Kejadian 26:1--50:26

Isaac and Abimelech

26:1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred ¹  in the days of Abraham. ²  Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. 26:2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; ³  settle down in the land that I will point out to you. ⁴  26:3 Stay ⁵  in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, ⁶  for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, ⁷  and I will fulfill ⁸  the solemn promise I made ⁹  to your father Abraham. 26:4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them ¹⁰  all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. ¹¹  26:5 All this will come to pass ¹²  because Abraham obeyed me ¹³  and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” ¹⁴  26:6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.

26:7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, “She is my sister.” ¹⁵  He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, ¹⁶  “The men of this place will kill me to get ¹⁷  Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”

26:8 After Isaac ¹⁸  had been there a long time, ¹⁹  Abimelech king of the Philistines happened to look out a window and observed ²⁰  Isaac caressing ²¹  his wife Rebekah. 26:9 So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really ²²  your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.” ²³ 

26:10 Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? ²⁴  One of the men ²⁵  might easily have had sexual relations with ²⁶  your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!” 26:11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, “Whoever touches ²⁷  this man or his wife will surely be put to death.” ²⁸ 

26:12 When Isaac planted in that land, he reaped in the same year a hundred times what he had sown, ²⁹  because the Lord blessed him. ³⁰  26:13 The man became wealthy. ³¹  His influence continued to grow ³²  until he became very prominent. 26:14 He had ³³  so many sheep ³⁴  and cattle ³⁵  and such a great household of servants that the Philistines became jealous ³⁶  of him. 26:15 So the Philistines took dirt and filled up ³⁷  all the wells that his father’s servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham.

26:16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave us and go elsewhere, ³⁸  for you have become much more powerful ³⁹  than we are.” 26:17 So Isaac left there and settled in the Gerar Valley. ⁴⁰  26:18 Isaac reopened ⁴¹  the wells that had been dug ⁴²  back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up ⁴³  after Abraham died. Isaac ⁴⁴  gave these wells ⁴⁵  the same names his father had given them. ⁴⁶ 

26:19 When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing ⁴⁷  water there, 26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled ⁴⁸  with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac ⁴⁹  named the well ⁵⁰  Esek ⁵¹  because they argued with him about it. ⁵²  26:21 His servants ⁵³  dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it ⁵⁴  Sitnah. ⁵⁵  26:22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac ⁵⁶  named it ⁵⁷  Rehoboth, ⁵⁸  saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”

26:23 From there Isaac ⁵⁹  went up to Beer Sheba. 26:24 The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 26:25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped ⁶⁰  the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well. ⁶¹ 

26:26 Now Abimelech had come ⁶²  to him from Gerar along with ⁶³  Ahuzzah his friend ⁶⁴  and Phicol the commander of his army. 26:27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me? You hate me ⁶⁵  and sent me away from you.” 26:28 They replied, “We could plainly see ⁶⁶  that the Lord is with you. So we decided there should be ⁶⁷  a pact between us ⁶⁸  – between us ⁶⁹  and you. Allow us to make ⁷⁰  a treaty with you 26:29 so that ⁷¹  you will not do us any harm, just as we have not harmed ⁷²  you, but have always treated you well ⁷³  before sending you away ⁷⁴  in peace. Now you are blessed by the Lord.” ⁷⁵ 

26:30 So Isaac ⁷⁶  held a feast for them and they celebrated. ⁷⁷  26:31 Early in the morning the men made a treaty with each other. ⁷⁸  Isaac sent them off; they separated on good terms. ⁷⁹ 

26:32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported. ⁸⁰  26:33 So he named it Shibah; ⁸¹  that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba ⁸²  to this day.

26:34 When ⁸³  Esau was forty years old, ⁸⁴  he married ⁸⁵  Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, as well as Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 26:35 They caused Isaac and Rebekah great anxiety. ⁸⁶ 

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing

27:1 When ⁸⁷  Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, ⁸⁸  he called his older ⁸⁹  son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau ⁹⁰  replied. 27:2 Isaac ⁹¹  said, “Since ⁹²  I am so old, I could die at any time. ⁹³  27:3 Therefore, take your weapons – your quiver and your bow – and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game ⁹⁴  for me. 27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then ⁹⁵  I will eat it so that I may bless you ⁹⁶  before I die.”

27:5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. ⁹⁷  When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back, ⁹⁸  27:6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 27:7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat ⁹⁹  it and bless you ¹⁰⁰  in the presence of the Lord ¹⁰¹  before I die.’ 27:8 Now then, my son, do ¹⁰²  exactly what I tell you! ¹⁰³  27:9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare ¹⁰⁴  them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 27:10 Then you will take ¹⁰⁵  it to your father. Thus he will eat it ¹⁰⁶  and ¹⁰⁷  bless you before he dies.”

27:11 “But Esau my brother is a hairy man,” Jacob protested to his mother Rebekah, “and I have smooth skin! ¹⁰⁸  27:12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him ¹⁰⁹  and I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.” 27:13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me, ¹¹⁰  my son! Just obey me! ¹¹¹  Go and get them for me!”

27:14 So he went and got the goats ¹¹²  and brought them to his mother. She ¹¹³  prepared some tasty food, just the way his father loved it. 27:15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 27:16 She put the skins of the young goats ¹¹⁴  on his hands ¹¹⁵  and the smooth part of his neck. 27:17 Then she handed ¹¹⁶  the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

27:18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac ¹¹⁷  replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” ¹¹⁸  27:19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up ¹¹⁹  and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” ¹²⁰  27:20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world ¹²¹  did you find it so quickly, ¹²²  my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” ¹²³  he replied. ¹²⁴  27:21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you, ¹²⁵  my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.” ¹²⁶  27:22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 27:23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob. ¹²⁷  27:24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob ¹²⁸  replied. 27:25 Isaac ¹²⁹  said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son. ¹³⁰  Then I will bless you.” ¹³¹  So Jacob ¹³²  brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac ¹³³  drank. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27:27 So Jacob ¹³⁴  went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent ¹³⁵  of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,

“Yes, ¹³⁶  my son smells

like the scent of an open field

which the Lord has blessed.

27:28 May God give you

the dew of the sky ¹³⁷ 

and the richness ¹³⁸  of the earth,

and plenty of grain and new wine.

27:29 May peoples serve you

and nations bow down to you.

You will be ¹³⁹  lord ¹⁴⁰  over your brothers,

and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. ¹⁴¹ 

May those who curse you be cursed,

and those who bless you be blessed.”

27:30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left ¹⁴²  his father’s ¹⁴³  presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. ¹⁴⁴  27:31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau ¹⁴⁵  said to him, “My father, get up ¹⁴⁶  and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.” ¹⁴⁷  27:32 His father Isaac asked, ¹⁴⁸  “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,” ¹⁴⁹  he replied, “Esau!” 27:33 Isaac began to shake violently ¹⁵⁰  and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him. ¹⁵¹  He will indeed be blessed!”

27:34 When Esau heard ¹⁵²  his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly. ¹⁵³  He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 27:35 But Isaac ¹⁵⁴  replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away ¹⁵⁵  your blessing.” 27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! ¹⁵⁶  He has tripped me up ¹⁵⁷  two times! He took away my birthright, and now, look, he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me?”

27:37 Isaac replied to Esau, “Look! I have made him lord over you. I have made all his relatives his servants and provided him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?” 27:38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!” ¹⁵⁸  Then Esau wept loudly. ¹⁵⁹ 

27:39 So his father Isaac said to him,

“Indeed, ¹⁶⁰  your home will be

away from the richness ¹⁶¹  of the earth,

and away from the dew of the sky above.

27:40 You will live by your sword

but you will serve your brother.

When you grow restless,

you will tear off his yoke

from your neck.” ¹⁶² 

27:41 So Esau hated ¹⁶³  Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. ¹⁶⁴  Esau said privately, ¹⁶⁵  “The time ¹⁶⁶  of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill ¹⁶⁷  my brother Jacob!”

27:42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said, ¹⁶⁸  she quickly summoned ¹⁶⁹  her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you. ¹⁷⁰  27:43 Now then, my son, do what I say. ¹⁷¹  Run away immediately ¹⁷²  to my brother Laban in Haran. 27:44 Live with him for a little while ¹⁷³  until your brother’s rage subsides. 27:45 Stay there ¹⁷⁴  until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there. ¹⁷⁵  Why should I lose both of you in one day?” ¹⁷⁶ 

27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed ¹⁷⁷  because of these daughters of Heth. ¹⁷⁸  If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!” ¹⁷⁹ 

28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman! ¹⁸⁰  28:2 Leave immediately ¹⁸¹  for Paddan Aram! Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and find yourself a wife there, among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 28:3 May the sovereign God ¹⁸²  bless you! May he make you fruitful and give you a multitude of descendants! ¹⁸³  Then you will become ¹⁸⁴  a large nation. ¹⁸⁵  28:4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing he gave to Abraham ¹⁸⁶  so that you may possess the land ¹⁸⁷  God gave to Abraham, the land where you have been living as a temporary resident.” ¹⁸⁸  28:5 So Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean and brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

28:6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him off to Paddan Aram to find a wife there. ¹⁸⁹  As he blessed him, ¹⁹⁰  Isaac commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman.” ¹⁹¹  28:7 Jacob obeyed his father and mother and left for Paddan Aram. 28:8 Then Esau realized ¹⁹²  that the Canaanite women ¹⁹³  were displeasing to ¹⁹⁴  his father Isaac. 28:9 So Esau went to Ishmael and married ¹⁹⁵  Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, along with the wives he already had.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

28:10 Meanwhile Jacob left Beer Sheba and set out for Haran. 28:11 He reached a certain place ¹⁹⁶  where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. ¹⁹⁷  He took one of the stones ¹⁹⁸  and placed it near his head. ¹⁹⁹  Then he fell asleep ²⁰⁰  in that place 28:12 and had a dream. ²⁰¹  He saw ²⁰²  a stairway ²⁰³  erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it 28:13 and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. ²⁰⁴  I will give you and your descendants the ground ²⁰⁵  you are lying on. 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, ²⁰⁶  and you will spread out ²⁰⁷  to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another ²⁰⁸  using your name and that of your descendants. ²⁰⁹  28:15 I am with you! ²¹⁰  I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

28:16 Then Jacob woke up ²¹¹  and thought, ²¹²  “Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not realize it!” 28:17 He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!”

28:18 Early ²¹³  in the morning Jacob ²¹⁴  took the stone he had placed near his head ²¹⁵  and set it up as a sacred stone. ²¹⁶  Then he poured oil on top of it. 28:19 He called that place Bethel, ²¹⁷  although the former name of the town was Luz. 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food ²¹⁸  to eat and clothing to wear, 28:21 and I return safely to my father’s home, ²¹⁹  then the Lord will become my God. 28:22 Then this stone ²²⁰  that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely ²²¹  give you back a tenth of everything you give me.” ²²² 

The Marriages of Jacob

29:1 So Jacob moved on ²²³  and came to the land of the eastern people. ²²⁴  29:2 He saw ²²⁵  in the field a well with ²²⁶  three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now ²²⁷  a large stone covered the mouth of the well. 29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds ²²⁸  would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well’s mouth.

29:4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We’re from Haran.” 29:5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson ²²⁹  of Nahor?” “We know him,” ²³⁰  they said. 29:6 “Is he well?” ²³¹  Jacob asked. They replied, “He is well. ²³²  Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” 29:7 Then Jacob ²³³  said, “Since it is still the middle of the day, ²³⁴  it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.” ²³⁵  29:8 “We can’t,” they said, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water ²³⁶  the sheep.”

29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was tending them. ²³⁷  29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, ²³⁸  and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he ²³⁹  went over ²⁴⁰  and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. ²⁴¹  29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly. ²⁴²  29:12 When Jacob explained ²⁴³  to Rachel that he was a relative of her father ²⁴⁴  and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father. 29:13 When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob ²⁴⁵  told Laban how he was related to him. ²⁴⁶  29:14 Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” ²⁴⁷  So Jacob ²⁴⁸  stayed with him for a month. ²⁴⁹ 

29:15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you work ²⁵⁰  for me for nothing because you are my relative? ²⁵¹  Tell me what your wages should be.” 29:16 (Now Laban had two daughters; ²⁵²  the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. 29:17 Leah’s eyes were tender, ²⁵³  but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) ²⁵⁴  29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with ²⁵⁵  Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.” 29:19 Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. ²⁵⁶  Stay with me.” 29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. ²⁵⁷  But they seemed like only a few days to him ²⁵⁸  because his love for her was so great. ²⁵⁹ 

29:21 Finally Jacob said ²⁶⁰  to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. ²⁶¹  I want to have marital relations with her.” ²⁶²  29:22 So Laban invited all the people ²⁶³  of that place and prepared a feast. 29:23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leah ²⁶⁴  to Jacob, ²⁶⁵  and Jacob ²⁶⁶  had marital relations with her. ²⁶⁷  29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) ²⁶⁸ 

29:25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! ²⁶⁹  So Jacob ²⁷⁰  said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me! ²⁷¹  Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked ²⁷²  me?” 29:26 “It is not our custom here,” ²⁷³  Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage ²⁷⁴  before the firstborn. 29:27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. ²⁷⁵  Then we will give you the younger one ²⁷⁶  too, in exchange for seven more years of work.” ²⁷⁷ 

29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. ²⁷⁸  When Jacob ²⁷⁹  completed Leah’s bridal week, ²⁸⁰  Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. ²⁸¹  29:29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) ²⁸²  29:30 Jacob ²⁸³  had marital relations ²⁸⁴  with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban ²⁸⁵  for seven more years. ²⁸⁶ 

The Family of Jacob

29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, ²⁸⁷  he enabled her to become pregnant ²⁸⁸  while Rachel remained childless. 29:32 So Leah became pregnant ²⁸⁹  and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, ²⁹⁰  for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. ²⁹¹  Surely my husband will love me now.”

29:33 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, ²⁹²  he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. ²⁹³ 

29:34 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Now this time my husband will show me affection, ²⁹⁴  because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi. ²⁹⁵ 

29:35 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” That is why she named him Judah. ²⁹⁶  Then she stopped having children.

30:1 When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she ²⁹⁷  became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children ²⁹⁸  or I’ll die!” 30:2 Jacob became furious ²⁹⁹  with Rachel and exclaimed, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” ³⁰⁰  30:3 She replied, “Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with ³⁰¹  her so that she can bear ³⁰²  children ³⁰³  for me ³⁰⁴  and I can have a family through her.” ³⁰⁵ 

30:4 So Rachel ³⁰⁶  gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had marital relations with ³⁰⁷  her. 30:5 Bilhah became pregnant ³⁰⁸  and gave Jacob a son. ³⁰⁹  30:6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me. He has responded to my prayer ³¹⁰  and given me a son.” That is why ³¹¹  she named him Dan. ³¹² 

30:7 Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, became pregnant again and gave Jacob another son. ³¹³  30:8 Then Rachel said, “I have fought a desperate struggle with my sister, but I have won.” ³¹⁴  So she named him Naphtali. ³¹⁵ 

30:9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave ³¹⁶  her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. 30:10 Soon Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob a son. ³¹⁷  30:11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” ³¹⁸  So she named him Gad. ³¹⁹ 

30:12 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob another son. ³²⁰  30:13 Leah said, “How happy I am, ³²¹  for women ³²²  will call me happy!” So she named him Asher. ³²³ 

30:14 At the time ³²⁴  of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants ³²⁵  in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 30:15 But Leah replied, ³²⁶  “Wasn’t it enough that you’ve taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes too?” “All right,” ³²⁷  Rachel said, “he may sleep ³²⁸  with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 30:16 When Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must sleep ³²⁹  with me because I have paid for your services ³³⁰  with my son’s mandrakes.” So he had marital relations ³³¹  with her that night. 30:17 God paid attention ³³²  to Leah; she became pregnant ³³³  and gave Jacob a son for the fifth time. ³³⁴  30:18 Then Leah said, “God has granted me a reward ³³⁵  because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife.” ³³⁶  So she named him Issachar. ³³⁷ 

30:19 Leah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a son for the sixth time. ³³⁸  30:20 Then Leah said, “God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will honor me because I have given him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. ³³⁹ 

30:21 After that she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

30:22 Then God took note of ³⁴⁰  Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. ³⁴¹  30:23 She became pregnant ³⁴²  and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my shame.” ³⁴³  30:24 She named him Joseph, ³⁴⁴  saying, “May the Lord give me yet another son.”

The Flocks of Jacob

30:25 After Rachel had given birth ³⁴⁵  to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send ³⁴⁶  me on my way so that I can go ³⁴⁷  home to my own country. ³⁴⁸  30:26 Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you. ³⁴⁹  Then I’ll depart, ³⁵⁰  because you know how hard I’ve worked for you.” ³⁵¹ 

30:27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, ³⁵²  for I have learned by divination ³⁵³  that the Lord has blessed me on account of you.” 30:28 He added, “Just name your wages – I’ll pay whatever you want.” ³⁵⁴ 

30:29 “You know how I have worked for you,” Jacob replied, ³⁵⁵  “and how well your livestock have fared under my care. ³⁵⁶  30:30 Indeed, ³⁵⁷  you had little before I arrived, ³⁵⁸  but now your possessions have increased many times over. ³⁵⁹  The Lord has blessed you wherever I worked. ³⁶⁰  But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?” ³⁶¹ 

30:31 So Laban asked, ³⁶²  “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,” ³⁶³  Jacob replied, ³⁶⁴  “but if you agree to this one condition, ³⁶⁵  I will continue to care for ³⁶⁶  your flocks and protect them: 30:32 Let me walk among ³⁶⁷  all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, ³⁶⁸  and the spotted or speckled goats. ³⁶⁹  These animals will be my wages. ³⁷⁰  30:33 My integrity will testify for me ³⁷¹  later on. ³⁷²  When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, ³⁷³  if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.” ³⁷⁴  30:34 “Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.” ³⁷⁵ 

30:35 So that day Laban ³⁷⁶  removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted (all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care ³⁷⁷  of his sons. 30:36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey, ³⁷⁸  while ³⁷⁹  Jacob was taking care of the rest of Laban’s flocks.

30:37 But Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He made white streaks by peeling them, making the white inner wood in the branches visible. 30:38 Then he set up the peeled branches in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He set up the branches in front of the flocks when they were in heat and came to drink. ³⁸⁰  30:39 When the sheep mated ³⁸¹  in front of the branches, they ³⁸²  gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 30:40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face ³⁸³  the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks. 30:41 When the stronger females were in heat, ³⁸⁴  Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches. 30:42 But if the animals were weaker, he did not set the branches there. ³⁸⁵  So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban ³⁸⁶  and the stronger animals to Jacob. 30:43 In this way Jacob ³⁸⁷  became extremely prosperous. He owned ³⁸⁸  large flocks, male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.

Jacob’s Flight from Laban

31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, ³⁸⁹  “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich ³⁹⁰  at our father’s expense!” ³⁹¹  31:2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed. ³⁹² 

31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers ³⁹³  and to your relatives. I will be with you.” ³⁹⁴  31:4 So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah ³⁹⁵  to come to the field ³⁹⁶  where his flocks were. ³⁹⁷  31:5 There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, ³⁹⁸  but the God of my father has been with me. 31:6 You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could, ³⁹⁹  31:7 but your father has humiliated ⁴⁰⁰  me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm. 31:8 If he said, ⁴⁰¹  ‘The speckled animals ⁴⁰²  will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to speckled offspring. But if he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to streaked offspring. 31:9 In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

31:10 “Once ⁴⁰³  during breeding season I saw ⁴⁰⁴  in a dream that the male goats mating with ⁴⁰⁵  the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 31:11 In the dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am!’ I replied. 31:12 Then he said, ‘Observe ⁴⁰⁶  that all the male goats mating with ⁴⁰⁷  the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you. 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, ⁴⁰⁸  where you anointed ⁴⁰⁹  the sacred stone and made a vow to me. ⁴¹⁰  Now leave this land immediately ⁴¹¹  and return to your native land.’”

31:14 Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance ⁴¹²  in our father’s house? 31:15 Hasn’t he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted ⁴¹³  the money paid for us! ⁴¹⁴  31:16 Surely all the wealth that God snatched away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So now do everything God has told you.”

31:17 So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. ⁴¹⁵  31:18 He took ⁴¹⁶  away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac. ⁴¹⁷ 

31:19 While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, ⁴¹⁸  Rachel stole the household idols ⁴¹⁹  that belonged to her father. 31:20 Jacob also deceived ⁴²⁰  Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. ⁴²¹  31:21 He left ⁴²²  with all he owned. He quickly crossed ⁴²³  the Euphrates River ⁴²⁴  and headed for ⁴²⁵  the hill country of Gilead.

