day (see v. 10). Both are distinct from the sea/seas (see v. 10 and Exod 20:11).

[1:2] 339 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) at the beginning of v. 2 gives background information for the following narrative, explaining the state of things when “God said…” (v. 3). Verse one is a title to the chapter, v. 2 provides information about the state of things when God spoke, and v. 3 begins the narrative per se with the typical narrative construction (vav [ו] consecutive followed by the prefixed verbal form). (This literary structure is paralleled in the second portion of the book: Gen 2:4 provides the title or summary of what follows, 2:5-6 use disjunctive clause structures to give background information for the following narrative, and 2:7 begins the narrative with the vav consecutive attached to a prefixed verbal form.) Some translate 1:2a “and the earth became,” arguing that v. 1 describes the original creation of the earth, while v. 2 refers to a judgment that reduced it to a chaotic condition. Verses 3ff. then describe the re-creation of the earth. However, the disjunctive clause at the beginning of v. 2 cannot be translated as if it were relating the next event in a sequence. If v. 2 were sequential to v. 1, the author would have used the vav consecutive followed by a prefixed verbal form and the subject.

[1:2] 340 tn That is, what we now call “the earth.” The creation of the earth as we know it is described in vv. 9-10. Prior to this the substance which became the earth (= dry land) lay dormant under the water.

[1:2] 341 tn Traditional translations have followed a more literal rendering of “waste and void.” The words describe a condition that is without form and empty. What we now know as “the earth” was actually an unfilled mass covered by water and darkness. Later תֹהוּ (tohu) and בֹּהוּ (bohu), when used in proximity, describe a situation resulting from judgment (Isa 34:11; Jer 4:23). Both prophets may be picturing judgment as the reversal of creation in which God’s judgment causes the world to revert to its primordial condition. This later use of the terms has led some to conclude that Gen 1:2 presupposes the judgment of a prior world, but it is unsound method to read the later application of the imagery (in a context of judgment) back into Gen 1:2.

[1:2] 342 sn Darkness. The Hebrew word simply means “darkness,” but in the Bible it has come to symbolize what opposes God, such as judgment (Exod 10:21), death (Ps 88:13), oppression (Isa 9:1), the wicked (1 Sam 2:9) and in general, sin. In Isa 45:7 it parallels “evil.” It is a fitting cover for the primeval waste, but it prepares the reader for the fact that God is about to reveal himself through his works.

[1:2] 343 tn The Hebrew term תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “deep”) refers to the watery deep, the salty ocean – especially the primeval ocean that surrounds and underlies the earth (see Gen 7:11).

[1:2] 344 tn The traditional rendering “Spirit of God” is preserved here, as opposed to a translation like “wind from/breath of God” (cf. NRSV) or “mighty wind” (cf. NEB), taking the word “God” to represent the superlative. Elsewhere in the OT the phrase refers consistently to the divine spirit that empowers and energizes individuals (see Gen 41:38; Exod 31:3; 35:31; Num 24:2; 1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 19:20, 23; Ezek 11:24; 2 Chr 15:1; 24:20).

[1:2] 345 tn The Hebrew verb has been translated “hovering” or “moving” (as a bird over her young, see Deut 32:11). The Syriac cognate term means “to brood over; to incubate.” How much of that sense might be attached here is hard to say, but the verb does depict the presence of the Spirit of God moving about mysteriously over the waters, presumably preparing for the acts of creation to follow. If one reads “mighty wind” (cf. NEB) then the verse describes how the powerful wind begins to blow in preparation for the creative act described in vv. 9-10. (God also used a wind to drive back the flood waters in Noah’s day. See Gen 8:1.)

[1:2] 346 tn Heb “face.”

[1:2] 347 sn The water. The text deliberately changes now from the term for the watery deep to the general word for water. The arena is now the life-giving water and not the chaotic abyss-like deep. The change may be merely stylistic, but it may also carry some significance. The deep carries with it the sense of the abyss, chaos, darkness – in short, that which is not good for life.

[1:3] 348 tn The prefixed verb form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the narrative sequence. Ten times in the chapter the decree of God in creation will be so expressed. For the power of the divine word in creation, see Ps 33:9, John 1:1-3, 1 Cor 8:6, and Col 1:16.

[1:3] 349 tn “Let there be” is the short jussive form of the verb “to be”; the following expression “and there was” is the short preterite form of the same verb. As such, יְהִי (yÿhi) and וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) form a profound wordplay to express both the calling into existence and the complete fulfillment of the divine word.

[1:3] 350 sn Light. The Hebrew word simply means “light,” but it is used often in scripture to convey the ideas of salvation, joy, knowledge, righteousness, and life. In this context one cannot ignore those connotations, for it is the antithesis of the darkness. The first thing God does is correct the darkness; without the light there is only chaos.

[1:4] 351 tn Heb “And God saw the light, that it was good.” The verb “saw” in this passage carries the meaning “reflected on,” “surveyed,” “concluded,” “noted.” It is a description of reflection of the mind – it is God’s opinion.

[1:4] 352 tn The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) in this context signifies whatever enhances, promotes, produces, or is conducive for life. It is the light that God considers “good,” not the darkness. Whatever is conducive to life in God’s creation is good, for God himself is good, and that goodness is reflected in all of his works.

[1:4] 353 tn The verb “separate, divide” here explains how God used the light to dispel the darkness. It did not do away with the darkness completely, but made a separation. The light came alongside the darkness, but they are mutually exclusive – a theme that will be developed in the Gospel of John (cf. John 1:5).

[1:5] 354 tn Heb “he called to,” meaning “he named.”

[1:5] 355 tn Heb “and the darkness he called night.” The words “he called” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:5] 356 tn Another option is to translate, “Evening came, and then morning came.” This formula closes the six days of creation. It seems to follow the Jewish order of reckoning time: from evening to morning. Day one started with the dark, continued through the creation of light, and ended with nightfall. Another alternative would be to translate, “There was night and then there was day, one day.”

[1:6] 357 tn The Hebrew word refers to an expanse of air pressure between the surface of the sea and the clouds, separating water below from water above. In v. 8 it is called “sky.”

[1:6] 358 tn Heb “the waters from the waters.”

[1:7] 359 tn Heb “the expanse.”

[1:7] 360 tn This statement indicates that it happened the way God designed it, underscoring the connection between word and event.

[1:8] 361 tn Though the Hebrew word can mean “heaven,” it refers in this context to “the sky.”

[1:9] 362 sn Let the water…be gathered to one place. In the beginning the water covered the whole earth; now the water was to be restricted to an area to form the ocean. The picture is one of the dry land as an island with the sea surrounding it. Again the sovereignty of God is revealed. Whereas the pagans saw the sea as a force to be reckoned with, God controls the boundaries of the sea. And in the judgment at the flood he will blur the boundaries so that chaos returns.

[1:9] 363 tn When the waters are collected to one place, dry land emerges above the surface of the receding water.

[1:10] 364 tn Heb “earth,” but here the term refers to the dry ground as opposed to the sea.

[1:11] 365 tn The Hebrew construction employs a cognate accusative, where the nominal object (“vegetation”) derives from the verbal root employed. It stresses the abundant productivity that God created.

[1:11] 366 sn After their kinds. The Hebrew word translated “kind” (מִין, min) indicates again that God was concerned with defining and dividing time, space, and species. The point is that creation was with order, as opposed to chaos. And what God created and distinguished with boundaries was not to be confused (see Lev 19:19 and Deut 22:9-11).

[1:11] 367 tn The conjunction “and” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation to clarify the relationship of the clauses.

[1:14] 368 sn Let there be lights. Light itself was created before the light-bearers. The order would not seem strange to the ancient Hebrew mind that did not automatically link daylight with the sun (note that dawn and dusk appear to have light without the sun).

[1:14] 369 tn The language describing the cosmos, which reflects a prescientific view of the world, must be interpreted as phenomenal, describing what appears to be the case. The sun and the moon are not in the sky (below the clouds), but from the viewpoint of a person standing on the earth, they appear that way. Even today we use similar phenomenological expressions, such as “the sun is rising” or “the stars in the sky.”

[1:14] 370 tn The text has “for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” It seems likely from the meanings of the words involved that “signs” is the main idea, followed by two categories, “seasons” and “days and years.” This is the simplest explanation, and one that matches vv. 11-13. It could even be rendered “signs for the fixed seasons, that is [explicative vav (ו)] days and years.”

[1:14] sn Let them be for signs. The point is that the sun and the moon were important to fix the days for the seasonal celebrations for the worshiping community.

[1:16] 371 sn Two great lights. The text goes to great length to discuss the creation of these lights, suggesting that the subject was very important to the ancients. Since these “lights” were considered deities in the ancient world, the section serves as a strong polemic (see G. Hasel, “The Polemical Nature of the Genesis Cosmology,” EvQ 46 [1974]: 81-102). The Book of Genesis is affirming they are created entities, not deities. To underscore this the text does not even give them names. If used here, the usual names for the sun and moon [Shemesh and Yarih, respectively] might have carried pagan connotations, so they are simply described as greater and lesser lights. Moreover, they serve in the capacity that God gives them, which would not be the normal function the pagans ascribed to them. They merely divide, govern, and give light in God’s creation.

[1:16] 372 tn Heb “and the stars.” Now the term “stars” is added as a third object of the verb “made.” Perhaps the language is phenomenological, meaning that the stars appeared in the sky from this time forward.

[1:17] 373 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the lights mentioned in the preceding verses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18] 374 sn In days one to three there is a naming by God; in days five and six there is a blessing by God. But on day four there is neither. It could be a mere stylistic variation. But it could also be a deliberate design to avoid naming “sun” and “moon” or promoting them beyond what they are, things that God made to serve in his creation.

[1:20] 375 tn The Hebrew text again uses a cognate construction (“swarm with swarms”) to emphasize the abundant fertility. The idea of the verb is one of swift movement back and forth, literally swarming. This verb is used in Exod 1:7 to describe the rapid growth of the Israelite population in bondage.

[1:20] 376 tn The Hebrew text uses the Polel form of the verb instead of the simple Qal; it stresses a swarming flight again to underscore the abundant fruitfulness.

[1:21] 377 tn For the first time in the narrative proper the verb “create” (בָּרָא, bara’) appears. (It is used in the summary statement of v. 1.) The author wishes to underscore that these creatures – even the great ones – are part of God’s perfect creation. The Hebrew term תַנִּינִם (tanninim) is used for snakes (Exod 7:9), crocodiles (Ezek 29:3), or other powerful animals (Jer 51:34). In Isa 27:1 the word is used to describe a mythological sea creature that symbolizes God’s enemies.

[1:22] 378 tn While the translation “blessed” has been retained here for the sake of simplicity, it would be most helpful to paraphrase it as “God endowed them with fruitfulness” or something similar, for here it refers to God’s giving the animals the capacity to reproduce. The expression “blessed” needs clarification in its different contexts, for it is one of the unifying themes of the Book of Genesis. The divine blessing occurs after works of creation and is intended to continue that work – the word of blessing guarantees success. The word means “to enrich; to endow,” and the most visible evidence of that enrichment is productivity or fruitfulness. See C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).

[1:22] 379 sn The instruction God gives to creation is properly a fuller expression of the statement just made (“God blessed them”), that he enriched them with the ability to reproduce. It is not saying that these were rational creatures who heard and obeyed the word; rather, it stresses that fruitfulness in the animal world is a result of the divine decree and not of some pagan cultic ritual for fruitfulness. The repeated emphasis of “be fruitful – multiply – fill” adds to this abundance God has given to life. The meaning is underscored by the similar sounds: בָּרָךְ (barakh) with בָּרָא (bara’), and פָּרָה (parah) with רָבָה (ravah).

[1:24] 380 tn There are three groups of land animals here: the cattle or livestock (mostly domesticated), things that creep or move close to the ground (such as reptiles or rodents), and the wild animals (all animals of the field). The three terms are general classifications without specific details.

[1:26] 381 sn The plural form of the verb has been the subject of much discussion through the years, and not surprisingly several suggestions have been put forward. Many Christian theologians interpret it as an early hint of plurality within the Godhead, but this view imposes later trinitarian concepts on the ancient text. Some have suggested the plural verb indicates majesty, but the plural of majesty is not used with verbs. C. Westermann (Genesis, 1:145) argues for a plural of “deliberation” here, but his proposed examples of this use (2 Sam 24:14; Isa 6:8) do not actually support his theory. In 2 Sam 24:14 David uses the plural as representative of all Israel, and in Isa 6:8 the Lord speaks on behalf of his heavenly court. In its ancient Israelite context the plural is most naturally understood as referring to God and his heavenly court (see 1 Kgs 22:19-22; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; Isa 6:1-8). (The most well-known members of this court are God’s messengers, or angels. In Gen 3:5 the serpent may refer to this group as “gods/divine beings.” See the note on the word “evil” in 3:5.) If this is the case, God invites the heavenly court to participate in the creation of humankind (perhaps in the role of offering praise, see Job 38:7), but he himself is the one who does the actual creative work (v. 27). Of course, this view does assume that the members of the heavenly court possess the divine “image” in some way. Since the image is closely associated with rulership, perhaps they share the divine image in that they, together with God and under his royal authority, are the executive authority over the world.

[1:26] 382 tn The Hebrew word is אָדָם (’adam), which can sometimes refer to man, as opposed to woman. The term refers here to humankind, comprised of male and female. The singular is clearly collective (see the plural verb, “[that] they may rule” in v. 26b) and the referent is defined specifically as “male and female” in v. 27. Usage elsewhere in Gen 1-11 supports this as well. In 5:2 we read: “Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and called their name ‘humankind’ (אָדָם).” The noun also refers to humankind in 6:1, 5-7 and in 9:5-6.

[1:26] 383 tn The two prepositions translated “in” and “according to” have overlapping fields of meaning and in this context seem to be virtually equivalent. In 5:3 they are reversed with the two words. The word צֶלֶם (tselem, “image”) is used frequently of statues, models, and images – replicas (see D. J. A. Clines, “The Etymology of Hebrew selem,” JNSL 3 [1974]: 19-25). The word דְּמוּת (dÿmut, “likeness”) is an abstract noun; its verbal root means “to be like; to resemble.” In the Book of Genesis the two terms describe human beings who in some way reflect the form and the function of the creator. The form is more likely stressing the spiritual rather than the physical. The “image of God” would be the God-given mental and spiritual capacities that enable people to relate to God and to serve him by ruling over the created order as his earthly vice-regents.

[1:26] 384 tn Following the cohortative (“let us make”), the prefixed verb form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result (see Gen 19:20; 34:23; 2 Sam 3:21). God’s purpose in giving humankind his image is that they might rule the created order on behalf of the heavenly king and his royal court. So the divine image, however it is defined, gives humankind the capacity and/or authority to rule over creation.

[1:26] 385 tc The MT reads “earth”; the Syriac reads “wild animals” (cf. NRSV).

[1:26] 386 tn Heb “creep” (also in v. 28).

[1:27] 387 tn The Hebrew text has the article prefixed to the noun (הָאָדָם, ha’adam). The article does not distinguish man from woman here (“the man” as opposed to “the woman”), but rather indicates previous reference (see v. 26, where the noun appears without the article). It has the same function as English “the aforementioned.”

[1:27] 388 tn The third person suffix on the particle אֵת (’et) is singular here, but collective.

[1:27] 389 sn The distinction of “humankind” as “male” and “female” is another point of separation in God’s creation. There is no possibility that the verse is teaching that humans were first androgynous (having both male and female physical characteristics) and afterward were separated. The mention of male and female prepares for the blessing to follow.

[1:28] 390 tn As in v. 22 the verb “bless” here means “to endow with the capacity to reproduce and be fruitful,” as the following context indicates. As in v. 22, the statement directly precedes the command “be fruitful and multiply.” The verb carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); Gen 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).

[1:28] 391 tn Heb “and God said.” For stylistic reasons “God” has not been repeated here in the translation.

[1:28] 392 tn Elsewhere the Hebrew verb translated “subdue” means “to enslave” (2 Chr 28:10; Neh 5:5; Jer 34:11, 16), “to conquer,” (Num 32:22, 29; Josh 18:1; 2 Sam 8:11; 1 Chr 22:18; Zech 9:13; and probably Mic 7:19), and “to assault sexually” (Esth 7:8). None of these nuances adequately meets the demands of this context, for humankind is not viewed as having an adversarial relationship with the world. The general meaning of the verb appears to be “to bring under one’s control for one’s advantage.” In Gen 1:28 one might paraphrase it as follows: “harness its potential and use its resources for your benefit.” In an ancient Israelite context this would suggest cultivating its fields, mining its mineral riches, using its trees for construction, and domesticating its animals.

[1:28] 393 sn The several imperatives addressed to both males and females together (plural imperative forms) actually form two commands: reproduce and rule. God’s word is not merely a form of blessing, but is now addressed to them personally; this is a distinct emphasis with the creation of human beings. But with the blessing comes the ability to be fruitful and to rule. In procreation they will share in the divine work of creating human life and passing on the divine image (see 5:1-3); in ruling they will serve as God’s vice-regents on earth. They together, the human race collectively, have the responsibility of seeing to the welfare of that which is put under them and the privilege of using it for their benefit.

[1:29] 394 tn The text uses הִנֵּה (hinneh), often archaically translated “behold.” It is often used to express the dramatic present, the immediacy of an event – “Look, this is what I am doing!”

[1:29] 395 sn G. J. Wenham (Genesis [WBC], 1:34) points out that there is nothing in the passage that prohibits the man and the woman from eating meat. He suggests that eating meat came after the fall. Gen 9:3 may then ratify the postfall practice of eating meat rather than inaugurate the practice, as is often understood.

[1:30] 396 tn The phrase “I give” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:31] 397 tn The Hebrew text again uses הִנֵּה (hinneh) for the sake of vividness. It is a particle that goes with the gesture of pointing, calling attention to something.

[2:1] 398 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1.

[2:1] 399 tn Heb “and all the host of them.” Here the “host” refers to all the entities and creatures that God created to populate the world.

[2:2] 400 tn Heb “on/in the seventh day.”

[2:2] 401 tn Heb “his work which he did [or “made”].”

[2:2] 402 tn The Hebrew term שָׁבַּת (shabbat) can be translated “to rest” (“and he rested”) but it basically means “to cease.” This is not a rest from exhaustion; it is the cessation of the work of creation.

[2:3] 403 tn The verb is usually translated “and sanctified it.” The Piel verb קִדֵּשׁ (qiddesh) means “to make something holy; to set something apart; to distinguish it.” On the literal level the phrase means essentially that God made this day different. But within the context of the Law, it means that the day belonged to God; it was for rest from ordinary labor, worship, and spiritual service. The day belonged to God.

[2:3] 404 tn Heb “God.” The pronoun (“he”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:3] 405 tn Heb “for on it he ceased from all his work which God created to make.” The last infinitive construct and the verb before it form a verbal hendiadys, the infinitive becoming the modifier – “which God creatively made,” or “which God made in his creating.”

[2:4] 406 tn The Hebrew phrase אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot) is traditionally translated as “these are the generations of” because the noun was derived from the verb “beget.” Its usage, however, shows that it introduces more than genealogies; it begins a narrative that traces what became of the entity or individual mentioned in the heading. In fact, a good paraphrase of this heading would be: “This is what became of the heavens and the earth,” for what follows is not another account of creation but a tracing of events from creation through the fall and judgment (the section extends from 2:4 through 4:26). See M. H. Woudstra, “The Toledot of the Book of Genesis and Their Redemptive-Historical Significance,” CTJ 5 (1970): 184-89.

[2:4] 407 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1.

[2:4] 408 sn Advocates of the so-called documentary hypothesis of pentateuchal authorship argue that the introduction of the name Yahweh (Lord) here indicates that a new source (designated J), a parallel account of creation, begins here. In this scheme Gen 1:1-2:3 is understood as the priestly source (designated P) of creation. Critics of this approach often respond that the names, rather than indicating separate sources, were chosen to reflect the subject matter (see U. Cassuto, The Documentary Hypothesis). Gen 1:1–2:3 is the grand prologue of the book, showing the sovereign God creating by decree. The narrative beginning in 2:4 is the account of what this God invested in his creation. Since it deals with the close, personal involvement of the covenant God, the narrative uses the covenantal name Yahweh (Lord) in combination with the name God. For a recent discussion of the documentary hypothesis from a theologically conservative perspective, see D. A. Garrett, Rethinking Genesis. For an attempt by source critics to demonstrate the legitimacy of the source critical method on the basis of ancient Near Eastern parallels, see J. H. Tigay, ed., Empirical Models for Biblical Criticism. For reaction to the source critical method by literary critics, see I. M. Kikawada and A. Quinn, Before Abraham Was; R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 131-54; and Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, 111-34.

[2:4] 409 tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1; the order here is reversed, but the meaning is the same.

[2:5] 410 tn Heb “Now every sprig of the field before it was.” The verb forms, although appearing to be imperfects, are technically preterites coming after the adverb טֶּרֶם (terem). The word order (conjunction + subject + predicate) indicates a disjunctive clause, which provides background information for the following narrative (as in 1:2). Two negative clauses are given (“before any sprig…”, and “before any cultivated grain” existed), followed by two causal clauses explaining them, and then a positive circumstantial clause is given – again dealing with water as in 1:2 (water would well up).

[2:5] 411 tn The first term, שִׂיחַ (siakh), probably refers to the wild, uncultivated plants (see Gen 21:15; Job 30:4,7); whereas the second, עֵשֶׂב (’esev), refers to cultivated grains. It is a way of saying: “back before anything was growing.”

[2:5] 412 tn The two causal clauses explain the first two disjunctive clauses: There was no uncultivated, general growth because there was no rain, and there were no grains because there was no man to cultivate the soil.

[2:5] sn The last clause in v. 5, “and there was no man to cultivate the ground,” anticipates the curse and the expulsion from the garden (Gen 3:23).

[2:6] 413 tn The conjunction vav (ו) introduces a third disjunctive clause. The Hebrew word אֵד (’ed) was traditionally translated “mist” because of its use in Job 36:27. However, an Akkadian cognate edu in Babylonian texts refers to subterranean springs or waterways. Such a spring would fit the description in this context, since this water “goes up” and waters the ground.

[2:6] 414 tn Heb “was going up.” The verb is an imperfect form, which in this narrative context carries a customary nuance, indicating continual action in past time.

[2:6] 415 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same nuance as the preceding verb. Whenever it would well up, it would water the ground.

[2:6] 416 tn The Hebrew word אֲדָמָה (’adamah) actually means “ground; fertile soil.”

[2:7] 417 tn Or “fashioned.” The prefixed verb form with vav (ו) consecutive initiates narrative sequence. The Hebrew word יָצַר (yatsar) means “to form” or “to fashion,” usually by plan or design (see the related noun יֵצֶר [yetser] in Gen 6:5). It is the term for an artist’s work (the Hebrew term יוֹצֵר [yotser] refers to a potter; see Jer 18:2-4.)

[2:7] 418 tn The line literally reads “And Yahweh God formed the man, soil, from the ground.” “Soil” is an adverbial accusative, identifying the material from which the man was made.

[2:7] 419 tn The Hebrew word נְשָׁמָה (nÿshamah, “breath”) is used for God and for the life imparted to humans, not animals (see T. C. Mitchell, “The Old Testament Usage of Nÿshama,” VT 11 [1961]: 177-87). Its usage in the Bible conveys more than a breathing living organism (נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה, nefesh khayyah). Whatever is given this breath of life becomes animated with the life from God, has spiritual understanding (Job 32:8), and has a functioning conscience (Prov 20:27).

[2:7] 420 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often translated “soul,” but the word usually refers to the whole person. The phrase נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה (nefesh khayyah, “living being”) is used of both animals and human beings (see 1:20, 24, 30; 2:19).

[2:8] 421 tn Traditionally “garden,” but the subsequent description of this “garden” makes it clear that it is an orchard of fruit trees.

[2:8] 422 tn Heb “from the east” or “off east.”

[2:8] sn One would assume this is east from the perspective of the land of Israel, particularly since the rivers in the area are identified as the rivers in those eastern regions.

[2:8] 423 sn The name Eden (עֵדֶן, ’eden) means “pleasure” in Hebrew.

[2:8] 424 tn The perfect verbal form here requires the past perfect translation since it describes an event that preceded the event described in the main clause.

[2:9] 425 tn Heb “ground,” referring to the fertile soil.

[2:9] 426 tn Heb “desirable of sight [or “appearance”].” The phrase describes the kinds of trees that are visually pleasing and yield fruit that is desirable to the appetite.

[2:9] 427 tn The verse ends with a disjunctive clause providing a parenthetical bit of information about the existence of two special trees in the garden.

[2:9] 428 tn In light of Gen 3:22, the construction “tree of life” should be interpreted to mean a tree that produces life-giving fruit (objective genitive) rather than a living tree (attributive genitive). See E. O. James, The Tree of Life (SHR); and R. Marcus, “The Tree of Life in Proverbs,” JBL 62 (1943): 117-20.

[2:9] 429 tn The expression “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” must be interpreted to mean that the tree would produce fruit which, when eaten, gives special knowledge of “good and evil.” Scholars debate what this phrase means here. For a survey of opinions, see G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:62-64. One view is that “good” refers to that which enhances, promotes, and produces life, while “evil” refers to anything that hinders, interrupts or destroys life. So eating from this tree would change human nature – people would be able to alter life for better (in their thinking) or for worse. See D. J. A. Clines, “The Tree of Knowledge and the Law of Yahweh,” VT 24 (1974): 8-14; and I. Engnell, “‘Knowledge’ and ‘Life’ in the Creation Story,” Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near East [VTSup], 103-19. Another view understands the “knowledge of good and evil” as the capacity to discern between moral good and evil. The following context suggests the tree’s fruit gives one wisdom (see the phrase “capable of making one wise” in 3:6, as well as the note there on the word “wise”), which certainly includes the capacity to discern between good and evil. Such wisdom is characteristic of divine beings, as the serpent’s promise implies (3:5) and as 3:22 makes clear. (Note, however, that this capacity does not include the ability to do what is right.) God prohibits man from eating of the tree. The prohibition becomes a test to see if man will be satisfied with his role and place, or if he will try to ascend to the divine level. There will be a time for man to possess moral discernment/wisdom, as God reveals and imparts it to him, but it is not something to be grasped at in an effort to become “a god.” In fact, the command to be obedient was the first lesson in moral discernment/wisdom. God was essentially saying: “Here is lesson one – respect my authority and commands. Disobey me and you will die.” When man disobeys, he decides he does not want to acquire moral wisdom God’s way, but instead tries to rise immediately to the divine level. Once man has acquired such divine wisdom by eating the tree’s fruit (3:22), he must be banned from the garden so that he will not be able to achieve his goal of being godlike and thus live forever, a divine characteristic (3:24). Ironically, man now has the capacity to discern good from evil (3:22), but he is morally corrupted and rebellious and will not consistently choose what is right.

[2:10] 430 tn The disjunctive clause (note the construction conjunction + subject + predicate) introduces an entire paragraph about the richness of the region in the east.

[2:10] 431 tn The Hebrew active participle may be translated here as indicating past durative action, “was flowing,” or as a present durative, “flows.” Since this river was the source of the rivers mentioned in vv. 11-14, which appear to describe a situation contemporary with the narrator, it is preferable to translate the participle in v. 10 with the present tense. This suggests that Eden and its orchard still existed in the narrator’s time. According to ancient Jewish tradition, Enoch was taken to the Garden of Eden, where his presence insulated the garden from the destructive waters of Noah’s flood. See Jub. 4:23-24.

[2:10] 432 sn Eden is portrayed here as a source of life-giving rivers (that is, perennial streams). This is no surprise because its orchard is where the tree of life is located. Eden is a source of life, but tragically its orchard is no longer accessible to humankind. The river flowing out of Eden is a tantalizing reminder of this. God continues to provide life-giving water to sustain physical existence on the earth, but immortality has been lost.

[2:10] 433 tn The imperfect verb form has the same nuance as the preceding participle. (If the participle is taken as past durative, then the imperfect would be translated “was dividing.”)

[2:10] 434 tn Or “branches”; Heb “heads.” Cf. NEB “streams”; NASB “rivers.”

[2:11] 435 tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[2:12] 436 tn Heb “good.”

[2:12] 437 tn The Hebrew term translated “pearls” may be a reference to resin (cf. NIV “aromatic resin”) or another precious stone (cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV “bdellium”).

[2:12] 438 tn Or “onyx.”

[2:13] 439 tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[2:13] 440 sn Cush. In the Bible the Hebrew word כּוּשׁ (kush, “Kush”) often refers to Ethiopia (so KJV, CEV), but here it must refer to a region in Mesopotamia, the area of the later Cassite dynasty of Babylon. See Gen 10:8 as well as E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 20.

[2:14] 441 tn Heb “Asshur” (so NEB, NIV).

[2:15] 442 tn The Hebrew verb נוּחַ (nuakh, translated here as “placed”) is a different verb than the one used in 2:8.

[2:15] 443 tn Traditionally translated “the Garden of Eden,” the context makes it clear that the garden (or orchard) was in Eden (making “Eden” a genitive of location).

[2:15] 444 tn Heb “to work it and to keep it.”

[2:15] sn Note that man’s task is to care for and maintain the trees of the orchard. Not until after the fall, when he is condemned to cultivate the soil, does this task change.

[2:16] 445 sn This is the first time in the Bible that the verb tsavah (צָוָה, “to command”) appears. Whatever the man had to do in the garden, the main focus of the narrative is on keeping God’s commandments. God created humans with the capacity to obey him and then tested them with commands.

[2:16] 446 tn The imperfect verb form probably carries the nuance of permission (“you may eat”) since the man is not being commanded to eat from every tree. The accompanying infinitive absolute adds emphasis: “you may freely eat,” or “you may eat to your heart’s content.”

[2:16] 447 tn The word “fruit” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied as the direct object of the verb “eat.” Presumably the only part of the tree the man would eat would be its fruit (cf. 3:2).

[2:17] 448 tn The disjunctive clause here indicates contrast: “but from the tree of the knowledge….”

[2:17] 449 tn The negated imperfect verb form indicates prohibition, “you must not eat.”

[2:17] 450 tn Or “in the very day, as soon as.” If one understands the expression to have this more precise meaning, then the following narrative presents a problem, for the man does not die physically as soon as he eats from the tree. In this case one may argue that spiritual death is in view. If physical death is in view here, there are two options to explain the following narrative: (1) The following phrase “You will surely die” concerns mortality which ultimately results in death (a natural paraphrase would be, “You will become mortal”), or (2) God mercifully gave man a reprieve, allowing him to live longer than he deserved.

[2:17] 451 tn Heb “dying you will die.” The imperfect verb form here has the nuance of the specific future because it is introduced with the temporal clause, “when you eat…you will die.” That certainty is underscored with the infinitive absolute, “you will surely die.”

[2:18] 452 tn Heb “The being of man by himself is not good.” The meaning of “good” must be defined contextually. Within the context of creation, in which God instructs humankind to be fruitful and multiply, the man alone cannot comply. Being alone prevents the man from fulfilling the design of creation and therefore is not good.

[2:18] 453 tn Traditionally “helper.” The English word “helper,” because it can connote so many different ideas, does not accurately convey the connotation of the Hebrew word עֵזֶר (’ezer). Usage of the Hebrew term does not suggest a subordinate role, a connotation which English “helper” can have. In the Bible God is frequently described as the “helper,” the one who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, the one who meets our needs. In this context the word seems to express the idea of an “indispensable companion.” The woman would supply what the man was lacking in the design of creation and logically it would follow that the man would supply what she was lacking, although that is not stated here. See further M. L. Rosenzweig, “A Helper Equal to Him,” Jud 139 (1986): 277-80.

[2:18] 454 tn The Hebrew expression כְּנֶגְדּוֹ (kÿnegdo) literally means “according to the opposite of him.” Translations such as “suitable [for]” (NASB, NIV), “matching,” “corresponding to” all capture the idea. (Translations that render the phrase simply “partner” [cf. NEB, NRSV], while not totally inaccurate, do not reflect the nuance of correspondence and/or suitability.) The man’s form and nature are matched by the woman’s as she reflects him and complements him. Together they correspond. In short, this prepositional phrase indicates that she has everything that God had invested in him.

[2:19] 455 tn Or “fashioned.” To harmonize the order of events with the chronology of chapter one, some translate the prefixed verb form with vav (ו) consecutive as a past perfect (“had formed,” cf. NIV) here. (In chapter one the creation of the animals preceded the creation of man; here the animals are created after the man.) However, it is unlikely that the Hebrew construction can be translated in this way in the middle of this pericope, for the criteria for unmarked temporal overlay are not present here. See S. R. Driver, A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew, 84-88, and especially R. Buth, “Methodological Collision between Source Criticism and Discourse Analysis,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 138-54. For a contrary viewpoint see IBHS 552-53 §33.2.3 and C. J. Collins, “The Wayyiqtol as ‘Pluperfect’: When and Why,” TynBul 46 (1995): 117-40.

[2:19] 456 tn The imperfect verb form is future from the perspective of the past time narrative.

[2:20] 457 tn Here for the first time the Hebrew word אָדָם (’adam) appears without the article, suggesting that it might now be the name “Adam” rather than “[the] man.” Translations of the Bible differ as to where they make the change from “man” to “Adam” (e.g., NASB and NIV translate “Adam” here, while NEB and NRSV continue to use “the man”; the KJV uses “Adam” twice in v. 19).

[2:20] 458 tn Heb “there was not found a companion who corresponded to him.” The subject of the third masculine singular verb form is indefinite. Without a formally expressed subject the verb may be translated as passive: “one did not find = there was not found.”

[2:21] 459 tn Heb “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man.”

[2:21] 460 tn Heb “and he slept.” In the sequence the verb may be subordinated to the following verb to indicate a temporal clause (“while…”).

[2:21] 461 tn Traditionally translated “rib,” the Hebrew word actually means “side.” The Hebrew text reads, “and he took one from his sides,” which could be rendered “part of his sides.” That idea may fit better the explanation by the man that the woman is his flesh and bone.

[2:21] 462 tn Heb “closed up the flesh under it.”

[2:22] 463 tn The Hebrew verb is בָּנָה (banah, “to make, to build, to construct”). The text states that the Lord God built the rib into a woman. Again, the passage gives no indication of precisely how this was done.

[2:23] 464 tn The Hebrew term הַפַּעַם (happa’am) means “the [this] time, this place,” or “now, finally, at last.” The expression conveys the futility of the man while naming the animals and finding no one who corresponded to him.

[2:23] 465 tn The Hebrew text is very precise, stating: “of this one it will be said, ‘woman’.” The text is not necessarily saying that the man named his wife – that comes after the fall (Gen 3:20).

[2:23] 466 tn Or “from” (but see v. 22).

[2:23] 467 sn This poetic section expresses the correspondence between the man and the woman. She is bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh. Note the wordplay (paronomasia) between “woman” (אִשָּׁה, ’ishah) and “man” (אִישׁ, ’ish). On the surface it appears that the word for woman is the feminine form of the word for man. But the two words are not etymologically related. The sound and the sense give that impression, however, and make for a more effective wordplay.

[2:24] 468 tn This statement, introduced by the Hebrew phrase עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore” or “that is why”), is an editorial comment, not an extension of the quotation. The statement is describing what typically happens, not what will or should happen. It is saying, “This is why we do things the way we do.” It links a contemporary (with the narrator) practice with the historical event being narrated. The historical event narrated in v. 23 provides the basis for the contemporary practice described in v. 24. That is why the imperfect verb forms are translated with the present tense rather than future.

[2:24] 469 tn The imperfect verb form has a habitual or characteristic nuance. For other examples of עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore, that is why”) with the imperfect in a narrative framework, see Gen 10:9; 32:32 (the phrase “to this day” indicates characteristic behavior is in view); Num 21:14, 27; 1 Sam 5:5 (note “to this day”); 19:24 (perhaps the imperfect is customary here, “were saying”); 2 Sam 5:8. The verb translated “leave” (עָזָב, ’azab) normally means “to abandon, to forsake, to leave behind, to discard,” when used with human subject and object (see Josh 22:3; 1 Sam 30:13; Ps 27:10; Prov 2:17; Isa 54:6; 60:15; 62:4; Jer 49:11). Within the context of the ancient Israelite extended family structure, this cannot refer to emotional or geographical separation. The narrator is using hyperbole to emphasize the change in perspective that typically overtakes a young man when his thoughts turn to love and marriage.

[2:24] 470 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same habitual or characteristic nuance as the preceding imperfect. The verb is traditionally translated “cleaves [to]”; it has the basic idea of “stick with/to” (e.g., it is used of Ruth resolutely staying with her mother-in-law in Ruth 1:14). In this passage it describes the inseparable relationship between the man and the woman in marriage as God intended it.

[2:24] 471 tn Heb “and they become one flesh.” The perfect with vav consecutive carries the same habitual or characteristic nuance as the preceding verbs in the verse. The retention of the word “flesh” (בָּשָׂר, basar) in the translation often leads to improper or incomplete interpretations. The Hebrew word refers to more than just a sexual union. When they unite in marriage, the man and woman bring into being a new family unit (הָיָה + לְ, hayah + lamed preposition means “become”). The phrase “one flesh” occurs only here and must be interpreted in light of v. 23. There the man declares that the woman is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. To be one’s “bone and flesh” is to be related by blood to someone. For example, the phrase describes the relationship between Laban and Jacob (Gen 29:14); Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg 9:2; his mother was a Shechemite); David and the Israelites (2 Sam 5:1); David and the elders of Judah (2 Sam 19:12); and David and his nephew Amasa (2 Sam 19:13, see 2 Sam 17:2; 1 Chr 2:16-17). The expression “one flesh” seems to indicate that they become, as it were, “kin,” at least legally (a new family unit is created) or metaphorically. In this first marriage in human history, the woman was literally formed from the man’s bone and flesh. Even though later marriages do not involve such a divine surgical operation, the first marriage sets the pattern for how later marriages are understood and explains why marriage supersedes the parent-child relationship.

[2:25] 472 tn Heb “And the two of them were naked, the man and his wife.”

[2:25] 473 tn The imperfect verb form here has a customary nuance, indicating a continuing condition in past time. The meaning of the Hebrew term בּוֹשׁ (bosh) is “to be ashamed, to put to shame,” but its meaning is stronger than “to be embarrassed.” The word conveys the fear of exploitation or evil – enemies are put to shame through military victory. It indicates the feeling of shame that approximates a fear of evil.

[3:1] 474 tn The chapter begins with a disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + predicate) that introduces a new character and a new scene in the story.

[3:1] 475 sn Many theologians identify or associate the serpent with Satan. In this view Satan comes in the disguise of a serpent or speaks through a serpent. This explains the serpent’s capacity to speak. While later passages in the Bible may indicate there was a satanic presence behind the serpent (see, for example, Rev 12:9), the immediate context pictures the serpent as simply one of the animals of the field created by God (see vv. 1, 14). An ancient Jewish interpretation explains the reference to the serpent in a literal manner, attributing the capacity to speak to all the animals in the orchard. This text (Jub. 3:28) states, “On that day [the day the man and woman were expelled from the orchard] the mouth of all the beasts and cattle and birds and whatever walked or moved was stopped from speaking because all of them used to speak to one another with one speech and one language [presumed to be Hebrew, see 12:26].” Josephus, Ant. 1.1.4 (1.41) attributes the serpent’s actions to jealousy. He writes that “the serpent, living in the company of Adam and his wife, grew jealous of the blessings which he supposed were destined for them if they obeyed God’s behests, and, believing that disobedience would bring trouble on them, he maliciously persuaded the woman to taste of the tree of wisdom.”

[3:1] 476 tn The Hebrew word עָרוּם (’arum) basically means “clever.” This idea then polarizes into the nuances “cunning” (in a negative sense, see Job 5:12; 15:5), and “prudent” in a positive sense (Prov 12:16, 23; 13:16; 14:8, 15, 18; 22:3; 27:12). This same polarization of meaning can be detected in related words derived from the same root (see Exod 21:14; Josh 9:4; 1 Sam 23:22; Job 5:13; Ps 83:3). The negative nuance obviously applies in Gen 3, where the snake attempts to talk the woman into disobeying God by using half-truths and lies.

[3:1] sn There is a wordplay in Hebrew between the words “naked” (עֲרוּמִּים, ’arummim) in 2:25 and “shrewd” (עָרוּם, ’arum) in 3:1. The point seems to be that the integrity of the man and the woman is the focus of the serpent’s craftiness. At the beginning they are naked and he is shrewd; afterward, they will be covered and he will be cursed.

[3:1] 477 tn Heb “animals of the field.”

[3:1] 478 tn Heb “Indeed that God said.” The beginning of the quotation is elliptical and therefore difficult to translate. One must supply a phrase like “is it true”: “Indeed, [is it true] that God said.”

[3:1] 479 sn God. The serpent does not use the expression “Yahweh God” [Lord God] because there is no covenant relationship involved between God and the serpent. He only speaks of “God.” In the process the serpent draws the woman into his manner of speech so that she too only speaks of “God.”

[3:1] 480 tn Heb “you must not eat from all the tree[s] of the orchard.” After the negated prohibitive verb, מִכֹּל (mikkol, “from all”) has the meaning “from any.” Note the construction in Lev 18:26, where the statement “you must not do from all these abominable things” means “you must not do any of these abominable things.” See Lev 22:25 and Deut 28:14 as well.

[3:2] 481 tn There is a notable change between what the Lord God had said and what the woman says. God said “you may freely eat” (the imperfect with the infinitive absolute, see 2:16), but the woman omits the emphatic infinitive, saying simply “we may eat.” Her words do not reflect the sense of eating to her heart’s content.

[3:3] 482 sn And you must not touch it. The woman adds to God’s prohibition, making it say more than God expressed. G. von Rad observes that it is as though she wanted to set a law for herself by means of this exaggeration (Genesis [OTL], 86).

[3:3] 483 tn The Hebrew construction is פֶּן (pen) with the imperfect tense, which conveys a negative purpose: “lest you die” = “in order that you not die.” By stating the warning in this way, the woman omits the emphatic infinitive used by God (“you shall surely die,” see 2:17).

[3:4] 484 tn The response of the serpent includes the infinitive absolute with a blatant negation equal to saying: “Not – you will surely die” (לֹא מוֹת תִּמֻתען, lo’ mot tÿmutun). The construction makes this emphatic because normally the negative particle precedes the finite verb. The serpent is a liar, denying that there is a penalty for sin (see John 8:44).

[3:4] sn Surely you will not die. Here the serpent is more aware of what the Lord God said than the woman was; he simply adds a blatant negation to what God said. In the account of Jesus’ temptation Jesus is victorious because he knows the scripture better than Satan (Matt 4:1-11).

[3:5] 485 tn Or “you will have understanding.” This obviously refers to the acquisition of the “knowledge of good and evil,” as the next statement makes clear.

[3:5] 486 tn Or perhaps “like God, knowing.” It is unclear how the plural participle translated “knowing” is functioning. On the one hand, יֹדְעֵי (yodÿ’e) could be taken as a substantival participle functioning as a predicative adjective in the sentence. In this case one might translate: “You will be, like God himself, knowers of good and evil.” On the other hand, it could be taken as an attributive adjective modifying אֱלֹהִים (’elohim). In this case אֱלֹהִים has to be taken as a numerical plural referring to “gods,” “divine beings,” for if the one true God were the intended referent, a singular form of the participle would almost certainly appear as a modifier. Following this line of interpretation, one could translate, “You will be like divine beings who know good and evil.” The following context may favor this translation, for in 3:22 God says to an unidentified group, “Look, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil.” It is probable that God is addressing his heavenly court (see the note on the word “make” in 1:26), the members of which can be called “gods” or “divine beings” from the ancient Israelite perspective. (We know some of these beings as messengers or “angels.”) An examination of parallel constructions shows that a predicative understanding (“you will be, like God himself, knowers of good and evil,” cf. NIV, NRSV) is possible, but rare (see Gen 27:23, where “hairy” is predicative, complementing the verb “to be”). The statistical evidence strongly suggests that the participle is attributive, modifying “divine beings” (see Ps 31:12; Isa 1:30; 13:14; 16:2; 29:5; 58:11; Jer 14:9; 20:9; 23:9; 31:12; 48:41; 49:22; Hos 7:11; Amos 4:11). In all of these texts, where a comparative clause and accompanying adjective/participle follow a copulative (“to be”) verb, the adjective/participle is attributive after the noun in the comparative clause.

[3:5] 487 sn You will be like divine beings who know good and evil. The serpent raises doubts about the integrity of God. He implies that the only reason for the prohibition was that God was protecting the divine domain. If the man and woman were to eat, they would enter into that domain. The temptation is to overstep divinely established boundaries. (See D. E. Gowan, When Man Becomes God [PTMS], 25.)

[3:6] 488 tn Heb “And the woman saw.” The clause can be rendered as a temporal clause subordinate to the following verb in the sequence.

[3:6] 489 tn Heb “that the tree was good for food.” The words “produced fruit that was” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[3:6] 490 tn The Hebrew word תַּאֲוָה (ta’avah, translated “attractive” here) actually means “desirable.” This term and the later term נֶחְמָד (nekhmad, “desirable”) are synonyms.

[3:6] sn Attractive (Heb “desirable”)…desirable. These are different words in Hebrew. The verbal roots for both of these forms appear in Deut 5:21 in the prohibition against coveting. Strong desires usually lead to taking.

[3:6] 491 tn Heb “that good was the tree for food, and that desirable it was to the eyes, and desirable was the tree to make one wise.” On the connection between moral wisdom and the “knowledge of good and evil,” see the note on the word “evil” in 2:9.

[3:6] sn Desirable for making one wise. The quest for wisdom can follow the wrong course, as indeed it does here. No one can become like God by disobeying God. It is that simple. The Book of Proverbs stresses that obtaining wisdom begins with the fear of God that is evidenced through obedience to his word. Here, in seeking wisdom, Eve disobeys God and ends up afraid of God.

[3:6] 492 tn The pronoun “it” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied (here and also after “ate” at the end of this verse) for stylistic reasons.

[3:6] sn She took…and ate it. The critical word now discloses the disobedience: “[she] ate.” Since the Lord God had said, “You shall not eat,” the main point of the divine inquisition will be, “Did you eat,” meaning, “did you disobey the command?” The woman ate, being deceived by the serpent (1 Tim 2:14), but then the man ate, apparently willingly when the woman gave him the fruit (see Rom 5:12, 17-19).

[3:6] 493 sn This pericope (3:1-7) is a fine example of Hebrew narrative structure. After an introductory disjunctive clause that introduces a new character and sets the stage (3:1), the narrative tension develops through dialogue, culminating in the action of the story. Once the dialogue is over, the action is told in a rapid sequence of verbs – she took, she ate, she gave, and he ate.

[3:8] 494 tn The Hitpael participle of הָלָךְ (halakh, “to walk, to go”) here has an iterative sense, “moving” or “going about.” While a translation of “walking about” is possible, it assumes a theophany, the presence of the Lord God in a human form. This is more than the text asserts.

[3:8] 495 tn The expression is traditionally rendered “cool of the day,” because the Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruakh) can mean “wind.” U. Cassuto (Genesis: From Adam to Noah, 152-54) concludes after lengthy discussion that the expression refers to afternoon when it became hot and the sun was beginning to decline. J. J. Niehaus (God at Sinai [SOTBT], 155-57) offers a different interpretation of the phrase, relating יוֹם (yom, usually understood as “day”) to an Akkadian cognate umu (“storm”) and translates the phrase “in the wind of the storm.” If Niehaus is correct, then God is not pictured as taking an afternoon stroll through the orchard, but as coming in a powerful windstorm to confront the man and woman with their rebellion. In this case קוֹל יְהוָה (qol yÿhvah, “sound of the Lord”) may refer to God’s thunderous roar, which typically accompanies his appearance in the storm to do battle or render judgment (e.g., see Ps 29).

[3:8] 496 tn The verb used here is the Hitpael, giving the reflexive idea (“they hid themselves”). In v. 10, when Adam answers the Lord, the Niphal form is used with the same sense: “I hid.”

[3:9] 497 tn The Hebrew verb קָרָא (qara’, “to call”) followed by the preposition אֶל־ or לְ (’el- or lÿ, “to, unto”) often carries the connotation of “summon.”

[3:9] 498 sn Where are you? The question is probably rhetorical (a figure of speech called erotesis) rather than literal, because it was spoken to the man, who answers it with an explanation of why he was hiding rather than a location. The question has more the force of “Why are you hiding?”

[3:10] 499 tn Heb “and he said.”

[3:10] 500 tn Heb “your sound.” If one sees a storm theophany here (see the note on the word “time” in v. 8), then one could translate, “your powerful voice.”

[3:11] 501 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (the Lord God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:11] 502 sn Who told you that you were naked? This is another rhetorical question, asking more than what it appears to ask. The second question in the verse reveals the Lord God’s real concern.

[3:11] 503 sn The Hebrew word order (“Did you from the tree – which I commanded you not to eat from it – eat?”) is arranged to emphasize that the man’s and the woman’s eating of the fruit was an act of disobedience. The relative clause inserted immediately after the reference to the tree brings out this point very well.

[3:12] 504 tn The Hebrew construction in this sentence uses an independent nominative absolute (formerly known as a casus pendens). “The woman” is the independent nominative absolute; it is picked up by the formal subject, the pronoun “she” written with the verb (“she gave”). The point of the construction is to throw the emphasis on “the woman.” But what makes this so striking is that a relative clause has been inserted to explain what is meant by the reference to the woman: “whom you gave me.” Ultimately, the man is blaming God for giving him the woman who (from the man’s viewpoint) caused him to sin.

[3:12] 505 tn The words “some fruit” here and the pronoun “it” at the end of the sentence are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[3:13] 506 tn The use of the demonstrative pronoun is enclitic, serving as an undeclined particle for emphasis. It gives the sense of “What in the world have you done?” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[3:13] 507 sn The Hebrew word order puts the subject (“the serpent”) before the verb here, giving prominence to it.

[3:13] 508 tn This verb (the Hiphil of נָשָׁא, nasha) is used elsewhere of a king or god misleading his people into false confidence (2 Kgs 18:29 = 2 Chr 32:15 = Isa 36:14; 2 Kgs 19:10 = Isa 37:10), of an ally deceiving a partner (Obad 7), of God deceiving his sinful people as a form of judgment (Jer 4:10), of false prophets instilling their audience with false hope (Jer 29:8), and of pride and false confidence producing self-deception (Jer 37:9; 49:16; Obad 3).

[3:14] 509 sn Note that God asks no question of the serpent, does not call for confession, as he did to the man and the woman; there is only the announcement of the curse. The order in this section is chiastic: The man is questioned, the woman is questioned, the serpent is cursed, sentence is passed on the woman, sentence is passed on the man.

[3:14] 510 tn The Hebrew word translated “cursed,” a passive participle from אָרָר (’arar), either means “punished” or “banished,” depending on how one interprets the following preposition. If the preposition is taken as comparative, then the idea is “cursed [i.e., punished] are you above [i.e., more than] all the wild beasts.” In this case the comparative preposition reflects the earlier comparison: The serpent was more shrewd than all others, and so more cursed than all others. If the preposition is taken as separative (see the note on the word “ground” in 4:11), then the idea is “cursed and banished from all the wild beasts.” In this case the serpent is condemned to isolation from all the other animals.

[3:14] 511 tn Heb “go”; “walk,” but in English “crawl” or “slither” better describes a serpent’s movement.

[3:14] 512 sn Dust you will eat. Being restricted to crawling on the ground would necessarily involve “eating dust,” although that is not the diet of the serpent. The idea of being brought low, of “eating dust” as it were, is a symbol of humiliation.

