Keluaran 17:14

17:14 The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the ¹  book, and rehearse ²  it in Joshua’s hearing; ³  for I will surely wipe out ⁴  the remembrance ⁵  of Amalek from under heaven.

Keluaran 19:12

19:12 You must set boundaries ⁶  for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed ⁷  to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death!

Keluaran 28:9

28:9 “You are to take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, ⁸ 

Keluaran 28:21

28:21 The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of ⁹  their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like ¹⁰  the engravings of a seal.

Keluaran 39:14

39:14 The stones were for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, corresponding to the number of ¹¹  their names. Each name corresponding to one of the twelve tribes was like the engravings of a seal.

[17:14]  ¹ tn The presence of the article does not mean that he was to write this in a book that was existing now, but in one dedicated to this purpose (book, meaning scroll). See GKC 408 §126.s.

[17:14]  ² tn The Hebrew word is “place,” meaning that the events were to be impressed on Joshua.

[17:14]  ³ tn Heb “in the ears of Joshua.” The account should be read to Joshua.

[17:14]  ⁴ tn The construction uses the infinitive absolute and the imperfect tense to stress the resolution of Yahweh to destroy Amalek. The verb מָחָה (makhah) is often translated “blot out” – but that is not a very satisfactory image, since it would not remove completely what is the object. “Efface, erase, scrape off” (as in a palimpsest, a manuscript that is scraped clean so it can be reused) is a more accurate image.

[17:14]  ⁵ sn This would seem to be defeated by the preceding statement that the events would be written in a book for a memorial. If this war is recorded, then the Amalekites would be remembered. But here God was going to wipe out the memory of them. But the idea of removing the memory of a people is an idiom for destroying them – they will have no posterity and no lasting heritage.

[19:12]  ⁶ tn The verb is a Hiphil perfect (“make borders”) with vav (ו) consecutive, following the sequence of instructions.

[19:12]  ⁷ tn The Niphal imperative (“guard yourselves, take heed to yourselves”) is followed by two infinitives construct that provide the description of what is to be avoided – going up or touching the mountain.

[28:9]  ⁸ tn Although this is normally translated “Israelites,” here a more literal translation is clearer because it refers to the names of the twelve tribes – the actual sons of Israel.

[28:21]  ⁹ tn For clarity the words “the number of” have been supplied.

[28:21]  ¹⁰ tn The phrase translated “the engravings of a seal” is an adverbial accusative of manner here.

[39:14]  ¹¹ tn The phrase “the number of” has been supplied.