Kejadian 11:27--50:26

The Record of Terah

11:27 This is the account of Terah.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 11:28 Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans, ¹  while his father Terah was still alive. ²  11:29 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, ³  and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah; ⁴  she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no children.

11:31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (the son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and with them he set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came to Haran, they settled there. 11:32 The lifetime ⁵  of Terah was 205 years, and he ⁶  died in Haran.

The Obedience of Abram

12:1 Now the Lord said ⁷  to Abram, ⁸ 

“Go out ⁹  from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household

to the land that I will show you. ¹⁰ 

12:2 Then I will make you ¹¹  into a great nation, and I will bless you, ¹² 

and I will make your name great, ¹³ 

so that you will exemplify divine blessing. ¹⁴ 

12:3 I will bless those who bless you, ¹⁵ 

but the one who treats you lightly ¹⁶  I must curse,

and all the families of the earth will bless one another ¹⁷  by your name.”

12:4 So Abram left, ¹⁸  just as the Lord had told him to do, ¹⁹  and Lot went with him. (Now ²⁰  Abram was 75 years old ²¹  when he departed from Haran.) 12:5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew ²²  Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired ²³  in Haran, and they left for ²⁴  the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan.

12:6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the oak tree ²⁵  of Moreh ²⁶  at Shechem. ²⁷  (At that time the Canaanites were in the land.) ²⁸  12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants ²⁹  I will give this land.” So Abram ³⁰  built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

12:8 Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel ³¹  and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord. ³²  12:9 Abram continually journeyed by stages ³³  down to the Negev. ³⁴ 

The Promised Blessing Jeopardized

12:10 There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt ³⁵  to stay for a while ³⁶  because the famine was severe. ³⁷  12:11 As he approached ³⁸  Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, ³⁹  I know that you are a beautiful woman. ⁴⁰  12:12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive. ⁴¹  12:13 So tell them ⁴²  you are my sister ⁴³  so that it may go well ⁴⁴  for me because of you and my life will be spared ⁴⁵  on account of you.”

12:14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 12:15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife ⁴⁶  was taken ⁴⁷  into the household of Pharaoh, ⁴⁸  12:16 and he did treat Abram well ⁴⁹  on account of her. Abram received ⁵⁰  sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

12:17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases ⁵¹  because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 12:18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this ⁵²  you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 12:19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her ⁵³  to be my wife? ⁵⁴  Here is your wife! ⁵⁵  Take her and go!” ⁵⁶  12:20 Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, ⁵⁷  and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.

Abram’s Solution to the Strife

13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. ⁵⁸  He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. ⁵⁹  13:2 (Now Abram was very wealthy ⁶⁰  in livestock, silver, and gold.) ⁶¹ 

13:3 And he journeyed from place to place ⁶²  from the Negev as far as Bethel. ⁶³  He returned ⁶⁴  to the place where he had pitched his tent ⁶⁵  at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai. 13:4 This was the place where he had first built the altar, ⁶⁶  and there Abram worshiped the Lord. ⁶⁷ 

13:5 Now Lot, who was traveling ⁶⁸  with Abram, also had ⁶⁹  flocks, herds, and tents. 13:6 But the land could ⁷⁰  not support them while they were living side by side. ⁷¹  Because their possessions were so great, they were not able to live ⁷²  alongside one another. 13:7 So there were quarrels ⁷³  between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. ⁷⁴  (Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.) ⁷⁵ 

13:8 Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. ⁷⁶  13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go ⁷⁷  to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.”

13:10 Lot looked up and saw ⁷⁸  the whole region ⁷⁹  of the Jordan. He noticed ⁸⁰  that all of it was well-watered (before the Lord obliterated ⁸¹  Sodom and Gomorrah) ⁸²  like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, ⁸³  all the way to Zoar. 13:11 Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled ⁸⁴  toward the east.

So the relatives separated from each other. ⁸⁵  13:12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain ⁸⁶  and pitched his tents next to Sodom. 13:13 (Now ⁸⁷  the people ⁸⁸  of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.) ⁸⁹ 

13:14 After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, ⁹⁰  “Look ⁹¹  from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west. 13:15 I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants ⁹²  forever. 13:16 And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted. ⁹³  13:17 Get up and ⁹⁴  walk throughout ⁹⁵  the land, ⁹⁶  for I will give it to you.”

13:18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live ⁹⁷  by the oaks ⁹⁸  of Mamre in Hebron, and he built an altar to the Lord there.

The Blessing of Victory for God’s People

14:1 At that time ⁹⁹  Amraphel king of Shinar, ¹⁰⁰  Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations ¹⁰¹  14:2 went to war ¹⁰²  against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ¹⁰³  14:3 These last five kings ¹⁰⁴  joined forces ¹⁰⁵  in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). ¹⁰⁶  14:4 For twelve years ¹⁰⁷  they had served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year ¹⁰⁸  they rebelled. ¹⁰⁹  14:5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were his allies came and defeated ¹¹⁰  the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 14:6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is near the desert. ¹¹¹  14:7 Then they attacked En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) again, ¹¹²  and they conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.

14:8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and prepared for battle. In the Valley of Siddim they met ¹¹³  14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, ¹¹⁴  Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against ¹¹⁵  five. 14:10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. ¹¹⁶  When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, ¹¹⁷  but some survivors ¹¹⁸  fled to the hills. ¹¹⁹  14:11 The four victorious kings ¹²⁰  took all the possessions and food of Sodom and Gomorrah and left. 14:12 They also took Abram’s nephew ¹²¹  Lot and his possessions when ¹²²  they left, for Lot ¹²³  was living in Sodom. ¹²⁴ 

14:13 A fugitive ¹²⁵  came and told Abram the Hebrew. ¹²⁶  Now Abram was living by the oaks ¹²⁷  of Mamre the Amorite, the brother ¹²⁸  of Eshcol and Aner. (All these were allied by treaty ¹²⁹  with Abram.) ¹³⁰  14:14 When Abram heard that his nephew ¹³¹  had been taken captive, he mobilized ¹³²  his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders ¹³³  as far as Dan. ¹³⁴  14:15 Then, during the night, ¹³⁵  Abram ¹³⁶  divided his forces ¹³⁷  against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north ¹³⁸  of Damascus. 14:16 He retrieved all the stolen property. ¹³⁹  He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of ¹⁴⁰  the people.

14:17 After Abram ¹⁴¹  returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram ¹⁴²  in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley). ¹⁴³  14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem ¹⁴⁴  brought out bread and wine. (Now he was the priest of the Most High God.) ¹⁴⁵  14:19 He blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by ¹⁴⁶  the Most High God,

Creator ¹⁴⁷  of heaven and earth. ¹⁴⁸ 

14:20 Worthy of praise is ¹⁴⁹  the Most High God,

who delivered ¹⁵⁰  your enemies into your hand.”

Abram gave Melchizedek ¹⁵¹  a tenth of everything.

14:21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself.” 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I raise my hand ¹⁵²  to the Lord, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, and vow ¹⁵³  14:23 that I will take nothing ¹⁵⁴  belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal. That way you can never say, ‘It is I ¹⁵⁵  who made Abram rich.’ 14:24 I will take nothing ¹⁵⁶  except compensation for what the young men have eaten. ¹⁵⁷  As for the share of the men who went with me – Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre – let them take their share.”

The Cutting of the Covenant

15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield ¹⁵⁸  and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” ¹⁵⁹ 

15:2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, ¹⁶⁰  what will you give me since ¹⁶¹  I continue to be ¹⁶²  childless, and my heir ¹⁶³  is ¹⁶⁴  Eliezer of Damascus?” ¹⁶⁵  15:3 Abram added, ¹⁶⁶  “Since ¹⁶⁷  you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” ¹⁶⁸ 

15:4 But look, ¹⁶⁹  the word of the Lord came to him: “This man ¹⁷⁰  will not be your heir, ¹⁷¹  but instead ¹⁷²  a son ¹⁷³  who comes from your own body will be ¹⁷⁴  your heir.” ¹⁷⁵  15:5 The Lord ¹⁷⁶  took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”

15:6 Abram believed ¹⁷⁷  the Lord, and the Lord ¹⁷⁸  considered his response of faith ¹⁷⁹  as proof of genuine loyalty. ¹⁸⁰ 

15:7 The Lord said ¹⁸¹  to him, “I am the Lord ¹⁸²  who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans ¹⁸³  to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But ¹⁸⁴  Abram ¹⁸⁵  said, “O sovereign Lord, ¹⁸⁶  by what ¹⁸⁷  can I know that I am to possess it?”

15:9 The Lord ¹⁸⁸  said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram ¹⁸⁹  took all these for him and then cut them in two ¹⁹⁰  and placed each half opposite the other, ¹⁹¹  but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, ¹⁹²  and great terror overwhelmed him. ¹⁹³  15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain ¹⁹⁴  that your descendants will be strangers ¹⁹⁵  in a foreign country. ¹⁹⁶  They will be enslaved and oppressed ¹⁹⁷  for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. ¹⁹⁸  Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, ¹⁹⁹  you will go to your ancestors ²⁰⁰  in peace and be buried at a good old age. ²⁰¹  15:16 In the fourth generation ²⁰²  your descendants ²⁰³  will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” ²⁰⁴ 

15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch ²⁰⁵  passed between the animal parts. ²⁰⁶  15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant ²⁰⁷  with Abram: “To your descendants I give ²⁰⁸  this land, from the river of Egypt ²⁰⁹  to the great river, the Euphrates River – 15:19 the land ²¹⁰  of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” ²¹¹ 

The Birth of Ishmael

16:1 Now Sarai, ²¹²  Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, ²¹³  but she had an Egyptian servant ²¹⁴  named Hagar. ²¹⁵  16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since ²¹⁶  the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with ²¹⁷  my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” ²¹⁸  Abram did what ²¹⁹  Sarai told him.

16:3 So after Abram had lived ²²⁰  in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, ²²¹  to her husband to be his wife. ²²²  16:4 He had sexual relations with ²²³  Hagar, and she became pregnant. ²²⁴  Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. ²²⁵  16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! ²²⁶  I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, ²²⁷  but when she realized ²²⁸  that she was pregnant, she despised me. ²²⁹  May the Lord judge between you and me!” ²³⁰ 

16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your ²³¹  servant is under your authority, ²³²  do to her whatever you think best.” ²³³  Then Sarai treated Hagar ²³⁴  harshly, ²³⁵  so she ran away from Sarai. ²³⁶ 

16:7 The Lord’s angel ²³⁷  found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road to Shur. ²³⁸  16:8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from ²³⁹  my mistress, Sarai.”

16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit ²⁴⁰  to her authority. 16:10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added, ²⁴¹  “so that they will be too numerous to count.” ²⁴²  16:11 Then the Lord’s angel said to her,

“You are now ²⁴³  pregnant

and are about to give birth ²⁴⁴  to a son.

You are to name him Ishmael, ²⁴⁵ 

for the Lord has heard your painful groans. ²⁴⁶ 

16:12 He will be a wild donkey ²⁴⁷  of a man.

He will be hostile to everyone, ²⁴⁸ 

and everyone will be hostile to him. ²⁴⁹ 

He will live away from ²⁵⁰  his brothers.”

16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” ²⁵¹  for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” ²⁵²  16:14 That is why the well was called ²⁵³  Beer Lahai Roi. ²⁵⁴  (It is located ²⁵⁵  between Kadesh and Bered.)

16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. ²⁵⁶  16:16 (Now ²⁵⁷  Abram was 86 years old ²⁵⁸  when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.) ²⁵⁹ 

The Sign of the Covenant

17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, ²⁶⁰  the Lord appeared to him and said, ²⁶¹  “I am the sovereign God. ²⁶²  Walk ²⁶³  before me ²⁶⁴  and be blameless. ²⁶⁵  17:2 Then I will confirm my covenant ²⁶⁶  between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.” ²⁶⁷ 

17:3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, ²⁶⁸  and God said to him, ²⁶⁹  17:4 “As for me, ²⁷⁰  this ²⁷¹  is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 17:5 No longer will your name be ²⁷²  Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham ²⁷³  because I will make you ²⁷⁴  the father of a multitude of nations. 17:6 I will make you ²⁷⁵  extremely ²⁷⁶  fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. ²⁷⁷  17:7 I will confirm ²⁷⁸  my covenant as a perpetual ²⁷⁹  covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ²⁸⁰  17:8 I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing ²⁸¹  – to you and your descendants after you as a permanent ²⁸²  possession. I will be their God.”

17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep ²⁸³  the covenantal requirement ²⁸⁴  I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 17:10 This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: ²⁸⁵  Every male among you must be circumcised. ²⁸⁶  17:11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder ²⁸⁷  of the covenant between me and you. 17:12 Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old ²⁸⁸  must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants. 17:13 They must indeed be circumcised, ²⁸⁹  whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant ²⁹⁰  will be visible in your flesh as a permanent ²⁹¹  reminder. 17:14 Any uncircumcised male ²⁹²  who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off ²⁹³  from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement.” ²⁹⁴ 

17:15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; ²⁹⁵  Sarah ²⁹⁶  will be her name. 17:16 I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. ²⁹⁷  Kings of countries ²⁹⁸  will come from her!”

17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed ²⁹⁹  as he said to himself, ³⁰⁰  “Can ³⁰¹  a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? ³⁰²  Can Sarah ³⁰³  bear a child at the age of ninety?” ³⁰⁴  17:18 Abraham said to God, “O that ³⁰⁵  Ishmael might live before you!” ³⁰⁶ 

17:19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. ³⁰⁷  I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual ³⁰⁸  covenant for his descendants after him. 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. ³⁰⁹  I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. ³¹⁰  He will become the father of twelve princes; ³¹¹  I will make him into a great nation. 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.” 17:22 When he finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. ³¹² 

17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) ³¹³  and circumcised them ³¹⁴  on that very same day, just as God had told him to do. 17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old ³¹⁵  when he was circumcised; ³¹⁶  17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old ³¹⁷  when he was circumcised. 17:26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day. 17:27 All the men of his household, whether born in his household or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

Three Special Visitors

18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham ³¹⁸  by the oaks ³¹⁹  of Mamre while ³²⁰  he was sitting at the entrance ³²¹  to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham ³²²  looked up ³²³  and saw ³²⁴  three men standing across ³²⁵  from him. When he saw them ³²⁶  he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low ³²⁷  to the ground. ³²⁸ 

18:3 He said, “My lord, ³²⁹  if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. ³³⁰  18:4 Let a little water be brought so that ³³¹  you may all ³³²  wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get ³³³  a bit of food ³³⁴  so that you may refresh yourselves ³³⁵  since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” ³³⁶  “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”

18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take ³³⁷  three measures ³³⁸  of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” ³³⁹  18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, ³⁴⁰  who quickly prepared it. ³⁴¹  18:8 Abraham ³⁴²  then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food ³⁴³  before them. They ate while ³⁴⁴  he was standing near them under a tree.

18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, ³⁴⁵  in the tent.” 18:10 One of them ³⁴⁶  said, “I will surely return ³⁴⁷  to you when the season comes round again, ³⁴⁸  and your wife Sarah will have a son!” ³⁴⁹  (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. ³⁵⁰  18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; ³⁵¹  Sarah had long since passed menopause.) ³⁵²  18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, ³⁵³  “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, ³⁵⁴  especially when my husband is old too?” ³⁵⁵ 

18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why ³⁵⁶  did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really ³⁵⁷  have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything impossible ³⁵⁸  for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” ³⁵⁹  18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.” ³⁶⁰ 

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

18:16 When the men got up to leave, ³⁶¹  they looked out over ³⁶²  Sodom. (Now ³⁶³  Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) ³⁶⁴  18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? ³⁶⁵  18:18 After all, Abraham ³⁶⁶  will surely become ³⁶⁷  a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another ³⁶⁸  using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him ³⁶⁹  so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep ³⁷⁰  the way of the Lord by doing ³⁷¹  what is right and just. Then the Lord will give ³⁷²  to Abraham what he promised ³⁷³  him.”

18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against ³⁷⁴  Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant ³⁷⁵  18:21 that I must go down ³⁷⁶  and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. ³⁷⁷  If not, ³⁷⁸  I want to know.”

18:22 The two men turned ³⁷⁹  and headed ³⁸⁰  toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord. ³⁸¹  18:23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare ³⁸²  the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge ³⁸³  of the whole earth do what is right?” ³⁸⁴ 

18:26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord ³⁸⁵  (although I am but dust and ashes), ³⁸⁶  18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy ³⁸⁷  the whole city because five are lacking?” ³⁸⁸  He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

18:29 Abraham ³⁸⁹  spoke to him again, ³⁹⁰  “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

18:30 Then Abraham ³⁹¹  said, “May the Lord not be angry ³⁹²  so that I may speak! ³⁹³  What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

18:31 Abraham ³⁹⁴  said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

18:32 Finally Abraham ³⁹⁵  said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

18:33 The Lord went on his way ³⁹⁶  when he had finished speaking ³⁹⁷  to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. ³⁹⁸ 

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while ³⁹⁹  Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway. ⁴⁰⁰  When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground.

19:2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. Stay the night ⁴⁰¹  and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.” ⁴⁰²  “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.” ⁴⁰³ 

19:3 But he urged ⁴⁰⁴  them persistently, so they turned aside with him and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them, including bread baked without yeast, and they ate. 19:4 Before they could lie down to sleep, ⁴⁰⁵  all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. ⁴⁰⁶  19:5 They shouted to Lot, ⁴⁰⁷  “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex ⁴⁰⁸  with them!”

19:6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 19:7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly! ⁴⁰⁹  19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with ⁴¹⁰  a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. ⁴¹¹  Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection ⁴¹²  of my roof.” ⁴¹³ 

19:9 “Out of our way!” ⁴¹⁴  they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, ⁴¹⁵  and now he dares to judge us! ⁴¹⁶  We’ll do more harm ⁴¹⁷  to you than to them!” They kept ⁴¹⁸  pressing in on Lot until they were close enough ⁴¹⁹  to break down the door.

19:10 So the men inside ⁴²⁰  reached out ⁴²¹  and pulled Lot back into the house ⁴²²  as they shut the door. 19:11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, ⁴²³  with blindness. The men outside ⁴²⁴  wore themselves out trying to find the door. 19:12 Then the two visitors ⁴²⁵  said to Lot, “Who else do you have here? ⁴²⁶  Do you have ⁴²⁷  any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city? ⁴²⁸  Get them out of this ⁴²⁹  place 19:13 because we are about to destroy ⁴³⁰  it. The outcry against this place ⁴³¹  is so great before the Lord that he ⁴³²  has sent us to destroy it.”

19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. ⁴³³  He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy ⁴³⁴  the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. ⁴³⁵ 

19:15 At dawn ⁴³⁶  the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, ⁴³⁷  or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!” ⁴³⁸  19:16 When Lot ⁴³⁹  hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them. ⁴⁴⁰  They led them away and placed them ⁴⁴¹  outside the city. 19:17 When they had brought them outside, they ⁴⁴²  said, “Run ⁴⁴³  for your lives! Don’t look ⁴⁴⁴  behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! ⁴⁴⁵  Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”

19:18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord! ⁴⁴⁶  19:19 Your ⁴⁴⁷  servant has found favor with you, ⁴⁴⁸  and you have shown me great ⁴⁴⁹  kindness ⁴⁵⁰  by sparing ⁴⁵¹  my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because ⁴⁵²  this disaster will overtake ⁴⁵³  me and I’ll die. ⁴⁵⁴  19:20 Look, this town ⁴⁵⁵  over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. ⁴⁵⁶  Let me go there. ⁴⁵⁷  It’s just a little place, isn’t it? ⁴⁵⁸  Then I’ll survive.” ⁴⁵⁹ 

19:21 “Very well,” he replied, ⁴⁶⁰  “I will grant this request too ⁴⁶¹  and will not overthrow ⁴⁶²  the town you mentioned. 19:22 Run there quickly, ⁴⁶³  for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.) ⁴⁶⁴ 

19:23 The sun had just risen ⁴⁶⁵  over the land as Lot reached Zoar. ⁴⁶⁶  19:24 Then the Lord rained down ⁴⁶⁷  sulfur and fire ⁴⁶⁸  on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. ⁴⁶⁹  19:25 So he overthrew those cities and all that region, ⁴⁷⁰  including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation that grew ⁴⁷¹  from the ground. 19:26 But Lot’s ⁴⁷²  wife looked back longingly ⁴⁷³  and was turned into a pillar of salt.

19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went ⁴⁷⁴  to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 He looked out toward ⁴⁷⁵  Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region. ⁴⁷⁶  As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace. ⁴⁷⁷ 

19:29 So when God destroyed ⁴⁷⁸  the cities of the region, ⁴⁷⁹  God honored ⁴⁸⁰  Abraham’s request. He removed Lot ⁴⁸¹  from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed ⁴⁸²  the cities Lot had lived in.

19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 19:31 Later the older daughter said ⁴⁸³  to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby ⁴⁸⁴  to have sexual relations with us, ⁴⁸⁵  according to the way of all the world. 19:32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine ⁴⁸⁶  so we can have sexual relations ⁴⁸⁷  with him and preserve ⁴⁸⁸  our family line through our father.” ⁴⁸⁹ 

19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, ⁴⁹⁰  and the older daughter ⁴⁹¹  came and had sexual relations with her father. ⁴⁹²  But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. ⁴⁹³  19:34 So in the morning the older daughter ⁴⁹⁴  said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. ⁴⁹⁵  Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” ⁴⁹⁶  19:35 So they made their father drunk ⁴⁹⁷  that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. ⁴⁹⁸  But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. ⁴⁹⁹ 

19:36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter ⁵⁰⁰  gave birth to a son and named him Moab. ⁵⁰¹  He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. ⁵⁰²  He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.

Abraham and Abimelech

20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev ⁵⁰³  region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident ⁵⁰⁴  in Gerar, 20:2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.

20:3 But God appeared ⁵⁰⁵  to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead ⁵⁰⁶  because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.” ⁵⁰⁷ 

20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, ⁵⁰⁸  would you really slaughter an innocent nation? ⁵⁰⁹  20:5 Did Abraham ⁵¹⁰  not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ⁵¹¹  ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience ⁵¹²  and with innocent hands!”

20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. ⁵¹³  That is why I have kept you ⁵¹⁴  from sinning against me and why ⁵¹⁵  I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed ⁵¹⁶  he is a prophet ⁵¹⁷  and he will pray for you; thus you will live. ⁵¹⁸  But if you don’t give her back, ⁵¹⁹  know that you will surely die ⁵²⁰  along with all who belong to you.”