[3:15] 513 tn The Hebrew word translated “hostility” is derived from the root אֵיב (’ev, “to be hostile, to be an adversary [or enemy]”). The curse announces that there will be continuing hostility between the serpent and the woman. The serpent will now live in a “battle zone,” as it were.

[3:15] 514 sn The Hebrew word translated “offspring” is a collective singular. The text anticipates the ongoing struggle between human beings (the woman’s offspring) and deadly poisonous snakes (the serpent’s offspring). An ancient Jewish interpretation of the passage states: “He made the serpent, cause of the deceit, press the earth with belly and flank, having bitterly driven him out. He aroused a dire enmity between them. The one guards his head to save it, the other his heel, for death is at hand in the proximity of men and malignant poisonous snakes.” See Sib. Or. 1:59-64. For a similar interpretation see Josephus, Ant. 1.1.4 (1.50-51).

[3:15] 515 tn Heb “he will attack [or “bruise”] you [on] the head.” The singular pronoun and verb agree grammatically with the collective singular noun “offspring.” For other examples of singular verb and pronominal forms being used with the collective singular “offspring,” see Gen 16:10; 22:17; 24:60. The word “head” is an adverbial accusative, locating the blow. A crushing blow to the head would be potentially fatal.

[3:15] 516 tn Or “but you will…”; or “as they attack your head, you will attack their heel.” The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) is understood as contrastive. Both clauses place the subject before the verb, a construction that is sometimes used to indicate synchronic action (see Judg 15:14).

[3:15] 517 sn You will attack her offspring’s heel. Though the conflict will actually involve the serpent’s offspring (snakes) and the woman’s offspring (human beings), v. 15b for rhetorical effect depicts the conflict as being between the serpent and the woman’s offspring, as if the serpent will outlive the woman. The statement is personalized for the sake of the addressee (the serpent) and reflects the ancient Semitic concept of corporate solidarity, which emphasizes the close relationship between a progenitor and his offspring. Note Gen 28:14, where the Lord says to Jacob, “Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you [second masculine singular] will spread out in all directions.” Jacob will “spread out” in all directions through his offspring, but the text states the matter as if this will happen to him personally.

[3:15] 518 tn Heb “you will attack him [on] the heel.” The verb (translated “attack”) is repeated here, a fact that is obscured by some translations (e.g., NIV “crush…strike”). The singular pronoun agrees grammatically with the collective singular noun “offspring.” For other examples of singular verb and pronominal forms being used with the collective singular “offspring,” see Gen 16:10; 22:17; 24:60. The word “heel” is an adverbial accusative, locating the blow. A bite on the heel from a poisonous serpent is potentially fatal.

[3:15] sn The etiological nature of v. 15 is apparent, though its relevance for modern western man is perhaps lost because we rarely come face to face with poisonous snakes. Ancient Israelites, who often encountered snakes in their daily activities (see, for example, Eccl 10:8; Amos 5:19), would find the statement quite meaningful as an explanation for the hostility between snakes and humans. (In the broader ancient Near Eastern context, compare the Mesopotamian serpent omens. See H. W. F. Saggs, The Greatness That Was Babylon, 309.) This ongoing struggle, when interpreted in light of v. 15, is a tangible reminder of the conflict introduced into the world by the first humans’ rebellion against God. Many Christian theologians (going back to Irenaeus) understand v. 15 as the so-called protevangelium, supposedly prophesying Christ’s victory over Satan (see W. Witfall, “Genesis 3:15 – a Protevangelium?” CBQ 36 [1974]: 361-65; and R. A. Martin, “The Earliest Messianic Interpretation of Genesis 3:15,” JBL 84 [1965]: 425-27). In this allegorical approach, the woman’s offspring is initially Cain, then the whole human race, and ultimately Jesus Christ, the offspring (Heb “seed”) of the woman (see Gal 4:4). The offspring of the serpent includes the evil powers and demons of the spirit world, as well as those humans who are in the kingdom of darkness (see John 8:44). According to this view, the passage gives the first hint of the gospel. Satan delivers a crippling blow to the Seed of the woman (Jesus), who in turn delivers a fatal blow to the Serpent (first defeating him through the death and resurrection [1 Cor 15:55-57] and then destroying him in the judgment [Rev 12:7-9; 20:7-10]). However, the grammatical structure of Gen 3:15b does not suggest this view. The repetition of the verb “attack,” as well as the word order, suggests mutual hostility is being depicted, not the defeat of the serpent. If the serpent’s defeat were being portrayed, it is odd that the alleged description of his death comes first in the sentence. If he has already been crushed by the woman’s “Seed,” how can he bruise his heel? To sustain the allegorical view, v. 15b must be translated in one of the following ways: “he will crush your head, even though you attack his heel” (in which case the second clause is concessive) or “he will crush your head as you attack his heel” (the clauses, both of which place the subject before the verb, may indicate synchronic action).

[3:16] 519 tn The imperfect verb form is emphasized and intensified by the infinitive absolute from the same verb.

[3:16] 520 tn Heb “your pain and your conception,” suggesting to some interpreters that having a lot of children was a result of the judgment (probably to make up for the loss through death). But the next clause shows that the pain is associated with conception and childbirth. The two words form a hendiadys (where two words are joined to express one idea, like “good and angry” in English), the second explaining the first. “Conception,” if the correct meaning of the noun, must be figurative here since there is no pain in conception; it is a synecdoche, representing the entire process of childbirth and child rearing from the very start. However, recent etymological research suggests the noun is derived from a root הרר (hrr), not הרה (hrh), and means “trembling, pain” (see D. Tsumura, “A Note on הרוֹן (Gen 3,16),” Bib 75 [1994]: 398-400). In this case “pain and trembling” refers to the physical effects of childbirth. The word עִצְּבוֹן (’itsÿvon, “pain”), an abstract noun related to the verb (עָצַב, ’atsav), includes more than physical pain. It is emotional distress as well as physical pain. The same word is used in v. 17 for the man’s painful toil in the field.

[3:16] 521 tn Heb “and toward your husband [will be] your desire.” The nominal sentence does not have a verb; a future verb must be supplied, because the focus of the oracle is on the future struggle. The precise meaning of the noun תְּשׁוּקָה (tÿshuqah, “desire”) is debated. Many interpreters conclude that it refers to sexual desire here, because the subject of the passage is the relationship between a wife and her husband, and because the word is used in a romantic sense in Song 7:11 HT (7:10 ET). However, this interpretation makes little sense in Gen 3:16. First, it does not fit well with the assertion “he will dominate you.” Second, it implies that sexual desire was not part of the original creation, even though the man and the woman were told to multiply. And third, it ignores the usage of the word in Gen 4:7 where it refers to sin’s desire to control and dominate Cain. (Even in Song of Songs it carries the basic idea of “control,” for it describes the young man’s desire to “have his way sexually” with the young woman.) In Gen 3:16 the Lord announces a struggle, a conflict between the man and the woman. She will desire to control him, but he will dominate her instead. This interpretation also fits the tone of the passage, which is a judgment oracle. See further Susan T. Foh, “What is the Woman’s Desire?” WTJ 37 (1975): 376-83.

[3:16] 522 tn The Hebrew verb מָשַׁל (mashal) means “to rule over,” but in a way that emphasizes powerful control, domination, or mastery. This also is part of the baser human nature. The translation assumes the imperfect verb form has an objective/indicative sense here. Another option is to understand it as having a modal, desiderative nuance, “but he will want to dominate you.” In this case, the Lord simply announces the struggle without indicating who will emerge victorious.

[3:16] sn This passage is a judgment oracle. It announces that conflict between man and woman will become the norm in human society. It does not depict the NT ideal, where the husband sacrificially loves his wife, as Christ loved the church, and where the wife recognizes the husband’s loving leadership in the family and voluntarily submits to it. Sin produces a conflict or power struggle between the man and the woman, but in Christ man and woman call a truce and live harmoniously (Eph 5:18-32).

[3:17] 523 tn Since there is no article on the word, the personal name is used, rather than the generic “the man” (cf. NRSV).

[3:17] 524 tn The idiom “listen to the voice of” often means “obey.” The man “obeyed” his wife and in the process disobeyed God.

[3:17] 525 sn For the ground to be cursed means that it will no longer yield its bounty as the blessing from God had promised. The whole creation, Paul writes in Rom 8:22, is still groaning under this curse, waiting for the day of redemption.

[3:17] 526 tn The Hebrew phrase בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ (ba’avurekha) is more literally translated “on your account” or “because of you.” The idiomatic “thanks to you” in the translation tries to capture the point of this expression.

[3:17] 527 sn In painful toil you will eat. The theme of eating is prominent throughout Gen 3. The prohibition was against eating from the tree of knowledge. The sin was in eating. The interrogation concerned the eating from the tree of knowledge. The serpent is condemned to eat the dust of the ground. The curse focuses on eating in a “measure for measure” justice. Because the man and the woman sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, God will forbid the ground to cooperate, and so it will be through painful toil that they will eat.

[3:18] 528 tn The Hebrew term עֵשֶׂב (’esev), when referring to human food, excludes grass (eaten by cattle) and woody plants like vines.

[3:19] 529 tn The expression “the sweat of your brow” is a metonymy, the sweat being the result of painful toil in the fields.

[3:19] 530 sn Until you return to the ground. The theme of humankind’s mortality is critical here in view of the temptation to be like God. Man will labor painfully to provide food, obviously not enjoying the bounty that creation promised. In place of the abundance of the orchard’s fruit trees, thorns and thistles will grow. Man will have to work the soil so that it will produce the grain to make bread. This will continue until he returns to the soil from which he was taken (recalling the creation in 2:7 with the wordplay on Adam and ground). In spite of the dreams of immortality and divinity, man is but dust (2:7), and will return to dust. So much for his pride.

[3:19] 531 sn In general, the themes of the curse oracles are important in the NT teaching that Jesus became the cursed one hanging on the tree. In his suffering and death, all the motifs are drawn together: the tree, the sweat, the thorns, and the dust of death (see Ps 22:15). Jesus experienced it all, to have victory over it through the resurrection.

[3:20] 532 tn Or “Adam”; however, the Hebrew term has the definite article here.

[3:20] 533 sn The name Eve means “Living one” or “Life-giver” in Hebrew.

[3:20] 534 tn The explanatory clause gives the reason for the name. Where the one doing the naming gives the explanation, the text normally uses “saying”; where the narrator explains it, the explanatory clause is typically used.

[3:20] 535 tn The explanation of the name forms a sound play (paronomasia) with the name. “Eve” is חַוָּה (khavvah) and “living” is חַי (khay). The name preserves the archaic form of the verb חָיָה (khayah, “to live”) with the middle vav (ו) instead of yod (י). The form חַי (khay) is derived from the normal form חַיָּה (khayyah). Compare the name Yahweh (יְהוָה) explained from הָיָה (hayah, “to be”) rather than from הַוָה (havah). The biblical account stands in contrast to the pagan material that presents a serpent goddess hawwat who is the mother of life. See J. Heller, “Der Name Eva,” ArOr 26 (1958): 636-56; and A. F. Key, “The Giving of Proper Names in the OT,” JBL 83 (1964): 55-59.

[3:21] 536 sn The Lord God made garments from skin. The text gives no indication of how this was done, or how they came by the skins. Earlier in the narrative (v. 7) the attempt of the man and the woman to cover their nakedness with leaves expressed their sense of alienation from each other and from God. By giving them more substantial coverings, God indicates this alienation is greater than they realize. This divine action is also ominous; God is preparing them for the more hostile environment in which they will soon be living (v. 23). At the same time, there is a positive side to the story in that God makes provision for the man’s and woman’s condition.

[3:22] 537 tn The particle הֵן (hen) introduces a foundational clause, usually beginning with “since, because, now.”

[3:22] 538 sn The man has become like one of us. See the notes on Gen 1:26 and 3:5.

[3:22] 539 tn The infinitive explains in what way the man had become like God: “knowing good and evil.”

[3:22] 540 tn Heb “and now, lest he stretch forth.” Following the foundational clause, this clause forms the main point. It is introduced with the particle פֶּן (pen) which normally introduces a negative purpose, “lest….” The construction is elliptical; something must be done lest the man stretch forth his hand. The translation interprets the point intended.

[3:23] 541 tn The verb is the Piel preterite of שָׁלַח (shalakh), forming a wordplay with the use of the same verb (in the Qal stem) in v. 22: To prevent the man’s “sending out” his hand, the Lord “sends him out.”

[3:24] 542 tn The verb with the vav (ו) consecutive is made subordinate to the next verb forming a temporal clause. This avoids any tautology with the previous verse that already stated that the Lord expelled the man.

[3:24] 543 tn Or “placed in front.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.

[3:24] 544 tn The Hebrew word is traditionally transliterated “the cherubim.”

[3:24] sn Angelic sentries (Heb “cherubim”). The cherubim in the Bible seem to be a class of angels that are composite in appearance. Their main task seems to be guarding. Here they guard the way to the tree of life. The curtain in the tabernacle was to be embroidered with cherubim as well, symbolically guarding the way to God. (See in addition A. S. Kapelrud, “The Gates of Hell and the Guardian Angels of Paradise,” JAOS 70 [1950]: 151-56; and D. N. Freedman and M. P. O’Connor, TDOT 7:307-19.)

[3:24] 545 tn Heb “the flame of the sword that turns round and round.” The noun “flame” is qualified by the genitive of specification, “the sword,” which in turn is modified by the attributive participle “whirling.” The Hitpael of the verb “turn” has an iterative function here, indicating repeated action. The form is used in Job 37:12 of swirling clouds and in Judg 7:13 of a tumbling roll of bread. Verse 24 depicts the sword as moving from side to side to prevent anyone from passing or as whirling around, ready to cut to shreds anyone who tries to pass.

[4:1] 546 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new episode in the ongoing narrative.

[4:1] 547 tn Heb “the man knew,” a frequent euphemism for sexual relations.

[4:1] 548 tn Or “she conceived.”

[4:1] 549 tn Here is another sound play (paronomasia) on a name. The sound of the verb קָנִיתִי (qaniti, “I have created”) reflects the sound of the name Cain in Hebrew (קַיִן, qayin) and gives meaning to it. The saying uses the Qal perfect of קָנָה (qanah). There are two homonymic verbs with this spelling, one meaning “obtain, acquire” and the other meaning “create” (see Gen 14:19, 22; Deut 32:6; Ps 139:13; Prov 8:22). The latter fits this context very well. Eve has created a man.

[4:1] 550 tn Heb “with the Lord.” The particle אֶת־ (’et) is not the accusative/object sign, but the preposition “with” as the ancient versions attest. Some take the preposition in the sense of “with the help of” (see BDB 85 s.v. אֵת; cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV), while others prefer “along with” in the sense of “like, equally with, in common with” (see Lev 26:39; Isa 45:9; Jer 23:28). Either works well in this context; the latter is reflected in the present translation. Some understand אֶת־ as the accusative/object sign and translate, “I have acquired a man – the Lord.” They suggest that the woman thought (mistakenly) that she had given birth to the incarnate Lord, the Messiah who would bruise the Serpent’s head. This fanciful suggestion is based on a questionable allegorical interpretation of Gen 3:15 (see the note there on the word “heel”).

[4:1] sn Since Exod 6:3 seems to indicate that the name Yahweh (יְהוָה, yÿhvah, translated Lord) was first revealed to Moses (see also Exod 3:14), it is odd to see it used in quotations in Genesis by people who lived long before Moses. This problem has been resolved in various ways: (1) Source critics propose that Exod 6:3 is part of the “P” (or priestly) tradition, which is at odds with the “J” (or Yahwistic) tradition. (2) Many propose that “name” in Exod 6:3 does not refer to the divine name per se, but to the character suggested by the name. God appeared to the patriarchs primarily in the role of El Shaddai, the giver of fertility, not as Yahweh, the one who fulfills his promises. In this case the patriarchs knew the name Yahweh, but had not experienced the full significance of the name. In this regard it is possible that Exod 6:3b should not be translated as a statement of denial, but as an affirmation followed by a rhetorical question implying that the patriarchs did indeed know God by the name of Yahweh, just as they knew him as El Shaddai. D. A. Garrett, following the lead of F. Andersen, sees Exod 6:2-3 as displaying a paneled A/B parallelism and translates them as follows: (A) “I am Yahweh.” (B) “And I made myself known to Abraham…as El Shaddai.” (A') “And my name is Yahweh”; (B') “Did I not make myself known to them?” (D. A. Garrett, Rethinking Genesis, 21). However, even if one translates the text this way, the Lord’s words do not necessarily mean that he made the name Yahweh known to the fathers. God is simply affirming that he now wants to be called Yahweh (see Exod 3:14-16) and that he revealed himself in prior times as El Shaddai. If we stress the parallelism with B, the implied answer to the concluding question might be: “Yes, you did make yourself known to them – as El Shaddai!” The main point of the verse would be that El Shaddai, the God of the fathers, and the God who has just revealed himself to Moses as Yahweh are one and the same. (3) G. J. Wenham suggests that pre-Mosaic references to Yahweh are the product of the author/editor of Genesis, who wanted to be sure that Yahweh was identified with the God of the fathers. In this regard, note how Yahweh is joined with another divine name or title in Gen 9:26-27; 14:22; 15:2, 8; 24:3, 7, 12, 27, 42, 48; 27:20; 32:9. The angel uses the name Yahweh when instructing Hagar concerning her child’s name, but the actual name (Ishma-el, “El hears”) suggests that El, not Yahweh, originally appeared in the angel’s statement (16:11). In her response to the angel Hagar calls God El, not Yahweh (16:13). In 22:14 Abraham names the place of sacrifice “Yahweh Will Provide” (cf. v. 16), but in v. 8 he declares, “God will provide.” God uses the name Yahweh when speaking to Jacob at Bethel (28:13) and Jacob also uses the name when he awakens from the dream (28:16). Nevertheless he names the place Beth-el (“house of El”). In 31:49 Laban prays, “May Yahweh keep watch,” but in v. 50 he declares, “God is a witness between you and me.” Yahweh’s use of the name in 15:7 and 18:14 may reflect theological idiom, while the use in 18:19 is within a soliloquy. (Other uses of Yahweh in quotations occur in 16:2, 5; 24:31, 35, 40, 42, 44, 48, 50, 51, 56; 26:22, 28-29; 27:7, 27; 29:32-35; 30:24, 30; 49:18. In these cases there is no contextual indication that a different name was originally used.) For a fuller discussion of this proposal, see G. J. Wenham, “The Religion of the Patriarchs,” Essays on the Patriarchal Narratives, 189-93.

[4:2] 551 tn Heb “And she again gave birth.”

[4:2] 552 sn The name Abel is not defined here in the text, but the tone is ominous. Abel’s name, the Hebrew word הֶבֶל (hevel), means “breath, vapor, vanity,” foreshadowing Abel’s untimely and premature death.

[4:2] 553 tn Heb “and Abel was a shepherd of the flock, and Cain was a worker of the ground.” The designations of the two occupations are expressed with active participles, רֹעֵה (ro’eh, “shepherd”) and עֹבֵד (’oved, “worker”). Abel is occupied with sheep, whereas Cain is living under the curse, cultivating the ground.

[4:3] 554 tn Heb “And it happened at the end of days.” The clause indicates the passing of a set period of time leading up to offering sacrifices.

[4:3] 555 tn The Hebrew term מִנְחָה (minkhah, “offering”) is a general word for tribute, a gift, or an offering. It is the main word used in Lev 2 for the dedication offering. This type of offering could be comprised of vegetables. The content of the offering (vegetables, as opposed to animals) was not the critical issue, but rather the attitude of the offerer.

[4:4] 556 tn Heb “But Abel brought, also he….” The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) stresses the contrast between Cain’s offering and Abel’s.

[4:4] 557 tn Two prepositional phrases are used to qualify the kind of sacrifice that Abel brought: “from the firstborn” and “from the fattest of them.” These also could be interpreted as a hendiadys: “from the fattest of the firstborn of the flock.” Another option is to understand the second prepositional phrase as referring to the fat portions of the sacrificial sheep. In this case one may translate, “some of the firstborn of his flock, even some of their fat portions” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[4:4] sn Here are two types of worshipers – one (Cain) merely discharges a duty at the proper time, while the other (Abel) goes out of his way to please God with the first and the best.

[4:4] 558 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁעָה (sha’ah) simply means “to gaze at, to have regard for, to look on with favor [or “with devotion”].” The text does not indicate how this was communicated, but it indicates that Cain and Abel knew immediately. Either there was some manifestation of divine pleasure given to Abel and withheld from Cain (fire consuming the sacrifice?), or there was an inner awareness of divine response.

[4:5] 559 sn The Letter to the Hebrews explains the difference between the brothers as one of faith – Abel by faith offered a better sacrifice. Cain’s offering as well as his reaction to God’s displeasure did not reflect faith. See further B. K. Waltke, “Cain and His Offering,” WTJ 48 (1986): 363-72.

[4:5] 560 tn Heb “and it was hot to Cain.” This Hebrew idiom means that Cain “burned” with anger.

[4:5] 561 tn Heb “And his face fell.” The idiom means that the inner anger is reflected in Cain’s facial expression. The fallen or downcast face expresses anger, dejection, or depression. Conversely, in Num 6 the high priestly blessing speaks of the Lord lifting up his face and giving peace.

[4:7] 562 tn The introduction of the conditional clause with an interrogative particle prods the answer from Cain, as if he should have known this. It is not a condemnation, but an encouragement to do what is right.

[4:7] 563 tn The Hebrew text is difficult, because only one word occurs, שְׂאֵת (sÿ’et), which appears to be the infinitive construct from the verb “to lift up” (נָאָשׂ, na’as). The sentence reads: “If you do well, uplifting.” On the surface it seems to be the opposite of the fallen face. Everything will be changed if he does well. God will show him favor, he will not be angry, and his face will reflect that. But more may be intended since the second half of the verse forms the contrast: “If you do not do well, sin is crouching….” Not doing well leads to sinful attack; doing well leads to victory and God’s blessing.

[4:7] 564 tn The Hebrew term translated “crouching” (רֹבֵץ, rovets) is an active participle. Sin is portrayed with animal imagery here as a beast crouching and ready to pounce (a figure of speech known as zoomorphism). An Akkadian cognate refers to a type of demon; in this case perhaps one could translate, “Sin is the demon at the door” (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 29, 32-33).

[4:7] 565 tn Heb “and toward you [is] its desire, but you must rule over it.” As in Gen 3:16, the Hebrew noun “desire” refers to an urge to control or dominate. Here the desire is that which sin has for Cain, a desire to control for the sake of evil, but Cain must have mastery over it. The imperfect is understood as having an obligatory sense. Another option is to understand it as expressing potential (“you can have [or “are capable of having”] mastery over it.”). It will be a struggle, but sin can be defeated by righteousness. In addition to this connection to Gen 3, other linguistic and thematic links between chaps. 3 and 4 are discussed by A. J. Hauser, “Linguistic and Thematic Links Between Genesis 4:1-6 and Genesis 2–3,” JETS 23 (1980): 297-306.

[4:8] 566 tc The MT has simply “and Cain said to Abel his brother,” omitting Cain’s words to Abel. It is possible that the elliptical text is original. Perhaps the author uses the technique of aposiopesis, “a sudden silence” to create tension. In the midst of the story the narrator suddenly rushes ahead to what happened in the field. It is more likely that the ancient versions (Samaritan Pentateuch, LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac), which include Cain’s words, “Let’s go out to the field,” preserve the original reading here. After writing אָחִיו (’akhiyv, “his brother”), a scribe’s eye may have jumped to the end of the form בַּשָּׂדֶה (basadeh, “to the field”) and accidentally omitted the quotation. This would be an error of virtual homoioteleuton. In older phases of the Hebrew script the sequence יו (yod-vav) on אָחִיו is graphically similar to the final ה (he) on בַּשָּׂדֶה.

[4:8] 567 tn Heb “arose against” (in a hostile sense).

[4:8] 568 sn The word “brother” appears six times in vv. 8-11, stressing the shocking nature of Cain’s fratricide (see 1 John 3:12).

[4:9] 569 sn Where is Abel your brother? Again the Lord confronts a guilty sinner with a rhetorical question (see Gen 3:9-13), asking for an explanation of what has happened.

[4:9] 570 tn Heb “The one guarding my brother [am] I?”

[4:9] sn Am I my brother’s guardian? Cain lies and then responds with a defiant rhetorical question of his own in which he repudiates any responsibility for his brother. But his question is ironic, for he is responsible for his brother’s fate, especially if he wanted to kill him. See P. A. Riemann, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” Int 24 (1970): 482-91.

[4:10] 571 sn What have you done? Again the Lord’s question is rhetorical (see Gen 3:13), condemning Cain for his sin.

[4:10] 572 tn The word “voice” is a personification; the evidence of Abel’s shed blood condemns Cain, just as a human eyewitness would testify in court. For helpful insights, see G. von Rad, Biblical Interpretations in Preaching; and L. Morris, “The Biblical Use of the Term ‘Blood,’” JTS 6 (1955/56): 77-82.

[4:11] 573 tn Heb “cursed are you from the ground.” As in Gen 3:14, the word “cursed,” a passive participle from אָרָר (’arar), either means “punished” or “banished,” depending on how one interprets the following preposition. If the preposition is taken as indicating source, then the idea is “cursed (i.e., punished) are you from [i.e., “through the agency of”] the ground” (see v. 12a). If the preposition is taken as separative, then the idea is “cursed and banished from the ground.” In this case the ground rejects Cain’s efforts in such a way that he is banished from the ground and forced to become a fugitive out in the earth (see vv. 12b, 14).

[4:12] 574 tn Heb “work.”

[4:12] 575 tn Heb “it will not again (תֹסֵף, tosef) give (תֵּת, tet),” meaning the ground will no longer yield. In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb, and the imperfect verb form becomes adverbial.

[4:12] 576 tn Heb “its strength.”

[4:12] 577 tn Two similar sounding synonyms are used here: נָע וָנָד (na’ vanad, “a wanderer and a fugitive”). This juxtaposition of synonyms emphasizes the single idea. In translation one can serve as the main description, the other as a modifier. Other translation options include “a wandering fugitive” and a “ceaseless wanderer” (cf. NIV).

[4:13] 578 tn The primary meaning of the Hebrew word עָוֹן (’avon) is “sin, iniquity.” But by metonymy it can refer to the “guilt” of sin, or to “punishment” for sin. The third meaning applies here. Just before this the Lord announces the punishment for Cain’s actions, and right after this statement Cain complains of the severity of the punishment. Cain is not portrayed as repenting of his sin.

[4:13] 579 tn Heb “great is my punishment from bearing.” The preposition מִן (min, “from”) is used here in a comparative sense.

[4:14] 580 tn Heb “from upon the surface of the ground.”

[4:14] 581 sn I must hide from your presence. The motif of hiding from the Lord as a result of sin also appears in Gen 3:8-10.

[4:15] 582 tn The Hebrew term לָכֵן (lakhen, “therefore”) in this context carries the sense of “Okay,” or “in that case then I will do this.”

[4:15] 583 sn The symbolic number seven is used here to emphasize that the offender will receive severe punishment. For other rhetorical and hyperbolic uses of the expression “seven times over,” see Pss 12:6; 79:12; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.

[4:15] 584 tn Heb “sign”; “reminder.” The term “sign” is not used in the translation because it might imply to an English reader that God hung a sign on Cain. The text does not identify what the “sign” was. It must have been some outward, visual reminder of Cain’s special protected status.

[4:15] 585 sn God becomes Cain’s protector. Here is common grace – Cain and his community will live on under God’s care, but without salvation.

[4:16] 586 sn The name Nod means “wandering” in Hebrew (see vv. 12, 14).

[4:17] 587 tn Heb “knew,” a frequent euphemism for sexual relations.

[4:17] 588 tn Or “she conceived.”

[4:17] 589 tn Heb “according to the name of.”

[4:18] 590 tn Heb “and Irad fathered.”

[4:20] 591 tn Heb “father.” In this passage the word “father” means “founder,” referring to the first to establish such lifestyles and occupations.

[4:20] 592 tn The word “keep” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation. Other words that might be supplied instead are “tend,” “raise” (NIV), or “have” (NRSV).

[4:22] 593 tn The traditional rendering here, “who forged” (or “a forger of”) is now more commonly associated with counterfeit or fraud (e.g., “forged copies” or “forged checks”) than with the forging of metal. The phrase “heated metal and shaped [it]” has been used in the translation instead.

[4:23] 594 tn The Hebrew term יֶלֶד (yeled) probably refers to a youthful warrior here, not a child.

[4:24] 595 sn Seventy-seven times. Lamech seems to reason this way: If Cain, a murderer, is to be avenged seven times (see v. 15), then how much more one who has been unjustly wronged! Lamech misses the point of God’s merciful treatment of Cain. God was not establishing a principle of justice when he warned he would avenge Cain’s murder. In fact he was trying to limit the shedding of blood, something Lamech wants to multiply instead. The use of “seventy-seven,” a multiple of seven, is hyperbolic, emphasizing the extreme severity of the vengeance envisioned by Lamech.

[4:25] 596 tn Heb “knew,” a frequent euphemism for sexual relations.

[4:25] 597 sn The name Seth probably means something like “placed”; “appointed”; “set”; “granted,” assuming it is actually related to the verb that is used in the sentiment. At any rate, the name שֵׁת (shet) and the verb שָׁת (shat, “to place, to appoint, to set, to grant”) form a wordplay (paronomasia).

[4:25] 598 tn Heb “offspring.”

[4:26] 599 tn The word “people” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation. The construction uses a passive verb without an expressed subject. “To call was begun” can be interpreted to mean that people began to call.

[4:26] 600 tn Heb “call in the name.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 12:8; 13:4; 21:33; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116.

[5:1] 601 tn Heb “book” or “roll.” Cf. NIV “written account”; NRSV “list.”

[5:1] 602 tn Heb “generations.” See the note on the phrase “this is the account of” in 2:4.

[5:1] 603 tn The Hebrew text has אָדָם (’adam).

[5:1] 604 tn Heb “him.” The Hebrew text uses the third masculine singular pronominal suffix on the accusative sign. The pronoun agrees grammatically with its antecedent אָדָם (’adam). However, the next verse makes it clear that אָדָם is collective here and refers to “humankind,” so it is preferable to translate the pronoun with the English plural.

[5:2] 605 tn The Hebrew word used here is אָדָם (’adam).

[5:3] 606 tn Heb “and Adam lived 130 years.” In the translation the verb is subordinated to the following verb, “and he fathered,” and rendered as a temporal clause.

[5:4] 607 tn Heb “The days of Adam.”

[5:4] 608 tn Heb “he fathered.”

[5:4] 609 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[5:5] 610 tn Heb “all the days of Adam which he lived”

[5:5] 611 sn The genealogy traces the line from Adam to Noah and forms a bridge between the earlier accounts and the flood story. Its constant theme of the reign of death in the human race is broken once with the account of Enoch, but the genealogy ends with hope for the future through Noah. See further G. F. Hasel, “The Genealogies of Gen. 5 and 11 and their Alleged Babylonian Background,” AUSS 16 (1978): 361-74; idem, “Genesis 5 and 11,” Origins 7 (1980): 23-37.

[5:6] 612 tn Heb “he fathered.”

[5:7] 613 tn Heb “he fathered.”

[5:7] 614 tn Here and in vv. 10, 13, 16, 19 the word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[5:22] 615 sn With the seventh panel there is a digression from the pattern. Instead of simply saying that Enoch lived, the text observes that he “walked with God.” The rare expression “walked with” (the Hitpael form of the verb הָלָךְ, halakh, “to walk” collocated with the preposition אֶת, ’et, “with”) is used in 1 Sam 25:15 to describe how David’s men maintained a cordial and cooperative relationship with Nabal’s men as they worked and lived side by side in the fields. In Gen 5:22 the phrase suggests that Enoch and God “got along.” This may imply that Enoch lived in close fellowship with God, leading a life of devotion and piety. An early Jewish tradition, preserved in 1 En. 1:9 and alluded to in Jude 14, says that Enoch preached about the coming judgment. See F. S. Parnham, “Walking with God,” EvQ 46 (1974): 117-18.

[5:22] 616 tn Heb “and Enoch walked with God, after he became the father of Methuselah, [for] 300 years.”

[5:22] 617 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[5:24] 618 tn The Hebrew construction has the negative particle אֵין (’en, “there is not,” “there was not”) with a pronominal suffix, “he was not.” Instead of saying that Enoch died, the text says he no longer was present.

[5:24] 619 sn The text simply states that God took Enoch. Similar language is used of Elijah’s departure from this world (see 2 Kgs 2:10). The text implies that God overruled death for this man who walked with him.

[5:26] 620 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[5:29] 621 sn The name Noah appears to be related to the Hebrew word נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”). There are several wordplays on the name “Noah” in the story of the flood.

[5:29] 622 tn The Hebrew verb יְנַחֲמֵנוּ (yÿnakhamenu) is from the root נָחָם (nakham), which means “to comfort” in the Piel verbal stem. The letters נ (nun) and ח (heth) pick up the sounds in the name “Noah,” forming a paronomasia on the name. They are not from the same verbal root, and so the connection is only by sound. Lamech’s sentiment reflects the oppression of living under the curse on the ground, but also expresses the hope for relief in some way through the birth of Noah. His words proved to be ironic but prophetic. The relief would come with a new beginning after the flood. See E. G. Kraeling, “The Interpretations of the Name Noah in Genesis 5:29,” JBL 48 (1929): 138-43.

[5:30] 623 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[5:32] 624 tn Heb “Noah.” The pronoun (“he”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[6:1] 625 tn The Hebrew text has the article prefixed to the noun. Here the article indicates the generic use of the word אָדָם (’adam): “humankind.”

[6:1] 626 tn This disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) is circumstantial to the initial temporal clause. It could be rendered, “with daughters being born to them.” For another example of such a disjunctive clause following the construction וַיְהִיכִּי (vayÿhiki, “and it came to pass when”), see 2 Sam 7:1.

[6:1] 627 tn The pronominal suffix is third masculine plural, indicating that the antecedent “humankind” is collective.

[6:2] 628 sn The Hebrew phrase translated “sons of God” (בְנֵי־הָאֱלֹהִים, bÿne-ha’elohim) occurs only here (Gen 6:2, 4) and in Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7. There are three major interpretations of the phrase here. (1) In the Book of Job the phrase clearly refers to angelic beings. In Gen 6 the “sons of God” are distinct from “humankind,” suggesting they were not human. This is consistent with the use of the phrase in Job. Since the passage speaks of these beings cohabiting with women, they must have taken physical form or possessed the bodies of men. An early Jewish tradition preserved in 1 En. 6-7 elaborates on this angelic revolt and even names the ringleaders. (2) Not all scholars accept the angelic interpretation of the “sons of God,” however. Some argue that the “sons of God” were members of Seth’s line, traced back to God through Adam in Gen 5, while the “daughters of humankind” were descendants of Cain. But, as noted above, the text distinguishes the “sons of God” from humankind (which would include the Sethites as well as the Cainites) and suggests that the “daughters of humankind” are human women in general, not just Cainites. (3) Others identify the “sons of God” as powerful tyrants, perhaps demon-possessed, who viewed themselves as divine and, following the example of Lamech (see Gen 4:19), practiced polygamy. But usage of the phrase “sons of God” in Job militates against this view. For literature on the subject see G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:135.

[6:3] 629 tn The verb form יָדוֹן (yadon) only occurs here. Some derive it from the verbal root דִּין (din, “to judge”) and translate “strive” or “contend with” (so NIV), but in this case one expects the form to be יָדִין (yadin). The Old Greek has “remain with,” a rendering which may find support from an Arabic cognate (see C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:375). If one interprets the verb in this way, then it is possible to understand רוּחַ (ruakh) as a reference to the divine life-giving spirit or breath, rather than the Lord’s personal Spirit. E. A. Speiser argues that the term is cognate with an Akkadian word meaning “protect” or “shield.” In this case, the Lord’s Spirit will not always protect humankind, for the race will suddenly be destroyed (E. A. Speiser, “YDWN, Gen. 6:3,” JBL 75 [1956]: 126-29).

[6:3] 630 tn Or “forever.”

[6:3] 631 tn The form בְּשַׁגַּם (bÿshagam) appears to be a compound of the preposition בְּ (beth, “in”), the relative שֶׁ (she, “who” or “which”), and the particle גַּם (gam, “also, even”). It apparently means “because even” (see BDB 980 s.v. שֶׁ).

[6:3] 632 tn Heb “he”; the plural pronoun has been used in the translation since “man” earlier in the verse has been understood as a collective (“humankind”).

[6:3] 633 tn Heb “flesh.”

[6:3] 634 tn See the note on “they” earlier in this verse.

[6:3] 635 tn Heb “his days will be 120 years.” Some interpret this to mean that the age expectancy of people from this point on would be 120, but neither the subsequent narrative nor reality favors this. It is more likely that this refers to the time remaining between this announcement of judgment and the coming of the flood.

[6:4] 636 tn The Hebrew word נְפִילִים (nÿfilim) is simply transliterated here, because the meaning of the term is uncertain. According to the text, the Nephilim became mighty warriors and gained great fame in the antediluvian world. The text may imply they were the offspring of the sexual union of the “sons of God” and the “daughters of humankind” (v. 2), but it stops short of saying this in a direct manner. The Nephilim are mentioned in the OT only here and in Num 13:33, where it is stated that they were giants (thus KJV, TEV, NLT “giants” here). The narrator observes that the Anakites of Canaan were descendants of the Nephilim. Certainly these later Anakite Nephilim could not be descendants of the antediluvian Nephilim (see also the following note on the word “this”).

[6:4] 637 tn This observation is parenthetical, explaining that there were Nephilim even after the flood. If all humankind, with the exception of Noah and his family, died in the flood, it is difficult to understand how the postdiluvian Nephilim could be related to the antediluvian Nephilim or how the Anakites of Canaan could be their descendants (see Num 13:33). It is likely that the term Nephilim refers generally to “giants” (see HALOT 709 s.v. נְפִילִים) without implying any ethnic connection between the antediluvian and postdiluvian varieties.

[6:4] 638 tn Heb “were entering to,” referring euphemistically to sexual intercourse here. The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the ongoing nature of such sexual unions during the time before the flood.

[6:4] 639 tn Heb “and they gave birth to them.” The masculine plural suffix “them” refers to the “sons of God,” to whom the “daughters of humankind” bore children. After the Qal form of the verb יָלָד (yalad, “to give birth”) the preposition לְ (lÿ, “to”) introduces the father of the child(ren). See Gen 16:1, 15; 17:19, 21; 21:2-3, 9; 22:23; 24:24, 47; 25:2, etc.

[6:4] 640 tn The parenthetical/explanatory clause uses the word הַגִּבֹּרִים (haggibborim) to describe these Nephilim. The word means “warriors; mighty men; heroes.” The appositional statement further explains that they were “men of renown.” The text refers to superhuman beings who held the world in their power and who lived on in ancient lore outside the Bible. See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 45-46; C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:379-80; and Anne D. Kilmer, “The Mesopotamian Counterparts of the Biblical Nephilim,” Perspectives on Language and Text, 39-43.

[6:4] 641 tn Heb “men of name” (i.e., famous men).

[6:5] 642 sn The Hebrew verb translated “saw” (רָאָה, ra’ah), used here of God’s evaluation of humankind’s evil deeds, contrasts with God’s evaluation of creative work in Gen 1, when he observed that everything was good.

[6:5] 643 tn The noun יֵצֶר (yetser) is related to the verb יָצָר (yatsar, “to form, to fashion [with a design]”). Here it refers to human plans or intentions (see Gen 8:21; 1 Chr 28:9; 29:18). People had taken their God-given capacities and used them to devise evil. The word יֵצֶר (yetser) became a significant theological term in Rabbinic literature for what might be called the sin nature – the evil inclination (see also R. E. Murphy, “Yeser in the Qumran Literature,” Bib 39 [1958]: 334-44).

[6:5] 644 tn The related verb הָשָׁב (hashav) means “to think, to devise, to reckon.” The noun (here) refers to thoughts or considerations.

[6:5] 645 tn Heb “his heart” (referring to collective “humankind”). The Hebrew term לֵב (lev, “heart”) frequently refers to the seat of one’s thoughts (see BDB 524 s.v. לֵב). In contemporary English this is typically referred to as the “mind.”

[6:5] 646 sn Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil. There is hardly a stronger statement of the wickedness of the human race than this. Here is the result of falling into the “knowledge of good and evil”: Evil becomes dominant, and the good is ruined by the evil.

[6:5] 647 tn Heb “all the day.”

[6:5] sn The author of Genesis goes out of his way to emphasize the depth of human evil at this time. Note the expressions “every inclination,” “only evil,” and “all the time.”

[6:6] 648 tn Or “was grieved”; “was sorry.” In the Niphal stem the verb נָחָם (nakham) can carry one of four semantic meanings, depending on the context: (1) “to experience emotional pain or weakness,” “to feel regret,” often concerning a past action (see Exod 13:17; Judg 21:6, 15; 1 Sam 15:11, 35; Job 42:6; Jer 31:19). In several of these texts כִּי (ki, “because”) introduces the cause of the emotional sorrow. (2) Another meaning is “to be comforted” or “to comfort oneself” (sometimes by taking vengeance). See Gen 24:67; 38:12; 2 Sam 13:39; Ps 77:3; Isa 1:24; Jer 31:15; Ezek 14:22; 31:16; 32:31. (This second category represents a polarization of category one.) (3) The meaning “to relent from” or “to repudiate” a course of action which is already underway is also possible (see Judg 2:18; 2 Sam 24:16 = 1 Chr 21:15; Pss 90:13; 106:45; Jer 8:6; 20:16; 42:10). (4) Finally, “to retract” (a statement) or “to relent or change one’s mind concerning,” “to deviate from” (a stated course of action) is possible (see Exod 32:12, 14; 1 Sam 15:29; Ps 110:4; Isa 57:6; Jer 4:28; 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3, 13, 19; Ezek 24:14; Joel 2:13-14; Am 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9-10; 4:2; Zech 8:14). See R. B. Chisholm, “Does God ‘Change His Mind’?” BSac 152 (1995): 388. The first category applies here because the context speaks of God’s grief and emotional pain (see the following statement in v. 6) as a result of a past action (his making humankind). For a thorough study of the word נָחָם, see H. Van Dyke Parunak, “A Semantic Survey of NHM,” Bib 56 (1975): 512-32.

[6:6] 649 tn Heb “and he was grieved to his heart.” The verb עָצָב (’atsav) can carry one of three semantic senses, depending on the context: (1) “to be injured” (Ps 56:5; Eccl 10:9; 1 Chr 4:10); (2) “to experience emotional pain”; “to be depressed emotionally”; “to be worried” (2 Sam 19:2; Isa 54:6; Neh 8:10-11); (3) “to be embarrassed”; “to be offended” (to the point of anger at another or oneself); “to be insulted” (Gen 34:7; 45:5; 1 Sam 20:3, 34; 1 Kgs 1:6; Isa 63:10; Ps 78:40). This third category develops from the second by metonymy. In certain contexts emotional pain leads to embarrassment and/or anger. In this last use the subject sometimes directs his anger against the source of grief (see especially Gen 34:7). The third category fits best in Gen 6:6 because humankind’s sin does not merely wound God emotionally. On the contrary, it prompts him to strike out in judgment against the source of his distress (see v. 7). The verb וַיִּתְעַצֵּב (vayyit’atsev), a Hitpael from עָצָב, alludes to the judgment oracles in Gen 3:16-19. Because Adam and Eve sinned, their life would be filled with pain; but sin in the human race also brought pain to God. The wording of v. 6 is ironic when compared to Gen 5:29. Lamech anticipated relief (נָחָם, nakham) from their work (מַעֲשֶׂה, ma’aseh) and their painful toil (עִצְּבֹן, ’itsÿvon), but now we read that God was sorry (נָחָם, nakham) that he had made (עָשָׂה, ’asah) humankind for it brought him great pain (עָצָב, ’atsav).

[6:7] 650 tn The text simply has “from man to beast, to creatures, and to birds of the air.” The use of the prepositions עַד…מִן (min...’ad) stresses the extent of the judgment in creation.

[6:8] 651 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) is contrastive here: God condemns the human race, but he is pleased with Noah.

[6:8] 652 tn The Hebrew expression “find favor [in the eyes of]” is an idiom meaning “to be an object of another’s favorable disposition or action,” “to be a recipient of another’s favor, kindness, mercy.” The favor/kindness is often earned, coming in response to an action or condition (see Gen 32:5; 39:4; Deut 24:1; 1 Sam 25:8; Prov 3:4; Ruth 2:10). This is the case in Gen 6:8, where v. 9 gives the basis (Noah’s righteous character) for the divine favor.

[6:8] 653 tn Heb “in the eyes of,” an anthropomorphic expression for God’s opinion or decision. The Lord saw that the whole human race was corrupt, but he looked in favor on Noah.

[6:9] 654 sn There is a vast body of scholarly literature about the flood story. The following studies are particularly helpful: A. Heidel, The Gilgamesh Epic and the Old Testament Parallels; M. Kessler, “Rhetorical Criticism of Genesis 7,” Rhetorical Criticism: Essays in Honor of James Muilenburg (PTMS), 1-17; I. M. Kikawada and A. Quinn, Before Abraham Was; A. R. Millard, “A New Babylonian ‘Genesis Story’,” TynBul 18 (1967): 3-18; G. J. Wenham, “The Coherence of the Flood Narrative,” VT 28 (1978): 336-48.

[6:9] 655 tn The Hebrew term תָּמִים (tamim, “blameless”) is used of men in Gen 17:1 (associated with the idiom “walk before,” which means “maintain a proper relationship with,” see 24:40); Deut 18:13 (where it means “blameless” in the sense of not guilty of the idolatrous practices listed before this; see Josh 24:14); Pss 18:23, 26 (“blameless” in the sense of not having violated God’s commands); 37:18 (in contrast to the wicked); 101:2, 6 (in contrast to proud, deceitful slanderers; see 15:2); Prov 2:21; 11:5 (in contrast to the wicked); 28:10; Job 12:4.

[6:9] 656 tn Heb “Noah was a godly man, blameless in his generations.” The singular “generation” can refer to one’s contemporaries, i.e., those living at a particular point in time. The plural “generations” can refer to successive generations in the past or the future. Here, where it is qualified by “his” (i.e., Noah’s), it refers to Noah’s contemporaries, comprised of the preceding generation (his father’s generation), those of Noah’s generation, and the next generation (those the same age as his children). In other words, “his generations” means the generations contemporary with him. See BDB 190 s.v. דוֹר.

[6:9] 657 tn Heb “Noah.” The proper name has been replaced with the pronoun in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[6:9] 658 tn The construction translated “walked with” is used in Gen 5:22, 24 (see the note on this phrase in 5:22) and in 1 Sam 25:15, where it refers to David’s and Nabal’s men “rubbing shoulders” in the fields. Based on the use in 1 Sam 25:15, the expression seems to mean “live in close proximity to,” which may, by metonymy, mean “maintain cordial relations with.”

[6:10] 659 tn Heb “fathered.”

[6:11] 660 tn Apart from Gen 6:11-12, the Niphal form of this verb occurs in Exod 8:20 HT (8:24 ET), where it describes the effect of the swarms of flies on the land of Egypt; Jer 13:7 and 18:4, where it is used of a “ruined” belt and “marred” clay pot, respectively; and Ezek 20:44, where it describes Judah’s morally “corrupt” actions. The sense “morally corrupt” fits well in Gen 6:11 because of the parallelism (note “the earth was filled with violence”). In this case “earth” would stand by metonymy for its sinful inhabitants. However, the translation “ruined” works just as well, if not better. In this case humankind’s sin is viewed has having an adverse effect upon the earth. Note that vv. 12b-13 make a distinction between the earth and the living creatures who live on it.

[6:11] 661 tn Heb “before.”

[6:11] 662 tn The Hebrew word translated “violence” refers elsewhere to a broad range of crimes, including unjust treatment (Gen 16:5; Amos 3:10), injurious legal testimony (Deut 19:16), deadly assault (Gen 49:5), murder (Judg 9:24), and rape (Jer 13:22).

[6:12] 663 tn Or “God saw how corrupt the earth was.”

[6:12] 664 tn The repetition in the text (see v. 11) emphasizes the point.

[6:12] 665 tn Heb “flesh.” Since moral corruption is in view here, most modern western interpreters understand the referent to be humankind. However, the phrase “all flesh” is used consistently of humankind and the animals in Gen 6-9 (6:17, 19; 7:15-16, 21; 8:17; 9:11, 15-17), suggesting that the author intends to picture all living creatures, humankind and animals, as guilty of moral failure. This would explain why the animals, not just humankind, are victims of the ensuing divine judgment. The OT sometimes views animals as morally culpable (Gen 9:5; Exod 21:28-29; Jonah 3:7-8). The OT also teaches that a person’s sin can contaminate others (people and animals) in the sinful person’s sphere (see the story of Achan, especially Josh 7:10). So the animals could be viewed here as morally contaminated because of their association with sinful humankind.

[6:12] 666 tn Heb “had corrupted its way.” The third masculine singular pronominal suffix on “way” refers to the collective “all flesh.” The construction “corrupt one’s way” occurs only here (though Ezek 16:47 uses the Hiphil in an intransitive sense with the preposition בְּ [bet, “in”] followed by “ways”). The Hiphil of שָׁחָת (shakhat) means “to ruin, to destroy, to corrupt,” often as here in a moral/ethical sense. The Hebrew term דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) here refers to behavior or moral character, a sense that it frequently carries (see BDB 203 s.v. דֶּרֶךְ 6.a).

[6:13] 667 sn On the divine style utilized here, see R. Lapointe, “The Divine Monologue as a Channel of Revelation,” CBQ 32 (1970): 161-81.

[6:13] 668 tn Heb “the end of all flesh is coming [or “has come”] before me.” (The verb form is either a perfect or a participle.) The phrase “end of all flesh” occurs only here. The term “end” refers here to the end of “life,” as v. 3 and the following context (which describes how God destroys all flesh) make clear. The statement “the end has come” occurs in Ezek 7:2, 6, where it is used of divine judgment. The phrase “come before” occurs in Exod 28:30, 35; 34:34; Lev 15:14; Num 27:17; 1 Sam 18:13, 16; 2 Sam 19:8; 20:8; 1 Kgs 1:23, 28, 32; Ezek 46:9; Pss 79:11 (groans come before God); 88:3 (a prayer comes before God); 100:2; 119:170 (prayer comes before God); Lam 1:22 (evil doing comes before God); Esth 1:19; 8:1; 9:25; 1 Chr 16:29. The expression often means “have an audience with” or “appear before.” But when used metaphorically, it can mean “get the attention of” or “prompt a response.” This is probably the sense in Gen 6:13. The necessity of ending the life of all flesh on earth is an issue that has gotten the attention of God. The term “end” may even be a metonymy for that which has prompted it – violence (see the following clause).

[6:13] 669 tn The participle, especially after הִנֵּה (hinneh) has an imminent future nuance. The Hiphil of שָׁחָת (shakhat) here has the sense “to destroy” (in judgment). Note the wordplay involving this verb in vv. 11-13: The earth is “ruined” because all flesh has acted in a morally “corrupt” manner. Consequently, God will “destroy” all flesh (the referent of the suffix “them”) along with the ruined earth. They had ruined themselves and the earth with violence, and now God would ruin them with judgment. For other cases where “earth” occurs as the object of the Hiphil of שָׁחָת, see 1 Sam 6:5; 1 Chr 20:1; Jer 36:29; 51:25.