31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. ⁴²⁶  31:23 So he took his relatives ⁴²⁷  with him and pursued Jacob ⁴²⁸  for seven days. ⁴²⁹  He caught up with ⁴³⁰  him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, ⁴³¹  “Be careful ⁴³²  that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.” ⁴³³ 

31:25 Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. ⁴³⁴  31:26 “What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me ⁴³⁵  and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war! ⁴³⁶  31:27 Why did you run away secretly ⁴³⁷  and deceive me? ⁴³⁸  Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? ⁴³⁹  31:28 You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren ⁴⁴⁰  good-bye. You have acted foolishly! 31:29 I have ⁴⁴¹  the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful ⁴⁴²  that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’ ⁴⁴³  31:30 Now I understand that ⁴⁴⁴  you have gone away ⁴⁴⁵  because you longed desperately ⁴⁴⁶  for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” ⁴⁴⁷ 

31:31 “I left secretly because I was afraid!” ⁴⁴⁸  Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought ⁴⁴⁹  you might take your daughters away from me by force. ⁴⁵⁰  31:32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! ⁴⁵¹  In the presence of our relatives ⁴⁵²  identify whatever is yours and take it.” ⁴⁵³  (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.) ⁴⁵⁴ 

31:33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. ⁴⁵⁵  Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. ⁴⁵⁶  31:34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle ⁴⁵⁷  and sat on them.) ⁴⁵⁸  Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. ⁴⁵⁹  31:35 Rachel ⁴⁶⁰  said to her father, “Don’t be angry, ⁴⁶¹  my lord. I cannot stand up ⁴⁶²  in your presence because I am having my period.” ⁴⁶³  So he searched thoroughly, ⁴⁶⁴  but did not find the idols.

31:36 Jacob became angry ⁴⁶⁵  and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. ⁴⁶⁶  “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? ⁴⁶⁷  31:37 When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? ⁴⁶⁸  Set it here before my relatives and yours, ⁴⁶⁹  and let them settle the dispute between the two of us! ⁴⁷⁰ 

31:38 “I have been with you for the past twenty years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 31:39 Animals torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I always absorbed the loss myself. ⁴⁷¹  You always made me pay for every missing animal, ⁴⁷²  whether it was taken by day or at night. 31:40 I was consumed by scorching heat ⁴⁷³  during the day and by piercing cold ⁴⁷⁴  at night, and I went without sleep. ⁴⁷⁵  31:41 This was my lot ⁴⁷⁶  for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave ⁴⁷⁷  for you – fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times! 31:42 If the God of my father – the God of Abraham, the one whom Isaac fears ⁴⁷⁸  – had not been with me, you would certainly have sent me away empty-handed! But God saw how I was oppressed and how hard I worked, ⁴⁷⁹  and he rebuked you last night.”

31:43 Laban replied ⁴⁸⁰  to Jacob, “These women ⁴⁸¹  are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, ⁴⁸²  and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today ⁴⁸³  or the children to whom they have given birth? 31:44 So now, come, let’s make a formal agreement, ⁴⁸⁴  you and I, and it will be ⁴⁸⁵  proof that we have made peace.” ⁴⁸⁶ 

31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. 31:46 Then he ⁴⁸⁷  said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they brought stones and put them in a pile. ⁴⁸⁸  They ate there by the pile of stones. 31:47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, ⁴⁸⁹  but Jacob called it Galeed. ⁴⁹⁰ 

31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement ⁴⁹¹  today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah ⁴⁹²  because he said, “May the Lord watch ⁴⁹³  between us ⁴⁹⁴  when we are out of sight of one another. ⁴⁹⁵  31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize ⁴⁹⁶  that God is witness to your actions.” ⁴⁹⁷ 

31:51 “Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you,” Laban said to Jacob. ⁴⁹⁸  31:52 “This pile of stones and the pillar are reminders that I will not pass beyond this pile to come to harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to come to harm me. ⁴⁹⁹  31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, ⁵⁰⁰  the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. ⁵⁰¹  31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice ⁵⁰²  on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. ⁵⁰³  They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.

31:55 (32:1) ⁵⁰⁴  Early in the morning Laban kissed ⁵⁰⁵  his grandchildren ⁵⁰⁶  and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home. ⁵⁰⁷ 

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

32:1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God ⁵⁰⁸  met him. 32:2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, ⁵⁰⁹  “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. ⁵¹⁰ 

32:3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead ⁵¹¹  to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region ⁵¹²  of Edom. 32:4 He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant ⁵¹³  Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now. 32:5 I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and female servants. I have sent ⁵¹⁴  this message ⁵¹⁵  to inform my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”

32:6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.” 32:7 Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels. 32:8 “If Esau attacks one camp,” ⁵¹⁶  he thought, ⁵¹⁷  “then the other camp will be able to escape.” ⁵¹⁸ 

32:9 Then Jacob prayed, ⁵¹⁹  “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said ⁵²⁰  to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ ⁵²¹  32:10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love ⁵²²  you have shown ⁵²³  your servant. With only my walking stick ⁵²⁴  I crossed the Jordan, ⁵²⁵  but now I have become two camps. 32:11 Rescue me, ⁵²⁶  I pray, from the hand ⁵²⁷  of my brother Esau, ⁵²⁸  for I am afraid he will come ⁵²⁹  and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children. ⁵³⁰  32:12 But you ⁵³¹  said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper ⁵³²  and will make ⁵³³  your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’” ⁵³⁴ 

32:13 Jacob ⁵³⁵  stayed there that night. Then he sent ⁵³⁶  as a gift ⁵³⁷  to his brother Esau 32:14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 32:15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 32:16 He entrusted them to ⁵³⁸  his servants, who divided them into herds. ⁵³⁹  He told his servants, “Pass over before me, and keep some distance between one herd and the next.” 32:17 He instructed the servant leading the first herd, ⁵⁴⁰  “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? ⁵⁴¹  Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’ ⁵⁴²  32:18 then you must say, ⁵⁴³  ‘They belong ⁵⁴⁴  to your servant Jacob. ⁵⁴⁵  They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. ⁵⁴⁶  In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’” ⁵⁴⁷ 

32:19 He also gave these instructions to the second and third servants, as well as all those who were following the herds, saying, “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ⁵⁴⁸  32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” ⁵⁴⁹  Jacob thought, ⁵⁵⁰  “I will first appease him ⁵⁵¹  by sending a gift ahead of me. ⁵⁵²  After that I will meet him. ⁵⁵³  Perhaps he will accept me.” ⁵⁵⁴  32:21 So the gifts were sent on ahead of him ⁵⁵⁵  while he spent that night in the camp. ⁵⁵⁶ 

32:22 During the night Jacob quickly took ⁵⁵⁷  his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons ⁵⁵⁸  and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ⁵⁵⁹  32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream along with all his possessions. ⁵⁶⁰  32:24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man ⁵⁶¹  wrestled ⁵⁶²  with him until daybreak. ⁵⁶³  32:25 When the man ⁵⁶⁴  saw that he could not defeat Jacob, ⁵⁶⁵  he struck ⁵⁶⁶  the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

32:26 Then the man ⁵⁶⁷  said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” ⁵⁶⁸  “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, ⁵⁶⁹  “unless you bless me.” ⁵⁷⁰  32:27 The man asked him, ⁵⁷¹  “What is your name?” ⁵⁷²  He answered, “Jacob.” 32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, ⁵⁷³  “but Israel, ⁵⁷⁴  because you have fought ⁵⁷⁵  with God and with men and have prevailed.”

32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” ⁵⁷⁶  “Why ⁵⁷⁷  do you ask my name?” the man replied. ⁵⁷⁸  Then he blessed ⁵⁷⁹  Jacob ⁵⁸⁰  there. 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, ⁵⁸¹  explaining, ⁵⁸²  “Certainly ⁵⁸³  I have seen God face to face ⁵⁸⁴  and have survived.” ⁵⁸⁵ 

32:31 The sun rose ⁵⁸⁶  over him as he crossed over Penuel, ⁵⁸⁷  but ⁵⁸⁸  he was limping because of his hip. 32:32 That is why to this day ⁵⁸⁹  the Israelites do not eat the sinew which is attached to the socket of the hip, because he struck ⁵⁹⁰  the socket of Jacob’s hip near the attached sinew.

Jacob Meets Esau

33:1 Jacob looked up ⁵⁹¹  and saw that Esau was coming ⁵⁹²  along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. 33:2 He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. ⁵⁹³  33:3 But Jacob ⁵⁹⁴  himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached ⁵⁹⁵  his brother. 33:4 But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept. 33:5 When Esau ⁵⁹⁶  looked up ⁵⁹⁷  and saw the women and the children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob ⁵⁹⁸  replied, “The children whom God has graciously given ⁵⁹⁹  your servant.” 33:6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. ⁶⁰⁰  33:7 Then Leah came forward with her children and they bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down.

33:8 Esau ⁶⁰¹  then asked, “What did you intend ⁶⁰²  by sending all these herds to meet me?” ⁶⁰³  Jacob ⁶⁰⁴  replied, “To find favor in your sight, my lord.” 33:9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you.” 33:10 “No, please take them,” Jacob said. ⁶⁰⁵  “If I have found favor in your sight, accept ⁶⁰⁶  my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, ⁶⁰⁷  it is as if I have seen the face of God. ⁶⁰⁸  33:11 Please take my present ⁶⁰⁹  that was brought to you, for God has been generous ⁶¹⁰  to me and I have all I need.” ⁶¹¹  When Jacob urged him, he took it. ⁶¹² 

33:12 Then Esau ⁶¹³  said, “Let’s be on our way! ⁶¹⁴  I will go in front of you.” 33:13 But Jacob ⁶¹⁵  said to him, “My lord knows that the children are young, ⁶¹⁶  and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. ⁶¹⁷  If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die. 33:14 Let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the herds and the children, ⁶¹⁸  until I come to my lord at Seir.”

33:15 So Esau said, “Let me leave some of my men with you.” ⁶¹⁹  “Why do that?” Jacob replied. ⁶²⁰  “My lord has already been kind enough to me.” ⁶²¹ 

33:16 So that same day Esau made his way back ⁶²²  to Seir. 33:17 But ⁶²³  Jacob traveled to Succoth ⁶²⁴  where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called ⁶²⁵  Succoth. ⁶²⁶ 

33:18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near ⁶²⁷  the city. 33:19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it ⁶²⁸  from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money. ⁶²⁹  33:20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.” ⁶³⁰ 

Dinah and the Shechemites

34:1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet ⁶³¹  the young women ⁶³²  of the land. 34:2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, ⁶³³  and sexually assaulted her. ⁶³⁴  34:3 Then he became very attached ⁶³⁵  to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. ⁶³⁶  34:4 Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Acquire this young girl as my wife.” ⁶³⁷  34:5 When ⁶³⁸  Jacob heard that Shechem ⁶³⁹  had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. So Jacob remained silent ⁶⁴⁰  until they came in.

34:6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. ⁶⁴¹  34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. ⁶⁴²  They ⁶⁴³  were offended ⁶⁴⁴  and very angry because Shechem ⁶⁴⁵  had disgraced Israel ⁶⁴⁶  by sexually assaulting ⁶⁴⁷  Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed. ⁶⁴⁸ 

34:8 But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter. ⁶⁴⁹  Please give her to him as his wife. 34:9 Intermarry with us. ⁶⁵⁰  Let us marry your daughters, and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. ⁶⁵¹  34:10 You may live ⁶⁵²  among us, and the land will be open to you. ⁶⁵³  Live in it, travel freely in it, ⁶⁵⁴  and acquire property in it.”

34:11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s ⁶⁵⁵  father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me ⁶⁵⁶  I’ll give. ⁶⁵⁷  34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, ⁶⁵⁸  and I’ll give ⁶⁵⁹  whatever you ask ⁶⁶⁰  of me. Just give me the young woman as my wife!”

34:13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem ⁶⁶¹  had violated their sister Dinah. 34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give ⁶⁶²  our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace ⁶⁶³  to us. 34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become ⁶⁶⁴  like us by circumcising ⁶⁶⁵  all your males. 34:16 Then we will give ⁶⁶⁶  you our daughters to marry, ⁶⁶⁷  and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. 34:17 But if you do not agree to our terms ⁶⁶⁸  by being circumcised, then we will take ⁶⁶⁹  our sister ⁶⁷⁰  and depart.”

34:18 Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. ⁶⁷¹  34:19 The young man did not delay in doing what they asked ⁶⁷²  because he wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah ⁶⁷³  badly. (Now he was more important ⁶⁷⁴  than anyone in his father’s household.) ⁶⁷⁵  34:20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate ⁶⁷⁶  of their city and spoke to the men of their city, 34:21 “These men are at peace with us. So let them live in the land and travel freely in it, for the land is wide enough ⁶⁷⁷  for them. We will take their daughters for wives, and we will give them our daughters to marry. ⁶⁷⁸  34:22 Only on this one condition will these men consent to live with us and become one people: They demand ⁶⁷⁹  that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 34:23 If we do so, ⁶⁸⁰  won’t their livestock, their property, and all their animals become ours? So let’s consent to their demand, so they will live among us.”

34:24 All the men who assembled at the city gate ⁶⁸¹  agreed with ⁶⁸²  Hamor and his son Shechem. Every male who assembled at the city gate ⁶⁸³  was circumcised. 34:25 In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword ⁶⁸⁴  and went to the unsuspecting city ⁶⁸⁵  and slaughtered every male. 34:26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. 34:27 Jacob’s sons killed them ⁶⁸⁶  and looted the city because their sister had been violated. ⁶⁸⁷  34:28 They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. ⁶⁸⁸  34:29 They captured as plunder ⁶⁸⁹  all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses.

34:30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought ruin ⁶⁹⁰  on me by making me a foul odor ⁶⁹¹  among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I ⁶⁹²  am few in number; they will join forces against me and attack me, and both I and my family will be destroyed!” 34:31 But Simeon and Levi replied, ⁶⁹³  “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?”

The Return to Bethel

35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once ⁶⁹⁴  to Bethel ⁶⁹⁵  and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” ⁶⁹⁶  35:2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. ⁶⁹⁷  Purify yourselves and change your clothes. ⁶⁹⁸  35:3 Let us go up at once ⁶⁹⁹  to Bethel. Then I will make ⁷⁰⁰  an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress ⁷⁰¹  and has been with me wherever I went.” ⁷⁰² 

35:4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their possession ⁷⁰³  and the rings that were in their ears. ⁷⁰⁴  Jacob buried them ⁷⁰⁵  under the oak ⁷⁰⁶  near Shechem 35:5 and they started on their journey. ⁷⁰⁷  The surrounding cities were afraid of God, ⁷⁰⁸  and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

35:6 Jacob and all those who were with him arrived at Luz (that is, Bethel) ⁷⁰⁹  in the land of Canaan. ⁷¹⁰  35:7 He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel ⁷¹¹  because there God had revealed himself ⁷¹²  to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 35:8 (Deborah, ⁷¹³  Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel; thus it was named ⁷¹⁴  Oak of Weeping.) ⁷¹⁵ 

35:9 God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan Aram and blessed him. 35:10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but your name will no longer be called Jacob; Israel will be your name.” So God named him Israel. ⁷¹⁶  35:11 Then God said to him, “I am the sovereign God. ⁷¹⁷  Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants! ⁷¹⁸  35:12 The land I gave ⁷¹⁹  to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you. To your descendants ⁷²⁰  I will also give this land.” 35:13 Then God went up from the place ⁷²¹  where he spoke with him. 35:14 So Jacob set up a sacred stone pillar in the place where God spoke with him. ⁷²²  He poured out a drink offering on it, and then he poured oil on it. ⁷²³  35:15 Jacob named the place ⁷²⁴  where God spoke with him Bethel. ⁷²⁵ 

35:16 They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, ⁷²⁶  Rachel went into labor ⁷²⁷  – and her labor was hard. 35:17 When her labor was at its hardest, ⁷²⁸  the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you are having another son.” ⁷²⁹  35:18 With her dying breath, ⁷³⁰  she named him Ben-Oni. ⁷³¹  But his father called him Benjamin instead. ⁷³²  35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ⁷³³  35:20 Jacob set up a marker ⁷³⁴  over her grave; it is ⁷³⁵  the Marker of Rachel’s Grave to this day.

35:21 Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. ⁷³⁶  35:22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with ⁷³⁷  Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

35:23 The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, as well as Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

35:24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

35:25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.

35:26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher.

These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

35:27 So Jacob came back to his father Isaac in Mamre, ⁷³⁸  to Kiriath Arba ⁷³⁹  (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. ⁷⁴⁰  35:28 Isaac lived to be 180 years old. ⁷⁴¹  35:29 Then Isaac breathed his last and joined his ancestors. ⁷⁴²  He died an old man who had lived a full life. ⁷⁴³  His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

The Descendants of Esau

36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). ⁷⁴⁴ 

36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: ⁷⁴⁵  Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter ⁷⁴⁶  of Zibeon the Hivite, 36:3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

36:4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 36:5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

36:6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from ⁷⁴⁷  Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled ⁷⁴⁸  was not able to support them because of their livestock. 36:8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir. ⁷⁴⁹ 

36:9 This is the account of Esau, the father ⁷⁵⁰  of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.

36:10 These were the names of Esau’s sons:

Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.

36:11 The sons of Eliphaz were:

Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.

36:12 Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons ⁷⁵¹  of Esau’s wife Adah.

36:13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons ⁷⁵²  of Esau’s wife Basemath.

36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter ⁷⁵³  of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.

36:15 These were the chiefs ⁷⁵⁴  among the descendants ⁷⁵⁵  of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 36:16 chief Korah, ⁷⁵⁶  chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons ⁷⁵⁷  of Adah.

36:17 These were the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these were the sons ⁷⁵⁸  of Esau’s wife Basemath.

36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

36:19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.

36:20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, ⁷⁵⁹  who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 36:21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants ⁷⁶⁰  of Seir in the land of Edom.

36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; ⁷⁶¹  Lotan’s sister was Timna.

36:23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, ⁷⁶²  and Onam.

36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs ⁷⁶³  in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).

36:25 These were the children ⁷⁶⁴  of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

36:26 These were the sons of Dishon: ⁷⁶⁵  Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.

36:27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.

36:28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

36:29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 36:30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir.

36:31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: ⁷⁶⁶ 

36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.

36:33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.

36:34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.

36:35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place; the name of his city was Avith.

36:36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.

36:37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River ⁷⁶⁷  reigned in his place.

36:38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.

36:39 When Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad ⁷⁶⁸  reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. ⁷⁶⁹  His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.

36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 36:41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 36:42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 36:43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements ⁷⁷⁰  in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.

Joseph’s Dreams

37:1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, ⁷⁷¹  in the land of Canaan. ⁷⁷² 

37:2 This is the account of Jacob.

Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, ⁷⁷³  was taking care of ⁷⁷⁴  the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster ⁷⁷⁵  working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. ⁷⁷⁶  Joseph brought back a bad report about them ⁷⁷⁷  to their father.

37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons ⁷⁷⁸  because he was a son born to him late in life, ⁷⁷⁹  and he made a special ⁷⁸⁰  tunic for him. 37:4 When Joseph’s ⁷⁸¹  brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, ⁷⁸²  they hated Joseph ⁷⁸³  and were not able to speak to him kindly. ⁷⁸⁴ 

37:5 Joseph ⁷⁸⁵  had a dream, ⁷⁸⁶  and when he told his brothers about it, ⁷⁸⁷  they hated him even more. ⁷⁸⁸  37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ⁷⁸⁹  37:7 There we were, ⁷⁹⁰  binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down ⁷⁹¹  to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” ⁷⁹²  They hated him even more ⁷⁹³  because of his dream and because of what he said. ⁷⁹⁴ 

37:9 Then he had another dream, ⁷⁹⁵  and told it to his brothers. “Look,” ⁷⁹⁶  he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? ⁷⁹⁷  Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” ⁷⁹⁸  37:11 His brothers were jealous ⁷⁹⁹  of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. ⁸⁰⁰ 

37:12 When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers ⁸⁰¹  are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” ⁸⁰²  Joseph replied. ⁸⁰³  37:14 So Jacob ⁸⁰⁴  said to him, “Go now and check on ⁸⁰⁵  the welfare ⁸⁰⁶  of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob ⁸⁰⁷  sent him from the valley of Hebron.