20:8 Early in the morning ⁵²¹  Abimelech summoned ⁵²²  all his servants. When he told them about all these things, ⁵²³  they ⁵²⁴  were terrified. 20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? ⁵²⁵  You have done things to me that should not be done!” ⁵²⁶  20:10 Then Abimelech asked ⁵²⁷  Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?” ⁵²⁸ 

20:11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought, ⁵²⁹  ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of ⁵³⁰  my wife.’ 20:12 What’s more, ⁵³¹  she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife. 20:13 When God made me wander ⁵³²  from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: ⁵³³  Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”

20:14 So Abimelech gave ⁵³⁴  sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 20:15 Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.” ⁵³⁵ 

20:16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver ⁵³⁶  to your ‘brother.’ ⁵³⁷  This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.” ⁵³⁸ 

20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 20:18 For the Lord ⁵³⁹  had caused infertility to strike every woman ⁵⁴⁰  in the household of Abimelech because he took ⁵⁴¹  Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

The Birth of Isaac

21:1 The Lord visited ⁵⁴²  Sarah just as he had said he would and did ⁵⁴³  for Sarah what he had promised. ⁵⁴⁴  21:2 So Sarah became pregnant ⁵⁴⁵  and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 21:3 Abraham named his son – whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac. ⁵⁴⁶  21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, ⁵⁴⁷  Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. ⁵⁴⁸  21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.) ⁵⁴⁹ 

21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. ⁵⁵⁰  Everyone who hears about this ⁵⁵¹  will laugh ⁵⁵²  with me.” 21:7 She went on to say, ⁵⁵³  “Who would ⁵⁵⁴  have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”

21:8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared ⁵⁵⁵  a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. ⁵⁵⁶  21:9 But Sarah noticed ⁵⁵⁷  the son of Hagar the Egyptian – the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham – mocking. ⁵⁵⁸  21:10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish ⁵⁵⁹  that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!”

21:11 Sarah’s demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son. ⁵⁶⁰  21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset ⁵⁶¹  about the boy or your slave wife. Do ⁵⁶²  all that Sarah is telling ⁵⁶³  you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. ⁵⁶⁴  21:13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.”

21:14 Early in the morning Abraham took ⁵⁶⁵  some food ⁵⁶⁶  and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, ⁵⁶⁷  and sent her away. So she went wandering ⁵⁶⁸  aimlessly through the wilderness ⁵⁶⁹  of Beer Sheba. 21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved ⁵⁷⁰  the child under one of the shrubs. 21:16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot ⁵⁷¹  away; for she thought, ⁵⁷²  “I refuse to watch the child die.” ⁵⁷³  So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably. ⁵⁷⁴ 

21:17 But God heard the boy’s voice. ⁵⁷⁵  The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, ⁵⁷⁶  Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard ⁵⁷⁷  the boy’s voice right where he is crying. 21:18 Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 21:19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. ⁵⁷⁸  She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink.

21:20 God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21:21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. ⁵⁷⁹  His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt. ⁵⁸⁰ 

21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you ⁵⁸¹  in all that you do. 21:23 Now swear to me right here in God’s name ⁵⁸²  that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. ⁵⁸³  Show me, and the land ⁵⁸⁴  where you are staying, ⁵⁸⁵  the same loyalty ⁵⁸⁶  that I have shown you.” ⁵⁸⁷ 

21:24 Abraham said, “I swear to do this.” ⁵⁸⁸  21:25 But Abraham lodged a complaint ⁵⁸⁹  against Abimelech concerning a well ⁵⁹⁰  that Abimelech’s servants had seized. ⁵⁹¹  21:26 “I do not know who has done this thing,” Abimelech replied. “Moreover, ⁵⁹²  you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today.”

21:27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. ⁵⁹³  21:28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 21:29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these ⁵⁹⁴  seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 21:30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof ⁵⁹⁵  that I dug this well.” ⁵⁹⁶  21:31 That is why he named that place ⁵⁹⁷  Beer Sheba, ⁵⁹⁸  because the two of them swore ⁵⁹⁹  an oath there.

21:32 So they made a treaty ⁶⁰⁰  at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned ⁶⁰¹  to the land of the Philistines. ⁶⁰²  21:33 Abraham ⁶⁰³  planted a tamarisk tree ⁶⁰⁴  in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, ⁶⁰⁵  the eternal God. 21:34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time. ⁶⁰⁶ 

The Sacrifice of Isaac

22:1 Some time after these things God tested ⁶⁰⁷  Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham ⁶⁰⁸  replied. 22:2 God ⁶⁰⁹  said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac ⁶¹⁰  – and go to the land of Moriah! ⁶¹¹  Offer him up there as a burnt offering ⁶¹²  on one of the mountains which I will indicate to ⁶¹³  you.”

22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. ⁶¹⁴  He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out ⁶¹⁵  for the place God had spoken to him about.

22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of ⁶¹⁶  the place in the distance. 22:5 So he ⁶¹⁷  said to his servants, “You two stay ⁶¹⁸  here with the donkey while ⁶¹⁹  the boy and I go up there. We will worship ⁶²⁰  and then return to you.” ⁶²¹ 

22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, ⁶²²  and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, ⁶²³  “My father?” “What is it, ⁶²⁴  my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, ⁶²⁵  “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 22:8 “God will provide ⁶²⁶  for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.

22:9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there ⁶²⁷  and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up ⁶²⁸  his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 22:10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter ⁶²⁹  his son. 22:11 But the Lord’s angel ⁶³⁰  called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 22:12 “Do not harm the boy!” ⁶³¹  the angel said. ⁶³²  “Do not do anything to him, for now I know ⁶³³  that you fear ⁶³⁴  God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”

22:13 Abraham looked up ⁶³⁵  and saw ⁶³⁶  behind him ⁶³⁷  a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he ⁶³⁸  went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” ⁶³⁹  It is said to this day, ⁶⁴⁰  “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.” ⁶⁴¹ 

22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16 and said, “‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’ ⁶⁴²  decrees the Lord, ⁶⁴³  ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you, ⁶⁴⁴  and I will greatly multiply ⁶⁴⁵  your descendants ⁶⁴⁶  so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession ⁶⁴⁷  of the strongholds ⁶⁴⁸  of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, ⁶⁴⁹  all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another ⁶⁵⁰  using the name of your descendants.’”

22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together ⁶⁵¹  for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed. ⁶⁵² 

22:20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah ⁶⁵³  also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), ⁶⁵⁴  22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 22:23 (Now ⁶⁵⁵  Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children – Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

The Death of Sarah

23:1 Sarah lived 127 years. ⁶⁵⁶  23:2 Then she ⁶⁵⁷  died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. ⁶⁵⁸ 

23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife ⁶⁵⁹  and said to the sons of Heth, ⁶⁶⁰  23:4 “I am a temporary settler ⁶⁶¹  among you. Grant ⁶⁶²  me ownership ⁶⁶³  of a burial site among you so that I may ⁶⁶⁴  bury my dead.” ⁶⁶⁵ 

23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, ⁶⁶⁶  23:6 “Listen, sir, ⁶⁶⁷  you are a mighty prince ⁶⁶⁸  among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you ⁶⁶⁹  from burying your dead.”

23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, ⁶⁷⁰  the sons of Heth. 23:8 Then he said to them, “If you agree ⁶⁷¹  that I may bury my dead, ⁶⁷²  then hear me out. ⁶⁷³  Ask ⁶⁷⁴  Ephron the son of Zohar 23:9 if he will sell ⁶⁷⁵  me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly ⁶⁷⁶  for the full price, ⁶⁷⁷  so that I may own it as a burial site.”

23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite ⁶⁷⁸  replied to Abraham in the hearing ⁶⁷⁹  of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate ⁶⁸⁰  of his city – 23:11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell ⁶⁸¹  you both the field and the cave that is in it. ⁶⁸²  In the presence of my people ⁶⁸³  I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”

23:12 Abraham bowed before the local people 23:13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, “Hear me, if you will. I pay ⁶⁸⁴  to you the price ⁶⁸⁵  of the field. Take it from me so that I may ⁶⁸⁶  bury my dead there.”

23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 23:15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth ⁶⁸⁷  400 pieces of silver, ⁶⁸⁸  but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”

23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price ⁶⁸⁹  and weighed ⁶⁹⁰  out for him ⁶⁹¹  the price ⁶⁹²  that Ephron had quoted ⁶⁹³  in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. ⁶⁹⁴ 

23:17 So Abraham secured ⁶⁹⁵  Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city. ⁶⁹⁶ 

23:19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 23:20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site ⁶⁹⁷  from the sons of Heth.

The Wife for Isaac

24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, ⁶⁹⁸  and the Lord had blessed him ⁶⁹⁹  in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one ⁷⁰⁰  in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh ⁷⁰¹  24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise ⁷⁰²  by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire ⁷⁰³  a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives ⁷⁰⁴  to find ⁷⁰⁵  a wife for my son Isaac.”

24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me ⁷⁰⁶  to this land? Must I then ⁷⁰⁷  take your son back to the land from which you came?”

24:6 “Be careful ⁷⁰⁸  never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him. ⁷⁰⁹  24:7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, ⁷¹⁰  promised me with a solemn oath, ⁷¹¹  ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel ⁷¹²  before you so that you may find ⁷¹³  a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, ⁷¹⁴  you will be free ⁷¹⁵  from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!” 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. ⁷¹⁶ 

24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. ⁷¹⁷  He journeyed ⁷¹⁸  to the region of Aram Naharaim ⁷¹⁹  and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well ⁷²⁰  outside the city. It was evening, ⁷²¹  the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. ⁷²²  Be faithful ⁷²³  to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, ⁷²⁴  and the daughters of the people ⁷²⁵  who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ ⁷²⁶  In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” ⁷²⁷ 

24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah ⁷²⁸  with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor). ⁷²⁹  24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. ⁷³⁰  She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant ⁷³¹  ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering ⁷³²  her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, ⁷³³  she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied ⁷³⁴  her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine ⁷³⁵  if the Lord had made his journey successful ⁷³⁶  or not.

24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka ⁷³⁷  and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels ⁷³⁸  and gave them to her. ⁷³⁹  24:23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. ⁷⁴⁰  “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

24:24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. ⁷⁴¹  24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, ⁷⁴²  “and room for you ⁷⁴³  to spend the night.”

24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love ⁷⁴⁴  for my master! The Lord has led me ⁷⁴⁵  to the house ⁷⁴⁶  of my master’s relatives!” ⁷⁴⁷ 

24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about ⁷⁴⁸  these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) ⁷⁴⁹  Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring ⁷⁵⁰  and heard his sister Rebekah say, ⁷⁵¹  “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing ⁷⁵²  by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, ⁷⁵³  “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! ⁷⁵⁴  Why are you standing out here when I have prepared ⁷⁵⁵  the house and a place for the camels?”

24:32 So Abraham’s servant ⁷⁵⁶  went to the house and unloaded ⁷⁵⁷  the camels. Straw and feed were given ⁷⁵⁸  to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. ⁷⁵⁹  24:33 When food was served, ⁷⁶⁰  he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” ⁷⁶¹  “Tell us,” Laban said. ⁷⁶² 

24:34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 24:35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. ⁷⁶³  The Lord ⁷⁶⁴  has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him ⁷⁶⁵  when she was old, ⁷⁶⁶  and my master ⁷⁶⁷  has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find ⁷⁶⁸  a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go ⁷⁶⁹  with me?’ ⁷⁷⁰  24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, ⁷⁷¹  will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath ⁷⁷²  if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, ⁷⁷³  may events unfold as follows: ⁷⁷⁴  24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. ⁷⁷⁵  When ⁷⁷⁶  the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 24:44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’

24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, ⁷⁷⁷  along came Rebekah ⁷⁷⁸  with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ ⁷⁷⁹  I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter ⁷⁸⁰  of my master’s brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” ⁷⁸¹ 

24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. ⁷⁸²  Our wishes are of no concern. ⁷⁸³  24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become ⁷⁸⁴  the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” ⁷⁸⁵ 

24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he ⁷⁸⁶  brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. ⁷⁸⁷ 

When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” ⁷⁸⁸  24:55 But Rebekah’s ⁷⁸⁹  brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 24:56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord ⁷⁹⁰  has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return ⁷⁹¹  to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” ⁷⁹²  24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want ⁷⁹³  to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”

24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: ⁷⁹⁴ 

“Our sister, may you become the mother ⁷⁹⁵  of thousands of ten thousands!

May your descendants possess the strongholds ⁷⁹⁶  of their enemies.”

24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with ⁷⁹⁷  the man. So Abraham’s servant ⁷⁹⁸  took Rebekah and left.

24:62 Now ⁷⁹⁹  Isaac came from ⁸⁰⁰  Beer Lahai Roi, ⁸⁰¹  for ⁸⁰²  he was living in the Negev. ⁸⁰³  24:63 He ⁸⁰⁴  went out to relax ⁸⁰⁵  in the field in the early evening. ⁸⁰⁶  Then he looked up ⁸⁰⁷  and saw that ⁸⁰⁸  there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up ⁸⁰⁹  and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked ⁸¹⁰  Abraham’s servant, ⁸¹¹  “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. ⁸¹²  So she took her veil and covered herself.

24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah ⁸¹³  into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her ⁸¹⁴  as his wife and loved her. ⁸¹⁵  So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. ⁸¹⁶ 

The Death of Abraham

25:1 Abraham had taken ⁸¹⁷  another ⁸¹⁸  wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. ⁸¹⁹  The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants ⁸²⁰  of Keturah.

25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines ⁸²¹  and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac. ⁸²² 

25:7 Abraham lived a total of ⁸²³  175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. ⁸²⁴  He joined his ancestors. ⁸²⁵  25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah ⁸²⁶  near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. ⁸²⁷  There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed ⁸²⁸  his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi. ⁸²⁹ 

The Sons of Ishmael

25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, ⁸³⁰  whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.

25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: ⁸³¹  Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes ⁸³²  according to their clans.

25:17 Ishmael lived a total of ⁸³³  137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. ⁸³⁴  25:18 His descendants ⁸³⁵  settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next ⁸³⁶  to Egypt all the way ⁸³⁷  to Asshur. ⁸³⁸  They settled ⁸³⁹  away from all their relatives. ⁸⁴⁰ 

Jacob and Esau

25:19 This is the account of Isaac, ⁸⁴¹  the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, ⁸⁴²  the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. ⁸⁴³ 

25:21 Isaac prayed to ⁸⁴⁴  the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled ⁸⁴⁵  inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” ⁸⁴⁶  So she asked the Lord, ⁸⁴⁷  25:23 and the Lord said to her,

“Two nations ⁸⁴⁸  are in your womb,

and two peoples will be separated from within you.

One people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”

25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, ⁸⁴⁹  there were ⁸⁵⁰  twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish ⁸⁵¹  all over, ⁸⁵²  like a hairy ⁸⁵³  garment, so they named him Esau. ⁸⁵⁴  25:26 When his brother came out with ⁸⁵⁵  his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. ⁸⁵⁶  Isaac was sixty years old ⁸⁵⁷  when they were born.

25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled ⁸⁵⁸  hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. ⁸⁵⁹  25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, ⁸⁶⁰  but Rebekah loved ⁸⁶¹  Jacob.

25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, ⁸⁶²  and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed ⁸⁶³  me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called ⁸⁶⁴  Edom.) ⁸⁶⁵ 

25:31 But Jacob replied, “First ⁸⁶⁶  sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” ⁸⁶⁷  25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” ⁸⁶⁸  So Esau ⁸⁶⁹  swore an oath to him and sold his birthright ⁸⁷⁰  to Jacob.

25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. ⁸⁷¹  So Esau despised his birthright. ⁸⁷² 

Isaac and Abimelech

26:1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred ⁸⁷³  in the days of Abraham. ⁸⁷⁴  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; ⁸⁷⁵  settle down in the land that I will point out to you. ⁸⁷⁶  26:3 Stay ⁸⁷⁷  in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, ⁸⁷⁸  for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, ⁸⁷⁹  and I will fulfill ⁸⁸⁰  the solemn promise I made ⁸⁸¹  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 ⁸⁸²  all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. ⁸⁸³  26:5 All this will come to pass ⁸⁸⁴  because Abraham obeyed me ⁸⁸⁵  and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” ⁸⁸⁶  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.” ⁸⁸⁷  He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, ⁸⁸⁸  “The men of this place will kill me to get ⁸⁸⁹  Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”

26:8 After Isaac ⁸⁹⁰  had been there a long time, ⁸⁹¹  Abimelech king of the Philistines happened to look out a window and observed ⁸⁹²  Isaac caressing ⁸⁹³  his wife Rebekah. 26:9 So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really ⁸⁹⁴  your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.” ⁸⁹⁵ 

26:10 Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? ⁸⁹⁶  One of the men ⁸⁹⁷  might easily have had sexual relations with ⁸⁹⁸  your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!” 26:11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, “Whoever touches ⁸⁹⁹  this man or his wife will surely be put to death.” ⁹⁰⁰ 

26:12 When Isaac planted in that land, he reaped in the same year a hundred times what he had sown, ⁹⁰¹  because the Lord blessed him. ⁹⁰²  26:13 The man became wealthy. ⁹⁰³  His influence continued to grow ⁹⁰⁴  until he became very prominent. 26:14 He had ⁹⁰⁵  so many sheep ⁹⁰⁶  and cattle ⁹⁰⁷  and such a great household of servants that the Philistines became jealous ⁹⁰⁸  of him. 26:15 So the Philistines took dirt and filled up ⁹⁰⁹  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, ⁹¹⁰  for you have become much more powerful ⁹¹¹  than we are.” 26:17 So Isaac left there and settled in the Gerar Valley. ⁹¹²  26:18 Isaac reopened ⁹¹³  the wells that had been dug ⁹¹⁴  back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up ⁹¹⁵  after Abraham died. Isaac ⁹¹⁶  gave these wells ⁹¹⁷  the same names his father had given them. ⁹¹⁸ 

26:19 When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing ⁹¹⁹  water there, 26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled ⁹²⁰  with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac ⁹²¹  named the well ⁹²²  Esek ⁹²³  because they argued with him about it. ⁹²⁴  26:21 His servants ⁹²⁵  dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it ⁹²⁶  Sitnah. ⁹²⁷  26:22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac ⁹²⁸  named it ⁹²⁹  Rehoboth, ⁹³⁰  saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”

26:23 From there Isaac ⁹³¹  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 ⁹³²  the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well. ⁹³³ 

26:26 Now Abimelech had come ⁹³⁴  to him from Gerar along with ⁹³⁵  Ahuzzah his friend ⁹³⁶  and Phicol the commander of his army. 26:27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me? You hate me ⁹³⁷  and sent me away from you.” 26:28 They replied, “We could plainly see ⁹³⁸  that the Lord is with you. So we decided there should be ⁹³⁹  a pact between us ⁹⁴⁰  – between us ⁹⁴¹  and you. Allow us to make ⁹⁴²  a treaty with you 26:29 so that ⁹⁴³  you will not do us any harm, just as we have not harmed ⁹⁴⁴  you, but have always treated you well ⁹⁴⁵  before sending you away ⁹⁴⁶  in peace. Now you are blessed by the Lord.” ⁹⁴⁷ 

26:30 So Isaac ⁹⁴⁸  held a feast for them and they celebrated. ⁹⁴⁹  26:31 Early in the morning the men made a treaty with each other. ⁹⁵⁰  Isaac sent them off; they separated on good terms. ⁹⁵¹ 

26:32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported. ⁹⁵²  26:33 So he named it Shibah; ⁹⁵³  that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba ⁹⁵⁴  to this day.

26:34 When ⁹⁵⁵  Esau was forty years old, ⁹⁵⁶  he married ⁹⁵⁷  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. ⁹⁵⁸ 

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing

27:1 When ⁹⁵⁹  Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, ⁹⁶⁰  he called his older ⁹⁶¹  son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau ⁹⁶²  replied. 27:2 Isaac ⁹⁶³  said, “Since ⁹⁶⁴  I am so old, I could die at any time. ⁹⁶⁵  27:3 Therefore, take your weapons – your quiver and your bow – and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game ⁹⁶⁶  for me. 27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then ⁹⁶⁷  I will eat it so that I may bless you ⁹⁶⁸  before I die.”

27:5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. ⁹⁶⁹  When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back, ⁹⁷⁰  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 ⁹⁷¹  it and bless you ⁹⁷²  in the presence of the Lord ⁹⁷³  before I die.’ 27:8 Now then, my son, do ⁹⁷⁴  exactly what I tell you! ⁹⁷⁵  27:9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare ⁹⁷⁶  them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 27:10 Then you will take ⁹⁷⁷  it to your father. Thus he will eat it ⁹⁷⁸  and ⁹⁷⁹  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! ⁹⁸⁰  27:12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him ⁹⁸¹  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, ⁹⁸²  my son! Just obey me! ⁹⁸³  Go and get them for me!”

27:14 So he went and got the goats ⁹⁸⁴  and brought them to his mother. She ⁹⁸⁵  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 ⁹⁸⁶  on his hands ⁹⁸⁷  and the smooth part of his neck. 27:17 Then she handed ⁹⁸⁸  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 ⁹⁸⁹  replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” ⁹⁹⁰  27:19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up ⁹⁹¹  and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” ⁹⁹²  27:20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world ⁹⁹³  did you find it so quickly, ⁹⁹⁴  my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” ⁹⁹⁵  he replied. ⁹⁹⁶  27:21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you, ⁹⁹⁷  my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.” ⁹⁹⁸  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. ⁹⁹⁹  27:24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob ¹⁰⁰⁰  replied. 27:25 Isaac ¹⁰⁰¹  said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son. ¹⁰⁰²  Then I will bless you.” ¹⁰⁰³  So Jacob ¹⁰⁰⁴  brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac ¹⁰⁰⁵  drank. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27:27 So Jacob ¹⁰⁰⁶  went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent ¹⁰⁰⁷  of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,

“Yes, ¹⁰⁰⁸  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 ¹⁰⁰⁹ 

and the richness ¹⁰¹⁰  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 ¹⁰¹¹  lord ¹⁰¹²  over your brothers,

and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. ¹⁰¹³ 

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 ¹⁰¹⁴  his father’s ¹⁰¹⁵  presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. ¹⁰¹⁶  27:31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau ¹⁰¹⁷  said to him, “My father, get up ¹⁰¹⁸  and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.” ¹⁰¹⁹  27:32 His father Isaac asked, ¹⁰²⁰  “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,” ¹⁰²¹  he replied, “Esau!” 27:33 Isaac began to shake violently ¹⁰²²  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. ¹⁰²³  He will indeed be blessed!”

27:34 When Esau heard ¹⁰²⁴  his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly. ¹⁰²⁵  He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 27:35 But Isaac ¹⁰²⁶  replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away ¹⁰²⁷  your blessing.” 27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! ¹⁰²⁸  He has tripped me up ¹⁰²⁹  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!” ¹⁰³⁰  Then Esau wept loudly. ¹⁰³¹ 

27:39 So his father Isaac said to him,

“Indeed, ¹⁰³²  your home will be

away from the richness ¹⁰³³  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.” ¹⁰³⁴ 

27:41 So Esau hated ¹⁰³⁵  Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. ¹⁰³⁶  Esau said privately, ¹⁰³⁷  “The time ¹⁰³⁸  of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill ¹⁰³⁹  my brother Jacob!”