[6:14] 670 sn The Hebrew verb is an imperative. A motif of this section is that Noah did as the Lord commanded him – he was obedient. That obedience had to come from faith in the word of the Lord. So the theme of obedience to God’s word is prominent in this prologue to the law.

[6:14] 671 tn A transliteration of the Hebrew term yields “gopher (גֹּפֶר, gofer) wood” (so KJV, NAB, NASB). While the exact nature of the wood involved is uncertain (cf. NLT “resinous wood”), many modern translations render the Hebrew term as “cypress” (so NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[6:14] 672 tn The Hebrew term כָּפָר (kafar, “to cover, to smear” [= to caulk]) appears here in the Qal stem with its primary, nonmetaphorical meaning. The Piel form כִּפֶּר (kipper), which has the metaphorical meaning “to atone, to expiate, to pacify,” is used in Levitical texts (see HALOT 493-94 s.v. כפר). Some authorities regard the form in v. 14 as a homonym of the much more common Levitical term (see BDB 498 s.v. כָּפָר).

[6:15] 673 tn Heb “300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about 18 inches (45 cm) long.

[6:16] 674 tn Heb “a cubit.”

[6:16] 675 tn Heb “to a cubit you shall finish it from above.” The idea is that Noah was to leave an 18-inch opening from the top for a window for light.

[6:17] 676 tn The Hebrew construction uses the independent personal pronoun, followed by a suffixed form of הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) and the a participle used with an imminent future nuance: “As for me, look, I am going to bring.”

[6:17] 677 tn Heb “the flood, water.”

[6:17] 678 tn The verb שָׁחָת (shakhat, “to destroy”) is repeated yet again, only now in an infinitival form expressing the purpose of the flood.

[6:17] 679 tn The Hebrew construction here is different from the previous two; here it is רוּחַ חַיִּים (ruakh khayyim) rather than נֶפֶשׁ הַיָּה (nefesh khayyah) or נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים (nishmat khayyim). It refers to everything that breathes.

[6:18] 680 tn The Hebrew verb וַהֲקִמֹתִי (vahaqimoti) is the Hiphil perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive (picking up the future sense from the participles) from קוּם (qum, “to rise up”). This may refer to the confirmation or fulfillment of an earlier promise, but it is more likely that it anticipates the unconditional promise made to humankind following the flood (see Gen 9:9, 11, 17).

[6:18] 681 tn The perfect verb form with vav (ו) consecutive is best understood as specific future, continuing God’s description of what will happen (see vv. 17-18a).

[6:19] 682 tn Heb “from all life, from all flesh, two from all you must bring.” The disjunctive clause at the beginning of the verse (note the conjunction with prepositional phrase, followed by two more prepositional phrases in apposition and then the imperfect verb form) signals a change in mood from announcement (vv. 17-18) to instruction.

[6:19] 683 tn The Piel infinitive construct לְהַחֲיוֹת (lÿhakhayot, here translated as “to keep them alive”) shows the purpose of bringing the animals into the ark – saving life. The Piel of this verb means here “to preserve alive.”

[6:20] 684 tn Heb “to keep alive.”

[6:21] 685 tn The verb is a direct imperative: “And you, take for yourself.” The form stresses the immediate nature of the instruction; the pronoun underscores the directness.

[6:21] 686 tn Heb “from all food,” meaning “some of every kind of food.”

[6:21] 687 tn Or “will be eaten.”

[6:21] 688 tn Heb “and gather it to you.”

[6:22] 689 tn Heb “according to all.”

[6:22] 690 tn The last clause seems redundant: “and thus (כֵּן, ken) he did.” It underscores the obedience of Noah to all that God had said.

[7:1] 691 tn Heb “for you I see [as] godly before me in this generation.” The direct object (“you”) is placed first in the clause to give it prominence. The verb “to see” here signifies God’s evaluative discernment.

[7:2] 692 tn Or “seven pairs” (cf. NRSV).

[7:2] 693 sn For a study of the Levitical terminology of “clean” and “unclean,” see L. E. Toombs, IDB 1:643.

[7:2] 694 tn Heb “a male and his female” (also a second time at the end of this verse). The terms used here for male and female animals (אִישׁ, ’ish) and אִשָּׁה, ’ishah) normally refer to humans.

[7:3] 695 tn Or “seven pairs” (cf. NRSV).

[7:3] 696 tn Here (and in v. 9) the Hebrew text uses the normal generic terms for “male and female” (זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, zakhar unÿqevah).

[7:3] 697 tn Heb “to keep alive offspring.”

[7:4] 698 tn Heb “for seven days yet,” meaning “after [or “in”] seven days.”

[7:4] 699 tn The Hiphil participle מַמְטִיר (mamtir, “cause to rain”) here expresses the certainty of the act in the imminent future.

[7:5] 700 tn Heb “according to all.”

[7:6] 701 tn Heb “Now Noah was.” The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + predicate nominative after implied “to be” verb) provides background information. The age of Noah receives prominence.

[7:6] 702 tn Heb “and the flood was water upon.” The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) is circumstantial/temporal in relation to the preceding clause. The verb הָיָה (hayah) here carries the nuance “to come” (BDB 225 s.v. הָיָה). In this context the phrase “come upon” means “to engulf.”

[7:7] 703 tn The preposition מִן (min) is causal here, explaining why Noah and his family entered the ark.

[7:8] 704 tn Heb “two two” meaning “in twos.”

[7:9] 705 tn The Hebrew text of vv. 8-9a reads, “From the clean animal[s] and from the animal[s] which are not clean and from the bird[s] and everything that creeps on the ground, two two they came to Noah to the ark, male and female.”

[7:9] 706 tn Heb “Noah”; the pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[7:10] 707 tn Heb “came upon.”

[7:11] 708 tn The Hebrew term תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “deep”) refers to the watery deep, the salty ocean – especially the primeval ocean that surrounds and underlies the earth (see Gen 1:2).

[7:11] sn The watery deep. The same Hebrew term used to describe the watery deep in Gen 1:2 (תְּהוֹם, tihom) appears here. The text seems to picture here subterranean waters coming from under the earth and contributing to the rapid rise of water. The significance seems to be, among other things, that in this judgment God was returning the world to its earlier condition of being enveloped with water – a judgment involving the reversal of creation. On Gen 7:11 see G. F. Hasel, “The Fountains of the Great Deep,” Origins 1 (1974): 67-72; idem, “The Biblical View of the Extent of the Flood,” Origins 2 (1975): 77-95.

[7:11] 709 sn On the prescientific view of the sky reflected here, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World (AnBib), 46.

[7:12] 710 tn Heb “was.”

[7:13] 711 tn Heb “On that very day Noah entered, and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and the wife of Noah, and the three wives of his sons with him into the ark.”

[7:14] 712 tn The verb “entered” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[7:14] 713 tn Heb “every bird, every wing.”

[7:15] 714 tn Heb “two two” meaning “in twos.”

[7:15] 715 tn Heb “flesh.”

[7:16] 716 tn Heb “Those that went in, male and female from all flesh they went in.”

[7:18] 717 tn Heb “and the waters were great and multiplied exceedingly.” The first verb in the sequence is וַיִּגְבְּרוּ (vayyigbÿru, from גָּבַר, gavar), meaning “to become great, mighty.” The waters did not merely rise; they “prevailed” over the earth, overwhelming it.

[7:18] 718 tn Heb “went.”

[7:19] 719 tn Heb “and the waters were great exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition emphasizes the depth of the waters.

[7:19] 720 tn Heb “and.”

[7:20] 721 tn Heb “rose fifteen cubits.” Since a cubit is considered by most authorities to be about eighteen inches, this would make the depth 22.5 feet. This figure might give the modern reader a false impression of exactness, however, so in the translation the phrase “fifteen cubits” has been rendered “more than twenty feet.”

[7:20] 722 tn Heb “the waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward and they covered the mountains.” Obviously, a flood of twenty feet did not cover the mountains; the statement must mean the flood rose about twenty feet above the highest mountain.

[7:21] 723 tn Heb “flesh.”

[7:22] 724 tn Heb “everything which [has] the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils from all which is in the dry land.”

[7:23] 725 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:23] 726 tn Heb “wiped away” (cf. NRSV “blotted out”).

[7:23] 727 tn Heb “from man to animal to creeping thing and to the bird of the sky.”

[7:23] 728 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁאָר (sha’ar) means “to be left over; to survive” in the Niphal verb stem. It is the word used in later biblical texts for the remnant that escapes judgment. See G. F. Hasel, “Semantic Values of Derivatives of the Hebrew Root só’r,” AUSS 11 (1973): 152-69.

[7:24] 729 sn The Hebrew verb translated “prevailed over” suggests that the waters were stronger than the earth. The earth and everything in it were no match for the return of the chaotic deep.

[8:1] 730 tn The Hebrew word translated “remembered” often carries the sense of acting in accordance with what is remembered, i.e., fulfilling covenant promises (see B. S. Childs, Memory and Tradition in Israel [SBT], especially p. 34).

[8:1] 731 tn Heb “to pass over.”

[8:2] 732 tn Some (e.g., NIV) translate the preterite verb forms in this verse as past perfects (e.g., “had been closed”), for it seems likely that the sources of the water would have stopped before the waters receded.

[8:3] 733 tn The construction combines a Qal preterite from שׁוּב (shuv) with its infinitive absolute to indicate continuous action. The infinitive absolute from הָלָךְ (halakh) is included for emphasis: “the waters returned…going and returning.”

[8:3] 734 tn Heb “the waters.” The pronoun (“they”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[8:3] 735 tn The vav (ו) consecutive with the preterite here describes the consequence of the preceding action.

[8:4] 736 tn Heb “on the mountains of Ararat.” Obviously a boat (even one as large as the ark) cannot rest on multiple mountains. Perhaps (1) the preposition should be translated “among,” or (2) the plural “mountains” should be understood in the sense of “mountain range” (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 53). A more probable option (3) is that the plural indicates an indefinite singular, translated “one of the mountains” (see GKC 400 §124.o).

[8:4] sn Ararat is the Hebrew name for Urartu, the name of a mountainous region located north of Mesopotamia in modern day eastern Turkey. See E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 29-32; G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:184-85; C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:443-44.

[8:5] 737 tn Heb “the waters were going and lessening.” The perfect verb form הָיָה (hayah) is used as an auxiliary verb with the infinitive absolute חָסוֹר (khasor, “lessening”), while the infinitive absolute הָלוֹךְ (halokh) indicates continuous action.

[8:5] 738 tn Or “could be seen.”

[8:6] 739 tn The introductory verbal form וַיְהִי (vayÿhi), traditionally rendered “and it came to pass,” serves as a temporal indicator and has not been translated here.

[8:6] 740 tn Heb “opened the window in the ark which he had made.” The perfect tense (“had made”) refers to action preceding the opening of the window, and is therefore rendered as a past perfect. Since in English “had made” could refer to either the ark or the window, the order of the phrases was reversed in the translation to clarify that the window is the referent.

[8:7] 741 tn Heb “and it went out, going out and returning.” The Hebrew verb יָצָא (yatsa’), translated here “flying,” is modified by two infinitives absolute indicating that the raven went back and forth.

[8:8] 742 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Noah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:8] 743 tn The Hebrew text adds “from him.” This has not been translated for stylistic reasons, because it is redundant in English.

[8:8] 744 tn The Hebrew verb קָלָל (qalal) normally means “to be light, to be slight”; it refers here to the waters receding.

[8:9] 745 tn The words “still covered” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[8:9] 746 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Noah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:9] 747 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the dove) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:9] 748 tn Heb “and he brought it to himself to the ark.”

[8:11] 749 tn The clause introduced by vav (ו) consecutive is translated as a temporal clause subordinated to the following clause.

[8:11] 750 tn The deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to the olive leaf. It invites readers to enter into the story, as it were, and look at the olive leaf with their own eyes.

[8:12] 751 tn The word “again” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[8:12] 752 tn Heb “it did not again return to him still.” For a study of this section of the flood narrative, see W. O. E. Oesterley, “The Dove with the Olive Leaf (Gen VIII 8–11),” ExpTim 18 (1906/07): 377-78.

[8:13] 753 tn Heb In the six hundred and first year.” Since this refers to the six hundred and first year of Noah’s life, the word “Noah’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:13] 754 tn Heb “and saw and look.” As in v. 11, the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites readers to enter into the story, as it were, and look at the dry ground with their own eyes.

[8:14] 755 tn In v. 13 the ground (הָאֲדָמָה, ha’adamah) is dry; now the earth (הָאָרֶץ, ha’arets) is dry.

[8:17] 756 tn The words “bring out” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[8:17] 757 tn Following the Hiphil imperative, “bring out,” the three perfect verb forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry an imperatival nuance. For a discussion of the Hebrew construction here and the difficulty of translating it into English, see S. R. Driver, A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew, 124-25.

[8:17] 758 tn Heb “and let them swarm in the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

[8:20] 759 sn Offered burnt offerings on the altar. F. D. Maurice includes a chapter on the sacrifice of Noah in The Doctrine of Sacrifice. The whole burnt offering, according to Leviticus 1, represented the worshiper’s complete surrender and dedication to the Lord. After the flood Noah could see that God was not only a God of wrath, but a God of redemption and restoration. The one who escaped the catastrophe could best express his gratitude and submission through sacrificial worship, acknowledging God as the sovereign of the universe.

[8:21] 760 tn The Lord “smelled” (וַיָּרַח, vayyarakh) a “soothing smell” (רֵיחַ הַנִּיהֹחַ, reakh hannihoakh). The object forms a cognate accusative with the verb. The language is anthropomorphic. The offering had a sweet aroma that pleased or soothed. The expression in Lev 1 signifies that God accepts the offering with pleasure, and in accepting the offering he accepts the worshiper.

[8:21] 761 tn Heb “and the Lord said.”

[8:21] 762 tn Heb “in his heart.”

[8:21] 763 tn Here the Hebrew word translated “curse” is קָלָל (qalal), used in the Piel verbal stem.

[8:21] 764 tn The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) can be used in a concessive sense (see BDB 473 s.v. כִּי), which makes good sense in this context. Its normal causal sense (“for”) does not fit the context here very well.

[8:21] 765 tn Heb “the inclination of the heart of humankind.”

[8:21] 766 tn Heb “from his youth.”

[8:22] 767 tn Heb “yet all the days of the earth.” The idea is “[while there are] yet all the days of the earth,” meaning, “as long as the earth exists.”

[8:22] 768 tn Heb “seed,” which stands here by metonymy for the time when seed is planted.

[9:2] 769 tn Heb “and fear of you and dread of you will be upon every living creature of the earth and upon every bird of the sky.” The suffixes on the nouns “fear” and “dread” are objective genitives. The animals will fear humans from this time forward.

[9:2] 770 tn Heb “into your hand are given.” The “hand” signifies power. To say the animals have been given into the hands of humans means humans have been given authority over them.

[9:3] 771 tn Heb “every moving thing that lives for you will be for food.”

[9:3] 772 tn The words “I gave you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[9:3] 773 tn The perfect verb form describes the action that accompanies the declaration.

[9:4] 774 tn Heb “only.”

[9:4] 775 tn Or “flesh.”

[9:4] 776 tn Heb “its life, its blood.” The second word is in apposition to the first, explaining what is meant by “its life.” Since the blood is equated with life, meat that had the blood in it was not to be eaten.

[9:4] 777 tn The words “in it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[9:4] sn You must not eat meat with its life…in it. Because of the carnage produced by the flood, people might conclude that life is cheap and therefore treat it lightly. But God will not permit them to kill or even to eat anything with the lifeblood still in it, serving as a reminder of the sanctity of life.

[9:5] 778 tn Again the text uses apposition to clarify what kind of blood is being discussed: “your blood, [that is] for your life.” See C. L. Dewar, “The Biblical Use of the Term ‘Blood,’” JTS 4 (1953): 204-8.

[9:5] 779 tn The word “punishment” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification. The verb דָּרָשׁ (darash) means “to require, to seek, to ask for, to exact.” Here it means that God will exact punishment for the taking of a life. See R. Mawdsley, “Capital Punishment in Gen. 9:6,” CentBib 18 (1975): 20-25.

[9:5] 780 tn Heb “from the hand of,” which means “out of the hand of” or “out of the power of” and is nearly identical in sense to the preposition מִן (min) alone.

[9:5] 781 tn Heb “and from the hand of the man.” The article has a generic function, indicating the class, i.e., humankind.

[9:5] 782 tn Heb “of the man.”

[9:5] 783 tn Heb “from the hand of a man, his brother.” The point is that God will require the blood of someone who kills, since the person killed is a relative (“brother”) of the killer. The language reflects Noah’s situation (after the flood everyone would be part of Noah’s extended family), but also supports the concept of the brotherhood of humankind. According to the Genesis account the entire human race descended from Noah.

[9:6] 784 tn Heb “the blood of man.”

[9:6] 785 tn Heb “by man,” a generic term here for other human beings.

[9:6] 786 sn See the notes on the words “humankind” and “likeness” in Gen 1:26, as well as J. Barr, “The Image of God in the Book of Genesis – A Study of Terminology,” BJRL 51 (1968/69): 11-26.

[9:6] 787 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:7] 788 sn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + pronominal subject + verb) here indicates a strong contrast to what has preceded. Against the backdrop of the warnings about taking life, God now instructs the people to produce life, using terms reminiscent of the mandate given to Adam (Gen 1:28).

[9:8] 789 tn Heb “to Noah and to his sons with him, saying.”

[9:9] 790 tn Heb “I, look, I confirm.” The particle הִנְנִי (hinni) used with the participle מֵקִים (meqim) gives the sense of immediacy or imminence, as if to say, “Look! I am now confirming.”

[9:9] 791 tn The three pronominal suffixes (translated “you,” “your,” and “you”) are masculine plural. As v. 8 indicates, Noah and his sons are addressed.

[9:10] 792 tn The verbal repetition is apparently for emphasis.

[9:11] 793 tn The verb וַהֲקִמֹתִי (vahaqimoti) is a perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive and should be translated with the English present tense, just as the participle at the beginning of the speech was (v. 9). Another option is to translate both forms with the English future tense (“I will confirm”).

[9:11] 794 tn Heb “all flesh.”

[9:11] 795 tn Heb “cut off.”

[9:11] 796 tn Heb “and all flesh will not be cut off again by the waters of the flood.”

[9:12] 797 tn Heb “sign.”

[9:12] 798 sn On the making of covenants in Genesis, see W. F. Albright, “The Hebrew Expression for ‘Making a Covenant’ in Pre-Israelite Documents,” BASOR 121 (1951): 21-22.

[9:12] 799 tn Heb “between me and between you.”

[9:12] 800 tn The words “a covenant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[9:12] 801 tn The Hebrew term עוֹלָם (’olam) means “ever, forever, lasting, perpetual.” The covenant would extend to subsequent generations.

[9:13] 802 tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, emphasizing the certainty of the action. Other translation options include “I have placed” (present perfect; cf. NIV, NRSV) and “I place” (instantaneous perfect; cf. NEB).

[9:13] 803 sn The Hebrew word קֶשֶׁת (qeshet) normally refers to a warrior’s bow. Some understand this to mean that God the warrior hangs up his battle bow at the end of the flood, indicating he is now at peace with humankind, but others question the legitimacy of this proposal. See C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:473, and G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:196.

[9:13] 804 tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect of certitude.

[9:14] 805 tn The temporal indicator (וְהָיָה, vÿhayah, conjunction + the perfect verb form), often translated “it will be,” anticipates a future development.

[9:15] 806 tn Heb “which [is] between me and between you.”

[9:15] 807 tn Heb “all flesh.”

[9:15] 808 tn Heb “to destroy.”

[9:15] 809 tn Heb “all flesh.”

[9:16] 810 tn The translation assumes that the infinitive לִזְכֹּר (lizkor, “to remember”) here expresses the result of seeing the rainbow. Another option is to understand it as indicating purpose, in which case it could be translated, “I will look at it so that I may remember.”

[9:17] 811 tn Heb “all flesh.”

[9:18] 812 sn The concluding disjunctive clause is parenthetical. It anticipates the following story, which explains that the Canaanites, Ham’s descendants through Canaan, were cursed because they shared the same moral abandonment that their ancestor displayed. See A. van Selms, “The Canaanites in the Book of Genesis,” OTS 12 (1958): 182-213.

[9:19] 813 tn Heb “was scattered.” The verb פָּצָה (patsah, “to scatter” [Niphal, “to be scattered”]) figures prominently in story of the dispersion of humankind in chap. 11.

[9:20] 814 sn The epithet a man of the soil indicates that Noah was a farmer.

[9:20] 815 tn Or “Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard”; Heb “and Noah, a man of the ground, began and he planted a vineyard.”

[9:21] 816 tn The Hebrew verb גָּלָה (galah) in the Hitpael verbal stem (וַיִּתְגַּל, vayyitggal) means “to uncover oneself” or “to be uncovered.” Noah became overheated because of the wine and uncovered himself in the tent.

[9:22] 817 sn For the second time (see v. 18) the text informs the reader of the relationship between Ham and Canaan. Genesis 10 will explain that Canaan was the ancestor of the Canaanite tribes living in the promised land.

[9:22] 818 tn Some would translate “had sexual relations with,” arguing that Ham committed a homosexual act with his drunken father for which he was cursed. However, the expression “see nakedness” usually refers to observation of another’s nakedness, not a sexual act (see Gen 42:9, 12 where “nakedness” is used metaphorically to convey the idea of “weakness” or “vulnerability”; Deut 23:14 where “nakedness” refers to excrement; Isa 47:3; Ezek 16:37; Lam 1:8). The following verse (v. 23) clearly indicates that visual observation, not a homosexual act, is in view here. In Lev 20:17 the expression “see nakedness” does appear to be a euphemism for sexual intercourse, but the context there, unlike that of Gen 9:22, clearly indicates that in that passage sexual contact is in view. The expression “see nakedness” does not in itself suggest a sexual connotation. Some relate Gen 9:22 to Lev 18:6-11, 15-19, where the expression “uncover [another’s] nakedness” (the Piel form of גָּלָה, galah) refers euphemistically to sexual intercourse. However, Gen 9:22 does not say Ham “uncovered” the nakedness of his father. According to the text, Noah uncovered himself; Ham merely saw his father naked. The point of the text is that Ham had no respect for his father. Rather than covering his father up, he told his brothers. Noah then gave an oracle that Ham’s descendants, who would be characterized by the same moral abandonment, would be cursed. Leviticus 18 describes that greater evil of the Canaanites (see vv. 24-28).

[9:22] sn Saw the nakedness. It is hard for modern people to appreciate why seeing another’s nakedness was such an abomination, because nakedness is so prevalent today. In the ancient world, especially in a patriarchal society, seeing another’s nakedness was a major offense. (See the account in Herodotus, Histories 1.8-13, where a general saw the nakedness of his master’s wife, and one of the two had to be put to death.) Besides, Ham was not a little boy wandering into his father’s bedroom; he was over a hundred years old by this time. For fuller discussion see A. P. Ross, “The Curse of Canaan,” BSac 137 (1980): 223-40.

[9:23] 819 tn The word translated “garment” has the Hebrew definite article on it. The article may simply indicate that the garment is definite and vivid in the mind of the narrator, but it could refer instead to Noah’s garment. Did Ham bring it out when he told his brothers?

[9:23] 820 tn Heb “their faces [were turned] back.”

[9:24] 821 tn Heb “his wine,” used here by metonymy for the drunken stupor it produced.

[9:24] 822 tn Heb “he knew.”

[9:24] 823 tn The Hebrew verb עָשָׂה (’asah, “to do”) carries too general a sense to draw the conclusion that Ham had to have done more than look on his father’s nakedness and tell his brothers.

[9:25] 824 sn For more on the curse, see H. C. Brichto, The Problem of “Curse” in the Hebrew Bible (JBLMS), and J. Scharbert, TDOT 1:405-18.

[9:25] 825 sn Cursed be Canaan. The curse is pronounced on Canaan, not Ham. Noah sees a problem in Ham’s character, and on the basis of that he delivers a prophecy about the future descendants who will live in slavery to such things and then be controlled by others. (For more on the idea of slavery in general, see E. M. Yamauchi, “Slaves of God,” BETS 9 [1966]: 31-49). In a similar way Jacob pronounced oracles about his sons based on their revealed character (see Gen 49).

[9:25] 826 tn Heb “a servant of servants” (עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים, ’eved ’avadim), an example of the superlative genitive. It means Canaan will become the most abject of slaves.

[9:26] 827 tn Heb “blessed be.”

[9:26] 828 tn Heb “a slave to him”; the referent (Shem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:27] 829 tn Heb “may God enlarge Japheth.” The words “territory and numbers” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:27] sn There is a wordplay (paronomasia) on the name Japheth. The verb יַפְתְּ (yaft, “may he enlarge”) sounds like the name יֶפֶת (yefet, “Japheth”). The name itself suggested the idea. The blessing for Japheth extends beyond the son to the descendants. Their numbers and their territories will be enlarged, so much so that they will share in Shem’s territories. Again, in this oracle, Noah is looking beyond his immediate family to future generations. For a helpful study of this passage and the next chapter, see T. O. Figart, A Biblical Perspective on the Race Problem, 55-58.

[9:27] 830 tn In this context the prefixed verbal form is a jussive (note the distinct jussive forms both before and after this in vv. 26 and 27).

[10:1] 831 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1–11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.

[10:1] 832 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.

[10:1] 833 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.

[10:2] 834 sn The Greek form of the name Japheth, Iapetos, is used in Greek tradition for the ancestor of the Greeks.

[10:2] 835 sn Gomer was the ancestor of the Cimmerians. For a discussion of the Cimmerians see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 49-61.

[10:2] 836 sn For a discussion of various proposals concerning the descendants of Magog see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 22-24.

[10:2] 837 sn Madai was the ancestor of the Medes, who lived east of Assyria.

[10:2] 838 sn Javan was the father of the Hellenic race, the Ionians who lived in western Asia Minor.

[10:2] 839 sn Tubal was the ancestor of militaristic tribes that lived north of the Black Sea. For a discussion of ancient references to Tubal see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.

[10:2] 840 sn Meshech was the ancestor of the people known in Assyrian records as the Musku. For a discussion of ancient references to them see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.

[10:2] 841 sn Tiras was the ancestor of the Thracians, some of whom possibly became the Pelasgian pirates of the Aegean.

[10:3] 842 sn The descendants of Gomer were all northern tribes of the Upper Euphrates.

[10:3] 843 sn Askenaz was the ancestor of a northern branch of Indo-Germanic tribes, possibly Scythians. For discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 63.

[10:3] 844 sn The descendants of Riphath lived in a district north of the road from Haran to Carchemish.

[10:3] 845 sn Togarmah is also mentioned in Ezek 38:6, where it refers to Til-garimmu, the capital of Kammanu, which bordered Tabal in eastern Turkey. See E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 26, n. 28.

[10:4] 846 sn The descendants of Elishah populated Cyprus.

[10:4] 847 sn The descendants of Tarshish settled along the southern coast of what is modern Turkey. However, some identify the site Tarshish (see Jonah 1:3) with Sardinia or Spain.

[10:4] 848 sn The name Kittim is associated with Cyprus, as well as coastlands east of Rhodes. It is used in later texts to refer to the Romans.

[10:4] 849 tc Most of the MT mss read “Dodanim” here, but 1 Chr 1:7 has “Rodanim,” perhaps referring to the island of Rhodes. But the Qere reading in 1 Chr 1:7 suggests “Dodanim.” Dodona is one of the most ancient and revered spots in ancient Greece.

[10:6] 850 sn The descendants of Cush settled in Nubia (Ethiopia).

[10:6] 851 sn The descendants of Mizraim settled in Upper and Lower Egypt.

[10:6] 852 sn The descendants of Put settled in Libya.

[10:6] 853 sn The descendants of Canaan lived in the region of Phoenicia (Palestine).

[10:7] 854 sn The descendants of Seba settled in Upper Egypt along the Nile.

[10:7] 855 sn The Hebrew name Havilah apparently means “stretch of sand” (see HALOT 297 s.v. חֲוִילָה). Havilah’s descendants settled in eastern Arabia.

[10:7] 856 sn The descendants of Sabtah settled near the western shore of the Persian Gulf in ancient Hadhramaut.

[10:7] 857 sn The descendants of Raamah settled in southwest Arabia.

[10:7] 858 sn The descendants of Sabteca settled in Samudake, east toward the Persian Gulf.

[10:7] 859 sn Sheba became the name of a kingdom in southwest Arabia.

[10:7] 860 sn The name Dedan is associated with àUla in northern Arabia.

[10:8] 861 tn Heb “fathered.” Embedded within Cush’s genealogy is an account of Nimrod, a mighty warrior. There have been many attempts to identify him, but none are convincing.

[10:9] 862 tn The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).

[10:9] 863 tn Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yÿhvah, “before the Lord [YHWH]”), as a means of expressing the superlative degree. In this case one may translate “Nimrod was the greatest hunter in the world.”

[10:10] 864 tn Heb “beginning.” E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 67, suggests “mainstays,” citing Jer 49:35 as another text where the Hebrew noun is so used.

[10:10] 865 tn Or “Babylon.”

[10:10] 866 sn Erech (ancient Uruk, modern Warka), one of the most ancient civilizations, was located southeast of Babylon.

[10:10] 867 sn Akkad, or ancient Agade, was associated with Sargon and located north of Babylon.

[10:10] 868 tn No such place is known in Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Therefore some have translated the Hebrew term כַלְנֵה (khalneh) as “all of them,” referring to the three previous names (cf. NRSV).

[10:10] 869 sn Shinar is another name for Babylonia.

[10:11] 870 tn The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.

[10:11] 871 tn Heb “Asshur.”

[10:11] 872 sn Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.

[10:11] 873 sn The name Rehoboth-Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.

[10:11] 874 sn Calah (modern Nimrud) was located twenty miles north of Nineveh.

[10:12] 875 tn Heb “and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; it [i.e., Calah] is the great city.”

[10:13] 876 sn Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt (cf. NRSV).

[10:13] 877 tn Heb “fathered.”

[10:13] 878 sn The Ludites were African tribes west of the Nile Delta.

[10:13] 879 sn The Anamites lived in North Africa, west of Egypt, near Cyrene.

[10:13] 880 sn The Lehabites are identified with the Libyans.

[10:13] 881 sn The Naphtuhites lived in Lower Egypt (the Nile Delta region).

[10:14] 882 sn The Pathrusites are known in Egyptian as P-to-reshi; they resided in Upper Egypt.

[10:14] 883 sn The Casluhites lived in Crete and eventually settled east of the Egyptian Delta, between Egypt and Canaan.

[10:14] 884 tn Several commentators prefer to reverse the order of the words to put this clause after the next word, since the Philistines came from Crete (where the Caphtorites lived). But the table may suggest migration rather than lineage, and the Philistines, like the Israelites, came through the Nile Delta region of Egypt. For further discussion of the origin and migration of the Philistines, see D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 232.

[10:14] 885 sn The Caphtorites resided in Crete, but in Egyptian literature Caphtor refers to “the region beyond” the Mediterranean.

[10:15] 886 tn Heb “fathered.”

[10:15] 887 sn Sidon was the foremost city in Phoenicia; here Sidon may be the name of its founder.

[10:15] 888 tn Some see a reference to “Hittites” here (cf. NIV), but this seems unlikely. See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.

[10:16] 889 sn The Jebusites were the Canaanite inhabitants of ancient Jerusalem.

[10:16] 890 sn Here Amorites refers to smaller groups of Canaanite inhabitants of the mountainous regions of Palestine, rather than the large waves of Amurru, or western Semites, who migrated to the region.

[10:16] 891 sn The Girgashites are an otherwise unknown Canaanite tribe, though the name is possibly mentioned in Ugaritic texts (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 1:226).

[10:17] 892 sn The Hivites were Canaanite tribes of a Hurrian origin.

[10:17] 893 sn The Arkites lived in Arka, a city in Lebanon, north of Sidon.

[10:17] 894 sn The Sinites lived in Sin, another town in Lebanon.

[10:18] 895 sn The Arvadites lived in the city Arvad, located on an island near the mainland close to the river El Kebir.

[10:18] 896 sn The Zemarites lived in the town Sumur, north of Arka.

[10:18] 897 sn The Hamathites lived in Hamath on the Orontes River.

[10:19] 898 tn Heb “were.”

[10:19] 899 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[10:19] 900 tn Heb “as you go.”

[10:19] 901 tn Heb “as you go.”

[10:21] 902 tn Heb “And to Shem was born.”

[10:21] 903 tn Or “whose older brother was Japheth.” Some translations render Japheth as the older brother, understanding the adjective הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol, “older”) as modifying Japheth. However, in Hebrew when a masculine singular definite attributive adjective follows the sequence masculine singular construct noun + proper name, the adjective invariably modifies the noun in construct, not the proper name. Such is the case here. See Deut 11:7; Judg 1:13; 2:7; 3:9; 9:5; 2 Kgs 15:35; 2 Chr 27:3; Neh 3:30; Jer 13:9; 36:10; Ezek 10:19; 11:1.

[10:22] 904 sn The Hebrew name Elam (עֵילָם, ’elam) means “highland.” The Elamites were a non-Semitic people who lived east of Babylon.

[10:22] 905 sn Asshur is the name for the Assyrians. Asshur was the region in which Nimrod expanded his power (see v. 11, where the name is also mentioned). When names appear in both sections of a genealogical list, it probably means that there were both Hamites and Shemites living in that region in antiquity, especially if the name is a place name.

[10:22] 906 sn The descendants of Arphaxad may have lived northeast of Nineveh.

[10:22] 907 sn Lud may have been the ancestor of the Ludbu, who lived near the Tigris River.

[10:22] 908 sn Aram became the collective name of the northern tribes living in the steppes of Mesopotamia and speaking Aramaic dialects.

[10:23] 909 tc The MT reads “Mash”; the LXX and 1 Chr 1:17 read “Meshech.”

[10:23] sn Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. Little is known about these descendants of Aram.

[10:24] 910 tn Heb “fathered.”

[10:24] 911 tc The MT reads “Arphaxad fathered Shelah”; the LXX reads “Arphaxad fathered Cainan, and Cainan fathered Sala [= Shelah].” The LXX reading also appears to lie behind Luke 3:35-36.

[10:24] 912 sn Genesis 11 traces the line of Shem through Eber (עֵבֶר, ’ever ) to Abraham the “Hebrew” (עִבְרִי, ’ivri).

[10:25] 913 tn The expression “the earth was divided” may refer to dividing the land with canals, but more likely it anticipates the division of languages at Babel (Gen 11). The verb פָּלָג (palag, “separate, divide”) is used in Ps 55:9 for a division of languages.

[10:26] 914 tn Heb “fathered.”

[10:26] 915 sn The name Almodad combines the Arabic article al with modad (“friend”). Almodad was the ancestor of a South Arabian people.

[10:26] 916 sn The name Sheleph may be related to Shilph, a district of Yemen; Shalph is a Yemenite tribe.

[10:26] 917 sn The name Hazarmaveth should be equated with Hadramawt, located in Southern Arabia.

[10:26] 918 sn The name Jerah means “moon.”

[10:27] 919 sn Uzal was the name of the old capital of Yemen.

[10:27] 920 sn The name Diklah means “date-palm.”

[10:28] 921 sn Obal was a name used for several localities in Yemen.

[10:28] 922 sn The name Abimael is a genuine Sabean form which means “my father, truly, he is God.”

[10:28] 923 sn The descendants of Sheba lived in South Arabia, where the Joktanites were more powerful than the Hamites.

[10:29] 924 sn Ophir became the name of a territory in South Arabia. Many of the references to Ophir are connected with gold (e.g., 1 Kgs 9:28, 10:11, 22:48; 1 Chr 29:4; 2 Chr 8:18, 9:10; Job 22:24, 28:16; Ps 45:9; Isa 13:12).

[10:29] 925 sn Havilah is listed with Ham in v. 7.

[10:30] 926 tn Heb “as you go.”

[10:32] 927 tn Or “separated.”

[11:1] 928 sn The whole earth. Here “earth” is a metonymy of subject, referring to the people who lived in the earth. Genesis 11 begins with everyone speaking a common language, but chap. 10 has the nations arranged by languages. It is part of the narrative art of Genesis to give the explanation of the event after the narration of the event. On this passage see A. P. Ross, “The Dispersion of the Nations in Genesis 11:1-9,” BSac 138 (1981): 119-38.

[11:1] 929 tn Heb “one lip and one [set of] words.” The term “lip” is a metonymy of cause, putting the instrument for the intended effect. They had one language. The term “words” refers to the content of their speech. They had the same vocabulary.

[11:2] 930 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:2] 931 tn Or perhaps “from the east” (NRSV) or “in the east.”

[11:2] 932 tn Heb “in the land of Shinar.”

[11:2] sn Shinar is the region of Babylonia.

[11:3] 933 tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.” The Hebrew idiom may be translated “to each other” or “one to another.”

[11:3] 934 tn The speech contains two cohortatives of exhortation followed by their respective cognate accusatives: “let us brick bricks” (נִלְבְּנָה לְבֵנִים, nilbbÿnah lÿvenim) and “burn for burning” (נִשְׂרְפָה לִשְׂרֵפָה, nisrÿfah lisrefah). This stresses the intensity of the undertaking; it also reflects the Akkadian text which uses similar constructions (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 75-76).

[11:3] 935 tn Or “bitumen” (cf. NEB, NRSV).

[11:3] 936 tn The disjunctive clause gives information parenthetical to the narrative.

[11:4] 937 tn A translation of “heavens” for שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) fits this context because the Babylonian ziggurats had temples at the top, suggesting they reached to the heavens, the dwelling place of the gods.

[11:4] 938 tn The form וְנַעֲשֶׂה (vÿna’aseh, from the verb עשׂה, “do, make”) could be either the imperfect or the cohortative with a vav (ו) conjunction (“and let us make…”). Coming after the previous cohortative, this form expresses purpose.

[11:4] 939 tn The Hebrew particle פֶּן (pen) expresses a negative purpose; it means “that we be not scattered.”

[11:4] 940 sn The Hebrew verb פָּוָץ (pavats, translated “scatter”) is a key term in this passage. The focal point of the account is the dispersion (“scattering”) of the nations rather than the Tower of Babel. But the passage also forms a polemic against Babylon, the pride of the east and a cosmopolitan center with a huge ziggurat. To the Hebrews it was a monument to the judgment of God on pride.

[11:5] 941 tn Heb “the sons of man.” The phrase is intended in this polemic to portray the builders as mere mortals, not the lesser deities that the Babylonians claimed built the city.

[11:5] 942 tn The Hebrew text simply has בָּנוּ (banu), but since v. 8 says they left off building the city, an ingressive idea (“had started building”) should be understood here.

[11:6] 943 tn Heb “and one lip to all of them.”

[11:6] 944 tn Heb “and now.” The foundational clause beginning with הֵן (hen) expresses the condition, and the second clause the result. It could be rendered “If this…then now.”

[11:6] 945 tn Heb “all that they purpose to do will not be withheld from them.”

[11:7] 946 tn The cohortatives mirror the cohortatives of the people. They build to ascend the heavens; God comes down to destroy their language. God speaks here to his angelic assembly. See the notes on the word “make” in 1:26 and “know” in 3:5, as well as Jub. 10:22-23, where an angel recounts this incident and says “And the Lord our God said to us…. And the Lord went down and we went down with him. And we saw the city and the tower which the sons of men built.” On the chiastic structure of the story, see G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:235.

[11:7] 947 tn Heb “they will not hear, a man the lip of his neighbor.”

[11:8] 948 tn The infinitive construct לִבְנֹת (livnot, “building”) here serves as the object of the verb “they ceased, stopped,” answering the question of what they stopped doing.

[11:9] 949 tn The verb has no expressed subject and so can be rendered as a passive in the translation.

[11:9] 950 sn Babel. Here is the climax of the account, a parody on the pride of Babylon. In the Babylonian literature the name bab-ili meant “the gate of God,” but in Hebrew it sounds like the word for “confusion,” and so retained that connotation. The name “Babel” (בָּבֶל, bavel) and the verb translated “confused” (בָּלַל, balal) form a paronomasia (sound play). For the many wordplays and other rhetorical devices in Genesis, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis (SSN).

[11:11] 951 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[11:13] 952 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[11:13] 953 tc The reading of the MT is followed in vv. 11-12; the LXX reads, “And [= when] Arphaxad had lived thirty-five years, [and] he fathered [= became the father of] Cainan. And after he fathered [= became the father of] Cainan, Arphaxad lived four hundred and thirty years and fathered [= had] [other] sons and daughters, and [then] he died. And [= when] Cainan had lived one hundred and thirty years, [and] he fathered [= became the father of] Sala [= Shelah]. And after he fathered [= became the father of] Sala [= Shelah], Cainan lived three hundred and thirty years and fathered [= had] [other] sons and daughters, and [then] he died.” See also the note on “Shelah” in Gen 10:24; the LXX reading also appears to lie behind Luke 3:35-36.

[11:15] 954 tn Here and in vv. 16, 19, 21, 23, 25 the word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[11:28] 955 sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium b.c.

[11:28] 956 tn Heb “upon the face of Terah his father.”

[11:29] 957 sn The name Sarai (a variant spelling of “Sarah”) means “princess” (or “lady”). Sharratu was the name of the wife of the moon god Sin. The original name may reflect the culture out of which the patriarch was called, for the family did worship other gods in Mesopotamia.

[11:29] 958 sn The name Milcah means “Queen.” But more to the point here is the fact that Malkatu was a title for Ishtar, the daughter of the moon god. If the women were named after such titles (and there is no evidence that this was the motivation for naming the girls “Princess” or “Queen”), that would not necessarily imply anything about the faith of the two women themselves.

[11:32] 959 tn Heb “And the days of Terah were.”

[11:32] 960 tn Heb “Terah”; the pronoun has been substituted for the proper name in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[12:1] 961 sn The Lord called Abram while he was in Ur (see Gen 15:7; Acts 7:2); but the sequence here makes it look like it was after the family left to migrate to Canaan (11:31-32). Genesis records the call of Abram at this place in the narrative because it is the formal beginning of the account of Abram. The record of Terah was brought to its end before this beginning.

[12:1] 962 tn The call of Abram begins with an imperative לֶךְ־לְךָ (lekh-lÿkha, “go out”) followed by three cohortatives (v. 2a) indicating purpose or consequence (“that I may” or “then I will”). If Abram leaves, then God will do these three things. The second imperative (v. 2b, literally “and be a blessing”) is subordinated to the preceding cohortatives and indicates God’s ultimate purpose in calling and blessing Abram. On the syntactical structure of vv. 1-2 see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 37. For a similar sequence of volitive forms see Gen 45:18.

[12:1] sn It would be hard to overestimate the value of this call and this divine plan for the theology of the Bible. Here begins God’s plan to bring redemption to the world. The promises to Abram will be turned into a covenant in Gen 15 and 22 (here it is a call with conditional promises) and will then lead through the Bible to the work of the Messiah.

[12:1] 963 tn The initial command is the direct imperative (לֶךְ, lekh) from the verb הָלַךְ (halakh). It is followed by the lamed preposition with a pronominal suffix (לְךָ, lÿkha) emphasizing the subject of the imperative: “you leave.”

[12:1] 964 sn To the land that I will show you. The call of Abram illustrates the leading of the Lord. The command is to leave. The Lord’s word is very specific about what Abram is to leave (the three prepositional phrases narrow to his father’s household), but is not specific at all about where he is to go. God required faith, a point that Heb 11:8 notes.

[12:2] 965 tn The three first person verbs in v. 2a should be classified as cohortatives. The first two have pronominal suffixes, so the form itself does not indicate a cohortative. The third verb form is clearly cohortative.

[12:2] 966 sn I will bless you. The blessing of creation is now carried forward to the patriarch. In the garden God blessed Adam and Eve; in that blessing he gave them (1) a fruitful place, (2) endowed them with fertility to multiply, and (3) made them rulers over creation. That was all ruined at the fall. Now God begins to build his covenant people; in Gen 12-22 he promises to give Abram (1) a land flowing with milk and honey, (2) a great nation without number, and (3) kingship.

[12:2] 967 tn Or “I will make you famous.”

[12:2] 968 tn Heb “and be a blessing.” The verb form הְיֵה (hÿyeh) is the Qal imperative of the verb הָיָה (hayah). The vav (ו) with the imperative after the cohortatives indicates purpose or consequence. What does it mean for Abram to “be a blessing”? Will he be a channel or source of blessing for others, or a prime example of divine blessing? A similar statement occurs in Zech 8:13, where God assures his people, “You will be a blessing,” in contrast to the past when they “were a curse.” Certainly “curse” here does not refer to Israel being a source of a curse, but rather to the fact that they became a curse-word or byword among the nations, who regarded them as the epitome of an accursed people (see 2 Kgs 22:19; Jer 42:18; 44:8, 12, 22). Therefore the statement “be a blessing” seems to refer to Israel being transformed into a prime example of a blessed people, whose name will be used in blessing formulae, rather than in curses. If the statement “be a blessing” is understood in the same way in Gen 12:2, then it means that God would so bless Abram that other nations would hear of his fame and hold him up as a paradigm of divine blessing in their blessing formulae.

[12:3] 969 tn The Piel cohortative has as its object a Piel participle, masculine plural. Since the Lord binds himself to Abram by covenant, those who enrich Abram in any way share in the blessings.

[12:3] 970 tn In this part of God’s statement there are two significant changes that often go unnoticed. First, the parallel and contrasting participle מְקַלֶּלְךָ (mÿqallelkha) is now singular and not plural. All the versions and a few Masoretic mss read the plural. But if it had been plural, there would be no reason to change it to the singular and alter the parallelism. On the other hand, if it was indeed singular, it is easy to see why the versions would change it to match the first participle. The MT preserves the original reading: “the one who treats you lightly.” The point would be a contrast with the lavish way that God desires to bless many. The second change is in the vocabulary. The English usually says, “I will curse those who curse you.” But there are two different words for curse here. The first is קָלַל (qalal), which means “to be light” in the Qal, and in the Piel “to treat lightly, to treat with contempt, to curse.” The second verb is אָרַר (’arar), which means “to banish, to remove from the blessing.” The point is simple: Whoever treats Abram and the covenant with contempt as worthless God will banish from the blessing. It is important also to note that the verb is not a cohortative, but a simple imperfect. Since God is binding himself to Abram, this would then be an obligatory imperfect: “but the one who treats you with contempt I must curse.”

[12:3] 971 tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings on”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[12:4] 972 sn So Abram left. This is the report of Abram’s obedience to God’s command (see v. 1).

[12:4] 973 tn Heb “just as the Lord said to him.”

[12:4] 974 tn The disjunctive clause (note the pattern conjunction + subject + implied “to be” verb) is parenthetical, telling the age of Abram when he left Haran.

[12:4] 975 tn Heb “was the son of five years and seventy year[s].”

[12:4] sn Terah was 70 years old when he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran (Gen 11:26). Terah was 205 when he died in Haran (11:32). Abram left Haran at the age of 75 after his father died. Abram was born when Terah was 130. Abram was not the firstborn – he is placed first in the list of three because of his importance. The same is true of the list in Gen 10:1 (Shem, Ham and Japheth). Ham was the youngest son (9:24). Japheth was the older brother of Shem (10:21), so the birth order of Noah’s sons was Japheth, Shem, and Ham.

[12:5] 976 tn Heb “the son of his brother.”

[12:5] 977 tn For the semantic nuance “acquire [property]” for the verb עָשָׂה (’asah), see BDB 795 s.v. עָשָׂה.

[12:5] 978 tn Heb “went out to go.”

[12:6] 979 tn Or “terebinth.”

[12:6] 980 sn The Hebrew word Moreh (מוֹרֶה, moreh) means “teacher.” It may well be that the place of this great oak tree was a Canaanite shrine where instruction took place.

[12:6] 981 tn Heb “as far as the place of Shechem, as far as the oak of Moreh.”

[12:6] 982 tn The disjunctive clause gives important information parenthetical in nature – the promised land was occupied by Canaanites.

[12:7] 983 tn The same Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[12:7] 984 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:8] 985 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[12:8] 986 tn Heb “he called in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 13:4; 21:33; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.

[12:9] 987 tn The Hebrew verb נָסַע (nasa’) means “to journey”; more specifically it means to pull up the tent and move to another place. The construction here uses the preterite of this verb with its infinitive absolute to stress the activity of traveling. But it also adds the infinitive absolute of הָלַךְ (halakh) to stress that the traveling was continually going on. Thus “Abram journeyed, going and journeying” becomes “Abram continually journeyed by stages.”

[12:9] 988 tn Or “the South [country].”

[12:9] sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[12:10] 989 sn Abram went down to Egypt. The Abrahamic narrative foreshadows some of the events in the life of the nation of Israel. This sojourn in Egypt is typological of Israel’s bondage there. In both stories there is a famine that forces the family to Egypt, death is a danger to the males while the females are preserved alive, great plagues bring about their departure, there is a summons to stand before Pharaoh, and there is a return to the land of Canaan with great wealth.

[12:10] 990 tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” means “to stay for a while.” The “stranger” (traditionally “sojourner”) is one who is a temporary resident, a visitor, one who is passing through. Abram had no intention of settling down in Egypt or owning property. He was only there to wait out the famine.

[12:10] 991 tn Heb “heavy in the land.” The words “in the land,” which also occur at the beginning of the verse in the Hebrew text, have not been repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[12:11] 992 tn Heb “drew near to enter.”

[12:11] 993 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is deictic here; it draws attention to the following fact.

[12:11] 994 tn Heb “a woman beautiful of appearance are you.”

[12:12] 995 tn The Piel of the verb חָיָה (khayah, “to live”) means “to keep alive, to preserve alive,” and in some places “to make alive.” See D. Marcus, “The Verb ‘to Live’ in Ugaritic,” JSS 17 (1972): 76-82.

[12:13] 996 tn Heb “say.”

[12:13] 997 sn Tell them you are my sister. Abram’s motives may not be as selfish as they appear. He is aware of the danger to the family. His method of dealing with it is deception with a half truth, for Sarai really was his sister – but the Egyptians would not know that. Abram presumably thought that there would be negotiations for a marriage by anyone interested (as Laban does later for his sister Rebekah), giving him time to react. But the plan backfires because Pharaoh does not take the time to negotiate. There is a good deal of literature on the wife-sister issue. See (among others) E. A. Speiser, “The Wife-Sister Motif in the Patriarchal Narratives,” Oriental and Biblical Studies, 62-81; C. J. Mullo-Weir, “The Alleged Hurrian Wife-Sister Motif in Genesis,” GOT 22 (1967-1970): 14-25.

[12:13] 998 tn The Hebrew verb translated “go well” can encompass a whole range of favorable treatment, but the following clause indicates it means here that Abram’s life will be spared.

[12:13] 999 tn Heb “and my life will live.”

[12:15] 1000 tn Heb “and the woman.” The word also means “wife”; the Hebrew article can express the possessive pronoun (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 19, §86). Here the proper name (Abram) has been used in the translation instead of a possessive pronoun (“his”) for clarity.

[12:15] 1001 tn The Hebrew term וַתֻּקַּח (vattuqqakh, “was taken”) is a rare verbal form, an old Qal passive preterite from the verb “to take.” It is pointed as a Hophal would be by the Masoretes, but does not have a Hophal meaning.

[12:15] 1002 tn The Hebrew text simply has “house of Pharaoh.” The word “house” refers to the household in general, more specifically to the royal harem.