37:15 When Joseph reached Shechem, ⁸⁰⁸  a man found him wandering ⁸⁰⁹  in the field, so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell ⁸¹⁰  me where they are grazing their flocks.” 37:17 The man said, “They left this area, ⁸¹¹  for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

37:18 Now Joseph’s brothers ⁸¹²  saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 37:19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams! ⁸¹³  37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild ⁸¹⁴  animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” ⁸¹⁵ 

37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph ⁸¹⁶  from their hands, ⁸¹⁷  saying, ⁸¹⁸  “Let’s not take his life!” ⁸¹⁹  37:22 Reuben continued, ⁸²⁰  “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” ⁸²¹  (Reuben said this ⁸²²  so he could rescue Joseph ⁸²³  from them ⁸²⁴  and take him back to his father.)

37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him ⁸²⁵  of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore. 37:24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; ⁸²⁶  there was no water in it.)

37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up ⁸²⁷  and saw ⁸²⁸  a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. ⁸²⁹  37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, ⁸³⁰  for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. ⁸³¹  37:28 So when the Midianite ⁸³²  merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled ⁸³³  him ⁸³⁴  out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites ⁸³⁵  then took Joseph to Egypt.

37:29 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! ⁸³⁶  He tore his clothes, 37:30 returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?” 37:31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a young goat, ⁸³⁷  and dipped the tunic in the blood. 37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father ⁸³⁸  and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”

37:33 He recognized it and exclaimed, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! ⁸³⁹  Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, ⁸⁴⁰  and mourned for his son many days. 37:35 All his sons and daughters stood by ⁸⁴¹  him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” ⁸⁴²  So Joseph’s ⁸⁴³  father wept for him.

37:36 Now ⁸⁴⁴  in Egypt the Midianites ⁸⁴⁵  sold Joseph ⁸⁴⁶  to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. ⁸⁴⁷ 

Judah and Tamar

38:1 At that time Judah left ⁸⁴⁸  his brothers and stayed ⁸⁴⁹  with an Adullamite man ⁸⁵⁰  named Hirah.

38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man ⁸⁵¹  named Shua. ⁸⁵²  Judah acquired her as a wife ⁸⁵³  and had marital relations with her. ⁸⁵⁴  38:3 She became pregnant ⁸⁵⁵  and had a son. Judah named ⁸⁵⁶  him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had ⁸⁵⁷  yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. ⁸⁵⁸ 

38:6 Judah acquired ⁸⁵⁹  a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.

38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with ⁸⁶⁰  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ⁸⁶¹  up a descendant for your brother.” ⁸⁶²  38:9 But Onan knew that the child ⁸⁶³  would not be considered his. ⁸⁶⁴  So whenever ⁸⁶⁵  he had sexual relations with ⁸⁶⁶  his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely ⁸⁶⁷  so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord ⁸⁶⁸  killed him too.

38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, ⁸⁶⁹  “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” ⁸⁷⁰  So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

38:12 After some time ⁸⁷¹  Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with ⁸⁷²  his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, ⁸⁷³  “Look, your father-in-law is going up ⁸⁷⁴  to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because ⁸⁷⁵  she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) ⁸⁷⁶ 

38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute ⁸⁷⁷  because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” ⁸⁷⁸  (He did not realize ⁸⁷⁹  it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” ⁸⁸⁰  38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” ⁸⁸¹  38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. ⁸⁸²  She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, ⁸⁸³  removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.

38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah ⁸⁸⁴  the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, ⁸⁸⁵  but Hirah ⁸⁸⁶  could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, ⁸⁸⁷  “Where is the cult prostitute ⁸⁸⁸  who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things ⁸⁸⁹  for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. ⁸⁹⁰  I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

38:24 After three months Judah was told, ⁸⁹¹  “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, ⁸⁹²  and as a result she has become pregnant.” ⁸⁹³  Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word ⁸⁹⁴  to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” ⁸⁹⁵  Then she said, “Identify ⁸⁹⁶  the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright ⁸⁹⁷  than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her ⁸⁹⁸  again.

38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child ⁸⁹⁹  put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. ⁹⁰⁰  She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” ⁹⁰¹  So he was named Perez. ⁹⁰²  38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. ⁹⁰³ 

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. ⁹⁰⁴  An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, ⁹⁰⁵  purchased him from ⁹⁰⁶  the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful ⁹⁰⁷  and lived ⁹⁰⁸  in the household of his Egyptian master. 39:3 His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful. ⁹⁰⁹  39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. ⁹¹⁰  Potiphar appointed Joseph ⁹¹¹  overseer of his household and put him in charge ⁹¹²  of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time ⁹¹³  Potiphar ⁹¹⁴  appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed ⁹¹⁵  the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both ⁹¹⁶  in his house and in his fields. ⁹¹⁷  39:6 So Potiphar ⁹¹⁸  left ⁹¹⁹  everything he had in Joseph’s care; ⁹²⁰  he gave no thought ⁹²¹  to anything except the food he ate. ⁹²² 

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. ⁹²³  39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of ⁹²⁴  Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.” ⁹²⁵  39:8 But he refused, saying ⁹²⁶  to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought ⁹²⁷  to his household with me here, ⁹²⁸  and everything that he owns he has put into my care. ⁹²⁹  39:9 There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do ⁹³⁰  such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak ⁹³¹  to Joseph day after day, he did not respond ⁹³²  to her invitation to have sex with her. ⁹³³ 

39:11 One day ⁹³⁴  he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants ⁹³⁵  were there in the house. 39:12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran ⁹³⁶  outside. ⁹³⁷  39:13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, 39:14 she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought ⁹³⁸  in a Hebrew man ⁹³⁹  to us to humiliate us. ⁹⁴⁰  He tried to have sex with me, ⁹⁴¹  but I screamed loudly. ⁹⁴²  39:15 When he heard me raise ⁹⁴³  my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”

39:16 So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. 39:17 This is what she said to him: ⁹⁴⁴  “That Hebrew slave ⁹⁴⁵  you brought to us tried to humiliate me, ⁹⁴⁶  39:18 but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”

39:19 When his master heard his wife say, ⁹⁴⁷  “This is the way ⁹⁴⁸  your slave treated me,” ⁹⁴⁹  he became furious. ⁹⁵⁰  39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, ⁹⁵¹  the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. ⁹⁵² 

39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. ⁹⁵³  He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. ⁹⁵⁴  39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. ⁹⁵⁵  39:23 The warden did not concern himself ⁹⁵⁶  with anything that was in Joseph’s ⁹⁵⁷  care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.

The Cupbearer and the Baker

40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer ⁹⁵⁸  to the king of Egypt and the royal baker ⁹⁵⁹  offended ⁹⁶⁰  their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, ⁹⁶¹  the cupbearer and the baker, 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. ⁹⁶² 

They spent some time in custody. ⁹⁶³  40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream ⁹⁶⁴  the same night. ⁹⁶⁵  Each man’s dream had its own meaning. ⁹⁶⁶  40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. ⁹⁶⁷  40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” ⁹⁶⁸  40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, ⁹⁶⁹  but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them ⁹⁷⁰  to me.”

40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: ⁹⁷¹  “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his ⁹⁷²  cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” ⁹⁷³ 

40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent ⁹⁷⁴  three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ⁹⁷⁵  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ⁹⁷⁶  when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me ⁹⁷⁷  when it goes well for you, and show ⁹⁷⁸  me kindness. ⁹⁷⁹  Make mention ⁹⁸⁰  of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, ⁹⁸¹  40:15 for I really was kidnapped ⁹⁸²  from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”

40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, ⁹⁸³  he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread ⁹⁸⁴  on my head. 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”

40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent ⁹⁸⁵  three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you ⁹⁸⁶  and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” ⁹⁸⁷  the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position ⁹⁸⁸  so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. ⁹⁸⁹  40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. ⁹⁹⁰ 

Joseph’s Rise to Power

41:1 At the end of two full years ⁹⁹¹  Pharaoh had a dream. ⁹⁹²  As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, ⁹⁹³  and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, ⁹⁹⁴  and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. ⁹⁹⁵  41:4 The bad-looking, thin cows ate the seven fine-looking, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

41:5 Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing ⁹⁹⁶  on one stalk, healthy ⁹⁹⁷  and good. 41:6 Then ⁹⁹⁸  seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream. ⁹⁹⁹ 

41:8 In the morning he ¹⁰⁰⁰  was troubled, so he called for ¹⁰⁰¹  all the diviner-priests ¹⁰⁰²  of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, ¹⁰⁰³  but no one could interpret ¹⁰⁰⁴  them for him. ¹⁰⁰⁵  41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. ¹⁰⁰⁶  41:10 Pharaoh was enraged with his servants, and he put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guards – me and the chief baker. 41:11 We each had a dream one night; each of us had a dream with its own meaning. ¹⁰⁰⁷  41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant ¹⁰⁰⁸  of the captain of the guards, ¹⁰⁰⁹  was with us there. We told him our dreams, ¹⁰¹⁰  and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. ¹⁰¹¹  41:13 It happened just as he had said ¹⁰¹²  to us – Pharaoh ¹⁰¹³  restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” ¹⁰¹⁴ 

41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned ¹⁰¹⁵  Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, ¹⁰¹⁶  and there is no one who can interpret ¹⁰¹⁷  it. But I have heard about you, that ¹⁰¹⁸  you can interpret dreams.” ¹⁰¹⁹  41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, ¹⁰²⁰  but God will speak concerning ¹⁰²¹  the welfare of Pharaoh.” ¹⁰²² 

41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing ¹⁰²³  by the edge of the Nile. 41:18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. ¹⁰²⁴  41:19 Then ¹⁰²⁵  seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows ¹⁰²⁶  as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven ¹⁰²⁷  fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, ¹⁰²⁸  no one would have known ¹⁰²⁹  that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 41:22 I also saw in my dream ¹⁰³⁰  seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then ¹⁰³¹  seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this ¹⁰³²  to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” ¹⁰³³ 

41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. ¹⁰³⁴  God has revealed ¹⁰³⁵  to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ¹⁰³⁶  41:26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. ¹⁰³⁷  41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent ¹⁰³⁸  seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told ¹⁰³⁹  Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 41:30 But seven years of famine will occur ¹⁰⁴⁰  after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate ¹⁰⁴¹  the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered ¹⁰⁴²  because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. ¹⁰⁴³  41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh ¹⁰⁴⁴  because the matter has been decreed ¹⁰⁴⁵  by God, and God will make it happen soon. ¹⁰⁴⁶ 

41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look ¹⁰⁴⁷  for a wise and discerning man ¹⁰⁴⁸  and give him authority ¹⁰⁴⁹  over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do ¹⁰⁵⁰  this – he should appoint ¹⁰⁵¹  officials ¹⁰⁵²  throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt ¹⁰⁵³  during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food ¹⁰⁵⁴  during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority ¹⁰⁵⁵  they should store up grain so the cities will have food, ¹⁰⁵⁶  and they should preserve it. ¹⁰⁵⁷  41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.” ¹⁰⁵⁸ 

41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. ¹⁰⁵⁹  41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, ¹⁰⁶⁰  one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” ¹⁰⁶¹  41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning ¹⁰⁶²  as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. ¹⁰⁶³  Only I, the king, will be greater than you. ¹⁰⁶⁴ 

41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place ¹⁰⁶⁵  you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” ¹⁰⁶⁶  41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen ¹⁰⁶⁷  clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh ¹⁰⁶⁸  had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, ¹⁰⁶⁹  and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” ¹⁰⁷⁰  So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission ¹⁰⁷¹  no one ¹⁰⁷²  will move his hand or his foot ¹⁰⁷³  in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. ¹⁰⁷⁴  He also gave him Asenath ¹⁰⁷⁵  daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ¹⁰⁷⁶  to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of ¹⁰⁷⁷  all the land of Egypt.

41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old ¹⁰⁷⁸  when he began serving ¹⁰⁷⁹  Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by ¹⁰⁸⁰  Pharaoh and was in charge of ¹⁰⁸¹  all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. ¹⁰⁸²  41:48 Joseph ¹⁰⁸³  collected all the excess food ¹⁰⁸⁴  in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. ¹⁰⁸⁵  In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it. 41:49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, ¹⁰⁸⁶  until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. ¹⁰⁸⁷  Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. ¹⁰⁸⁸  41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, ¹⁰⁸⁹  saying, ¹⁰⁹⁰  “Certainly ¹⁰⁹¹  God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, ¹⁰⁹²  saying, ¹⁰⁹³  “Certainly ¹⁰⁹⁴  God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

41:53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 41:54 Then the seven years of famine began, ¹⁰⁹⁵  just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 41:55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, ¹⁰⁹⁶  “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, ¹⁰⁹⁷  Joseph opened the storehouses ¹⁰⁹⁸  and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country ¹⁰⁹⁹  came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.

Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt

42:1 When Jacob heard ¹¹⁰⁰  there was grain in Egypt, he ¹¹⁰¹  said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” ¹¹⁰²  42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us ¹¹⁰³  so that we may live ¹¹⁰⁴  and not die.” ¹¹⁰⁵ 

42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 42:4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, ¹¹⁰⁶  for he said, ¹¹⁰⁷  “What if some accident ¹¹⁰⁸  happens ¹¹⁰⁹  to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, ¹¹¹⁰  for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.

42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. ¹¹¹¹  Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down ¹¹¹²  before him with ¹¹¹³  their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger ¹¹¹⁴  to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, ¹¹¹⁵  “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” ¹¹¹⁶ 

42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered ¹¹¹⁷  the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!” ¹¹¹⁸ 

42:10 But they exclaimed, ¹¹¹⁹  “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! 42:11 We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”

42:12 “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” ¹¹²⁰  42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. ¹¹²¹  We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, ¹¹²²  and one is no longer alive.” ¹¹²³ 

42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: ¹¹²⁴  You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, ¹¹²⁵  you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get ¹¹²⁶  your brother, while ¹¹²⁷  the rest of you remain in prison. ¹¹²⁸  In this way your words may be tested to see if ¹¹²⁹  you are telling the truth. ¹¹³⁰  If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned ¹¹³¹  them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say ¹¹³²  and you will live, ¹¹³³  for I fear God. ¹¹³⁴  42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison ¹¹³⁵  while the rest of you go ¹¹³⁶  and take grain back for your hungry families. ¹¹³⁷  42:20 But you must bring ¹¹³⁸  your youngest brother to me. Then ¹¹³⁹  your words will be verified ¹¹⁴⁰  and you will not die.” They did as he said. ¹¹⁴¹ 

42:21 They said to one other, ¹¹⁴²  “Surely we’re being punished ¹¹⁴³  because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was ¹¹⁴⁴  when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress ¹¹⁴⁵  has come on us!” 42:22 Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!” ¹¹⁴⁶  42:23 (Now ¹¹⁴⁷  they did not know that Joseph could understand them, ¹¹⁴⁸  for he was speaking through an interpreter.) ¹¹⁴⁹  42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, ¹¹⁵⁰  he had Simeon taken ¹¹⁵¹  from them and tied up ¹¹⁵²  before their eyes.

42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill ¹¹⁵³  their bags with grain, to return each man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out. ¹¹⁵⁴  42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. ¹¹⁵⁵ 

42:27 When one of them ¹¹⁵⁶  opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, ¹¹⁵⁷  he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. ¹¹⁵⁸  42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; ¹¹⁵⁹  they turned trembling one to another ¹¹⁶⁰  and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” ¹¹⁶¹ 

42:29 They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying, 42:30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us ¹¹⁶²  as if we were ¹¹⁶³  spying on the land. 42:31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies! 42:32 We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father. ¹¹⁶⁴  One is no longer alive, ¹¹⁶⁵  and the youngest is with our father at this time ¹¹⁶⁶  in the land of Canaan.’

42:33 “Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain ¹¹⁶⁷  for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know ¹¹⁶⁸  that you are honest men and not spies. ¹¹⁶⁹  Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” ¹¹⁷⁰ 

42:35 When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. ¹¹⁷¹  Simeon is gone. ¹¹⁷²  And now you want to take ¹¹⁷³  Benjamin! Everything is against me.”

42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may ¹¹⁷⁴  put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care ¹¹⁷⁵  and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob ¹¹⁷⁶  replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. ¹¹⁷⁷  If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair ¹¹⁷⁸  in sorrow to the grave.” ¹¹⁷⁹ 

The Second Journey to Egypt

43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. ¹¹⁸⁰  43:2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”

43:3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned ¹¹⁸¹  us, ‘You will not see my face ¹¹⁸²  unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send ¹¹⁸³  our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. 43:5 But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

43:6 Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble ¹¹⁸⁴  on me by telling ¹¹⁸⁵  the man you had one more brother?”

43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us ¹¹⁸⁶  thoroughly ¹¹⁸⁷  about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ ¹¹⁸⁸  So we answered him in this way. ¹¹⁸⁹  How could we possibly know ¹¹⁹⁰  that he would say, ¹¹⁹¹  ‘Bring your brother down’?”

43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. ¹¹⁹²  Then we will live ¹¹⁹³  and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security ¹¹⁹⁴  for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. ¹¹⁹⁵  43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back ¹¹⁹⁶  twice by now!”

43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man – a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 43:12 Take double the money with you; ¹¹⁹⁷  you must take back ¹¹⁹⁸  the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks – perhaps it was an oversight. 43:13 Take your brother too, and go right away ¹¹⁹⁹  to the man. ¹²⁰⁰  43:14 May the sovereign God ¹²⁰¹  grant you mercy before the man so that he may release ¹²⁰²  your other brother ¹²⁰³  and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” ¹²⁰⁴ 

43:15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt ¹²⁰⁵  and stood before Joseph. 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, “Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.” 43:17 The man did just as Joseph said; he ¹²⁰⁶  brought the men into Joseph’s house. ¹²⁰⁷ 

43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of ¹²⁰⁸  the money that was returned in our sacks last time. ¹²⁰⁹  He wants to capture us, ¹²¹⁰  make us slaves, and take ¹²¹¹  our donkeys!” 43:19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 43:20 They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down ¹²¹²  the first time ¹²¹³  to buy food. 43:21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money – the full amount ¹²¹⁴  – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. ¹²¹⁵  43:22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!”

43:23 “Everything is fine,” ¹²¹⁶  the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. ¹²¹⁷  I had your money.” ¹²¹⁸  Then he brought Simeon out to them.

43:24 The servant in charge ¹²¹⁹  brought the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 43:25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival ¹²²⁰  at noon, for they had heard ¹²²¹  that they were to have a meal ¹²²²  there.

43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, ¹²²³  and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. ¹²²⁴  Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 43:28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility. ¹²²⁵ 

43:29 When Joseph looked up ¹²²⁶  and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ¹²²⁷  43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother ¹²²⁸  and was at the point of tears. ¹²²⁹  So he went to his room and wept there.

43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, ¹²³⁰  “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, ¹²³¹  and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting ¹²³²  to do so.) ¹²³³  43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. ¹²³⁴  The men looked at each other in astonishment. ¹²³⁵  43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, ¹²³⁶  but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk. ¹²³⁷ 

The Final Test

44:1 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 44:2 Then put ¹²³⁸  my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed. ¹²³⁹ 

44:3 When morning came, ¹²⁴⁰  the men and their donkeys were sent off. ¹²⁴¹  44:4 They had not gone very far from the city ¹²⁴²  when Joseph said ¹²⁴³  to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! ¹²⁴⁴  When you overtake ¹²⁴⁵  them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 44:5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup ¹²⁴⁶  and use it for divination? ¹²⁴⁷  You have done wrong!’” ¹²⁴⁸ 

44:6 When the man ¹²⁴⁹  overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? ¹²⁵⁰  Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! ¹²⁵¹  44:8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 44:9 If one of us has it, ¹²⁵²  he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”

44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! ¹²⁵³  The one who has it will become my slave, ¹²⁵⁴  but the rest of ¹²⁵⁵  you will go free.” ¹²⁵⁶  44:11 So each man quickly lowered ¹²⁵⁷  his sack to the ground and opened it. 44:12 Then the man ¹²⁵⁸  searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 44:13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

44:14 So Judah and his brothers ¹²⁵⁹  came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there, ¹²⁶⁰  and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? ¹²⁶¹  Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?” ¹²⁶² 

44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say ¹²⁶³  to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? ¹²⁶⁴  God has exposed the sin of your servants! ¹²⁶⁵  We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

44:17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of ¹²⁶⁶  you may go back ¹²⁶⁷  to your father in peace.”