27:42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said, ¹⁰⁴⁰  she quickly summoned ¹⁰⁴¹  her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you. ¹⁰⁴²  27:43 Now then, my son, do what I say. ¹⁰⁴³  Run away immediately ¹⁰⁴⁴  to my brother Laban in Haran. 27:44 Live with him for a little while ¹⁰⁴⁵  until your brother’s rage subsides. 27:45 Stay there ¹⁰⁴⁶  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. ¹⁰⁴⁷  Why should I lose both of you in one day?” ¹⁰⁴⁸ 

27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed ¹⁰⁴⁹  because of these daughters of Heth. ¹⁰⁵⁰  If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!” ¹⁰⁵¹ 

28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman! ¹⁰⁵²  28:2 Leave immediately ¹⁰⁵³  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 ¹⁰⁵⁴  bless you! May he make you fruitful and give you a multitude of descendants! ¹⁰⁵⁵  Then you will become ¹⁰⁵⁶  a large nation. ¹⁰⁵⁷  28:4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing he gave to Abraham ¹⁰⁵⁸  so that you may possess the land ¹⁰⁵⁹  God gave to Abraham, the land where you have been living as a temporary resident.” ¹⁰⁶⁰  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. ¹⁰⁶¹  As he blessed him, ¹⁰⁶²  Isaac commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman.” ¹⁰⁶³  28:7 Jacob obeyed his father and mother and left for Paddan Aram. 28:8 Then Esau realized ¹⁰⁶⁴  that the Canaanite women ¹⁰⁶⁵  were displeasing to ¹⁰⁶⁶  his father Isaac. 28:9 So Esau went to Ishmael and married ¹⁰⁶⁷  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 ¹⁰⁶⁸  where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. ¹⁰⁶⁹  He took one of the stones ¹⁰⁷⁰  and placed it near his head. ¹⁰⁷¹  Then he fell asleep ¹⁰⁷²  in that place 28:12 and had a dream. ¹⁰⁷³  He saw ¹⁰⁷⁴  a stairway ¹⁰⁷⁵  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. ¹⁰⁷⁶  I will give you and your descendants the ground ¹⁰⁷⁷  you are lying on. 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, ¹⁰⁷⁸  and you will spread out ¹⁰⁷⁹  to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another ¹⁰⁸⁰  using your name and that of your descendants. ¹⁰⁸¹  28:15 I am with you! ¹⁰⁸²  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 ¹⁰⁸³  and thought, ¹⁰⁸⁴  “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 ¹⁰⁸⁵  in the morning Jacob ¹⁰⁸⁶  took the stone he had placed near his head ¹⁰⁸⁷  and set it up as a sacred stone. ¹⁰⁸⁸  Then he poured oil on top of it. 28:19 He called that place Bethel, ¹⁰⁸⁹  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 ¹⁰⁹⁰  to eat and clothing to wear, 28:21 and I return safely to my father’s home, ¹⁰⁹¹  then the Lord will become my God. 28:22 Then this stone ¹⁰⁹²  that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely ¹⁰⁹³  give you back a tenth of everything you give me.” ¹⁰⁹⁴ 

The Marriages of Jacob

29:1 So Jacob moved on ¹⁰⁹⁵  and came to the land of the eastern people. ¹⁰⁹⁶  29:2 He saw ¹⁰⁹⁷  in the field a well with ¹⁰⁹⁸  three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now ¹⁰⁹⁹  a large stone covered the mouth of the well. 29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds ¹¹⁰⁰  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 ¹¹⁰¹  of Nahor?” “We know him,” ¹¹⁰²  they said. 29:6 “Is he well?” ¹¹⁰³  Jacob asked. They replied, “He is well. ¹¹⁰⁴  Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” 29:7 Then Jacob ¹¹⁰⁵  said, “Since it is still the middle of the day, ¹¹⁰⁶  it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.” ¹¹⁰⁷  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 ¹¹⁰⁸  the sheep.”

29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was tending them. ¹¹⁰⁹  29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, ¹¹¹⁰  and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he ¹¹¹¹  went over ¹¹¹²  and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. ¹¹¹³  29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly. ¹¹¹⁴  29:12 When Jacob explained ¹¹¹⁵  to Rachel that he was a relative of her father ¹¹¹⁶  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 ¹¹¹⁷  told Laban how he was related to him. ¹¹¹⁸  29:14 Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” ¹¹¹⁹  So Jacob ¹¹²⁰  stayed with him for a month. ¹¹²¹ 

29:15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you work ¹¹²²  for me for nothing because you are my relative? ¹¹²³  Tell me what your wages should be.” 29:16 (Now Laban had two daughters; ¹¹²⁴  the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. 29:17 Leah’s eyes were tender, ¹¹²⁵  but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) ¹¹²⁶  29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with ¹¹²⁷  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. ¹¹²⁸  Stay with me.” 29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. ¹¹²⁹  But they seemed like only a few days to him ¹¹³⁰  because his love for her was so great. ¹¹³¹ 

29:21 Finally Jacob said ¹¹³²  to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. ¹¹³³  I want to have marital relations with her.” ¹¹³⁴  29:22 So Laban invited all the people ¹¹³⁵  of that place and prepared a feast. 29:23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leah ¹¹³⁶  to Jacob, ¹¹³⁷  and Jacob ¹¹³⁸  had marital relations with her. ¹¹³⁹  29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) ¹¹⁴⁰ 

29:25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! ¹¹⁴¹  So Jacob ¹¹⁴²  said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me! ¹¹⁴³  Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked ¹¹⁴⁴  me?” 29:26 “It is not our custom here,” ¹¹⁴⁵  Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage ¹¹⁴⁶  before the firstborn. 29:27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. ¹¹⁴⁷  Then we will give you the younger one ¹¹⁴⁸  too, in exchange for seven more years of work.” ¹¹⁴⁹ 

29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. ¹¹⁵⁰  When Jacob ¹¹⁵¹  completed Leah’s bridal week, ¹¹⁵²  Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. ¹¹⁵³  29:29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) ¹¹⁵⁴  29:30 Jacob ¹¹⁵⁵  had marital relations ¹¹⁵⁶  with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban ¹¹⁵⁷  for seven more years. ¹¹⁵⁸ 

The Family of Jacob

29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, ¹¹⁵⁹  he enabled her to become pregnant ¹¹⁶⁰  while Rachel remained childless. 29:32 So Leah became pregnant ¹¹⁶¹  and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, ¹¹⁶²  for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. ¹¹⁶³  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, ¹¹⁶⁴  he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. ¹¹⁶⁵ 

29:34 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Now this time my husband will show me affection, ¹¹⁶⁶  because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi. ¹¹⁶⁷ 

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. ¹¹⁶⁸  Then she stopped having children.

30:1 When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she ¹¹⁶⁹  became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children ¹¹⁷⁰  or I’ll die!” 30:2 Jacob became furious ¹¹⁷¹  with Rachel and exclaimed, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” ¹¹⁷²  30:3 She replied, “Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with ¹¹⁷³  her so that she can bear ¹¹⁷⁴  children ¹¹⁷⁵  for me ¹¹⁷⁶  and I can have a family through her.” ¹¹⁷⁷ 

30:4 So Rachel ¹¹⁷⁸  gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had marital relations with ¹¹⁷⁹  her. 30:5 Bilhah became pregnant ¹¹⁸⁰  and gave Jacob a son. ¹¹⁸¹  30:6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me. He has responded to my prayer ¹¹⁸²  and given me a son.” That is why ¹¹⁸³  she named him Dan. ¹¹⁸⁴ 

30:7 Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, became pregnant again and gave Jacob another son. ¹¹⁸⁵  30:8 Then Rachel said, “I have fought a desperate struggle with my sister, but I have won.” ¹¹⁸⁶  So she named him Naphtali. ¹¹⁸⁷ 

30:9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave ¹¹⁸⁸  her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. 30:10 Soon Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob a son. ¹¹⁸⁹  30:11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” ¹¹⁹⁰  So she named him Gad. ¹¹⁹¹ 

30:12 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob another son. ¹¹⁹²  30:13 Leah said, “How happy I am, ¹¹⁹³  for women ¹¹⁹⁴  will call me happy!” So she named him Asher. ¹¹⁹⁵ 

30:14 At the time ¹¹⁹⁶  of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants ¹¹⁹⁷  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, ¹¹⁹⁸  “Wasn’t it enough that you’ve taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes too?” “All right,” ¹¹⁹⁹  Rachel said, “he may sleep ¹²⁰⁰  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 ¹²⁰¹  with me because I have paid for your services ¹²⁰²  with my son’s mandrakes.” So he had marital relations ¹²⁰³  with her that night. 30:17 God paid attention ¹²⁰⁴  to Leah; she became pregnant ¹²⁰⁵  and gave Jacob a son for the fifth time. ¹²⁰⁶  30:18 Then Leah said, “God has granted me a reward ¹²⁰⁷  because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife.” ¹²⁰⁸  So she named him Issachar. ¹²⁰⁹ 

30:19 Leah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a son for the sixth time. ¹²¹⁰  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. ¹²¹¹ 

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

30:22 Then God took note of ¹²¹²  Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. ¹²¹³  30:23 She became pregnant ¹²¹⁴  and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my shame.” ¹²¹⁵  30:24 She named him Joseph, ¹²¹⁶  saying, “May the Lord give me yet another son.”

The Flocks of Jacob

30:25 After Rachel had given birth ¹²¹⁷  to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send ¹²¹⁸  me on my way so that I can go ¹²¹⁹  home to my own country. ¹²²⁰  30:26 Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you. ¹²²¹  Then I’ll depart, ¹²²²  because you know how hard I’ve worked for you.” ¹²²³ 

30:27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, ¹²²⁴  for I have learned by divination ¹²²⁵  that the Lord has blessed me on account of you.” 30:28 He added, “Just name your wages – I’ll pay whatever you want.” ¹²²⁶ 

30:29 “You know how I have worked for you,” Jacob replied, ¹²²⁷  “and how well your livestock have fared under my care. ¹²²⁸  30:30 Indeed, ¹²²⁹  you had little before I arrived, ¹²³⁰  but now your possessions have increased many times over. ¹²³¹  The Lord has blessed you wherever I worked. ¹²³²  But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?” ¹²³³ 

30:31 So Laban asked, ¹²³⁴  “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,” ¹²³⁵  Jacob replied, ¹²³⁶  “but if you agree to this one condition, ¹²³⁷  I will continue to care for ¹²³⁸  your flocks and protect them: 30:32 Let me walk among ¹²³⁹  all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, ¹²⁴⁰  and the spotted or speckled goats. ¹²⁴¹  These animals will be my wages. ¹²⁴²  30:33 My integrity will testify for me ¹²⁴³  later on. ¹²⁴⁴  When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, ¹²⁴⁵  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.” ¹²⁴⁶  30:34 “Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.” ¹²⁴⁷ 

30:35 So that day Laban ¹²⁴⁸  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 ¹²⁴⁹  of his sons. 30:36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey, ¹²⁵⁰  while ¹²⁵¹  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. ¹²⁵²  30:39 When the sheep mated ¹²⁵³  in front of the branches, they ¹²⁵⁴  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 ¹²⁵⁵  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, ¹²⁵⁶  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. ¹²⁵⁷  So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban ¹²⁵⁸  and the stronger animals to Jacob. 30:43 In this way Jacob ¹²⁵⁹  became extremely prosperous. He owned ¹²⁶⁰  large flocks, male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.

Jacob’s Flight from Laban

31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, ¹²⁶¹  “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich ¹²⁶²  at our father’s expense!” ¹²⁶³  31:2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed. ¹²⁶⁴ 

31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers ¹²⁶⁵  and to your relatives. I will be with you.” ¹²⁶⁶  31:4 So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah ¹²⁶⁷  to come to the field ¹²⁶⁸  where his flocks were. ¹²⁶⁹  31:5 There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, ¹²⁷⁰  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, ¹²⁷¹  31:7 but your father has humiliated ¹²⁷²  me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm. 31:8 If he said, ¹²⁷³  ‘The speckled animals ¹²⁷⁴  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 ¹²⁷⁵  during breeding season I saw ¹²⁷⁶  in a dream that the male goats mating with ¹²⁷⁷  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 ¹²⁷⁸  that all the male goats mating with ¹²⁷⁹  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, ¹²⁸⁰  where you anointed ¹²⁸¹  the sacred stone and made a vow to me. ¹²⁸²  Now leave this land immediately ¹²⁸³  and return to your native land.’”

31:14 Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance ¹²⁸⁴  in our father’s house? 31:15 Hasn’t he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted ¹²⁸⁵  the money paid for us! ¹²⁸⁶  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. ¹²⁸⁷  31:18 He took ¹²⁸⁸  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. ¹²⁸⁹ 

31:19 While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, ¹²⁹⁰  Rachel stole the household idols ¹²⁹¹  that belonged to her father. 31:20 Jacob also deceived ¹²⁹²  Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. ¹²⁹³  31:21 He left ¹²⁹⁴  with all he owned. He quickly crossed ¹²⁹⁵  the Euphrates River ¹²⁹⁶  and headed for ¹²⁹⁷  the hill country of Gilead.

31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. ¹²⁹⁸  31:23 So he took his relatives ¹²⁹⁹  with him and pursued Jacob ¹³⁰⁰  for seven days. ¹³⁰¹  He caught up with ¹³⁰²  him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, ¹³⁰³  “Be careful ¹³⁰⁴  that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.” ¹³⁰⁵ 

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. ¹³⁰⁶  31:26 “What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me ¹³⁰⁷  and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war! ¹³⁰⁸  31:27 Why did you run away secretly ¹³⁰⁹  and deceive me? ¹³¹⁰  Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? ¹³¹¹  31:28 You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren ¹³¹²  good-bye. You have acted foolishly! 31:29 I have ¹³¹³  the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful ¹³¹⁴  that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’ ¹³¹⁵  31:30 Now I understand that ¹³¹⁶  you have gone away ¹³¹⁷  because you longed desperately ¹³¹⁸  for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” ¹³¹⁹ 

31:31 “I left secretly because I was afraid!” ¹³²⁰  Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought ¹³²¹  you might take your daughters away from me by force. ¹³²²  31:32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! ¹³²³  In the presence of our relatives ¹³²⁴  identify whatever is yours and take it.” ¹³²⁵  (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.) ¹³²⁶ 

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. ¹³²⁷  Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. ¹³²⁸  31:34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle ¹³²⁹  and sat on them.) ¹³³⁰  Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. ¹³³¹  31:35 Rachel ¹³³²  said to her father, “Don’t be angry, ¹³³³  my lord. I cannot stand up ¹³³⁴  in your presence because I am having my period.” ¹³³⁵  So he searched thoroughly, ¹³³⁶  but did not find the idols.

31:36 Jacob became angry ¹³³⁷  and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. ¹³³⁸  “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? ¹³³⁹  31:37 When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? ¹³⁴⁰  Set it here before my relatives and yours, ¹³⁴¹  and let them settle the dispute between the two of us! ¹³⁴² 

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. ¹³⁴³  You always made me pay for every missing animal, ¹³⁴⁴  whether it was taken by day or at night. 31:40 I was consumed by scorching heat ¹³⁴⁵  during the day and by piercing cold ¹³⁴⁶  at night, and I went without sleep. ¹³⁴⁷  31:41 This was my lot ¹³⁴⁸  for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave ¹³⁴⁹  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 ¹³⁵⁰  – 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, ¹³⁵¹  and he rebuked you last night.”

31:43 Laban replied ¹³⁵²  to Jacob, “These women ¹³⁵³  are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, ¹³⁵⁴  and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today ¹³⁵⁵  or the children to whom they have given birth? 31:44 So now, come, let’s make a formal agreement, ¹³⁵⁶  you and I, and it will be ¹³⁵⁷  proof that we have made peace.” ¹³⁵⁸ 

31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. 31:46 Then he ¹³⁵⁹  said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they brought stones and put them in a pile. ¹³⁶⁰  They ate there by the pile of stones. 31:47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, ¹³⁶¹  but Jacob called it Galeed. ¹³⁶² 

31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement ¹³⁶³  today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah ¹³⁶⁴  because he said, “May the Lord watch ¹³⁶⁵  between us ¹³⁶⁶  when we are out of sight of one another. ¹³⁶⁷  31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize ¹³⁶⁸  that God is witness to your actions.” ¹³⁶⁹ 

31:51 “Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you,” Laban said to Jacob. ¹³⁷⁰  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. ¹³⁷¹  31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, ¹³⁷²  the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. ¹³⁷³  31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice ¹³⁷⁴  on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. ¹³⁷⁵  They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.

31:55 (32:1) ¹³⁷⁶  Early in the morning Laban kissed ¹³⁷⁷  his grandchildren ¹³⁷⁸  and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home. ¹³⁷⁹ 

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

32:1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God ¹³⁸⁰  met him. 32:2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, ¹³⁸¹  “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. ¹³⁸² 

32:3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead ¹³⁸³  to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region ¹³⁸⁴  of Edom. 32:4 He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant ¹³⁸⁵  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 ¹³⁸⁶  this message ¹³⁸⁷  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,” ¹³⁸⁸  he thought, ¹³⁸⁹  “then the other camp will be able to escape.” ¹³⁹⁰ 

32:9 Then Jacob prayed, ¹³⁹¹  “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said ¹³⁹²  to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ ¹³⁹³  32:10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love ¹³⁹⁴  you have shown ¹³⁹⁵  your servant. With only my walking stick ¹³⁹⁶  I crossed the Jordan, ¹³⁹⁷  but now I have become two camps. 32:11 Rescue me, ¹³⁹⁸  I pray, from the hand ¹³⁹⁹  of my brother Esau, ¹⁴⁰⁰  for I am afraid he will come ¹⁴⁰¹  and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children. ¹⁴⁰²  32:12 But you ¹⁴⁰³  said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper ¹⁴⁰⁴  and will make ¹⁴⁰⁵  your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’” ¹⁴⁰⁶ 

32:13 Jacob ¹⁴⁰⁷  stayed there that night. Then he sent ¹⁴⁰⁸  as a gift ¹⁴⁰⁹  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 ¹⁴¹⁰  his servants, who divided them into herds. ¹⁴¹¹  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, ¹⁴¹²  “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? ¹⁴¹³  Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’ ¹⁴¹⁴  32:18 then you must say, ¹⁴¹⁵  ‘They belong ¹⁴¹⁶  to your servant Jacob. ¹⁴¹⁷  They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. ¹⁴¹⁸  In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’” ¹⁴¹⁹ 

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. ¹⁴²⁰  32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” ¹⁴²¹  Jacob thought, ¹⁴²²  “I will first appease him ¹⁴²³  by sending a gift ahead of me. ¹⁴²⁴  After that I will meet him. ¹⁴²⁵  Perhaps he will accept me.” ¹⁴²⁶  32:21 So the gifts were sent on ahead of him ¹⁴²⁷  while he spent that night in the camp. ¹⁴²⁸ 

32:22 During the night Jacob quickly took ¹⁴²⁹  his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons ¹⁴³⁰  and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ¹⁴³¹  32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream along with all his possessions. ¹⁴³²  32:24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man ¹⁴³³  wrestled ¹⁴³⁴  with him until daybreak. ¹⁴³⁵  32:25 When the man ¹⁴³⁶  saw that he could not defeat Jacob, ¹⁴³⁷  he struck ¹⁴³⁸  the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

32:26 Then the man ¹⁴³⁹  said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” ¹⁴⁴⁰  “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, ¹⁴⁴¹  “unless you bless me.” ¹⁴⁴²  32:27 The man asked him, ¹⁴⁴³  “What is your name?” ¹⁴⁴⁴  He answered, “Jacob.” 32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, ¹⁴⁴⁵  “but Israel, ¹⁴⁴⁶  because you have fought ¹⁴⁴⁷  with God and with men and have prevailed.”

32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” ¹⁴⁴⁸  “Why ¹⁴⁴⁹  do you ask my name?” the man replied. ¹⁴⁵⁰  Then he blessed ¹⁴⁵¹  Jacob ¹⁴⁵²  there. 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, ¹⁴⁵³  explaining, ¹⁴⁵⁴  “Certainly ¹⁴⁵⁵  I have seen God face to face ¹⁴⁵⁶  and have survived.” ¹⁴⁵⁷ 

32:31 The sun rose ¹⁴⁵⁸  over him as he crossed over Penuel, ¹⁴⁵⁹  but ¹⁴⁶⁰  he was limping because of his hip. 32:32 That is why to this day ¹⁴⁶¹  the Israelites do not eat the sinew which is attached to the socket of the hip, because he struck ¹⁴⁶²  the socket of Jacob’s hip near the attached sinew.

Jacob Meets Esau

33:1 Jacob looked up ¹⁴⁶³  and saw that Esau was coming ¹⁴⁶⁴  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. ¹⁴⁶⁵  33:3 But Jacob ¹⁴⁶⁶  himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached ¹⁴⁶⁷  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 ¹⁴⁶⁸  looked up ¹⁴⁶⁹  and saw the women and the children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob ¹⁴⁷⁰  replied, “The children whom God has graciously given ¹⁴⁷¹  your servant.” 33:6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. ¹⁴⁷²  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 ¹⁴⁷³  then asked, “What did you intend ¹⁴⁷⁴  by sending all these herds to meet me?” ¹⁴⁷⁵  Jacob ¹⁴⁷⁶  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. ¹⁴⁷⁷  “If I have found favor in your sight, accept ¹⁴⁷⁸  my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, ¹⁴⁷⁹  it is as if I have seen the face of God. ¹⁴⁸⁰  33:11 Please take my present ¹⁴⁸¹  that was brought to you, for God has been generous ¹⁴⁸²  to me and I have all I need.” ¹⁴⁸³  When Jacob urged him, he took it. ¹⁴⁸⁴ 

33:12 Then Esau ¹⁴⁸⁵  said, “Let’s be on our way! ¹⁴⁸⁶  I will go in front of you.” 33:13 But Jacob ¹⁴⁸⁷  said to him, “My lord knows that the children are young, ¹⁴⁸⁸  and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. ¹⁴⁸⁹  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, ¹⁴⁹⁰  until I come to my lord at Seir.”

33:15 So Esau said, “Let me leave some of my men with you.” ¹⁴⁹¹  “Why do that?” Jacob replied. ¹⁴⁹²  “My lord has already been kind enough to me.” ¹⁴⁹³ 

33:16 So that same day Esau made his way back ¹⁴⁹⁴  to Seir. 33:17 But ¹⁴⁹⁵  Jacob traveled to Succoth ¹⁴⁹⁶  where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called ¹⁴⁹⁷  Succoth. ¹⁴⁹⁸ 

33:18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near ¹⁴⁹⁹  the city. 33:19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it ¹⁵⁰⁰  from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money. ¹⁵⁰¹  33:20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.” ¹⁵⁰² 

Dinah and the Shechemites

34:1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet ¹⁵⁰³  the young women ¹⁵⁰⁴  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, ¹⁵⁰⁵  and sexually assaulted her. ¹⁵⁰⁶  34:3 Then he became very attached ¹⁵⁰⁷  to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. ¹⁵⁰⁸  34:4 Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Acquire this young girl as my wife.” ¹⁵⁰⁹  34:5 When ¹⁵¹⁰  Jacob heard that Shechem ¹⁵¹¹  had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. So Jacob remained silent ¹⁵¹²  until they came in.