[12:16] 1003 sn He did treat Abram well. The construction of the parenthetical disjunctive clause, beginning with the conjunction on the prepositional phrase, draws attention to the irony of the story. Abram wanted Sarai to lie “so that it would go well” with him. Though he lost Sarai to Pharaoh, it did go well for him – he received a lavish bride price. See also G. W. Coats, “Despoiling the Egyptians,” VT 18 (1968): 450-57.

[12:16] 1004 tn Heb “and there was to him.”

[12:17] 1005 tn The cognate accusative adds emphasis to the verbal sentence: “he plagued with great plagues,” meaning the Lord inflicted numerous plagues, probably diseases (see Exod 15:26). The adjective “great” emphasizes that the plagues were severe and overwhelming.

[12:18] 1006 tn The demonstrative pronoun translated “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to me?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[12:19] 1007 tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive here expresses consequence.

[12:19] 1008 tn Heb “to me for a wife.”

[12:19] 1009 tn Heb “Look, your wife!”

[12:19] 1010 tn Heb “take and go.”

[12:20] 1011 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:1] 1012 tn Or “the South [country]” (also in v. 3).

[13:1] sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[13:1] 1013 tn Heb “And Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all which was his, and Lot with him, to the Negev.”

[13:2] 1014 tn Heb “heavy.”

[13:2] 1015 tn This parenthetical clause, introduced by the vav (ו) disjunctive (translated “now”), provides information necessary to the point of the story.

[13:3] 1016 tn Heb “on his journeys”; the verb and noun combination means to pick up the tents and move from camp to camp.

[13:3] 1017 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[13:3] 1018 tn The words “he returned” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:3] 1019 tn Heb “where his tent had been.”

[13:4] 1020 tn Heb “to the place of the altar which he had made there in the beginning” (cf. Gen 12:7-8).

[13:4] 1021 tn Heb “he called in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 21:33; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.

[13:5] 1022 tn Heb “was going.”

[13:5] 1023 tn The Hebrew idiom is “to Lot…there was,” the preposition here expressing possession.

[13:6] 1024 tn The potential nuance for the perfect tense is necessary here, and supported by the parallel clause that actually uses “to be able.”

[13:6] 1025 tn The infinitive construct לָשֶׁבֶת (lashevet, from יָשַׁב, yashav) explains what it was that the land could not support: “the land could not support them to live side by side.” See further J. C. de Moor, “Lexical Remarks Concerning Yahad and Yahdaw,” VT 7 (1957): 350-55.

[13:6] 1026 tn The same infinitive occurs here, serving as the object of the verb.

[13:7] 1027 tn The Hebrew term רִיב (riv) means “strife, conflict, quarreling.” In later texts it has the meaning of “legal controversy, dispute.” See B. Gemser, “The rîb – or Controversy – Pattern in Hebrew Mentality,” Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near East [VTSup], 120-37.

[13:7] 1028 sn Since the quarreling was between the herdsmen, the dispute was no doubt over water and vegetation for the animals.

[13:7] 1029 tn This parenthetical clause, introduced with the vav (ו) disjunctive (translated “now”), again provides critical information. It tells in part why the land cannot sustain these two bedouins, and it also hints of the danger of weakening the family by inner strife.

[13:8] 1030 tn Heb “men, brothers [are] we.” Here “brothers” describes the closeness of the relationship, but could be misunderstood if taken literally, since Abram was Lot’s uncle.

[13:9] 1031 tn The words “you go” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons both times in this verse.

[13:10] 1032 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.” The expression draws attention to the act of looking, indicating that Lot took a good look. It also calls attention to the importance of what was seen.

[13:10] 1033 tn Or “plain”; Heb “circle.”

[13:10] 1034 tn The words “he noticed” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:10] 1035 sn Obliterated. The use of the term “destroy” (שַׁחֵת, shakhet) is reminiscent of the Noahic flood (Gen 6:13). Both at the flood and in Sodom the place was obliterated by catastrophe and only one family survived (see C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:178).

[13:10] 1036 tn This short temporal clause (preposition + Piel infinitive construct + subjective genitive + direct object) is strategically placed in the middle of the lavish descriptions to sound an ominous note. The entire clause is parenthetical in nature. Most English translations place the clause at the end of v. 10 for stylistic reasons.

[13:10] 1037 sn The narrative places emphasis on what Lot saw so that the reader can appreciate how it aroused his desire for the best land. It makes allusion to the garden of the Lord and to the land of Egypt for comparison. Just as the tree in the garden of Eden had awakened Eve’s desire, so the fertile valley attracted Lot. And just as certain memories of Egypt would cause the Israelites to want to turn back and abandon the trek to the promised land, so Lot headed for the good life.

[13:11] 1038 tn Heb “Lot traveled.” The proper name has not been repeated in the translation at this point for stylistic reasons.

[13:11] 1039 tn Heb “a man from upon his brother.”

[13:11] sn Separated from each other. For a discussion of the significance of this event, see L. R. Helyer, “The Separation of Abram and Lot: Its Significance in the Patriarchal Narratives,” JSOT 26 (1983): 77-88.

[13:12] 1040 tn Or “the cities of the plain”; Heb “[the cities of] the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[13:13] 1041 tn Here is another significant parenthetical clause in the story, signaled by the vav (וו) disjunctive (translated “now”) on the noun at the beginning of the clause.

[13:13] 1042 tn Heb “men.” However, this is generic in sense; it is unlikely that only the male residents of Sodom were sinners.

[13:13] 1043 tn Heb “wicked and sinners against the Lord exceedingly.” The description of the sinfulness of the Sodomites is very emphatic. First, two nouns are used to form a hendiadys: “wicked and sinners” means “wicked sinners,” the first word becoming adjectival. The text is saying these were no ordinary sinners; they were wicked sinners, the type that cause pain for others. Then to this phrase is added “against the Lord,” stressing their violation of the laws of heaven and their culpability. Finally, to this is added מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “exceedingly,” translated here as “extremely”).

[13:14] 1044 tn Heb “and the Lord said to Abram after Lot separated himself from with him.” The disjunctive clause at the beginning of the verse signals a new scene.

[13:14] 1045 tn Heb “lift up your eyes and see.”

[13:14] sn Look. Earlier Lot “looked up” (v. 10), but here Abram is told by God to do so. The repetition of the expression (Heb “lift up the eyes”) here underscores how the Lord will have the last word and actually do for Abram what Abram did for Lot – give him the land. It seems to be one of the ways that God rewards faith.

[13:15] 1046 tn Heb “for all the land which you see to you I will give it and to your descendants.”

[13:16] 1047 tn The translation “can be counted” (potential imperfect) is suggested by the use of יוּכַל (yukhal, “is able”) in the preceding clause.

[13:17] 1048 tn The connective “and” is not present in the Hebrew text; it has been supplied for purposes of English style.

[13:17] 1049 tn The Hitpael form הִתְהַלֵּךְ (hithallekh) means “to walk about”; it also can carry the ideas of moving about, traversing, going back and forth, or living in an area. It here has the connotation of traversing the land to survey it, to look it over.

[13:17] 1050 tn Heb “the land to its length and to its breadth.” This phrase has not been included in the translation because it is somewhat redundant (see the note on the word “throughout” in this verse).

[13:18] 1051 tn Heb “he came and lived.”

[13:18] 1052 tn Or “terebinths.”

[14:1] 1053 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) followed by “in the days of.”

[14:1] 1054 sn Shinar (also in v. 9) is the region of Babylonia.

[14:1] 1055 tn Or “king of Goyim.” The Hebrew term גּוֹיִם (goyim) means “nations,” but a number of modern translations merely transliterate the Hebrew (cf. NEB “Goyim”; NIV, NRSV “Goiim”).

[14:2] 1056 tn Heb “made war.”

[14:2] sn Went to war. The conflict here reflects international warfare in the Early and Middle Bronze periods. The countries operated with overlords and vassals. Kings ruled over city states, or sometimes a number of city states (i.e., nations). Due to their treaties, when one went to war, those confederate with him joined him in battle. It appears here that it is Kedorlaomer’s war, because the western city states have rebelled against him (meaning they did not send products as tribute to keep him from invading them).

[14:2] 1057 sn On the geographical background of vv. 1-2 see J. P. Harland, “Sodom and Gomorrah,” The Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 1:41-75; and D. N. Freedman, “The Real Story of the Ebla Tablets, Ebla and the Cities of the Plain,” BA 41 (1978): 143-64.

[14:3] 1058 tn Heb “all these,” referring only to the last five kings named. The referent has been specified as “these last five kings” in the translation for clarity.

[14:3] 1059 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to join together; to unite; to be allied.” It stresses close associations, especially of friendships, marriages, or treaties.

[14:3] 1060 sn The Salt Sea is the older name for the Dead Sea.

[14:4] 1061 tn The sentence simply begins with “twelve years”; it serves as an adverbial accusative giving the duration of their bondage.

[14:4] 1062 tn This is another adverbial accusative of time.

[14:4] 1063 sn The story serves as a foreshadowing of the plight of the kingdom of Israel later. Eastern powers came and forced the western kingdoms into submission. Each year, then, they would send tribute east – to keep them away. Here, in the thirteenth year, they refused to send the tribute (just as later Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria). And so in the fourteenth year the eastern powers came to put them down again. This account from Abram’s life taught future generations that God can give victory over such threats – that people did not have to live in servitude to tyrants from the east.

[14:5] 1064 tn The Hebrew verb נָכָה (nakhah) means “to attack, to strike, to smite.” In this context it appears that the strike was successful, and so a translation of “defeated” is preferable.

[14:6] 1065 sn The line of attack ran down the eastern side of the Jordan Valley into the desert, and then turned and came up the valley to the cities of the plain.

[14:7] 1066 tn Heb “they returned and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh).” The two verbs together form a verbal hendiadys, the first serving as the adverb: “they returned and came” means “they came again.” Most English translations do not treat this as a hendiadys, but translate “they turned back” or something similar. Since in the context, however, “came again to” does not simply refer to travel but an assault against the place, the present translation expresses this as “attacked…again.”

[14:8] 1067 tn Heb “against.”

[14:9] 1068 tn Or “Goyim.” See the note on the word “nations” in 14:1.

[14:9] 1069 tn The Hebrew text has simply “against.” The word “fought” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:10] 1070 tn Heb “Now the Valley of Siddim [was] pits, pits of tar.” This parenthetical disjunctive clause emphasizes the abundance of tar pits in the area through repetition of the noun “pits.”

[14:10] sn The word for “tar” (or “bitumen”) occurs earlier in the story of the building of the tower in Babylon (see Gen 11:3).

[14:10] 1071 tn Or “they were defeated there.” After a verb of motion the Hebrew particle שָׁם (sham) with the directional heh (שָׁמָּה, shammah) can mean “into it, therein” (BDB 1027 s.v. שָׁם).

[14:10] 1072 tn Heb “the rest.”

[14:10] 1073 sn The reference to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah must mean the kings along with their armies. Most of them were defeated in the valley, but some of them escaped to the hills.

[14:11] 1074 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the four victorious kings, see v. 9) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[14:12] 1075 tn Heb “Lot the son of his brother.”

[14:12] 1076 tn Heb “and.”

[14:12] 1077 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:12] 1078 tn This disjunctive clause is circumstantial/causal, explaining that Lot was captured because he was living in Sodom at the time.

[14:13] 1079 tn Heb “the fugitive.” The article carries a generic force or indicates that this fugitive is definite in the mind of the speaker.

[14:13] 1080 sn E. A. Speiser (Genesis [AB], 103) suggests that part of this chapter came from an outside source since it refers to Abram the Hebrew. That is not impossible, given that the narrator likely utilized traditions and genealogies that had been collected and transmitted over the years. The meaning of the word “Hebrew” has proved elusive. It may be related to the verb “to cross over,” perhaps meaning “immigrant.” Or it might be derived from the name of Abram’s ancestor Eber (see Gen 11:14-16).

[14:13] 1081 tn Or “terebinths.”

[14:13] 1082 tn Or “a brother”; or “a relative”; or perhaps “an ally.”

[14:13] 1083 tn Heb “possessors of a treaty with.” Since it is likely that the qualifying statement refers to all three (Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner) the words “all these” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear.

[14:13] 1084 tn This parenthetical disjunctive clause explains how Abram came to be living in their territory, but it also explains why they must go to war with Abram.

[14:14] 1085 tn Heb “his brother,” by extension, “relative.” Here and in v. 16 the more specific term “nephew” has been used in the translation for clarity. Lot was the son of Haran, Abram’s brother (Gen 11:27).

[14:14] 1086 tn The verb וַיָּרֶק (vayyareq) is a rare form, probably related to the word רֵיק (req, “to be empty”). If so, it would be a very figurative use: “he emptied out” (or perhaps “unsheathed”) his men. The LXX has “mustered” (cf. NEB). E. A. Speiser (Genesis [AB], 103-4) suggests reading with the Samaritan Pentateuch a verb diq, cognate with Akkadian deku, “to mobilize” troops. If this view is accepted, one must assume that a confusion of the Hebrew letters ד (dalet) and ר (resh) led to the error in the traditional Hebrew text. These two letters are easily confused in all phases of ancient Hebrew script development. The present translation is based on this view.

[14:14] 1087 tn The words “the invaders” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:14] 1088 sn The use of the name Dan reflects a later perspective. The Danites did not migrate to this northern territory until centuries later (see Judg 18:29). Furthermore Dan was not even born until much later. By inserting this name a scribe has clarified the location of the region.

[14:15] 1089 tn The Hebrew text simply has “night” as an adverbial accusative.

[14:15] 1090 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:15] 1091 tn Heb “he divided himself…he and his servants.”

[14:15] 1092 tn Heb “left.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.

[14:16] 1093 tn The word “stolen” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:16] 1094 tn The phrase “the rest of “ has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:17] 1095 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17] 1096 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17] 1097 sn The King’s Valley is possibly a reference to what came to be known later as the Kidron Valley.

[14:18] 1098 sn Salem is traditionally identified as the Jebusite stronghold of old Jerusalem. Accordingly, there has been much speculation about its king. Though some have identified him with the preincarnate Christ or with Noah’s son Shem, it is far more likely that Melchizedek was a Canaanite royal priest whom God used to renew the promise of the blessing to Abram, perhaps because Abram considered Melchizedek his spiritual superior. But Melchizedek remains an enigma. In a book filled with genealogical records he appears on the scene without a genealogy and then disappears from the narrative. In Psalm 110 the Lord declares that the Davidic king is a royal priest after the pattern of Melchizedek.

[14:18] 1099 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause significantly identifies Melchizedek as a priest as well as a king.

[14:18] sn It is his royal priestly status that makes Melchizedek a type of Christ: He was identified with Jerusalem, superior to the ancestor of Israel, and both a king and a priest. Unlike the normal Canaanites, this man served “God Most High” (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, ’el ’elyon) – one sovereign God, who was the creator of all the universe. Abram had in him a spiritual brother.

[14:19] 1100 tn The preposition לְ (lamed) introduces the agent after the passive participle.

[14:19] 1101 tn Some translate “possessor of heaven and earth” (cf. NASB). But cognate evidence from Ugaritic indicates that there were two homonymic roots ָקנָה (qanah), one meaning “to create” (as in Gen 4:1) and the other “to obtain, to acquire, to possess.” While “possessor” would fit here, “creator” is the more likely due to the collocation with “heaven and earth.”

[14:19] 1102 tn The terms translated “heaven” and “earth” are both objective genitives after the participle in construct.

[14:20] 1103 tn Heb “blessed be.” For God to be “blessed” means that is praised. His reputation is enriched in the world as his name is praised.

[14:20] 1104 sn Who delivered. The Hebrew verb מִגֵּן (miggen, “delivered”) foreshadows the statement by God to Abram in Gen 15:1, “I am your shield” (מָגֵן, magen). Melchizedek provided a theological interpretation of Abram’s military victory.

[14:20] 1105 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:22] 1106 tn Abram takes an oath, raising his hand as a solemn gesture. The translation understands the perfect tense as having an instantaneous nuance: “Here and now I raise my hand.”

[14:22] 1107 tn The words “and vow” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:23] 1108 tn The oath formula is elliptical, reading simply: “…if I take.” It is as if Abram says, “[May the Lord deal with me] if I take,” meaning, “I will surely not take.” The positive oath would add the negative adverb and be the reverse: “[God will deal with me] if I do not take,” meaning, “I certainly will.”

[14:23] 1109 tn The Hebrew text adds the independent pronoun (“I”) to the verb form for emphasis.

[14:24] 1110 tn The words “I will take nothing” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:24] 1111 tn Heb “except only what the young men have eaten.”

[15:1] 1112 sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.

[15:1] 1113 tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).

[15:1] sn Abram has just rejected all the spoils of war, and the Lord promises to reward him in great abundance. In walking by faith and living with integrity he cannot lose.

[15:2] 1114 tn The Hebrew text has אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה (’adonay yehvih, “Master, Lord”). Since the tetragrammaton (YHWH) usually is pointed with the vowels for the Hebrew word אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “master”) to avoid pronouncing the divine name, that would lead in this place to a repetition of אֲדֹנָי. So the tetragrammaton is here pointed with the vowels for the word אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God”) instead. That would produce the reading of the Hebrew as “Master, God” in the Jewish textual tradition. But the presence of “Master” before the holy name is rather compelling evidence that the original would have been “Master, Lord,” which is rendered here “sovereign Lord.”

[15:2] 1115 tn The vav (ו) disjunctive at the beginning of the clause is circumstantial, expressing the cause or reason.

[15:2] 1116 tn Heb “I am going.”

[15:2] 1117 tn Heb “the son of the acquisition of my house.”

[15:2] sn For the custom of designating a member of the household as heir, see C. H. Gordon, “Biblical Customs and the Nuzu Tablets,” Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 2:21-33.

[15:2] 1118 tn The pronoun is anaphoric here, equivalent to the verb “to be” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).

[15:2] 1119 sn The sentence in the Hebrew text employs a very effective wordplay on the name Damascus: “The son of the acquisition (בֶּן־מֶשֶׁק, ben-mesheq) of my house is Eliezer of Damascus (דַּמֶּשֶׁק, dammesheq).” The words are not the same; they have different sibilants. But the sound play gives the impression that “in the nomen is the omen.” Eliezer the Damascene will be Abram’s heir if Abram dies childless because “Damascus” seems to mean that. See M. F. Unger, “Some Comments on the Text of Genesis 15:2-3,” JBL 72 (1953): 49-50; H. L. Ginsberg, “Abram’s ‘Damascene’ Steward,” BASOR 200 (1970): 31-32.

[15:3] 1120 tn Heb “And Abram said.”

[15:3] 1121 tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).

[15:3] 1122 tn Heb “is inheriting me.”

[15:4] 1123 tn The disjunctive draws attention to God’s response and the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, translated “look”) mirrors Abram’s statement in v. 3 and highlights the fact that God responded to Abram.

[15:4] 1124 tn The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated “this one” or “this man.” That the Lord does not mention him by name is significant; often in ancient times the use of the name would bring legitimacy to inheritance and adoption cases.

[15:4] 1125 tn Heb “inherit you.”

[15:4] 1126 tn The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.

[15:4] 1127 tn Heb “he who”; the implied referent (Abram’s unborn son who will be his heir) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:4] 1128 tn The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: “whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you.”

[15:4] 1129 tn Heb “will inherit you.”

[15:5] 1130 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6] 1131 tn The nonconsecutive vav (ו) is on a perfect verbal form. If the composer of the narrative had wanted to show simple sequence, he would have used the vav consecutive with the preterite. The perfect with vav conjunctive (where one expects the preterite with vav consecutive) in narrative contexts can have a variety of discourse functions, but here it probably serves to highlight Abram’s response to God’s promise. For a detailed discussion of the vav + perfect construction in Hebrew narrative, see R. Longacre, “Weqatal Forms in Biblical Hebrew Prose: A Discourse-modular Approach,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 50-98. The Hebrew verb אָמַן (’aman) means “to confirm, to support” in the Qal verbal stem. Its derivative nouns refer to something or someone that/who provides support, such as a “pillar,” “nurse,” or “guardian, trustee.” In the Niphal stem it comes to mean “to be faithful, to be reliable, to be dependable,” or “to be firm, to be sure.” In the Hiphil, the form used here, it takes on a declarative sense: “to consider something reliable [or “dependable”].” Abram regarded the God who made this promise as reliable and fully capable of making it a reality.

[15:6] 1132 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6] 1133 tn Heb “and he reckoned it to him.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix refers back to Abram’s act of faith, mentioned in the preceding clause. On third feminine singular pronouns referring back to verbal ideas see GKC 440-41 §135.p. Some propose taking the suffix as proleptic, anticipating the following feminine noun (“righteousness”). In this case one might translate: “and he reckoned it to him – [namely] righteousness.” See O. P. Robertson, “Genesis 15:6: A New Covenant Exposition of an Old Covenant Text,” WTJ 42 (1980): 259-89.

[15:6] 1134 tn Or “righteousness”; or “evidence of steadfast commitment.” The noun is an adverbial accusative. The verb translated “considered” (Heb “reckoned”) also appears with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) in Ps 106:31. Alluding to the events recorded in Numbers 25, the psalmist notes that Phinehas’ actions were “credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.” Reference is made to the unconditional, eternal covenant with which God rewarded Phinehas’ loyalty (Num 25:12-13). So צְדָקָה seems to carry by metonymy the meaning “loyal, rewardable behavior” here, a nuance that fits nicely in Genesis 15, where God responds to Abram’s faith by formally ratifying his promise to give Abram and his descendants the land. (See R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 40.) In Phoenician and Old Aramaic inscriptions cognate nouns glossed as “correct, justifiable conduct” sometimes carry this same semantic nuance (DNWSI 2:962).

[15:6] sn This episode is basic to the NT teaching of Paul on justification (Romans 4). Paul weaves this passage and Psalm 32 together, for both use this word. Paul explains that for the one who believes in the Lord, like Abram, God credits him with righteousness but does not credit his sins against him because he is forgiven. Justification does not mean that the believer is righteous; it means that God credits him with righteousness, so that in the records of heaven (as it were) he is declared righteous. See M. G. Kline, “Abram’s Amen,” WTJ 31 (1968): 1-11.

[15:7] 1135 tn Heb “And he said.”

[15:7] 1136 sn I am the Lord. The Lord initiates the covenant-making ceremony with a declaration of who he is and what he has done for Abram. The same form appears at the beginning of the covenant made at Sinai (see Exod 20:1).

[15:7] 1137 sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium b.c.

[15:8] 1138 tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”

[15:8] 1139 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:8] 1140 tn See note on the phrase “sovereign Lord” in 15:2.

[15:8] 1141 tn Or “how.”

[15:9] 1142 tn Heb “He”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10] 1143 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10] 1144 tn Heb “in the middle.”

[15:10] 1145 tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”

[15:10] sn For discussion of this ritual see G. F. Hasel, “The Meaning of the Animal Rite in Genesis 15,” JSOT 19 (1981): 61-78.

[15:12] 1146 tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”

[15:12] 1147 tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”

[15:13] 1148 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, with the Qal infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “know”). The imperfect here has an obligatory or imperatival force.

[15:13] 1149 tn The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger, “sojourner, stranger”) is related to the verb גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to stay for awhile”). Abram’s descendants will stay in a land as resident aliens without rights of citizenship.

[15:13] 1150 tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”

[15:13] 1151 tn Heb “and they will serve them and they will oppress them.” The verb עִנּוּ, (’innu, a Piel form from עָנָה, ’anah, “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly”), is used in Exod 1:11 to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.

[15:14] 1152 tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.

[15:15] 1153 tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.

[15:15] 1154 sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.

[15:15] 1155 tn Heb “in a good old age.”

[15:16] 1156 sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are four hundred years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to one hundred years.

[15:16] 1157 tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[15:16] 1158 tn Heb “is not yet complete.”

[15:16] sn The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit. The justice of God is apparent. He will wait until the Amorites are fully deserving of judgment before he annihilates them and gives the land to Israel.

[15:17] 1159 sn A smoking pot with a flaming torch. These same implements were used in Mesopotamian rituals designed to ward off evil (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 113-14).

[15:17] 1160 tn Heb “these pieces.”

[15:18] 1161 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[15:18] 1162 tn The perfect verbal form is understood as instantaneous (“I here and now give”). Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, indicating certitude (“I have given” meaning it is as good as done, i.e., “I will surely give”).

[15:18] sn To your descendants I give this land. The Lord here unconditionally promises that Abram’s descendants will possess the land, but he does not yet ratify his earlier promises to give Abram a multitude of descendants and eternal possession of the land. The fulfillment of those aspects of the promise remain conditional (see Gen 17:1-8) and are ratified after Abraham offers up his son Isaac (see Gen 22:1-19). For a fuller discussion see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54.

[15:18] 1163 sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.

[15:19] 1164 tn The words “the land” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[15:21] 1165 tn Each of the names in the list has the Hebrew definite article, which is used here generically for the class of people identified.

[16:1] 1166 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.

[16:1] 1167 sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.

[16:1] 1168 tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.

[16:1] 1169 sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)

[16:2] 1170 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.

[16:2] 1171 tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).

[16:2] sn The Hebrew expression translated have sexual relations with does not convey the intimacy of other expressions, such as “so and so knew his wife.” Sarai simply sees this as the social custom of having a child through a surrogate. For further discussion see C. F. Fensham, “The Son of a Handmaid in Northwest Semitic,” VT 19 (1969): 312-21.

[16:2] 1172 tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.

[16:2] 1173 tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”

[16:2] sn Abram did what Sarai told him. This expression was first used in Gen 3:17 of Adam’s obeying his wife. In both cases the text highlights weak faith and how it jeopardized the plan of God.

[16:3] 1174 tn Heb “at the end of ten years, to live, Abram.” The prepositional phrase introduces the temporal clause, the infinitive construct serves as the verb, and the name “Abram” is the subject.

[16:3] 1175 tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”

[16:3] 1176 sn To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.

[16:4] 1177 tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.

[16:4] 1178 tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)

[16:4] 1179 tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.

[16:5] 1180 tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”

[16:5] 1181 tn Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”

[16:5] 1182 tn Heb “saw.”

[16:5] 1183 tn Heb “I was despised in her eyes.” The passive verb has been translated as active for stylistic reasons. Sarai was made to feel supplanted and worthless by Hagar the servant girl.

[16:5] 1184 tn Heb “me and you.”

[16:5] sn May the Lord judge between you and me. Sarai blamed Abram for Hagar’s attitude, not the pregnancy. Here she expects to be vindicated by the Lord who will prove Abram responsible. A colloquial rendering might be, “God will get you for this.” It may mean that she thought Abram had encouraged the servant girl in her elevated status.

[16:6] 1185 tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”

[16:6] 1186 tn Heb “in your hand.”

[16:6] 1187 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”

[16:6] 1188 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:6] 1189 tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”

[16:6] 1190 tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:7] 1191 tn Heb “the messenger of the Lord.” Some identify the angel of the Lord as the preincarnate Christ because in some texts the angel is identified with the Lord himself. However, it is more likely that the angel merely represents the Lord; he can speak for the Lord because he is sent with the Lord’s full authority. In some cases the angel is clearly distinct from the Lord (see Judg 6:11-23). It is not certain if the same angel is always in view. Though the proper name following the noun “angel” makes the construction definite, this may simply indicate that a definite angel sent from the Lord is referred to in any given context. It need not be the same angel on every occasion. Note the analogous expression “the servant of the Lord,” which refers to various individuals in the OT (see BDB 714 s.v. עֶבֶד).

[16:7] 1192 tn Heb “And the angel of the Lord found her near the spring of water in the desert, near the spring on the way to Shur.”

[16:8] 1193 tn Heb “from the presence of.”

[16:9] 1194 tn The imperative וְהִתְעַנִּי (vÿhit’anni) is the Hitpael of עָנָה (’anah, here translated “submit”), the same word used for Sarai’s harsh treatment of her. Hagar is instructed not only to submit to Sarai’s authority, but to whatever mistreatment that involves. God calls for Hagar to humble herself.

[16:10] 1195 tn Heb “The Lord’s angel said, ‘I will greatly multiply your descendants….” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[16:10] 1196 tn Heb “cannot be numbered because of abundance.”

[16:11] 1197 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”

[16:11] 1198 tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.

[16:11] 1199 sn The name Ishmael consists of the imperfect or jussive form of the Hebrew verb with the theophoric element added as the subject. It means “God hears” or “may God hear.”

[16:11] 1200 tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.

[16:11] sn This clause gives the explanation of the name Ishmael, using a wordplay. Ishmael’s name will be a reminder that “God hears” Hagar’s painful cries.

[16:12] 1201 sn A wild donkey of a man. The prophecy is not an insult. The wild donkey lived a solitary existence in the desert away from society. Ishmael would be free-roaming, strong, and like a bedouin; he would enjoy the freedom his mother sought.

[16:12] 1202 tn Heb “His hand will be against everyone.” The “hand” by metonymy represents strength. His free-roaming life style would put him in conflict with those who follow social conventions. There would not be open warfare, only friction because of his antagonism to their way of life.

[16:12] 1203 tn Heb “And the hand of everyone will be against him.”

[16:12] 1204 tn Heb “opposite, across from.” Ishmael would live on the edge of society (cf. NASB “to the east of”). Some take this as an idiom meaning “be at odds with” (cf. NRSV, NLT) or “live in hostility toward” (cf. NIV).

[16:13] 1205 tn Heb “God of my seeing.” The pronominal suffix may be understood either as objective (“who sees me,” as in the translation) or subjective (“whom I see”).

[16:13] 1206 tn Heb “after one who sees me.”

[16:13] sn For a discussion of Hagar’s exclamation, see T. Booij, “Hagar’s Words in Genesis 16:13b,” VT 30 (1980): 1-7.

[16:14] 1207 tn The verb does not have an expressed subject and so is rendered as passive in the translation.

[16:14] 1208 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” The text suggests that God takes up the cause of those who are oppressed.

[16:14] 1209 tn Heb “look.” The words “it is located” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[16:15] 1210 tn Heb “and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”

[16:15] sn Whom Abram named Ishmael. Hagar must have informed Abram of what the angel had told her. See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[16:16] 1211 tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is parenthetical to the narrative.

[16:16] 1212 tn Heb “the son of eighty-six years.”

[16:16] 1213 tn The Hebrew text adds, “for Abram.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons; it is somewhat redundant given the three occurrences of Abram’s name in this and the previous verse.

[17:1] 1214 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”

[17:1] 1215 tn Heb “appeared to Abram and said to him.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) and the final phrase “to him” has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.

[17:1] 1216 tn The name אֵל שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72. Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world who grants, blesses, and judges. In the Book of Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name are uncertain (see discussion below) its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. In Gen 17:1-8 he appeared to Abram, introduced himself as El Shaddai, and announced his intention to make the patriarch fruitful. In the role of El Shaddai God repeated these words (now elevated to the status of a decree) to Jacob (35:11). Earlier Isaac had pronounced a blessing on Jacob in which he asked El Shaddai to make Jacob fruitful (28:3). Jacob later prayed that his sons would be treated with mercy when they returned to Egypt with Benjamin (43:14). The fertility theme is not as apparent here, though one must remember that Jacob viewed Benjamin as the sole remaining son of the favored and once-barren Rachel (see 29:31; 30:22-24; 35:16-18). It is quite natural that he would appeal to El Shaddai to preserve Benjamin’s life, for it was El Shaddai’s miraculous power which made it possible for Rachel to give him sons in the first place. In 48:3 Jacob, prior to blessing Joseph’s sons, told him how El Shaddai appeared to him at Bethel (see Gen 28) and promised to make him fruitful. When blessing Joseph on his deathbed Jacob referred to Shaddai (we should probably read “El Shaddai,” along with a few Hebrew mss, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the LXX, and Syriac) as the one who provides abundant blessings, including “blessings of the breast and womb” (49:25). (The direct association of the name with “breasts” suggests the name might mean “the one of the breast” [i.e., the one who gives fertility], but the juxtaposition is probably better explained as wordplay. Note the wordplay involving the name and the root שָׁדַד, shadad, “destroy”] in Isa 13:6 and in Joel 1:15.) Outside Genesis the name Shaddai (minus the element “El” [“God”]) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14; Isa 13:6; and Joel 1:15 Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. (In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubs’ wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.) Finally, the name occurs 31 times in the Book of Job. Job and his “friends” assume that Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world (11:7; 37:23a) who is the source of life (33:4b) and is responsible for maintaining justice (8:3; 34:10-12; 37:23b). He provides abundant blessings, including children (22:17-18; 29:4-6), but he can also discipline, punish, and destroy (5:17; 6:4; 21:20; 23:16). It is not surprising to see the name so often in this book, where the theme of God’s justice is primary and even called into question (24:1; 27:2). The most likely proposal is that the name means “God, the one of the mountain” (an Akkadian cognate means “mountain,” to which the Hebrew שַׁד, shad, “breast”] is probably related). For a discussion of proposed derivations see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 70-71. The name may originally have depicted God as the sovereign judge who, in Canaanite style, ruled from a sacred mountain. Isa 14:13 and Ezek 28:14, 16 associate such a mountain with God, while Ps 48:2 refers to Zion as “Zaphon,” the Canaanite Olympus from which the high god El ruled. (In Isa 14 the Canaanite god El may be in view. Note that Isaiah pictures pagan kings as taunting the king of Babylon, suggesting that pagan mythology may provide the background for the language and imagery.)

[17:1] 1217 tn Or “Live out your life.” The Hebrew verb translated “walk” is the Hitpael; it means “to walk back and forth; to walk about; to live out one’s life.”

[17:1] 1218 tn Or “in my presence.”

[17:1] 1219 tn There are two imperatives here: “walk…and be blameless [or “perfect”].” The second imperative may be purely sequential (see the translation) or consequential: “walk before me and then you will be blameless.” How one interprets the sequence depends on the meaning of “walk before”: (1) If it simply refers in a neutral way to serving the Lord, then the second imperative is likely sequential. (2) But if it has a positive moral connotation (“serve me faithfully”), then the second imperative probably indicates purpose (or result). For other uses of the idiom see 1 Sam 2:30, 35 and 12:2 (where it occurs twice).

[17:2] 1220 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative indicates consequence. If Abram is blameless, then the Lord will ratify the covenant. Earlier the Lord ratified part of his promise to Abram (see Gen 15:18-21), guaranteeing him that his descendants would live in the land. But the expanded form of the promise, which includes numerous descendants and eternal possession of the land, remains to be ratified. This expanded form of the promise is in view here (see vv. 2b, 4-8). See the note at Gen 15:18 and R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54.

[17:2] 1221 tn Heb “I will multiply you exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:3] 1222 tn Heb “And Abram fell on his face.” This expression probably means that Abram sank to his knees and put his forehead to the ground, although it is possible that he completely prostrated himself. In either case the posture indicates humility and reverence.

[17:3] 1223 tn Heb “God spoke to him, saying.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:4] 1224 tn Heb “I.”

[17:4] 1225 tn Heb “is” (הִנֵּה, hinneh).

[17:5] 1226 tn Heb “will your name be called.”

[17:5] 1227 sn Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of God’s promise. “Abram” means “exalted father,” probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name “Abraham” is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (’av-hamon, “the father of a multitude,” which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ’avraham, “Abraham”). The new name would be a reminder of God’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, “Renaming in the Old Testament,” Words and Meanings, 70-83.

[17:5] 1228 tn The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.

[17:6] 1229 tn This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express God’s intentions.

[17:6] 1230 tn Heb “exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:6] 1231 tn Heb “and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you.”

[17:7] 1232 tn The verb קוּם (qum, “to arise, to stand up”) in the Hiphil verbal stem means “to confirm, to give effect to, to carry out” (i.e., a covenant or oath; see BDB 878-79 s.v. קוּם).

[17:7] 1233 tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:7] 1234 tn Heb “to be to you for God and to your descendants after you.”

[17:8] 1235 tn The verbal root is גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to reside temporarily,” i.e., as a resident alien). It is the land in which Abram resides, but does not yet possess as his very own.

[17:8] 1236 tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:9] 1237 tn The imperfect tense could be translated “you shall keep” as a binding command; but the obligatory nuance (“must”) captures the binding sense better.

[17:9] 1238 tn Heb “my covenant.” The Hebrew word בְּרִית (bÿrit) can refer to (1) the agreement itself between two parties (see v. 7), (2) the promise made by one party to another (see vv. 2-3, 7), (3) an obligation placed by one party on another, or (4) a reminder of the agreement. In vv. 9-10 the word refers to a covenantal obligation which God gives to Abraham and his descendants.

[17:10] 1239 tn Heb “This is my covenant that you must keep between me and you and your descendants after you.”

[17:10] 1240 sn For a discussion of male circumcision as the sign of the covenant in this passage see M. V. Fox, “The Sign of the Covenant: Circumcision in the Light of the Priestly ‘ot Etiologies,” RB 81 (1974): 557-96.

[17:11] 1241 tn Or “sign.”

[17:12] 1242 tn Heb “the son of eight days.”

[17:13] 1243 tn The emphatic construction employs the Niphal imperfect tense (collective singular) and the Niphal infinitive.

[17:13] 1244 tn Heb “my covenant.” Here in v. 13 the Hebrew word בְּרִית (bÿrit) refers to the outward, visible sign, or reminder, of the covenant. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word “requirement” in v. 9.

[17:13] 1245 tn Or “an eternal.”

[17:14] 1246 tn The disjunctive clause calls attention to the “uncircumcised male” and what will happen to him.

[17:14] 1247 tn Heb “that person will be cut off.” The words “that person” have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:14] sn The meaning of “cut off” has been discussed at great length. An entire tractate in the Mishnah is devoted to this subject (tractate Keritot). Being ostracized from the community is involved at the least, but it is not certain whether this refers to the death penalty.

[17:14] 1248 tn Heb “he has broken my covenant.” The noun בְּרִית (bÿrit) here refers to the obligation required by God in conjunction with the covenantal agreement. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word “requirement” in v. 9.

[17:15] 1249 tn Heb “[As for] Sarai your wife, you must not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [will be] her name.”

[17:15] 1250 sn Sarah. The name change seems to be a dialectical variation, both spellings meaning “princess” or “queen.” Like the name Abram, the name Sarai symbolized the past. The new name Sarah, like the name Abraham, would be a reminder of what God intended to do for Sarah in the future.

[17:16] 1251 tn Heb “she will become nations.”

[17:16] 1252 tn Heb “peoples.”

[17:17] 1253 sn Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: “And he laughed” is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaq); the name “Isaac” is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), “he laughs.” Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy.

[17:17] 1254 tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”

[17:17] 1255 tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.

[17:17] 1256 tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”

[17:17] 1257 sn It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of God (v. 15).

[17:17] 1258 tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”

[17:18] 1259 tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”

[17:18] 1260 tn Or “live with your blessing.”

[17:19] 1261 tn Heb “will call his name Isaac.” The name means “he laughs,” or perhaps “may he laugh” (see the note on the word “laughed” in v. 17).

[17:19] 1262 tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:20] 1263 sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[17:20] 1264 tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:20] 1265 tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.

[17:22] 1266 tn Heb “And when he finished speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.” The sequence of pronouns and proper names has been modified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:22] sn God went up from him. The text draws attention to God’s dramatic exit and in so doing brings full closure to the scene.

[17:23] 1267 tn Heb “Ishmael his son and all born in his house and all bought with money, every male among the men of the house of Abraham.”

[17:23] 1268 tn Heb “circumcised the flesh of their foreskin.” The Hebrew expression is somewhat pleonastic and has been simplified in the translation.

[17:24] 1269 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”

[17:24] 1270 tn Heb “circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin” (also in v. 25).

[17:25] 1271 tn Heb “the son of thirteen years.”

[18:1] 1272 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1] 1273 tn Or “terebinths.”

[18:1] 1274 tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.

[18:1] 1275 tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.

[18:2] 1276 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:2] 1277 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[18:2] 1278 tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.

[18:2] 1279 tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.

[18:2] 1280 tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:2] 1281 tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).

[18:2] 1282 sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

[18:3] 1283 tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the Lord, may have put the proper pointing with the word instead of the more common אֲדֹנִי (’adoni, “my master”).

[18:3] 1284 tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”

[18:4] 1285 tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.

[18:4] 1286 tn The word “all” has been supplied in the translation because the Hebrew verb translated “wash” and the pronominal suffix on the word “feet” are plural, referring to all three of the visitors.

[18:5] 1287 tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.

[18:5] 1288 tn Heb “a piece of bread.” The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lekhem) can refer either to bread specifically or to food in general. Based on Abraham’s directions to Sarah in v. 6, bread was certainly involved, but v. 7 indicates that Abraham had a more elaborate meal in mind.

[18:5] 1289 tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.

[18:5] 1290 tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”

[18:6] 1291 tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.

[18:6] 1292 sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.

[18:6] 1293 sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.

[18:7] 1294 tn Heb “the young man.”

[18:7] 1295 tn The construction uses the Piel preterite, “he hurried,” followed by the infinitive construct; the two probably form a verbal hendiadys: “he quickly prepared.”

[18:8] 1296 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:8] 1297 tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:8] 1298 tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.

[18:9] 1299 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.

[18:10] 1300 tn Heb “he”; the referent (one of the three men introduced in v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some English translations have specified the referent as the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV) based on vv. 1, 13, but the Hebrew text merely has “he said” at this point, referring to one of the three visitors. Aside from the introductory statement in v. 1, the incident is narrated from Abraham’s point of view, and the suspense is built up for the reader as Abraham’s elaborate banquet preparations in the preceding verses suggest he suspects these are important guests. But not until the promise of a son later in this verse does it become clear who is speaking. In v. 13 the Hebrew text explicitly mentions the Lord.

[18:10] 1301 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense.

[18:10] sn I will surely return. If Abraham had not yet figured out who this was, this interchange would have made it clear. Otherwise, how would a return visit from this man mean Sarah would have a son?

[18:10] 1302 tn Heb “as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime.

[18:10] 1303 tn Heb “and there will be (הִנֵּה, hinneh) a son for Sarah.”

[18:10] 1304 tn This is the first of two disjunctive parenthetical clauses preparing the reader for Sarah’s response (see v. 12).

[18:11] 1305 tn Heb “days.”

[18:11] 1306 tn Heb “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.”

[18:12] 1307 tn Heb “saying.”

[18:12] 1308 tn It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.

[18:12] 1309 tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[18:13] 1310 tn Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the Lord’s amazement: “Why on earth did Sarah laugh?”

[18:13] 1311 tn The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”

[18:14] 1312 tn The Hebrew verb פָּלָא (pala’) means “to be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be surpassing, to be amazing.”

[18:14] 1313 sn Sarah will have a son. The passage brings God’s promise into clear focus. As long as it was a promise for the future, it really could be believed without much involvement. But now, when it seemed so impossible from the human standpoint, when the Lord fixed an exact date for the birth of the child, the promise became rather overwhelming to Abraham and Sarah. But then this was the Lord of creation, the one they had come to trust. The point of these narratives is that the creation of Abraham’s offspring, which eventually became Israel, is no less a miraculous work of creation than the creation of the world itself.

[18:15] 1314 tn Heb “And he said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:16] 1315 tn Heb “And the men arose from there.”

[18:16] 1316 tn Heb “toward the face of.”

[18:16] 1317 tn The disjunctive parenthetical clause sets the stage for the following speech.

[18:16] 1318 tn The Piel of שָׁלַח (shalakh) means “to lead out, to send out, to expel”; here it is used in the friendly sense of seeing the visitors on their way.

[18:17] 1319 tn The active participle here refers to an action that is imminent.

[18:18] 1320 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The disjunctive clause is probably causal, giving a reason why God should not hide his intentions from Abraham. One could translate, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation?”

[18:18] 1321 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the finite verb that follows.

[18:18] 1322 tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings upon”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 18:18 (like 12:2) predicts that Abraham will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[18:19] 1323 tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the Lord.

[18:19] 1324 tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).

[18:19] 1325 tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the Lord.

[18:19] 1326 tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.

[18:19] 1327 tn Heb “spoke to.”

[18:20] 1328 tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.

[18:20] 1329 tn Heb “heavy.”

[18:21] 1330 tn The cohortative indicates the Lord’s resolve.

[18:21] sn I must go down. The descent to “see” Sodom is a bold anthropomorphism, stressing the careful judgment of God. The language is reminiscent of the Lord going down to see the Tower of Babel in Gen 11:1-9.

[18:21] 1331 tn Heb “[if] according to the outcry that has come to me they have done completely.” Even the Lord, who is well aware of the human capacity to sin, finds it hard to believe that anyone could be as bad as the “outcry” against Sodom and Gomorrah suggests.

[18:21] 1332 sn The short phrase if not provides a ray of hope and inspires Abraham’s intercession.

[18:22] 1333 tn Heb “And the men turned from there.” The word “two” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied here for clarity. Gen 19:1 mentions only two individuals (described as “angels”), while Abraham had entertained three visitors (18:2). The implication is that the Lord was the third visitor, who remained behind with Abraham here. The words “from there” are not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[18:22] 1334 tn Heb “went.”

[18:22] 1335 tc An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition reads “but the Lord remained standing before Abraham.” This reading is problematic because the phrase “standing before” typically indicates intercession, but the Lord would certainly not be interceding before Abraham.

[18:24] 1336 tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).

[18:25] 1337 tn Or “ruler.”

[18:25] 1338 sn Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right? For discussion of this text see J. L. Crenshaw, “Popular Questioning of the Justice of God in Ancient Israel,” ZAW 82 (1970): 380-95, and C. S. Rodd, “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do What Is Just?” ExpTim 83 (1972): 137-39.

[18:27] 1339 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[18:27] 1340 tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the Lord.

[18:28] 1341 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.

[18:28] 1342 tn Heb “because of five.”

[18:29] 1343 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:29] 1344 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”

[18:30] 1345 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:30] 1346 tn Heb “let it not be hot to the Lord.” This is an idiom which means “may the Lord not be angry.”

[18:30] 1347 tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.

[18:31] 1348 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:32] 1349 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:33] 1350 tn Heb “And the Lord went.”

[18:33] 1351 tn The infinitive construct (“speaking”) serves as the direct object of the verb “finished.”

[18:33] 1352 tn Heb “to his place.”

[19:1] 1353 tn The disjunctive clause is temporal here, indicating what Lot was doing at the time of their arrival.

[19:1] 1354 tn Heb “sitting in the gate of Sodom.” The phrase “the gate of Sodom” has been translated “the city’s gateway” for stylistic reasons.

[19:1] sn The expression sitting in the city’s gateway may mean that Lot was exercising some type of judicial function (see the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 19:8; Jer 26:10; 38:7; 39:3).

[19:2] 1355 tn The imperatives have the force of invitation.

[19:2] 1356 tn These two verbs form a verbal hendiadys: “you can rise up early and go” means “you can go early.”

[19:2] 1357 sn The town square refers to the wide street area at the gate complex of the city.

[19:3] 1358 tn The Hebrew verb פָּצַר (patsar, “to press, to insist”) ironically foreshadows the hostile actions of the men of the city (see v. 9, where the verb also appears). The repetition of the word serves to contrast Lot to his world.

[19:4] 1359 tn The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) means “to lie down, to recline,” that is, “to go to bed.” Here what appears to be an imperfect is a preterite after the adverb טֶרֶם (terem). The nuance of potential (perfect) fits well.

[19:4] 1360 tn Heb “and the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young to the old, all the people from the end [of the city].” The repetition of the phrase “men of” stresses all kinds of men.

[19:5] 1361 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to him.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:5] 1362 tn The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “to know”) is used here in the sense of “to lie with” or “to have sex with” (as in Gen 4:1). That this is indeed the meaning is clear from Lot’s warning that they not do so wickedly, and his willingness to give them his daughters instead.

[19:5] sn The sin of the men of Sodom is debated. The fact that the sin involved a sexual act (see note on the phrase “have sex” in 19:5) precludes an association of the sin with inhospitality as is sometimes asserted (see W. Roth, “What of Sodom and Gomorrah? Homosexual Acts in the Old Testament,” Explor 1 [1974]: 7-14). The text at a minimum condemns forced sexual intercourse, i.e., rape. Other considerations, though, point to a condemnation of homosexual acts more generally. The narrator emphasizes the fact that the men of Sodom wanted to have sex with men: They demand that Lot release the angelic messengers (seen as men) to them for sex, and when Lot offers his daughters as a substitute they refuse them and attempt to take the angelic messengers by force. In addition the wider context of the Pentateuch condemns homosexual acts as sin (see, e.g., Lev 18:22). Thus a reading of this text within its narrative context, both immediate and broad, condemns not only the attempted rape but also the attempted homosexual act.

[19:7] 1363 tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”

[19:8] 1364 tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[19:8] 1365 tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”

[19:8] 1366 tn Heb “shadow.”

[19:8] 1367 sn This chapter portrays Lot as a hypocrite. He is well aware of the way the men live in his city and is apparently comfortable in the midst of it. But when confronted by the angels, he finally draws the line. But he is nevertheless willing to sacrifice his daughters’ virginity to protect his guests. His opposition to the crowds leads to his rejection as a foreigner by those with whom he had chosen to live. The one who attempted to rescue his visitors ends up having to be rescued by them.

[19:9] 1368 tn Heb “approach out there” which could be rendered “Get out of the way, stand back!”

[19:9] 1369 tn Heb “to live as a resident alien.”

[19:9] 1370 tn Heb “and he has judged, judging.” The infinitive absolute follows the finite verbal form for emphasis. This emphasis is reflected in the translation by the phrase “dares to judge.”

[19:9] 1371 tn The verb “to do wickedly” is repeated here (see v. 7). It appears that whatever “wickedness” the men of Sodom had intended to do to Lot’s visitors – probably nothing short of homosexual rape – they were now ready to inflict on Lot.

[19:9] 1372 tn Heb “and they pressed against the man, against Lot, exceedingly.”

[19:9] 1373 tn Heb “and they drew near.”

[19:10] 1374 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “inside” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[19:10] 1375 tn The Hebrew text adds “their hand.” These words have not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:10] 1376 tn Heb “to them into the house.”

[19:11] 1377 tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”

[19:11] 1378 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:12] 1379 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “visitors” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[19:12] 1380 tn Heb “Yet who [is there] to you here?”

[19:12] 1381 tn The words “Do you have” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:12] 1382 tn Heb “a son-in-law and your sons and your daughters and anyone who (is) to you in the city.”

[19:12] 1383 tn Heb “the place.” The Hebrew article serves here as a demonstrative.

[19:13] 1384 tn The Hebrew participle expresses an imminent action here.

[19:13] 1385 tn Heb “for their outcry.” The words “about this place” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:13] 1386 tn Heb “the Lord.” The repetition of the divine name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.

[19:14] 1387 sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.

[19:14] 1388 tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.

[19:14] 1389 tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.

[19:15] 1390 tn Heb “When dawn came up.”

[19:15] 1391 tn Heb “who are found.” The wording might imply he had other daughters living in the city, but the text does not explicitly state this.

[19:15] 1392 tn Or “with the iniquity [i.e., punishment] of the city” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[19:16] 1393 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:16] 1394 tn Heb “in the compassion of the Lord to them.”

[19:16] 1395 tn Heb “brought him out and placed him.” The third masculine singular suffixes refer specifically to Lot, though his wife and daughters accompanied him (see v. 17). For stylistic reasons these have been translated as plural pronouns (“them”).

[19:17] 1396 tn Or “one of them”; Heb “he.” Several ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate, Syriac) read the plural “they.” See also the note on “your” in v. 19.

[19:17] 1397 tn Heb “escape.”

[19:17] 1398 tn The Hebrew verb translated “look” signifies an intense gaze, not a passing glance. This same verb is used later in v. 26 to describe Lot’s wife’s self-destructive look back at the city.