44:18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. ¹²⁶⁸  Please do not get angry with your servant, ¹²⁶⁹  for you are just like Pharaoh. ¹²⁷⁰  44:19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 44:20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. ¹²⁷¹  The boy’s ¹²⁷²  brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, ¹²⁷³  and his father loves him.’

44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see ¹²⁷⁴  him.’ ¹²⁷⁵  44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father ¹²⁷⁶  will die.’ ¹²⁷⁷  44:23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 44:24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

44:25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 44:26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there. ¹²⁷⁸  If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, ¹²⁷⁹  for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’

44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons. ¹²⁸⁰  44:28 The first disappeared ¹²⁸¹  and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take ¹²⁸²  this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair ¹²⁸³  in tragedy ¹²⁸⁴  to the grave.’ ¹²⁸⁵ 

44:30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us – his very life is bound up in his son’s life. ¹²⁸⁶  44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, ¹²⁸⁷  he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 44:32 Indeed, ¹²⁸⁸  your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’

44:33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 44:34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see ¹²⁸⁹  my father’s pain.” ¹²⁹⁰ 

The Reconciliation of the Brothers

45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, ¹²⁹¹  so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained ¹²⁹²  with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 45:2 He wept loudly; ¹²⁹³  the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. ¹²⁹⁴ 

45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 45:4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 45:5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, ¹²⁹⁵  for God sent me ¹²⁹⁶  ahead of you to preserve life! 45:6 For these past two years there has been famine in ¹²⁹⁷  the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 45:7 God sent me ¹²⁹⁸  ahead of you to preserve you ¹²⁹⁹  on the earth and to save your lives ¹³⁰⁰  by a great deliverance. 45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser ¹³⁰¹  to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly ¹³⁰²  and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 45:10 You will live ¹³⁰³  in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 45:11 I will provide you with food ¹³⁰⁴  there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 45:12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you. ¹³⁰⁵  45:13 So tell ¹³⁰⁶  my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!” ¹³⁰⁷ 

45:14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 45:15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.

45:16 Now it was reported ¹³⁰⁸  in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased ¹³⁰⁹  Pharaoh and his servants. 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go ¹³¹⁰  to the land of Canaan! 45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you ¹³¹¹  the best land in Egypt and you will eat ¹³¹²  the best ¹³¹³  of the land.’ 45:19 You are also commanded to say, ¹³¹⁴  ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 45:20 Don’t worry ¹³¹⁵  about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”

45:21 So the sons of Israel did as he said. ¹³¹⁶  Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, ¹³¹⁷  and he gave them provisions for the journey. 45:22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, ¹³¹⁸  but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. ¹³¹⁹  45:23 To his father he sent the following: ¹³²⁰  ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 45:24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.” ¹³²¹ 

45:25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ¹³²²  45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, ¹³²³  for he did not believe them. 45:27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, ¹³²⁴  and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 45:28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”

The Family of Jacob goes to Egypt

46:1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. ¹³²⁵  When he came to Beer Sheba ¹³²⁶  he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night ¹³²⁷  and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 46:3 He said, “I am God, ¹³²⁸  the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. ¹³²⁹  Joseph will close your eyes.” ¹³³⁰ 

46:5 Then Jacob started out ¹³³¹  from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 46:6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt. ¹³³²  46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, ¹³³³  his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants.

46:8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons:

Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.

46:9 The sons of Reuben:

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

46:10 The sons of Simeon:

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar,

and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).

46:11 The sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

46:12 The sons of Judah:

Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah

(but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).

The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

46:13 The sons of Issachar:

Tola, Puah, ¹³³⁴  Jashub, ¹³³⁵  and Shimron.

46:14 The sons of Zebulun:

Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

46:15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all. ¹³³⁶ 

46:16 The sons of Gad:

Zephon, ¹³³⁷  Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

46:17 The sons of Asher:

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.

The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.

46:18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.

46:19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob:

Joseph and Benjamin.

46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ¹³³⁸  bore them to him.

46:21 The sons of Benjamin: ¹³³⁹ 

Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

46:22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.

46:23 The son of Dan: Hushim. ¹³⁴⁰ 

46:24 The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

46:25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.

46:26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.) ¹³⁴¹  46:27 Counting the two sons ¹³⁴²  of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy. ¹³⁴³ 

46:28 Jacob ¹³⁴⁴  sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen. ¹³⁴⁵  So they came to the land of Goshen. 46:29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, ¹³⁴⁶  he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.

46:30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” ¹³⁴⁷  46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, ¹³⁴⁸  ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 46:32 The men are shepherds; ¹³⁴⁹  they take care of livestock. ¹³⁵⁰  They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 46:33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle ¹³⁵¹  from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, ¹³⁵²  for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting ¹³⁵³  to the Egyptians.”

Joseph’s Wise Administration

47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of

Canaan. They are now ¹³⁵⁴  in the land of Goshen.” 47:2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh. ¹³⁵⁵ 

47:3 Pharaoh said to Joseph’s ¹³⁵⁶  brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.” ¹³⁵⁷  47:4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents ¹³⁵⁸  in the land. There ¹³⁵⁹  is no pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”

47:5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 47:6 The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best region of the land. They may live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any highly capable men ¹³⁶⁰  among them, put them in charge ¹³⁶¹  of my livestock.”

47:7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him ¹³⁶²  before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed ¹³⁶³  Pharaoh. 47:8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?” ¹³⁶⁴  47:9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All ¹³⁶⁵  the years of my travels ¹³⁶⁶  are 130. All ¹³⁶⁷  the years of my life have been few and painful; ¹³⁶⁸  the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.” ¹³⁶⁹  47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence. ¹³⁷⁰ 

47:11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them territory ¹³⁷¹  in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the land, the land of Rameses, ¹³⁷²  just as Pharaoh had commanded. 47:12 Joseph also provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household, according to the number of their little children.

47:13 But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away ¹³⁷³  because of the famine. 47:14 Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment ¹³⁷⁴  for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace. ¹³⁷⁵  47:15 When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians ¹³⁷⁶  came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die ¹³⁷⁷  before your very eyes because our money has run out?”

47:16 Then Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food ¹³⁷⁸  in exchange for ¹³⁷⁹  your livestock.” 47:17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their horses, the livestock of their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. ¹³⁸⁰  He got them through that year by giving them food in exchange for livestock.

47:18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our ¹³⁸¹  lord that the money is used up and the livestock and the animals belong to our lord. Nothing remains before our lord except our bodies and our land. 47:19 Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become ¹³⁸²  Pharaoh’s slaves. ¹³⁸³  Give us seed that we may live ¹³⁸⁴  and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.” ¹³⁸⁵ 

47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each ¹³⁸⁶  of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe. ¹³⁸⁷  So the land became Pharaoh’s. 47:21 Joseph ¹³⁸⁸  made all the people slaves ¹³⁸⁹  from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it. 47:22 But he did not purchase the land of the priests because the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh and they ate from their allotment that Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

47:23 Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Cultivate ¹³⁹⁰  the land. 47:24 When you gather in the crop, ¹³⁹¹  give ¹³⁹²  one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and the rest ¹³⁹³  will be yours for seed for the fields and for you to eat, including those in your households and your little children.” 47:25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor, ¹³⁹⁴  and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” ¹³⁹⁵ 

47:26 So Joseph made it a statute, ¹³⁹⁶  which is in effect ¹³⁹⁷  to this day throughout the land of Egypt: One-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.

47:27 Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they owned land there. They were fruitful and increased rapidly in number.

47:28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; the years ¹³⁹⁸  of Jacob’s life were 147 in all. 47:29 The time ¹³⁹⁹  for Israel to die approached, so he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh ¹⁴⁰⁰  and show me kindness and faithfulness. ¹⁴⁰¹  Do not bury me in Egypt, 47:30 but when I rest ¹⁴⁰²  with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph ¹⁴⁰³  said, “I will do as you say.”

47:31 Jacob ¹⁴⁰⁴  said, “Swear to me that you will do so.” ¹⁴⁰⁵  So Joseph ¹⁴⁰⁶  gave him his word. ¹⁴⁰⁷  Then Israel bowed down ¹⁴⁰⁸  at the head of his bed. ¹⁴⁰⁹ 

Manasseh and Ephraim

48:1 After these things Joseph was told, ¹⁴¹⁰  “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 48:2 When Jacob was told, ¹⁴¹¹  “Your son Joseph has just ¹⁴¹²  come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The sovereign God ¹⁴¹³  appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 48:4 He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful ¹⁴¹⁴  and will multiply you. ¹⁴¹⁵  I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants ¹⁴¹⁶  as an everlasting possession.’ ¹⁴¹⁷ 

48:5 “Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine. ¹⁴¹⁸  Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 48:6 Any children that you father ¹⁴¹⁹  after them will be yours; they will be listed ¹⁴²⁰  under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. ¹⁴²¹  48:7 But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died – to my sorrow ¹⁴²²  – in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem). ¹⁴²³ 

48:8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the ¹⁴²⁴  sons God has given me in this place.” His father ¹⁴²⁵  said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” ¹⁴²⁶  48:10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing ¹⁴²⁷  because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph ¹⁴²⁸  brought his sons ¹⁴²⁹  near to him, and his father ¹⁴³⁰  kissed them and embraced them. 48:11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected ¹⁴³¹  to see you ¹⁴³²  again, but now God has allowed me to see your children ¹⁴³³  too.”

48:12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees ¹⁴³⁴  and bowed down with his face to the ground. 48:13 Joseph positioned them; ¹⁴³⁵  he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. ¹⁴³⁶  48:14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger. ¹⁴³⁷  Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

48:15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers

Abraham and Isaac walked –

the God who has been my shepherd ¹⁴³⁸ 

all my life long to this day,

48:16 the Angel ¹⁴³⁹  who has protected me ¹⁴⁴⁰ 

from all harm –

bless these boys.

May my name be named in them, ¹⁴⁴¹ 

and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.

May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”

48:17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him. ¹⁴⁴²  So he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 48:18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

48:19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude ¹⁴⁴³  of nations.” 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you ¹⁴⁴⁴  will Israel bless, ¹⁴⁴⁵  saying,

‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ¹⁴⁴⁶ 

48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you ¹⁴⁴⁷  and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 48:22 As one who is above your ¹⁴⁴⁸  brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, ¹⁴⁴⁹  which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

The Blessing of Jacob

49:1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you ¹⁴⁵⁰  what will happen to you in the future. ¹⁴⁵¹ 

49:2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob;

listen to Israel, your father.

49:3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might and the beginning of my strength,

outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.

49:4 You are destructive ¹⁴⁵²  like water and will not excel, ¹⁴⁵³ 

for you got on your father’s bed, ¹⁴⁵⁴ 

then you defiled it – he got on my couch! ¹⁴⁵⁵ 

49:5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,

weapons of violence are their knives! ¹⁴⁵⁶ 

49:6 O my soul, do not come into their council,

do not be united to their assembly, my heart, ¹⁴⁵⁷ 

for in their anger they have killed men,

and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen.

49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce,

and their fury, for it was cruel.

I will divide them in Jacob,

and scatter them in Israel! ¹⁴⁵⁸ 

49:8 Judah, ¹⁴⁵⁹  your brothers will praise you.

Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies,

your father’s sons will bow down before you.

49:9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He crouches and lies down like a lion;

like a lioness – who will rouse him?

49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, ¹⁴⁶⁰ 

until he comes to whom it belongs; ¹⁴⁶¹ 

the nations will obey him. ¹⁴⁶² 

49:11 Binding his foal to the vine,

and his colt to the choicest vine,

he will wash ¹⁴⁶³  his garments in wine,

his robes in the blood of grapes.

49:12 His eyes will be dark from wine,

and his teeth white from milk. ¹⁴⁶⁴ 

49:13 Zebulun will live ¹⁴⁶⁵  by the haven of the sea

and become a haven for ships;

his border will extend to Sidon. ¹⁴⁶⁶ 

49:14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey

lying down between two saddlebags.

49:15 When he sees ¹⁴⁶⁷  a good resting place,

and the pleasant land,

he will bend his shoulder to the burden

and become a slave laborer. ¹⁴⁶⁸ 

49:16 Dan ¹⁴⁶⁹  will judge ¹⁴⁷⁰  his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

49:17 May Dan be a snake beside the road,

a viper by the path,

that bites the heels of the horse

so that its rider falls backward. ¹⁴⁷¹ 

49:18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. ¹⁴⁷² 

49:19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands,

but he will attack them at their heels. ¹⁴⁷³ 

49:20 Asher’s ¹⁴⁷⁴  food will be rich, ¹⁴⁷⁵ 

and he will provide delicacies ¹⁴⁷⁶  to royalty.

49:21 Naphtali is a free running doe, ¹⁴⁷⁷ 

he speaks delightful words. ¹⁴⁷⁸ 

49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, ¹⁴⁷⁹ 

a fruitful bough near a spring

whose branches ¹⁴⁸⁰  climb over the wall.

49:23 The archers will attack him, ¹⁴⁸¹ 

they will shoot at him and oppose him.

49:24 But his bow will remain steady,

and his hands ¹⁴⁸²  will be skillful;

because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of ¹⁴⁸³  the Shepherd, the Rock ¹⁴⁸⁴  of Israel,

49:25 because of the God of your father,

who will help you, ¹⁴⁸⁵ 

because of the sovereign God, ¹⁴⁸⁶ 

who will bless you ¹⁴⁸⁷ 

with blessings from the sky above,

blessings from the deep that lies below,

and blessings of the breasts and womb. ¹⁴⁸⁸ 

49:26 The blessings of your father are greater

than ¹⁴⁸⁹  the blessings of the eternal mountains ¹⁴⁹⁰ 

or the desirable things of the age-old hills.

They will be on the head of Joseph

and on the brow of the prince of his brothers. ¹⁴⁹¹ 

49:27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;

in the morning devouring the prey,

and in the evening dividing the plunder.”

49:28 These ¹⁴⁹²  are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing. ¹⁴⁹³ 

49:29 Then he instructed them, ¹⁴⁹⁴  “I am about to go ¹⁴⁹⁵  to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 49:30 It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 49:31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah. 49:32 The field and the cave in it were acquired from the sons of Heth.” ¹⁴⁹⁶ 

49:33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went ¹⁴⁹⁷  to his people.

The Burials of Jacob and Joseph

50:1 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face. ¹⁴⁹⁸  He wept over him and kissed him. 50:2 Joseph instructed the physicians in his service ¹⁴⁹⁹  to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 50:3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming. ¹⁵⁰⁰  The Egyptians mourned ¹⁵⁰¹  for him seventy days. ¹⁵⁰² 

50:4 When the days of mourning ¹⁵⁰³  had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s royal court, ¹⁵⁰⁴  “If I have found favor in your sight, please say to Pharaoh, ¹⁵⁰⁵  50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, ¹⁵⁰⁶  “I am about to die. Bury me ¹⁵⁰⁷  in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’” 50:6 So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father, just as he made you swear to do.” ¹⁵⁰⁸ 

50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; all Pharaoh’s officials went with him – the senior courtiers ¹⁵⁰⁹  of his household, all the senior officials of the land of Egypt, 50:8 all Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. But they left their little children and their flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. 50:9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him, so it was a very large entourage. ¹⁵¹⁰ 

50:10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad ¹⁵¹¹  on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there with very great and bitter sorrow. ¹⁵¹²  There Joseph observed a seven day period of mourning for his father. 50:11 When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very sad occasion ¹⁵¹³  for the Egyptians.” That is why its name was called ¹⁵¹⁴  Abel Mizraim, ¹⁵¹⁵  which is beyond the Jordan.

50:12 So the sons of Jacob did for him just as he had instructed them. 50:13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the field Abraham purchased as a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 50:14 After he buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, along with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to bury his father.

50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay ¹⁵¹⁶  us in full ¹⁵¹⁷  for all the harm ¹⁵¹⁸  we did to him?” 50:16 So they sent word ¹⁵¹⁹  to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave these instructions before he died: 50:17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept. ¹⁵²⁰  50:18 Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.” 50:19 But Joseph answered them, “Don’t be afraid. Am ¹⁵²¹  I in the place of God? 50:20 As for you, you meant to harm me, ¹⁵²²  but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. ¹⁵²³  50:21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly ¹⁵²⁴  to them.

50:22 Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s family. ¹⁵²⁵  Joseph lived 110 years. 50:23 Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. ¹⁵²⁶  He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph. ¹⁵²⁷ 

50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you ¹⁵²⁸  and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give ¹⁵²⁹  to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 50:25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.” 50:26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. ¹⁵³⁰  After they embalmed him, his body ¹⁵³¹  was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

[26:1]  ¹ tn Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”

[26:1]  ² 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]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “say to you.”

[26:3]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “your descendants.”

[26:4]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn The words “All this will come to pass” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[26:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “listened to my voice.”

[26:5]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ sn Rebekah, unlike Sarah, was not actually her husband’s sister.

[26:7]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “kill me on account of.”

[26:8]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”

[26:8]  ²⁰ 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]  ²¹ 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]  ²² tn Heb “Surely, look!” See N. H. Snaith, “The meaning of Hebrew ‘ak,” VT 14 (1964): 221-25.

[26:9]  ²³ 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]  ²⁴ 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]  ²⁵ tn Heb “people.”

[26:10]  ²⁶ 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]  ²⁷ 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]  ²⁸ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the imperfect makes the construction emphatic.

[26:12]  ²⁹ tn Heb “a hundredfold.”

[26:12]  ³⁰ tn This final clause explains why Isaac had such a bountiful harvest.

[26:13]  ³¹ tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Isaac’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are included.

[26:13]  ³² tn Heb “and he went, going and becoming great.” The construction stresses that his growth in possessions and power continued steadily.

[26:14]  ³³ tn Heb “and there was to him.”

[26:14]  ³⁴ tn Heb “possessions of sheep.”

[26:14]  ³⁵ tn Heb “possessions of cattle.”

[26:14]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew verb translated “became jealous” refers here to intense jealousy or envy that leads to hostile action (see v. 15).

[26:15]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with dirt.”

[26:16]  ³⁸ tn Heb “Go away from us.”

[26:16]  ³⁹ 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]  ⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”

[26:18]  ⁴² tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.

[26:18]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.

[26:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”

[26:19]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).

[26:20]  ⁴⁸ tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.

[26:20]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:20]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and he called the name of the well.”

[26:20]  ⁵¹ 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]  ⁵² tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:21]  ⁵³ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁵⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:22]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “and he called its name.”

[26:22]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:25]  ⁶⁰ 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]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”

[26:26]  ⁶² 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]  ⁶³ tn Heb “and.”

[26:26]  ⁶⁴ 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]  ⁶⁵ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.

[26:28]  ⁶⁶ tn The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.

[26:28]  ⁶⁷ 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]  ⁶⁸ tn The pronoun “us” here is inclusive – it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.

[26:28]  ⁶⁹ tn The pronoun “us” here is exclusive – it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).

[26:28]  ⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷¹ tn The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”

[26:29]  ⁷² tn Heb “touched.”

[26:29]  ⁷³ tn Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”

[26:29]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “and we sent you away.”

[26:29]  ⁷⁵ 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]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:30]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and they ate and drank.”

[26:31]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”

[26:31]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “and they went from him in peace.”

[26:32]  ⁸⁰ 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]  ⁸¹ 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]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.

[26:34]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “the son of forty years.”

[26:34]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “took as a wife.”

[26:35]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “And they were [a source of ] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”

[27:1]  ⁸⁷ 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]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”

[27:1]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).

[27:1]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2]  ⁹² tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.

[27:2]  ⁹³ tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”

[27:3]  ⁹⁴ 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]  ⁹⁵ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:4]  ⁹⁶ 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]  ⁹⁷ 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]  ⁹⁸ tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.

[27:7]  ⁹⁹ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:7]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.

[27:7]  ¹⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”

[27:8]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”

[27:9]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:10]  ¹⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:11]  ¹⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “upon me your curse.”

[27:13]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”

[27:14]  ¹¹² tn The words “the goats” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:14]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “his mother.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “she” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:16]  ¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “gave…into the hand of.”

[27:18]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:18]  ¹¹⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁹ 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]  ¹²⁰ 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]  ¹²¹ 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]  ¹²² tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.

[27:20]  ¹²³ tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”

[27:20]  ¹²⁴ 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]  ¹²⁵ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:21]  ¹²⁶ 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]  ¹²⁷ 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]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹²⁹ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹³⁰ 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]  ¹³¹ 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]  ¹³² tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹³³ tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “see.”

[27:28]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “and from the dew of the sky.”

[27:28]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “and from the fatness.”

[27:29]  ¹³⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁴² tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.

[27:30]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was

[27:30]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”

[27:31]  ¹⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).