34:6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. ¹⁵¹³  34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. ¹⁵¹⁴  They ¹⁵¹⁵  were offended ¹⁵¹⁶  and very angry because Shechem ¹⁵¹⁷  had disgraced Israel ¹⁵¹⁸  by sexually assaulting ¹⁵¹⁹  Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed. ¹⁵²⁰ 

34:8 But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter. ¹⁵²¹  Please give her to him as his wife. 34:9 Intermarry with us. ¹⁵²²  Let us marry your daughters, and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. ¹⁵²³  34:10 You may live ¹⁵²⁴  among us, and the land will be open to you. ¹⁵²⁵  Live in it, travel freely in it, ¹⁵²⁶  and acquire property in it.”

34:11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s ¹⁵²⁷  father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me ¹⁵²⁸  I’ll give. ¹⁵²⁹  34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, ¹⁵³⁰  and I’ll give ¹⁵³¹  whatever you ask ¹⁵³²  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 ¹⁵³³  had violated their sister Dinah. 34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give ¹⁵³⁴  our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace ¹⁵³⁵  to us. 34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become ¹⁵³⁶  like us by circumcising ¹⁵³⁷  all your males. 34:16 Then we will give ¹⁵³⁸  you our daughters to marry, ¹⁵³⁹  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 ¹⁵⁴⁰  by being circumcised, then we will take ¹⁵⁴¹  our sister ¹⁵⁴²  and depart.”

34:18 Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. ¹⁵⁴³  34:19 The young man did not delay in doing what they asked ¹⁵⁴⁴  because he wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah ¹⁵⁴⁵  badly. (Now he was more important ¹⁵⁴⁶  than anyone in his father’s household.) ¹⁵⁴⁷  34:20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate ¹⁵⁴⁸  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 ¹⁵⁴⁹  for them. We will take their daughters for wives, and we will give them our daughters to marry. ¹⁵⁵⁰  34:22 Only on this one condition will these men consent to live with us and become one people: They demand ¹⁵⁵¹  that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 34:23 If we do so, ¹⁵⁵²  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 ¹⁵⁵³  agreed with ¹⁵⁵⁴  Hamor and his son Shechem. Every male who assembled at the city gate ¹⁵⁵⁵  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 ¹⁵⁵⁶  and went to the unsuspecting city ¹⁵⁵⁷  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 ¹⁵⁵⁸  and looted the city because their sister had been violated. ¹⁵⁵⁹  34:28 They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. ¹⁵⁶⁰  34:29 They captured as plunder ¹⁵⁶¹  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 ¹⁵⁶²  on me by making me a foul odor ¹⁵⁶³  among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I ¹⁵⁶⁴  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, ¹⁵⁶⁵  “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?”

The Return to Bethel

35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once ¹⁵⁶⁶  to Bethel ¹⁵⁶⁷  and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” ¹⁵⁶⁸  35:2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. ¹⁵⁶⁹  Purify yourselves and change your clothes. ¹⁵⁷⁰  35:3 Let us go up at once ¹⁵⁷¹  to Bethel. Then I will make ¹⁵⁷²  an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress ¹⁵⁷³  and has been with me wherever I went.” ¹⁵⁷⁴ 

35:4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their possession ¹⁵⁷⁵  and the rings that were in their ears. ¹⁵⁷⁶  Jacob buried them ¹⁵⁷⁷  under the oak ¹⁵⁷⁸  near Shechem 35:5 and they started on their journey. ¹⁵⁷⁹  The surrounding cities were afraid of God, ¹⁵⁸⁰  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) ¹⁵⁸¹  in the land of Canaan. ¹⁵⁸²  35:7 He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel ¹⁵⁸³  because there God had revealed himself ¹⁵⁸⁴  to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 35:8 (Deborah, ¹⁵⁸⁵  Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel; thus it was named ¹⁵⁸⁶  Oak of Weeping.) ¹⁵⁸⁷ 

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. ¹⁵⁸⁸  35:11 Then God said to him, “I am the sovereign God. ¹⁵⁸⁹  Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants! ¹⁵⁹⁰  35:12 The land I gave ¹⁵⁹¹  to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you. To your descendants ¹⁵⁹²  I will also give this land.” 35:13 Then God went up from the place ¹⁵⁹³  where he spoke with him. 35:14 So Jacob set up a sacred stone pillar in the place where God spoke with him. ¹⁵⁹⁴  He poured out a drink offering on it, and then he poured oil on it. ¹⁵⁹⁵  35:15 Jacob named the place ¹⁵⁹⁶  where God spoke with him Bethel. ¹⁵⁹⁷ 

35:16 They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, ¹⁵⁹⁸  Rachel went into labor ¹⁵⁹⁹  – and her labor was hard. 35:17 When her labor was at its hardest, ¹⁶⁰⁰  the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you are having another son.” ¹⁶⁰¹  35:18 With her dying breath, ¹⁶⁰²  she named him Ben-Oni. ¹⁶⁰³  But his father called him Benjamin instead. ¹⁶⁰⁴  35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ¹⁶⁰⁵  35:20 Jacob set up a marker ¹⁶⁰⁶  over her grave; it is ¹⁶⁰⁷  the Marker of Rachel’s Grave to this day.

35:21 Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. ¹⁶⁰⁸  35:22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with ¹⁶⁰⁹  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, ¹⁶¹⁰  to Kiriath Arba ¹⁶¹¹  (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. ¹⁶¹²  35:28 Isaac lived to be 180 years old. ¹⁶¹³  35:29 Then Isaac breathed his last and joined his ancestors. ¹⁶¹⁴  He died an old man who had lived a full life. ¹⁶¹⁵  His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

The Descendants of Esau

36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). ¹⁶¹⁶ 

36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: ¹⁶¹⁷  Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter ¹⁶¹⁸  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 ¹⁶¹⁹  Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled ¹⁶²⁰  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. ¹⁶²¹ 

36:9 This is the account of Esau, the father ¹⁶²²  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 ¹⁶²³  of Esau’s wife Adah.

36:13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons ¹⁶²⁴  of Esau’s wife Basemath.

36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter ¹⁶²⁵  of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.

36:15 These were the chiefs ¹⁶²⁶  among the descendants ¹⁶²⁷  of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 36:16 chief Korah, ¹⁶²⁸  chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons ¹⁶²⁹  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 ¹⁶³⁰  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, ¹⁶³¹  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 ¹⁶³²  of Seir in the land of Edom.

36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; ¹⁶³³  Lotan’s sister was Timna.

36:23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, ¹⁶³⁴  and Onam.

36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs ¹⁶³⁵  in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).

36:25 These were the children ¹⁶³⁶  of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

36:26 These were the sons of Dishon: ¹⁶³⁷  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: ¹⁶³⁸ 

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 ¹⁶³⁹  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 ¹⁶⁴⁰  reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. ¹⁶⁴¹  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 ¹⁶⁴²  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, ¹⁶⁴³  in the land of Canaan. ¹⁶⁴⁴ 

37:2 This is the account of Jacob.

Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, ¹⁶⁴⁵  was taking care of ¹⁶⁴⁶  the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster ¹⁶⁴⁷  working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. ¹⁶⁴⁸  Joseph brought back a bad report about them ¹⁶⁴⁹  to their father.

37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons ¹⁶⁵⁰  because he was a son born to him late in life, ¹⁶⁵¹  and he made a special ¹⁶⁵²  tunic for him. 37:4 When Joseph’s ¹⁶⁵³  brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, ¹⁶⁵⁴  they hated Joseph ¹⁶⁵⁵  and were not able to speak to him kindly. ¹⁶⁵⁶ 

37:5 Joseph ¹⁶⁵⁷  had a dream, ¹⁶⁵⁸  and when he told his brothers about it, ¹⁶⁵⁹  they hated him even more. ¹⁶⁶⁰  37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ¹⁶⁶¹  37:7 There we were, ¹⁶⁶²  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 ¹⁶⁶³  to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” ¹⁶⁶⁴  They hated him even more ¹⁶⁶⁵  because of his dream and because of what he said. ¹⁶⁶⁶ 

37:9 Then he had another dream, ¹⁶⁶⁷  and told it to his brothers. “Look,” ¹⁶⁶⁸  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? ¹⁶⁶⁹  Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” ¹⁶⁷⁰  37:11 His brothers were jealous ¹⁶⁷¹  of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. ¹⁶⁷² 

37:12 When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers ¹⁶⁷³  are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” ¹⁶⁷⁴  Joseph replied. ¹⁶⁷⁵  37:14 So Jacob ¹⁶⁷⁶  said to him, “Go now and check on ¹⁶⁷⁷  the welfare ¹⁶⁷⁸  of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob ¹⁶⁷⁹  sent him from the valley of Hebron.

37:15 When Joseph reached Shechem, ¹⁶⁸⁰  a man found him wandering ¹⁶⁸¹  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 ¹⁶⁸²  me where they are grazing their flocks.” 37:17 The man said, “They left this area, ¹⁶⁸³  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 ¹⁶⁸⁴  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! ¹⁶⁸⁵  37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild ¹⁶⁸⁶  animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” ¹⁶⁸⁷ 

37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph ¹⁶⁸⁸  from their hands, ¹⁶⁸⁹  saying, ¹⁶⁹⁰  “Let’s not take his life!” ¹⁶⁹¹  37:22 Reuben continued, ¹⁶⁹²  “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” ¹⁶⁹³  (Reuben said this ¹⁶⁹⁴  so he could rescue Joseph ¹⁶⁹⁵  from them ¹⁶⁹⁶  and take him back to his father.)

37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him ¹⁶⁹⁷  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; ¹⁶⁹⁸  there was no water in it.)

37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up ¹⁶⁹⁹  and saw ¹⁷⁰⁰  a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. ¹⁷⁰¹  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, ¹⁷⁰²  for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. ¹⁷⁰³  37:28 So when the Midianite ¹⁷⁰⁴  merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled ¹⁷⁰⁵  him ¹⁷⁰⁶  out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites ¹⁷⁰⁷  then took Joseph to Egypt.

37:29 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! ¹⁷⁰⁸  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, ¹⁷⁰⁹  and dipped the tunic in the blood. 37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father ¹⁷¹⁰  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! ¹⁷¹¹  Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, ¹⁷¹²  and mourned for his son many days. 37:35 All his sons and daughters stood by ¹⁷¹³  him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” ¹⁷¹⁴  So Joseph’s ¹⁷¹⁵  father wept for him.

37:36 Now ¹⁷¹⁶  in Egypt the Midianites ¹⁷¹⁷  sold Joseph ¹⁷¹⁸  to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. ¹⁷¹⁹ 

Judah and Tamar

38:1 At that time Judah left ¹⁷²⁰  his brothers and stayed ¹⁷²¹  with an Adullamite man ¹⁷²²  named Hirah.

38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man ¹⁷²³  named Shua. ¹⁷²⁴  Judah acquired her as a wife ¹⁷²⁵  and had marital relations with her. ¹⁷²⁶  38:3 She became pregnant ¹⁷²⁷  and had a son. Judah named ¹⁷²⁸  him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had ¹⁷²⁹  yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. ¹⁷³⁰ 

38:6 Judah acquired ¹⁷³¹  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 ¹⁷³²  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ¹⁷³³  up a descendant for your brother.” ¹⁷³⁴  38:9 But Onan knew that the child ¹⁷³⁵  would not be considered his. ¹⁷³⁶  So whenever ¹⁷³⁷  he had sexual relations with ¹⁷³⁸  his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely ¹⁷³⁹  so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord ¹⁷⁴⁰  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, ¹⁷⁴¹  “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” ¹⁷⁴²  So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

38:12 After some time ¹⁷⁴³  Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with ¹⁷⁴⁴  his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, ¹⁷⁴⁵  “Look, your father-in-law is going up ¹⁷⁴⁶  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 ¹⁷⁴⁷  she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) ¹⁷⁴⁸ 

38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute ¹⁷⁴⁹  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.” ¹⁷⁵⁰  (He did not realize ¹⁷⁵¹  it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” ¹⁷⁵²  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?” ¹⁷⁵³  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. ¹⁷⁵⁴  She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, ¹⁷⁵⁵  removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.

38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah ¹⁷⁵⁶  the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, ¹⁷⁵⁷  but Hirah ¹⁷⁵⁸  could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, ¹⁷⁵⁹  “Where is the cult prostitute ¹⁷⁶⁰  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 ¹⁷⁶¹  for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. ¹⁷⁶²  I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

38:24 After three months Judah was told, ¹⁷⁶³  “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, ¹⁷⁶⁴  and as a result she has become pregnant.” ¹⁷⁶⁵  Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word ¹⁷⁶⁶  to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” ¹⁷⁶⁷  Then she said, “Identify ¹⁷⁶⁸  the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright ¹⁷⁶⁹  than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her ¹⁷⁷⁰  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 ¹⁷⁷¹  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. ¹⁷⁷²  She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” ¹⁷⁷³  So he was named Perez. ¹⁷⁷⁴  38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. ¹⁷⁷⁵ 

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. ¹⁷⁷⁶  An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, ¹⁷⁷⁷  purchased him from ¹⁷⁷⁸  the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful ¹⁷⁷⁹  and lived ¹⁷⁸⁰  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. ¹⁷⁸¹  39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. ¹⁷⁸²  Potiphar appointed Joseph ¹⁷⁸³  overseer of his household and put him in charge ¹⁷⁸⁴  of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time ¹⁷⁸⁵  Potiphar ¹⁷⁸⁶  appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed ¹⁷⁸⁷  the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both ¹⁷⁸⁸  in his house and in his fields. ¹⁷⁸⁹  39:6 So Potiphar ¹⁷⁹⁰  left ¹⁷⁹¹  everything he had in Joseph’s care; ¹⁷⁹²  he gave no thought ¹⁷⁹³  to anything except the food he ate. ¹⁷⁹⁴ 

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. ¹⁷⁹⁵  39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of ¹⁷⁹⁶  Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.” ¹⁷⁹⁷  39:8 But he refused, saying ¹⁷⁹⁸  to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought ¹⁷⁹⁹  to his household with me here, ¹⁸⁰⁰  and everything that he owns he has put into my care. ¹⁸⁰¹  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 ¹⁸⁰²  such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak ¹⁸⁰³  to Joseph day after day, he did not respond ¹⁸⁰⁴  to her invitation to have sex with her. ¹⁸⁰⁵ 

39:11 One day ¹⁸⁰⁶  he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants ¹⁸⁰⁷  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 ¹⁸⁰⁸  outside. ¹⁸⁰⁹  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 ¹⁸¹⁰  in a Hebrew man ¹⁸¹¹  to us to humiliate us. ¹⁸¹²  He tried to have sex with me, ¹⁸¹³  but I screamed loudly. ¹⁸¹⁴  39:15 When he heard me raise ¹⁸¹⁵  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: ¹⁸¹⁶  “That Hebrew slave ¹⁸¹⁷  you brought to us tried to humiliate me, ¹⁸¹⁸  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, ¹⁸¹⁹  “This is the way ¹⁸²⁰  your slave treated me,” ¹⁸²¹  he became furious. ¹⁸²²  39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, ¹⁸²³  the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. ¹⁸²⁴ 

39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. ¹⁸²⁵  He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. ¹⁸²⁶  39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. ¹⁸²⁷  39:23 The warden did not concern himself ¹⁸²⁸  with anything that was in Joseph’s ¹⁸²⁹  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 ¹⁸³⁰  to the king of Egypt and the royal baker ¹⁸³¹  offended ¹⁸³²  their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, ¹⁸³³  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. ¹⁸³⁴ 

They spent some time in custody. ¹⁸³⁵  40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream ¹⁸³⁶  the same night. ¹⁸³⁷  Each man’s dream had its own meaning. ¹⁸³⁸  40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. ¹⁸³⁹  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?” ¹⁸⁴⁰  40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, ¹⁸⁴¹  but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them ¹⁸⁴²  to me.”

40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: ¹⁸⁴³  “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 ¹⁸⁴⁴  cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” ¹⁸⁴⁵ 

40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent ¹⁸⁴⁶  three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ¹⁸⁴⁷  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ¹⁸⁴⁸  when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me ¹⁸⁴⁹  when it goes well for you, and show ¹⁸⁵⁰  me kindness. ¹⁸⁵¹  Make mention ¹⁸⁵²  of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, ¹⁸⁵³  40:15 for I really was kidnapped ¹⁸⁵⁴  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, ¹⁸⁵⁵  he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread ¹⁸⁵⁶  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 ¹⁸⁵⁷  three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you ¹⁸⁵⁸  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” ¹⁸⁵⁹  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 ¹⁸⁶⁰  so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. ¹⁸⁶¹  40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. ¹⁸⁶² 

Joseph’s Rise to Power

41:1 At the end of two full years ¹⁸⁶³  Pharaoh had a dream. ¹⁸⁶⁴  As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, ¹⁸⁶⁵  and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, ¹⁸⁶⁶  and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. ¹⁸⁶⁷  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 ¹⁸⁶⁸  on one stalk, healthy ¹⁸⁶⁹  and good. 41:6 Then ¹⁸⁷⁰  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. ¹⁸⁷¹ 

41:8 In the morning he ¹⁸⁷²  was troubled, so he called for ¹⁸⁷³  all the diviner-priests ¹⁸⁷⁴  of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, ¹⁸⁷⁵  but no one could interpret ¹⁸⁷⁶  them for him. ¹⁸⁷⁷  41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. ¹⁸⁷⁸  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. ¹⁸⁷⁹  41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant ¹⁸⁸⁰  of the captain of the guards, ¹⁸⁸¹  was with us there. We told him our dreams, ¹⁸⁸²  and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. ¹⁸⁸³  41:13 It happened just as he had said ¹⁸⁸⁴  to us – Pharaoh ¹⁸⁸⁵  restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” ¹⁸⁸⁶ 

41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned ¹⁸⁸⁷  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, ¹⁸⁸⁸  and there is no one who can interpret ¹⁸⁸⁹  it. But I have heard about you, that ¹⁸⁹⁰  you can interpret dreams.” ¹⁸⁹¹  41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, ¹⁸⁹²  but God will speak concerning ¹⁸⁹³  the welfare of Pharaoh.” ¹⁸⁹⁴ 

41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing ¹⁸⁹⁵  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. ¹⁸⁹⁶  41:19 Then ¹⁸⁹⁷  seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows ¹⁸⁹⁸  as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven ¹⁸⁹⁹  fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, ¹⁹⁰⁰  no one would have known ¹⁹⁰¹  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 ¹⁹⁰²  seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then ¹⁹⁰³  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 ¹⁹⁰⁴  to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” ¹⁹⁰⁵ 

41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. ¹⁹⁰⁶  God has revealed ¹⁹⁰⁷  to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ¹⁹⁰⁸  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. ¹⁹⁰⁹  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 ¹⁹¹⁰  seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told ¹⁹¹¹  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 ¹⁹¹²  after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate ¹⁹¹³  the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered ¹⁹¹⁴  because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. ¹⁹¹⁵  41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh ¹⁹¹⁶  because the matter has been decreed ¹⁹¹⁷  by God, and God will make it happen soon. ¹⁹¹⁸ 

41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look ¹⁹¹⁹  for a wise and discerning man ¹⁹²⁰  and give him authority ¹⁹²¹  over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do ¹⁹²²  this – he should appoint ¹⁹²³  officials ¹⁹²⁴  throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt ¹⁹²⁵  during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food ¹⁹²⁶  during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority ¹⁹²⁷  they should store up grain so the cities will have food, ¹⁹²⁸  and they should preserve it. ¹⁹²⁹  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.” ¹⁹³⁰ 

41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. ¹⁹³¹  41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, ¹⁹³²  one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” ¹⁹³³  41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning ¹⁹³⁴  as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. ¹⁹³⁵  Only I, the king, will be greater than you. ¹⁹³⁶ 

41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place ¹⁹³⁷  you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” ¹⁹³⁸  41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen ¹⁹³⁹  clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh ¹⁹⁴⁰  had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, ¹⁹⁴¹  and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” ¹⁹⁴²  So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission ¹⁹⁴³  no one ¹⁹⁴⁴  will move his hand or his foot ¹⁹⁴⁵  in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. ¹⁹⁴⁶  He also gave him Asenath ¹⁹⁴⁷  daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ¹⁹⁴⁸  to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of ¹⁹⁴⁹  all the land of Egypt.

41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old ¹⁹⁵⁰  when he began serving ¹⁹⁵¹  Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by ¹⁹⁵²  Pharaoh and was in charge of ¹⁹⁵³  all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. ¹⁹⁵⁴  41:48 Joseph ¹⁹⁵⁵  collected all the excess food ¹⁹⁵⁶  in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. ¹⁹⁵⁷  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, ¹⁹⁵⁸  until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. ¹⁹⁵⁹  Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. ¹⁹⁶⁰  41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, ¹⁹⁶¹  saying, ¹⁹⁶²  “Certainly ¹⁹⁶³  God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, ¹⁹⁶⁴  saying, ¹⁹⁶⁵  “Certainly ¹⁹⁶⁶  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, ¹⁹⁶⁷  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, ¹⁹⁶⁸  “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, ¹⁹⁶⁹  Joseph opened the storehouses ¹⁹⁷⁰  and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country ¹⁹⁷¹  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 ¹⁹⁷²  there was grain in Egypt, he ¹⁹⁷³  said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” ¹⁹⁷⁴  42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us ¹⁹⁷⁵  so that we may live ¹⁹⁷⁶  and not die.” ¹⁹⁷⁷ 

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, ¹⁹⁷⁸  for he said, ¹⁹⁷⁹  “What if some accident ¹⁹⁸⁰  happens ¹⁹⁸¹  to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, ¹⁹⁸²  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. ¹⁹⁸³  Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down ¹⁹⁸⁴  before him with ¹⁹⁸⁵  their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger ¹⁹⁸⁶  to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, ¹⁹⁸⁷  “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” ¹⁹⁸⁸ 

42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered ¹⁹⁸⁹  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!” ¹⁹⁹⁰ 

42:10 But they exclaimed, ¹⁹⁹¹  “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.” ¹⁹⁹²  42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. ¹⁹⁹³  We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, ¹⁹⁹⁴  and one is no longer alive.” ¹⁹⁹⁵ 

42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: ¹⁹⁹⁶  You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, ¹⁹⁹⁷  you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get ¹⁹⁹⁸  your brother, while ¹⁹⁹⁹  the rest of you remain in prison. ²⁰⁰⁰  In this way your words may be tested to see if ²⁰⁰¹  you are telling the truth. ²⁰⁰²  If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned ²⁰⁰³  them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say ²⁰⁰⁴  and you will live, ²⁰⁰⁵  for I fear God. ²⁰⁰⁶  42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison ²⁰⁰⁷  while the rest of you go ²⁰⁰⁸  and take grain back for your hungry families. ²⁰⁰⁹  42:20 But you must bring ²⁰¹⁰  your youngest brother to me. Then ²⁰¹¹  your words will be verified ²⁰¹²  and you will not die.” They did as he said. ²⁰¹³ 

42:21 They said to one other, ²⁰¹⁴  “Surely we’re being punished ²⁰¹⁵  because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was ²⁰¹⁶  when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress ²⁰¹⁷  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!” ²⁰¹⁸  42:23 (Now ²⁰¹⁹  they did not know that Joseph could understand them, ²⁰²⁰  for he was speaking through an interpreter.) ²⁰²¹  42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, ²⁰²²  he had Simeon taken ²⁰²³  from them and tied up ²⁰²⁴  before their eyes.