[19:17] 1399 tn Or “in the plain”; Heb “in the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:18] 1400 tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[19:19] 1401 tn The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.

[19:19] 1402 tn Heb “in your eyes.”

[19:19] 1403 tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”

[19:19] 1404 sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.

[19:19] 1405 tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.

[19:19] 1406 tn Heb “lest.”

[19:19] 1407 tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.

[19:19] 1408 tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.

[19:20] 1409 tn The Hebrew word עִיר (’ir) can refer to either a city or a town, depending on the size of the place. Given that this place was described by Lot later in this verse as a “little place,” the translation uses “town.”

[19:20] 1410 tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”

[19:20] 1411 tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.

[19:20] 1412 tn Heb “Is it not little?”

[19:20] 1413 tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.

[19:21] 1414 tn Heb “And he said, ‘Look, I will grant.’” The order of the clauses has been rearranged for stylistic reasons. The referent of the speaker (“he”) is somewhat ambiguous: It could be taken as the angel to whom Lot has been speaking (so NLT; note the singular references in vv. 18-19), or it could be that Lot is speaking directly to the Lord here. Most English translations leave the referent of the pronoun unspecified and maintain the ambiguity.

[19:21] 1415 tn Heb “I have lifted up your face [i.e., shown you favor] also concerning this matter.”

[19:21] 1416 tn The negated infinitive construct indicates either the consequence of God’s granting the request (“I have granted this request, so that I will not”) or the manner in which he will grant it (“I have granted your request by not destroying”).

[19:22] 1417 tn Heb “Be quick! Escape to there!” The two imperatives form a verbal hendiadys, the first becoming adverbial.

[19:22] 1418 tn Heb “Therefore the name of the city is called Zoar.” The name of the place, צוֹעַר (tso’ar) apparently means “Little Place,” in light of the wordplay with the term “little” (מִצְעָר, mits’ar) used twice by Lot to describe the town (v. 20).

[19:23] 1419 sn The sun had just risen. There was very little time for Lot to escape between dawn (v. 15) and sunrise (here).

[19:23] 1420 tn The juxtaposition of the two disjunctive clauses indicates synchronic action. The first action (the sun’s rising) occurred as the second (Lot’s entering Zoar) took place. The disjunctive clauses also signal closure for the preceding scene.

[19:24] 1421 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of the next scene and highlights God’s action.

[19:24] 1422 tn Or “burning sulfur” (the traditional “fire and brimstone”).

[19:24] 1423 tn Heb “from the Lord from the heavens.” The words “It was sent down” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:24] sn The text explicitly states that the sulfur and fire that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah was sent down from the sky by the Lord. What exactly this was, and how it happened, can only be left to intelligent speculation, but see J. P. Harland, “The Destruction of the Cities of the Plain,” BA 6 (1943): 41-54.

[19:25] 1424 tn Or “and all the plain”; Heb “and all the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:25] 1425 tn Heb “and the vegetation of the ground.”

[19:26] 1426 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:26] 1427 tn The Hebrew verb means “to look intently; to gaze” (see 15:5).

[19:26] sn Longingly. Lot’s wife apparently identified with the doomed city and thereby showed lack of respect for God’s provision of salvation. She, like her daughters later, had allowed her thinking to be influenced by the culture of Sodom.

[19:27] 1428 tn The words “and went” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:28] 1429 tn Heb “upon the face of.”

[19:28] 1430 tn Or “all the land of the plain”; Heb “and all the face of the land of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:28] 1431 tn Heb “And he saw, and look, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.”

[19:28] sn It is hard to imagine what was going on in Abraham’s mind, but this brief section in the narrative enables the reader to think about the human response to the judgment. Abraham had family in that area. He had rescued those people from the invasion. That was why he interceded. Yet he surely knew how wicked they were. That was why he got the number down to ten when he negotiated with God to save the city. But now he must have wondered, “What was the point?”

[19:29] 1432 tn The construction is a temporal clause comprised of the temporal indicator, an infinitive construct with a preposition, and the subjective genitive.

[19:29] 1433 tn Or “of the plain”; Heb “of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:29] 1434 tn Heb “remembered,” but this means more than mental recollection here. Abraham’s request (Gen 18:23-32) was that the Lord not destroy the righteous with the wicked. While the requisite minimum number of righteous people (ten, v. 32) needed for God to spare the cities was not found, God nevertheless rescued the righteous before destroying the wicked.

[19:29] sn God showed Abraham special consideration because of the covenantal relationship he had established with the patriarch. Yet the reader knows that God delivered the “righteous” (Lot’s designation in 2 Pet 2:7) before destroying their world – which is what he will do again at the end of the age.

[19:29] 1435 sn God’s removal of Lot before the judgment is paradigmatic. He typically delivers the godly before destroying their world.

[19:29] 1436 tn Heb “the overthrow when [he] overthrew.”

[19:31] 1437 tn Heb “and the firstborn said.”

[19:31] 1438 tn Or perhaps “on earth,” in which case the statement would be hyperbolic; presumably there had been some men living in the town of Zoar to which Lot and his daughters had initially fled.

[19:31] 1439 tn Heb “to enter upon us.” This is a euphemism for sexual relations.

[19:32] 1440 tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:32] 1441 tn Heb “and we will lie down.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose/result.

[19:32] 1442 tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.

[19:32] 1443 tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[19:32] sn For a discussion of the cultural background of the daughters’ desire to preserve our family line see F. C. Fensham, “The Obliteration of the Family as Motif in the Near Eastern Literature,” AION 10 (1969): 191-99.

[19:33] 1444 tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:33] 1445 tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:33] 1446 tn Heb “and the firstborn came and lied down with her father.” The expression “lied down with” here and in the following verses is a euphemism for sexual relations.

[19:33] 1447 tn Heb “and he did not know when she lay down and when she arose.”

[19:34] 1448 tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:34] 1449 tn Heb “Look, I lied down with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight.”

[19:34] 1450 tn Heb “And go, lie down with him and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[19:35] 1451 tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:35] 1452 tn Heb “lied down with him.”

[19:35] 1453 tn Heb “And he did not know when she lied down and when she arose.”

[19:37] 1454 tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:37] 1455 sn The meaning of the name Moab is not certain. The name sounds like the Hebrew phrase “from our father” (מֵאָבִינוּ, me’avinu) which the daughters used twice (vv. 32, 34). This account is probably included in the narrative in order to portray the Moabites, who later became enemies of God’s people, in a negative light.

[19:38] 1456 sn The name Ben-Ammi means “son of my people.” Like the account of Moab’s birth, this story is probably included in the narrative to portray the Ammonites, another perennial enemy of Israel, in a negative light.

[20:1] 1457 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”

[20:1] sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[20:1] 1458 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”

[20:3] 1459 tn Heb “came.”

[20:3] 1460 tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.

[20:3] 1461 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.

[20:4] 1462 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[20:4] 1463 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.

[20:5] 1464 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:5] 1465 tn Heb “and she, even she.”

[20:5] 1466 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”

[20:6] 1467 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”

[20:6] 1468 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”

[20:6] 1469 tn Heb “therefore.”

[20:7] 1470 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

[20:7] 1471 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

[20:7] 1472 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

[20:7] sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.

[20:7] 1473 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

[20:7] 1474 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

[20:8] 1475 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”

[20:8] 1476 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”

[20:8] 1477 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”

[20:8] 1478 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[20:9] 1479 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.

[20:9] 1480 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.

[20:10] 1481 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”

[20:10] 1482 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.

[20:11] 1483 tn Heb “Because I said.”

[20:11] 1484 tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[20:12] 1485 tn Heb “but also.”

[20:13] 1486 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”

[20:13] 1487 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”

[20:14] 1488 tn Heb “took and gave.”

[20:15] 1489 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”

[20:16] 1490 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).

[20:16] 1491 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).

[20:16] 1492 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).

[20:18] 1493 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”

[20:18] 1494 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[20:18] 1495 tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[21:1] 1496 sn The Hebrew verb translated “visit” (פָּקַד, paqad ) often describes divine intervention for blessing or cursing; it indicates God’s special attention to an individual or a matter, always with respect to his people’s destiny. He may visit (that is, destroy) the Amalekites; he may visit (that is, deliver) his people in Egypt. Here he visits Sarah, to allow her to have the promised child. One’s destiny is changed when the Lord “visits.” For a more detailed study of the term, see G. André, Determining the Destiny (ConBOT).

[21:1] 1497 tn Heb “and the Lord did.” The divine name has not been repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[21:1] 1498 tn Heb “spoken.”

[21:2] 1499 tn Or “she conceived.”

[21:3] 1500 tn Heb “the one born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.” The two modifying clauses, the first introduced with an article and the second with the relative pronoun, are placed in the middle of the sentence, before the name Isaac is stated. They are meant to underscore that this was indeed an actual birth to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of the promise.

[21:4] 1501 tn Heb “Isaac his son, the son of eight days.” The name “Isaac” is repeated in the translation for clarity.

[21:4] 1502 sn Just as God had commanded him to do. With the birth of the promised child, Abraham obeyed the Lord by both naming (Gen 17:19) and circumcising Isaac (17:12).

[21:5] 1503 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause underscores how miraculous this birth was. Abraham was 100 years old. The fact that the genealogies give the ages of the fathers when their first son is born shows that this was considered a major milestone in one’s life (G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:80).

[21:6] 1504 tn Heb “Laughter God has made for me.”

[21:6] 1505 tn The words “about this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[21:6] 1506 sn Sarah’s words play on the name “Isaac” in a final triumphant manner. God prepared “laughter” (צְחֹק, ysÿkhoq ) for her, and everyone who hears about this “will laugh” (יִצְחַק, yitskhaq ) with her. The laughter now signals great joy and fulfillment, not unbelief (cf. Gen 18:12-15).

[21:7] 1507 tn Heb “said.”

[21:7] 1508 tn The perfect form of the verb is used here to describe a hypothetical situation.

[21:8] 1509 tn Heb “made.”

[21:8] 1510 sn Children were weaned closer to the age of two or three in the ancient world, because infant mortality was high. If an infant grew to this stage, it was fairly certain he or she would live. Such an event called for a celebration, especially for parents who had waited so long for a child.

[21:9] 1511 tn Heb “saw.”

[21:9] 1512 tn The Piel participle used here is from the same root as the name “Isaac.” In the Piel stem the verb means “to jest; to make sport of; to play with,” not simply “to laugh,” which is the meaning of the verb in the Qal stem. What exactly Ishmael was doing is not clear. Interpreters have generally concluded that the boy was either (1) mocking Isaac (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) or (2) merely playing with Isaac as if on equal footing (cf. NAB, NRSV). In either case Sarah saw it as a threat. The same participial form was used in Gen 19:14 to describe how some in Lot’s family viewed his attempt to warn them of impending doom. It also appears later in Gen 39:14, 17, where Potiphar accuses Joseph of mocking them.

[21:9] sn Mocking. Here Sarah interprets Ishmael’s actions as being sinister. Ishmael probably did not take the younger child seriously and Sarah saw this as a threat to Isaac. Paul in Gal 4:29 says that Ishmael persecuted Isaac. He uses a Greek word that can mean “to put to flight; to chase away; to pursue” and may be drawing on a rabbinic interpretation of the passage. In Paul’s analogical application of the passage, he points out that once the promised child Isaac (symbolizing Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promise) has come, there is no room left for the slave woman and her son (who symbolize the Mosaic law).

[21:10] 1513 tn Heb “drive out.” The language may seem severe, but Sarah’s maternal instincts sensed a real danger in that Ishmael was not treating Isaac with the proper respect.

[21:11] 1514 tn Heb “and the word was very wrong in the eyes of Abraham on account of his son.” The verb רָעַע (ra’a’) often refers to what is morally or ethically “evil.” It usage here suggests that Abraham thought Sarah’s demand was ethically (and perhaps legally) wrong.

[21:12] 1515 tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”

[21:12] 1516 tn Heb “listen to her voice.” The idiomatic expression means “obey; comply.” Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later (see Gen 25), when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well.

[21:12] 1517 tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.

[21:12] 1518 tn Or perhaps “will be named”; Heb “for in Isaac offspring will be called to you.” The exact meaning of the statement is not clear, but it does indicate that God’s covenantal promises to Abraham will be realized through Isaac, not Ishmael.

[21:14] 1519 tn Heb “and Abraham rose up early in the morning and he took.”

[21:14] 1520 tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[21:14] 1521 tn Heb “He put upon her shoulder, and the boy [or perhaps, “and with the boy”], and he sent her away.” It is unclear how “and the boy” relates syntactically to what precedes. Perhaps the words should be rearranged and the text read, “and he put [them] on her shoulder and he gave to Hagar the boy.”

[21:14] 1522 tn Heb “she went and wandered.”

[21:14] 1523 tn Or “desert,” although for English readers this usually connotes a sandy desert like the Sahara rather than the arid wasteland of this region with its sparse vegetation.

[21:15] 1524 tn Heb “threw,” but the child, who was now thirteen years old, would not have been carried, let alone thrown under a bush. The exaggerated language suggests Ishmael is limp from dehydration and is being abandoned to die. See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 2:85.

[21:16] 1525 sn A bowshot would be a distance of about a hundred yards (ninety meters).

[21:16] 1526 tn Heb “said.”

[21:16] 1527 tn Heb “I will not look on the death of the child.” The cohortative verbal form (note the negative particle אַל,’al) here expresses her resolve to avoid the stated action.

[21:16] 1528 tn Heb “and she lifted up her voice and wept” (that is, she wept uncontrollably). The LXX reads “he” (referring to Ishmael) rather than “she” (referring to Hagar), but this is probably an attempt to harmonize this verse with the following one, which refers to the boy’s cries.

[21:17] 1529 sn God heard the boy’s voice. The text has not to this point indicated that Ishmael was crying out, either in pain or in prayer. But the text here makes it clear that God heard him. Ishmael is clearly central to the story. Both the mother and the Lord are focused on the child’s imminent death.

[21:17] 1530 tn Heb “What to you?”

[21:17] 1531 sn Here the verb heard picks up the main motif of the name Ishmael (“God hears”), introduced back in chap. 16.

[21:19] 1532 tn Heb “And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” The referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:21] 1533 sn The wilderness of Paran is an area in the east central region of the Sinai peninsula, northeast from the traditional site of Mt. Sinai and with the Arabah and the Gulf of Aqaba as its eastern border.

[21:21] 1534 tn Heb “And his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.”

[21:22] 1535 sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.

[21:23] 1536 tn Heb “And now swear to me by God here.”

[21:23] 1537 tn Heb “my offspring and my descendants.”

[21:23] 1538 tn The word “land” refers by metonymy to the people in the land.

[21:23] 1539 tn The Hebrew verb means “to stay, to live, to sojourn” as a temporary resident without ownership rights.

[21:23] 1540 tn Or “kindness.”

[21:23] 1541 tn Heb “According to the loyalty which I have done with you, do with me and with the land in which you are staying.”

[21:24] 1542 tn Heb “I swear.” No object is specified in the Hebrew text, but the content of the oath requested by Abimelech is the implied object.

[21:25] 1543 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to argue; to dispute”; it can focus on the beginning of the dispute (as here), the dispute itself, or the resolution of a dispute (Isa 1:18). Apparently the complaint was lodged before the actual oath was taken.

[21:25] 1544 tn Heb “concerning the matter of the well of water.”

[21:25] 1545 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to steal; to rob; to take violently.” The statement reflects Abraham’s perspective.

[21:26] 1546 tn Heb “and also.”

[21:27] 1547 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[21:29] 1548 tn Heb “What are these?”

[21:30] 1549 tn Heb “that it be for me for a witness.”

[21:30] 1550 sn This well. Since the king wanted a treaty to share in Abraham’s good fortune, Abraham used the treaty to secure ownership of and protection for the well he dug. It would be useless to make a treaty to live in this territory if he had no rights to the water. Abraham consented to the treaty, but added his rider to it.

[21:31] 1551 tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”

[21:31] 1552 sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven.” Both the verb “to swear” and the number “seven” have been used throughout the account. Now they are drawn in as part of the explanation of the significance of the name.

[21:31] 1553 sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.

[21:32] 1554 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[21:32] 1555 tn Heb “arose and returned.”

[21:32] 1556 sn The Philistines mentioned here may not be ethnically related to those who lived in Palestine in the time of the judges and the united monarchy. See D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 238.

[21:33] 1557 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:33] 1558 sn The planting of the tamarisk tree is a sign of Abraham’s intent to stay there for a long time, not a religious act. A growing tree in the Negev would be a lasting witness to God’s provision of water.

[21:33] 1559 tn Heb “he called there in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.

[21:34] 1560 tn Heb “many days.”

[22:1] 1561 sn The Hebrew verb used here means “to test; to try; to prove.” In this passage God tests Abraham to see if he would be obedient. See T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 44-48. See also J. L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment (OBT), 9-30; and J. I. Lawlor, “The Test of Abraham,” GTJ 1 (1980): 19-35.

[22:1] 1562 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:2] 1563 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:2] 1564 sn Take your son…Isaac. The instructions are very clear, but the details are deliberate. With every additional description the commandment becomes more challenging.

[22:2] 1565 sn There has been much debate over the location of Moriah; 2 Chr 3:1 suggests it may be the site where the temple was later built in Jerusalem.

[22:2] 1566 sn A whole burnt offering signified the complete surrender of the worshiper and complete acceptance by God. The demand for a human sacrifice was certainly radical and may have seemed to Abraham out of character for God. Abraham would have to obey without fully understanding what God was about.

[22:2] 1567 tn Heb “which I will say to.”

[22:3] 1568 tn Heb “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.”

[22:3] 1569 tn Heb “he arose and he went.”

[22:4] 1570 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.”

[22:5] 1571 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.

[22:5] 1572 tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey.

[22:5] 1573 tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal.

[22:5] 1574 tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.”

[22:5] 1575 sn It is impossible to know what Abraham was thinking when he said, “we will…return to you.” When he went he knew (1) that he was to sacrifice Isaac, and (2) that God intended to fulfill his earlier promises through Isaac. How he reconciled those facts is not clear in the text. Heb 11:17-19 suggests that Abraham believed God could restore Isaac to him through resurrection.

[22:6] 1576 sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead.

[22:7] 1577 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said.” This is redundant and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[22:7] 1578 tn Heb “Here I am” (cf. Gen 22:1).

[22:7] 1579 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here is the fire and the wood.’” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here and in the following verse the order of the introductory clauses and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:8] 1580 tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”

[22:8] sn God will provide is the central theme of the passage and the turning point in the story. Note Paul’s allusion to the story in Rom 8:32 (“how shall he not freely give us all things?”) as well as H. J. Schoeps, “The Sacrifice of Isaac in Paul’s Theology,” JBL 65 (1946): 385-92.

[22:9] 1581 sn Abraham built an altar there. The theme of Abraham’s altar building culminates here. He has been a faithful worshiper. Will he continue to worship when called upon to make such a radical sacrifice?

[22:9] 1582 sn Then he tied up. This text has given rise to an important theme in Judaism known as the Aqedah, from the Hebrew word for “binding.” When sacrifices were made in the sanctuary, God remembered the binding of Isaac, for which a substitute was offered. See D. Polish, “The Binding of Isaac,” Jud 6 (1957): 17-21.

[22:10] 1583 tn Heb “in order to slaughter.”

[22:11] 1584 sn Heb “the messenger of the Lord” (also in v. 15). Some identify the angel of the Lord as the preincarnate Christ because in some texts the angel is identified with the Lord himself. However, see the note on the phrase “the Lord’s angel” in Gen 16:7.

[22:12] 1585 tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.”

[22:12] 1586 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Do not extend…’”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the context for clarity. The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:12] 1587 sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1).

[22:12] 1588 sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith.

[22:13] 1589 tn Heb “lifted his eyes.”

[22:13] 1590 tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to what Abraham saw and invites the audience to view the scene through his eyes.

[22:13] 1591 tc The translation follows the reading of the MT; a number of Hebrew mss, the LXX, Syriac, and Samaritan Pentateuch read “one” (אֶחָד, ’ekhad) instead of “behind him” (אַחַר, ’akhar).

[22:13] 1592 tn Heb “Abraham”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:14] 1593 tn Heb “the Lord sees” (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, yÿhvah yir’eh, traditionally transliterated “Jehovah Jireh”; see the note on the word “provide” in v. 8). By so naming the place Abraham preserved in the memory of God’s people the amazing event that took place there.

[22:14] 1594 sn On the expression to this day see B. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until this Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.

[22:14] 1595 sn The saying connected with these events has some ambiguity, which was probably intended. The Niphal verb could be translated (1) “in the mountain of the Lord it will be seen/provided” or (2) “in the mountain the Lord will appear.” If the temple later stood here (see the note on “Moriah” in Gen 22:2), the latter interpretation might find support, for the people went to the temple to appear before the Lord, who “appeared” to them by providing for them his power and blessings. See S. R. Driver, Genesis, 219.

[22:16] 1596 tn Heb “By myself I swear.”

[22:16] 1597 tn Heb “the oracle of the Lord.” The phrase refers to a formal oracle or decree from the Lord.

[22:17] 1598 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form (either an imperfect or cohortative) emphasizes the certainty of the blessing.

[22:17] 1599 tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).

[22:17] sn I will greatly multiply. The Lord here ratifies his earlier promise to give Abram a multitude of descendants. For further discussion see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54.

[22:17] 1600 tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[22:17] 1601 tn Or “inherit.”

[22:17] 1602 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. To break through the gate complex would be to conquer the city, for the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”).

[22:18] 1603 tn In the Hebrew text this causal clause comes at the end of the sentence. The translation alters the word order for stylistic reasons.

[22:18] sn Because you have obeyed me. Abraham’s obedience brought God’s ratification of the earlier conditional promise (see Gen 12:2).

[22:18] 1604 tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 26:4). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)

[22:19] 1605 tn Heb “and they arose and went together.”

[22:19] 1606 tn Heb “and Abraham stayed in Beer Sheba. This has been translated as a relative clause for stylistic reasons.

[22:20] 1607 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence begins with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to the statement.

[22:21] 1608 sn This parenthetical note about Kemuel’s descendant is probably a later insertion by the author/compiler of Genesis and not part of the original announcement.

[22:23] 1609 tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is important but parenthetical to the narrative. Rebekah would become the wife of Isaac (Gen 24:15).

[23:1] 1610 tn Heb “And the years of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.”

[23:2] 1611 tn Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons.

[23:2] 1612 sn Mourn…weep. The description here is of standard mourning rites (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 149-50). They would have been carried out in the presence of the corpse, probably in Sarah’s tent. So Abraham came in to mourn; then he rose up to go and bury his dead (v. 3).

[23:3] 1613 tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”

[23:3] 1614 tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.

[23:4] 1615 tn Heb “a resident alien and a settler.”

[23:4] 1616 tn Heb “give,” which is used here as an idiom for “sell” (see v. 9). The idiom reflects the polite bartering that was done in the culture at the time.

[23:4] 1617 tn Or “possession.”

[23:4] 1618 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose.

[23:4] 1619 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:5] 1620 tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”

[23:6] 1621 tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”

[23:6] 1622 tn Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “Nasi’ ‘elohim (Gen 23:6),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16.

[23:6] 1623 tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:7] 1624 tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).

[23:8] 1625 tn Heb “If it is with your purpose.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here has the nuance “purpose” or perhaps “desire” (see BDB 661 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ).

[23:8] 1626 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:8] 1627 tn Or “hear me.”

[23:8] 1628 tn Heb “intercede for me with.”

[23:9] 1629 tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4.

[23:9] 1630 tn Heb “in your presence.”

[23:9] 1631 tn Heb “silver.”

[23:10] 1632 tn Or perhaps “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3.

[23:10] 1633 tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.

[23:10] 1634 sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33.

[23:11] 1635 tn Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field.

[23:11] 1636 tn The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[23:11] 1637 tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”

[23:13] 1638 tn Heb “give.”

[23:13] 1639 tn Heb “silver.”

[23:13] 1640 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.

[23:15] 1641 tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:15] 1642 sn Four hundred pieces of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 4.6 kilograms, or 160 ounces (about 10 pounds).

[23:16] 1643 tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”

[23:16] 1644 tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”

[23:16] 1645 tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:16] 1646 tn Heb “silver.”

[23:16] 1647 tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[23:16] 1648 tn Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.

[23:17] 1649 tn Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:18] 1650 tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18] sn See G. M. Tucker, “The Legal Background of Genesis 23,” JBL 85 (1966):77-84; and M. R. Lehmann, “Abraham’s Purchase of Machpelah and Hittite Law,” BASOR 129 (1953): 15-18.

[23:20] 1651 tn Heb “possession of a grave.”

[24:1] 1652 tn Heb “days.”

[24:1] 1653 tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.

[24:2] 1654 tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).

[24:2] 1655 sn Put your hand under my thigh. The taking of this oath had to do with the sanctity of the family and the continuation of the family line. See D. R. Freedman, “Put Your Hand Under My Thigh – the Patriarchal Oath,” BAR 2 (1976): 2-4, 42.

[24:3] 1656 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.

[24:3] 1657 tn Heb “because you must not take.”

[24:4] 1658 tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”

[24:4] 1659 tn Heb “and take.”

[24:5] 1660 tn Heb “to go after me.”

[24:5] 1661 tn In the Hebrew text the construction is emphatic; the infinitive absolute precedes the imperfect. However, it is difficult to reflect this emphasis in an English translation.

[24:6] 1662 tn Heb “guard yourself.”

[24:6] 1663 tn The introductory clause “And Abraham said to him” has been moved to the end of the opening sentence of direct discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:7] 1664 tn Or “the land of my birth.”

[24:7] 1665 tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”

[24:7] 1666 tn Or “his messenger.”

[24:7] 1667 tn Heb “before you and you will take.”

[24:8] 1668 tn Heb “ to go after you.”

[24:8] 1669 sn You will be free. If the prospective bride was not willing to accompany the servant back to Canaan, the servant would be released from his oath to Abraham.

[24:9] 1670 tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”

[24:10] 1671 tn Heb “and every good thing of his master was in his hand.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, explaining that he took all kinds of gifts to be used at his discretion.

[24:10] 1672 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”

[24:10] 1673 tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:10] sn Aram Naharaim means in Hebrew “Aram of the Two Rivers,” a region in northern Mesopotamia.

[24:11] 1674 tn Heb “well of water.”

[24:11] 1675 tn Heb “at the time of evening.”

[24:12] 1676 tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).

[24:12] 1677 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”

[24:13] 1678 tn Heb “the spring of water.”

[24:13] 1679 tn Heb “the men.”

[24:14] 1680 sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.

[24:14] 1681 tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”

[24:15] 1682 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out!” Using the participle introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator dramatically transports the audience back into the event and invites them to see Rebekah through the servant’s eyes.

[24:15] 1683 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out – [she] who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham – and her jug [was] on her shoulder.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:16] 1684 tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man she had not known.” Some argue that the Hebrew noun translated “virgin” (בְּתוּלָה, bÿtulah) is better understood in a general sense, “young woman” (see Joel 1:8, where the word appears to refer to one who is married). In this case the circumstantial clause (“and a man she had not known”) would be restrictive, rather than descriptive. If the term actually means “virgin,” one wonders why the circumstantial clause is necessary (see Judg 21:12 as well). Perhaps the repetition emphasizes her sexual purity as a prerequisite for her role as the mother of the covenant community.

[24:17] 1685 tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:18] 1686 tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”

[24:19] 1687 tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:20] 1688 tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”

[24:21] 1689 tn Heb “to know.”

[24:21] 1690 tn The Hebrew term צָלָה (tsalah), meaning “to make successful” in the Hiphil verbal stem, is a key term in the story (see vv. 40, 42, 56).

[24:22] 1691 sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).

[24:22] 1692 sn A shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce) although weights varied locally, so these bracelets weighed about 4 ounces (115 grams).

[24:22] 1693 tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[24:23] 1694 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:24] 1695 tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25] 1696 tn Heb “and she said, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed.’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:25] 1697 tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[24:27] 1698 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”

[24:27] 1699 tn Heb “As for me – in the way the Lord led me.”

[24:27] 1700 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.

[24:27] 1701 tn Heb “brothers.”

[24:28] 1702 tn Heb “according to.”

[24:29] 1703 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.

[24:30] 1704 tn Heb “And it was when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister.” The word order is altered in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[24:30] 1705 tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”

[24:30] 1706 tn Heb “and look, he was standing.” The disjunctive clause with the participle following the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites the audience to view the scene through Laban’s eyes.

[24:31] 1707 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified and the words “to him” supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:31] 1708 sn Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the Lord. Already the author is laying the foundation for subsequent events in the narrative, where Laban’s greed becomes his dominant characteristic.

[24:31] 1709 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.

[24:32] 1710 tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:32] 1711 tn Some translations (e.g., NEB, NASB, NRSV) understand Laban to be the subject of this and the following verbs or take the subject of this and the following verbs as indefinite (referring to an unnamed servant; e.g., NAB, NIV).

[24:32] 1712 tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.

[24:32] 1713 tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”

[24:33] 1714 tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”

[24:33] 1715 tn Heb “my words.”

[24:33] 1716 tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”

[24:33] tn Heb “and he said, ‘Speak.’” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:35] 1717 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.

[24:35] 1718 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:36] 1719 tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:36] 1720 tn Heb “after her old age.”

[24:36] 1721 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:38] 1722 tn Heb “but to the house of my father you must go and to my family and you must take a wife for my son.”

[24:39] 1723 tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.

[24:39] 1724 tn Heb “after me.”

[24:40] 1725 tn The verb is the Hitpael of הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning “live one’s life” (see Gen 17:1). The statement may simply refer to serving the Lord or it may have a more positive moral connotation (“serve faithfully”).

[24:41] 1726 tn Heb “my oath” (twice in this verse). From the Hebrew perspective the oath belonged to the person to whom it was sworn (Abraham), although in contemporary English an oath is typically viewed as belonging to the person who swears it (the servant).

[24:42] 1727 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”

[24:42] 1728 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[24:43] 1729 tn Heb “the spring of water.”

[24:43] 1730 tn Heb “and it will be.”

[24:45] 1731 tn Heb “As for me, before I finished speaking to my heart.” The adverb טֶרֶם (terem) indicates the verb is a preterite; the infinitive that follows is the direct object.

[24:45] 1732 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.

[24:47] 1733 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:48] 1734 tn Heb “daughter.” Rebekah was actually the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. One can either translate the Hebrew term בַּת (bat) as “daughter,” in which case the term אָח (’akh) must be translated more generally as “relative” rather than “brother” (cf. NASB, NRSV) or one can translate בַּת as “granddaughter,” in which case אָח may be translated “brother” (cf. NIV).

[24:49] 1735 tn Heb “and I will turn to the right or to the left.” The expression apparently means that Abraham’s servant will know where he should go if there is no further business here.

[24:50] 1736 tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”

[24:50] 1737 tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.

[24:51] 1738 tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[24:51] 1739 tn Heb “as the Lord has spoken.”

[24:53] 1740 tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:54] 1741 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”

[24:54] 1742 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”

[24:55] 1743 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:56] 1744 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.

[24:56] 1745 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[24:57] 1746 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”

[24:58] 1747 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.

[24:60] 1748 tn Heb “and said to her.”

[24:60] 1749 tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”

[24:60] sn May you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands. The blessing expresses their prayer that she produce children and start a family line that will greatly increase (cf. Gen 17:16).

[24:60] 1750 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). A similar phrase occurs in Gen 22:17.

[24:61] 1751 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”

[24:61] 1752 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:62] 1753 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.

[24:62] 1754 tn Heb “from the way of.”

[24:62] 1755 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” See Gen 16:14.

[24:62] 1756 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.

[24:62] 1757 tn Or “the South [country].”

[24:62] sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[24:63] 1758 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:63] 1759 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).

[24:63] 1760 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”

[24:63] 1761 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.

[24:63] 1762 tn Heb “and look.” The clause introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) invites the audience to view the scene through Isaac’s eyes.

[24:64] 1763 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”

[24:65] 1764 tn Heb “and she said to.”

[24:65] 1765 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:65] 1766 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:67] 1767 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.

[24:67] 1768 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:67] 1769 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”

[24:67] 1770 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.

[25:1] 1771 tn Or “took.”

[25:1] sn Abraham had taken another wife. These events are not necessarily in chronological order following the events of the preceding chapter. They are listed here to summarize Abraham’s other descendants before the narrative of his death.

[25:1] 1772 tn Heb “And Abraham added and took.”

[25:3] 1773 sn The names Sheba and Dedan appear in Gen 10:7 as descendants of Ham through Cush and Raamah. Since these two names are usually interpreted to be place names, one plausible suggestion is that some of Abraham’s descendants lived in those regions and took names linked with it.

[25:4] 1774 tn Or “sons.”

[25:6] 1775 tn Heb “the sons of the concubines who [belonged] to Abraham.”

[25:6] 1776 tn Heb “And he sent them away from upon Isaac his son, while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.”

[25:7] 1777 tn Heb “and these are the days of the years of the lifetime of Abraham that he lived.” The normal genealogical formula is expanded here due to the importance of the life of Abraham.

[25:8] 1778 tn Heb “old and full.”

[25:8] 1779 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.

[25:9] 1780 sn The cave of Machpelah was the place Abraham had purchased as a burial place for his wife Sarah (Gen 23:17-18).

[25:10] 1781 tn See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.

[25:11] 1782 sn God blessed Isaac. The Hebrew verb “bless” in this passage must include all the gifts that God granted to Isaac. But fertility was not one of them, at least not for twenty years, because Rebekah was barren as well (see v. 21).

[25:11] 1783 sn Beer Lahai Roi. See the note on this place name in Gen 24:62.

[25:12] 1784 sn This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).

[25:13] 1785 tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”

[25:16] 1786 tn Or “tribal chieftains.”

[25:17] 1787 tn Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”

[25:17] 1788 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.

[25:18] 1789 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:18] 1790 tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.

[25:18] 1791 tn Heb “as you go.”

[25:18] 1792 sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.

[25:18] 1793 tn Heb “he fell.”

[25:18] 1794 tn Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.

[25:19] 1795 sn This is the account of Isaac. What follows for several chapters is not the account of Isaac, except briefly, but the account of Jacob and Esau. The next chapters tell what became of Isaac and his family.

[25:20] 1796 tn Heb “And Isaac was the son of forty years when he took Rebekah.”

[25:20] 1797 sn Some valuable information is provided here. We learn here that Isaac married thirty-five years before Abraham died, that Rebekah was barren for twenty years, and that Abraham would have lived to see Jacob and Esau begin to grow up. The death of Abraham was recorded in the first part of the chapter as a “tidying up” of one generation before beginning the account of the next.

[25:21] 1798 tn The Hebrew verb עָתַר (’atar), translated “prayed [to]” here, appears in the story of God’s judgment on Egypt in which Moses asked the Lord to remove the plagues. The cognate word in Arabic means “to slaughter for sacrifice,” and the word is used in Zeph 3:10 to describe worshipers who bring offerings. Perhaps some ritual accompanied Isaac’s prayer here.

[25:22] 1799 tn The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.

[25:22] 1800 tn Heb “If [it is] so, why [am] I this [way]?” Rebekah wanted to know what was happening to her, but the question itself reflects a growing despair over the struggle of the unborn children.

[25:22] 1801 sn Asked the Lord. In other passages (e.g., 1 Sam 9:9) this expression refers to inquiring of a prophet, but no details are provided here.

[25:23] 1802 sn By metonymy the two children in her womb are described as two nations of which the two children, Jacob and Esau, would become the fathers. The language suggests there would be a struggle between these nations, with one being stronger than the other. The oracle reveals that all of Jacob’s scheming was unnecessary in the final analysis. He would have become the dominant nation without using deception to steal his brother’s blessing.

[25:24] 1803 tn Heb “And her days were filled to give birth.”

[25:24] 1804 tn Heb “look!” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene as if they were actually present at the birth.

[25:25] 1805 sn Reddish. The Hebrew word translated “reddish” is אַדְמוֹנִי (’admoni), which forms a wordplay on the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. The writer sees in Esau’s appearance at birth a sign of what was to come. After all, the reader has already been made aware of the “nations” that were being born.

[25:25] 1806 tn Heb “all of him.”

[25:25] 1807 sn Hairy. Here is another wordplay involving the descendants of Esau. The Hebrew word translated “hairy” is שֵׂעָר (se’ar); the Edomites will later live in Mount Seir, perhaps named for its wooded nature.

[25:25] 1808 tn Heb “And they called his name Esau.” The name “Esau” (עֵשָׂו, ’esav) is not etymologically related to שֵׂעָר (se’ar), but it draws on some of the sounds.

[25:26] 1809 tn The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.

[25:26] 1810 tn Heb “And he called his name Jacob.” Some ancient witnesses read “they called his name Jacob” (see v. 25). In either case the subject is indefinite.

[25:26] sn The name Jacob is a play on the Hebrew word for “heel” (עָקֵב, ’aqev). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. It did not have a negative connotation until Esau redefined it. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. After receiving such an oracle, the parents would have preserved in memory almost every detail of the unusual births.

[25:26] 1811 tn Heb “the son of sixty years.”

[25:27] 1812 tn Heb “knowing.”

[25:27] 1813 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Jacob with Esau and draws attention to the striking contrasts. In contrast to Esau, a man of the field, Jacob was civilized, as the phrase “living in tents” signifies. Whereas Esau was a skillful hunter, Jacob was calm and even-tempered (תָּם, tam), which normally has the idea of “blameless.”

[25:28] 1814 tn Heb “the taste of game was in his mouth.” The word for “game,” “venison” is here the same Hebrew word as “hunter” in the last verse. Here it is a metonymy, referring to that which the hunter kills.

[25:28] 1815 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Rebekah with Jacob and draws attention to the contrast. The verb here is a participle, drawing attention to Rebekah’s continuing, enduring love for her son.

[25:29] 1816 sn Jacob cooked some stew. There are some significant words and wordplays in this story that help clarify the points of the story. The verb “cook” is זִיד (zid), which sounds like the word for “hunter” (צַיִד, tsayid). This is deliberate, for the hunter becomes the hunted in this story. The word זִיד means “to cook, to boil,” but by the sound play with צַיִד it comes to mean “set a trap by cooking.” The usage of the word shows that it can also have the connotation of acting presumptuously (as in boiling over). This too may be a comment on the scene. For further discussion of the rhetorical devices in the Jacob narratives, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis (SSN).

[25:30] 1817 tn The rare term לָעַט (la’at), translated “feed,” is used in later Hebrew for feeding animals (see Jastrow, 714). If this nuance was attached to the word in the biblical period, then it may depict Esau in a negative light, comparing him to a hungry animal. Famished Esau comes in from the hunt, only to enter the trap. He can only point at the red stew and ask Jacob to feed him.

[25:30] 1818 tn The verb has no expressed subject and so is given a passive translation.

[25:30] 1819 sn Esau’s descendants would eventually be called Edom. Edom was the place where they lived, so-named probably because of the reddish nature of the hills. The writer can use the word “red” to describe the stew that Esau gasped for to convey the nature of Esau and his descendants. They were a lusty, passionate, and profane people who lived for the moment. Again, the wordplay is meant to capture the “omen in the nomen.”

[25:31] 1820 tn Heb “today.”

[25:32] 1821 tn Heb “And what is this to me, a birthright?”

[25:33] 1822 tn Heb “Swear to me today.”

[25:33] 1823 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:33] 1824 sn And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.

[25:34] 1825 sn The style here is typical of Hebrew narrative; after the tension is resolved with the dialogue, the working out of it is recorded in a rapid sequence of verbs (“gave”; “ate”; “drank”; “got up”; “went out”). See also Gen 3:1-7 for another example.

[25:34] 1826 sn So Esau despised his birthright. This clause, which concludes the episode, is a summary statement which reveals the underlying significance of Esau’s actions. “To despise” means to treat something as worthless or with contempt. Esau’s willingness to sell his birthright was evidence that he considered it to be unimportant.

[26:1] 1827 tn Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”

[26:1] 1828 sn This account is parallel to two similar stories about Abraham (see Gen 12:10-20; 20:1-18). Many scholars do not believe there were three similar incidents, only one that got borrowed and duplicated. Many regard the account about Isaac as the original, which then was attached to the more important person, Abraham, with supernatural elements being added. For a critique of such an approach, see R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 47-62. It is more likely that the story illustrates the proverb “like father, like son” (see T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 53). In typical human fashion the son follows his father’s example of lying to avoid problems. The appearance of similar events reported in a similar way underscores the fact that the blessing has now passed to Isaac, even if he fails as his father did.

[26:2] 1829 sn Do not go down to Egypt. The words echo Gen 12:10, which reports that “Abram went down to Egypt,” but state the opposite.

[26:2] 1830 tn Heb “say to you.”

[26:3] 1831 tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur) means “to live temporarily without ownership of land.” Abraham’s family will not actually possess the land of Canaan until the Israelite conquest hundreds of years later.

[26:3] 1832 tn After the imperative “stay” the two prefixed verb forms with prefixed conjunction here indicate consequence.

[26:3] sn I will be with you and I will bless you. The promise of divine presence is a promise to intervene to protect and to bless.

[26:3] 1833 tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[26:3] sn To you and to your descendants. The Abrahamic blessing will pass to Isaac. Everything included in that blessing will now belong to the son, and in turn will be passed on to his sons. But there is a contingency involved: If they are to enjoy the full blessings, they will have to obey the word of the Lord. And so obedience is enjoined here with the example of how well Abraham obeyed.

[26:3] 1834 tn The Hiphil stem of the verb קוּם (qum) here means “to fulfill, to bring to realization.” For other examples of this use of this verb form, see Lev 26:9; Num 23:19; Deut 8:18; 9:5; 1 Sam 1:23; 1 Kgs 6:12; Jer 11:5.

[26:3] 1835 tn Heb “the oath which I swore.”

[26:3] sn The solemn promise I made. See Gen 15:18-20; 22:16-18.

[26:4] 1836 tn Heb “your descendants.”

[26:4] 1837 tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 22:18). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)

[26:5] 1838 tn The words “All this will come to pass” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[26:5] 1839 tn Heb “listened to my voice.”

[26:5] 1840 sn My charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. The language of this verse is clearly interpretive, for Abraham did not have all these laws. The terms are legal designations for sections of the Mosaic law and presuppose the existence of the law. Some Rabbinic views actually conclude that Abraham had fulfilled the whole law before it was given (see m. Qiddushin 4:14). Some scholars argue that this story could only have been written after the law was given (C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:424-25). But the simplest explanation is that the narrator (traditionally taken to be Moses the Lawgiver) elaborated on the simple report of Abraham’s obedience by using terms with which the Israelites were familiar. In this way he depicts Abraham as the model of obedience to God’s commands, whose example Israel should follow.

[26:7] 1841 sn Rebekah, unlike Sarah, was not actually her husband’s sister.

[26:7] 1842 tn Heb “lest.” The words “for he thought to himself” are supplied because the next clause is written with a first person pronoun, showing that Isaac was saying or thinking this.

[26:7] 1843 tn Heb “kill me on account of.”

[26:8] 1844 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:8] 1845 tn Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”

[26:8] 1846 tn Heb “look, Isaac.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene through Abimelech’s eyes.

[26:8] 1847 tn Or “fondling.”

[26:8] sn The Hebrew word מְצַחֵק (mÿtsakheq), from the root צָחַק (tsakhaq, “laugh”), forms a sound play with the name “Isaac” right before it. Here it depicts an action, probably caressing or fondling, that indicated immediately that Rebekah was Isaac’s wife, not his sister. Isaac’s deception made a mockery of God’s covenantal promise. Ignoring God’s promise to protect and bless him, Isaac lied to protect himself and acted in bad faith to the men of Gerar.

[26:9] 1848 tn Heb “Surely, look!” See N. H. Snaith, “The meaning of Hebrew ‘ak,” VT 14 (1964): 221-25.

[26:9] 1849 tn Heb “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’” Since the verb “said” probably means “said to myself” (i.e., “thought”) here, the direct discourse in the Hebrew statement has been converted to indirect discourse in the translation. In addition the simple prepositional phrase “on account of her” has been clarified in the translation as “to get her” (cf. v. 7).

[26:10] 1850 tn Heb “What is this you have done to us?” The Hebrew demonstrative pronoun “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to us?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[26:10] 1851 tn Heb “people.”

[26:10] 1852 tn The Hebrew verb means “to lie down.” Here the expression “lie with” or “sleep with” is euphemistic for “have sexual relations with.”

[26:11] 1853 tn Heb “strikes.” Here the verb has the nuance “to harm in any way.” It would include assaulting the woman or killing the man.

[26:11] 1854 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the imperfect makes the construction emphatic.

[26:12] 1855 tn Heb “a hundredfold.”

[26:12] 1856 tn This final clause explains why Isaac had such a bountiful harvest.

[26:13] 1857 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Isaac’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are included.

[26:13] 1858 tn Heb “and he went, going and becoming great.” The construction stresses that his growth in possessions and power continued steadily.

[26:14] 1859 tn Heb “and there was to him.”

[26:14] 1860 tn Heb “possessions of sheep.”

[26:14] 1861 tn Heb “possessions of cattle.”

[26:14] 1862 tn The Hebrew verb translated “became jealous” refers here to intense jealousy or envy that leads to hostile action (see v. 15).

[26:15] 1863 tn Heb “and the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with dirt.”

[26:16] 1864 tn Heb “Go away from us.”

[26:16] 1865 sn You have become much more powerful. This explanation for the expulsion of Isaac from Philistine territory foreshadows the words used later by the Egyptians to justify their oppression of Israel (see Exod 1:9).

[26:17] 1866 tn Heb “and he camped in the valley of Gerar and he lived there.”

[26:17] sn This valley was actually a wadi (a dry river bed where the water would flow in the rainy season, but this would have been rare in the Negev). The water table under it would have been higher than in the desert because of water soaking in during the torrents, making it easier to find water when digging wells. However, this does not minimize the blessing of the Lord, for the men of the region knew this too, but did not have the same results.

[26:18] 1867 tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”

[26:18] 1868 tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.

[26:18] 1869 tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.

[26:18] 1870 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18] 1871 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18] 1872 tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”

[26:19] 1873 tn Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).

[26:20] 1874 tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.

[26:20] 1875 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:20] 1876 tn Heb “and he called the name of the well.”

[26:20] 1877 sn The name Esek means “argument” in Hebrew. The following causal clause explains that Isaac gave the well this name as a reminder of the conflict its discovery had created. In the Hebrew text there is a wordplay, for the name is derived from the verb translated “argued.”

[26:20] 1878 tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:21] 1879 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21] 1880 tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21] 1881 sn The name Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה, sitnah) is derived from a Hebrew verbal root meaning “to oppose; to be an adversary” (cf. Job 1:6). The name was a reminder that the digging of this well caused “opposition” from the Philistines.

[26:22] 1882 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:22] 1883 tn Heb “and he called its name.”

[26:22] 1884 sn The name Rehoboth (רְהֹבוֹת, rehovot) is derived from a verbal root meaning “to make room.” The name was a reminder that God had made room for them. The story shows Isaac’s patience with the opposition; it also shows how God’s blessing outdistanced the men of Gerar. They could not stop it or seize it any longer.

[26:23] 1885 tn Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:25] 1886 tn Heb “called in the name of.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 21:33). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116.

[26:25] 1887 tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”

[26:26] 1888 tn The disjunctive clause supplies pertinent supplemental information. The past perfect is used because the following narrative records the treaty at Beer Sheba. Prior to this we are told that Isaac settled in Beer Sheba; presumably this treaty would have allowed him to do that. However, it may be that he settled there and then made the treaty by which he renamed the place Beer Sheba. In this case one may translate “Now Abimelech came to him.”

[26:26] 1889 tn Heb “and.”

[26:26] 1890 tn Many modern translations render the Hebrew term מֵרֵעַ (merea’) as “councillor” or “adviser,” but the term may not designate an official position but simply a close personal friend.

[26:27] 1891 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.

[26:28] 1892 tn The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.

[26:28] 1893 tn Heb “And we said, ‘Let there be.’” The direct discourse in the Hebrew text has been rendered as indirect discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:28] 1894 tn The pronoun “us” here is inclusive – it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.

[26:28] 1895 tn The pronoun “us” here is exclusive – it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).

[26:28] 1896 tn The translation assumes that the cohortative expresses their request. Another option is to understand the cohortative as indicating resolve: “We want to make.’”

[26:29] 1897 tn The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”

[26:29] 1898 tn Heb “touched.”

[26:29] 1899 tn Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”

[26:29] 1900 tn Heb “and we sent you away.”

[26:29] 1901 tn The Philistine leaders are making an observation, not pronouncing a blessing, so the translation reads “you are blessed” rather than “may you be blessed” (cf. NAB).

[26:30] 1902 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:30] 1903 tn Heb “and they ate and drank.”

[26:31] 1904 tn Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”

[26:31] 1905 tn Heb “and they went from him in peace.”

[26:32] 1906 tn Heb “and they said to him, ‘We have found water.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:33] 1907 sn The name Shibah (שִׁבְעָה, shiv’ah) means (or at least sounds like) the word meaning “oath.” The name was a reminder of the oath sworn by Isaac and the Philistines to solidify their treaty.

[26:33] 1908 sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of an oath” or “well of seven.” According to Gen 21:31 Abraham gave Beer Sheba its name when he made a treaty with the Philistines. Because of the parallels between this earlier story and the account in 26:26-33, some scholars see chaps. 21 and 26 as two versions (or doublets) of one original story. However, if one takes the text as it stands, it appears that Isaac made a later treaty agreement with the people of the land that was similar to his father’s. Abraham dug a well at the site and named the place Beer Sheba; Isaac dug another well there and named the well Shibah. Later generations then associated the name Beer Sheba with Isaac, even though Abraham gave the place its name at an earlier time.

[26:34] 1909 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.

[26:34] 1910 tn Heb “the son of forty years.”

[26:34] 1911 tn Heb “took as a wife.”

[26:35] 1912 tn Heb “And they were [a source of ] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”

[27:1] 1913 tn The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.

[27:1] 1914 tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”

[27:1] 1915 tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).

[27:1] 1916 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2] 1917 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2] 1918 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.

[27:2] 1919 tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”

[27:3] 1920 tn The Hebrew word is to be spelled either צַיִד (tsayid) following the marginal reading (Qere), or צֵידָה (tsedah) following the consonantal text (Kethib). Either way it is from the same root as the imperative צוּדָה (tsudah, “hunt down”).

[27:4] 1921 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:4] 1922 tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The use of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as the subject emphasizes that the blessing will be made with all Isaac’s desire and vitality. The conjunction “so that” closely relates the meal to the blessing, suggesting that this will be a ritual meal in conjunction with the giving of a formal blessing.

[27:5] 1923 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a conjunction with the subject, followed by the predicate) here introduces a new scene in the story.

[27:5] 1924 tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.

[27:7] 1925 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:7] 1926 tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.

[27:7] 1927 tn In her report to Jacob, Rebekah plays down Isaac’s strong desire to bless Esau by leaving out נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”), but by adding the phrase “in the presence of the Lord,” she stresses how serious this matter is.

[27:8] 1928 tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”

[27:8] 1929 tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”

[27:9] 1930 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:10] 1931 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive. It carries forward the tone of instruction initiated by the command to “go…and get” in the preceding verse.

[27:10] 1932 tn The form is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; it carries the future nuance of the preceding verbs of instruction, but by switching the subject to Jacob, indicates the expected result of the subterfuge.

[27:10] 1933 tn Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:11] 1934 tn Heb “And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, but I am a smooth [skinned] man.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:12] 1935 tn Heb “Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes like a mocker.” The Hebrew expression “I will be in his eyes like” means “I would appear to him as.”