[27:31]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”

[27:32]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “said.”

[27:32]  ¹⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁵² tn The temporal clause is introduced with the temporal indicator and has the infinitive as its verb.

[27:34]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “and he yelled [with] a great and bitter yell to excess.”

[27:35]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Or “took”; “received.”

[27:36]  ¹⁵⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:38]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”

[27:39]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “look.”

[27:39]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “from the fatness.”

[27:40]  ¹⁶² 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]  ¹⁶³ tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.

[27:41]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”

[27:41]  ¹⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “days.”

[27:41]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.

[27:42]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “and the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.”

[27:42]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “she sent and called for.”

[27:42]  ¹⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “listen to my voice.”

[27:43]  ¹⁷² tn Heb “arise, flee.”

[27:44]  ¹⁷³ 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]  ¹⁷⁴ tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:45]  ¹⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁶ tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.

[27:46]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “loathe my life.” The Hebrew verb translated “loathe” refers to strong disgust (see Lev 20:23).

[27:46]  ¹⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:2]  ¹⁸¹ tn Heb “Arise! Go!” The first of the two imperatives is adverbial and stresses the immediacy of the departure.

[28:3]  ¹⁸² tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[28:3]  ¹⁸³ tn Heb “and make you fruitful and multiply you.” See Gen 17:6, 20 for similar terminology.

[28:3]  ¹⁸⁴ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here indicates consequence. The collocation הָיָה + preposition לְ (hayah + lÿ) means “become.”

[28:3]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “an assembly of peoples.”

[28:4]  ¹⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁸⁷ tn The words “the land” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[28:4]  ¹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “to take for himself from there a wife.”

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁰ tn The infinitive construct with the preposition and the suffix form a temporal clause.

[28:6]  ¹⁹¹ tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8]  ¹⁹² tn Heb “saw.”

[28:8]  ¹⁹³ tn Heb “the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “evil in the eyes of.”

[28:9]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “took for a wife.”

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “and he spent the night there because the sun had gone down.”

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “he took from the stones of the place,” which here means Jacob took one of the stones (see v. 18).

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁹ 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]  ²⁰⁰ tn Heb “lay down.”

[28:12]  ²⁰¹ tn Heb “and dreamed.”

[28:12]  ²⁰² 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]  ²⁰³ 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]  ²⁰⁴ 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]  ²⁰⁵ 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]  ²⁰⁶ tn This is the same Hebrew word translated “ground” in the preceding verse.

[28:14]  ²⁰⁷ tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew; Jacob is addressed as the representative of his descendants.

[28:14]  ²⁰⁸ 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]  ²⁰⁹ tn Heb “and they will pronounce blessings by you, all the families of the earth, and by your offspring.”

[28:15]  ²¹⁰ 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]  ²¹¹ tn Heb “woke up from his sleep.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[28:16]  ²¹² tn Heb “said.”

[28:18]  ²¹³ tn Heb “and he got up early…and he took.”

[28:18]  ²¹⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:18]  ²¹⁵ tn See the note on this phrase in v. 11.

[28:18]  ²¹⁶ 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]  ²¹⁷ 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]  ²¹⁸ tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[28:21]  ²¹⁹ tn Heb “and I return in peace to the house of my father.”

[28:22]  ²²⁰ tn The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/subject) is used to highlight the statement.

[28:22]  ²²¹ tn The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb for emphasis.

[28:22]  ²²² 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]  ²²³ 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]  ²²⁴ tn Heb “the land of the sons of the east.”

[29:2]  ²²⁵ 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]  ²²⁶ tn Heb “and look, there.”

[29:2]  ²²⁷ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the noun with the prefixed conjunction) provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[29:3]  ²²⁸ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the shepherds) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:5]  ²²⁹ tn Heb “son.”

[29:5]  ²³⁰ 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]  ²³¹ tn Heb “and he said to them, ‘Is there peace to him?’”

[29:6]  ²³² tn Heb “peace.”

[29:7]  ²³³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:7]  ²³⁴ tn Heb “the day is great.”

[29:7]  ²³⁵ 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]  ²³⁶ tn The perfect verbal forms with the vav (ו) consecutive carry on the sequence begun by the initial imperfect form.

[29:9]  ²³⁷ tn Heb “was a shepherdess.”

[29:10]  ²³⁸ tn Heb “Laban, the brother of his mother” (twice in this verse).

[29:10]  ²³⁹ tn Heb “Jacob.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:10]  ²⁴⁰ tn Heb “drew near, approached.”

[29:10]  ²⁴¹ 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]  ²⁴² 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]  ²⁴³ tn Heb “declared.”

[29:12]  ²⁴⁴ tn Heb “that he [was] the brother of her father.”

[29:13]  ²⁴⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:13]  ²⁴⁶ 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]  ²⁴⁷ 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]  ²⁴⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:14]  ²⁴⁹ tn Heb “a month of days.”

[29:15]  ²⁵⁰ tn The verb is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; the nuance in the question is deliberative.

[29:15]  ²⁵¹ tn Heb “my brother.” The term “brother” is used in a loose sense; actually Jacob was Laban’s nephew.

[29:16]  ²⁵² 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]  ²⁵³ 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]  ²⁵⁴ tn Heb “and Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.”

[29:18]  ²⁵⁵ tn Heb “Jacob loved.”

[29:19]  ²⁵⁶ tn Heb “Better my giving her to you than my giving her to another man.”

[29:20]  ²⁵⁷ tn Heb “in exchange for Rachel.”

[29:20]  ²⁵⁸ 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]  ²⁵⁹ tn Heb “because of his love for her.” The words “was so great” are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[29:21]  ²⁶⁰ tn Heb “and Jacob said.”

[29:21]  ²⁶¹ tn Heb “my days are fulfilled.”

[29:21]  ²⁶² 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]  ²⁶³ tn Heb “men.”

[29:23]  ²⁶⁴ 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]  ²⁶⁵ tn Heb “to him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ²⁶⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ²⁶⁷ 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]  ²⁶⁸ 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]  ²⁶⁹ 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]  ²⁷⁰ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:25]  ²⁷¹ 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]  ²⁷² 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]  ²⁷³ 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]  ²⁷⁴ 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]  ²⁷⁵ 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]  ²⁷⁶ tn Heb “this other one.”

[29:27]  ²⁷⁷ 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]  ²⁷⁸ tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:28]  ²⁷⁹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:28]  ²⁸⁰ 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]  ²⁸¹ 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]  ²⁸² tn Heb “and Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female servant, for her for a servant.”

[29:30]  ²⁸³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ²⁸⁴ 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]  ²⁸⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ²⁸⁶ tn Heb “and he loved also Rachel, more than Leah, and he served with him still seven other years.”

[29:31]  ²⁸⁷ 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]  ²⁸⁸ tn Heb “he opened up her womb.”

[29:32]  ²⁸⁹ tn Or “Leah conceived” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35).

[29:32]  ²⁹⁰ sn The name Reuben (רְאוּבֵן, rÿ’uven) means “look, a son.”

[29:32]  ²⁹¹ 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]  ²⁹² tn Heb “hated.” See the note on the word “unloved” in v. 31.

[29:33]  ²⁹³ 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]  ²⁹⁴ tn Heb “will be joined to me.”

[29:34]  ²⁹⁵ 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]  ²⁹⁶ 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]  ²⁹⁷ tn Heb “Rachel.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:1]  ²⁹⁸ tn Heb “sons.”

[30:2]  ²⁹⁹ tn Heb “and the anger of Jacob was hot.”

[30:2]  ³⁰⁰ tn Heb “who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb.”

[30:3]  ³⁰¹ tn Heb “go in to.” The expression “go in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:3]  ³⁰² tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates the immediate purpose of the proposed activity.

[30:3]  ³⁰³ tn The word “children” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:3]  ³⁰⁴ 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]  ³⁰⁵ 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]  ³⁰⁶ tn Heb “and she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:4]  ³⁰⁷ tn Heb “went in to.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:5]  ³⁰⁸ tn Or “Bilhah conceived” (also in v. 7).

[30:5]  ³⁰⁹ tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:6]  ³¹⁰ 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]  ³¹¹ tn Or “therefore.”

[30:6]  ³¹² 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]  ³¹³ tn Heb “and she became pregnant again and Bilhah, the servant of Rachel, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:8]  ³¹⁴ 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]  ³¹⁵ 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]  ³¹⁶ 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]  ³¹⁷ tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:11]  ³¹⁸ 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]  ³¹⁹ 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]  ³²⁰ tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:13]  ³²¹ tn The Hebrew statement apparently means “with my happiness.”

[30:13]  ³²² tn Heb “daughters.”

[30:13]  ³²³ 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]  ³²⁴ tn Heb “during the days.”

[30:14]  ³²⁵ sn Mandrake plants were popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac in the culture of the time.

[30:15]  ³²⁶ tn Heb “and she said to her”; the referent of the pronoun “she” (Leah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:15]  ³²⁷ tn Heb “therefore.”

[30:15]  ³²⁸ 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]  ³²⁹ 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]  ³³⁰ 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]  ³³¹ 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]  ³³² tn Heb “listened to.”

[30:17]  ³³³ tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 19).

[30:17]  ³³⁴ tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a fifth son,” i.e., this was the fifth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:18]  ³³⁵ tn Heb “God has given my reward.”

[30:18]  ³³⁶ 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]  ³³⁷ 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]  ³³⁸ tn Heb “and she bore a sixth son for Jacob,” i.e., this was the sixth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:20]  ³³⁹ 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]  ³⁴⁰ tn Heb “remembered.”

[30:22]  ³⁴¹ 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]  ³⁴² tn Or “conceived.”

[30:23]  ³⁴³ 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]  ³⁴⁴ 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]  ³⁴⁵ 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]  ³⁴⁶ 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]  ³⁴⁷ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:25]  ³⁴⁸ tn Heb “to my place and to my land.”

[30:26]  ³⁴⁹ 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]  ³⁵⁰ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:26]  ³⁵¹ tn Heb “for you, you know my service [with] which I have served you.”

[30:27]  ³⁵² tn The words “please stay here” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[30:27]  ³⁵³ 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]  ³⁵⁴ tn Heb “set your wage for me so I may give [it].”

[30:29]  ³⁵⁵ 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]  ³⁵⁶ tn Heb “and how your cattle were with me.”

[30:30]  ³⁵⁷ tn Or “for.”

[30:30]  ³⁵⁸ tn Heb “before me.”

[30:30]  ³⁵⁹ tn Heb “and it has broken out with respect to abundance.”

[30:30]  ³⁶⁰ tn Heb “at my foot.”

[30:30]  ³⁶¹ tn Heb “How long [until] I do, also I, for my house?”

[30:31]  ³⁶² tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:31]  ³⁶³ tn The negated imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance.

[30:31]  ³⁶⁴ tn The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:31]  ³⁶⁵ tn Heb “If you do for me this thing.”

[30:31]  ³⁶⁶ tn Heb “I will return, I will tend,” an idiom meaning “I will continue tending.”

[30:32]  ³⁶⁷ tn Heb “pass through.”

[30:32]  ³⁶⁸ tn Or “every black lamb”; Heb “and every dark sheep among the lambs.”

[30:32]  ³⁶⁹ tn Heb “and the spotted and speckled among the goats.”

[30:32]  ³⁷⁰ 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]  ³⁷¹ tn Heb “will answer on my behalf.”

[30:33]  ³⁷² tn Heb “on the following day,” or “tomorrow.”

[30:33]  ³⁷³ 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]  ³⁷⁴ 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]  ³⁷⁵ 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]  ³⁷⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:35]  ³⁷⁷ tn Heb “and he gave [them] into the hand.”

[30:36]  ³⁷⁸ 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]  ³⁷⁹ 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]  ³⁸⁰ 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]  ³⁸¹ 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]  ³⁸² tn Heb “the sheep.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“they”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:40]  ³⁸³ tn Heb “and he set the faces of.”

[30:41]  ³⁸⁴ tn Heb “and at every breeding-heat of the flock.”

[30:42]  ³⁸⁵ 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]  ³⁸⁶ tn Heb “were for Laban.”

[30:43]  ³⁸⁷ tn Heb “the man”; Jacob’s name has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[30:43]  ³⁸⁸ tn Heb “and there were to him.”

[31:1]  ³⁸⁹ tn Heb “and he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying.”

[31:1]  ³⁹⁰ 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]  ³⁹¹ tn Heb “and from that which belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth.”

[31:2]  ³⁹² 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]  ³⁹³ tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

[31:3]  ³⁹⁴ sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the Lord promised to be.

[31:4]  ³⁹⁵ 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]  ³⁹⁶ 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]  ³⁹⁷ tn Heb “to his flock.”

[31:5]  ³⁹⁸ tn Heb “I see the face of your father, that he is not toward me as formerly.”

[31:6]  ³⁹⁹ tn Heb “with all my strength.”

[31:7]  ⁴⁰⁰ 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]  ⁴⁰¹ 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]  ⁴⁰² 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]  ⁴⁰³ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator, “and it happened at the time of.”

[31:10]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn Heb “in the time of the breeding of the flock I lifted up my eyes and I saw.”

[31:10]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:12]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”

[31:12]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:13]  ⁴⁰⁸ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[31:13]  ⁴⁰⁹ 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]  ⁴¹⁰ 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]  ⁴¹¹ 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]  ⁴¹² tn The two nouns may form a hendiadys, meaning “a share in the inheritance” or “a portion to inherit.”

[31:15]  ⁴¹³ 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]  ⁴¹⁴ 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]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”

[31:18]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.

[31:18]  ⁴¹⁷ 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]  ⁴¹⁸ 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]  ⁴¹⁹ 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]  ⁴²⁰ 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]  ⁴²¹ tn Heb “fleeing,” which reflects Jacob’s viewpoint.

[31:21]  ⁴²² tn Heb “and he fled.”

[31:21]  ⁴²³ tn Heb “he arose and crossed.” The first verb emphasizes that he wasted no time in getting across.

[31:21]  ⁴²⁴ tn Heb “the river”; the referent (the Euphrates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:21]  ⁴²⁵ tn Heb “he set his face.”

[31:22]  ⁴²⁶ tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”

[31:23]  ⁴²⁷ tn Heb “his brothers.”

[31:23]  ⁴²⁸ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:23]  ⁴²⁹ tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”

[31:23]  ⁴³⁰ tn Heb “drew close to.”

[31:24]  ⁴³¹ tn Heb “said to him.”

[31:24]  ⁴³² tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:24]  ⁴³³ 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]  ⁴³⁴ 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]  ⁴³⁵ tn Heb “and you have stolen my heart.” This expression apparently means “to deceive” (see v. 20).

[31:26]  ⁴³⁶ tn Heb “and you have led away my daughters like captives of a sword.”

[31:27]  ⁴³⁷ 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]  ⁴³⁸ tn Heb “and steal me.”

[31:27]  ⁴³⁹ 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]  ⁴⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Heb “there is to my hand.”

[31:29]  ⁴⁴² tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:29]  ⁴⁴³ 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]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[31:30]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.

[31:30]  ⁴⁴⁶ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.

[31:30]  ⁴⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁴⁸ 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]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Heb “for I said.”

[31:31]  ⁴⁵⁰ tn Heb “lest you steal your daughters from with me.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵² tn Heb “brothers.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵³ tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵⁴ 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]  ⁴⁵⁵ 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]  ⁴⁵⁶ tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”

[31:34]  ⁴⁵⁷ 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]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.

[31:34]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:35]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:35]  ⁴⁶¹ 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]  ⁴⁶² tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”

[31:35]  ⁴⁶³ tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.

[31:35]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.

[31:36]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn Heb “it was hot to Jacob.” This idiom refers to anger.

[31:36]  ⁴⁶⁶ 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]  ⁴⁶⁷ 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]  ⁴⁶⁸ tn Heb “what did you find from all the goods of your house?”

[31:37]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Heb “your relatives.” The word “relatives” has not been repeated in the translation here for stylistic reasons.

[31:37]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Heb “that they may decide between us two.”

[31:39]  ⁴⁷¹ tn The imperfect verbal form indicates that this was a customary or typical action.

[31:39]  ⁴⁷² 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]  ⁴⁷³ tn Or “by drought.”

[31:40]  ⁴⁷⁴ 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]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Heb “and my sleep fled from my eyes.”

[31:41]  ⁴⁷⁶ tn Heb “this to me.”

[31:41]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn Heb “served you,” but in this accusatory context the meaning is more “worked like a slave.”

[31:42]  ⁴⁷⁸ 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]  ⁴⁷⁹ tn Heb “My oppression and the work of my hands God saw.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸⁰ tn Heb “answered and said.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸¹ tn Heb “daughters.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸² tn Heb “children.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸³ tn Heb “but to my daughters what can I do to these today?”

[31:44]  ⁴⁸⁴ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[31:44]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn The verb הָיָה (hayah) followed by the preposition לְ (lÿ) means “become.”

[31:44]  ⁴⁸⁶ tn Heb “and it will become a witness between me and you.”

[31:46]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn Heb “Jacob”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:46]  ⁴⁸⁸ sn The Hebrew word for “pile” is גַּל (gal), which sounds like the name “Galeed” (גַּלְעֵד, gal’ed). See v. 48.

[31:47]  ⁴⁸⁹ sn Jegar Sahadutha. Laban the Aramean gave the place an Aramaic name which means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness.”

[31:47]  ⁴⁹⁰ 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]  ⁴⁹¹ tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”

[31:49]  ⁴⁹² tn Heb “and Mizpah.”

[31:49]  ⁴⁹³ 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]  ⁴⁹⁴ tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:49]  ⁴⁹⁵ tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”

[31:50]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn Heb “see.”

[31:50]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:51]  ⁴⁹⁸ 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]  ⁴⁹⁹ 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]  ⁵⁰⁰ 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]  ⁵⁰¹ tn Heb “by the fear of his father Isaac.” See the note on the word “fears” in v. 42.

[31:54]  ⁵⁰² tn The construction is a cognate accusative with the verb, expressing a specific sacrifice.

[31:54]  ⁵⁰³ 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]  ⁵⁰⁴ 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]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Heb “and Laban got up early in the morning and he kissed.”

[31:55]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Heb “his sons.”

[31:55]  ⁵⁰⁷ tn Heb “to his place.”

[32:1]  ⁵⁰⁸ 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]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Heb “and Jacob said when he saw them.”

[32:2]  ⁵¹⁰ sn The name Mahanaim apparently means “two camps.” Perhaps the two camps were those of God and of Jacob.

[32:3]  ⁵¹¹ tn Heb “before him.”

[32:3]  ⁵¹² tn Heb “field.”

[32:4]  ⁵¹³ 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]  ⁵¹⁴ 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]  ⁵¹⁵ tn The words “this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:8]  ⁵¹⁶ tn Heb “If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.”

[32:8]  ⁵¹⁷ 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]  ⁵¹⁸ 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]  ⁵¹⁹ tn Heb “said.”

[32:9]  ⁵²⁰ tn Heb “the one who said.”

[32:9]  ⁵²¹ 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]  ⁵²² tn Heb “the loving deeds and faithfulness” (see 24:27, 49).

[32:10]  ⁵²³ tn Heb “you have done with.”

[32:10]  ⁵²⁴ 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]  ⁵²⁵ tn Heb “this Jordan.”

[32:11]  ⁵²⁶ tn The imperative has the force of a prayer here, not a command.

[32:11]  ⁵²⁷ tn The “hand” here is a metonymy for “power.”

[32:11]  ⁵²⁸ tn Heb “from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.”

[32:11]  ⁵²⁹ tn Heb “for I am afraid of him, lest he come.”

[32:11]  ⁵³⁰ 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]  ⁵³¹ 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]  ⁵³² 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]  ⁵³³ tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the nuance of the preceding verb forward.

[32:12]  ⁵³⁴ tn Heb “which cannot be counted because of abundance.” The imperfect verbal form indicates potential here.

[32:13]  ⁵³⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:13]  ⁵³⁶ 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]  ⁵³⁷ 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]  ⁵³⁸ tn Heb “and he put them in the hand of.”

[32:16]  ⁵³⁹ tn Heb “a herd, a herd, by itself,” or “each herd by itself.” The distributive sense is expressed by repetition.

[32:17]  ⁵⁴⁰ tn Heb “the first”; this has been specified as “the servant leading the first herd” in the translation for clarity.

[32:17]  ⁵⁴¹ tn Heb “to whom are you?”

[32:17]  ⁵⁴² tn Heb “and to whom are these before you?”

[32:18]  ⁵⁴³ tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁴ tn The words “they belong” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁵ tn Heb “to your servant, to Jacob.”

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn Heb “to my lord, to Esau.”