42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill ²⁰²⁵  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. ²⁰²⁶  42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. ²⁰²⁷ 

42:27 When one of them ²⁰²⁸  opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, ²⁰²⁹  he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. ²⁰³⁰  42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; ²⁰³¹  they turned trembling one to another ²⁰³²  and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” ²⁰³³ 

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 ²⁰³⁴  as if we were ²⁰³⁵  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. ²⁰³⁶  One is no longer alive, ²⁰³⁷  and the youngest is with our father at this time ²⁰³⁸  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 ²⁰³⁹  for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know ²⁰⁴⁰  that you are honest men and not spies. ²⁰⁴¹  Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” ²⁰⁴² 

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. ²⁰⁴³  Simeon is gone. ²⁰⁴⁴  And now you want to take ²⁰⁴⁵  Benjamin! Everything is against me.”

42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may ²⁰⁴⁶  put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care ²⁰⁴⁷  and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob ²⁰⁴⁸  replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. ²⁰⁴⁹  If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair ²⁰⁵⁰  in sorrow to the grave.” ²⁰⁵¹ 

The Second Journey to Egypt

43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. ²⁰⁵²  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 ²⁰⁵³  us, ‘You will not see my face ²⁰⁵⁴  unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send ²⁰⁵⁵  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 ²⁰⁵⁶  on me by telling ²⁰⁵⁷  the man you had one more brother?”

43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us ²⁰⁵⁸  thoroughly ²⁰⁵⁹  about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ ²⁰⁶⁰  So we answered him in this way. ²⁰⁶¹  How could we possibly know ²⁰⁶²  that he would say, ²⁰⁶³  ‘Bring your brother down’?”

43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. ²⁰⁶⁴  Then we will live ²⁰⁶⁵  and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security ²⁰⁶⁶  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. ²⁰⁶⁷  43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back ²⁰⁶⁸  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; ²⁰⁶⁹  you must take back ²⁰⁷⁰  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 ²⁰⁷¹  to the man. ²⁰⁷²  43:14 May the sovereign God ²⁰⁷³  grant you mercy before the man so that he may release ²⁰⁷⁴  your other brother ²⁰⁷⁵  and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” ²⁰⁷⁶ 

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 ²⁰⁷⁷  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 ²⁰⁷⁸  brought the men into Joseph’s house. ²⁰⁷⁹ 

43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of ²⁰⁸⁰  the money that was returned in our sacks last time. ²⁰⁸¹  He wants to capture us, ²⁰⁸²  make us slaves, and take ²⁰⁸³  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 ²⁰⁸⁴  the first time ²⁰⁸⁵  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 ²⁰⁸⁶  – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. ²⁰⁸⁷  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,” ²⁰⁸⁸  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. ²⁰⁸⁹  I had your money.” ²⁰⁹⁰  Then he brought Simeon out to them.

43:24 The servant in charge ²⁰⁹¹  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 ²⁰⁹²  at noon, for they had heard ²⁰⁹³  that they were to have a meal ²⁰⁹⁴  there.

43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, ²⁰⁹⁵  and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. ²⁰⁹⁶  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. ²⁰⁹⁷ 

43:29 When Joseph looked up ²⁰⁹⁸  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.” ²⁰⁹⁹  43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother ²¹⁰⁰  and was at the point of tears. ²¹⁰¹  So he went to his room and wept there.

43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, ²¹⁰²  “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, ²¹⁰³  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 ²¹⁰⁴  to do so.) ²¹⁰⁵  43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. ²¹⁰⁶  The men looked at each other in astonishment. ²¹⁰⁷  43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, ²¹⁰⁸  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. ²¹⁰⁹ 

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 ²¹¹⁰  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. ²¹¹¹ 

44:3 When morning came, ²¹¹²  the men and their donkeys were sent off. ²¹¹³  44:4 They had not gone very far from the city ²¹¹⁴  when Joseph said ²¹¹⁵  to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! ²¹¹⁶  When you overtake ²¹¹⁷  them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 44:5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup ²¹¹⁸  and use it for divination? ²¹¹⁹  You have done wrong!’” ²¹²⁰ 

44:6 When the man ²¹²¹  overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? ²¹²²  Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! ²¹²³  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, ²¹²⁴  he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”

44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! ²¹²⁵  The one who has it will become my slave, ²¹²⁶  but the rest of ²¹²⁷  you will go free.” ²¹²⁸  44:11 So each man quickly lowered ²¹²⁹  his sack to the ground and opened it. 44:12 Then the man ²¹³⁰  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 ²¹³¹  came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there, ²¹³²  and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? ²¹³³  Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?” ²¹³⁴ 

44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say ²¹³⁵  to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? ²¹³⁶  God has exposed the sin of your servants! ²¹³⁷  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 ²¹³⁸  you may go back ²¹³⁹  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. ²¹⁴⁰  Please do not get angry with your servant, ²¹⁴¹  for you are just like Pharaoh. ²¹⁴²  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. ²¹⁴³  The boy’s ²¹⁴⁴  brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, ²¹⁴⁵  and his father loves him.’

44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see ²¹⁴⁶  him.’ ²¹⁴⁷  44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father ²¹⁴⁸  will die.’ ²¹⁴⁹  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. ²¹⁵⁰  If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, ²¹⁵¹  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. ²¹⁵²  44:28 The first disappeared ²¹⁵³  and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take ²¹⁵⁴  this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair ²¹⁵⁵  in tragedy ²¹⁵⁶  to the grave.’ ²¹⁵⁷ 

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. ²¹⁵⁸  44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, ²¹⁵⁹  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, ²¹⁶⁰  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 ²¹⁶¹  my father’s pain.” ²¹⁶² 

The Reconciliation of the Brothers

45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, ²¹⁶³  so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained ²¹⁶⁴  with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 45:2 He wept loudly; ²¹⁶⁵  the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. ²¹⁶⁶ 

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, ²¹⁶⁷  for God sent me ²¹⁶⁸  ahead of you to preserve life! 45:6 For these past two years there has been famine in ²¹⁶⁹  the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 45:7 God sent me ²¹⁷⁰  ahead of you to preserve you ²¹⁷¹  on the earth and to save your lives ²¹⁷²  by a great deliverance. 45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser ²¹⁷³  to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly ²¹⁷⁴  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 ²¹⁷⁵  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 ²¹⁷⁶  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. ²¹⁷⁷  45:13 So tell ²¹⁷⁸  my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!” ²¹⁷⁹ 

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 ²¹⁸⁰  in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased ²¹⁸¹  Pharaoh and his servants. 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go ²¹⁸²  to the land of Canaan! 45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you ²¹⁸³  the best land in Egypt and you will eat ²¹⁸⁴  the best ²¹⁸⁵  of the land.’ 45:19 You are also commanded to say, ²¹⁸⁶  ‘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 ²¹⁸⁷  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. ²¹⁸⁸  Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, ²¹⁸⁹  and he gave them provisions for the journey. 45:22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, ²¹⁹⁰  but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. ²¹⁹¹  45:23 To his father he sent the following: ²¹⁹²  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.” ²¹⁹³ 

45:25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ²¹⁹⁴  45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, ²¹⁹⁵  for he did not believe them. 45:27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, ²¹⁹⁶  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. ²¹⁹⁷  When he came to Beer Sheba ²¹⁹⁸  he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night ²¹⁹⁹  and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 46:3 He said, “I am God, ²²⁰⁰  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. ²²⁰¹  Joseph will close your eyes.” ²²⁰² 

46:5 Then Jacob started out ²²⁰³  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. ²²⁰⁴  46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, ²²⁰⁵  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, ²²⁰⁶  Jashub, ²²⁰⁷  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. ²²⁰⁸ 

46:16 The sons of Gad:

Zephon, ²²⁰⁹  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, ²²¹⁰  bore them to him.

46:21 The sons of Benjamin: ²²¹¹ 

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. ²²¹² 

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.) ²²¹³  46:27 Counting the two sons ²²¹⁴  of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy. ²²¹⁵ 

46:28 Jacob ²²¹⁶  sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen. ²²¹⁷  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, ²²¹⁸  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.” ²²¹⁹  46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, ²²²⁰  ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 46:32 The men are shepherds; ²²²¹  they take care of livestock. ²²²²  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 ²²²³  from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, ²²²⁴  for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting ²²²⁵  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 ²²²⁶  in the land of Goshen.” 47:2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh. ²²²⁷ 

47:3 Pharaoh said to Joseph’s ²²²⁸  brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.” ²²²⁹  47:4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents ²²³⁰  in the land. There ²²³¹  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 ²²³²  among them, put them in charge ²²³³  of my livestock.”

47:7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him ²²³⁴  before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed ²²³⁵  Pharaoh. 47:8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?” ²²³⁶  47:9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All ²²³⁷  the years of my travels ²²³⁸  are 130. All ²²³⁹  the years of my life have been few and painful; ²²⁴⁰  the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.” ²²⁴¹  47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence. ²²⁴² 

47:11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them territory ²²⁴³  in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the land, the land of Rameses, ²²⁴⁴  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 ²²⁴⁵  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 ²²⁴⁶  for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace. ²²⁴⁷  47:15 When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians ²²⁴⁸  came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die ²²⁴⁹  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 ²²⁵⁰  in exchange for ²²⁵¹  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. ²²⁵²  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 ²²⁵³  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 ²²⁵⁴  Pharaoh’s slaves. ²²⁵⁵  Give us seed that we may live ²²⁵⁶  and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.” ²²⁵⁷ 

47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each ²²⁵⁸  of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe. ²²⁵⁹  So the land became Pharaoh’s. 47:21 Joseph ²²⁶⁰  made all the people slaves ²²⁶¹  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 ²²⁶²  the land. 47:24 When you gather in the crop, ²²⁶³  give ²²⁶⁴  one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and the rest ²²⁶⁵  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, ²²⁶⁶  and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” ²²⁶⁷ 

47:26 So Joseph made it a statute, ²²⁶⁸  which is in effect ²²⁶⁹  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 ²²⁷⁰  of Jacob’s life were 147 in all. 47:29 The time ²²⁷¹  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 ²²⁷²  and show me kindness and faithfulness. ²²⁷³  Do not bury me in Egypt, 47:30 but when I rest ²²⁷⁴  with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph ²²⁷⁵  said, “I will do as you say.”

47:31 Jacob ²²⁷⁶  said, “Swear to me that you will do so.” ²²⁷⁷  So Joseph ²²⁷⁸  gave him his word. ²²⁷⁹  Then Israel bowed down ²²⁸⁰  at the head of his bed. ²²⁸¹ 

Manasseh and Ephraim

48:1 After these things Joseph was told, ²²⁸²  “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 48:2 When Jacob was told, ²²⁸³  “Your son Joseph has just ²²⁸⁴  come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The sovereign God ²²⁸⁵  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 ²²⁸⁶  and will multiply you. ²²⁸⁷  I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants ²²⁸⁸  as an everlasting possession.’ ²²⁸⁹ 

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. ²²⁹⁰  Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 48:6 Any children that you father ²²⁹¹  after them will be yours; they will be listed ²²⁹²  under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. ²²⁹³  48:7 But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died – to my sorrow ²²⁹⁴  – 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). ²²⁹⁵ 

48:8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the ²²⁹⁶  sons God has given me in this place.” His father ²²⁹⁷  said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” ²²⁹⁸  48:10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing ²²⁹⁹  because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph ²³⁰⁰  brought his sons ²³⁰¹  near to him, and his father ²³⁰²  kissed them and embraced them. 48:11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected ²³⁰³  to see you ²³⁰⁴  again, but now God has allowed me to see your children ²³⁰⁵  too.”

48:12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees ²³⁰⁶  and bowed down with his face to the ground. 48:13 Joseph positioned them; ²³⁰⁷  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. ²³⁰⁸  48:14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger. ²³⁰⁹  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 ²³¹⁰ 

all my life long to this day,

48:16 the Angel ²³¹¹  who has protected me ²³¹² 

from all harm –

bless these boys.

May my name be named in them, ²³¹³ 

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. ²³¹⁴  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 ²³¹⁵  of nations.” 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you ²³¹⁶  will Israel bless, ²³¹⁷  saying,

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

So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ²³¹⁸ 

48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you ²³¹⁹  and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 48:22 As one who is above your ²³²⁰  brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, ²³²¹  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 ²³²²  what will happen to you in the future. ²³²³ 

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 ²³²⁴  like water and will not excel, ²³²⁵ 

for you got on your father’s bed, ²³²⁶ 

then you defiled it – he got on my couch! ²³²⁷ 

49:5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,

weapons of violence are their knives! ²³²⁸ 

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

do not be united to their assembly, my heart, ²³²⁹ 

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! ²³³⁰ 

49:8 Judah, ²³³¹  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, ²³³² 

until he comes to whom it belongs; ²³³³ 

the nations will obey him. ²³³⁴ 

49:11 Binding his foal to the vine,

and his colt to the choicest vine,

he will wash ²³³⁵  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. ²³³⁶ 

49:13 Zebulun will live ²³³⁷  by the haven of the sea

and become a haven for ships;

his border will extend to Sidon. ²³³⁸ 

49:14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey

lying down between two saddlebags.

49:15 When he sees ²³³⁹  a good resting place,

and the pleasant land,

he will bend his shoulder to the burden

and become a slave laborer. ²³⁴⁰ 

49:16 Dan ²³⁴¹  will judge ²³⁴²  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. ²³⁴³ 

49:18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. ²³⁴⁴ 

49:19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands,

but he will attack them at their heels. ²³⁴⁵ 

49:20 Asher’s ²³⁴⁶  food will be rich, ²³⁴⁷ 

and he will provide delicacies ²³⁴⁸  to royalty.

49:21 Naphtali is a free running doe, ²³⁴⁹ 

he speaks delightful words. ²³⁵⁰ 

49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, ²³⁵¹ 

a fruitful bough near a spring

whose branches ²³⁵²  climb over the wall.

49:23 The archers will attack him, ²³⁵³ 

they will shoot at him and oppose him.

49:24 But his bow will remain steady,

and his hands ²³⁵⁴  will be skillful;

because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of ²³⁵⁵  the Shepherd, the Rock ²³⁵⁶  of Israel,

49:25 because of the God of your father,

who will help you, ²³⁵⁷ 

because of the sovereign God, ²³⁵⁸ 

who will bless you ²³⁵⁹ 

with blessings from the sky above,

blessings from the deep that lies below,

and blessings of the breasts and womb. ²³⁶⁰ 

49:26 The blessings of your father are greater

than ²³⁶¹  the blessings of the eternal mountains ²³⁶² 

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. ²³⁶³ 

49:27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;

in the morning devouring the prey,

and in the evening dividing the plunder.”

49:28 These ²³⁶⁴  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. ²³⁶⁵ 

49:29 Then he instructed them, ²³⁶⁶  “I am about to go ²³⁶⁷  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.” ²³⁶⁸ 

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 ²³⁶⁹  to his people.

The Burials of Jacob and Joseph

50:1 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face. ²³⁷⁰  He wept over him and kissed him. 50:2 Joseph instructed the physicians in his service ²³⁷¹  to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 50:3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming. ²³⁷²  The Egyptians mourned ²³⁷³  for him seventy days. ²³⁷⁴ 

50:4 When the days of mourning ²³⁷⁵  had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s royal court, ²³⁷⁶  “If I have found favor in your sight, please say to Pharaoh, ²³⁷⁷  50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, ²³⁷⁸  “I am about to die. Bury me ²³⁷⁹  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.” ²³⁸⁰ 

50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; all Pharaoh’s officials went with him – the senior courtiers ²³⁸¹  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. ²³⁸² 

50:10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad ²³⁸³  on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there with very great and bitter sorrow. ²³⁸⁴  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 ²³⁸⁵  for the Egyptians.” That is why its name was called ²³⁸⁶  Abel Mizraim, ²³⁸⁷  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 ²³⁸⁸  us in full ²³⁸⁹  for all the harm ²³⁹⁰  we did to him?” 50:16 So they sent word ²³⁹¹  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. ²³⁹²  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 ²³⁹³  I in the place of God? 50:20 As for you, you meant to harm me, ²³⁹⁴  but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. ²³⁹⁵  50:21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly ²³⁹⁶  to them.

50:22 Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s family. ²³⁹⁷  Joseph lived 110 years. 50:23 Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. ²³⁹⁸  He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph. ²³⁹⁹ 

50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you ²⁴⁰⁰  and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give ²⁴⁰¹  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. ²⁴⁰²  After they embalmed him, his body ²⁴⁰³  was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

[11:28]  ¹ sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium b.c.

[11:28]  ² tn Heb “upon the face of Terah his father.”

[11:29]  ³ sn The name Sarai (a variant spelling of “Sarah”) means “princess” (or “lady”). Sharratu was the name of the wife of the moon god Sin. The original name may reflect the culture out of which the patriarch was called, for the family did worship other gods in Mesopotamia.

[11:29]  ⁴ sn The name Milcah means “Queen.” But more to the point here is the fact that Malkatu was a title for Ishtar, the daughter of the moon god. If the women were named after such titles (and there is no evidence that this was the motivation for naming the girls “Princess” or “Queen”), that would not necessarily imply anything about the faith of the two women themselves.

[11:32]  ⁵ tn Heb “And the days of Terah were.”

[11:32]  ⁶ tn Heb “Terah”; the pronoun has been substituted for the proper name in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[12:1]  ⁷ sn The Lord called Abram while he was in Ur (see Gen 15:7; Acts 7:2); but the sequence here makes it look like it was after the family left to migrate to Canaan (11:31-32). Genesis records the call of Abram at this place in the narrative because it is the formal beginning of the account of Abram. The record of Terah was brought to its end before this beginning.

[12:1]  ⁸ tn The call of Abram begins with an imperative לֶךְ־לְךָ (lekh-lÿkha, “go out”) followed by three cohortatives (v. 2a) indicating purpose or consequence (“that I may” or “then I will”). If Abram leaves, then God will do these three things. The second imperative (v. 2b, literally “and be a blessing”) is subordinated to the preceding cohortatives and indicates God’s ultimate purpose in calling and blessing Abram. On the syntactical structure of vv. 1-2 see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 37. For a similar sequence of volitive forms see Gen 45:18.

[12:1]  sn It would be hard to overestimate the value of this call and this divine plan for the theology of the Bible. Here begins God’s plan to bring redemption to the world. The promises to Abram will be turned into a covenant in Gen 15 and 22 (here it is a call with conditional promises) and will then lead through the Bible to the work of the Messiah.

[12:1]  ⁹ tn The initial command is the direct imperative (לֶךְ, lekh) from the verb הָלַךְ (halakh). It is followed by the lamed preposition with a pronominal suffix (לְךָ, lÿkha) emphasizing the subject of the imperative: “you leave.”

[12:1]  ¹⁰ sn To the land that I will show you. The call of Abram illustrates the leading of the Lord. The command is to leave. The Lord’s word is very specific about what Abram is to leave (the three prepositional phrases narrow to his father’s household), but is not specific at all about where he is to go. God required faith, a point that Heb 11:8 notes.

[12:2]  ¹¹ tn The three first person verbs in v. 2a should be classified as cohortatives. The first two have pronominal suffixes, so the form itself does not indicate a cohortative. The third verb form is clearly cohortative.

[12:2]  ¹² sn I will bless you. The blessing of creation is now carried forward to the patriarch. In the garden God blessed Adam and Eve; in that blessing he gave them (1) a fruitful place, (2) endowed them with fertility to multiply, and (3) made them rulers over creation. That was all ruined at the fall. Now God begins to build his covenant people; in Gen 12-22 he promises to give Abram (1) a land flowing with milk and honey, (2) a great nation without number, and (3) kingship.

[12:2]  ¹³ tn Or “I will make you famous.”

[12:2]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and be a blessing.” The verb form הְיֵה (hÿyeh) is the Qal imperative of the verb הָיָה (hayah). The vav (ו) with the imperative after the cohortatives indicates purpose or consequence. What does it mean for Abram to “be a blessing”? Will he be a channel or source of blessing for others, or a prime example of divine blessing? A similar statement occurs in Zech 8:13, where God assures his people, “You will be a blessing,” in contrast to the past when they “were a curse.” Certainly “curse” here does not refer to Israel being a source of a curse, but rather to the fact that they became a curse-word or byword among the nations, who regarded them as the epitome of an accursed people (see 2 Kgs 22:19; Jer 42:18; 44:8, 12, 22). Therefore the statement “be a blessing” seems to refer to Israel being transformed into a prime example of a blessed people, whose name will be used in blessing formulae, rather than in curses. If the statement “be a blessing” is understood in the same way in Gen 12:2, then it means that God would so bless Abram that other nations would hear of his fame and hold him up as a paradigm of divine blessing in their blessing formulae.

[12:3]  ¹⁵ tn The Piel cohortative has as its object a Piel participle, masculine plural. Since the Lord binds himself to Abram by covenant, those who enrich Abram in any way share in the blessings.

[12:3]  ¹⁶ tn In this part of God’s statement there are two significant changes that often go unnoticed. First, the parallel and contrasting participle מְקַלֶּלְךָ (mÿqallelkha) is now singular and not plural. All the versions and a few Masoretic mss read the plural. But if it had been plural, there would be no reason to change it to the singular and alter the parallelism. On the other hand, if it was indeed singular, it is easy to see why the versions would change it to match the first participle. The MT preserves the original reading: “the one who treats you lightly.” The point would be a contrast with the lavish way that God desires to bless many. The second change is in the vocabulary. The English usually says, “I will curse those who curse you.” But there are two different words for curse here. The first is קָלַל (qalal), which means “to be light” in the Qal, and in the Piel “to treat lightly, to treat with contempt, to curse.” The second verb is אָרַר (’arar), which means “to banish, to remove from the blessing.” The point is simple: Whoever treats Abram and the covenant with contempt as worthless God will banish from the blessing. It is important also to note that the verb is not a cohortative, but a simple imperfect. Since God is binding himself to Abram, this would then be an obligatory imperfect: “but the one who treats you with contempt I must curse.”

[12:3]  ¹⁷ tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings on”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[12:4]  ¹⁸ sn So Abram left. This is the report of Abram’s obedience to God’s command (see v. 1).

[12:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “just as the Lord said to him.”

[12:4]  ²⁰ tn The disjunctive clause (note the pattern conjunction + subject + implied “to be” verb) is parenthetical, telling the age of Abram when he left Haran.

[12:4]  ²¹ tn Heb “was the son of five years and seventy year[s].”

[12:4]  sn Terah was 70 years old when he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran (Gen 11:26). Terah was 205 when he died in Haran (11:32). Abram left Haran at the age of 75 after his father died. Abram was born when Terah was 130. Abram was not the firstborn – he is placed first in the list of three because of his importance. The same is true of the list in Gen 10:1 (Shem, Ham and Japheth). Ham was the youngest son (9:24). Japheth was the older brother of Shem (10:21), so the birth order of Noah’s sons was Japheth, Shem, and Ham.