[27:13] 1936 tn Heb “upon me your curse.”

[27:13] 1937 tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”

[27:14] 1938 tn The words “the goats” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:14] 1939 tn Heb “his mother.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “she” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:16] 1940 tn In the Hebrew text the object (“the skins of the young goats”) precedes the verb. The disjunctive clause draws attention to this key element in the subterfuge.

[27:16] 1941 tn The word “hands” probably includes the forearms here. How the skins were attached is not specified in the Hebrew text; cf. NLT “she made him a pair of gloves.”

[27:17] 1942 tn Heb “gave…into the hand of.”

[27:18] 1943 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:18] 1944 sn Which are you, my son? Isaac’s first question shows that the deception is going to require more subterfuge than Rebekah had anticipated. Jacob will have to pull off the deceit.

[27:19] 1945 tn Heb “get up and sit.” This may mean simply “sit up,” or it may indicate that he was to get up from his couch and sit at a table.

[27:19] 1946 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.” These words, though not reported by Rebekah to Jacob (see v. 7) accurately reflect what Isaac actually said to Esau (see v. 4). Perhaps Jacob knew more than Rebekah realized, but it is more likely that this was an idiom for sincere blessing with which Jacob was familiar. At any rate, his use of the precise wording was a nice, convincing touch.

[27:20] 1947 tn Heb “What is this?” The enclitic pronoun “this” adds emphasis to the question, which is comparable to the English rhetorical question, “How in the world?”

[27:20] 1948 tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.

[27:20] 1949 tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”

[27:20] 1950 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Because the Lord your God….’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:21] 1951 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:21] 1952 tn Heb “Are you this one, Esau, my son, or not?” On the use of the interrogative particle here, see BDB 210 s.v. הֲ.

[27:23] 1953 tn Heb “and he blessed him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” (Isaac) and “him” (Jacob) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:24] 1954 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25] 1955 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25] 1956 tn Heb “Bring near to me and I will eat of the wild game, my son.” Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:25] 1957 tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The presence of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as subject emphasizes Isaac’s heartfelt desire to do this. The conjunction indicates that the ritual meal must be first eaten before the formal blessing may be given.

[27:25] 1958 tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25] 1959 tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27] 1960 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27] 1961 tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27] 1962 tn Heb “see.”

[27:28] 1963 tn Heb “and from the dew of the sky.”

[27:28] 1964 tn Heb “and from the fatness.”

[27:29] 1965 tn Heb “and be.” The verb is an imperative, which is used rhetorically in this oracle of blessing. It is an invitation to exercise authority his brothers and indicates that he is granted such authority by the patriarch of the family. Furthermore, the blessing enables the recipient to accomplish this.

[27:29] 1966 tn The Hebrew word is גְבִיר (gevir, “lord, mighty one”). The one being blessed will be stronger and therefore more powerful than his brother. See Gen 25:23. The feminine form of this rare noun means “mistress” or “queen-mother.”

[27:29] 1967 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (which is either an imperfect or a jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:30] 1968 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.

[27:30] 1969 tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was

[27:30] 1970 tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”

[27:31] 1971 tn Heb “and he said to his father”; the referent of “he” (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity, while the words “his father” have been replaced by the pronoun “him” for stylistic reasons.

[27:31] 1972 tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).

[27:31] 1973 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”

[27:32] 1974 tn Heb “said.”

[27:32] 1975 tn Heb “and he said, ‘I [am] your son, your firstborn.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[27:33] 1976 tn Heb “and Isaac trembled with a great trembling to excess.” The verb “trembled” is joined with a cognate accusative, which is modified by an adjective “great,” and a prepositional phrase “to excess.” All of this is emphatic, showing the violence of Isaac’s reaction to the news.

[27:33] 1977 tn Heb “Who then is he who hunted game and brought [it] to me so that I ate from all before you arrived and blessed him?”

[27:34] 1978 tn The temporal clause is introduced with the temporal indicator and has the infinitive as its verb.

[27:34] 1979 tn Heb “and he yelled [with] a great and bitter yell to excess.”

[27:35] 1980 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35] 1981 tn Or “took”; “received.”

[27:36] 1982 tn Heb “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” The rhetorical question, since it expects a positive reply, has been translated as a declarative statement.

[27:36] 1983 sn He has tripped me up. When originally given, the name Jacob was a play on the word “heel” (see Gen 25:26). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. Esau gives the name “Jacob” a negative connotation here, the meaning “to trip up; to supplant.”

[27:38] 1984 tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:38] 1985 tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”

[27:39] 1986 tn Heb “look.”

[27:39] 1987 tn Heb “from the fatness.”

[27:40] 1988 sn You will tear off his yoke from your neck. It may be that this prophetic blessing found its fulfillment when Jerusalem fell and Edom got its revenge. The oracle makes Edom subservient to Israel and suggests the Edomites would live away from the best land and be forced to sustain themselves by violent measures.

[27:41] 1989 tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.

[27:41] 1990 tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”

[27:41] 1991 tn Heb “said in his heart.” The expression may mean “said to himself.” Even if this is the case, v. 42 makes it clear that he must have shared his intentions with someone, because the news reached Rebekah.

[27:41] 1992 tn Heb “days.”

[27:41] 1993 tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.

[27:42] 1994 tn Heb “and the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.”

[27:42] 1995 tn Heb “she sent and called for.”

[27:42] 1996 tn Heb “is consoling himself with respect to you to kill you.” The only way Esau had of dealing with his anger at the moment was to plan to kill his brother after the death of Isaac.

[27:43] 1997 tn Heb “listen to my voice.”

[27:43] 1998 tn Heb “arise, flee.”

[27:44] 1999 tn Heb “a few days.” Rebekah probably downplays the length of time Jacob will be gone, perhaps to encourage him and assure him that things will settle down soon. She probably expects Esau’s anger to die down quickly. However, Jacob ends up being gone twenty years and he never sees Rebekah again.

[27:45] 2000 tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:45] 2001 tn Heb “and I will send and I will take you from there.” The verb “send” has no object in the Hebrew text; one must be supplied in the translation. Either “someone” or “a message” could be supplied, but since in those times a message would require a messenger, “someone” has been used.

[27:45] 2002 tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.

[27:46] 2003 tn Heb “loathe my life.” The Hebrew verb translated “loathe” refers to strong disgust (see Lev 20:23).

[27:46] 2004 tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (see also Gen 23:3), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.

[27:46] 2005 tn Heb “If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, why to me life?”

[28:1] 2006 tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:2] 2007 tn Heb “Arise! Go!” The first of the two imperatives is adverbial and stresses the immediacy of the departure.

[28:3] 2008 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[28:3] 2009 tn Heb “and make you fruitful and multiply you.” See Gen 17:6, 20 for similar terminology.

[28:3] 2010 tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here indicates consequence. The collocation הָיָה + preposition לְ (hayah + lÿ) means “become.”

[28:3] 2011 tn Heb “an assembly of peoples.”

[28:4] 2012 tn Heb “and may he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you.” The name “Abraham” is an objective genitive here; this refers to the blessing that God gave to Abraham.

[28:4] 2013 tn The words “the land” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[28:4] 2014 tn Heb “the land of your sojournings,” that is, the land where Jacob had been living as a resident alien, as his future descendants would after him.

[28:6] 2015 tn Heb “to take for himself from there a wife.”

[28:6] 2016 tn The infinitive construct with the preposition and the suffix form a temporal clause.

[28:6] 2017 tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8] 2018 tn Heb “saw.”

[28:8] 2019 tn Heb “the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8] 2020 tn Heb “evil in the eyes of.”

[28:9] 2021 tn Heb “took for a wife.”

[28:11] 2022 tn Heb “the place.” The article may indicate simply that the place is definite in the mind of the narrator. However, as the story unfolds the place is transformed into a holy place. See A. P. Ross, “Jacob’s Vision: The Founding of Bethel,” BSac 142 (1985): 224-37.

[28:11] 2023 tn Heb “and he spent the night there because the sun had gone down.”

[28:11] 2024 tn Heb “he took from the stones of the place,” which here means Jacob took one of the stones (see v. 18).

[28:11] 2025 tn Heb “and he put [it at] the place of his head.” The text does not actually say the stone was placed under his head to serve as a pillow, although most interpreters and translators assume this. It is possible the stone served some other purpose. Jacob does not seem to have been a committed monotheist yet (see v. 20-21) so he may have believed it contained some spiritual power. Note that later in the story he anticipates the stone becoming the residence of God (see v. 22). Many cultures throughout the world view certain types of stones as magical and/or sacred. See J. G. Fraser, Folklore in the Old Testament, 231-37.

[28:11] 2026 tn Heb “lay down.”

[28:12] 2027 tn Heb “and dreamed.”

[28:12] 2028 tn Heb “and look.” The scene which Jacob witnessed is described in three clauses introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh). In this way the narrator invites the reader to witness the scene through Jacob’s eyes. J. P. Fokkelman points out that the particle goes with a lifted arm and an open mouth: “There, a ladder! Oh, angels! and look, the Lord himself” (Narrative Art in Genesis [SSN], 51-52).

[28:12] 2029 tn The Hebrew noun סֻלָּם (sullam, “ladder, stairway”) occurs only here in the OT, but there appears to be an Akkadian cognate simmiltu (with metathesis of the second and third consonants and a feminine ending) which has a specialized meaning of “stairway, ramp.” See H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 34. For further discussion see C. Houtman, “What Did Jacob See in His Dream at Bethel? Some Remarks on Genesis 28:10-22,” VT 27 (1977): 337-52; J. G. Griffiths, “The Celestial Ladder and the Gate of Heaven,” ExpTim 76 (1964/65): 229-30; and A. R. Millard, “The Celestial Ladder and the Gate of Heaven,” ExpTim 78 (1966/67): 86-87.

[28:13] 2030 tn Heb “the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.” The Hebrew word for “father” can typically be used in a broader sense than the English word, in this case referring to Abraham (who was Jacob’s grandfather). For stylistic reasons and for clarity, the words “your father” are supplied with “Isaac” in the translation.

[28:13] 2031 tn The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets) can mean “[the] earth,” “land,” “region,” “piece of ground,” or “ground” depending on the context. Here the term specifically refers to the plot of ground on which Jacob was lying, but at the same time this stands by metonymy for the entire land of Canaan.

[28:14] 2032 tn This is the same Hebrew word translated “ground” in the preceding verse.

[28:14] 2033 tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew; Jacob is addressed as the representative of his descendants.

[28:14] 2034 tn Theoretically the Niphal stem can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Jacob were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in other formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless (i.e., pronounce blessings upon) themselves/one another.” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 28:14 predicts that Jacob will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae (see Gen 12:2 and 18:18 as well, where Abram/Abraham receives this promise). For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[28:14] 2035 tn Heb “and they will pronounce blessings by you, all the families of the earth, and by your offspring.”

[28:15] 2036 tn Heb “Look, I [am] with you.” The clause is a nominal clause; the verb to be supplied could be present (as in the translation) or future, “Look, I [will be] with you” (cf. NEB).

[28:16] 2037 tn Heb “woke up from his sleep.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[28:16] 2038 tn Heb “said.”

[28:18] 2039 tn Heb “and he got up early…and he took.”

[28:18] 2040 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:18] 2041 tn See the note on this phrase in v. 11.

[28:18] 2042 tn Heb “standing stone.”

[28:18] sn Sacred stone. Such a stone could be used as a boundary marker, a burial stone, or as a shrine. Here the stone is intended to be a reminder of the stairway that was “erected” and on which the Lord “stood.” (In Hebrew the word translated “sacred stone” is derived from the verb translated “erected” in v. 12 and “stood” in v. 13. Since the top of the stairway reached the heavens where the Lord stood, Jacob poured oil on the top of the stone. See C. F. Graesser, “Standing Stones in Ancient Palestine,” BA 35 (1972): 34-63; and E. Stockton, “Sacred Pillars in the Bible,” ABR 20 (1972): 16-32.

[28:19] 2043 tn The name Bethel means “house of God” in Hebrew (see v. 17).

[28:19] map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[28:20] 2044 tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[28:21] 2045 tn Heb “and I return in peace to the house of my father.”

[28:22] 2046 tn The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/subject) is used to highlight the statement.

[28:22] 2047 tn The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb for emphasis.

[28:22] 2048 tn Heb “and all which you give to me I will surely give a tenth of it to you.” The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/object) highlights this statement as well.

[29:1] 2049 tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his feet.” This unusual expression suggests that Jacob had a new lease on life now that God had promised him the blessing he had so desperately tried to gain by his own efforts. The text portrays him as having a new step in his walk.

[29:1] 2050 tn Heb “the land of the sons of the east.”

[29:2] 2051 tn Heb “and he saw, and look.” As in Gen 28:12-15, the narrator uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here and in the next clause to draw the reader into the story.

[29:2] 2052 tn Heb “and look, there.”

[29:2] 2053 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the noun with the prefixed conjunction) provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[29:3] 2054 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the shepherds) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:5] 2055 tn Heb “son.”

[29:5] 2056 tn Heb “and they said, ‘We know.’” The word “him” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the translation several introductory clauses throughout this section have been placed after the direct discourse they introduce for stylistic reasons as well.

[29:6] 2057 tn Heb “and he said to them, ‘Is there peace to him?’”

[29:6] 2058 tn Heb “peace.”

[29:7] 2059 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:7] 2060 tn Heb “the day is great.”

[29:7] 2061 tn Heb “water the sheep and go and pasture [them].” The verbal forms are imperatives, but Jacob would hardly be giving direct orders to someone else’s shepherds. The nuance here is probably one of advice.

[29:8] 2062 tn The perfect verbal forms with the vav (ו) consecutive carry on the sequence begun by the initial imperfect form.

[29:9] 2063 tn Heb “was a shepherdess.”

[29:10] 2064 tn Heb “Laban, the brother of his mother” (twice in this verse).

[29:10] 2065 tn Heb “Jacob.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:10] 2066 tn Heb “drew near, approached.”

[29:10] 2067 tn Heb “Laban, the brother of his mother.” The text says nothing initially about the beauty of Rachel. But the reader is struck by the repetition of “Laban the brother of his mother.” G. J. Wenham is no doubt correct when he observes that Jacob’s primary motive at this stage is to ingratiate himself with Laban (Genesis [WBC], 2:231).

[29:11] 2068 tn Heb “and he lifted up his voice and wept.” The idiom calls deliberate attention to the fact that Jacob wept out loud.

[29:12] 2069 tn Heb “declared.”

[29:12] 2070 tn Heb “that he [was] the brother of her father.”

[29:13] 2071 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:13] 2072 tn Heb “and he told to Laban all these things.” This might mean Jacob told Laban how he happened to be there, but Laban’s response (see v. 14) suggests “all these things” refers to what Jacob had previously told Rachel (see v. 12).

[29:14] 2073 tn Heb “indeed, my bone and my flesh are you.” The expression sounds warm enough, but the presence of “indeed” may suggest that Laban had to be convinced of Jacob’s identity before permitting him to stay. To be one’s “bone and flesh” is to be someone’s blood relative. For example, the phrase describes the relationship between Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg 9:2; his mother was a Shechemite); David and the Israelites (2 Sam 5:1); David and the elders of Judah (2 Sam 19:12,); and David and his nephew Amasa (2 Sam 19:13, see 2 Sam 17:2; 1 Chr 2:16-17).

[29:14] 2074 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:14] 2075 tn Heb “a month of days.”

[29:15] 2076 tn The verb is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; the nuance in the question is deliberative.

[29:15] 2077 tn Heb “my brother.” The term “brother” is used in a loose sense; actually Jacob was Laban’s nephew.

[29:16] 2078 tn Heb “and to Laban [there were] two daughters.” The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a conjunction and a prepositional phrase) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, vv. 16-17 have been set in parentheses in the translation.

[29:17] 2079 tn Heb “and the eyes of Leah were tender.” The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a conjunction and a noun) continues the parenthesis begun in v. 16. It is not clear what is meant by “tender” (or “delicate”) eyes. The expression may mean she had appealing eyes (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT), though some suggest that they were plain, not having the brightness normally expected. Either way, she did not measure up to her gorgeous sister.

[29:17] 2080 tn Heb “and Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.”

[29:18] 2081 tn Heb “Jacob loved.”

[29:19] 2082 tn Heb “Better my giving her to you than my giving her to another man.”

[29:20] 2083 tn Heb “in exchange for Rachel.”

[29:20] 2084 sn But they seemed like only a few days to him. This need not mean that the time passed quickly. More likely it means that the price seemed insignificant when compared to what he was getting in the bargain.

[29:20] 2085 tn Heb “because of his love for her.” The words “was so great” are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[29:21] 2086 tn Heb “and Jacob said.”

[29:21] 2087 tn Heb “my days are fulfilled.”

[29:21] 2088 tn Heb “and I will go in to her.” The verb is a cohortative; it may be subordinated to the preceding request, “that I may go in,” or it may be an independent clause expressing his desire. The verb “go in” in this context refers to sexual intercourse (i.e., the consummation of the marriage).

[29:22] 2089 tn Heb “men.”

[29:23] 2090 tn Heb “and it happened in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her.”

[29:23] sn His daughter Leah. Laban’s deception of Jacob by giving him the older daughter instead of the younger was God’s way of disciplining the deceiver who tricked his older brother. D. Kidner says this account is “the very embodiment of anti-climax, and this moment a miniature of man’s disillusion, experienced from Eden onwards” (Genesis [TOTC], 160). G. von Rad notes, “That Laban secretly gave the unloved Leah to the man in love was, to be sure, a monstrous blow, a masterpiece of shameless treachery…It was certainly a move by which he won for himself far and wide the coarsest laughter” (Genesis [OTL], 291).

[29:23] 2091 tn Heb “to him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23] 2092 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23] 2093 tn Heb “went in to her.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.

[29:24] 2094 tn Heb “and Laban gave to her Zilpah his female servant, to Leah his daughter [for] a servant.” This clause gives information parenthetical to the narrative.

[29:25] 2095 tn Heb “and it happened in the morning that look, it was Leah.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.

[29:25] 2096 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:25] 2097 tn Heb What is this you have done to me?” The use of the pronoun “this” is enclitic, adding emphasis to the question: “What in the world have you done to me?”

[29:25] 2098 sn The Hebrew verb translated tricked here (רָמָה, ramah) is cognate to the noun used in Gen 27:35 to describe Jacob’s deception of Esau. Jacob is discovering that what goes around, comes around. See J. A. Diamond, “The Deception of Jacob: A New Perspective on an Ancient Solution to the Problem,” VT 34 (1984): 211-13.

[29:26] 2099 tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘It is not done so in our place.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:26] 2100 tn Heb “to give the younger.” The words “daughter” and “in marriage” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[29:27] 2101 tn Heb “fulfill the period of seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as “my older daughter” for clarity.

[29:27] sn Bridal week. An ancient Hebrew marriage ceremony included an entire week of festivities (cf. Judg 14:12).

[29:27] 2102 tn Heb “this other one.”

[29:27] 2103 tn Heb “and we will give to you also this one in exchange for labor which you will work with me, still seven other years.”

[29:27] sn In exchange for seven more years of work. See C. H. Gordon, “The Story of Jacob and Laban in the Light of the Nuzi Tablets,” BASOR 66 (1937): 25-27; and J. Van Seters, “Jacob’s Marriages and Ancient Near Eastern Customs: A Reassessment,” HTR 62 (1969): 377-95.

[29:28] 2104 tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:28] 2105 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:28] 2106 tn Heb “the seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as Leah to avoid confusion with Rachel, mentioned later in the verse.

[29:28] 2107 tn Heb “and he gave to him Rachel his daughter for him for a wife.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:29] 2108 tn Heb “and Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female servant, for her for a servant.”

[29:30] 2109 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30] 2110 tn Heb “went in also to Rachel.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.

[29:30] 2111 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30] 2112 tn Heb “and he loved also Rachel, more than Leah, and he served with him still seven other years.”

[29:31] 2113 tn Heb “hated.” The rhetorical device of overstatement is used (note v. 30, which says simply that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah) to emphasize that Rachel, as Jacob’s true love and the primary object of his affections, had an advantage over Leah.

[29:31] 2114 tn Heb “he opened up her womb.”

[29:32] 2115 tn Or “Leah conceived” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35).

[29:32] 2116 sn The name Reuben (רְאוּבֵן, rÿ’uven) means “look, a son.”

[29:32] 2117 tn Heb “looked on my affliction.”

[29:32] sn Leah’s explanation of the name Reuben reflects a popular etymology, not an exact one. The name means literally “look, a son.” Playing on the Hebrew verb “look,” she observes that the Lord has “looked” with pity on her oppressed condition. See further S. R. Driver, Genesis, 273.

[29:33] 2118 tn Heb “hated.” See the note on the word “unloved” in v. 31.

[29:33] 2119 sn The name Simeon (שִׁמְעוֹן, shim’on) is derived from the verbal root שָׁמַע (shama’) and means “hearing.” The name is appropriate since it is reminder that the Lord “heard” about Leah’s unloved condition and responded with pity.

[29:34] 2120 tn Heb “will be joined to me.”

[29:34] 2121 sn The name Levi (לֵוִי, levi), the precise meaning of which is debated, was appropriate because it sounds like the verb לָוָה (lavah, “to join”), used in the statement recorded earlier in the verse.

[29:35] 2122 sn The name Judah (יְהוּדָה, yÿhudah) means “he will be praised” and reflects the sentiment Leah expresses in the statement recorded earlier in the verse. For further discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names ‘Israel’ and ‘Judah’ with an Excursus on the Etymology of Todah and Torah,” JBL 46 (1927): 151-85; and A. R. Millard, “The Meaning of the Name Judah,” ZAW 86 (1974): 216-18.

[30:1] 2123 tn Heb “Rachel.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:1] 2124 tn Heb “sons.”

[30:2] 2125 tn Heb “and the anger of Jacob was hot.”

[30:2] 2126 tn Heb “who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb.”

[30:3] 2127 tn Heb “go in to.” The expression “go in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:3] 2128 tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates the immediate purpose of the proposed activity.

[30:3] 2129 tn The word “children” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:3] 2130 tn Heb “upon my knees.” This is an idiomatic way of saying that Bilhah will be simply a surrogate mother. Rachel will adopt the child as her own.

[30:3] 2131 tn Heb “and I will be built up, even I, from her.” The prefixed verbal form with the conjunction is subordinated to the preceding prefixed verbal form and gives the ultimate purpose for the proposed action. The idiom of “built up” here refers to having a family (see Gen 16:2, as well as Ruth 4:11 and BDB 125 s.v. בָנָה).

[30:4] 2132 tn Heb “and she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:4] 2133 tn Heb “went in to.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:5] 2134 tn Or “Bilhah conceived” (also in v. 7).

[30:5] 2135 tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:6] 2136 tn Heb “and also he has heard my voice.” The expression means that God responded positively to Rachel’s cry and granted her request.

[30:6] 2137 tn Or “therefore.”

[30:6] 2138 sn The name Dan means “he vindicated” or “he judged.” The name plays on the verb used in the statement which appears earlier in the verse. The verb translated “vindicated” is from דִּין (din, “to judge, to vindicate”), the same verbal root from which the name is derived. Rachel sensed that God was righting the wrong.

[30:7] 2139 tn Heb “and she became pregnant again and Bilhah, the servant of Rachel, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:8] 2140 tn Heb “[with] a mighty struggle I have struggled with my sister, also I have prevailed.” The phrase “mighty struggle” reads literally “struggles of God.” The plural participle “struggles” reflects the ongoing nature of the struggle, while the divine name is used here idiomatically to emphasize the intensity of the struggle. See J. Skinner, Genesis (ICC), 387.

[30:8] 2141 sn The name Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי, naftali) must mean something like “my struggle” in view of the statement Rachel made in the preceding clause. The name plays on this earlier statement, “[with] a mighty struggle I have struggled with my sister.”

[30:9] 2142 tn Heb “she took her servant Zilpah and gave her.” The verbs “took” and “gave” are treated as a hendiadys in the translation: “she gave.”

[30:10] 2143 tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:11] 2144 tc The statement in the Kethib (consonantal text) appears to mean literally “with good fortune,” if one takes the initial בְּ (bet) as a preposition indicating accompaniment. The Qere (marginal reading) means “good fortune has arrived.”

[30:11] 2145 sn The name Gad (גָּד, gad) means “good fortune.” The name reflects Leah’s feeling that good fortune has come her way, as expressed in her statement recorded earlier in the verse.

[30:12] 2146 tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:13] 2147 tn The Hebrew statement apparently means “with my happiness.”

[30:13] 2148 tn Heb “daughters.”

[30:13] 2149 sn The name Asher (אָשֶׁר, ’asher) apparently means “happy one.” The name plays on the words used in the statement which appears earlier in the verse. Both the Hebrew noun and verb translated “happy” and “call me happy,” respectively, are derived from the same root as the name Asher.

[30:14] 2150 tn Heb “during the days.”

[30:14] 2151 sn Mandrake plants were popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac in the culture of the time.

[30:15] 2152 tn Heb “and she said to her”; the referent of the pronoun “she” (Leah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:15] 2153 tn Heb “therefore.”

[30:15] 2154 tn Heb “lie down.” The expression “lie down with” in this context (here and in the following verse) refers to sexual intercourse. The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.

[30:16] 2155 tn Heb “must come in to me.” The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. She has acquired him for the night and feels he is obligated to have sexual relations with her.

[30:16] 2156 tn Heb “I have surely hired.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verbal form for emphasis. The name Issachar (see v. 18) seems to be related to this expression.

[30:16] 2157 tn This is the same Hebrew verb (שָׁכַב, shakhav) translated “sleep with” in v. 15. In direct discourse the more euphemistic “sleep with” was used, but here in the narrative “marital relations” reflects more clearly the emphasis on sexual intercourse.

[30:17] 2158 tn Heb “listened to.”

[30:17] 2159 tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 19).

[30:17] 2160 tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a fifth son,” i.e., this was the fifth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:18] 2161 tn Heb “God has given my reward.”

[30:18] 2162 tn The words “as a wife” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarity (cf. v. 9).

[30:18] sn Leah seems to regard the act of giving her servant Zilpah to her husband as a sacrifice, for which (she believes) God is now rewarding her with the birth of a son.

[30:18] 2163 sn The name Issachar (יְשָּׁשכָר, yishakhar) appears to mean “man of reward” or possibly “there is reward.” The name plays on the word used in the statement made earlier in the verse. The Hebrew noun translated “reward” is derived from the same root as the name Issachar. The irony is that Rachel thought the mandrakes would work for her, and she was willing to trade one night for them. But in that one night Leah became pregnant.

[30:19] 2164 tn Heb “and she bore a sixth son for Jacob,” i.e., this was the sixth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:20] 2165 sn The name Zebulun (זְבֻלוּן, zevulun) apparently means “honor.” The name plays on the verb used in the statement made earlier in the verse. The Hebrew verb translated “will honor” and the name Zebulun derive from the same root.

[30:22] 2166 tn Heb “remembered.”

[30:22] 2167 tn Heb “and God listened to her and opened up her womb.” Since “God” is the subject of the previous clause, the noun has been replaced by the pronoun “he” in the translation for stylistic reasons

[30:23] 2168 tn Or “conceived.”

[30:23] 2169 tn Heb “my reproach.” A “reproach” is a cutting taunt or painful ridicule, but here it probably refers by metonymy to Rachel’s barren condition, which was considered shameful in this culture and was the reason why she was the object of taunting and ridicule.

[30:24] 2170 sn The name Joseph (יוֹסֵף, yoseph) means “may he add.” The name expresses Rachel’s desire to have an additional son. In Hebrew the name sounds like the verb (אָסַף,’asasf) translated “taken away” in the earlier statement made in v. 23. So the name, while reflecting Rachel’s hope, was also a reminder that God had removed her shame.

[30:25] 2171 tn The perfect verbal form is translated as a past perfect because Rachel’s giving birth to Joseph preceded Jacob’s conversation with Laban.

[30:25] 2172 tn The imperatival form here expresses a request.

[30:25] sn For Jacob to ask to leave would mean that seven more years had passed. Thus all Jacob’s children were born within the range of seven years of each other, with Joseph coming right at the end of the seven years.

[30:25] 2173 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:25] 2174 tn Heb “to my place and to my land.”

[30:26] 2175 tn Heb “give my wives and my children, for whom I have served you.” In one sense Laban had already “given” Jacob his two daughters as wives (Gen 29:21, 28). Here Jacob was asking for permission to take his own family along with him on the journey back to Canaan.

[30:26] 2176 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:26] 2177 tn Heb “for you, you know my service [with] which I have served you.”

[30:27] 2178 tn The words “please stay here” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[30:27] 2179 tn Or perhaps “I have grown rich and the Lord has blessed me” (cf. NEB). See J. Finkelstein, “An Old Babylonian Herding Contract and Genesis 31:38f.,” JAOS 88 (1968): 34, n. 19.

[30:28] 2180 tn Heb “set your wage for me so I may give [it].”

[30:29] 2181 tn Heb “and he said to him, ‘You know how I have served you.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons, and the referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:29] 2182 tn Heb “and how your cattle were with me.”

[30:30] 2183 tn Or “for.”

[30:30] 2184 tn Heb “before me.”

[30:30] 2185 tn Heb “and it has broken out with respect to abundance.”

[30:30] 2186 tn Heb “at my foot.”

[30:30] 2187 tn Heb “How long [until] I do, also I, for my house?”

[30:31] 2188 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:31] 2189 tn The negated imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance.

[30:31] 2190 tn The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:31] 2191 tn Heb “If you do for me this thing.”

[30:31] 2192 tn Heb “I will return, I will tend,” an idiom meaning “I will continue tending.”

[30:32] 2193 tn Heb “pass through.”

[30:32] 2194 tn Or “every black lamb”; Heb “and every dark sheep among the lambs.”

[30:32] 2195 tn Heb “and the spotted and speckled among the goats.”

[30:32] 2196 tn Heb “and it will be my wage.” The referent collective singular pronoun (“it) has been specified as “these animals” in the translation for clarity.

[30:33] 2197 tn Heb “will answer on my behalf.”

[30:33] 2198 tn Heb “on the following day,” or “tomorrow.”

[30:33] 2199 tn Heb “when you come concerning my wage before you.”

[30:33] sn Only the wage we agreed on. Jacob would have to be considered completely honest here, for he would have no control over the kind of animals born; and there could be no disagreement over which animals were his wages.

[30:33] 2200 tn Heb “every one which is not speckled and spotted among the lambs and dark among the goats, stolen it is with me.”

[30:34] 2201 tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘Good, let it be according to your word.’” On the asseverative use of the particle לוּ (lu) here, see HALOT 521 s.v. לוּ.

[30:35] 2202 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:35] 2203 tn Heb “and he gave [them] into the hand.”

[30:36] 2204 tn Heb “and he put a journey of three days between himself and Jacob.”

[30:36] sn Three days’ traveling distance from Jacob. E. A. Speiser observes, “Laban is delighted with the terms, and promptly proceeds to violate the spirit of the bargain by removing to a safe distance all the grown animals that would be likely to produce the specified spots” (Genesis [AB], 238). Laban apparently thought that by separating out the spotted, striped, and dark colored animals he could minimize the production of spotted, striped, or dark offspring that would then belong to Jacob.

[30:36] 2205 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the vav with subject) is circumstantial/temporal; Laban removed the animals while Jacob was taking care of the rest.

[30:38] 2206 sn He put the branches in front of the flocks…when they came to drink. It was generally believed that placing such “visual aids” before the animals as they were mating, it was possible to influence the appearance of their offspring. E. A. Speiser notes that “Jacob finds a way to outwit his father-in-law, through prenatal conditioning of the flock by visual aids – in conformance with universal folk beliefs” (Genesis [AB], 238). Nevertheless, in spite of Jacob’s efforts at animal husbandry, he still attributes the resulting success to God (see 31:5).

[30:39] 2207 tn The Hebrew verb used here can mean “to be in heat” (see v. 38) or “to mate; to conceive; to become pregnant.” The latter nuance makes better sense in this verse, for the next clause describes them giving birth.

[30:39] 2208 tn Heb “the sheep.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“they”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:40] 2209 tn Heb “and he set the faces of.”

[30:41] 2210 tn Heb “and at every breeding-heat of the flock.”

[30:42] 2211 tn Heb “he did not put [them] in.” The referent of the [understood] direct object, “them,” has been specified as “the branches” in the translation for clarity.

[30:42] 2212 tn Heb “were for Laban.”

[30:43] 2213 tn Heb “the man”; Jacob’s name has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[30:43] 2214 tn Heb “and there were to him.”

[31:1] 2215 tn Heb “and he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying.”

[31:1] 2216 sn The Hebrew word translated “gotten rich” (כָּבוֹד, cavod) has the basic idea of “weight.” If one is heavy with possessions, then that one is wealthy (13:2). Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph all became wealthy when they left the promised land. Jacob’s wealth foreshadows what will happen to Israel when they leave the land of Egypt (Exod 12:35-38).

[31:1] 2217 tn Heb “and from that which belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth.”

[31:2] 2218 tn Heb “and Jacob saw the face of Laban, and look, he was not with him as formerly.” Jacob knew from the expression on Laban’s face that his attitude toward him had changed – Jacob had become persona non grata.

[31:3] 2219 tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

[31:3] 2220 sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the Lord promised to be.

[31:4] 2221 tn Heb “sent and called for Rachel and for Leah.” Jacob did not go in person, but probably sent a servant with a message for his wives to meet him in the field.

[31:4] 2222 tn Heb “the field.” The word is an adverbial accusative, indicating that this is where Jacob wanted them to meet him. The words “to come to” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.

[31:4] 2223 tn Heb “to his flock.”

[31:5] 2224 tn Heb “I see the face of your father, that he is not toward me as formerly.”

[31:6] 2225 tn Heb “with all my strength.”

[31:7] 2226 tn This rare verb means “to make a fool of” someone. It involves deceiving someone so that their public reputation suffers (see Exod 8:25).

[31:8] 2227 tn In the protasis (“if” section) of this conditional clause, the imperfect verbal form has a customary nuance – whatever he would say worked to Jacob’s benefit.

[31:8] 2228 tn Heb “speckled” (twice this verse). The word “animals” (after the first occurrence of “speckled”) and “offspring” (after the second) have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The same two terms (“animals” and “offspring”) have been supplied after the two occurrences of “streaked” later in this verse.

[31:10] 2229 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator, “and it happened at the time of.”

[31:10] 2230 tn Heb “in the time of the breeding of the flock I lifted up my eyes and I saw.”

[31:10] 2231 tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:12] 2232 tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”

[31:12] 2233 tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:13] 2234 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[31:13] 2235 sn You anointed the sacred stone. In Gen 28:18 the text simply reported that Jacob poured oil on top of the stone. Now that pouring is interpreted by the Lord as an anointing. Jacob had consecrated the place.

[31:13] 2236 sn And made a vow to me. The second clause reminds Jacob of the vow he made to the Lord when he anointed the stone (Gen 28:20-22). God is now going to take him back to the land, and so he will have to fulfill his vow.

[31:13] 2237 tn Heb “arise, leave!” The first imperative draws attention to the need for immediate action.

[31:13] sn Leave this land immediately. The decision to leave was a wise one in view of the changed attitude in Laban and his sons. But more than that, it was the will of God. Jacob needed to respond to God’s call – the circumstances simply made it easier.

[31:14] 2238 tn The two nouns may form a hendiadys, meaning “a share in the inheritance” or “a portion to inherit.”

[31:15] 2239 tn Heb “and he devoured, even devouring.” The infinitive absolute (following the finite verb here) is used for emphasis.

[31:15] sn He sold us and…wasted our money. The precise nature of Rachel’s and Leah’s complaint is not entirely clear. Since Jacob had to work to pay for them, they probably mean that their father has cheated Jacob and therefore cheated them as well. See M. Burrows, “The Complaint of Laban’s Daughters,” JAOS 57 (1937): 250-76.

[31:15] 2240 tn Heb “our money.” The word “money” is used figuratively here; it means the price paid for Leah and Rachel. A literal translation (“our money”) makes it sound as if Laban wasted money that belonged to Rachel and Leah, rather than the money paid for them.

[31:17] 2241 tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”

[31:18] 2242 tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.

[31:18] 2243 tn Heb “and he led away all his cattle and all his moveable property which he acquired, the cattle he obtained, which he acquired in Paddan Aram to go to Isaac his father to the land of Canaan.”

[31:19] 2244 tn This disjunctive clause (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new scene. In the English translation it may be subordinated to the following clause.

[31:19] 2245 tn Or “household gods.” Some translations merely transliterate the Hebrew term תְּרָפִים (tÿrafim) as “teraphim,” which apparently refers to household idols. Some contend that possession of these idols guaranteed the right of inheritance, but it is more likely that they were viewed simply as protective deities. See M. Greenberg, “Another Look at Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim,” JBL 81 (1962): 239-48.

[31:20] 2246 tn Heb “stole the heart of,” an expression which apparently means “to deceive.” The repetition of the verb “to steal” shows that Jacob and Rachel are kindred spirits. Any thought that Laban would have resigned himself to their departure was now out of the question.

[31:20] 2247 tn Heb “fleeing,” which reflects Jacob’s viewpoint.

[31:21] 2248 tn Heb “and he fled.”

[31:21] 2249 tn Heb “he arose and crossed.” The first verb emphasizes that he wasted no time in getting across.

[31:21] 2250 tn Heb “the river”; the referent (the Euphrates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:21] 2251 tn Heb “he set his face.”

[31:22] 2252 tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”

[31:23] 2253 tn Heb “his brothers.”

[31:23] 2254 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:23] 2255 tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”

[31:23] 2256 tn Heb “drew close to.”

[31:24] 2257 tn Heb “said to him.”

[31:24] 2258 tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:24] 2259 tn Heb “lest you speak with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 29, is uncertain. Since Laban proceeded to speak to Jacob at length, it cannot mean to maintain silence. Nor does it seem to be a prohibition against criticism (see vv. 26-30). Most likely it refers to a formal pronouncement, whether it be a blessing or a curse. Laban was to avoid saying anything to Jacob that would be intended to enhance him or to harm him.

[31:25] 2260 tn Heb “and Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban pitched with his brothers in the hill country of Gilead.” The juxtaposition of disjunctive clauses (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb in both clauses) indicates synchronism of action.

[31:26] 2261 tn Heb “and you have stolen my heart.” This expression apparently means “to deceive” (see v. 20).

[31:26] 2262 tn Heb “and you have led away my daughters like captives of a sword.”

[31:27] 2263 tn Heb “Why did you hide in order to flee?” The verb “hide” and the infinitive “to flee” form a hendiadys, the infinitive becoming the main verb and the other the adverb: “flee secretly.”

[31:27] 2264 tn Heb “and steal me.”

[31:27] 2265 tn Heb “And [why did] you not tell me so I could send you off with joy and with songs, with a tambourine and with a harp?”

[31:28] 2266 tn Heb “my sons and my daughters.” Here “sons” refers to “grandsons,” and has been translated “grandchildren” since at least one granddaughter, Dinah, was involved. The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:29] 2267 tn Heb “there is to my hand.”

[31:29] 2268 tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:29] 2269 tn Heb “from speaking with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 24, is uncertain. See the note on the same phrase in v. 24.

[31:30] 2270 tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[31:30] 2271 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.

[31:30] 2272 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.

[31:30] 2273 sn Yet why did you steal my gods? This last sentence is dropped into the speech rather suddenly. See C. Mabee, “Jacob and Laban: The Structure of Judicial Proceedings,” VT 30 (1980): 192-207, and G. W. Coats, “Self-Abasement and Insult Formulas,” JBL 91 (1972): 90-92.

[31:31] 2274 tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘Because I was afraid.’” This statement is a not a response to the question about Laban’s household gods that immediately precedes, but to the earlier question about Jacob’s motivation for leaving so quickly and secretly (see v. 27). For this reason the words “I left secretly” are supplied in the translation to indicate the connection to Laban’s earlier question in v. 27. Additionally the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:31] 2275 tn Heb “for I said.”

[31:31] 2276 tn Heb “lest you steal your daughters from with me.”

[31:32] 2277 tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”

[31:32] 2278 tn Heb “brothers.”

[31:32] 2279 tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”

[31:32] 2280 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, it has been placed in parentheses in the translation.

[31:33] 2281 tn No direct object is specified for the verb “find” in the Hebrew text. The words “the idols” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:33] 2282 tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”

[31:34] 2283 tn The “camel’s saddle” was probably some sort of basket-saddle, a cushioned saddle with a basket bound on. Cf. NAB “inside a camel cushion.”

[31:34] 2284 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.

[31:34] 2285 tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:35] 2286 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:35] 2287 tn Heb “let it not be hot in the eyes of my lord.” This idiom refers to anger, in this case as a result of Rachel’s failure to stand in the presence of her father as a sign of respect.

[31:35] 2288 tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”

[31:35] 2289 tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.

[31:35] 2290 tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.

[31:36] 2291 tn Heb “it was hot to Jacob.” This idiom refers to anger.

[31:36] 2292 tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘What is my sin?’” The proper name “Jacob” has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation and the order of the introductory clause and direct discourse rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[31:36] 2293 tn Heb “What is my sin that you have hotly pursued after me.” The Hebrew verb translated “pursue hotly” is used elsewhere of soldiers chasing defeated enemies (1 Sam 17:53).

[31:37] 2294 tn Heb “what did you find from all the goods of your house?”

[31:37] 2295 tn Heb “your relatives.” The word “relatives” has not been repeated in the translation here for stylistic reasons.

[31:37] 2296 tn Heb “that they may decide between us two.”

[31:39] 2297 tn The imperfect verbal form indicates that this was a customary or typical action.

[31:39] 2298 tn Heb “from my hand you exacted it.” The imperfect verbal form again indicates that this was a customary or typical action. The words “for every missing animal” are supplied in the translation for clarity; the following clause in Hebrew, “stolen by day or stolen by night,” probably means “stolen by wild beasts” and refers to the same animals “torn by wild beasts” in the previous clause, although it may refer to animals stolen by people. The translation used here, “missing,” is ambiguous enough to cover either eventuality.

[31:40] 2299 tn Or “by drought.”

[31:40] 2300 tn Heb “frost, ice,” though when contrasted with the חֹרֶב (khorev, “drought, parching heat”) of the day, “piercing cold” is more appropriate as a contrast.

[31:40] 2301 tn Heb “and my sleep fled from my eyes.”

[31:41] 2302 tn Heb “this to me.”

[31:41] 2303 tn Heb “served you,” but in this accusatory context the meaning is more “worked like a slave.”

[31:42] 2304 tn Heb “the fear of Isaac,” that is, the one whom Isaac feared and respected. For further discussion of this title see M. Malul, “More on pahad yitschaq (Gen. 31:42,53) and the Oath by the Thigh,” VT 35 (1985): 192-200.

[31:42] 2305 tn Heb “My oppression and the work of my hands God saw.”

[31:43] 2306 tn Heb “answered and said.”

[31:43] 2307 tn Heb “daughters.”

[31:43] 2308 tn Heb “children.”

[31:43] 2309 tn Heb “but to my daughters what can I do to these today?”

[31:44] 2310 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[31:44] 2311 tn The verb הָיָה (hayah) followed by the preposition לְ (lÿ) means “become.”

[31:44] 2312 tn Heb “and it will become a witness between me and you.”

[31:46] 2313 tn Heb “Jacob”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:46] 2314 sn The Hebrew word for “pile” is גַּל (gal), which sounds like the name “Galeed” (גַּלְעֵד, gal’ed). See v. 48.

[31:47] 2315 sn Jegar Sahadutha. Laban the Aramean gave the place an Aramaic name which means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness.”

[31:47] 2316 sn Galeed also means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness,” but this name is Canaanite or Western Semitic and closer to later Hebrew. Jacob, though certainly capable of speaking Aramaic, here prefers to use the western dialect.

[31:48] 2317 tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”

[31:49] 2318 tn Heb “and Mizpah.”

[31:49] 2319 sn The name Mizpah (מִצְפָּה, mitspah), which means “watchpost,” sounds like the verb translated “may he watch” (יִצֶף, yitsef). Neither Laban nor Jacob felt safe with each other, and so they agreed to go their separate ways, trusting the Lord to keep watch at the border. Jacob did not need this treaty, but Laban, perhaps because he had lost his household gods, felt he did.

[31:49] 2320 tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:49] 2321 tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”

[31:50] 2322 tn Heb “see.”

[31:50] 2323 tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:51] 2324 tn Heb “and Laban said to Jacob, ‘Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between men and you.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:52] 2325 tn Heb “This pile is a witness and the pillar is a witness, if I go past this pile to you and if you go past this pile and this pillar to me for harm.”

[31:53] 2326 tn The God of Abraham and the god of Nahor. The Hebrew verb translated “judge” is plural, suggesting that Laban has more than one “god” in mind. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, apparently in an effort to make the statement monotheistic, have a singular verb. In this case one could translate, “May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” However, Laban had a polytheistic world view, as evidenced by his possession of household idols (cf. 31:19). The translation uses “God” when referring to Abraham’s God, for Genesis makes it clear that Abraham worshiped the one true God. It employs “god” when referring to Nahor’s god, for in the Hebrew text Laban refers to a different god here, probably one of the local deities.

[31:53] 2327 tn Heb “by the fear of his father Isaac.” See the note on the word “fears” in v. 42.

[31:54] 2328 tn The construction is a cognate accusative with the verb, expressing a specific sacrifice.

[31:54] 2329 tn Heb “bread, food.” Presumably this was a type of peace offering, where the person bringing the offering ate the animal being sacrificed.

[31:55] 2330 sn Beginning with 31:55, the verse numbers in the English Bible through 32:32 differ by one from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 31:55 ET = 32:1 HT, 32:1 ET = 32:2 HT, etc., through 32:32 ET = 32:33 HT. From 33:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.

[31:55] 2331 tn Heb “and Laban got up early in the morning and he kissed.”

[31:55] 2332 tn Heb “his sons.”

[31:55] 2333 tn Heb “to his place.”

[32:1] 2334 sn The phrase angels of God occurs only here and in Gen 28:12 in the OT. Jacob saw a vision of angels just before he left the promised land. Now he encounters angels as he prepares to return to it. The text does not give the details of the encounter, but Jacob’s response suggests it was amicable. This location was a spot where heaven made contact with earth, and where God made his presence known to the patriarch. See C. Houtman, “Jacob at Mahanaim: Some Remarks on Genesis XXXII 2-3,” VT 28 (1978): 37-44.

[32:2] 2335 tn Heb “and Jacob said when he saw them.”

[32:2] 2336 sn The name Mahanaim apparently means “two camps.” Perhaps the two camps were those of God and of Jacob.

[32:3] 2337 tn Heb “before him.”

[32:3] 2338 tn Heb “field.”

[32:4] 2339 sn Your servant. The narrative recounts Jacob’s groveling in fear before Esau as he calls his brother his “lord,” as if to minimize what had been done twenty years ago.

[32:5] 2340 tn Or “I am sending.” The form is a preterite with the vav consecutive; it could be rendered as an English present tense – as the Hebrew perfect/preterite allows – much like an epistolary aorist in Greek. The form assumes the temporal perspective of the one who reads the message.

[32:5] 2341 tn The words “this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:8] 2342 tn Heb “If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.”

[32:8] 2343 tn Heb “and he said, ‘If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.” The Hebrew verb אָמַר (’amar) here represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated “he thought.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:8] 2344 tn Heb “the surviving camp will be for escape.” The word “escape” is a feminine noun. The term most often refers to refugees from war.

[32:9] 2345 tn Heb “said.”

[32:9] 2346 tn Heb “the one who said.”

[32:9] 2347 tn Heb “I will cause good” or “I will treat well [or “favorably”].” The idea includes more than prosperity, though that is its essential meaning. Here the form is subordinated to the preceding imperative and indicates purpose or result. Jacob is reminding God of his promise in the hope that God will honor his word.

[32:10] 2348 tn Heb “the loving deeds and faithfulness” (see 24:27, 49).

[32:10] 2349 tn Heb “you have done with.”

[32:10] 2350 tn Heb “for with my staff.” The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally translated “staff,” has been rendered as “walking stick” because a “staff” in contemporary English refers typically to the support personnel in an organization.

[32:10] 2351 tn Heb “this Jordan.”

[32:11] 2352 tn The imperative has the force of a prayer here, not a command.

[32:11] 2353 tn The “hand” here is a metonymy for “power.”

[32:11] 2354 tn Heb “from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.”

[32:11] 2355 tn Heb “for I am afraid of him, lest he come.”

[32:11] 2356 sn Heb “me, [the] mother upon [the] sons.” The first person pronoun “me” probably means here “me and mine,” as the following clause suggests.

[32:12] 2357 tn Heb “But you, you said.” One of the occurrences of the pronoun “you” has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.

[32:12] sn Some commentators have thought this final verse of the prayer redundant, but it actually follows the predominant form of a lament in which God is motivated to act. The primary motivation Jacob can offer to God is God’s promise, and so he falls back on that at the end of the prayer.

[32:12] 2358 tn Or “will certainly deal well with you.” The infinitive absolute appears before the imperfect, underscoring God’s promise to bless. The statement is more emphatic than in v. 9.

[32:12] 2359 tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the nuance of the preceding verb forward.

[32:12] 2360 tn Heb “which cannot be counted because of abundance.” The imperfect verbal form indicates potential here.

[32:13] 2361 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:13] 2362 tn Heb “and he took from that which was going into his hand,” meaning that he took some of what belonged to him.

[32:13] 2363 sn The Hebrew noun translated gift can in some contexts refer to the tribute paid by a subject to his lord. Such a nuance is possible here, because Jacob refers to Esau as his lord and to himself as Esau’s servant (v. 4).

[32:16] 2364 tn Heb “and he put them in the hand of.”

[32:16] 2365 tn Heb “a herd, a herd, by itself,” or “each herd by itself.” The distributive sense is expressed by repetition.

[32:17] 2366 tn Heb “the first”; this has been specified as “the servant leading the first herd” in the translation for clarity.

[32:17] 2367 tn Heb “to whom are you?”

[32:17] 2368 tn Heb “and to whom are these before you?”

[32:18] 2369 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.

[32:18] 2370 tn The words “they belong” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:18] 2371 tn Heb “to your servant, to Jacob.”

[32:18] 2372 tn Heb “to my lord, to Esau.”

[32:18] 2373 tn Heb “and look, also he [is] behind us.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:19] 2374 tn Heb “And he commanded also the second, also the third, also all the ones going after the herds, saying: ‘According to this word you will speak when you find him.’”

[32:20] 2375 tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”

[32:20] 2376 tn Heb “for he said.” The referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated “thought.”

[32:20] 2377 tn Heb “I will appease his face.” The cohortative here expresses Jacob’s resolve. In the Book of Leviticus the Hebrew verb translated “appease” has the idea of removing anger due to sin or guilt, a nuance that fits this passage very well. Jacob wanted to buy Esau off with a gift of more than five hundred and fifty animals.

[32:20] 2378 tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”

[32:20] 2379 tn Heb “I will see his face.”

[32:20] 2380 tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.

[32:21] 2381 tn Heb “and the gift passed over upon his face.”

[32:21] 2382 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial/temporal.

[32:22] 2383 tn Heb “and he arose in that night and he took.” The first verb is adverbial, indicating that he carried out the crossing right away.

[32:22] 2384 tn The Hebrew term used here is יֶלֶד (yeled) which typically describes male offspring. Some translations render the term “children” but this is a problem because by this time Jacob had twelve children in all, including one daughter, Dinah, born to Leah (Gen 30:21). Benjamin, his twelfth son and thirteenth child, was not born until later (Gen 35:16-19).