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁷ 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]  ⁵⁴⁸ 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]  ⁵⁴⁹ tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”

[32:20]  ⁵⁵⁰ 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]  ⁵⁵¹ 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]  ⁵⁵² tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”

[32:20]  ⁵⁵³ tn Heb “I will see his face.”

[32:20]  ⁵⁵⁴ tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.

[32:21]  ⁵⁵⁵ tn Heb “and the gift passed over upon his face.”

[32:21]  ⁵⁵⁶ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial/temporal.

[32:22]  ⁵⁵⁷ 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]  ⁵⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁵⁹ 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]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn Heb “and he sent across what he had.”

[32:24]  ⁵⁶¹ 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]  ⁵⁶² 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]  ⁵⁶³ tn Heb “until the rising of the dawn.”

[32:25]  ⁵⁶⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁵⁶⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁵⁶⁶ 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]  ⁵⁶⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:26]  ⁵⁶⁸ tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”

[32:26]  ⁵⁶⁹ 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]  ⁵⁷⁰ 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]  ⁵⁷¹ 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]  ⁵⁷² 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]  ⁵⁷³ 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]  ⁵⁷⁴ 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]  ⁵⁷⁵ 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]  ⁵⁷⁶ 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]  ⁵⁷⁷ tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.

[32:29]  ⁵⁷⁸ 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]  ⁵⁷⁹ 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]  ⁵⁸⁰ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸¹ sn The name Peniel means “face of God.” Since Jacob saw God face to face here, the name is appropriate.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸² tn The word “explaining” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸³ tn Or “because.”

[32:30]  ⁵⁸⁴ sn I have seen God face to face. See the note on the name “Peniel” earlier in the verse.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸⁵ 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]  ⁵⁸⁶ tn Heb “shone.”

[32:31]  ⁵⁸⁷ sn The name is spelled Penuel here, apparently a variant spelling of Peniel (see v. 30).

[32:31]  ⁵⁸⁸ tn The disjunctive clause draws attention to an important fact: He may have crossed the stream, but he was limping.

[32:32]  ⁵⁸⁹ 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]  ⁵⁹⁰ 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]  ⁵⁹¹ tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”

[33:1]  ⁵⁹² 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]  ⁵⁹³ 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]  ⁵⁹⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:3]  ⁵⁹⁵ 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]  ⁵⁹⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[33:5]  ⁵⁹⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5]  ⁵⁹⁹ tn The Hebrew verb means “to be gracious; to show favor”; here it carries the nuance “to give graciously.”

[33:6]  ⁶⁰⁰ tn Heb “and the female servants drew near, they and their children and they bowed down.”

[33:8]  ⁶⁰¹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:8]  ⁶⁰² tn Heb “Who to you?”

[33:8]  ⁶⁰³ tn Heb “all this camp which I met.”

[33:8]  ⁶⁰⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:10]  ⁶⁰⁵ 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]  ⁶⁰⁶ 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]  ⁶⁰⁷ tn The verbal form is the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive, indicating result here.

[33:10]  ⁶⁰⁸ 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]  ⁶⁰⁹ tn Heb “blessing.” It is as if Jacob is trying to repay what he stole from his brother twenty years earlier.

[33:11]  ⁶¹⁰ tn Or “gracious,” but in the specific sense of prosperity.

[33:11]  ⁶¹¹ tn Heb “all.”

[33:11]  ⁶¹² 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]  ⁶¹³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:12]  ⁶¹⁴ 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]  ⁶¹⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:13]  ⁶¹⁶ tn Heb “weak.”

[33:13]  ⁶¹⁷ tn Heb “and the sheep and the cattle nursing [are] upon me.”

[33:14]  ⁶¹⁸ 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]  ⁶¹⁹ tn The cohortative verbal form here indicates a polite offer of help.

[33:15]  ⁶²⁰ 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]  ⁶²¹ tn Heb “I am finding favor in the eyes of my lord.”

[33:16]  ⁶²² tn Heb “returned on his way.”

[33:17]  ⁶²³ tn The disjunctive clause contrasts Jacob’s action with Esau’s.

[33:17]  ⁶²⁴ 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]  ⁶²⁵ 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]  ⁶²⁶ sn The name Succoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.

[33:18]  ⁶²⁷ tn Heb “in front of.”

[33:19]  ⁶²⁸ 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]  ⁶²⁹ 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]  ⁶³⁰ 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]  ⁶³¹ 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]  ⁶³² tn Heb “daughters.”

[34:2]  ⁶³³ 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]  ⁶³⁴ 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]  ⁶³⁵ tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.

[34:3]  ⁶³⁶ 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]  ⁶³⁷ tn Heb “Take for me this young woman for a wife.”

[34:5]  ⁶³⁸ tn The two disjunctive clauses in this verse (“Now Jacob heard…and his sons were”) are juxtaposed to indicate synchronic action.

[34:5]  ⁶³⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:5]  ⁶⁴⁰ 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]  ⁶⁴¹ 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]  ⁶⁴² tn Heb “when they heard.” The words “the news” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[34:7]  ⁶⁴³ 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]  ⁶⁴⁴ 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]  ⁶⁴⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:7]  ⁶⁴⁶ tn Heb “a disgraceful thing he did against Israel.”

[34:7]  ⁶⁴⁷ 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]  ⁶⁴⁸ 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]  ⁶⁴⁹ 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]  ⁶⁵⁰ 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]  ⁶⁵¹ 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]  ⁶⁵² tn The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.

[34:10]  ⁶⁵³ tn Heb “before you.”

[34:10]  ⁶⁵⁴ 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]  ⁶⁵⁵ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Dinah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:11]  ⁶⁵⁶ tn Heb “whatever you say.”

[34:11]  ⁶⁵⁷ tn Or “pay.”

[34:12]  ⁶⁵⁸ 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]  ⁶⁵⁹ tn The cohortative expresses Shechem’s resolve to have Dinah as his wife.

[34:12]  ⁶⁶⁰ tn Heb “say.”

[34:13]  ⁶⁶¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:14]  ⁶⁶² 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]  ⁶⁶³ 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]  ⁶⁶⁴ tn Heb “if you are like us.”

[34:15]  ⁶⁶⁵ tn The infinitive here explains how they would become like them.

[34:16]  ⁶⁶⁶ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:16]  ⁶⁶⁷ 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]  ⁶⁶⁸ tn Heb “listen to us.”

[34:17]  ⁶⁶⁹ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:17]  ⁶⁷⁰ 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]  ⁶⁷¹ tn Heb “and their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem son of Hamor.”

[34:19]  ⁶⁷² tn Heb “doing the thing.”

[34:19]  ⁶⁷³ tn Heb “Jacob’s daughter.” The proper name “Dinah” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:19]  ⁶⁷⁴ 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]  ⁶⁷⁵ tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause explains why the community would respond to him (see vv. 20-24).

[34:20]  ⁶⁷⁶ sn The gate. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the location for conducting important public business.

[34:21]  ⁶⁷⁷ tn Heb “wide on both hands,” that is, in both directions.

[34:21]  ⁶⁷⁸ tn The words “to marry” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:22]  ⁶⁷⁹ tn Heb “when every one of our males is circumcised.”

[34:23]  ⁶⁸⁰ 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]  ⁶⁸¹ tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:24]  ⁶⁸² tn Heb “listened to.”

[34:24]  ⁶⁸³ tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:25]  ⁶⁸⁴ tn Heb “a man his sword.”

[34:25]  ⁶⁸⁵ 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]  ⁶⁸⁶ 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]  ⁶⁸⁷ 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]  ⁶⁸⁸ tn Heb “and what was in the city and what was in the field they took.”

[34:29]  ⁶⁸⁹ tn Heb “they took captive and they plundered,” that is, “they captured as plunder.”

[34:30]  ⁶⁹⁰ 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]  ⁶⁹¹ 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]  ⁶⁹² tn Jacob speaks in the first person as the head and representative of the entire family.

[34:31]  ⁶⁹³ tn Heb “but they said.” The referent of “they” (Simeon and Levi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[35:1]  ⁶⁹⁴ tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[35:1]  ⁶⁹⁵ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:1]  ⁶⁹⁶ sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).

[35:2]  ⁶⁹⁷ tn Heb “which are in your midst.”

[35:2]  ⁶⁹⁸ 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]  ⁶⁹⁹ tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.

[35:3]  ⁷⁰⁰ tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.

[35:3]  ⁷⁰¹ tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.

[35:3]  ⁷⁰² 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]  ⁷⁰³ tn Heb “in their hand.”

[35:4]  ⁷⁰⁴ 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]  ⁷⁰⁵ 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]  ⁷⁰⁶ tn Or “terebinth.”

[35:5]  ⁷⁰⁷ tn Heb “and they journeyed.”

[35:5]  ⁷⁰⁸ 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]  ⁷⁰⁹ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:6]  ⁷¹⁰ 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]  ⁷¹¹ sn The name El-Bethel means “God of Bethel.”

[35:7]  ⁷¹² 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]  ⁷¹³ 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]  ⁷¹⁴ tn “and he called its name.” There is no expressed subject, so the verb can be translated as passive.

[35:8]  ⁷¹⁵ 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]  ⁷¹⁶ 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]  ⁷¹⁷ 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]  ⁷¹⁸ 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]  ⁷¹⁹ 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]  ⁷²⁰ tn Heb “and to your offspring after you.”

[35:13]  ⁷²¹ tn Heb “went up from upon him in the place.”

[35:14]  ⁷²² 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]  ⁷²³ 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]  ⁷²⁴ 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]  ⁷²⁵ 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]  ⁷²⁶ tn Heb “and there was still a stretch of the land to go to Ephrath.”

[35:16]  ⁷²⁷ 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]  ⁷²⁸ 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]  ⁷²⁹ 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]  ⁷³⁰ tn Heb “in the going out of her life, for she was dying.” Rachel named the child with her dying breath.

[35:18]  ⁷³¹ 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]  ⁷³² 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]  ⁷³³ 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]  ⁷³⁴ tn Heb “standing stone.”

[35:20]  ⁷³⁵ tn Or perhaps “it is known as” (cf. NEB).

[35:21]  ⁷³⁶ 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]  ⁷³⁷ 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]  ⁷³⁸ tn This is an adverbial accusative of location.

[35:27]  ⁷³⁹ tn The name “Kiriath Arba” is in apposition to the preceding name, “Mamre.”

[35:27]  ⁷⁴⁰ tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” refers to temporary settlement without ownership rights.

[35:28]  ⁷⁴¹ tn Heb “And the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years.”

[35:29]  ⁷⁴² 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]  ⁷⁴³ tn Heb “old and full of years.”

[36:1]  ⁷⁴⁴ 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]  ⁷⁴⁵ tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”

[36:2]  ⁷⁴⁶ tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.

[36:6]  ⁷⁴⁷ tn Heb “from before.”

[36:7]  ⁷⁴⁸ tn Heb “land of their settlements.”

[36:8]  ⁷⁴⁹ 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]  ⁷⁵⁰ 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]  ⁷⁵¹ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:13]  ⁷⁵² tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:14]  ⁷⁵³ tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.

[36:15]  ⁷⁵⁴ tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).

[36:15]  ⁷⁵⁵ tn Or “sons.”

[36:16]  ⁷⁵⁶ tc The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).

[36:16]  ⁷⁵⁷ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:17]  ⁷⁵⁸ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:20]  ⁷⁵⁹ 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]  ⁷⁶⁰ tn Or “sons.”

[36:22]  ⁷⁶¹ tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”

[36:23]  ⁷⁶² tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.

[36:24]  ⁷⁶³ tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”

[36:25]  ⁷⁶⁴ tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”

[36:26]  ⁷⁶⁵ 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]  ⁷⁶⁶ tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”

[36:37]  ⁷⁶⁷ 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]  ⁷⁶⁸ 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]  ⁷⁶⁹ tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.

[36:43]  ⁷⁷⁰ tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”

[37:1]  ⁷⁷¹ tn Heb “the land of the sojournings of his father.”

[37:1]  ⁷⁷² 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]  ⁷⁷³ tn Heb “a son of seventeen years.” The word “son” is in apposition to the name “Joseph.”

[37:2]  ⁷⁷⁴ tn Or “tending”; Heb “shepherding” or “feeding.”

[37:2]  ⁷⁷⁵ 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]  ⁷⁷⁶ 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]  ⁷⁷⁷ 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]  ⁷⁷⁸ 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]  ⁷⁷⁹ 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]  ⁷⁸⁰ 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]  ⁷⁸¹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:4]  ⁷⁸² tn Heb “of his brothers.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “them.”

[37:4]  ⁷⁸³ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:4]  ⁷⁸⁴ tn Heb “speak to him for peace.”

[37:5]  ⁷⁸⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:5]  ⁷⁸⁶ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[37:5]  ⁷⁸⁷ 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]  ⁷⁸⁸ tn The construction uses a hendiadys, “they added to hate,” meaning they hated him even more.

[37:6]  ⁷⁸⁹ tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”

[37:7]  ⁷⁹⁰ 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]  ⁷⁹¹ tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.

[37:8]  ⁷⁹² 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]  ⁷⁹³ tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.

[37:8]  ⁷⁹⁴ 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]  ⁷⁹⁵ tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”

[37:9]  ⁷⁹⁶ 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]  ⁷⁹⁷ 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]  ⁷⁹⁸ 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]  ⁷⁹⁹ 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]  ⁸⁰⁰ 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]  ⁸⁰¹ tn The text uses an interrogative clause: “Are not your brothers,” which means “your brothers are.”

[37:13]  ⁸⁰² sn With these words Joseph is depicted here as an obedient son who is ready to do what his father commands.

[37:13]  ⁸⁰³ 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]  ⁸⁰⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:14]  ⁸⁰⁵ tn Heb “see.”

[37:14]  ⁸⁰⁶ tn Heb “peace.”

[37:14]  ⁸⁰⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:15]  ⁸⁰⁸ tn Heb “and he [i.e., Joseph] went to Shechem.” The referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:15]  ⁸⁰⁹ 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]  ⁸¹⁰ tn The imperative in this sentence has more of the nuance of a request than a command.

[37:17]  ⁸¹¹ tn Heb “they traveled from this place.”

[37:18]  ⁸¹² tn Heb “and they”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:19]  ⁸¹³ 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]  ⁸¹⁴ 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]  ⁸¹⁵ tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”

[37:21]  ⁸¹⁶ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:21]  ⁸¹⁷ sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).

[37:21]  ⁸¹⁸ tn Heb “and he said.”

[37:21]  ⁸¹⁹ tn Heb “we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.”

[37:22]  ⁸²⁰ tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”

[37:22]  ⁸²¹ 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]  ⁸²² tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[37:22]  ⁸²³ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:22]  ⁸²⁴ tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.

[37:23]  ⁸²⁵ tn Heb “Joseph”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[37:24]  ⁸²⁶ tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that helps the reader or hearer to picture what happened.

[37:25]  ⁸²⁷ tn Heb “lifted up their eyes.”

[37:25]  ⁸²⁸ 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]  ⁸²⁹ tn Heb “and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh, going to go down to Egypt.”

[37:27]  ⁸³⁰ tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”

[37:27]  ⁸³¹ tn Heb “listened.”

[37:28]  ⁸³² sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.

[37:28]  ⁸³³ 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]  ⁸³⁴ 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]  ⁸³⁵ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:29]  ⁸³⁶ 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]  ⁸³⁷ 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]  ⁸³⁸ 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]  ⁸³⁹ 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]  ⁸⁴⁰ tn Heb “and put sackcloth on his loins.”

[37:35]  ⁸⁴¹ tn Heb “arose, stood”; which here suggests that they stood by him in his time of grief.

[37:35]  ⁸⁴² 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]  ⁸⁴³ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:36]  ⁸⁴⁴ tn The disjunctive clause formally signals closure for this episode of Joseph’s story, which will be resumed in Gen 39.

[37:36]  ⁸⁴⁵ 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]  ⁸⁴⁶ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:36]  ⁸⁴⁷ sn The expression captain of the guard might indicate that Potiphar was the chief executioner.

[38:1]  ⁸⁴⁸ tn Heb “went down from.”

[38:1]  ⁸⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he turned aside unto.”

[38:1]  ⁸⁵⁰ tn Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”

[38:2]  ⁸⁵¹ tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”

[38:2]  ⁸⁵² tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”

[38:2]  ⁸⁵³ tn Heb “and he took her.”

[38:2]  ⁸⁵⁴ tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:3]  ⁸⁵⁵ tn Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).

[38:3]  ⁸⁵⁶ 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]  ⁸⁵⁷ 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]  ⁸⁵⁸ tn Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”

[38:6]  ⁸⁵⁹ tn Heb “and Judah took.”

[38:8]  ⁸⁶⁰ tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:8]  ⁸⁶¹ tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.

[38:8]  ⁸⁶² 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]  ⁸⁶³ tn Heb “offspring.”

[38:9]  ⁸⁶⁴ 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]  ⁸⁶⁵ 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]  ⁸⁶⁶ tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:9]  ⁸⁶⁷ 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]  ⁸⁶⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:11]  ⁸⁶⁹ tn Heb “said.”

[38:11]  ⁸⁷⁰ 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]  ⁸⁷¹ 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]  ⁸⁷² tn Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”

[38:13]  ⁸⁷³ tn Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”

[38:13]  ⁸⁷⁴ tn The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.

[38:14]  ⁸⁷⁵ 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]  ⁸⁷⁶ tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”

[38:15]  ⁸⁷⁷ 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]  ⁸⁷⁸ 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]  ⁸⁷⁹ tn Heb “for he did not know that.”

[38:16]  ⁸⁸⁰ tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:17]  ⁸⁸¹ tn Heb “until you send.”

[38:18]  ⁸⁸² tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:19]  ⁸⁸³ tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.

[38:20]  ⁸⁸⁴ 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]  ⁸⁸⁵ tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”

[38:20]  ⁸⁸⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:21]  ⁸⁸⁷ tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.

[38:21]  ⁸⁸⁸ 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]  ⁸⁸⁹ tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:23]  ⁸⁹⁰ 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]  ⁸⁹¹ tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”

[38:24]  ⁸⁹² tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.

[38:24]  ⁸⁹³ tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”

[38:25]  ⁸⁹⁴ 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]  ⁸⁹⁵ tn Heb “who these to him.”

[38:25]  ⁸⁹⁶ 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]  ⁸⁹⁷ 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]  ⁸⁹⁸ tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:28]  ⁸⁹⁹ tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29]  ⁹⁰⁰ 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]  ⁹⁰¹ 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]  ⁹⁰² 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]  ⁹⁰³ 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]  ⁹⁰⁴ 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]  ⁹⁰⁵ sn Captain of the guard. See the note on this phrase in Gen 37:36.

[39:1]  ⁹⁰⁶ tn Heb “from the hand of.”

[39:2]  ⁹⁰⁷ 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]  ⁹⁰⁸ tn Heb “and he was.”

[39:3]  ⁹⁰⁹ tn The Hebrew text adds “in his hand,” a phrase not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:4]  ⁹¹⁰ 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]  ⁹¹¹ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:4]  ⁹¹² tn Heb “put into his hand.”

[39:5]  ⁹¹³ tn Heb “and it was from then.”

[39:5]  ⁹¹⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:5]  ⁹¹⁵ 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]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:5]  ⁹¹⁷ 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]  ⁹¹⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:6]  ⁹¹⁹ 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]  ⁹²⁰ tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:6]  ⁹²¹ tn Heb “did not know.”

[39:6]  ⁹²² 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]  ⁹²³ tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.

[39:7]  ⁹²⁴ tn Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.

[39:7]  ⁹²⁵ 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]  ⁹²⁶ tn Heb “and he said.”

[39:8]  ⁹²⁷ tn Heb “know.”

[39:8]  ⁹²⁸ tn The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:8]  ⁹²⁹ tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:9]  ⁹³⁰ tn The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.

[39:10]  ⁹³¹ 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]  ⁹³² tn Heb “listen to.”

[39:10]  ⁹³³ tn Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:11]  ⁹³⁴ tn Heb “and it was about this day.”

[39:11]  ⁹³⁵ tn Heb “the men of the house.”

[39:12]  ⁹³⁶ tn Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.

[39:12]  ⁹³⁷ sn For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” VT 2 (1952): 85-87.

[39:14]  ⁹³⁸ 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]  ⁹³⁹ sn A Hebrew man. Potiphar’s wife raises the ethnic issue when talking to her servants about what their boss had done.

[39:14]  ⁹⁴⁰ 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]  ⁹⁴¹ tn Heb “he came to me to lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:14]  ⁹⁴² tn Heb “and I cried out with a loud voice.”