[12:5]  ²² tn Heb “the son of his brother.”

[12:5]  ²³ tn For the semantic nuance “acquire [property]” for the verb עָשָׂה (’asah), see BDB 795 s.v. עָשָׂה.

[12:5]  ²⁴ tn Heb “went out to go.”

[12:6]  ²⁵ tn Or “terebinth.”

[12:6]  ²⁶ sn The Hebrew word Moreh (מוֹרֶה, moreh) means “teacher.” It may well be that the place of this great oak tree was a Canaanite shrine where instruction took place.

[12:6]  ²⁷ tn Heb “as far as the place of Shechem, as far as the oak of Moreh.”

[12:6]  ²⁸ tn The disjunctive clause gives important information parenthetical in nature – the promised land was occupied by Canaanites.

[12:7]  ²⁹ tn The same Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[12:7]  ³⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:8]  ³¹ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[12:8]  ³² tn Heb “he called in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 13:4; 21:33; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.

[12:9]  ³³ tn The Hebrew verb נָסַע (nasa’) means “to journey”; more specifically it means to pull up the tent and move to another place. The construction here uses the preterite of this verb with its infinitive absolute to stress the activity of traveling. But it also adds the infinitive absolute of הָלַךְ (halakh) to stress that the traveling was continually going on. Thus “Abram journeyed, going and journeying” becomes “Abram continually journeyed by stages.”

[12:9]  ³⁴ tn Or “the South [country].”

[12:9]  sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[12:10]  ³⁵ sn Abram went down to Egypt. The Abrahamic narrative foreshadows some of the events in the life of the nation of Israel. This sojourn in Egypt is typological of Israel’s bondage there. In both stories there is a famine that forces the family to Egypt, death is a danger to the males while the females are preserved alive, great plagues bring about their departure, there is a summons to stand before Pharaoh, and there is a return to the land of Canaan with great wealth.

[12:10]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” means “to stay for a while.” The “stranger” (traditionally “sojourner”) is one who is a temporary resident, a visitor, one who is passing through. Abram had no intention of settling down in Egypt or owning property. He was only there to wait out the famine.

[12:10]  ³⁷ tn Heb “heavy in the land.” The words “in the land,” which also occur at the beginning of the verse in the Hebrew text, have not been repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[12:11]  ³⁸ tn Heb “drew near to enter.”

[12:11]  ³⁹ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is deictic here; it draws attention to the following fact.

[12:11]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “a woman beautiful of appearance are you.”

[12:12]  ⁴¹ tn The Piel of the verb חָיָה (khayah, “to live”) means “to keep alive, to preserve alive,” and in some places “to make alive.” See D. Marcus, “The Verb ‘to Live’ in Ugaritic,” JSS 17 (1972): 76-82.

[12:13]  ⁴² tn Heb “say.”

[12:13]  ⁴³ sn Tell them you are my sister. Abram’s motives may not be as selfish as they appear. He is aware of the danger to the family. His method of dealing with it is deception with a half truth, for Sarai really was his sister – but the Egyptians would not know that. Abram presumably thought that there would be negotiations for a marriage by anyone interested (as Laban does later for his sister Rebekah), giving him time to react. But the plan backfires because Pharaoh does not take the time to negotiate. There is a good deal of literature on the wife-sister issue. See (among others) E. A. Speiser, “The Wife-Sister Motif in the Patriarchal Narratives,” Oriental and Biblical Studies, 62-81; C. J. Mullo-Weir, “The Alleged Hurrian Wife-Sister Motif in Genesis,” GOT 22 (1967-1970): 14-25.

[12:13]  ⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew verb translated “go well” can encompass a whole range of favorable treatment, but the following clause indicates it means here that Abram’s life will be spared.

[12:13]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “and my life will live.”

[12:15]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “and the woman.” The word also means “wife”; the Hebrew article can express the possessive pronoun (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 19, §86). Here the proper name (Abram) has been used in the translation instead of a possessive pronoun (“his”) for clarity.

[12:15]  ⁴⁷ tn The Hebrew term וַתֻּקַּח (vattuqqakh, “was taken”) is a rare verbal form, an old Qal passive preterite from the verb “to take.” It is pointed as a Hophal would be by the Masoretes, but does not have a Hophal meaning.

[12:15]  ⁴⁸ tn The Hebrew text simply has “house of Pharaoh.” The word “house” refers to the household in general, more specifically to the royal harem.

[12:16]  ⁴⁹ sn He did treat Abram well. The construction of the parenthetical disjunctive clause, beginning with the conjunction on the prepositional phrase, draws attention to the irony of the story. Abram wanted Sarai to lie “so that it would go well” with him. Though he lost Sarai to Pharaoh, it did go well for him – he received a lavish bride price. See also G. W. Coats, “Despoiling the Egyptians,” VT 18 (1968): 450-57.

[12:16]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and there was to him.”

[12:17]  ⁵¹ tn The cognate accusative adds emphasis to the verbal sentence: “he plagued with great plagues,” meaning the Lord inflicted numerous plagues, probably diseases (see Exod 15:26). The adjective “great” emphasizes that the plagues were severe and overwhelming.

[12:18]  ⁵² tn The demonstrative pronoun translated “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to me?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[12:19]  ⁵³ tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive here expresses consequence.

[12:19]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “to me for a wife.”

[12:19]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “Look, your wife!”

[12:19]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “take and go.”

[12:20]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:1]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “the South [country]” (also in v. 3).

[13:1]  sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[13:1]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “And Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all which was his, and Lot with him, to the Negev.”

[13:2]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “heavy.”

[13:2]  ⁶¹ tn This parenthetical clause, introduced by the vav (ו) disjunctive (translated “now”), provides information necessary to the point of the story.

[13:3]  ⁶² tn Heb “on his journeys”; the verb and noun combination means to pick up the tents and move from camp to camp.

[13:3]  ⁶³ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[13:3]  ⁶⁴ tn The words “he returned” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:3]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “where his tent had been.”

[13:4]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “to the place of the altar which he had made there in the beginning” (cf. Gen 12:7-8).

[13:4]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “he called in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 21:33; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.

[13:5]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “was going.”

[13:5]  ⁶⁹ tn The Hebrew idiom is “to Lot…there was,” the preposition here expressing possession.

[13:6]  ⁷⁰ tn The potential nuance for the perfect tense is necessary here, and supported by the parallel clause that actually uses “to be able.”

[13:6]  ⁷¹ tn The infinitive construct לָשֶׁבֶת (lashevet, from יָשַׁב, yashav) explains what it was that the land could not support: “the land could not support them to live side by side.” See further J. C. de Moor, “Lexical Remarks Concerning Yahad and Yahdaw,” VT 7 (1957): 350-55.

[13:6]  ⁷² tn The same infinitive occurs here, serving as the object of the verb.

[13:7]  ⁷³ tn The Hebrew term רִיב (riv) means “strife, conflict, quarreling.” In later texts it has the meaning of “legal controversy, dispute.” See B. Gemser, “The rîb – or Controversy – Pattern in Hebrew Mentality,” Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near East [VTSup], 120-37.

[13:7]  ⁷⁴ sn Since the quarreling was between the herdsmen, the dispute was no doubt over water and vegetation for the animals.

[13:7]  ⁷⁵ tn This parenthetical clause, introduced with the vav (ו) disjunctive (translated “now”), again provides critical information. It tells in part why the land cannot sustain these two bedouins, and it also hints of the danger of weakening the family by inner strife.

[13:8]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “men, brothers [are] we.” Here “brothers” describes the closeness of the relationship, but could be misunderstood if taken literally, since Abram was Lot’s uncle.

[13:9]  ⁷⁷ tn The words “you go” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons both times in this verse.

[13:10]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.” The expression draws attention to the act of looking, indicating that Lot took a good look. It also calls attention to the importance of what was seen.

[13:10]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “plain”; Heb “circle.”

[13:10]  ⁸⁰ tn The words “he noticed” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:10]  ⁸¹ sn Obliterated. The use of the term “destroy” (שַׁחֵת, shakhet) is reminiscent of the Noahic flood (Gen 6:13). Both at the flood and in Sodom the place was obliterated by catastrophe and only one family survived (see C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:178).

[13:10]  ⁸² tn This short temporal clause (preposition + Piel infinitive construct + subjective genitive + direct object) is strategically placed in the middle of the lavish descriptions to sound an ominous note. The entire clause is parenthetical in nature. Most English translations place the clause at the end of v. 10 for stylistic reasons.

[13:10]  ⁸³ sn The narrative places emphasis on what Lot saw so that the reader can appreciate how it aroused his desire for the best land. It makes allusion to the garden of the Lord and to the land of Egypt for comparison. Just as the tree in the garden of Eden had awakened Eve’s desire, so the fertile valley attracted Lot. And just as certain memories of Egypt would cause the Israelites to want to turn back and abandon the trek to the promised land, so Lot headed for the good life.

[13:11]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “Lot traveled.” The proper name has not been repeated in the translation at this point for stylistic reasons.

[13:11]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “a man from upon his brother.”

[13:11]  sn Separated from each other. For a discussion of the significance of this event, see L. R. Helyer, “The Separation of Abram and Lot: Its Significance in the Patriarchal Narratives,” JSOT 26 (1983): 77-88.

[13:12]  ⁸⁶ tn Or “the cities of the plain”; Heb “[the cities of] the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[13:13]  ⁸⁷ tn Here is another significant parenthetical clause in the story, signaled by the vav (וו) disjunctive (translated “now”) on the noun at the beginning of the clause.

[13:13]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “men.” However, this is generic in sense; it is unlikely that only the male residents of Sodom were sinners.

[13:13]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “wicked and sinners against the Lord exceedingly.” The description of the sinfulness of the Sodomites is very emphatic. First, two nouns are used to form a hendiadys: “wicked and sinners” means “wicked sinners,” the first word becoming adjectival. The text is saying these were no ordinary sinners; they were wicked sinners, the type that cause pain for others. Then to this phrase is added “against the Lord,” stressing their violation of the laws of heaven and their culpability. Finally, to this is added מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “exceedingly,” translated here as “extremely”).

[13:14]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “and the Lord said to Abram after Lot separated himself from with him.” The disjunctive clause at the beginning of the verse signals a new scene.

[13:14]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “lift up your eyes and see.”

[13:14]  sn Look. Earlier Lot “looked up” (v. 10), but here Abram is told by God to do so. The repetition of the expression (Heb “lift up the eyes”) here underscores how the Lord will have the last word and actually do for Abram what Abram did for Lot – give him the land. It seems to be one of the ways that God rewards faith.

[13:15]  ⁹² tn Heb “for all the land which you see to you I will give it and to your descendants.”

[13:16]  ⁹³ tn The translation “can be counted” (potential imperfect) is suggested by the use of יוּכַל (yukhal, “is able”) in the preceding clause.

[13:17]  ⁹⁴ tn The connective “and” is not present in the Hebrew text; it has been supplied for purposes of English style.

[13:17]  ⁹⁵ tn The Hitpael form הִתְהַלֵּךְ (hithallekh) means “to walk about”; it also can carry the ideas of moving about, traversing, going back and forth, or living in an area. It here has the connotation of traversing the land to survey it, to look it over.

[13:17]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “the land to its length and to its breadth.” This phrase has not been included in the translation because it is somewhat redundant (see the note on the word “throughout” in this verse).

[13:18]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “he came and lived.”

[13:18]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “terebinths.”

[14:1]  ⁹⁹ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) followed by “in the days of.”

[14:1]  ¹⁰⁰ sn Shinar (also in v. 9) is the region of Babylonia.

[14:1]  ¹⁰¹ tn Or “king of Goyim.” The Hebrew term גּוֹיִם (goyim) means “nations,” but a number of modern translations merely transliterate the Hebrew (cf. NEB “Goyim”; NIV, NRSV “Goiim”).

[14:2]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “made war.”

[14:2]  sn Went to war. The conflict here reflects international warfare in the Early and Middle Bronze periods. The countries operated with overlords and vassals. Kings ruled over city states, or sometimes a number of city states (i.e., nations). Due to their treaties, when one went to war, those confederate with him joined him in battle. It appears here that it is Kedorlaomer’s war, because the western city states have rebelled against him (meaning they did not send products as tribute to keep him from invading them).

[14:2]  ¹⁰³ sn On the geographical background of vv. 1-2 see J. P. Harland, “Sodom and Gomorrah,” The Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 1:41-75; and D. N. Freedman, “The Real Story of the Ebla Tablets, Ebla and the Cities of the Plain,” BA 41 (1978): 143-64.

[14:3]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “all these,” referring only to the last five kings named. The referent has been specified as “these last five kings” in the translation for clarity.

[14:3]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to join together; to unite; to be allied.” It stresses close associations, especially of friendships, marriages, or treaties.

[14:3]  ¹⁰⁶ sn The Salt Sea is the older name for the Dead Sea.

[14:4]  ¹⁰⁷ tn The sentence simply begins with “twelve years”; it serves as an adverbial accusative giving the duration of their bondage.

[14:4]  ¹⁰⁸ tn This is another adverbial accusative of time.

[14:4]  ¹⁰⁹ sn The story serves as a foreshadowing of the plight of the kingdom of Israel later. Eastern powers came and forced the western kingdoms into submission. Each year, then, they would send tribute east – to keep them away. Here, in the thirteenth year, they refused to send the tribute (just as later Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria). And so in the fourteenth year the eastern powers came to put them down again. This account from Abram’s life taught future generations that God can give victory over such threats – that people did not have to live in servitude to tyrants from the east.

[14:5]  ¹¹⁰ tn The Hebrew verb נָכָה (nakhah) means “to attack, to strike, to smite.” In this context it appears that the strike was successful, and so a translation of “defeated” is preferable.

[14:6]  ¹¹¹ sn The line of attack ran down the eastern side of the Jordan Valley into the desert, and then turned and came up the valley to the cities of the plain.

[14:7]  ¹¹² tn Heb “they returned and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh).” The two verbs together form a verbal hendiadys, the first serving as the adverb: “they returned and came” means “they came again.” Most English translations do not treat this as a hendiadys, but translate “they turned back” or something similar. Since in the context, however, “came again to” does not simply refer to travel but an assault against the place, the present translation expresses this as “attacked…again.”

[14:8]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “against.”

[14:9]  ¹¹⁴ tn Or “Goyim.” See the note on the word “nations” in 14:1.

[14:9]  ¹¹⁵ tn The Hebrew text has simply “against.” The word “fought” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:10]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “Now the Valley of Siddim [was] pits, pits of tar.” This parenthetical disjunctive clause emphasizes the abundance of tar pits in the area through repetition of the noun “pits.”

[14:10]  sn The word for “tar” (or “bitumen”) occurs earlier in the story of the building of the tower in Babylon (see Gen 11:3).

[14:10]  ¹¹⁷ tn Or “they were defeated there.” After a verb of motion the Hebrew particle שָׁם (sham) with the directional heh (שָׁמָּה, shammah) can mean “into it, therein” (BDB 1027 s.v. שָׁם).

[14:10]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “the rest.”

[14:10]  ¹¹⁹ sn The reference to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah must mean the kings along with their armies. Most of them were defeated in the valley, but some of them escaped to the hills.

[14:11]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the four victorious kings, see v. 9) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[14:12]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “Lot the son of his brother.”

[14:12]  ¹²² tn Heb “and.”

[14:12]  ¹²³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:12]  ¹²⁴ tn This disjunctive clause is circumstantial/causal, explaining that Lot was captured because he was living in Sodom at the time.

[14:13]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “the fugitive.” The article carries a generic force or indicates that this fugitive is definite in the mind of the speaker.

[14:13]  ¹²⁶ sn E. A. Speiser (Genesis [AB], 103) suggests that part of this chapter came from an outside source since it refers to Abram the Hebrew. That is not impossible, given that the narrator likely utilized traditions and genealogies that had been collected and transmitted over the years. The meaning of the word “Hebrew” has proved elusive. It may be related to the verb “to cross over,” perhaps meaning “immigrant.” Or it might be derived from the name of Abram’s ancestor Eber (see Gen 11:14-16).

[14:13]  ¹²⁷ tn Or “terebinths.”

[14:13]  ¹²⁸ tn Or “a brother”; or “a relative”; or perhaps “an ally.”

[14:13]  ¹²⁹ tn Heb “possessors of a treaty with.” Since it is likely that the qualifying statement refers to all three (Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner) the words “all these” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear.

[14:13]  ¹³⁰ tn This parenthetical disjunctive clause explains how Abram came to be living in their territory, but it also explains why they must go to war with Abram.

[14:14]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “his brother,” by extension, “relative.” Here and in v. 16 the more specific term “nephew” has been used in the translation for clarity. Lot was the son of Haran, Abram’s brother (Gen 11:27).

[14:14]  ¹³² tn The verb וַיָּרֶק (vayyareq) is a rare form, probably related to the word רֵיק (req, “to be empty”). If so, it would be a very figurative use: “he emptied out” (or perhaps “unsheathed”) his men. The LXX has “mustered” (cf. NEB). E. A. Speiser (Genesis [AB], 103-4) suggests reading with the Samaritan Pentateuch a verb diq, cognate with Akkadian deku, “to mobilize” troops. If this view is accepted, one must assume that a confusion of the Hebrew letters ד (dalet) and ר (resh) led to the error in the traditional Hebrew text. These two letters are easily confused in all phases of ancient Hebrew script development. The present translation is based on this view.

[14:14]  ¹³³ tn The words “the invaders” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:14]  ¹³⁴ sn The use of the name Dan reflects a later perspective. The Danites did not migrate to this northern territory until centuries later (see Judg 18:29). Furthermore Dan was not even born until much later. By inserting this name a scribe has clarified the location of the region.

[14:15]  ¹³⁵ tn The Hebrew text simply has “night” as an adverbial accusative.

[14:15]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:15]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “he divided himself…he and his servants.”

[14:15]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “left.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.

[14:16]  ¹³⁹ tn The word “stolen” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:16]  ¹⁴⁰ tn The phrase “the rest of “ has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:17]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17]  ¹⁴³ sn The King’s Valley is possibly a reference to what came to be known later as the Kidron Valley.

[14:18]  ¹⁴⁴ sn Salem is traditionally identified as the Jebusite stronghold of old Jerusalem. Accordingly, there has been much speculation about its king. Though some have identified him with the preincarnate Christ or with Noah’s son Shem, it is far more likely that Melchizedek was a Canaanite royal priest whom God used to renew the promise of the blessing to Abram, perhaps because Abram considered Melchizedek his spiritual superior. But Melchizedek remains an enigma. In a book filled with genealogical records he appears on the scene without a genealogy and then disappears from the narrative. In Psalm 110 the Lord declares that the Davidic king is a royal priest after the pattern of Melchizedek.

[14:18]  ¹⁴⁵ tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause significantly identifies Melchizedek as a priest as well as a king.

[14:18]  sn It is his royal priestly status that makes Melchizedek a type of Christ: He was identified with Jerusalem, superior to the ancestor of Israel, and both a king and a priest. Unlike the normal Canaanites, this man served “God Most High” (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, ’el ’elyon) – one sovereign God, who was the creator of all the universe. Abram had in him a spiritual brother.

[14:19]  ¹⁴⁶ tn The preposition לְ (lamed) introduces the agent after the passive participle.

[14:19]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Some translate “possessor of heaven and earth” (cf. NASB). But cognate evidence from Ugaritic indicates that there were two homonymic roots ָקנָה (qanah), one meaning “to create” (as in Gen 4:1) and the other “to obtain, to acquire, to possess.” While “possessor” would fit here, “creator” is the more likely due to the collocation with “heaven and earth.”

[14:19]  ¹⁴⁸ tn The terms translated “heaven” and “earth” are both objective genitives after the participle in construct.

[14:20]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “blessed be.” For God to be “blessed” means that is praised. His reputation is enriched in the world as his name is praised.

[14:20]  ¹⁵⁰ sn Who delivered. The Hebrew verb מִגֵּן (miggen, “delivered”) foreshadows the statement by God to Abram in Gen 15:1, “I am your shield” (מָגֵן, magen). Melchizedek provided a theological interpretation of Abram’s military victory.

[14:20]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:22]  ¹⁵² tn Abram takes an oath, raising his hand as a solemn gesture. The translation understands the perfect tense as having an instantaneous nuance: “Here and now I raise my hand.”

[14:22]  ¹⁵³ tn The words “and vow” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:23]  ¹⁵⁴ tn The oath formula is elliptical, reading simply: “…if I take.” It is as if Abram says, “[May the Lord deal with me] if I take,” meaning, “I will surely not take.” The positive oath would add the negative adverb and be the reverse: “[God will deal with me] if I do not take,” meaning, “I certainly will.”

[14:23]  ¹⁵⁵ tn The Hebrew text adds the independent pronoun (“I”) to the verb form for emphasis.

[14:24]  ¹⁵⁶ tn The words “I will take nothing” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:24]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “except only what the young men have eaten.”

[15:1]  ¹⁵⁸ sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.

[15:1]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).

[15:1]  sn Abram has just rejected all the spoils of war, and the Lord promises to reward him in great abundance. In walking by faith and living with integrity he cannot lose.

[15:2]  ¹⁶⁰ tn The Hebrew text has אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה (’adonay yehvih, “Master, Lord”). Since the tetragrammaton (YHWH) usually is pointed with the vowels for the Hebrew word אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “master”) to avoid pronouncing the divine name, that would lead in this place to a repetition of אֲדֹנָי. So the tetragrammaton is here pointed with the vowels for the word אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God”) instead. That would produce the reading of the Hebrew as “Master, God” in the Jewish textual tradition. But the presence of “Master” before the holy name is rather compelling evidence that the original would have been “Master, Lord,” which is rendered here “sovereign Lord.”

[15:2]  ¹⁶¹ tn The vav (ו) disjunctive at the beginning of the clause is circumstantial, expressing the cause or reason.

[15:2]  ¹⁶² tn Heb “I am going.”

[15:2]  ¹⁶³ tn Heb “the son of the acquisition of my house.”

[15:2]  sn For the custom of designating a member of the household as heir, see C. H. Gordon, “Biblical Customs and the Nuzu Tablets,” Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 2:21-33.

[15:2]  ¹⁶⁴ tn The pronoun is anaphoric here, equivalent to the verb “to be” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).

[15:2]  ¹⁶⁵ sn The sentence in the Hebrew text employs a very effective wordplay on the name Damascus: “The son of the acquisition (בֶּן־מֶשֶׁק, ben-mesheq) of my house is Eliezer of Damascus (דַּמֶּשֶׁק, dammesheq).” The words are not the same; they have different sibilants. But the sound play gives the impression that “in the nomen is the omen.” Eliezer the Damascene will be Abram’s heir if Abram dies childless because “Damascus” seems to mean that. See M. F. Unger, “Some Comments on the Text of Genesis 15:2-3,” JBL 72 (1953): 49-50; H. L. Ginsberg, “Abram’s ‘Damascene’ Steward,” BASOR 200 (1970): 31-32.

[15:3]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “And Abram said.”