[32:22] 2385 sn Hebrew narrative style often includes a summary statement of the whole passage followed by a more detailed report of the event. Here v. 22 is the summary statement, while v. 23 begins the detailed account.

[32:23] 2386 tn Heb “and he sent across what he had.”

[32:24] 2387 sn Reflecting Jacob’s perspective at the beginning of the encounter, the narrator calls the opponent simply “a man.” Not until later in the struggle does Jacob realize his true identity.

[32:24] 2388 sn The verb translated “wrestled” (וַיֵּאָבֵק, vayye’aveq) sounds in Hebrew like the names “Jacob” (יַעֲקֹב, ya’aqov) and “Jabbok” (יַבֹּק, yabboq). In this way the narrator links the setting, the main action, and the main participant together in the mind of the reader or hearer.

[32:24] 2389 tn Heb “until the rising of the dawn.”

[32:25] 2390 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25] 2391 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25] 2392 tn Or “injured”; traditionally “touched.” The Hebrew verb translated “struck” has the primary meanings “to touch; to reach; to strike.” It can, however, carry the connotation “to harm; to molest; to injure.” God’s “touch” cripples Jacob – it would be comparable to a devastating blow.

[32:26] 2393 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:26] 2394 tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”

[32:26] 2395 tn Heb “and he said, ‘I will not let you go.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:26] 2396 sn Jacob wrestled with a man thinking him to be a mere man, and on that basis was equal to the task. But when it had gone on long enough, the night visitor touched Jacob and crippled him. Jacob’s request for a blessing can only mean that he now knew that his opponent was supernatural. Contrary to many allegorical interpretations of the passage that make fighting equivalent to prayer, this passage shows that Jacob stopped fighting, and then asked for a blessing.

[32:27] 2397 tn Heb “and he said to him.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:27] 2398 sn What is your name? The question is rhetorical, since the Lord obviously knew Jacob’s identity. But since the Lord is going to change Jacob’s name, this question is designed to bring focus Jacob’s attention on all that his name had come to signify.

[32:28] 2399 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:28] 2400 sn The name Israel is a common construction, using a verb with a theophoric element (אֵל, ’el) that usually indicates the subject of the verb. Here it means “God fights.” This name will replace the name Jacob; it will be both a promise and a call for faith. In essence, the Lord was saying that Jacob would have victory and receive the promises because God would fight for him.

[32:28] 2401 sn You have fought. The explanation of the name Israel includes a sound play. In Hebrew the verb translated “you have fought” (שָׂרִיתָ, sarita) sounds like the name “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yisra’el ), meaning “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). The name would evoke the memory of the fight and what it meant. A. Dillmann says that ever after this the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with God, he won the battle with man (Genesis, 2:279). To be successful with God meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency (A. P. Ross, “Jacob at the Jabboq, Israel at Peniel,” BSac 142 [1985]: 51-62).

[32:29] 2402 sn Tell me your name. In primitive thought to know the name of a deity or supernatural being would enable one to use it for magical manipulation or power (A. S. Herbert, Genesis 12-50 [TBC], 108). For a thorough structural analysis of the passage discussing the plays on the names and the request of Jacob, see R. Barthes, “The Struggle with the Angel: Textual Analysis of Genesis 32:23-33,” Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis (PTMS), 21-33.

[32:29] 2403 tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.

[32:29] 2404 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:29] 2405 tn The verb here means that the Lord endowed Jacob with success; he would be successful in everything he did, including meeting Esau.

[32:29] 2406 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:30] 2407 sn The name Peniel means “face of God.” Since Jacob saw God face to face here, the name is appropriate.

[32:30] 2408 tn The word “explaining” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:30] 2409 tn Or “because.”

[32:30] 2410 sn I have seen God face to face. See the note on the name “Peniel” earlier in the verse.

[32:30] 2411 tn Heb “and my soul [= life] has been preserved.”

[32:30] sn I have survived. It was commonly understood that no one could see God and live (Gen 48:16; Exod 19:21, 24:10; and Judg 6:11, 22). On the surface Jacob seems to be saying that he saw God and survived. But the statement may have a double meaning, in light of his prayer for deliverance in v. 11. Jacob recognizes that he has survived his encounter with God and that his safety has now been guaranteed.

[32:31] 2412 tn Heb “shone.”

[32:31] 2413 sn The name is spelled Penuel here, apparently a variant spelling of Peniel (see v. 30).

[32:31] 2414 tn The disjunctive clause draws attention to an important fact: He may have crossed the stream, but he was limping.

[32:32] 2415 sn On the use of the expression to this day, see B. S. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until This Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.

[32:32] 2416 tn Or “because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive. On the translation of the word “struck” see the note on this term in v. 25.

[33:1] 2417 tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”

[33:1] 2418 tn Or “and look, Esau was coming.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.

[33:2] 2419 sn This kind of ranking according to favoritism no doubt fed the jealousy over Joseph that later becomes an important element in the narrative. It must have been painful to the family to see that they were expendable.

[33:3] 2420 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:3] 2421 tn Heb “until his drawing near unto his brother.” The construction uses the preposition with the infinitive construct to express a temporal clause.

[33:5] 2422 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5] 2423 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[33:5] 2424 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5] 2425 tn The Hebrew verb means “to be gracious; to show favor”; here it carries the nuance “to give graciously.”

[33:6] 2426 tn Heb “and the female servants drew near, they and their children and they bowed down.”

[33:8] 2427 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:8] 2428 tn Heb “Who to you?”

[33:8] 2429 tn Heb “all this camp which I met.”

[33:8] 2430 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:10] 2431 tn Heb “and Jacob said, ‘No, please.’” The words “take them” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[33:10] 2432 tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, expressing a contingent future nuance in the “then” section of the conditional sentence.

[33:10] 2433 tn The verbal form is the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive, indicating result here.

[33:10] 2434 tn Heb “for therefore I have seen your face like seeing the face of God and you have accepted me.”

[33:10] sn This is an allusion to the preceding episode (32:22-31) in which Jacob saw the face of God and realized his prayer was answered.

[33:11] 2435 tn Heb “blessing.” It is as if Jacob is trying to repay what he stole from his brother twenty years earlier.

[33:11] 2436 tn Or “gracious,” but in the specific sense of prosperity.

[33:11] 2437 tn Heb “all.”

[33:11] 2438 tn Heb “and he urged him and he took.” The referent of the first pronoun in the sequence (“he”) has been specified as “Jacob” in the translation for clarity.

[33:12] 2439 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:12] 2440 tn Heb “let us travel and let us go.” The two cohortatives are used in combination with the sense, “let’s travel along, get going, be on our way.”

[33:13] 2441 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:13] 2442 tn Heb “weak.”

[33:13] 2443 tn Heb “and the sheep and the cattle nursing [are] upon me.”

[33:14] 2444 tn Heb “and I, I will move along according to my leisure at the foot of the property which is before me and at the foot of the children.”

[33:15] 2445 tn The cohortative verbal form here indicates a polite offer of help.

[33:15] 2446 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why this?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[33:15] 2447 tn Heb “I am finding favor in the eyes of my lord.”

[33:16] 2448 tn Heb “returned on his way.”

[33:17] 2449 tn The disjunctive clause contrasts Jacob’s action with Esau’s.

[33:17] 2450 sn But Jacob traveled to Succoth. There are several reasons why Jacob chose not to go to Mt. Seir after Esau. First, as he said, his herds and children probably could not keep up with the warriors. Second, he probably did not fully trust his brother. The current friendliness could change, and he could lose everything. And third, God did tell him to return to his land, not Seir. But Jacob is still not able to deal truthfully, probably because of fear of Esau.

[33:17] 2451 tn Heb “why he called.” One could understand “Jacob” as the subject of the verb, but it is more likely that the subject is indefinite, in which case the verb is better translated as passive.

[33:17] 2452 sn The name Succoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.

[33:18] 2453 tn Heb “in front of.”

[33:19] 2454 tn The words “he bought it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 19 is one long sentence.

[33:19] 2455 tn The Hebrew word קְשִׂיטָה (qÿsitah) is generally understood to refer to a unit of money, but the value is unknown. (However, cf. REB, which renders the term as “sheep”).

[33:20] 2456 tn Heb “God, the God of Israel.” Rather than translating the name, a number of modern translations merely transliterate it from the Hebrew as “El Elohe Israel” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB). It is not entirely clear how the name should be interpreted grammatically. One option is to supply an equative verb, as in the translation: “The God of Israel [is] God.” Another interpretive option is “the God of Israel [is] strong [or “mighty”].” Buying the land and settling down for a while was a momentous step for the patriarch, so the commemorative naming of the altar is significant.

[34:1] 2457 tn Heb “went out to see.” The verb “to see,” followed by the preposition בְּ (bÿ), here has the idea of “look over.” The young girl wanted to meet these women and see what they were like.

[34:1] 2458 tn Heb “daughters.”

[34:2] 2459 tn Heb “and he took her and lay with her.” The suffixed form following the verb appears to be the sign of the accusative instead of the preposition, but see BDB 1012 s.v. שָׁכַב.

[34:2] 2460 tn The verb עָנָה (’anah) in the Piel stem can have various shades of meaning, depending on the context: “to defile; to mistreat; to violate; to rape; to shame; to afflict.” Here it means that Shechem violated or humiliated Dinah by raping her.

[34:3] 2461 tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.

[34:3] 2462 tn Heb “and he spoke to the heart of the young woman,” which apparently refers in this context to tender, romantic speech (Hos 2:14). Another option is to translate the expression “he reassured the young woman” (see Judg 19:3, 2 Sam 19:7; cf. NEB “comforted her”).

[34:4] 2463 tn Heb “Take for me this young woman for a wife.”

[34:5] 2464 tn The two disjunctive clauses in this verse (“Now Jacob heard…and his sons were”) are juxtaposed to indicate synchronic action.

[34:5] 2465 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:5] 2466 sn The expected response would be anger or rage; but Jacob remained silent. He appears too indifferent or confused to act decisively. When the leader does not act decisively, the younger zealots will, and often with disastrous results.

[34:6] 2467 tn Heb “went out to Jacob to speak with him.” The words “about Dinah” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:7] 2468 tn Heb “when they heard.” The words “the news” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[34:7] 2469 tn Heb “the men.” This sounds as if a new group has been introduced into the narrative, so it has been translated as “they” to indicate that it refers to Jacob’s sons, mentioned in the first part of the verse.

[34:7] 2470 tn The Hebrew verb עָצַב (’atsav) can carry one of three semantic nuances depending on the context: (1) “to be injured” (Ps 56:5; Eccl 10:9; 1 Chr 4:10); (2) “to experience emotional pain; to be depressed emotionally; to be worried” (2 Sam 19:2; Isa 54:6; Neh 8:10-11); (3) “to be embarrassed; to be insulted; to be offended” (to the point of anger at another or oneself; Gen 6:6; 45:5; 1 Sam 20:3, 34; 1 Kgs 1:6; Isa 63:10; Ps 78:40). This third category develops from the second by metonymy. In certain contexts emotional pain leads to embarrassment and/or anger. In this last use the subject sometimes directs his anger against the source of grief (see especially Gen 6:6). The third category fits best in Gen 34:7 because Jacob’s sons were not merely wounded emotionally. On the contrary, Shechem’s action prompted them to strike out in judgment against the source of their distress.

[34:7] 2471 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:7] 2472 tn Heb “a disgraceful thing he did against Israel.”

[34:7] 2473 tn Heb “by lying with the daughter of Jacob.” The infinitive here explains the preceding verb, indicating exactly how he had disgraced Jacob. The expression “to lie with” is a euphemism for sexual relations, or in this case, sexual assault.

[34:7] 2474 tn Heb “and so it should not be done.” The negated imperfect has an obligatory nuance here, but there is also a generalizing tone. The narrator emphasizes that this particular type of crime (sexual assault) is especially reprehensible.

[34:8] 2475 tn Heb “Shechem my son, his soul is attached to your daughter.” The verb means “to love” in the sense of being emotionally attached to or drawn to someone. This is a slightly different way of saying what was reported earlier (v. 3). However, there is no mention here of the offense. Even though Hamor is speaking to Dinah’s brothers, he refers to her as their daughter (see v. 17).

[34:9] 2476 tn Heb “form marriage alliances with us.”

[34:9] sn Intermarry with us. This includes the idea of becoming allied by marriage. The incident foreshadows the temptations Israel would eventually face when they entered the promised land (see Deut 7:3; Josh 23:12).

[34:9] 2477 tn Heb “Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.” In the translation the words “let…marry” and “as wives” are supplied for clarity.

[34:10] 2478 tn The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.

[34:10] 2479 tn Heb “before you.”

[34:10] 2480 tn The verb seems to carry the basic meaning “travel about freely,” although the substantival participial form refers to a trader (see E. A. Speiser, “The Verb sh£r in Genesis and Early Hebrew Movements,” BASOR 164 [1961]: 23-28); cf. NIV, NRSV “trade in it.”

[34:11] 2481 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Dinah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:11] 2482 tn Heb “whatever you say.”

[34:11] 2483 tn Or “pay.”

[34:12] 2484 tn Heb “Make very great upon me the bride price and gift.” The imperatives are used in a rhetorical manner. Shechem’s point is that he will pay the price, no matter how expensive it might be.

[34:12] 2485 tn The cohortative expresses Shechem’s resolve to have Dinah as his wife.

[34:12] 2486 tn Heb “say.”

[34:13] 2487 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:14] 2488 tn Heb “we are not able to do this thing, to give.” The second infinitive is in apposition to the first, explaining what they are not able to do.

[34:14] 2489 tn The Hebrew word translated “disgrace” usually means “ridicule; taunt; reproach.” It can also refer to the reason the condition of shame or disgrace causes ridicule or a reproach.

[34:15] 2490 tn Heb “if you are like us.”

[34:15] 2491 tn The infinitive here explains how they would become like them.

[34:16] 2492 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:16] 2493 tn The words “to marry” (and the words “as wives” in the following clause) are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:17] 2494 tn Heb “listen to us.”

[34:17] 2495 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:17] 2496 tn Heb “daughter.” Jacob’s sons call Dinah their daughter, even though she was their sister (see v. 8). This has been translated as “sister” for clarity.

[34:18] 2497 tn Heb “and their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem son of Hamor.”

[34:19] 2498 tn Heb “doing the thing.”

[34:19] 2499 tn Heb “Jacob’s daughter.” The proper name “Dinah” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:19] 2500 tn The Hebrew verb כָּבֵד (kaved), translated “was…important,” has the primary meaning “to be heavy,” but here carries a secondary sense of “to be important” (that is, “heavy” in honor or respect).

[34:19] 2501 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause explains why the community would respond to him (see vv. 20-24).

[34:20] 2502 sn The gate. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the location for conducting important public business.

[34:21] 2503 tn Heb “wide on both hands,” that is, in both directions.

[34:21] 2504 tn The words “to marry” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:22] 2505 tn Heb “when every one of our males is circumcised.”

[34:23] 2506 tn The words “If we do so” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[34:24] 2507 tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:24] 2508 tn Heb “listened to.”

[34:24] 2509 tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:25] 2510 tn Heb “a man his sword.”

[34:25] 2511 tn Heb “and they came upon the city, [which was] secure.” In this case “secure” means the city was caught unprepared and at peace, not expecting an attack.

[34:27] 2512 tn Heb “came upon the slain.” Because of this statement the preceding phrase “Jacob’s sons” is frequently taken to mean the other sons of Jacob besides Simeon and Levi, but the text does not clearly affirm this.

[34:27] 2513 tn Heb “because they violated their sister.” The plural verb is active in form, but with no expressed subject, it may be translated passive.

[34:28] 2514 tn Heb “and what was in the city and what was in the field they took.”

[34:29] 2515 tn Heb “they took captive and they plundered,” that is, “they captured as plunder.”

[34:30] 2516 tn The traditional translation is “troubled me” (KJV, ASV), but the verb refers to personal or national disaster and suggests complete ruin (see Josh 7:25, Judg 11:35, Prov 11:17). The remainder of the verse describes the “trouble” Simeon and Levi had caused.

[34:30] 2517 tn In the causative stem the Hebrew verb בָּאַשׁ (ba’ash) means “to cause to stink, to have a foul smell.” In the contexts in which it is used it describes foul smells, stenches, or things that are odious. Jacob senses that the people in the land will find this act terribly repulsive. See P. R. Ackroyd, “The Hebrew Root באשׁ,” JTS 2 (1951): 31-36.

[34:30] 2518 tn Jacob speaks in the first person as the head and representative of the entire family.

[34:31] 2519 tn Heb “but they said.” The referent of “they” (Simeon and Levi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[35:1] 2520 tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[35:1] 2521 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:1] 2522 sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).

[35:2] 2523 tn Heb “which are in your midst.”

[35:2] 2524 sn The actions of removing false gods, becoming ritually clean, and changing garments would become necessary steps in Israel when approaching the Lord in worship.

[35:3] 2525 tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.

[35:3] 2526 tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.

[35:3] 2527 tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.

[35:3] 2528 tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).

[35:4] 2529 tn Heb “in their hand.”

[35:4] 2530 sn On the basis of a comparison with Gen 34 and Num 31, G. J. Wenham argues that the foreign gods and the rings could have been part of the plunder that came from the destruction of Shechem (Genesis [WBC], 2:324).

[35:4] 2531 sn Jacob buried them. On the burial of the gods, see E. Nielson, “The Burial of the Foreign Gods,” ST 8 (1954/55): 102-22.

[35:4] 2532 tn Or “terebinth.”

[35:5] 2533 tn Heb “and they journeyed.”

[35:5] 2534 tn Heb “and the fear of God was upon the cities which were round about them.” The expression “fear of God” apparently refers (1) to a fear of God (objective genitive; God is the object of their fear). (2) But it could mean “fear from God,” that is, fear which God placed in them (cf. NRSV “a terror from God”). Another option (3) is that the divine name is used as a superlative here, referring to “tremendous fear” (cf. NEB “were panic-stricken”; NASB “a great terror”).

[35:6] 2535 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:6] 2536 tn Heb “and Jacob came to Luz which is in the land of Canaan – it is Bethel – he and all the people who were with him.”

[35:7] 2537 sn The name El-Bethel means “God of Bethel.”

[35:7] 2538 tn Heb “revealed themselves.” The verb נִגְלוּ (niglu), translated “revealed himself,” is plural, even though one expects the singular form with the plural of majesty. Perhaps אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is here a numerical plural, referring both to God and the angelic beings that appeared to Jacob. See the note on the word “know” in Gen 3:5.

[35:8] 2539 sn Deborah. This woman had been Rebekah’s nurse, but later attached herself to Jacob. She must have been about one hundred and eighty years old when she died.

[35:8] 2540 tn “and he called its name.” There is no expressed subject, so the verb can be translated as passive.

[35:8] 2541 tn Or “Allon Bacuth,” if one transliterates the Hebrew name (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). An oak tree was revered in the ancient world and often designated as a shrine or landmark. This one was named for the weeping (mourning) occasioned by the death of Deborah.

[35:10] 2542 tn Heb “and he called his name Israel.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[35:10] sn The name Israel means “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). See Gen 32:28.

[35:11] 2543 tn The name אֵל שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72. Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world who grants, blesses, and judges. In the Book of Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name are uncertain its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. For a fuller discussion see the note on “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[35:11] 2544 tn Heb “A nation and a company of nations will be from you and kings from your loins will come out.”

[35:11] sn A nation…will descend from you. The promise is rooted in the Abrahamic promise (see Gen 17). God confirms what Isaac told Jacob (see Gen 28:3-4). Here, though, for the first time Jacob is promised kings as descendants.

[35:12] 2545 tn The Hebrew verb translated “gave” refers to the Abrahamic promise of the land. However, the actual possession of that land lay in the future. The decree of the Lord made it certain; but it has the sense “promised to give.”

[35:12] 2546 tn Heb “and to your offspring after you.”

[35:13] 2547 tn Heb “went up from upon him in the place.”

[35:14] 2548 tn Heb “and Jacob set up a sacred pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a sacred pillar of stone” (see the notes on the term “sacred stone” in Gen 28:18). This passage stands parallel to Gen 28:18-19, where Jacob set up a sacred stone, poured oil on it, and called the place Bethel. Some commentators see these as two traditions referring to the same event, but it is more likely that Jacob reconsecrated the place in fulfillment of the vow he had made here earlier. In support of this is the fact that the present narrative alludes to and is built on the previous one.

[35:14] 2549 tn The verb נָסַךְ (nasakh) means “to pour out, to make libations,” and the noun נֶסֶךְ (nesekh) is a “drink-offering,” usually of wine or of blood. The verb יָצַק (yatsaq) means “to pour out,” often of anointing oil, but of other elements as well.

[35:15] 2550 sn Called the name of the place. In view of the previous naming of Bethel in Gen 28:19, here Jacob was confirming or affirming the name through an official ritual marking the fulfillment of the vow. This place now did become Bethel, the house of God.

[35:15] 2551 tn The name Bethel means “house of God” in Hebrew.

[35:15] map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:16] 2552 tn Heb “and there was still a stretch of the land to go to Ephrath.”

[35:16] 2553 tn Normally the verb would be translated “she gave birth,” but because that obviously had not happened yet, it is better to translate the verb as ingressive, “began to give birth” (cf. NIV) or “went into labor.”

[35:17] 2554 tn The construction uses a Hiphil infinitive, which E. A. Speiser classifies as an elative Hiphil. The contrast is with the previous Piel: there “she had hard labor,” and here, “her labor was at its hardest.” Failure to see this, Speiser notes, has led to redundant translations and misunderstandings (Genesis [AB], 273).

[35:17] 2555 sn Another son. The episode recalls and fulfills the prayer of Rachel at the birth of Joseph (Gen 30:24): “may he add” another son.

[35:18] 2556 tn Heb “in the going out of her life, for she was dying.” Rachel named the child with her dying breath.

[35:18] 2557 sn The name Ben-Oni means “son of my suffering.” It is ironic that Rachel’s words to Jacob in Gen 30:1, “Give me children or I’ll die,” take a different turn here, for it was having the child that brought about her death.

[35:18] 2558 tn The disjunctive clause is contrastive.

[35:18] sn His father called him Benjamin. There was a preference for giving children good or positive names in the ancient world, and “son of my suffering” would not do (see the incident in 1 Chr 4:9-10), because it would be a reminder of the death of Rachel (in this connection, see also D. Daube, “The Night of Death,” HTR 61 [1968]: 629-32). So Jacob named him Benjamin, which means “son of the [or “my”] right hand.” The name Benjamin appears in the Mari texts. There have been attempts to connect this name to the resident tribe listed at Mari, “sons of the south” (since the term “right hand” can also mean “south” in Hebrew), but this assumes a different reading of the story. See J. Muilenburg, “The Birth of Benjamin,” JBL 75 (1956): 194-201.

[35:19] 2559 sn This explanatory note links the earlier name Ephrath with the later name Bethlehem.

[35:19] map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[35:20] 2560 tn Heb “standing stone.”

[35:20] 2561 tn Or perhaps “it is known as” (cf. NEB).

[35:21] 2562 sn The location of Migdal Eder is not given. It appears to be somewhere between Bethlehem and Hebron. Various traditions have identified it as at the shepherds’ fields near Bethlehem (the Hebrew name Migdal Eder means “tower of the flock”; see Mic 4:8) or located it near Solomon’s pools.

[35:22] 2563 tn Heb “and Reuben went and lay with.” The expression “lay with” is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse.

[35:22] sn Reuben’s act of having sexual relations with Bilhah probably had other purposes than merely satisfying his sexual desire. By having sex with Bilhah, Reuben (Leah’s oldest son) would have prevented Bilhah from succeeding Rachel as the favorite wife, and by sleeping with his father’s concubine he would also be attempting to take over leadership of the clan – something Absalom foolishly attempted later on in Israel’s history (2 Sam 16:21-22).

[35:27] 2564 tn This is an adverbial accusative of location.

[35:27] 2565 tn The name “Kiriath Arba” is in apposition to the preceding name, “Mamre.”

[35:27] 2566 tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” refers to temporary settlement without ownership rights.

[35:28] 2567 tn Heb “And the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years.”

[35:29] 2568 tn Heb “and Isaac expired and died and he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.

[35:29] 2569 tn Heb “old and full of years.”

[36:1] 2570 sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50,” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.

[36:2] 2571 tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”

[36:2] 2572 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.

[36:6] 2573 tn Heb “from before.”

[36:7] 2574 tn Heb “land of their settlements.”

[36:8] 2575 tn Traditionally “Mount Seir,” but in this case the expression בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר (bÿhar se’ir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.

[36:9] 2576 sn The term father in genealogical records needs to be carefully defined. It can refer to a literal father, a grandfather, a political overlord, or a founder.

[36:12] 2577 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:13] 2578 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:14] 2579 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.

[36:15] 2580 tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).

[36:15] 2581 tn Or “sons.”

[36:16] 2582 tc The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).

[36:16] 2583 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:17] 2584 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:20] 2585 sn The same pattern of sons, grandsons, and chiefs is now listed for Seir the Horite. “Seir” is both the name of the place and the name of the ancestor of these tribes. The name “Horite” is probably not to be identified with “Hurrian.” The clan of Esau settled in this area, intermarried with these Horites and eventually dispossessed them, so that they all became known as Edomites (Deut 2:12 telescopes the whole development).

[36:21] 2586 tn Or “sons.”

[36:22] 2587 tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”

[36:23] 2588 tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.

[36:24] 2589 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”

[36:25] 2590 tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”

[36:26] 2591 tn Heb “Dishan,” but this must be either a scribal error or variant spelling, since “Dishan” is mentioned in v. 28 (see also v. 21).

[36:31] 2592 tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”

[36:37] 2593 tn Typically the Hebrew expression “the River” refers to the Euphrates River, but it is not certain whether that is the case here. Among the modern English versions which take this as a reference to the Euphrates are NASB, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT. Cf. NAB, TEV “Rehoboth-on-the-River.”

[36:39] 2594 tc Most mss of the MT read “Hadar” here; “Hadad” is the reading found in some Hebrew mss, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac (cf. also 1 Chr 1:50).

[36:39] 2595 tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.

[36:43] 2596 tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”

[37:1] 2597 tn Heb “the land of the sojournings of his father.”

[37:1] 2598 sn The next section begins with the heading This is the account of Jacob in Gen 37:2, so this verse actually forms part of the preceding section as a concluding contrast with Esau and his people. In contrast to all the settled and expanded population of Esau, Jacob was still moving about in the land without a permanent residence and without kings. Even if the Edomite king list was added later (as the reference to kings in Israel suggests), its placement here in contrast to Jacob and his descendants is important. Certainly the text deals with Esau before dealing with Jacob – that is the pattern. But the detail is so great in chap. 36 that the contrast cannot be missed.

[37:2] 2599 tn Heb “a son of seventeen years.” The word “son” is in apposition to the name “Joseph.”

[37:2] 2600 tn Or “tending”; Heb “shepherding” or “feeding.”

[37:2] 2601 tn Or perhaps “a helper.” The significance of this statement is unclear. It may mean “now the lad was with,” or it may suggest Joseph was like a servant to them.

[37:2] 2602 tn Heb “and he [was] a young man with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father.”

[37:2] 2603 tn Heb “their bad report.” The pronoun is an objective genitive, specifying that the bad or damaging report was about the brothers.

[37:2] sn Some interpreters portray Joseph as a tattletale for bringing back a bad report about them [i.e., his brothers], but the entire Joseph story has some of the characteristics of wisdom literature. Joseph is presented in a good light – not because he was perfect, but because the narrative is showing how wisdom rules. In light of that, this section portrays Joseph as faithful to his father in little things, even though unpopular – and so he will eventually be given authority over greater things.

[37:3] 2604 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information vital to the story. It explains in part the brothers’ animosity toward Joseph.

[37:3] sn The statement Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons brings forward a motif that played an important role in the family of Isaac – parental favoritism. Jacob surely knew what that had done to him and his brother Esau, and to his own family. But now he showers affection on Rachel’s son Joseph.

[37:3] 2605 tn Heb “a son of old age was he to him.” This expression means “a son born to him when he [i.e., Jacob] was old.”

[37:3] 2606 tn It is not clear what this tunic was like, because the meaning of the Hebrew word that describes it is uncertain. The idea that it was a coat of many colors comes from the Greek translation of the OT. An examination of cognate terms in Semitic suggests it was either a coat or tunic with long sleeves (cf. NEB, NRSV), or a tunic that was richly embroidered (cf. NIV). It set Joseph apart as the favored one.

[37:4] 2607 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:4] 2608 tn Heb “of his brothers.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “them.”

[37:4] 2609 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:4] 2610 tn Heb “speak to him for peace.”

[37:5] 2611 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:5] 2612 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[37:5] 2613 sn Some interpreters see Joseph as gloating over his brothers, but the text simply says he told his brothers about it (i.e., the dream). The text gives no warrant for interpreting his manner as arrogant or condescending. It seems normal that he would share a dream with the family.

[37:5] 2614 tn The construction uses a hendiadys, “they added to hate,” meaning they hated him even more.

[37:6] 2615 tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”

[37:7] 2616 tn All three clauses in this dream report begin with וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), which lends vividness to the report. This is represented in the translation by the expression “there we were.”

[37:7] 2617 tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.

[37:8] 2618 tn Heb “Ruling, will you rule over us, or reigning, will you reign over us?” The statement has a poetic style, with the two questions being in synonymous parallelism. Both verbs in this statement are preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Joseph’s brothers said, “You don’t really think you will rule over us, do you? You don’t really think you will have dominion over us, do you?”

[37:8] 2619 tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.

[37:8] 2620 sn The response of Joseph’s brothers is understandable, given what has already been going on in the family. But here there is a hint of uneasiness – they hated him because of his dream and because of his words. The dream bothered them, as well as his telling them. And their words in the rhetorical question are ironic, for this is exactly what would happen. The dream was God’s way of revealing it.

[37:9] 2621 tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”

[37:9] 2622 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Look.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. Both clauses of the dream report begin with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which lends vividness to the report.

[37:10] 2623 sn The question What is this dream that you had? expresses Jacob’s dismay at what he perceives to be Joseph’s audacity.

[37:10] 2624 tn Heb “Coming, will we come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down to you to the ground?” The verb “come” is preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Jacob said, “You don’t really think we will come…to bow down…do you?”

[37:11] 2625 sn Joseph’s brothers were already jealous of him, but this made it even worse. Such jealousy easily leads to action, as the next episode in the story shows. Yet dreams were considered a form of revelation, and their jealousy was not only of the favoritism of their father, but of the dreams. This is why Jacob kept the matter in mind.

[37:11] 2626 tn Heb “kept the word.” The referent of the Hebrew term “word” has been specified as “what Joseph said” in the translation for clarity, and the words “in mind” have been supplied for stylistic reasons.

[37:13] 2627 tn The text uses an interrogative clause: “Are not your brothers,” which means “your brothers are.”

[37:13] 2628 sn With these words Joseph is depicted here as an obedient son who is ready to do what his father commands.

[37:13] 2629 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here I am.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[37:14] 2630 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:14] 2631 tn Heb “see.”

[37:14] 2632 tn Heb “peace.”

[37:14] 2633 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:15] 2634 tn Heb “and he [i.e., Joseph] went to Shechem.” The referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:15] 2635 tn Heb “and a man found him and look, he was wandering in the field.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the action through this unnamed man’s eyes.

[37:16] 2636 tn The imperative in this sentence has more of the nuance of a request than a command.

[37:17] 2637 tn Heb “they traveled from this place.”

[37:18] 2638 tn Heb “and they”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:19] 2639 tn Heb “Look, this master of dreams is coming.” The brothers’ words have a sarcastic note and indicate that they resent his dreams.

[37:20] 2640 tn The Hebrew word can sometimes carry the nuance “evil,” but when used of an animal it refers to a dangerous wild animal.

[37:20] 2641 tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”

[37:21] 2642 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:21] 2643 sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).

[37:21] 2644 tn Heb “and he said.”

[37:21] 2645 tn Heb “we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.”

[37:22] 2646 tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”

[37:22] 2647 sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reuben’s words.

[37:22] 2648 tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[37:22] 2649 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:22] 2650 tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.

[37:23] 2651 tn Heb “Joseph”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[37:24] 2652 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that helps the reader or hearer to picture what happened.

[37:25] 2653 tn Heb “lifted up their eyes.”

[37:25] 2654 tn Heb “and they saw and look.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the event through the eyes of the brothers.

[37:25] 2655 tn Heb “and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh, going to go down to Egypt.”

[37:27] 2656 tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”

[37:27] 2657 tn Heb “listened.”

[37:28] 2658 sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.

[37:28] 2659 tn Heb “they drew and they lifted up.” The referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity; otherwise the reader might assume the Midianites had pulled Joseph from the cistern (but cf. NAB).

[37:28] 2660 tn Heb “Joseph” (both here and in the following clause); the proper name has been replaced both times by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[37:28] 2661 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:29] 2662 tn Heb “and look, Joseph was not in the cistern.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the situation through Reuben’s eyes.

[37:31] 2663 sn It was with two young goats that Jacob deceived his father (Gen 27:9); now with a young goat his sons continue the deception that dominates this family.

[37:32] 2664 tn Heb “and they sent the special tunic and they brought [it] to their father.” The text as it stands is problematic. It sounds as if they sent the tunic on ahead and then came and brought it to their father. Some emend the second verb to a Qal form and read “and they came.” In this case, they sent the tunic on ahead.

[37:33] 2665 sn A wild animal has eaten him. Jacob draws this conclusion on his own without his sons actually having to lie with their words (see v. 20). Dipping the tunic in the goat’s blood was the only deception needed.

[37:34] 2666 tn Heb “and put sackcloth on his loins.”

[37:35] 2667 tn Heb “arose, stood”; which here suggests that they stood by him in his time of grief.

[37:35] 2668 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Indeed I will go down to my son mourning to Sheol.’” Sheol was viewed as the place where departed spirits went after death.

[37:35] 2669 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:36] 2670 tn The disjunctive clause formally signals closure for this episode of Joseph’s story, which will be resumed in Gen 39.

[37:36] 2671 tc The MT spells the name of the merchants as מְדָנִים (mÿdanim, “Medanites”) rather than מִדְיָנִים (midyanim, “Midianites”) as in v. 28. It is likely that the MT is corrupt at this point, with the letter yod (י) being accidentally omitted. The LXX, Vulgate, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac read “Midianites” here. Some prefer to read “Medanites” both here and in v. 28, but Judg 8:24, which identifies the Midianites and Ishmaelites, favors the reading “Midianites.”

[37:36] 2672 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:36] 2673 sn The expression captain of the guard might indicate that Potiphar was the chief executioner.

[38:1] 2674 tn Heb “went down from.”

[38:1] 2675 tn Heb “and he turned aside unto.”

[38:1] 2676 tn Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”

[38:2] 2677 tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”

[38:2] 2678 tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”

[38:2] 2679 tn Heb “and he took her.”

[38:2] 2680 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:3] 2681 tn Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).

[38:3] 2682 tc Some mss read this verb as feminine, “she called,” to match the pattern of the next two verses. But the MT, “he called,” should probably be retained as the more difficult reading.

[38:3] tn Heb “and he called his name.” The referent (Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:5] 2683 tn Heb “and she added again and she gave birth.” The first verb and the adverb emphasize that she gave birth once more.

[38:5] 2684 tn Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”

[38:6] 2685 tn Heb “and Judah took.”

[38:8] 2686 tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:8] 2687 tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.

[38:8] 2688 sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.

[38:9] 2689 tn Heb “offspring.”

[38:9] 2690 tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.

[38:9] 2691 tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.

[38:9] sn The text makes it clear that the purpose of the custom was to produce an heir for the deceased brother. Onan had no intention of doing that. But he would have sex with the girl as much as he wished. He was willing to use the law to gratify his desires, but was not willing to do the responsible thing.

[38:9] 2692 tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:9] 2693 tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.

[38:10] 2694 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:11] 2695 tn Heb “said.”

[38:11] 2696 tn Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.”

[38:11] sn I don’t want him to die like his brothers. This clause explains that Judah had no intention of giving Shelah to Tamar for the purpose of the levirate marriage. Judah apparently knew the nature of his sons, and feared that God would be angry with the third son and kill him as well.

[38:12] 2697 sn After some time. There is not enough information in the narrative to know how long this was. The text says “the days increased.” It was long enough for Shelah to mature and for Tamar to realize she would not have him.

[38:12] 2698 tn Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”

[38:13] 2699 tn Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”

[38:13] 2700 tn The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.

[38:14] 2701 tn The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.

[38:14] 2702 tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”

[38:15] 2703 tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.

[38:16] 2704 tn Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:16] 2705 tn Heb “for he did not know that.”

[38:16] 2706 tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:17] 2707 tn Heb “until you send.”

[38:18] 2708 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:19] 2709 tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.

[38:20] 2710 tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.

[38:20] 2711 tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”

[38:20] 2712 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:21] 2713 tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.

[38:21] 2714 sn The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (AOAT), 213-23.

[38:23] 2715 tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:23] 2716 tn Heb “we will become contemptible.” The Hebrew word בּוּז (buz) describes the contempt that a respectable person would have for someone who is worthless, foolish, or disreputable.

[38:24] 2717 tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”

[38:24] 2718 tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.

[38:24] 2719 tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”

[38:25] 2720 tn Heb “she was being brought out and she sent.” The juxtaposition of two clauses, both of which place the subject before the predicate, indicates synchronic action.

[38:25] 2721 tn Heb “who these to him.”

[38:25] 2722 tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”

[38:26] 2723 tn Traditionally “more righteous”; cf. NCV, NRSV, NLT “more in the right.”

[38:26] sn She is more upright than I. Judah had been irresponsible and unfaithful to his duty to see that the family line continued through the levirate marriage of his son Shelah. Tamar fought for her right to be the mother of Judah’s line. When she was not given Shelah and Judah’s wife died, she took action on her own to ensure that the line did not die out. Though deceptive, it was a desperate and courageous act. For Tamar it was within her rights; she did nothing that the law did not entitle her to do. But for Judah it was wrong because he thought he was going to a prostitute. See also Susan Niditch, “The Wronged Woman Righted: An Analysis of Genesis 38,” HTR 72 (1979): 143-48.

[38:26] 2724 tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:28] 2725 tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29] 2726 tn Heb “Look, his brother came out.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through the midwife’s eyes. The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29] 2727 tn Heb “How you have made a breach for yourself!” The Hebrew verb translated “make a breach” frequently occurs, as here, with a cognate accusative. The event provided the meaningful name Perez, “he who breaks through.”

[38:29] 2728 sn The name Perez means “he who breaks through,” referring to Perez reaching out his hand at birth before his brother was born. The naming signified the completion of Tamar’s struggle and also depicted the destiny of the tribe of Perez who later became dominant (Gen 46:12 and Num 26:20). Judah and his brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they could thwart God’s plan that the elder brothers should serve the younger. God demonstrated that principle through these births in Judah’s own family, affirming that the elder will serve the younger, and that Joseph’s leadership could not so easily be set aside. See J. Goldin, “The Youngest Son; or, Where Does Genesis 38 Belong?” JBL 96 (1977): 27-44.

[38:30] 2729 sn Perhaps the child was named Zerah because of the scarlet thread. Though the Hebrew word used for “scarlet thread” in v. 28 is not related to the name Zerah, there is a related root in Babylonian and western Aramaic that means “scarlet” or “scarlet thread.” In Hebrew the name appears to be derived from a root meaning “to shine.” The name could have originally meant something like “shining one” or “God has shined.” Zerah became the head of a tribe (Num 26:20) from whom Achan descended (Josh 7:1).

[39:1] 2730 tn The disjunctive clause resumes the earlier narrative pertaining to Joseph by recapitulating the event described in 37:36. The perfect verbal form is given a past perfect translation to restore the sequence of the narrative for the reader.

[39:1] 2731 sn Captain of the guard. See the note on this phrase in Gen 37:36.

[39:1] 2732 tn Heb “from the hand of.”

[39:2] 2733 tn Heb “and he was a prosperous man.” This does not mean that Joseph became wealthy, but that he was successful in what he was doing, or making progress in his situation (see 24:21).

[39:2] 2734 tn Heb “and he was.”

[39:3] 2735 tn The Hebrew text adds “in his hand,” a phrase not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:4] 2736 sn The Hebrew verb translated became his personal attendant refers to higher domestic service, usually along the lines of a personal attendant. Here Joseph is made the household steward, a position well-attested in Egyptian literature.

[39:4] 2737 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:4] 2738 tn Heb “put into his hand.”

[39:5] 2739 tn Heb “and it was from then.”

[39:5] 2740 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:5] 2741 sn The Hebrew word translated blessed carries the idea of enrichment, prosperity, success. It is the way believers describe success at the hand of God. The text illustrates the promise made to Abraham that whoever blesses his descendants will be blessed (Gen 12:1-3).

[39:5] 2742 tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:5] 2743 sn The passage gives us a good picture of Joseph as a young man who was responsible and faithful, both to his master and to his God. This happened within a very short time of his being sold into Egypt. It undermines the view that Joseph was a liar, a tattletale, and an arrogant adolescent.

[39:6] 2744 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:6] 2745 sn The Hebrew verb translated left indicates he relinquished the care of it to Joseph. This is stronger than what was said earlier. Apparently Potiphar had come to trust Joseph so much that he knew it was in better care with Joseph than with anyone else.

[39:6] 2746 tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:6] 2747 tn Heb “did not know.”

[39:6] 2748 sn The expression except the food he ate probably refers to Potiphar’s private affairs and should not be limited literally to what he ate.

[39:6] 2749 tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.

[39:7] 2750 tn Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.

[39:7] 2751 tn Heb “lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:7] sn The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife has long been connected with the wisdom warnings about the strange woman who tries to seduce the young man with her boldness and directness (see Prov 5-7, especially 7:6-27). This is part of the literary background of the story of Joseph that gives it a wisdom flavor. See G. von Rad, God at Work in Israel, 19-35; and G. W. Coats, “The Joseph Story and Ancient Wisdom: A Reappraisal,” CBQ 35 (1973): 285-97.

[39:8] 2752 tn Heb “and he said.”

[39:8] 2753 tn Heb “know.”

[39:8] 2754 tn The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:8] 2755 tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:9] 2756 tn The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.

[39:10] 2757 tn The verse begins with the temporal indicator, followed by the infinitive construct with the preposition כְּ (kÿ). This clause could therefore be taken as temporal.

[39:10] 2758 tn Heb “listen to.”

[39:10] 2759 tn Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:11] 2760 tn Heb “and it was about this day.”

[39:11] 2761 tn Heb “the men of the house.”

[39:12] 2762 tn Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.

[39:12] 2763 sn For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” VT 2 (1952): 85-87.

[39:14] 2764 tn The verb has no expressed subject, and so it could be treated as a passive (“a Hebrew man was brought in”; cf. NIV). But it is clear from the context that her husband brought Joseph into the household, so Potiphar is the apparent referent here. Thus the translation supplies “my husband” as the referent of the unspecified pronominal subject of the verb (cf. NEB, NRSV).

[39:14] 2765 sn A Hebrew man. Potiphar’s wife raises the ethnic issue when talking to her servants about what their boss had done.

[39:14] 2766 tn Heb “to make fun of us.” The verb translated “to humiliate us” here means to hold something up for ridicule, or to toy with something harmfully. Attempted rape would be such an activity, for it would hold the victim in contempt.

[39:14] 2767 tn Heb “he came to me to lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:14] 2768 tn Heb “and I cried out with a loud voice.”

[39:15] 2769 tn Heb “that I raised.”

[39:17] 2770 tn Heb “and she spoke to him according to these words, saying.”

[39:17] 2771 sn That Hebrew slave. Now, when speaking to her husband, Potiphar’s wife refers to Joseph as a Hebrew slave, a very demeaning description.

[39:17] 2772 tn Heb “came to me to make fun of me.” The statement needs no explanation because of the connotations of “came to me” and “to make fun of me.” See the note on the expression “humiliate us” in v. 14.

[39:19] 2773 tn Heb “and when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying.”

[39:19] 2774 tn Heb “according to these words.”

[39:19] 2775 tn Heb “did to me.”

[39:19] 2776 tn Heb “his anger burned.”

[39:20] 2777 tn Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.

[39:20] 2778 sn The story of Joseph is filled with cycles and repetition: He has two dreams (chap. 37), he interprets two dreams in prison (chap. 40) and the two dreams of Pharaoh (chap. 41), his brothers make two trips to see him (chaps. 42-43), and here, for the second time (see 37:24), he is imprisoned for no good reason, with only his coat being used as evidence. For further discussion see H. Jacobsen, “A Legal Note on Potiphar’s Wife,” HTR 69 (1976): 177.

[39:21] 2779 tn Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”

[39:21] 2780 tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).

[39:22] 2781 tn Heb “all which they were doing there, he was doing.” This probably means that Joseph was in charge of everything that went on in the prison.

[39:23] 2782 tn Heb “was not looking at anything.”

[39:23] 2783 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[40:1] 2784 sn The Hebrew term cupbearer corresponds to the Egyptian wb’, an official (frequently a foreigner) who often became a confidant of the king and wielded political power (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 248). Nehemiah held this post in Persia.

[40:1] 2785 sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.

[40:1] 2786 sn The Hebrew verb translated offended here is the same one translated “sin” in 39:9. Perhaps there is an intended contrast between these officials, who deserve to be imprisoned, and Joseph, who refused to sin against God, but was thrown into prison in spite of his innocence.

[40:2] 2787 tn The Hebrew word סָרִיס (saris), used here of these two men and of Potiphar (see 39:1), normally means “eunuch.” But evidence from Akkadian texts shows that in early times the title was used of a court official in general. Only later did it become more specialized in its use.

[40:4] 2788 sn He served them. This is the same Hebrew verb, meaning “to serve as a personal attendant,” that was translated “became [his] servant” in 39:4.

[40:4] 2789 tn Heb “they were days in custody.”

[40:5] 2790 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[40:5] 2791 tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”

[40:5] 2792 tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”

[40:6] 2793 tn The verb זָעַף (za’af) only occurs here and Dan 1:10. It means “to be sick, to be emaciated,” probably in this case because of depression.

[40:7] 2794 tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”

[40:8] 2795 tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”

[40:8] 2796 tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:9] 2797 tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.

[40:11] 2798 tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:11] 2799 sn The cupbearer’s dream is dominated by sets of three: three branches, three stages of growth, and three actions of the cupbearer.

[40:12] 2800 tn Heb “the three branches [are].”

[40:13] 2801 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head.” This Hebrew idiom usually refers to restoring dignity, office, or power. It is comparable to the modern saying “someone can hold his head up high.”

[40:13] 2802 tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[40:14] 2803 tn Heb “but you have remembered me with you.” The perfect verbal form may be used rhetorically here to emphasize Joseph’s desire to be remembered. He speaks of the action as already being accomplished in order to make it clear that he expects it to be done. The form can be translated as volitional, expressing a plea or a request.

[40:14] 2804 tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.

[40:14] 2805 tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”

[40:14] 2806 tn The verb זָכַר (zakhar) in the Hiphil stem means “to cause to remember, to make mention, to boast.” The implication is that Joseph would be pleased for them to tell his story and give him the credit due him so that Pharaoh would release him. Since Pharaoh had never met Joseph, the simple translation of “cause him to remember me” would mean little.

[40:14] 2807 tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.

[40:15] 2808 tn The verb גָּנַב (ganav) means “to steal,” but in the Piel/Pual stem “to steal away.” The idea of “kidnap” would be closer to the sense, meaning he was stolen and carried off. The preceding infinitive absolute underscores the point Joseph is making.

[40:16] 2809 tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[40:16] 2810 tn Or “three wicker baskets.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun חֹרִי (khori, “white bread, cake”) is uncertain; some have suggested the meaning “wicker” instead. Comparison with texts from Ebla suggests the meaning “pastries made with white flour” (M. Dahood, “Eblaite h¬a-rí and Genesis 40,16 h£o„rî,” BN 13 [1980]: 14-16).

[40:18] 2811 tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”

[40:19] 2812 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you.” Joseph repeats the same expression from the first interpretation (see v. 13), but with the added words “from upon you,” which allow the statement to have a more literal and ominous meaning – the baker will be decapitated.

[40:20] 2813 tn The translation puts the verb in quotation marks because it is used rhetorically here and has a double meaning. With respect to the cup bearer it means “reinstate” (see v. 13), but with respect to the baker it means “decapitate” (see v. 19).

[40:21] 2814 tn Heb “his cupbearing.”

[40:22] 2815 tn Heb “had interpreted for them.”

[40:22] sn The dreams were fulfilled exactly as Joseph had predicted, down to the very detail. Here was confirmation that Joseph could interpret dreams and that his own dreams were still valid. It would have been a tremendous encouragement to his faith, but it would also have been a great disappointment to spend two more years in jail.

[40:23] 2816 tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.

[41:1] 2817 tn Heb “two years, days.”

[41:1] 2818 tn Heb “was dreaming.”

[41:2] 2819 tn Heb “And look, he was standing by the Nile, and look, from the Nile were coming up seven cows, attractive of appearance and fat of flesh.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to see the dream through Pharaoh’s eyes.

[41:3] 2820 tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”

[41:3] 2821 tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:5] 2822 tn Heb “coming up.”

[41:5] 2823 tn Heb “fat.”

[41:6] 2824 tn Heb “And look.”

[41:7] 2825 tn Heb “And look, a dream.”

[41:7] sn Pharaoh’s two dreams, as explained in the following verses, pertained to the economy of Egypt. Because of the Nile River, the land of Egypt weathered all kinds of famines – there was usually grain in Egypt, and if there was grain and water the livestock would flourish. These two dreams, however, indicated that poverty would overtake plenty and that the blessing of the herd and the field would cease.

[41:8] 2826 tn Heb “his spirit.”

[41:8] 2827 tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.

[41:8] 2828 tn The Hebrew term חַרְטֹם (khartom) is an Egyptian loanword (hyr-tp) that describes a class of priests who were skilled in such interpretations.

[41:8] 2829 tn The Hebrew text has the singular (though the Samaritan Pentateuch reads the plural). If retained, the singular must be collective for the set of dreams. Note the plural pronoun “them,” referring to the dreams, in the next clause. However, note that in v. 15 Pharaoh uses the singular to refer to the two dreams. In vv. 17-24 Pharaoh seems to treat the dreams as two parts of one dream (see especially v. 22).

[41:8] 2830 tn “there was no interpreter.”

[41:8] 2831 tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:9] 2832 tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).

[41:11] 2833 tn Heb “and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he, each according to the interpretation of his dream we dreamed.”

[41:12] 2834 tn Or “slave.”

[41:12] 2835 tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.

[41:12] 2836 tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:12] 2837 tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”

[41:13] 2838 tn Heb “interpreted.”

[41:13] 2839 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:13] 2840 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:14] 2841 tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.

[41:15] 2842 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[41:15] 2843 tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”

[41:15] 2844 tn Heb “saying.”

[41:15] 2845 tn Heb “you hear a dream to interpret it,” which may mean, “you only have to hear a dream to be able to interpret it.”

[41:16] 2846 tn Heb “not within me.”

[41:16] 2847 tn Heb “God will answer.”

[41:16] 2848 tn The expression שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה (shÿlom par’oh) is here rendered “the welfare of Pharaoh” because the dream will be about life in his land. Some interpret it to mean an answer of “peace” – one that will calm his heart, or give him the answer that he desires (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[41:17] 2849 tn Heb “In my dream look, I was standing.” The use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here (and also in vv. 18, 19, 22, 23) invites the hearer (within the context of the narrative, Joseph; but in the broader sense the reader or hearer of the Book of Genesis) to observe the scene through Pharaoh’s eyes.