[39:15]  ⁹⁴³ tn Heb “that I raised.”

[39:17]  ⁹⁴⁴ tn Heb “and she spoke to him according to these words, saying.”

[39:17]  ⁹⁴⁵ 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]  ⁹⁴⁶ 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]  ⁹⁴⁷ tn Heb “and when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying.”

[39:19]  ⁹⁴⁸ tn Heb “according to these words.”

[39:19]  ⁹⁴⁹ tn Heb “did to me.”

[39:19]  ⁹⁵⁰ tn Heb “his anger burned.”

[39:20]  ⁹⁵¹ tn Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.

[39:20]  ⁹⁵² 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]  ⁹⁵³ tn Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”

[39:21]  ⁹⁵⁴ tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).

[39:22]  ⁹⁵⁵ 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]  ⁹⁵⁶ tn Heb “was not looking at anything.”

[39:23]  ⁹⁵⁷ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[40:1]  ⁹⁵⁸ 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]  ⁹⁵⁹ sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.

[40:1]  ⁹⁶⁰ 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]  ⁹⁶¹ 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]  ⁹⁶² 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]  ⁹⁶³ tn Heb “they were days in custody.”

[40:5]  ⁹⁶⁴ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[40:5]  ⁹⁶⁵ tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”

[40:5]  ⁹⁶⁶ tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”

[40:6]  ⁹⁶⁷ 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]  ⁹⁶⁸ tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”

[40:8]  ⁹⁶⁹ tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”

[40:8]  ⁹⁷⁰ tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:9]  ⁹⁷¹ tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.

[40:11]  ⁹⁷² tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:11]  ⁹⁷³ 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]  ⁹⁷⁴ tn Heb “the three branches [are].”

[40:13]  ⁹⁷⁵ 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]  ⁹⁷⁶ tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[40:14]  ⁹⁷⁷ 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]  ⁹⁷⁸ 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]  ⁹⁷⁹ tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”

[40:14]  ⁹⁸⁰ 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]  ⁹⁸¹ tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.

[40:15]  ⁹⁸² 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]  ⁹⁸³ tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[40:16]  ⁹⁸⁴ 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]  ⁹⁸⁵ tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”

[40:19]  ⁹⁸⁶ 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]  ⁹⁸⁷ 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]  ⁹⁸⁸ tn Heb “his cupbearing.”

[40:22]  ⁹⁸⁹ 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]  ⁹⁹⁰ tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.

[41:1]  ⁹⁹¹ tn Heb “two years, days.”

[41:1]  ⁹⁹² tn Heb “was dreaming.”

[41:2]  ⁹⁹³ 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]  ⁹⁹⁴ tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”

[41:3]  ⁹⁹⁵ tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:5]  ⁹⁹⁶ tn Heb “coming up.”

[41:5]  ⁹⁹⁷ tn Heb “fat.”

[41:6]  ⁹⁹⁸ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:7]  ⁹⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ tn Heb “his spirit.”

[41:8]  ¹⁰⁰¹ tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.

[41:8]  ¹⁰⁰² 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]  ¹⁰⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁴ tn “there was no interpreter.”

[41:8]  ¹⁰⁰⁵ tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:9]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).

[41:11]  ¹⁰⁰⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁸ tn Or “slave.”

[41:12]  ¹⁰⁰⁹ tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.

[41:12]  ¹⁰¹⁰ tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:12]  ¹⁰¹¹ tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”

[41:13]  ¹⁰¹² tn Heb “interpreted.”

[41:13]  ¹⁰¹³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:13]  ¹⁰¹⁴ tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:14]  ¹⁰¹⁵ tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.

[41:15]  ¹⁰¹⁶ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[41:15]  ¹⁰¹⁷ tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”

[41:15]  ¹⁰¹⁸ tn Heb “saying.”

[41:15]  ¹⁰¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰²⁰ tn Heb “not within me.”

[41:16]  ¹⁰²¹ tn Heb “God will answer.”

[41:16]  ¹⁰²² 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]  ¹⁰²³ 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]  ¹⁰²⁴ 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]  ¹⁰²⁵ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:19]  ¹⁰²⁶ tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:20]  ¹⁰²⁷ tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”

[41:21]  ¹⁰²⁸ tn Heb “when they went inside them.”

[41:21]  ¹⁰²⁹ tn Heb “it was not known.”

[41:22]  ¹⁰³⁰ tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”

[41:23]  ¹⁰³¹ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:24]  ¹⁰³² tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:24]  ¹⁰³³ tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”

[41:25]  ¹⁰³⁴ tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”

[41:25]  ¹⁰³⁵ tn Heb “declared.”

[41:25]  ¹⁰³⁶ tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.

[41:26]  ¹⁰³⁷ tn Heb “one dream it is.”

[41:27]  ¹⁰³⁸ tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”

[41:28]  ¹⁰³⁹ tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”

[41:30]  ¹⁰⁴⁰ tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.

[41:30]  ¹⁰⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁴² tn Heb “known.”

[41:31]  ¹⁰⁴³ tn Or “heavy.”

[41:32]  ¹⁰⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ tn Heb “established.”

[41:32]  ¹⁰⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁷ tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:33]  ¹⁰⁴⁸ tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:33]  ¹⁰⁴⁹ tn Heb “and let him set him.”

[41:34]  ¹⁰⁵⁰ tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”

[41:34]  ¹⁰⁵¹ tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:34]  ¹⁰⁵² 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]  ¹⁰⁵³ 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]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:35]  ¹⁰⁵⁵ tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”

[41:35]  ¹⁰⁵⁶ tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.

[41:35]  ¹⁰⁵⁷ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.

[41:36]  ¹⁰⁵⁸ tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”

[41:37]  ¹⁰⁵⁹ tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”

[41:38]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁶¹ tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”

[41:39]  ¹⁰⁶² tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:40]  ¹⁰⁶³ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁴ tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”

[41:41]  ¹⁰⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:43]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”

[41:43]  ¹⁰⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁷¹ tn Heb “apart from you.”

[41:44]  ¹⁰⁷² tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.

[41:44]  ¹⁰⁷³ tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.

[41:45]  ¹⁰⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁶ sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[41:45]  ¹⁰⁷⁷ tn Heb “and he passed through.”

[41:46]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”

[41:46]  ¹⁰⁷⁹ tn Heb “when he stood before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁰⁸⁰ tn Heb “went out from before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁰⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁸² tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”

[41:48]  ¹⁰⁸³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:48]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:48]  ¹⁰⁸⁵ tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”

[41:49]  ¹⁰⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁸⁷ tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”

[41:50]  ¹⁰⁸⁸ tn Heb “gave birth for him.”

[41:51]  ¹⁰⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:51]  ¹⁰⁹¹ tn Or “for.”

[41:52]  ¹⁰⁹² 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]  ¹⁰⁹³ tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:52]  ¹⁰⁹⁴ tn Or “for.”

[41:54]  ¹⁰⁹⁵ tn Heb “began to arrive.”

[41:55]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.

[41:56]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “saw.”

[42:1]  ¹¹⁰¹ tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:1]  ¹¹⁰² 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]  ¹¹⁰³ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁴ tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.

[42:2]  ¹¹⁰⁵ tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.

[42:4]  ¹¹⁰⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “encounters.”

[42:5]  ¹¹¹⁰ tn Heb “in the midst of the coming ones.”

[42:6]  ¹¹¹¹ 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]  ¹¹¹² 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]  ¹¹¹³ tn The word “faces” is an adverbial accusative, so the preposition has been supplied in the translation.

[42:7]  ¹¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹¹⁵ tn Heb “said.”

[42:7]  ¹¹¹⁶ 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]  ¹¹¹⁷ sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.

[42:9]  ¹¹¹⁸ tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”

[42:10]  ¹¹¹⁹ tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.

[42:12]  ¹¹²⁰ 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]  ¹¹²¹ tn Heb “twelve [were] your servants, brothers [are] we.”

[42:13]  ¹¹²² tn Heb “today.”

[42:13]  ¹¹²³ tn Heb “and the one is not.”

[42:14]  ¹¹²⁴ tn Heb “to you, saying.”

[42:15]  ¹¹²⁵ 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]  ¹¹²⁶ 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]  ¹¹²⁷ tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.

[42:16]  ¹¹²⁸ tn Heb “bound.”

[42:16]  ¹¹²⁹ tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:16]  ¹¹³⁰ tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”

[42:17]  ¹¹³¹ 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]  ¹¹³² tn Heb “Do this.”

[42:18]  ¹¹³³ tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.

[42:18]  ¹¹³⁴ 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]  ¹¹³⁵ tn Heb “bound in the house of your prison.”

[42:19]  ¹¹³⁶ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal.

[42:19]  ¹¹³⁷ tn Heb “[for] the hunger of your households.”

[42:20]  ¹¹³⁸ tn The imperfect here has an injunctive force.

[42:20]  ¹¹³⁹ tn After the injunctive imperfect, this imperfect with vav indicates purpose or result.

[42:20]  ¹¹⁴⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁴¹ tn Heb “and they did so.”

[42:21]  ¹¹⁴² tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”

[42:21]  ¹¹⁴³ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”

[42:21]  ¹¹⁴⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁷ tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[42:23]  ¹¹⁴⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”

[42:24]  ¹¹⁵¹ 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]  ¹¹⁵² tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”

[42:25]  ¹¹⁵³ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “and they went from there.”

[42:27]  ¹¹⁵⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “at the lodging place.”

[42:27]  ¹¹⁵⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “and they trembled, a man to his neighbor.”

[42:28]  ¹¹⁶¹ tn Heb “What is this God has done to us?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question.

[42:30]  ¹¹⁶² tn Heb “made us.”

[42:30]  ¹¹⁶³ tn The words “if we were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:32]  ¹¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “twelve [were] we, brothers, sons of our father [are] we.”

[42:32]  ¹¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “the one is not.”

[42:32]  ¹¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “today.”

[42:33]  ¹¹⁶⁷ tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:34]  ¹¹⁶⁸ tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.

[42:34]  ¹¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”

[42:34]  ¹¹⁷⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁷¹ tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36]  ¹¹⁷² tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36]  ¹¹⁷³ tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.

[42:37]  ¹¹⁷⁴ tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.

[42:37]  ¹¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “my hand.”

[42:38]  ¹¹⁷⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[42:38]  ¹¹⁷⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁷⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[43:1]  ¹¹⁸⁰ tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.

[43:3]  ¹¹⁸¹ 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]  ¹¹⁸² tn The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”

[43:4]  ¹¹⁸³ tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”

[43:6]  ¹¹⁸⁴ tn The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”

[43:6]  ¹¹⁸⁵ tn The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.

[43:7]  ¹¹⁸⁶ tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:7]  ¹¹⁸⁷ tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.

[43:7]  ¹¹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”

[43:7]  ¹¹⁹⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁹¹ tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).

[43:8]  ¹¹⁹² 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]  ¹¹⁹³ tn After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.

[43:9]  ¹¹⁹⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁹⁶ tn Heb “we could have returned.”

[43:12]  ¹¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “in your hand.”

[43:12]  ¹¹⁹⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”

[43:13]  ¹²⁰⁰ 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]  ¹²⁰¹ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[43:14]  ¹²⁰² 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]  ¹²⁰³ 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]  ¹²⁰⁴ 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]  ¹²⁰⁵ 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]  ¹²⁰⁶ tn Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.

[43:17]  ¹²⁰⁷ sn This verse is a summary statement. The next verses delineate intermediate steps (see v. 24) in the process.

[43:18]  ¹²⁰⁸ tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[43:18]  ¹²⁰⁹ tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.

[43:18]  ¹²¹⁰ 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]  ¹²¹¹ tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:20]  ¹²¹² tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.

[43:20]  ¹²¹³ tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).

[43:21]  ¹²¹⁴ tn Heb “in its weight.”

[43:21]  ¹²¹⁵ tn Heb “brought it back in our hand.”

[43:23]  ¹²¹⁶ 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]  ¹²¹⁷ 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]  ¹²¹⁸ tn Heb “your money came to me.”

[43:24]  ¹²¹⁹ tn Heb “the man.”

[43:25]  ¹²²⁰ tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.

[43:25]  ¹²²¹ tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.

[43:25]  ¹²²² tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).

[43:26]  ¹²²³ tn Heb “into the house.”

[43:27]  ¹²²⁴ tn Heb “concerning peace.”

[43:28]  ¹²²⁵ tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.

[43:29]  ¹²²⁶ tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:29]  ¹²²⁷ sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.

[43:30]  ¹²²⁸ 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]  ¹²²⁹ tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”

[43:31]  ¹²³⁰ tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”

[43:32]  ¹²³¹ tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:32]  ¹²³² 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]  ¹²³³ 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]  ¹²³⁴ tn Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”

[43:33]  ¹²³⁵ 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]  ¹²³⁶ tn Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”

[43:34]  ¹²³⁷ 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]  ¹²³⁸ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.

[44:2]  ¹²³⁹ tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”

[44:3]  ¹²⁴⁰ tn Heb “the morning was light.”

[44:3]  ¹²⁴¹ 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]  ¹²⁴² tn Heb “they left the city, they were not far,” meaning “they had not gone very far.”

[44:4]  ¹²⁴³ 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]  ¹²⁴⁴ tn Heb “arise, chase after the men.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[44:4]  ¹²⁴⁵ 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]  ¹²⁴⁶ 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]  ¹²⁴⁷ tn Heb “and he, divining, divines with it.” The infinitive absolute is emphatic, stressing the importance of the cup to Joseph.

[44:5]  ¹²⁴⁸ tn Heb “you have caused to be evil what you have done.”

[44:6]  ¹²⁴⁹ 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]  ¹²⁵⁰ tn Heb “Why does my lord speak according to these words?”

[44:7]  ¹²⁵¹ tn Heb “according to this thing.”

[44:9]  ¹²⁵² 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]  ¹²⁵³ 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]  ¹²⁵⁴ tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”

[44:10]  ¹²⁵⁵ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:10]  ¹²⁵⁶ 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]  ¹²⁵⁷ tn Heb “and they hurried and they lowered.” Their speed in doing this shows their presumption of innocence.

[44:12]  ¹²⁵⁸ 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]  ¹²⁵⁹ sn Judah and his brothers. The narrative is already beginning to bring Judah to the forefront.

[44:14]  ¹²⁶⁰ tn The disjunctive clause here provides supplemental information.

[44:15]  ¹²⁶¹ 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]  ¹²⁶² 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]  ¹²⁶³ tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.

[44:16]  ¹²⁶⁴ 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]  ¹²⁶⁵ 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]  ¹²⁶⁶ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:17]  ¹²⁶⁷ tn Heb “up” (reflecting directions from their point of view – “up” to Canaan; “down” to Egypt).

[44:18]  ¹²⁶⁸ tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”

[44:18]  ¹²⁶⁹ tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”

[44:18]  ¹²⁷⁰ 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]  ¹²⁷¹ tn Heb “and a small boy of old age,” meaning that he was born when his father was elderly.

[44:20]  ¹²⁷² tn Heb “his”; the referent (the boy just mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:20]  ¹²⁷³ tn Heb “he, only he, to his mother is left.”

[44:21]  ¹²⁷⁴ tn The cohortative after the imperative indicates purpose here.

[44:21]  ¹²⁷⁵ tn Heb “that I may set my eyes upon him.”

[44:22]  ¹²⁷⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the boy’s father, i.e., Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:22]  ¹²⁷⁷ tn The last two verbs are perfect tenses with vav consecutive. The first is subordinated to the second as a conditional clause.

[44:26]  ¹²⁷⁸ 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]  ¹²⁷⁹ tn Heb “go down.”

[44:27]  ¹²⁸⁰ tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”

[44:28]  ¹²⁸¹ tn Heb “went forth from me.”

[44:29]  ¹²⁸² 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]  ¹²⁸³ 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]  ¹²⁸⁴ 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]  ¹²⁸⁵ tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[44:30]  ¹²⁸⁶ tn Heb “his life is bound up in his life.”

[44:31]  ¹²⁸⁷ tn Heb “when he sees that there is no boy.”

[44:32]  ¹²⁸⁸ tn Or “for.”

[44:34]  ¹²⁸⁹ tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”

[44:34]  ¹²⁹⁰ tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”

[45:1]  ¹²⁹¹ tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”

[45:1]  ¹²⁹² tn Heb “stood.”

[45:2]  ¹²⁹³ tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud.

[45:2]  ¹²⁹⁴ 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]  ¹²⁹⁵ tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.”

[45:5]  ¹²⁹⁶ 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]  ¹²⁹⁷ tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.”

[45:7]  ¹²⁹⁸ 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]  ¹²⁹⁹ tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.”

[45:7]  ¹³⁰⁰ tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action.

[45:8]  ¹³⁰¹ tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.

[45:9]  ¹³⁰² tn Heb “hurry and go up.”

[45:10]  ¹³⁰³ tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:11]  ¹³⁰⁴ 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]  ¹³⁰⁵ 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]  ¹³⁰⁶ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:13]  ¹³⁰⁷ tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”

[45:16]  ¹³⁰⁸ tn Heb “and the sound was heard.”

[45:16]  ¹³⁰⁹ tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.”

[45:17]  ¹³¹⁰ tn Heb “and go! Enter!”

[45:18]  ¹³¹¹ tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.

[45:18]  ¹³¹² tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.

[45:18]  ¹³¹³ tn Heb “fat.”

[45:19]  ¹³¹⁴ tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[45:20]  ¹³¹⁵ tn Heb “let not your eye regard.”

[45:21]  ¹³¹⁶ tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.”

[45:21]  ¹³¹⁷ tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.”

[45:22]  ¹³¹⁸ tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.”

[45:22]  ¹³¹⁹ tn Heb “changes of outer garments.”

[45:23]  ¹³²⁰ tn Heb “according to this.”

[45:24]  ¹³²¹ 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]  ¹³²² tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.”

[45:26]  ¹³²³ tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.

[45:27]  ¹³²⁴ tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.”

[46:1]  ¹³²⁵ tn Heb “and Israel journeyed, and all that was his.”

[46:1]  ¹³²⁶ sn Beer Sheba. See Gen 21:31; 28:10.

[46:2]  ¹³²⁷ tn Heb “in visions of the night.” The plural form has the singular meaning, probably as a plural of intensity.

[46:3]  ¹³²⁸ tn Heb “the God.”

[46:4]  ¹³²⁹ 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]  ¹³³⁰ 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]  ¹³³¹ tn Heb “arose.”

[46:6]  ¹³³² 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]  ¹³³³ 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]  ¹³³⁴ tc The MT reads “Puvah” (cf. Num 26:23); the Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac read “Puah” (cf. 1 Chr 7:1).

[46:13]  ¹³³⁵ 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]  ¹³³⁶ tn Heb “all the lives of his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.”

[46:16]  ¹³³⁷ tc The MT reads “Ziphion,” but see Num 26:15, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, all of which read “Zephon.”

[46:20]  ¹³³⁸ sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[46:21]  ¹³³⁹ 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]  ¹³⁴⁰ tn This name appears as “Shuham” in Num 26:42. The LXX reads “Hashum” here.

[46:26]  ¹³⁴¹ 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]  ¹³⁴² 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]  ¹³⁴³ 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]  ¹³⁴⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[46:28]  ¹³⁴⁵ tn Heb “to direct before him to Goshen.”

[46:29]  ¹³⁴⁶ tn Heb “and he appeared to him.”

[46:30]  ¹³⁴⁷ tn Heb “after my seeing your face that you are still alive.”

[46:31]  ¹³⁴⁸ tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”

[46:32]  ¹³⁴⁹ tn Heb “feeders of sheep.”

[46:32]  ¹³⁵⁰ tn Heb “for men of livestock they are.”

[46:34]  ¹³⁵¹ tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”

[46:34]  ¹³⁵² 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]  ¹³⁵³ 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]  ¹³⁵⁴ tn Heb “Look they [are] in the land of Goshen.” Joseph draws attention to the fact of their presence in Goshen.

[47:2]  ¹³⁵⁵ tn Heb “and from the whole of his brothers he took five men and presented them before Pharaoh.”

[47:3]  ¹³⁵⁶ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:3]  ¹³⁵⁷ tn Heb “both we and our fathers.”

[47:4]  ¹³⁵⁸ tn Heb “to sojourn.”

[47:4]  ¹³⁵⁹ 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]  ¹³⁶⁰ tn Heb “men of skill.”

[47:6]  ¹³⁶¹ 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]  ¹³⁶² tn Heb “caused him to stand.”

[47:7]  ¹³⁶³ 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]  ¹³⁶⁴ tn Heb “How many are the days of the years of your life?”

[47:9]  ¹³⁶⁵ tn Heb “the days of.”