[15:3]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).

[15:3]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “is inheriting me.”

[15:4]  ¹⁶⁹ tn The disjunctive draws attention to God’s response and the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, translated “look”) mirrors Abram’s statement in v. 3 and highlights the fact that God responded to Abram.

[15:4]  ¹⁷⁰ tn The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated “this one” or “this man.” That the Lord does not mention him by name is significant; often in ancient times the use of the name would bring legitimacy to inheritance and adoption cases.

[15:4]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “inherit you.”

[15:4]  ¹⁷² tn The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.

[15:4]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “he who”; the implied referent (Abram’s unborn son who will be his heir) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:4]  ¹⁷⁴ tn The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: “whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you.”

[15:4]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “will inherit you.”

[15:5]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6]  ¹⁷⁷ tn The nonconsecutive vav (ו) is on a perfect verbal form. If the composer of the narrative had wanted to show simple sequence, he would have used the vav consecutive with the preterite. The perfect with vav conjunctive (where one expects the preterite with vav consecutive) in narrative contexts can have a variety of discourse functions, but here it probably serves to highlight Abram’s response to God’s promise. For a detailed discussion of the vav + perfect construction in Hebrew narrative, see R. Longacre, “Weqatal Forms in Biblical Hebrew Prose: A Discourse-modular Approach,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 50-98. The Hebrew verb אָמַן (’aman) means “to confirm, to support” in the Qal verbal stem. Its derivative nouns refer to something or someone that/who provides support, such as a “pillar,” “nurse,” or “guardian, trustee.” In the Niphal stem it comes to mean “to be faithful, to be reliable, to be dependable,” or “to be firm, to be sure.” In the Hiphil, the form used here, it takes on a declarative sense: “to consider something reliable [or “dependable”].” Abram regarded the God who made this promise as reliable and fully capable of making it a reality.

[15:6]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “and he reckoned it to him.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix refers back to Abram’s act of faith, mentioned in the preceding clause. On third feminine singular pronouns referring back to verbal ideas see GKC 440-41 §135.p. Some propose taking the suffix as proleptic, anticipating the following feminine noun (“righteousness”). In this case one might translate: “and he reckoned it to him – [namely] righteousness.” See O. P. Robertson, “Genesis 15:6: A New Covenant Exposition of an Old Covenant Text,” WTJ 42 (1980): 259-89.

[15:6]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Or “righteousness”; or “evidence of steadfast commitment.” The noun is an adverbial accusative. The verb translated “considered” (Heb “reckoned”) also appears with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) in Ps 106:31. Alluding to the events recorded in Numbers 25, the psalmist notes that Phinehas’ actions were “credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.” Reference is made to the unconditional, eternal covenant with which God rewarded Phinehas’ loyalty (Num 25:12-13). So צְדָקָה seems to carry by metonymy the meaning “loyal, rewardable behavior” here, a nuance that fits nicely in Genesis 15, where God responds to Abram’s faith by formally ratifying his promise to give Abram and his descendants the land. (See R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 40.) In Phoenician and Old Aramaic inscriptions cognate nouns glossed as “correct, justifiable conduct” sometimes carry this same semantic nuance (DNWSI 2:962).

[15:6]  sn This episode is basic to the NT teaching of Paul on justification (Romans 4). Paul weaves this passage and Psalm 32 together, for both use this word. Paul explains that for the one who believes in the Lord, like Abram, God credits him with righteousness but does not credit his sins against him because he is forgiven. Justification does not mean that the believer is righteous; it means that God credits him with righteousness, so that in the records of heaven (as it were) he is declared righteous. See M. G. Kline, “Abram’s Amen,” WTJ 31 (1968): 1-11.

[15:7]  ¹⁸¹ tn Heb “And he said.”

[15:7]  ¹⁸² sn I am the Lord. The Lord initiates the covenant-making ceremony with a declaration of who he is and what he has done for Abram. The same form appears at the beginning of the covenant made at Sinai (see Exod 20:1).

[15:7]  ¹⁸³ sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium b.c.

[15:8]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”

[15:8]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:8]  ¹⁸⁶ tn See note on the phrase “sovereign Lord” in 15:2.

[15:8]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Or “how.”

[15:9]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Heb “He”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Heb “in the middle.”

[15:10]  ¹⁹¹ tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”

[15:10]  sn For discussion of this ritual see G. F. Hasel, “The Meaning of the Animal Rite in Genesis 15,” JSOT 19 (1981): 61-78.

[15:12]  ¹⁹² tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”

[15:12]  ¹⁹³ tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”

[15:13]  ¹⁹⁴ tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, with the Qal infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “know”). The imperfect here has an obligatory or imperatival force.

[15:13]  ¹⁹⁵ tn The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger, “sojourner, stranger”) is related to the verb גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to stay for awhile”). Abram’s descendants will stay in a land as resident aliens without rights of citizenship.

[15:13]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”

[15:13]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “and they will serve them and they will oppress them.” The verb עִנּוּ, (’innu, a Piel form from עָנָה, ’anah, “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly”), is used in Exod 1:11 to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.

[15:14]  ¹⁹⁸ tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.

[15:15]  ¹⁹⁹ tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.

[15:15]  ²⁰⁰ sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.

[15:15]  ²⁰¹ tn Heb “in a good old age.”

[15:16]  ²⁰² sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are four hundred years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to one hundred years.

[15:16]  ²⁰³ tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[15:16]  ²⁰⁴ tn Heb “is not yet complete.”

[15:16]  sn The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit. The justice of God is apparent. He will wait until the Amorites are fully deserving of judgment before he annihilates them and gives the land to Israel.

[15:17]  ²⁰⁵ sn A smoking pot with a flaming torch. These same implements were used in Mesopotamian rituals designed to ward off evil (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 113-14).

[15:17]  ²⁰⁶ tn Heb “these pieces.”

[15:18]  ²⁰⁷ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[15:18]  ²⁰⁸ tn The perfect verbal form is understood as instantaneous (“I here and now give”). Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, indicating certitude (“I have given” meaning it is as good as done, i.e., “I will surely give”).

[15:18]  sn To your descendants I give this land. The Lord here unconditionally promises that Abram’s descendants will possess the land, but he does not yet ratify his earlier promises to give Abram a multitude of descendants and eternal possession of the land. The fulfillment of those aspects of the promise remain conditional (see Gen 17:1-8) and are ratified after Abraham offers up his son Isaac (see Gen 22:1-19). For a fuller discussion see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54.

[15:18]  ²⁰⁹ sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.

[15:19]  ²¹⁰ tn The words “the land” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[15:21]  ²¹¹ tn Each of the names in the list has the Hebrew definite article, which is used here generically for the class of people identified.

[16:1]  ²¹² tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.

[16:1]  ²¹³ sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.

[16:1]  ²¹⁴ tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.

[16:1]  ²¹⁵ sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)

[16:2]  ²¹⁶ tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.

[16:2]  ²¹⁷ tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).

[16:2]  sn The Hebrew expression translated have sexual relations with does not convey the intimacy of other expressions, such as “so and so knew his wife.” Sarai simply sees this as the social custom of having a child through a surrogate. For further discussion see C. F. Fensham, “The Son of a Handmaid in Northwest Semitic,” VT 19 (1969): 312-21.

[16:2]  ²¹⁸ tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.

[16:2]  ²¹⁹ tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”

[16:2]  sn Abram did what Sarai told him. This expression was first used in Gen 3:17 of Adam’s obeying his wife. In both cases the text highlights weak faith and how it jeopardized the plan of God.

[16:3]  ²²⁰ tn Heb “at the end of ten years, to live, Abram.” The prepositional phrase introduces the temporal clause, the infinitive construct serves as the verb, and the name “Abram” is the subject.

[16:3]  ²²¹ tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”

[16:3]  ²²² sn To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.

[16:4]  ²²³ tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.

[16:4]  ²²⁴ tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)

[16:4]  ²²⁵ tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.

[16:5]  ²²⁶ tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”

[16:5]  ²²⁷ tn Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”

[16:5]  ²²⁸ tn Heb “saw.”

[16:5]  ²²⁹ tn Heb “I was despised in her eyes.” The passive verb has been translated as active for stylistic reasons. Sarai was made to feel supplanted and worthless by Hagar the servant girl.

[16:5]  ²³⁰ tn Heb “me and you.”

[16:5]  sn May the Lord judge between you and me. Sarai blamed Abram for Hagar’s attitude, not the pregnancy. Here she expects to be vindicated by the Lord who will prove Abram responsible. A colloquial rendering might be, “God will get you for this.” It may mean that she thought Abram had encouraged the servant girl in her elevated status.

[16:6]  ²³¹ tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”

[16:6]  ²³² tn Heb “in your hand.”

[16:6]  ²³³ tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”

[16:6]  ²³⁴ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:6]  ²³⁵ tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”

[16:6]  ²³⁶ tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:7]  ²³⁷ tn Heb “the messenger of the Lord.” Some identify the angel of the Lord as the preincarnate Christ because in some texts the angel is identified with the Lord himself. However, it is more likely that the angel merely represents the Lord; he can speak for the Lord because he is sent with the Lord’s full authority. In some cases the angel is clearly distinct from the Lord (see Judg 6:11-23). It is not certain if the same angel is always in view. Though the proper name following the noun “angel” makes the construction definite, this may simply indicate that a definite angel sent from the Lord is referred to in any given context. It need not be the same angel on every occasion. Note the analogous expression “the servant of the Lord,” which refers to various individuals in the OT (see BDB 714 s.v. עֶבֶד).

[16:7]  ²³⁸ tn Heb “And the angel of the Lord found her near the spring of water in the desert, near the spring on the way to Shur.”

[16:8]  ²³⁹ tn Heb “from the presence of.”

[16:9]  ²⁴⁰ tn The imperative וְהִתְעַנִּי (vÿhit’anni) is the Hitpael of עָנָה (’anah, here translated “submit”), the same word used for Sarai’s harsh treatment of her. Hagar is instructed not only to submit to Sarai’s authority, but to whatever mistreatment that involves. God calls for Hagar to humble herself.

[16:10]  ²⁴¹ tn Heb “The Lord’s angel said, ‘I will greatly multiply your descendants….” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[16:10]  ²⁴² tn Heb “cannot be numbered because of abundance.”

[16:11]  ²⁴³ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”

[16:11]  ²⁴⁴ tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.

[16:11]  ²⁴⁵ sn The name Ishmael consists of the imperfect or jussive form of the Hebrew verb with the theophoric element added as the subject. It means “God hears” or “may God hear.”

[16:11]  ²⁴⁶ tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.

[16:11]  sn This clause gives the explanation of the name Ishmael, using a wordplay. Ishmael’s name will be a reminder that “God hears” Hagar’s painful cries.

[16:12]  ²⁴⁷ sn A wild donkey of a man. The prophecy is not an insult. The wild donkey lived a solitary existence in the desert away from society. Ishmael would be free-roaming, strong, and like a bedouin; he would enjoy the freedom his mother sought.

[16:12]  ²⁴⁸ tn Heb “His hand will be against everyone.” The “hand” by metonymy represents strength. His free-roaming life style would put him in conflict with those who follow social conventions. There would not be open warfare, only friction because of his antagonism to their way of life.

[16:12]  ²⁴⁹ tn Heb “And the hand of everyone will be against him.”

[16:12]  ²⁵⁰ tn Heb “opposite, across from.” Ishmael would live on the edge of society (cf. NASB “to the east of”). Some take this as an idiom meaning “be at odds with” (cf. NRSV, NLT) or “live in hostility toward” (cf. NIV).

[16:13]  ²⁵¹ tn Heb “God of my seeing.” The pronominal suffix may be understood either as objective (“who sees me,” as in the translation) or subjective (“whom I see”).

[16:13]  ²⁵² tn Heb “after one who sees me.”

[16:13]  sn For a discussion of Hagar’s exclamation, see T. Booij, “Hagar’s Words in Genesis 16:13b,” VT 30 (1980): 1-7.

[16:14]  ²⁵³ tn The verb does not have an expressed subject and so is rendered as passive in the translation.

[16:14]  ²⁵⁴ sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” The text suggests that God takes up the cause of those who are oppressed.

[16:14]  ²⁵⁵ tn Heb “look.” The words “it is located” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[16:15]  ²⁵⁶ tn Heb “and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”

[16:15]  sn Whom Abram named Ishmael. Hagar must have informed Abram of what the angel had told her. See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[16:16]  ²⁵⁷ tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is parenthetical to the narrative.

[16:16]  ²⁵⁸ tn Heb “the son of eighty-six years.”

[16:16]  ²⁵⁹ tn The Hebrew text adds, “for Abram.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons; it is somewhat redundant given the three occurrences of Abram’s name in this and the previous verse.

[17:1]  ²⁶⁰ tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”

[17:1]  ²⁶¹ tn Heb “appeared to Abram and said to him.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) and the final phrase “to him” has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.

[17:1]  ²⁶² tn The name אֵל שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72. Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world who grants, blesses, and judges. In the Book of Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name are uncertain (see discussion below) its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. In Gen 17:1-8 he appeared to Abram, introduced himself as El Shaddai, and announced his intention to make the patriarch fruitful. In the role of El Shaddai God repeated these words (now elevated to the status of a decree) to Jacob (35:11). Earlier Isaac had pronounced a blessing on Jacob in which he asked El Shaddai to make Jacob fruitful (28:3). Jacob later prayed that his sons would be treated with mercy when they returned to Egypt with Benjamin (43:14). The fertility theme is not as apparent here, though one must remember that Jacob viewed Benjamin as the sole remaining son of the favored and once-barren Rachel (see 29:31; 30:22-24; 35:16-18). It is quite natural that he would appeal to El Shaddai to preserve Benjamin’s life, for it was El Shaddai’s miraculous power which made it possible for Rachel to give him sons in the first place. In 48:3 Jacob, prior to blessing Joseph’s sons, told him how El Shaddai appeared to him at Bethel (see Gen 28) and promised to make him fruitful. When blessing Joseph on his deathbed Jacob referred to Shaddai (we should probably read “El Shaddai,” along with a few Hebrew mss, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the LXX, and Syriac) as the one who provides abundant blessings, including “blessings of the breast and womb” (49:25). (The direct association of the name with “breasts” suggests the name might mean “the one of the breast” [i.e., the one who gives fertility], but the juxtaposition is probably better explained as wordplay. Note the wordplay involving the name and the root שָׁדַד, shadad, “destroy”] in Isa 13:6 and in Joel 1:15.) Outside Genesis the name Shaddai (minus the element “El” [“God”]) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14; Isa 13:6; and Joel 1:15 Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. (In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubs’ wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.) Finally, the name occurs 31 times in the Book of Job. Job and his “friends” assume that Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world (11:7; 37:23a) who is the source of life (33:4b) and is responsible for maintaining justice (8:3; 34:10-12; 37:23b). He provides abundant blessings, including children (22:17-18; 29:4-6), but he can also discipline, punish, and destroy (5:17; 6:4; 21:20; 23:16). It is not surprising to see the name so often in this book, where the theme of God’s justice is primary and even called into question (24:1; 27:2). The most likely proposal is that the name means “God, the one of the mountain” (an Akkadian cognate means “mountain,” to which the Hebrew שַׁד, shad, “breast”] is probably related). For a discussion of proposed derivations see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 70-71. The name may originally have depicted God as the sovereign judge who, in Canaanite style, ruled from a sacred mountain. Isa 14:13 and Ezek 28:14, 16 associate such a mountain with God, while Ps 48:2 refers to Zion as “Zaphon,” the Canaanite Olympus from which the high god El ruled. (In Isa 14 the Canaanite god El may be in view. Note that Isaiah pictures pagan kings as taunting the king of Babylon, suggesting that pagan mythology may provide the background for the language and imagery.)

[17:1]  ²⁶³ tn Or “Live out your life.” The Hebrew verb translated “walk” is the Hitpael; it means “to walk back and forth; to walk about; to live out one’s life.”

[17:1]  ²⁶⁴ tn Or “in my presence.”

[17:1]  ²⁶⁵ tn There are two imperatives here: “walk…and be blameless [or “perfect”].” The second imperative may be purely sequential (see the translation) or consequential: “walk before me and then you will be blameless.” How one interprets the sequence depends on the meaning of “walk before”: (1) If it simply refers in a neutral way to serving the Lord, then the second imperative is likely sequential. (2) But if it has a positive moral connotation (“serve me faithfully”), then the second imperative probably indicates purpose (or result). For other uses of the idiom see 1 Sam 2:30, 35 and 12:2 (where it occurs twice).

[17:2]  ²⁶⁶ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative indicates consequence. If Abram is blameless, then the Lord will ratify the covenant. Earlier the Lord ratified part of his promise to Abram (see Gen 15:18-21), guaranteeing him that his descendants would live in the land. But the expanded form of the promise, which includes numerous descendants and eternal possession of the land, remains to be ratified. This expanded form of the promise is in view here (see vv. 2b, 4-8). See the note at Gen 15:18 and R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54.

[17:2]  ²⁶⁷ tn Heb “I will multiply you exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:3]  ²⁶⁸ tn Heb “And Abram fell on his face.” This expression probably means that Abram sank to his knees and put his forehead to the ground, although it is possible that he completely prostrated himself. In either case the posture indicates humility and reverence.

[17:3]  ²⁶⁹ tn Heb “God spoke to him, saying.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:4]  ²⁷⁰ tn Heb “I.”

[17:4]  ²⁷¹ tn Heb “is” (הִנֵּה, hinneh).

[17:5]  ²⁷² tn Heb “will your name be called.”

[17:5]  ²⁷³ sn Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of God’s promise. “Abram” means “exalted father,” probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name “Abraham” is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (’av-hamon, “the father of a multitude,” which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ’avraham, “Abraham”). The new name would be a reminder of God’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, “Renaming in the Old Testament,” Words and Meanings, 70-83.

[17:5]  ²⁷⁴ tn The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.

[17:6]  ²⁷⁵ tn This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express God’s intentions.

[17:6]  ²⁷⁶ tn Heb “exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:6]  ²⁷⁷ tn Heb “and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you.”

[17:7]  ²⁷⁸ tn The verb קוּם (qum, “to arise, to stand up”) in the Hiphil verbal stem means “to confirm, to give effect to, to carry out” (i.e., a covenant or oath; see BDB 878-79 s.v. קוּם).

[17:7]  ²⁷⁹ tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:7]  ²⁸⁰ tn Heb “to be to you for God and to your descendants after you.”

[17:8]  ²⁸¹ tn The verbal root is גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to reside temporarily,” i.e., as a resident alien). It is the land in which Abram resides, but does not yet possess as his very own.

[17:8]  ²⁸² tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:9]  ²⁸³ tn The imperfect tense could be translated “you shall keep” as a binding command; but the obligatory nuance (“must”) captures the binding sense better.

[17:9]  ²⁸⁴ tn Heb “my covenant.” The Hebrew word בְּרִית (bÿrit) can refer to (1) the agreement itself between two parties (see v. 7), (2) the promise made by one party to another (see vv. 2-3, 7), (3) an obligation placed by one party on another, or (4) a reminder of the agreement. In vv. 9-10 the word refers to a covenantal obligation which God gives to Abraham and his descendants.

[17:10]  ²⁸⁵ tn Heb “This is my covenant that you must keep between me and you and your descendants after you.”

[17:10]  ²⁸⁶ sn For a discussion of male circumcision as the sign of the covenant in this passage see M. V. Fox, “The Sign of the Covenant: Circumcision in the Light of the Priestly ‘ot Etiologies,” RB 81 (1974): 557-96.

[17:11]  ²⁸⁷ tn Or “sign.”

[17:12]  ²⁸⁸ tn Heb “the son of eight days.”

[17:13]  ²⁸⁹ tn The emphatic construction employs the Niphal imperfect tense (collective singular) and the Niphal infinitive.

[17:13]  ²⁹⁰ tn Heb “my covenant.” Here in v. 13 the Hebrew word בְּרִית (bÿrit) refers to the outward, visible sign, or reminder, of the covenant. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word “requirement” in v. 9.

[17:13]  ²⁹¹ tn Or “an eternal.”

[17:14]  ²⁹² tn The disjunctive clause calls attention to the “uncircumcised male” and what will happen to him.

[17:14]  ²⁹³ tn Heb “that person will be cut off.” The words “that person” have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:14]  sn The meaning of “cut off” has been discussed at great length. An entire tractate in the Mishnah is devoted to this subject (tractate Keritot). Being ostracized from the community is involved at the least, but it is not certain whether this refers to the death penalty.

[17:14]  ²⁹⁴ tn Heb “he has broken my covenant.” The noun בְּרִית (bÿrit) here refers to the obligation required by God in conjunction with the covenantal agreement. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word “requirement” in v. 9.

[17:15]  ²⁹⁵ tn Heb “[As for] Sarai your wife, you must not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [will be] her name.”

[17:15]  ²⁹⁶ sn Sarah. The name change seems to be a dialectical variation, both spellings meaning “princess” or “queen.” Like the name Abram, the name Sarai symbolized the past. The new name Sarah, like the name Abraham, would be a reminder of what God intended to do for Sarah in the future.

[17:16]  ²⁹⁷ tn Heb “she will become nations.”

[17:16]  ²⁹⁸ tn Heb “peoples.”

[17:17]  ²⁹⁹ sn Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: “And he laughed” is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaq); the name “Isaac” is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), “he laughs.” Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy.

[17:17]  ³⁰⁰ tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”

[17:17]  ³⁰¹ tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.

[17:17]  ³⁰² tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”

[17:17]  ³⁰³ sn It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of God (v. 15).

[17:17]  ³⁰⁴ tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”

[17:18]  ³⁰⁵ tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”

[17:18]  ³⁰⁶ tn Or “live with your blessing.”

[17:19]  ³⁰⁷ tn Heb “will call his name Isaac.” The name means “he laughs,” or perhaps “may he laugh” (see the note on the word “laughed” in v. 17).

[17:19]  ³⁰⁸ tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:20]  ³⁰⁹ sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[17:20]  ³¹⁰ tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:20]  ³¹¹ tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.

[17:22]  ³¹² tn Heb “And when he finished speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.” The sequence of pronouns and proper names has been modified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:22]  sn God went up from him. The text draws attention to God’s dramatic exit and in so doing brings full closure to the scene.

[17:23]  ³¹³ tn Heb “Ishmael his son and all born in his house and all bought with money, every male among the men of the house of Abraham.”

[17:23]  ³¹⁴ tn Heb “circumcised the flesh of their foreskin.” The Hebrew expression is somewhat pleonastic and has been simplified in the translation.

[17:24]  ³¹⁵ tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”

[17:24]  ³¹⁶ tn Heb “circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin” (also in v. 25).

[17:25]  ³¹⁷ tn Heb “the son of thirteen years.”

[18:1]  ³¹⁸ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ³¹⁹ tn Or “terebinths.”

[18:1]  ³²⁰ tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.

[18:1]  ³²¹ tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.

[18:2]  ³²² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:2]  ³²³ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[18:2]  ³²⁴ tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.

[18:2]  ³²⁵ tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.

[18:2]  ³²⁶ tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:2]  ³²⁷ tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).