[41:18] 2850 tn Heb “and look, from the Nile seven cows were coming up, fat of flesh and attractive of appearance, and they grazed in the reeds.”

[41:19] 2851 tn Heb “And look.”

[41:19] 2852 tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:20] 2853 tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”

[41:21] 2854 tn Heb “when they went inside them.”

[41:21] 2855 tn Heb “it was not known.”

[41:22] 2856 tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”

[41:23] 2857 tn Heb “And look.”

[41:24] 2858 tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:24] 2859 tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”

[41:25] 2860 tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”

[41:25] 2861 tn Heb “declared.”

[41:25] 2862 tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.

[41:26] 2863 tn Heb “one dream it is.”

[41:27] 2864 tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”

[41:28] 2865 tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”

[41:30] 2866 tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.

[41:30] 2867 tn The Hebrew verb כָּלָה (kalah) in the Piel stem means “to finish, to destroy, to bring an end to.” The severity of the famine will ruin the land of Egypt.

[41:31] 2868 tn Heb “known.”

[41:31] 2869 tn Or “heavy.”

[41:32] 2870 tn Heb “and concerning the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh two times.” The Niphal infinitive here is the object of the preposition; it is followed by the subjective genitive “of the dream.”

[41:32] 2871 tn Heb “established.”

[41:32] 2872 tn The clause combines a participle and an infinitive construct: God “is hurrying…to do it,” meaning he is going to do it soon.

[41:33] 2873 tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:33] 2874 tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:33] 2875 tn Heb “and let him set him.”

[41:34] 2876 tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”

[41:34] 2877 tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:34] 2878 tn Heb “appointees.” The noun is a cognate accusative of the preceding verb. Since “appoint appointees” would be redundant in English, the term “officials” was used in the translation instead.

[41:34] 2879 tn Heb “and he shall collect a fifth of the land of Egypt.” The language is figurative (metonymy); it means what the land produces, i.e., the harvest.

[41:35] 2880 tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:35] 2881 tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”

[41:35] 2882 tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.

[41:35] 2883 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.

[41:36] 2884 tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”

[41:37] 2885 tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”

[41:38] 2886 tn Heb “like this,” but the referent could be misunderstood to be a man like that described by Joseph in v. 33, rather than Joseph himself. For this reason the proper name “Joseph” has been supplied in the translation.

[41:38] 2887 tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”

[41:39] 2888 tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:40] 2889 tn Heb “and at your mouth (i.e., instructions) all my people will kiss.” G. J. Wenham translates this “shall kowtow to your instruction” (Genesis [WBC], 2:395). Although there is some textual support for reading “will be judged, ruled by you,” this is probably an attempt to capture the significance of this word. Wenham lists a number of references where individuals have tried to make connections with other words or expressions – such as a root meaning “order themselves” lying behind “kiss,” or an idiomatic idea of “kiss” meaning “seal the mouth,” and so “be silent and submit to.” See K. A. Kitchen, “The Term Nsq in Genesis 41:40,” ExpTim 69 (1957): 30; D. S. Sperling, “Genesis 41:40: A New Interpretation,” JANESCU 10 (1978): 113-19.

[41:40] 2890 tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”

[41:41] 2891 tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is descriptive of a present action. Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, in which case Pharaoh describes a still future action as if it had already occurred in order to emphasize its certainty. In this case one could translate “I have placed” or “I will place.” The verb נָתַן (natan) is translated here as “to place in authority [over].”

[41:41] 2892 sn Joseph became the grand vizier of the land of Egypt. See W. A. Ward, “The Egyptian Office of Joseph,” JSS 5 (1960): 144-50; and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 129-31.

[41:42] 2893 tn The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ (shesh) is an Egyptian loanword that describes the fine linen robes that Egyptian royalty wore. The clothing signified Joseph’s rank.

[41:43] 2894 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:43] 2895 tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”

[41:43] 2896 tn The verb form appears to be a causative imperative from a verbal root meaning “to kneel.” It is a homonym of the word “bless” (identical in root letters but not related etymologically).

[41:44] 2897 tn Heb “apart from you.”

[41:44] 2898 tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.

[41:44] 2899 tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.

[41:45] 2900 sn The meaning of Joseph’s Egyptian name, Zaphenath-Paneah, is uncertain. Many recent commentators have followed the proposal of G. Steindorff that it means “the god has said, ‘he will live’” (“Der Name Josephs Saphenat-Pa‘neach,” ZÄS 31 [1889]: 41-42); others have suggested “the god speaks and lives” (see BDB 861 s.v. צָפְנָת פַּעְנֵחַ); “the man he knows” (J. Vergote, Joseph en Égypte, 145); or “Joseph [who is called] áIp-àankh” (K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 1262).

[41:45] 2901 sn The name Asenath may mean “she belongs to the goddess Neit” (see HALOT 74 s.v. אָֽסְנַת). A novel was written at the beginning of the first century entitled Joseph and Asenath, which included a legendary account of the conversion of Asenath to Joseph’s faith in Yahweh. However, all that can be determined from this chapter is that their children received Hebrew names. See also V. Aptowitzer, “Asenath, the Wife of Joseph – a Haggadic Literary-Historical Study,” HUCA 1 (1924): 239-306.

[41:45] 2902 sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[41:45] 2903 tn Heb “and he passed through.”

[41:46] 2904 tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”

[41:46] 2905 tn Heb “when he stood before.”

[41:46] 2906 tn Heb “went out from before.”

[41:46] 2907 tn Heb “and he passed through all the land of Egypt”; this phrase is interpreted by JPS to mean that Joseph “emerged in charge of the whole land.”

[41:47] 2908 tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”

[41:48] 2909 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:48] 2910 tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:48] 2911 tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”

[41:49] 2912 tn Heb “and Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, multiplying much.” To emphasize the vast amount of grain he stored up, the Hebrew text modifies the verb “gathered” with an infinitive absolute and an adverb.

[41:50] 2913 tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”

[41:50] 2914 tn Heb “gave birth for him.”

[41:51] 2915 sn The name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, mÿnasheh) describes God’s activity on behalf of Joseph, explaining in general the significance of his change of fortune. The name is a Piel participle, suggesting the meaning “he who brings about forgetfulness.” The Hebrew verb נַשַּׁנִי (nashani) may have been used instead of the normal נִשַּׁנִי (nishani) to provide a closer sound play with the name. The giving of this Hebrew name to his son shows that Joseph retained his heritage and faith; and it shows that a brighter future was in store for him.

[41:51] 2916 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:51] 2917 tn Or “for.”

[41:52] 2918 sn The name Ephraim (אֶפְרַיִם, ’efrayim), a form of the Hebrew verb פָּרָה (parah), means “to bear fruit.” The theme of fruitfulness is connected with this line of the family from Rachel (30:2) on down (see Gen 49:22, Deut 33:13-17, and Hos 13:15). But there is some difficulty with the name “Ephraim” itself. It appears to be a dual, for which F. Delitzsch simply said it meant “double fruitfulness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:305). G. J. Spurrell suggested it was a diphthongal pronunciation of a name ending in -an or -am, often thought to be dual suffixes (Notes on the text of the book of Genesis, 334). Many, however, simply connect the name to the territory of Ephraim and interpret it to be “fertile land” (C. Fontinoy, “Les noms de lieux en -ayim dans la Bible,” UF 3 [1971]: 33-40). The dual would then be an old locative ending. There is no doubt that the name became attached to the land in which the tribe settled, and it is possible that is where the dual ending came from, but in this story it refers to Joseph’s God-given fruitfulness.

[41:52] 2919 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:52] 2920 tn Or “for.”

[41:54] 2921 tn Heb “began to arrive.”

[41:55] 2922 tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.

[41:56] 2923 tn Or “over the entire land”; Heb “over all the face of the earth.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal to the next clause.

[41:56] 2924 tc The MT reads “he opened all that was in [or “among”] them.” The translation follows the reading of the LXX and Syriac versions.

[41:57] 2925 tn Heb “all the earth,” which refers here (by metonymy) to the people of the earth. Note that the following verb is plural in form, indicating that the inhabitants of the earth are in view.

[42:1] 2926 tn Heb “saw.”

[42:1] 2927 tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:1] 2928 sn Why are you looking at each other? The point of Jacob’s question is that his sons should be going to get grain rather than sitting around doing nothing. Jacob, as the patriarch, still makes the decisions for the whole clan.

[42:2] 2929 tn Heb “and buy for us from there.” The word “grain,” the direct object of “buy,” has been supplied for clarity, and the words “from there” have been omitted in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:2] 2930 tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.

[42:2] 2931 tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.

[42:4] 2932 tn Heb “But Benjamin, the brother of Joseph, Jacob did not send with his brothers.” The disjunctive clause highlights the contrast between Benjamin and the other ten.

[42:4] 2933 tn The Hebrew verb אָמַר (’amar, “to say”) could also be translated “thought” (i.e., “he said to himself”) here, giving Jacob’s reasoning rather than spoken words.

[42:4] 2934 tn The Hebrew noun אָסוֹן (’ason) is a rare word meaning “accident, harm.” Apart from its use in these passages it occurs in Exodus 21:22-23 of an accident to a pregnant woman. The term is a rather general one, but Jacob was no doubt thinking of his loss of Joseph.

[42:4] 2935 tn Heb “encounters.”

[42:5] 2936 tn Heb “in the midst of the coming ones.”

[42:6] 2937 tn The disjunctive clause either introduces a new episode in the unfolding drama or provides the reader with supplemental information necessary to understanding the story.

[42:6] 2938 sn Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him. Here is the beginning of the fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams (see Gen 37). But it is not the complete fulfillment, since all his brothers and his parents must come. The point of the dream, of course, was not simply to get the family to bow to Joseph, but that Joseph would be placed in a position of rule and authority to save the family and the world (41:57).

[42:6] 2939 tn The word “faces” is an adverbial accusative, so the preposition has been supplied in the translation.

[42:7] 2940 sn But pretended to be a stranger. Joseph intends to test his brothers to see if they have changed and have the integrity to be patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He will do this by putting them in the same situations that they and he were in before. The first test will be to awaken their conscience.

[42:7] 2941 tn Heb “said.”

[42:7] 2942 tn The verb is denominative, meaning “to buy grain”; the word “food” could simply be the direct object, but may also be an adverbial accusative.

[42:9] 2943 sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.

[42:9] 2944 tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”

[42:10] 2945 tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.

[42:12] 2946 tn Heb “and he said, ‘No, for the nakedness of the land you have come to see.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for clarity.

[42:13] 2947 tn Heb “twelve [were] your servants, brothers [are] we.”

[42:13] 2948 tn Heb “today.”

[42:13] 2949 tn Heb “and the one is not.”

[42:14] 2950 tn Heb “to you, saying.”

[42:15] 2951 tn Heb “[By] the life of Pharaoh.”

[42:15] sn As surely as Pharaoh lives. Joseph uses an oath formula to let the brothers know the certainty of what he said. There is some discussion in the commentaries on swearing by the life of Pharaoh, but since the formulation here reflects the Hebrew practice, it would be hard to connect the ideas exactly to Egyptian practices. Joseph did this to make the point in a way that his Hebrew brothers would understand. See M. R. Lehmann, “Biblical Oaths,” ZAW 81 (1969): 74-92.

[42:16] 2952 tn Heb “send from you one and let him take.” After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose.

[42:16] 2953 tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.

[42:16] 2954 tn Heb “bound.”

[42:16] 2955 tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:16] 2956 tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”

[42:17] 2957 sn The same Hebrew word is used for Joseph’s imprisonment in 40:3, 4, 7. There is some mirroring going on in the narrative. The Hebrew word used here (אָסַף, ’asaf, “to gather”) is not normally used in a context like this (for placing someone in prison), but it forms a wordplay on the name Joseph (יוֹסֵף, yosoef) and keeps the comparison working.

[42:18] 2958 tn Heb “Do this.”

[42:18] 2959 tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.

[42:18] 2960 sn For I fear God. Joseph brings God into the picture to awaken his brothers’ consciences. The godly person cares about the welfare of people, whether they live or die. So he will send grain back, but keep one of them in Egypt. This action contrasts with their crime of selling their brother into slavery.

[42:19] 2961 tn Heb “bound in the house of your prison.”

[42:19] 2962 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal.

[42:19] 2963 tn Heb “[for] the hunger of your households.”

[42:20] 2964 tn The imperfect here has an injunctive force.

[42:20] 2965 tn After the injunctive imperfect, this imperfect with vav indicates purpose or result.

[42:20] 2966 tn The Niphal form of the verb has the sense of “to be faithful; to be sure; to be reliable.” Joseph will test his brothers to see if their words are true.

[42:20] 2967 tn Heb “and they did so.”

[42:21] 2968 tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”

[42:21] 2969 tn Or “we are guilty”; the Hebrew word can also refer to the effect of being guilty, i.e., “we are being punished for guilt.”

[42:21] 2970 tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”

[42:21] 2971 sn The repetition of the Hebrew noun translated distress draws attention to the fact that they regard their present distress as appropriate punishment for their refusal to ignore their brother when he was in distress.

[42:22] 2972 tn Heb “and also his blood, look, it is required.” God requires compensation, as it were, from those who shed innocent blood (see Gen 9:6). In other words, God exacts punishment for the crime of murder.

[42:23] 2973 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[42:23] 2974 tn “was listening.” The brothers were not aware that Joseph could understand them as they spoke the preceding words in their native language.

[42:23] 2975 tn Heb “for [there was] an interpreter between them.” On the meaning of the word here translated “interpreter” see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ and M. A. Canney, “The Hebrew melis (Prov IX 12; Gen XLII 2-3),” AJSL 40 (1923/24): 135-37.

[42:24] 2976 tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”

[42:24] 2977 tn Heb “took Simeon.” This was probably done at Joseph’s command, however; the grand vizier of Egypt would not have personally seized a prisoner.

[42:24] 2978 tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”

[42:25] 2979 tn Heb “and they filled.” The clause appears to be elliptical; one expects “Joseph gave orders to fill…and they filled.” See GKC 386 §120.f.

[42:25] 2980 tn Heb “and he did for them so.” Joseph would appear to be the subject of the singular verb. If the text is retained, the statement seems to be a summary of the preceding, more detailed statement. However, some read the verb as plural, “and they did for them so.” In this case the statement indicates that Joseph’s subordinates carried out his orders. Another alternative is to read the singular verb as passive (with unspecified subject), “and this was done for them so” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[42:26] 2981 tn Heb “and they went from there.”

[42:27] 2982 tn Heb “and the one.” The article indicates that the individual is vivid in the mind of the narrator, yet it is not important to identify him by name.

[42:27] 2983 tn Heb “at the lodging place.”

[42:27] 2984 tn Heb “and look, it [was] in the mouth of his sack.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to look through the eyes of the character and thereby draws attention to the money.

[42:28] 2985 tn Heb “and their heart went out.” Since this expression is used only here, the exact meaning is unclear. The following statement suggests that it may refer to a sudden loss of emotional strength, so “They were dismayed” adequately conveys the meaning (cf. NRSV); NIV has “Their hearts sank.”

[42:28] 2986 tn Heb “and they trembled, a man to his neighbor.”

[42:28] 2987 tn Heb “What is this God has done to us?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question.

[42:30] 2988 tn Heb “made us.”

[42:30] 2989 tn The words “if we were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:32] 2990 tn Heb “twelve [were] we, brothers, sons of our father [are] we.”

[42:32] 2991 tn Heb “the one is not.”

[42:32] 2992 tn Heb “today.”

[42:33] 2993 tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:34] 2994 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.

[42:34] 2995 tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”

[42:34] 2996 sn Joseph’s brothers soften the news considerably, making it sound like Simeon was a guest of Joseph (Leave one of your brothers with me) instead of being bound in prison. They do not mention the threat of death and do not at this time speak of the money in the one sack.

[42:36] 2997 tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36] 2998 tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36] 2999 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.

[42:37] 3000 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.

[42:37] 3001 tn Heb “my hand.”

[42:38] 3002 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[42:38] 3003 sn The expression he alone is left meant that (so far as Jacob knew) Benjamin was the only surviving child of his mother Rachel.

[42:38] 3004 sn The expression bring down my gray hair is figurative, using a part for the whole – they would put Jacob in the grave. But the gray head signifies a long life of worry and trouble.

[42:38] 3005 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[43:1] 3006 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.

[43:3] 3007 tn The infinitive absolute with the finite verb stresses the point. The primary meaning of the verb is “to witness; to testify.” It alludes to Joseph’s oath, which was tantamount to a threat or warning.

[43:3] 3008 tn The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”

[43:4] 3009 tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”

[43:6] 3010 tn The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”

[43:6] 3011 tn The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.

[43:7] 3012 tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:7] 3013 tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.

[43:7] 3014 sn The report given here concerning Joseph’s interrogation does not exactly match the previous account where they supplied the information to clear themselves (see 42:13). This section may reflect how they remembered the impact of his interrogation, whether he asked the specific questions or not. That may be twisting the truth to protect themselves, not wanting to admit that they volunteered the information. (They admitted as much in 42:31, but now they seem to be qualifying that comment.) On the other hand, when speaking to Joseph later (see 44:19), Judah claims that Joseph asked for the information about their family, making it possible that 42:13 leaves out some of the details of their first encounter.

[43:7] 3015 tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”

[43:7] 3016 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the imperfect verbal form, which here is a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of a past time).

[43:7] 3017 tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).

[43:8] 3018 tn Heb “and we will rise up and we will go.” The first verb is adverbial and gives the expression the sense of “we will go immediately.”

[43:8] 3019 tn After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.

[43:9] 3020 tn The pronoun before the first person verbal form draws attention to the subject and emphasizes Judah’s willingness to be personally responsible for the boy.

[43:9] 3021 sn I will bear the blame before you all my life. It is not clear how this would work out if Benjamin did not come back. But Judah is offering his life for Benjamin’s if Benjamin does not return.

[43:10] 3022 tn Heb “we could have returned.”

[43:12] 3023 tn Heb “in your hand.”

[43:12] 3024 tn Heb “take back in your hand.” The imperfect verbal form probably has an injunctive or obligatory force here, since Jacob is instructing his sons.

[43:13] 3025 tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”

[43:13] 3026 sn The man refers to the Egyptian official, whom the reader or hearer of the narrative knows is Joseph. In this context both the sons and Jacob refer to him simply as “the man” (see vv. 3-7).

[43:14] 3027 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[43:14] 3028 tn Heb “release to you.” After the jussive this perfect verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) probably indicates logical consequence, as well as temporal sequence.

[43:14] 3029 sn Several Jewish commentators suggest that the expression your other brother refers to Joseph. This would mean that Jacob prophesied unwittingly. However, it is much more likely that Simeon is the referent of the phrase “your other brother” (see Gen 42:24).

[43:14] 3030 tn Heb “if I am bereaved I am bereaved.” With this fatalistic sounding statement Jacob resolves himself to the possibility of losing both Benjamin and Simeon.

[43:15] 3031 tn Heb “they arose and went down to Egypt.” The first verb has an adverbial function and emphasizes that they departed right away.

[43:17] 3032 tn Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.

[43:17] 3033 sn This verse is a summary statement. The next verses delineate intermediate steps (see v. 24) in the process.

[43:18] 3034 tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[43:18] 3035 tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.

[43:18] 3036 tn Heb “to roll himself upon us and to cause himself to fall upon us.” The infinitives here indicate the purpose (as viewed by the brothers) for their being brought to Joseph’s house.

[43:18] 3037 tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:20] 3038 tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.

[43:20] 3039 tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).

[43:21] 3040 tn Heb “in its weight.”

[43:21] 3041 tn Heb “brought it back in our hand.”

[43:23] 3042 tn Heb “and he said, ‘peace to you.’” Here the statement has the force of “everything is fine,” or perhaps even “calm down.” The referent of “he” (the man in charge of Joseph’ household) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[43:23] 3043 sn Your God and the God of your father…This is the first clear reference in the story to the theme of divine providence – that God works through the human actions to do his will.

[43:23] 3044 tn Heb “your money came to me.”

[43:24] 3045 tn Heb “the man.”

[43:25] 3046 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.

[43:25] 3047 tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.

[43:25] 3048 tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).

[43:26] 3049 tn Heb “into the house.”

[43:27] 3050 tn Heb “concerning peace.”

[43:28] 3051 tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.

[43:29] 3052 tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:29] 3053 sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.

[43:30] 3054 tn Heb “for his affection boiled up concerning his brother.” The same expression is used in 1 Kgs 3:26 for the mother’s feelings for her endangered child.

[43:30] 3055 tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”

[43:31] 3056 tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”

[43:32] 3057 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:32] 3058 tn Or “disgraceful.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 46:34 and Exod 8:22.

[43:32] 3059 tn Heb “and they set for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, for the Egyptians are not able to eat food with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination for the Egyptians.” The imperfect verbal form in the explanatory clause is taken as habitual in force, indicating a practice that was still in effect in the narrator’s time.

[43:32] sn That the Egyptians found eating with foreigners disgusting is well-attested in extra-biblical literature by writers like Herodotus, Diodorus, and Strabo.

[43:33] 3060 tn Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”

[43:33] 3061 sn The brothers’ astonishment indicates that Joseph arranged them in this way. They were astonished because there was no way, as far as they were concerned, that Joseph could have known the order of their birth.

[43:34] 3062 tn Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”

[43:34] 3063 tn Heb “and they drank and were intoxicated with him” (cf. NIV “drank freely with him”; NEB “grew merry”; NRSV “were merry”). The brothers were apparently relaxed and set at ease, despite Joseph’s obvious favoritism toward Benjamin.

[44:2] 3064 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.

[44:2] 3065 tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”

[44:3] 3066 tn Heb “the morning was light.”

[44:3] 3067 tn Heb “and the men were sent off, they and their donkeys.” This clause, like the preceding one, has the subject before the verb, indicating synchronic action.

[44:4] 3068 tn Heb “they left the city, they were not far,” meaning “they had not gone very far.”

[44:4] 3069 tn Heb “and Joseph said.” This clause, like the first one in the verse, has the subject before the verb, indicating synchronic action.

[44:4] 3070 tn Heb “arise, chase after the men.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[44:4] 3071 tn After the imperative this perfect verbal form with vav consecutive has the same nuance of instruction. In the translation it is subordinated to the verbal form that follows (also a perfect with vav consecutive): “and overtake them and say,” becomes “when you overtake them, say.”

[44:5] 3072 tn Heb “Is this not what my master drinks from.” The word “cup” is not in the Hebrew text, but is obviously the referent of “this,” and so has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[44:5] 3073 tn Heb “and he, divining, divines with it.” The infinitive absolute is emphatic, stressing the importance of the cup to Joseph.

[44:5] 3074 tn Heb “you have caused to be evil what you have done.”

[44:6] 3075 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:7] 3076 tn Heb “Why does my lord speak according to these words?”

[44:7] 3077 tn Heb “according to this thing.”

[44:9] 3078 tn Heb “The one with whom it is found from your servants.” Here “your servants” (a deferential way of referring to the brothers themselves) has been translated by the pronoun “us” to avoid confusion with Joseph’s servants.

[44:10] 3079 tn Heb “Also now, according to your words, so it is.” As the next statement indicates, this does mean that he will do exactly as they say. He does agree with them the culprit should be punished, but not as harshly as they suggest. Furthermore, the innocent parties will not be punished.

[44:10] 3080 tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”

[44:10] 3081 tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:10] 3082 tn The Hebrew word נָקִי (naqi) means “acquitted,” that is, free of guilt and the responsibility for it.

[44:10] sn The rest of you will be free. Joseph’s purpose was to single out Benjamin to see if the brothers would abandon him as they had abandoned Joseph. He wanted to see if they had changed.

[44:11] 3083 tn Heb “and they hurried and they lowered.” Their speed in doing this shows their presumption of innocence.

[44:12] 3084 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:14] 3085 sn Judah and his brothers. The narrative is already beginning to bring Judah to the forefront.

[44:14] 3086 tn The disjunctive clause here provides supplemental information.

[44:15] 3087 tn Heb “What is this deed you have done?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question. A literal translation seems to contradict the following statement, in which Joseph affirms that he is able to divine such matters. Thus here the emotive force of the question has been reflected in the translation, “What did you think you were doing?”

[44:15] 3088 tn Heb “[is] fully able to divine,” meaning that he can find things out by divination. The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis, stressing his ability to do this.

[44:16] 3089 tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.

[44:16] 3090 tn The Hitpael form of the verb צָדֵק (tsadeq) here means “to prove ourselves just, to declare ourselves righteous, to prove our innocence.”

[44:16] 3091 sn God has exposed the sin of your servants. The first three questions are rhetorical; Judah is stating that there is nothing they can say to clear themselves. He therefore must conclude that they have been found guilty.

[44:17] 3092 tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:17] 3093 tn Heb “up” (reflecting directions from their point of view – “up” to Canaan; “down” to Egypt).

[44:18] 3094 tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”

[44:18] 3095 tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”

[44:18] 3096 sn You are just like Pharaoh. Judah’s speech begins with the fear and trembling of one who stands condemned. Joseph has as much power as Pharaoh, either to condemn or to pardon. Judah will make his appeal, wording his speech in such a way as to appeal to Joseph’s compassion for the father, whom he mentions no less than fourteen times in the speech.

[44:20] 3097 tn Heb “and a small boy of old age,” meaning that he was born when his father was elderly.

[44:20] 3098 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the boy just mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:20] 3099 tn Heb “he, only he, to his mother is left.”

[44:21] 3100 tn The cohortative after the imperative indicates purpose here.

[44:21] 3101 tn Heb “that I may set my eyes upon him.”

[44:22] 3102 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the boy’s father, i.e., Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:22] 3103 tn The last two verbs are perfect tenses with vav consecutive. The first is subordinated to the second as a conditional clause.

[44:26] 3104 tn The direct object is not specified in the Hebrew text, but is implied; “there” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[44:26] 3105 tn Heb “go down.”

[44:27] 3106 tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”

[44:28] 3107 tn Heb “went forth from me.”

[44:29] 3108 tn The construction uses a perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive to introduce the conditional clause and then another perfect verbal form with a vav consecutive to complete the sentence: “if you take…then you will bring down.”

[44:29] 3109 sn The expression bring down my gray hair is figurative, using a part for the whole – they would put Jacob in the grave. But the gray head signifies a long life of worry and trouble. See Gen 42:38.

[44:29] 3110 tn Heb “evil/calamity.” The term is different than the one used in the otherwise identical statement recorded in v. 31 (see also 42:38).

[44:29] 3111 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[44:30] 3112 tn Heb “his life is bound up in his life.”

[44:31] 3113 tn Heb “when he sees that there is no boy.”

[44:32] 3114 tn Or “for.”

[44:34] 3115 tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”

[44:34] 3116 tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”

[45:1] 3117 tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”

[45:1] 3118 tn Heb “stood.”

[45:2] 3119 tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud.

[45:2] 3120 tn Heb “and the Egyptians heard and the household of Pharaoh heard.” Presumably in the latter case this was by means of a report.

[45:5] 3121 tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.”

[45:5] 3122 sn You sold me here, for God sent me. The tension remains as to how the brothers’ wickedness and God’s intentions work together. Clearly God is able to transform the actions of wickedness to bring about some gracious end. But this is saying more than that; it is saying that from the beginning it was God who sent Joseph here. Although harmonization of these ideas remains humanly impossible, the divine intention is what should be the focus. Only that will enable reconciliation.

[45:6] 3123 tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.”

[45:7] 3124 sn God sent me. The repetition of this theme that God sent Joseph is reminiscent of commission narratives in which the leader could announce that God sent him (e.g., Exod 3:15).

[45:7] 3125 tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.”

[45:7] 3126 tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action.

[45:8] 3127 tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.

[45:9] 3128 tn Heb “hurry and go up.”

[45:10] 3129 tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:11] 3130 tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.”

[45:12] 3131 tn Heb “And, look, your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth is the one speaking to you.”

[45:13] 3132 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:13] 3133 tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”

[45:16] 3134 tn Heb “and the sound was heard.”

[45:16] 3135 tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.”

[45:17] 3136 tn Heb “and go! Enter!”

[45:18] 3137 tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.

[45:18] 3138 tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.

[45:18] 3139 tn Heb “fat.”

[45:19] 3140 tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[45:20] 3141 tn Heb “let not your eye regard.”

[45:21] 3142 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.”

[45:21] 3143 tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.”

[45:22] 3144 tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.”

[45:22] 3145 tn Heb “changes of outer garments.”

[45:23] 3146 tn Heb “according to this.”

[45:24] 3147 tn Heb “do not be stirred up in the way.” The verb means “stir up.” Some understand the Hebrew verb רָגָז (ragaz, “to stir up”) as a reference to quarreling (see Prov 29:9, where it has this connotation), but in Exod 15:14 and other passages it means “to fear.” This might refer to a fear of robbers, but more likely it is an assuring word that they need not be fearful about returning to Egypt. They might have thought that once Jacob was in Egypt, Joseph would take his revenge on them.

[45:25] 3148 tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.”

[45:26] 3149 tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.

[45:27] 3150 tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.”

[46:1] 3151 tn Heb “and Israel journeyed, and all that was his.”

[46:1] 3152 sn Beer Sheba. See Gen 21:31; 28:10.

[46:2] 3153 tn Heb “in visions of the night.” The plural form has the singular meaning, probably as a plural of intensity.

[46:3] 3154 tn Heb “the God.”

[46:4] 3155 tn Heb “and I, I will bring you up, also bringing up.” The independent personal pronoun before the first person imperfect verbal form draws attention to the speaker/subject, while the infinitive absolute after the imperfect strongly emphasizes the statement: “I myself will certainly bring you up.”

[46:4] 3156 tn Heb “and Joseph will put his hand upon your eyes.” This is a promise of peaceful death in Egypt with Joseph present to close his eyes.

[46:5] 3157 tn Heb “arose.”

[46:6] 3158 tn Heb “and they took their livestock and their possessions which they had acquired in the land of Canaan and they went to Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[46:7] 3159 tn The Hebrew text adds “with him” here. This is omitted in the translation because it is redundant in English style (note the same phrase earlier in the verse).

[46:13] 3160 tc The MT reads “Puvah” (cf. Num 26:23); the Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac read “Puah” (cf. 1 Chr 7:1).

[46:13] 3161 tc The MT reads “Iob,” but the Samaritan Pentateuch and some LXX mss read “Jashub” (see Num 26:24; 1 Chr 7:1).

[46:15] 3162 tn Heb “all the lives of his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.”

[46:16] 3163 tc The MT reads “Ziphion,” but see Num 26:15, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, all of which read “Zephon.”

[46:20] 3164 sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[46:21] 3165 sn The sons of Benjamin. It is questionable whether youthful Benjamin had ten sons by the time he went into Egypt, but it is not impossible. If Benjamin was born when Joseph was six or seven, he was ten when Joseph was sold into Egypt, and would have been thirty-two at this point. Some suggest that the list originally served another purpose and included the names of all who were in the immediate family of the sons, whether born in Canaan or later in Egypt.

[46:23] 3166 tn This name appears as “Shuham” in Num 26:42. The LXX reads “Hashum” here.

[46:26] 3167 tn Heb “All the people who went with Jacob to Egypt, the ones who came out of his body, apart from the wives of the sons of Jacob, all the people were sixty-six.”

[46:26] sn The number sixty-six includes the seventy-one descendants (including Dinah) listed in vv. 8-25 minus Er and Onan (deceased), and Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim (already in Egypt).

[46:27] 3168 tn The LXX reads “nine sons,” probably counting the grandsons of Joseph born to Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. 1 Chr 7:14-20).

[46:27] 3169 tn Heb “And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two people; all the people belonging to the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.”

[46:27] sn The number seventy includes Jacob himself and the seventy-one descendants (including Dinah, Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim) listed in vv. 8-25, minus Er and Onan (deceased). The LXX gives the number as “seventy-five” (cf. Acts 7:14).

[46:28] 3170 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[46:28] 3171 tn Heb “to direct before him to Goshen.”

[46:29] 3172 tn Heb “and he appeared to him.”

[46:30] 3173 tn Heb “after my seeing your face that you are still alive.”

[46:31] 3174 tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”

[46:32] 3175 tn Heb “feeders of sheep.”

[46:32] 3176 tn Heb “for men of livestock they are.”

[46:34] 3177 tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”

[46:34] 3178 sn So that you may live in the land of Goshen. Joseph is apparently trying to stress to Pharaoh that his family is self-sufficient, that they will not be a drain on the economy of Egypt. But they will need land for their animals and so Goshen, located on the edge of Egypt, would be a suitable place for them to live. The settled Egyptians were uneasy with nomadic people, but if Jacob and his family settled in Goshen they would represent no threat.

[46:34] 3179 tn Heb “is an abomination.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 43:32 and Exod 8:22.

[47:1] 3180 tn Heb “Look they [are] in the land of Goshen.” Joseph draws attention to the fact of their presence in Goshen.

[47:2] 3181 tn Heb “and from the whole of his brothers he took five men and presented them before Pharaoh.”

[47:3] 3182 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:3] 3183 tn Heb “both we and our fathers.”

[47:4] 3184 tn Heb “to sojourn.”

[47:4] 3185 tn Heb “for there.” The Hebrew uses a causal particle to connect what follows with what precedes. The translation divides the statement into two sentences for stylistic reasons.

[47:6] 3186 tn Heb “men of skill.”

[47:6] 3187 tn Heb “make them rulers.”

[47:6] sn Put them in charge of my livestock. Pharaoh is, in effect, offering Joseph’s brothers jobs as royal keepers of livestock, a position mentioned often in Egyptian inscriptions, because the Pharaohs owned huge herds of cattle.

[47:7] 3188 tn Heb “caused him to stand.”

[47:7] 3189 sn The precise meaning of the Hebrew verb translated “blessed” is difficult in this passage, because the content of Jacob’s blessing is not given. The expression could simply mean that he greeted Pharaoh, but that seems insufficient in this setting. Jacob probably praised Pharaoh, for the verb is used this way for praising God. It is also possible that he pronounced a formal prayer of blessing, asking God to reward Pharaoh for his kindness.

[47:8] 3190 tn Heb “How many are the days of the years of your life?”

[47:9] 3191 tn Heb “the days of.”

[47:9] 3192 tn Heb “sojournings.” Jacob uses a term that depicts him as one who has lived an unsettled life, temporarily residing in many different places.

[47:9] 3193 tn Heb “the days of.”

[47:9] 3194 tn The Hebrew word רַע (ra’) can sometimes mean “evil,” but that would give the wrong connotation here, where it refers to pain, difficulty, and sorrow. Jacob is thinking back through all the troubles he had to endure to get to this point.

[47:9] 3195 tn Heb “and they have not reached the days of the years of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.”

[47:10] 3196 tn Heb “from before Pharaoh.”

[47:11] 3197 tn Heb “a possession,” or “a holding.” Joseph gave them a plot of land with rights of ownership in the land of Goshen.

[47:11] 3198 sn The land of Rameses is another designation for the region of Goshen. It is named Rameses because of a city in that region (Exod 1:11; 12:37). The use of this name may represent a modernization of the text for the understanding of the intended readers, substituting a later name for an earlier one. Alternatively, there may have been an earlier Rameses for which the region was named.

[47:13] 3199 tn The verb לַהַה (lahah, = לָאָה, la’ah) means “to faint, to languish”; it figuratively describes the land as wasting away, drooping, being worn out.

[47:14] 3200 tn Or “in exchange.” On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.

[47:14] 3201 tn Heb “house.”

[47:15] 3202 tn Heb “all Egypt.” The expression is a metonymy and refers to all the people of Egypt.

[47:15] 3203 tn The imperfect verbal form has a deliberative force here.

[47:16] 3204 tn The word “food” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:16] 3205 tn On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.

[47:17] 3206 tn The definite article is translated here as a possessive pronoun.

[47:18] 3207 tn Heb “my.” The expression “my lord” occurs twice more in this verse.

[47:19] 3208 tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates consequence.

[47:19] 3209 sn Pharaoh’s slaves. The idea of slavery is not attractive to the modern mind, but in the ancient world it was the primary way of dealing with the poor and destitute. If the people became slaves of Pharaoh, it was Pharaoh’s responsibility to feed them and care for them. It was the best way for them to survive the famine.

[47:19] 3210 tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates purpose or result.

[47:19] 3211 tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + negated verb) highlights the statement and brings their argument to a conclusion.

[47:20] 3212 tn The Hebrew text connects this clause with the preceding one with a causal particle (כִּי, ki). The translation divides the clauses into two sentences for stylistic reasons.

[47:20] 3213 tn The Hebrew text adds “upon them.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:21] 3214 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:21] 3215 tc The MT reads “and the people he removed to the cities,” which does not make a lot of sense in this context. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX read “he enslaved them as slaves.”

[47:23] 3216 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive is equivalent to a command here.

[47:24] 3217 tn The words “the crop” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:24] 3218 tn The perfect form with the vav (ו) consecutive is equivalent to an imperfect of instruction here.

[47:24] 3219 tn Heb “four parts.”

[47:25] 3220 tn Heb “we find favor in the eyes of my lord.” Some interpret this as a request, “may we find favor in the eyes of my lord.”

[47:25] 3221 sn Slaves. See the note on this word in v. 21.

[47:26] 3222 tn On the term translated “statute” see P. Victor, “A Note on Hoq in the Old Testament,” VT 16 (1966): 358-61.

[47:26] 3223 tn The words “which is in effect” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:28] 3224 tn Heb “the days of the years.”

[47:29] 3225 tn Heb “days.”

[47:29] 3226 sn On the expression put your hand under my thigh see Gen 24:2.

[47:29] 3227 tn Or “deal with me in faithful love.”

[47:30] 3228 tn Heb “lie down.” Here the expression “lie down” refers to death.

[47:30] 3229 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31] 3230 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31] 3231 tn Heb “swear on oath to me.” The words “that you will do so” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[47:31] 3232 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31] 3233 tn Heb “swore on oath to him.”

[47:31] 3234 sn The Hebrew verb normally means “bow down,” especially in worship or prayer. Here it might simply mean “bend low,” perhaps from weakness or approaching death. The narrative is ambiguous at this point and remains open to all these interpretations.

[47:31] 3235 tc The MT reads מִטָּה (mittah, “bed, couch”). The LXX reads the word as מַטֶּה (matteh, “staff, rod”) and interprets this to mean that Jacob bowed down in worship while leaning on the top of his staff. The LXX reading was used in turn by the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 11:21).

[48:1] 3236 tn Heb “and one said.” With no expressed subject in the Hebrew text, the verb can be translated with the passive voice.

[48:2] 3237 tn Heb “and one told and said.” The verbs have no expressed subject and can be translated with the passive voice.

[48:2] 3238 tn Heb “Look, your son Joseph.”

[48:3] 3239 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[48:4] 3240 tn Heb “Look, I am making you fruitful.” The participle following הִנֵּה (hinneh) has the nuance of a certain and often imminent future.

[48:4] 3241 tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the certain future idea.

[48:4] 3242 tn The Hebrew text adds “after you,” which has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[48:4] 3243 tn The Hebrew word אֲחֻזָּה (’akhuzzah), translated “possession,” describes a permanent holding in the land. It is the noun form of the same verb (אָחַז, ’akhaz) that was used for the land given to them in Goshen (Gen 47:27).

[48:5] 3244 sn They will be mine. Jacob is here adopting his two grandsons Manasseh and Ephraim as his sons, and so they will have equal share with the other brothers. They will be in the place of Joseph and Levi (who will become a priestly tribe) in the settlement of the land. See I. Mendelsohn, “A Ugaritic Parallel to the Adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh,” IEJ (1959): 180-83.

[48:6] 3245 tn Or “you fathered.”

[48:6] 3246 tn Heb “called” or “named.”

[48:6] 3247 sn Listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. This means that any subsequent children of Joseph will be incorporated into the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

[48:7] 3248 tn Heb “upon me, against me,” which might mean something like “to my sorrow.”

[48:7] 3249 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[48:9] 3250 tn Heb “my.”

[48:9] 3251 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:9] 3252 tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the imperative.

[48:10] 3253 tn Heb “heavy.”

[48:10] sn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story. The weakness of Israel’s sight is one of several connections between this chapter and Gen 27. Here there are two sons, and it appears that the younger is being blessed over the older by a blind old man. While it was by Jacob’s deception in chap. 27, here it is with Jacob’s full knowledge.

[48:10] 3254 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:10] 3255 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:10] 3256 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:11] 3257 tn On the meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּלַל (palal) here, see E. A. Speiser, “The Stem pll in Hebrew,” JBL 82 (1963): 301-6. Speiser argues that this verb means “to estimate” as in Exod 21:22.

[48:11] 3258 tn Heb “your face.”

[48:11] 3259 tn Heb “offspring.”

[48:12] 3260 tn Heb “and Joseph brought them out from with his knees.” The two boys had probably been standing by Israel’s knees when being adopted and blessed. The referent of the pronoun “his” (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:13] 3261 tn Heb “and Joseph took the two of them.”

[48:13] 3262 tn Heb “and he brought near to him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” and “him” (Joseph and his father respectively) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:14] 3263 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-concessive here.

[48:15] 3264 tn Heb “shepherded me.” The verb has been translated as an English noun for stylistic reasons.

[48:16] 3265 sn The Samaritan Pentateuch reads “king” here, but the traditional reading (“angel”) may be maintained. Jacob closely associates God with an angelic protective presence. This does not mean that Jacob viewed his God as a mere angel, but it does suggest that he was aware of an angelic presence sent by God to protect him. Here he so closely associates the two that they become virtually indistinguishable. In this culture messengers typically carried the authority of the one who sent them and could even be addressed as such. Perhaps Jacob thought that the divine blessing would be mediated through this angelic messenger.

[48:16] 3266 tn The verb גָּאַל (ga’al) has the basic idea of “protect” as a near relative might do. It is used for buying someone out of bondage, marrying a deceased brother’s widow, paying off debts, avenging the family, and the like. The meanings of “deliver, protect, avenge” are most fitting when God is the subject (see A. R. Johnson, “The Primary Meaning of √גאל,” Congress Volume: Copenhagen, 1953 [VTSup], 67-77).

[48:16] 3267 tn Or “be recalled through them.”

[48:17] 3268 tn Heb “it was bad in his eyes.”

[48:19] 3269 tn Heb “fullness.”

[48:20] 3270 tn The pronoun is singular in the Hebrew text, apparently elevating Ephraim as the more prominent of the two. Note, however, that both are named in the blessing formula that follows.

[48:20] 3271 tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”

[48:20] 3272 sn On the elevation of Ephraim over Manasseh see E. C. Kingsbury, “He Set Ephraim Before Manasseh,” HUCA 38 (1967): 129-36; H. Mowvley, “The Concept and Content of ‘Blessing’ in the Old Testament,” BT 16 (1965): 74-80; and I. Mendelsohn, “On the Preferential Status of the Eldest Son,” BASOR 156 (1959): 38-40.

[48:21] 3273 tn The pronouns translated “you,” “you,” and “your” in this verse are plural in the Hebrew text.

[48:22] 3274 tn The pronouns translated “your” and “you” in this verse are singular in the Hebrew text.

[48:22] 3275 tn The Hebrew word שְׁכֶם (shÿkhem) could be translated either as “mountain slope” or “shoulder, portion,” or even taken as the proper name “Shechem.” Jacob was giving Joseph either (1) one portion above his brothers, or (2) the mountain ridge he took from the Amorites, or (3) Shechem. The ambiguity actually allows for all three to be the referent. He could be referring to the land in Shechem he bought in Gen 33:18-19, but he mentions here that it was acquired by warfare, suggesting that the events of 34:25-29 are in view (even though at the time he denounced it, 34:30). Joseph was later buried in Shechem (Josh 24:32).

Page 3

TB NETBible YUN-IBR Ref. Silang Nama Gambar Himne

Kejadian 2:1-25

The Sabbath (Kejadian 2:2)
The Garden of Eden (Kejadian 2:4-25)
Man in God's Image (Kejadian 1:26-30;2:7;2:21-24)
Fish and Animals (Kejadian 1:20-25;2:19; Mazmur 104:25)

Fish and Animals (Kejadian 1:20-25;2:19; Mazmur 104:25)
The Universe of Concentric Circles (Kejadian 1)

There is an old tradition of depicting the creation with a universe in concentric circles, in accordance with medieval and renaissance cosmology. When I have information to connect these artworks to a specific stage of the creation, they will sort under other subjects of the creation in addition to the current one.

(17 Gambar) Pasal Terkait: Kejadian 1

The Beginning, the Light (Kejadian 1:1-5; Mazmur 104:2-5;136:5)
The Universe of Concentric Circles (Kejadian 1)

(17 Gambar) Pasal Terkait: Kejadian 1

Division of the Water (Kejadian 1:6-8)
Dry Land, and Vegetation (Kejadian 1:9-13; Mazmur 104:6-9;136:6)
The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars (Kejadian 1:14-19; Mazmur 104:19-23;136:7-9)

Creation, The: The sun, the moon, and the stars

Creation, The: Creation of sun, moon, and stars

(Aurifaber Workshop, Associate of)

Fourth day of creation, The *

Creation of the world, The

Fish and Animals (Kejadian 1:20-25;2:19; Mazmur 104:25)
Man in God's Image (Kejadian 1:26-30;2:7;2:21-24)
And It Was Very Good (Kejadian 1:31)
The Sabbath (Kejadian 2:2)
The Garden of Eden (Kejadian 2:4-25)

The Beginning, the Light (Kejadian 1:1-5; Mazmur 104:2-5;136:5)
The Universe of Concentric Circles (Kejadian 1)

(17 Gambar) Pasal Terkait: Kejadian 1

Division of the Water (Kejadian 1:6-8)
Dry Land, and Vegetation (Kejadian 1:9-13; Mazmur 104:6-9;136:6)
The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars (Kejadian 1:14-19; Mazmur 104:19-23;136:7-9)

Creation, The: The sun, the moon, and the stars

Creation, The: Creation of sun, moon, and stars

(Aurifaber Workshop, Associate of)

Fourth day of creation, The *

Creation of the world, The

Fish and Animals (Kejadian 1:20-25;2:19; Mazmur 104:25)
Man in God's Image (Kejadian 1:26-30;2:7;2:21-24)
And It Was Very Good (Kejadian 1:31)
The Sabbath (Kejadian 2:2)
The Garden of Eden (Kejadian 2:4-25)
The Temptation and the Fall (Kejadian 3:1-7)
Words of Judgment (Kejadian 3:8-19)

Two main themes belong to this subject: God's reprimand of Adam and Eve, and scenes showing the consequences of the fall (especially man toiling with the soil)

(66 Gambar) Pasal Terkait: Kejadian 3

Clothing the Fallen (Kejadian 3:21)
The Expulsion from Eden (Kejadian 3:23)
Cain and Abel (Kejadian 4:1-15; 1 Yohanes 3:12)
Cain in Nod (Kejadian 4:16-24)
From Adam to Noah (Kejadian 5)
The Angel Marriages, the Rebel Angels (Kejadian 6:1-4; 2 Petrus 2:4; Yudas 1:6)

At least two traditions dealing with fallen/rebel angels can be traced in the Bible. The one that is related to the angel marriages (Genesis 6:1-4; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6), represents a main theme in the pseudepigraphical book of 1 Enoch. The other tradition (Revelation 12:7ff.; Isaiah 14:12-15 (?)) has Satan as its main character. It may be difficult to decide which of the traditions the artwork representing the fallen angels is referring to. When I have no way of desciding, I connect the artwork to the present heading. Keep in mind that in some cases both details and composition of the pictures of the fallen angels may be explained by the extra-biblical material.

Sin and Vanity (Kejadian 6:5; Roma 5:12--8:11; Ibrani 10:1-18)
Evilness Growing (Kejadian 6:5-12)
The Mission and the Ark (Kejadian 6:13-22)
The Deluge (Kejadian 7:1--8:19)
Altar, Sacrifice, and Covenant (Kejadian 8:20--9:17)
Noah and His Sons (Kejadian 9:18-29)
The Table of Nations (Kejadian 10)
The Tower of Babel (Kejadian 11:1-9)
Abram's Departure (Kejadian 12:1-8)
Abram and Sarai in Egypt (Kejadian 12:10--13:2)
Abram and Lot Separate (Kejadian 13:3-18)
Abram Rescues Lot (Kejadian 14:1-16)
Melchizedek (Kejadian 14:17-24)
Stars and Covenant (Kejadian 15)
Hagar, First Trip (Kejadian 16)
The Covenant of Circumcision (Kejadian 17)
The Lord Visits Abraham (Kejadian 18:1-15)
Abraham Pleads for Sodom (Kejadian 18:16-33)
The Angels in Sodom (Kejadian 19:1-11)
Sodom Is Destroyed (Kejadian 19:12-29)
Lot and His Daughters (Kejadian 19:30-38)
Abraham and Abimelech (Kejadian 20)
The Birth of Isaac (Kejadian 21:1-7)
Hagar, Second Trip (Kejadian 21:8-21)
The Treaty at Beersheba (Kejadian 21:22-34)
The Sacrifice of Isaac (Kejadian 22:1-19)
Sarah Dies (Kejadian 23)
Eliezer and Rebekah (Kejadian 24:1-61)
The Meeting of Isaac and Rebekah (Kejadian 24:62-67)
The Last Years and Death of Abraham (Kejadian 25:1-10)
The Twins of Isaac (Kejadian 25:19-28)
The Birthright (Kejadian 25:29-34)
Isaac and Abimelech (Kejadian 26)
Esau Sent to Hunt (Kejadian 27:1-5)
Jacob Is Blessed (Kejadian 27:5-29)
Esau Rejected (Kejadian 27:30-40)
Jacob Leaves (Kejadian 27:41--28:9)
Jacob's Dream (Kejadian 28:10-22)
Jacob Meets Rachel (Kejadian 29:1-14)
Wives for Jacob (Kejadian 29:15-30)
The Sons of Jacob (Kejadian 29:31--30:24)
Jacob Becomes Rich (Kejadian 30:25-43)
Fleeing from Laban (Kejadian 31)
The Prayer of Jacob (Kejadian 32:9-13)
Wrestling in the Night (Kejadian 32:24-32)
The Meeting (Kejadian 33)
Dinah and the Shechemites (Kejadian 34)
Jacob Returns to Bethel (Kejadian 35:1-15)
The Death of Rachel (Kejadian 35:16-20)
The Death of Isaac (Kejadian 35:27-29)
Ignition of Hate (Kejadian 37:2-4)
The Dreamer (Kejadian 37:5-11)
Joseph Is Sold (Kejadian 37:12-30)
The Bloodstained Coat (Kejadian 37:31-35)
At Potiphar's (Kejadian 37:36;39:1-18)
Judah and Tamar (Kejadian 38)
In Prison (Kejadian 39:19-23)
The Dreams of the Cupbearer and the Baker (Kejadian 40)
Pharaoh's Dreams (Kejadian 41:1-38)
In Charge of Egypt (Kejadian 41:37-57;47:13-26)
Ten Brothers Trying to Purchase Grain (Kejadian 42:1-28)
Journeying with Benjamin (Kejadian 42:29--44:34)
I Am Joseph! (Kejadian 45:1-15)
The Brothers Return to Canaan (Kejadian 45:16-28)
Father Comes to Egypt (Kejadian 46:1--47:12)
Jacob's Last Will (Kejadian 47:27-31)
The Blessing of Joseph's Sons (Kejadian 48)

Raja yang mengizinkan orang Israel kembali ke Yerusalem adalah

Spirituality

Page 2

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Kejadian 2:1-25

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