[47:9]  ¹³⁶⁶ 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]  ¹³⁶⁷ tn Heb “the days of.”

[47:9]  ¹³⁶⁸ 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]  ¹³⁶⁹ tn Heb “and they have not reached the days of the years of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.”

[47:10]  ¹³⁷⁰ tn Heb “from before Pharaoh.”

[47:11]  ¹³⁷¹ 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]  ¹³⁷² 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]  ¹³⁷³ 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]  ¹³⁷⁴ tn Or “in exchange.” On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.

[47:14]  ¹³⁷⁵ tn Heb “house.”

[47:15]  ¹³⁷⁶ tn Heb “all Egypt.” The expression is a metonymy and refers to all the people of Egypt.

[47:15]  ¹³⁷⁷ tn The imperfect verbal form has a deliberative force here.

[47:16]  ¹³⁷⁸ tn The word “food” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:16]  ¹³⁷⁹ tn On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.

[47:17]  ¹³⁸⁰ tn The definite article is translated here as a possessive pronoun.

[47:18]  ¹³⁸¹ tn Heb “my.” The expression “my lord” occurs twice more in this verse.

[47:19]  ¹³⁸² tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates consequence.

[47:19]  ¹³⁸³ 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]  ¹³⁸⁴ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates purpose or result.

[47:19]  ¹³⁸⁵ tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + negated verb) highlights the statement and brings their argument to a conclusion.

[47:20]  ¹³⁸⁶ 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]  ¹³⁸⁷ tn The Hebrew text adds “upon them.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:21]  ¹³⁸⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:21]  ¹³⁸⁹ 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]  ¹³⁹⁰ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive is equivalent to a command here.

[47:24]  ¹³⁹¹ tn The words “the crop” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:24]  ¹³⁹² tn The perfect form with the vav (ו) consecutive is equivalent to an imperfect of instruction here.

[47:24]  ¹³⁹³ tn Heb “four parts.”

[47:25]  ¹³⁹⁴ 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]  ¹³⁹⁵ sn Slaves. See the note on this word in v. 21.

[47:26]  ¹³⁹⁶ tn On the term translated “statute” see P. Victor, “A Note on Hoq in the Old Testament,” VT 16 (1966): 358-61.

[47:26]  ¹³⁹⁷ tn The words “which is in effect” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:28]  ¹³⁹⁸ tn Heb “the days of the years.”

[47:29]  ¹³⁹⁹ tn Heb “days.”

[47:29]  ¹⁴⁰⁰ sn On the expression put your hand under my thigh see Gen 24:2.

[47:29]  ¹⁴⁰¹ tn Or “deal with me in faithful love.”

[47:30]  ¹⁴⁰² tn Heb “lie down.” Here the expression “lie down” refers to death.

[47:30]  ¹⁴⁰³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ¹⁴⁰⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ¹⁴⁰⁵ tn Heb “swear on oath to me.” The words “that you will do so” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ¹⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ¹⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “swore on oath to him.”

[47:31]  ¹⁴⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁴¹⁰ tn Heb “and one said.” With no expressed subject in the Hebrew text, the verb can be translated with the passive voice.

[48:2]  ¹⁴¹¹ tn Heb “and one told and said.” The verbs have no expressed subject and can be translated with the passive voice.

[48:2]  ¹⁴¹² tn Heb “Look, your son Joseph.”

[48:3]  ¹⁴¹³ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[48:4]  ¹⁴¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁴¹⁵ tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the certain future idea.

[48:4]  ¹⁴¹⁶ tn The Hebrew text adds “after you,” which has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[48:4]  ¹⁴¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁴¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁴¹⁹ tn Or “you fathered.”

[48:6]  ¹⁴²⁰ tn Heb “called” or “named.”

[48:6]  ¹⁴²¹ 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]  ¹⁴²² tn Heb “upon me, against me,” which might mean something like “to my sorrow.”

[48:7]  ¹⁴²³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[48:9]  ¹⁴²⁴ tn Heb “my.”

[48:9]  ¹⁴²⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:9]  ¹⁴²⁶ tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the imperative.

[48:10]  ¹⁴²⁷ 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]  ¹⁴²⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:10]  ¹⁴²⁹ tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:10]  ¹⁴³⁰ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:11]  ¹⁴³¹ 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]  ¹⁴³² tn Heb “your face.”

[48:11]  ¹⁴³³ tn Heb “offspring.”

[48:12]  ¹⁴³⁴ 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]  ¹⁴³⁵ tn Heb “and Joseph took the two of them.”

[48:13]  ¹⁴³⁶ 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]  ¹⁴³⁷ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-concessive here.

[48:15]  ¹⁴³⁸ tn Heb “shepherded me.” The verb has been translated as an English noun for stylistic reasons.

[48:16]  ¹⁴³⁹ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁴¹ tn Or “be recalled through them.”

[48:17]  ¹⁴⁴² tn Heb “it was bad in his eyes.”

[48:19]  ¹⁴⁴³ tn Heb “fullness.”

[48:20]  ¹⁴⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁵ tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”

[48:20]  ¹⁴⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ tn The pronouns translated “you,” “you,” and “your” in this verse are plural in the Hebrew text.

[48:22]  ¹⁴⁴⁸ tn The pronouns translated “your” and “you” in this verse are singular in the Hebrew text.

[48:22]  ¹⁴⁴⁹ 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).

[49:1]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.

[49:1]  ¹⁴⁵¹ tn The expression “in the future” (אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, ’akharit hayyamim, “in the end of days”) is found most frequently in prophetic passages; it may refer to the end of the age, the eschaton, or to the distant future. The contents of some of the sayings in this chapter stretch from the immediate circumstances to the time of the settlement in the land to the coming of Messiah. There is a great deal of literature on this chapter, including among others C. Armerding, “The Last Words of Jacob: Genesis 49,” BSac 112 (1955): 320-28; H. Pehlke, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Genesis 49:1-28” (Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985); and B. Vawter, “The Canaanite Background of Genesis 49,” CBQ 17 (1955): 1-18.

[49:4]  ¹⁴⁵² tn The Hebrew noun פַּחַז (pakhaz) only occurs here in the OT. A related verb occurs twice in the prophets (Jer 23:32; Zeph 3:4) for false prophets inventing their messages, and once in Judges for unscrupulous men bribed to murder (Judg 9:4). It would describe Reuben as being “frothy, boiling, turbulent” as water. The LXX has “run riot,” the Vulgate has “poured out,” and Tg. Onq. has “you followed your own direction.” It is a reference to Reuben’s misconduct in Gen 35, but the simile and the rare word invite some speculation. H. Pehlke suggests “destructive like water,” for Reuben acted with pride and presumption; see his “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Genesis 49:1-28” (Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985).

[49:4]  ¹⁴⁵³ tn Heb “Do not excel!” The Hiphil of the verb יָתַר (yatar) has this meaning only here. The negated jussive is rhetorical here. Rather than being a command, it anticipates what will transpire. The prophecy says that because of the character of the ancestor, the tribe of Reuben would not have the character to lead (see 1 Chr 5:1).

[49:4]  ¹⁴⁵⁴ sn This is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse with Jacob’s wives (see Gen 35:22).

[49:4]  ¹⁴⁵⁵ tn The last verb is third masculine singular, as if for the first time Jacob told the brothers, or let them know that he knew. For a discussion of this passage see S. Gevirtz, “The Reprimand of Reuben,” JNES 30 (1971): 87-98.

[49:5]  ¹⁴⁵⁶ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word מְכֵרָה (mÿkherah) is uncertain. It has been rendered (1) “habitations”; (2) “merchandise”; (3) “counsels”; (4) “swords”; (5) “wedding feasts.” If it is from the verb כָּרַת (karat) and formed after noun patterns for instruments and tools (maqtil, miqtil form), then it would refer to “knives.” Since the verb is used in Exod 4:25 for circumcision, the idea would be “their circumcision knives,” an allusion to the events of Gen 34 (see M. J. Dahood, “‘MKRTYHM’ in Genesis 49,5,” CBQ 23 [1961]: 54-56). Another explanation also connects the word to the events of Gen 34 as a reference to the intended “wedding feast” for Dinah which could take place only after the men of Shechem were circumcised (see D. W. Young, “A Ghost Word in the Testament of Jacob (Gen 49:5)?” JBL 100 [1981]: 335-422).

[49:6]  ¹⁴⁵⁷ tn The Hebrew text reads “my glory,” but it is preferable to repoint the form and read “my liver.” The liver was sometimes viewed as the seat of the emotions and will (see HALOT 456 s.v. II כָּבֵד) for which the heart is the modern equivalent.

[49:7]  ¹⁴⁵⁸ sn Divide…scatter. What is predicted here is a division of their tribes. Most commentators see here an anticipation of Levi being in every area but not their own. That may be part of it, but not entirely what the curse intended. These tribes for their ruthless cruelty would be eliminated from the power and prestige of leadership.

[49:8]  ¹⁴⁵⁹ sn There is a wordplay here; the name Judah (יְהוּדָה, yÿhudah) sounds in Hebrew like the verb translated praise (יוֹדוּךָ, yodukha). The wordplay serves to draw attention to the statement as having special significance.

[49:10]  ¹⁴⁶⁰ tn Or perhaps “from his descendants,” taking the expression “from between his feet” as a euphemism referring to the genitals. In this case the phrase refers by metonymy to those who come forth from his genitals, i.e., his descendants.

[49:10]  ¹⁴⁶¹ tn The Hebrew form שִׁילֹה (shiloh) is a major interpretive problem. There are at least four major options (with many variations and less likely alternatives): (1) Some prefer to leave the text as it is, reading “Shiloh” and understanding it as the place where the ark rested for a while in the time of the Judges. (2) By repointing the text others arrive at the translation “until the [or “his”] ruler comes,” a reference to a Davidic ruler or the Messiah. (3) Another possibility that does not require emendation of the consonantal text, but only repointing, is “until tribute is brought to him” (so NEB, JPS, NRSV), which has the advantage of providing good parallelism with the following line, “the nations will obey him.” (4) The interpretation followed in the present translation, “to whom it [belongs]” (so RSV, NIV, REB), is based on the ancient versions. Again, this would refer to the Davidic dynasty or, ultimately, to the Messiah.

[49:10]  ¹⁴⁶² tn “and to him [will be] the obedience of the nations.” For discussion of this verse see J. Blenkinsopp, “The Oracle of Judah and the Messianic Entry,” JBL 80 (1961): 55-64; and E. M. Good, “The ‘Blessing’ on Judah,” JBL 82 (1963): 427-32.

[49:11]  ¹⁴⁶³ tn The perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, describing coming events as though they have already taken place.

[49:12]  ¹⁴⁶⁴ tn Some translate these as comparatives, “darker than wine…whiter than milk,” and so a reference to his appearance (so NEB, NIV, NRSV). But if it is in the age of abundance, symbolized by wine and milk, then the dark (i.e., red or perhaps dull) eyes would be from drinking wine, and the white teeth from drinking milk.

[49:13]  ¹⁴⁶⁵ tn The verb שָׁכַן (shakhan) means “to settle,” but not necessarily as a permanent dwelling place. The tribal settlements by the sea would have been temporary and not the tribe’s territory.

[49:13]  ¹⁴⁶⁶ map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[49:15]  ¹⁴⁶⁷ tn The verb forms in this verse (“sees,” “will bend,” and “[will] become”) are preterite; they is used in a rhetorical manner, describing the future as if it had already transpired.

[49:15]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ sn The oracle shows that the tribe of Issachar will be willing to trade liberty for the material things of life. Issachar would work (become a slave laborer) for the Canaanites, a reversal of the oracle on Canaan. See C. M. Carmichael, “Some Sayings in Genesis 49,” JBL 88 (1969): 435-44; and S. Gevirtz, “The Issachar Oracle in the Testament of Jacob,” ErIsr 12 (1975): 104-12.

[49:16]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ sn The name Dan (דָּן, dan) means “judge” and forms a wordplay with the following verb.

[49:16]  ¹⁴⁷⁰ tn Or “govern.”

[49:17]  ¹⁴⁷¹ sn The comparison of the tribe of Dan to a venomous serpent is meant to say that Dan, though small, would be potent, gaining victory through its skill and shrewdness. Jewish commentators have linked the image in part with Samson. That link at least illustrates the point: Though a minority tribe, Dan would gain the upper hand over others.

[49:18]  ¹⁴⁷² sn I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. As Jacob sees the conflicts that lie ahead for Dan and Gad (see v. 19), he offers a brief prayer for their security.

[49:19]  ¹⁴⁷³ tc Heb “heel.” The MT has suffered from misdivision at this point. The initial mem on the first word in the next verse should probably be taken as a plural ending on the word “heel.”

[49:19]  sn In Hebrew the name Gad (גָּד, gad ) sounds like the words translated “raided” (יְגוּדֶנּוּ, yÿgudennu) and “marauding bands” (גְּדוּד, gÿdud).

[49:20]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ tc Heb “from Asher,” but the initial mem (מ) of the MT should probably be moved to the end of the preceding verse and taken as a plural ending on “heel.”

[49:20]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ tn The Hebrew word translated “rich,” when applied to products of the ground, means abundant in quantity and quality.

[49:20]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ tn The word translated “delicacies” refers to foods that were delightful, the kind fit for a king.

[49:21]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ tn Heb “a doe set free.”

[49:21]  ¹⁴⁷⁸ tn Heb “the one who gives words of beauty.” The deer imagery probably does not continue into this line; Naphtali is the likely antecedent of the substantival participle, which is masculine, not feminine, in form. If the animal imagery is retained from the preceding line, the image of a talking deer is preposterous. For this reason some read the second line “the one who bears beautiful fawns,” interpreting אִמְרֵי (’imre) as a reference to young animals, not words (see HALOT 67 s.v. *אִמֵּר).

[49:21]  sn Almost every word in the verse is difficult. Some take the imagery to mean that Naphtali will be swift and agile (like a doe), and be used to take good messages (reading “words of beauty”). Others argue that the tribe was free-spirited (free running), but then settled down with young children.

[49:22]  ¹⁴⁷⁹ tn The Hebrew text appears to mean “[is] a son of fruitfulness.” The second word is an active participle, feminine singular, from the verb פָּרָה (parah, “to be fruitful”). The translation “bough” is employed for בֵּן (ben, elsewhere typically “son”) because Joseph is pictured as a healthy and fruitful vine growing by the wall. But there are difficulties with this interpretation. The word “son” nowhere else refers to a plant and the noun translated “branches” (Heb “daughters”) in the third line is a plural form whereas its verb is singular. In the other oracles of Gen 49 an animal is used for comparison and not a plant, leading some to translate the opening phrase בֵּן פָּרָה (ben parah, “fruitful bough”) as “wild donkey” (JPS, NAB). Various other interpretations involving more radical emendation of the text have also been offered.

[49:22]  ¹⁴⁸⁰ tn Heb “daughters.”

[49:23]  ¹⁴⁸¹ tn The verb forms in vv. 23-24 are used in a rhetorical manner, describing future events as if they had already taken place.

[49:24]  ¹⁴⁸² tn Heb “the arms of his hands.”

[49:24]  ¹⁴⁸³ tn Heb “from there,” but the phrase should be revocalized and read “from [i.e., because of] the name of.”

[49:24]  ¹⁴⁸⁴ tn Or “Stone.”

[49:25]  ¹⁴⁸⁵ tn Heb “and he will help you.”

[49:25]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ tn Heb “Shaddai.” See the note on the title “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1. The preposition אֵת (’et) in the Hebrew text should probably be emended to אֵל (’el, “God”).

[49:25]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ tn Heb “and he will bless you.”

[49:25]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ sn Jacob envisions God imparting both agricultural (blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that lies below) and human fertility (blessings of the breasts and womb) to Joseph and his family.

[49:26]  ¹⁴⁸⁹ tn Heb “have prevailed over.”

[49:26]  ¹⁴⁹⁰ tn One could interpret the phrase הוֹרַי (horay) to mean “my progenitors” (literally, “the ones who conceived me”), but the masculine form argues against this. It is better to emend the text to הַרֲרֵי (harare, “mountains of”) because it forms a better parallel with the next clause. In this case the final yod (י) on the form is a construct plural marker, not a pronominal suffix.

[49:26]  ¹⁴⁹¹ tn For further discussion of this passage, see I. Sonne, “Genesis 49:24-26,” JBL 65 (1946): 303-6.

[49:28]  ¹⁴⁹² tn Heb “All these.”

[49:28]  ¹⁴⁹³ tn Heb “and he blessed them, each of whom according to his blessing, he blessed them.”

[49:29]  ¹⁴⁹⁴ tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to them,” which is not included in the translation because it is redundant in English.

[49:29]  ¹⁴⁹⁵ tn Heb “I am about to be gathered” The participle is used here to describe what is imminent.

[49:32]  ¹⁴⁹⁶ 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.

[49:33]  ¹⁴⁹⁷ tn Heb “was gathered.”

[50:1]  ¹⁴⁹⁸ tn Heb “fell on.” The expression describes Joseph’s unrestrained sorrow over Jacob’s death; he probably threw himself across the body and embraced his father.

[50:2]  ¹⁴⁹⁹ tn Heb “his servants the physicians.”

[50:3]  ¹⁵⁰⁰ tn Heb “and forty days were fulfilled for him, for thus are fulfilled the days of embalming.”

[50:3]  ¹⁵⁰¹ tn Heb “wept.”

[50:3]  ¹⁵⁰² sn Seventy days. This probably refers to a time of national mourning.

[50:4]  ¹⁵⁰³ tn Heb “weeping.”

[50:4]  ¹⁵⁰⁴ tn Heb “the house of Pharaoh.”

[50:4]  ¹⁵⁰⁵ tn Heb “in the ears of Pharaoh.”

[50:5]  ¹⁵⁰⁶ tn Heb “saying.”

[50:5]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ tn The imperfect verbal form here has the force of a command.

[50:6]  ¹⁵⁰⁸ tn Heb “he made you swear on oath.”

[50:7]  ¹⁵⁰⁹ tn Or “dignitaries”; Heb “elders.”

[50:9]  ¹⁵¹⁰ tn Heb “camp.”

[50:10]  ¹⁵¹¹ sn The location of the threshing floor of Atad is not certain. The expression the other side of the Jordan could refer to the eastern or western bank, depending on one’s perspective. However, it is commonly used in the OT for Transjordan. This would suggest that the entourage came up the Jordan Valley and crossed into the land at Jericho, just as the Israelites would in the time of Joshua.

[50:10]  ¹⁵¹² tn Heb “and they mourned there [with] very great and heavy mourning.” The cognate accusative, as well as the two adjectives and the adverb, emphasize the degree of their sorrow.

[50:11]  ¹⁵¹³ tn Heb “this is heavy mourning for Egypt.”

[50:11]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn The verb has no expressed subject and so it may be translated as passive.

[50:11]  ¹⁵¹⁵ sn The name Abel Mizraim means “the mourning of Egypt.”

[50:15]  ¹⁵¹⁶ tn The imperfect tense could be a simple future; it could also have a desiderative nuance.

[50:15]  ¹⁵¹⁷ tn The infinitive absolute makes the statement emphatic, “repay in full.”

[50:15]  ¹⁵¹⁸ tn Or “evil.”

[50:16]  ¹⁵¹⁹ tn The verb means “command,” but they would hardly be commanding him. It probably means they sent their father’s instructions to Joseph.

[50:17]  ¹⁵²⁰ tn Heb “and Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”

[50:19]  ¹⁵²¹ tn Heb “For am I.”

[50:20]  ¹⁵²² tn Heb “you devised against me evil.”

[50:20]  ¹⁵²³ tn Heb “God devised it for good in order to do, like this day, to preserve alive a great nation.”

[50:21]  ¹⁵²⁴ tn Heb “spoke to their heart.”

[50:22]  ¹⁵²⁵ tn Heb “he and the house of his father.”

[50:23]  ¹⁵²⁶ tn Heb “saw Ephraim, the children of the third.”

[50:23]  ¹⁵²⁷ tn Heb “they were born on the knees of Joseph.” This expression implies their adoption by Joseph, which meant that they received an inheritance from him.

[50:24]  ¹⁵²⁸ tn The verb פָּקַד (paqad) means “to visit,” i.e., to intervene for blessing or cursing; here Joseph announces that God would come to fulfill the promises by delivering them from Egypt. The statement is emphasized by the use of the infinitive absolute with the verb: “God will surely visit you.”

[50:24]  ¹⁵²⁹ tn The words “to give” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[50:26]  ¹⁵³⁰ tn Heb “son of a hundred and ten years.”

[50:26]  ¹⁵³¹ tn Heb “he.”