[18:2]  ³²⁸ sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

[18:3]  ³²⁹ tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the Lord, may have put the proper pointing with the word instead of the more common אֲדֹנִי (’adoni, “my master”).

[18:3]  ³³⁰ tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”

[18:4]  ³³¹ tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.

[18:4]  ³³² tn The word “all” has been supplied in the translation because the Hebrew verb translated “wash” and the pronominal suffix on the word “feet” are plural, referring to all three of the visitors.

[18:5]  ³³³ tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.

[18:5]  ³³⁴ tn Heb “a piece of bread.” The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lekhem) can refer either to bread specifically or to food in general. Based on Abraham’s directions to Sarah in v. 6, bread was certainly involved, but v. 7 indicates that Abraham had a more elaborate meal in mind.

[18:5]  ³³⁵ tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.

[18:5]  ³³⁶ tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”

[18:6]  ³³⁷ tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.

[18:6]  ³³⁸ sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.

[18:6]  ³³⁹ sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.

[18:7]  ³⁴⁰ tn Heb “the young man.”

[18:7]  ³⁴¹ tn The construction uses the Piel preterite, “he hurried,” followed by the infinitive construct; the two probably form a verbal hendiadys: “he quickly prepared.”

[18:8]  ³⁴² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:8]  ³⁴³ tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:8]  ³⁴⁴ tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.

[18:9]  ³⁴⁵ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.

[18:10]  ³⁴⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (one of the three men introduced in v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some English translations have specified the referent as the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV) based on vv. 1, 13, but the Hebrew text merely has “he said” at this point, referring to one of the three visitors. Aside from the introductory statement in v. 1, the incident is narrated from Abraham’s point of view, and the suspense is built up for the reader as Abraham’s elaborate banquet preparations in the preceding verses suggest he suspects these are important guests. But not until the promise of a son later in this verse does it become clear who is speaking. In v. 13 the Hebrew text explicitly mentions the Lord.

[18:10]  ³⁴⁷ tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense.

[18:10]  sn I will surely return. If Abraham had not yet figured out who this was, this interchange would have made it clear. Otherwise, how would a return visit from this man mean Sarah would have a son?

[18:10]  ³⁴⁸ tn Heb “as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime.

[18:10]  ³⁴⁹ tn Heb “and there will be (הִנֵּה, hinneh) a son for Sarah.”

[18:10]  ³⁵⁰ tn This is the first of two disjunctive parenthetical clauses preparing the reader for Sarah’s response (see v. 12).

[18:11]  ³⁵¹ tn Heb “days.”

[18:11]  ³⁵² tn Heb “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.”

[18:12]  ³⁵³ tn Heb “saying.”

[18:12]  ³⁵⁴ tn It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.

[18:12]  ³⁵⁵ tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[18:13]  ³⁵⁶ tn Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the Lord’s amazement: “Why on earth did Sarah laugh?”

[18:13]  ³⁵⁷ tn The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”

[18:14]  ³⁵⁸ tn The Hebrew verb פָּלָא (pala’) means “to be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be surpassing, to be amazing.”

[18:14]  ³⁵⁹ sn Sarah will have a son. The passage brings God’s promise into clear focus. As long as it was a promise for the future, it really could be believed without much involvement. But now, when it seemed so impossible from the human standpoint, when the Lord fixed an exact date for the birth of the child, the promise became rather overwhelming to Abraham and Sarah. But then this was the Lord of creation, the one they had come to trust. The point of these narratives is that the creation of Abraham’s offspring, which eventually became Israel, is no less a miraculous work of creation than the creation of the world itself.

[18:15]  ³⁶⁰ tn Heb “And he said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:16]  ³⁶¹ tn Heb “And the men arose from there.”

[18:16]  ³⁶² tn Heb “toward the face of.”

[18:16]  ³⁶³ tn The disjunctive parenthetical clause sets the stage for the following speech.

[18:16]  ³⁶⁴ tn The Piel of שָׁלַח (shalakh) means “to lead out, to send out, to expel”; here it is used in the friendly sense of seeing the visitors on their way.

[18:17]  ³⁶⁵ tn The active participle here refers to an action that is imminent.

[18:18]  ³⁶⁶ tn Heb “And Abraham.” The disjunctive clause is probably causal, giving a reason why God should not hide his intentions from Abraham. One could translate, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation?”

[18:18]  ³⁶⁷ tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the finite verb that follows.

[18:18]  ³⁶⁸ tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings upon”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 18:18 (like 12:2) predicts that Abraham will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[18:19]  ³⁶⁹ tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the Lord.

[18:19]  ³⁷⁰ tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).

[18:19]  ³⁷¹ tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the Lord.

[18:19]  ³⁷² tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.

[18:19]  ³⁷³ tn Heb “spoke to.”

[18:20]  ³⁷⁴ tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.

[18:20]  ³⁷⁵ tn Heb “heavy.”

[18:21]  ³⁷⁶ tn The cohortative indicates the Lord’s resolve.

[18:21]  sn I must go down. The descent to “see” Sodom is a bold anthropomorphism, stressing the careful judgment of God. The language is reminiscent of the Lord going down to see the Tower of Babel in Gen 11:1-9.

[18:21]  ³⁷⁷ tn Heb “[if] according to the outcry that has come to me they have done completely.” Even the Lord, who is well aware of the human capacity to sin, finds it hard to believe that anyone could be as bad as the “outcry” against Sodom and Gomorrah suggests.

[18:21]  ³⁷⁸ sn The short phrase if not provides a ray of hope and inspires Abraham’s intercession.

[18:22]  ³⁷⁹ tn Heb “And the men turned from there.” The word “two” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied here for clarity. Gen 19:1 mentions only two individuals (described as “angels”), while Abraham had entertained three visitors (18:2). The implication is that the Lord was the third visitor, who remained behind with Abraham here. The words “from there” are not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[18:22]  ³⁸⁰ tn Heb “went.”

[18:22]  ³⁸¹ tc An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition reads “but the Lord remained standing before Abraham.” This reading is problematic because the phrase “standing before” typically indicates intercession, but the Lord would certainly not be interceding before Abraham.

[18:24]  ³⁸² tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).

[18:25]  ³⁸³ tn Or “ruler.”

[18:25]  ³⁸⁴ sn Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right? For discussion of this text see J. L. Crenshaw, “Popular Questioning of the Justice of God in Ancient Israel,” ZAW 82 (1970): 380-95, and C. S. Rodd, “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do What Is Just?” ExpTim 83 (1972): 137-39.

[18:27]  ³⁸⁵ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[18:27]  ³⁸⁶ tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the Lord.

[18:28]  ³⁸⁷ tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.

[18:28]  ³⁸⁸ tn Heb “because of five.”

[18:29]  ³⁸⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:29]  ³⁹⁰ tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”

[18:30]  ³⁹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:30]  ³⁹² tn Heb “let it not be hot to the Lord.” This is an idiom which means “may the Lord not be angry.”

[18:30]  ³⁹³ tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.

[18:31]  ³⁹⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:32]  ³⁹⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:33]  ³⁹⁶ tn Heb “And the Lord went.”

[18:33]  ³⁹⁷ tn The infinitive construct (“speaking”) serves as the direct object of the verb “finished.”

[18:33]  ³⁹⁸ tn Heb “to his place.”

[19:1]  ³⁹⁹ tn The disjunctive clause is temporal here, indicating what Lot was doing at the time of their arrival.

[19:1]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Heb “sitting in the gate of Sodom.” The phrase “the gate of Sodom” has been translated “the city’s gateway” for stylistic reasons.

[19:1]  sn The expression sitting in the city’s gateway may mean that Lot was exercising some type of judicial function (see the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 19:8; Jer 26:10; 38:7; 39:3).

[19:2]  ⁴⁰¹ tn The imperatives have the force of invitation.

[19:2]  ⁴⁰² tn These two verbs form a verbal hendiadys: “you can rise up early and go” means “you can go early.”

[19:2]  ⁴⁰³ sn The town square refers to the wide street area at the gate complex of the city.

[19:3]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn The Hebrew verb פָּצַר (patsar, “to press, to insist”) ironically foreshadows the hostile actions of the men of the city (see v. 9, where the verb also appears). The repetition of the word serves to contrast Lot to his world.

[19:4]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) means “to lie down, to recline,” that is, “to go to bed.” Here what appears to be an imperfect is a preterite after the adverb טֶרֶם (terem). The nuance of potential (perfect) fits well.

[19:4]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “and the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young to the old, all the people from the end [of the city].” The repetition of the phrase “men of” stresses all kinds of men.

[19:5]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to him.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:5]  ⁴⁰⁸ tn The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “to know”) is used here in the sense of “to lie with” or “to have sex with” (as in Gen 4:1). That this is indeed the meaning is clear from Lot’s warning that they not do so wickedly, and his willingness to give them his daughters instead.

[19:5]  sn The sin of the men of Sodom is debated. The fact that the sin involved a sexual act (see note on the phrase “have sex” in 19:5) precludes an association of the sin with inhospitality as is sometimes asserted (see W. Roth, “What of Sodom and Gomorrah? Homosexual Acts in the Old Testament,” Explor 1 [1974]: 7-14). The text at a minimum condemns forced sexual intercourse, i.e., rape. Other considerations, though, point to a condemnation of homosexual acts more generally. The narrator emphasizes the fact that the men of Sodom wanted to have sex with men: They demand that Lot release the angelic messengers (seen as men) to them for sex, and when Lot offers his daughters as a substitute they refuse them and attempt to take the angelic messengers by force. In addition the wider context of the Pentateuch condemns homosexual acts as sin (see, e.g., Lev 18:22). Thus a reading of this text within its narrative context, both immediate and broad, condemns not only the attempted rape but also the attempted homosexual act.

[19:7]  ⁴⁰⁹ tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”

[19:8]  ⁴¹⁰ tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[19:8]  ⁴¹¹ tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”

[19:8]  ⁴¹² tn Heb “shadow.”

[19:8]  ⁴¹³ sn This chapter portrays Lot as a hypocrite. He is well aware of the way the men live in his city and is apparently comfortable in the midst of it. But when confronted by the angels, he finally draws the line. But he is nevertheless willing to sacrifice his daughters’ virginity to protect his guests. His opposition to the crowds leads to his rejection as a foreigner by those with whom he had chosen to live. The one who attempted to rescue his visitors ends up having to be rescued by them.

[19:9]  ⁴¹⁴ tn Heb “approach out there” which could be rendered “Get out of the way, stand back!”

[19:9]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Heb “to live as a resident alien.”

[19:9]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Heb “and he has judged, judging.” The infinitive absolute follows the finite verbal form for emphasis. This emphasis is reflected in the translation by the phrase “dares to judge.”

[19:9]  ⁴¹⁷ tn The verb “to do wickedly” is repeated here (see v. 7). It appears that whatever “wickedness” the men of Sodom had intended to do to Lot’s visitors – probably nothing short of homosexual rape – they were now ready to inflict on Lot.

[19:9]  ⁴¹⁸ tn Heb “and they pressed against the man, against Lot, exceedingly.”

[19:9]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Heb “and they drew near.”

[19:10]  ⁴²⁰ tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “inside” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[19:10]  ⁴²¹ tn The Hebrew text adds “their hand.” These words have not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:10]  ⁴²² tn Heb “to them into the house.”

[19:11]  ⁴²³ tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”

[19:11]  ⁴²⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:12]  ⁴²⁵ tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “visitors” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[19:12]  ⁴²⁶ tn Heb “Yet who [is there] to you here?”

[19:12]  ⁴²⁷ tn The words “Do you have” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:12]  ⁴²⁸ tn Heb “a son-in-law and your sons and your daughters and anyone who (is) to you in the city.”

[19:12]  ⁴²⁹ tn Heb “the place.” The Hebrew article serves here as a demonstrative.

[19:13]  ⁴³⁰ tn The Hebrew participle expresses an imminent action here.

[19:13]  ⁴³¹ tn Heb “for their outcry.” The words “about this place” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:13]  ⁴³² tn Heb “the Lord.” The repetition of the divine name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.

[19:14]  ⁴³³ sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.

[19:14]  ⁴³⁴ tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.

[19:14]  ⁴³⁵ tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.

[19:15]  ⁴³⁶ tn Heb “When dawn came up.”

[19:15]  ⁴³⁷ tn Heb “who are found.” The wording might imply he had other daughters living in the city, but the text does not explicitly state this.

[19:15]  ⁴³⁸ tn Or “with the iniquity [i.e., punishment] of the city” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[19:16]  ⁴³⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:16]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn Heb “in the compassion of the Lord to them.”

[19:16]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Heb “brought him out and placed him.” The third masculine singular suffixes refer specifically to Lot, though his wife and daughters accompanied him (see v. 17). For stylistic reasons these have been translated as plural pronouns (“them”).

[19:17]  ⁴⁴² tn Or “one of them”; Heb “he.” Several ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate, Syriac) read the plural “they.” See also the note on “your” in v. 19.

[19:17]  ⁴⁴³ tn Heb “escape.”

[19:17]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew verb translated “look” signifies an intense gaze, not a passing glance. This same verb is used later in v. 26 to describe Lot’s wife’s self-destructive look back at the city.

[19:17]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn Or “in the plain”; Heb “in the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:18]  ⁴⁴⁶ tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[19:19]  ⁴⁴⁷ tn The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.

[19:19]  ⁴⁴⁸ tn Heb “in your eyes.”

[19:19]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”

[19:19]  ⁴⁵⁰ sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.

[19:19]  ⁴⁵¹ tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.

[19:19]  ⁴⁵² tn Heb “lest.”

[19:19]  ⁴⁵³ tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.

[19:19]  ⁴⁵⁴ tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.

[19:20]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn The Hebrew word עִיר (’ir) can refer to either a city or a town, depending on the size of the place. Given that this place was described by Lot later in this verse as a “little place,” the translation uses “town.”

[19:20]  ⁴⁵⁶ tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”

[19:20]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.

[19:20]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn Heb “Is it not little?”

[19:20]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.

[19:21]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn Heb “And he said, ‘Look, I will grant.’” The order of the clauses has been rearranged for stylistic reasons. The referent of the speaker (“he”) is somewhat ambiguous: It could be taken as the angel to whom Lot has been speaking (so NLT; note the singular references in vv. 18-19), or it could be that Lot is speaking directly to the Lord here. Most English translations leave the referent of the pronoun unspecified and maintain the ambiguity.

[19:21]  ⁴⁶¹ tn Heb “I have lifted up your face [i.e., shown you favor] also concerning this matter.”

[19:21]  ⁴⁶² tn The negated infinitive construct indicates either the consequence of God’s granting the request (“I have granted this request, so that I will not”) or the manner in which he will grant it (“I have granted your request by not destroying”).

[19:22]  ⁴⁶³ tn Heb “Be quick! Escape to there!” The two imperatives form a verbal hendiadys, the first becoming adverbial.

[19:22]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn Heb “Therefore the name of the city is called Zoar.” The name of the place, צוֹעַר (tso’ar) apparently means “Little Place,” in light of the wordplay with the term “little” (מִצְעָר, mits’ar) used twice by Lot to describe the town (v. 20).

[19:23]  ⁴⁶⁵ sn The sun had just risen. There was very little time for Lot to escape between dawn (v. 15) and sunrise (here).

[19:23]  ⁴⁶⁶ tn The juxtaposition of the two disjunctive clauses indicates synchronic action. The first action (the sun’s rising) occurred as the second (Lot’s entering Zoar) took place. The disjunctive clauses also signal closure for the preceding scene.

[19:24]  ⁴⁶⁷ tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of the next scene and highlights God’s action.

[19:24]  ⁴⁶⁸ tn Or “burning sulfur” (the traditional “fire and brimstone”).

[19:24]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Heb “from the Lord from the heavens.” The words “It was sent down” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:24]  sn The text explicitly states that the sulfur and fire that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah was sent down from the sky by the Lord. What exactly this was, and how it happened, can only be left to intelligent speculation, but see J. P. Harland, “The Destruction of the Cities of the Plain,” BA 6 (1943): 41-54.

[19:25]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Or “and all the plain”; Heb “and all the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:25]  ⁴⁷¹ tn Heb “and the vegetation of the ground.”

[19:26]  ⁴⁷² tn Heb “his”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:26]  ⁴⁷³ tn The Hebrew verb means “to look intently; to gaze” (see 15:5).

[19:26]  sn Longingly. Lot’s wife apparently identified with the doomed city and thereby showed lack of respect for God’s provision of salvation. She, like her daughters later, had allowed her thinking to be influenced by the culture of Sodom.

[19:27]  ⁴⁷⁴ tn The words “and went” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:28]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Heb “upon the face of.”

[19:28]  ⁴⁷⁶ tn Or “all the land of the plain”; Heb “and all the face of the land of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:28]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn Heb “And he saw, and look, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.”

[19:28]  sn It is hard to imagine what was going on in Abraham’s mind, but this brief section in the narrative enables the reader to think about the human response to the judgment. Abraham had family in that area. He had rescued those people from the invasion. That was why he interceded. Yet he surely knew how wicked they were. That was why he got the number down to ten when he negotiated with God to save the city. But now he must have wondered, “What was the point?”

[19:29]  ⁴⁷⁸ tn The construction is a temporal clause comprised of the temporal indicator, an infinitive construct with a preposition, and the subjective genitive.

[19:29]  ⁴⁷⁹ tn Or “of the plain”; Heb “of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:29]  ⁴⁸⁰ tn Heb “remembered,” but this means more than mental recollection here. Abraham’s request (Gen 18:23-32) was that the Lord not destroy the righteous with the wicked. While the requisite minimum number of righteous people (ten, v. 32) needed for God to spare the cities was not found, God nevertheless rescued the righteous before destroying the wicked.

[19:29]  sn God showed Abraham special consideration because of the covenantal relationship he had established with the patriarch. Yet the reader knows that God delivered the “righteous” (Lot’s designation in 2 Pet 2:7) before destroying their world – which is what he will do again at the end of the age.

[19:29]  ⁴⁸¹ sn God’s removal of Lot before the judgment is paradigmatic. He typically delivers the godly before destroying their world.

[19:29]  ⁴⁸² tn Heb “the overthrow when [he] overthrew.”

[19:31]  ⁴⁸³ tn Heb “and the firstborn said.”

[19:31]  ⁴⁸⁴ tn Or perhaps “on earth,” in which case the statement would be hyperbolic; presumably there had been some men living in the town of Zoar to which Lot and his daughters had initially fled.

[19:31]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn Heb “to enter upon us.” This is a euphemism for sexual relations.

[19:32]  ⁴⁸⁶ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:32]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn Heb “and we will lie down.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose/result.

[19:32]  ⁴⁸⁸ tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.

[19:32]  ⁴⁸⁹ tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[19:32]  sn For a discussion of the cultural background of the daughters’ desire to preserve our family line see F. C. Fensham, “The Obliteration of the Family as Motif in the Near Eastern Literature,” AION 10 (1969): 191-99.

[19:33]  ⁴⁹⁰ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:33]  ⁴⁹¹ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:33]  ⁴⁹² tn Heb “and the firstborn came and lied down with her father.” The expression “lied down with” here and in the following verses is a euphemism for sexual relations.

[19:33]  ⁴⁹³ tn Heb “and he did not know when she lay down and when she arose.”

[19:34]  ⁴⁹⁴ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:34]  ⁴⁹⁵ tn Heb “Look, I lied down with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight.”

[19:34]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn Heb “And go, lie down with him and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[19:35]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:35]  ⁴⁹⁸ tn Heb “lied down with him.”

[19:35]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn Heb “And he did not know when she lied down and when she arose.”

[19:37]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:37]  ⁵⁰¹ sn The meaning of the name Moab is not certain. The name sounds like the Hebrew phrase “from our father” (מֵאָבִינוּ, me’avinu) which the daughters used twice (vv. 32, 34). This account is probably included in the narrative in order to portray the Moabites, who later became enemies of God’s people, in a negative light.

[19:38]  ⁵⁰² sn The name Ben-Ammi means “son of my people.” Like the account of Moab’s birth, this story is probably included in the narrative to portray the Ammonites, another perennial enemy of Israel, in a negative light.

[20:1]  ⁵⁰³ tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”

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

[20:1]  ⁵⁰⁴ tn Heb “and he sojourned.”

[20:3]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Heb “came.”

[20:3]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.

[20:3]  ⁵⁰⁷ tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.

[20:4]  ⁵⁰⁸ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[20:4]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.

[20:5]  ⁵¹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:5]  ⁵¹¹ tn Heb “and she, even she.”

[20:5]  ⁵¹² tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”

[20:6]  ⁵¹³ tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”

[20:6]  ⁵¹⁴ tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”

[20:6]  ⁵¹⁵ tn Heb “therefore.”

[20:7]  ⁵¹⁶ tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

[20:7]  ⁵¹⁷ sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

[20:7]  ⁵¹⁸ tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

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

[20:7]  ⁵¹⁹ tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

[20:7]  ⁵²⁰ tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

[20:8]  ⁵²¹ tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”

[20:8]  ⁵²² tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”

[20:8]  ⁵²³ tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”

[20:8]  ⁵²⁴ tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[20:9]  ⁵²⁵ tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.

[20:9]  ⁵²⁶ tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.

[20:10]  ⁵²⁷ tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”

[20:10]  ⁵²⁸ tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.

[20:11]  ⁵²⁹ tn Heb “Because I said.”

[20:11]  ⁵³⁰ tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[20:12]  ⁵³¹ tn Heb “but also.”

[20:13]  ⁵³² tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”

[20:13]  ⁵³³ tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”

[20:14]  ⁵³⁴ tn Heb “took and gave.”

[20:15]  ⁵³⁵ tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”

[20:16]  ⁵³⁶ sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).

[20:16]  ⁵³⁷ sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).

[20:16]  ⁵³⁸ tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).

[20:18]  ⁵³⁹ tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”

[20:18]  ⁵⁴⁰ tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

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

[20:18]  ⁵⁴¹ tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[21:1]  ⁵⁴² sn The Hebrew verb translated “visit” (פָּקַד, paqad ) often describes divine intervention for blessing or cursing; it indicates God’s special attention to an individual or a matter, always with respect to his people’s destiny. He may visit (that is, destroy) the Amalekites; he may visit (that is, deliver) his people in Egypt. Here he visits Sarah, to allow her to have the promised child. One’s destiny is changed when the Lord “visits.” For a more detailed study of the term, see G. André, Determining the Destiny (ConBOT).

[21:1]  ⁵⁴³ tn Heb “and the Lord did.” The divine name has not been repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[21:1]  ⁵⁴⁴ tn Heb “spoken.”

[21:2]  ⁵⁴⁵ tn Or “she conceived.”

[21:3]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn Heb “the one born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.” The two modifying clauses, the first introduced with an article and the second with the relative pronoun, are placed in the middle of the sentence, before the name Isaac is stated. They are meant to underscore that this was indeed an actual birth to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of the promise.

[21:4]  ⁵⁴⁷ tn Heb “Isaac his son, the son of eight days.” The name “Isaac” is repeated in the translation for clarity.

[21:4]  ⁵⁴⁸ sn Just as God had commanded him to do. With the birth of the promised child, Abraham obeyed the Lord by both naming (Gen 17:19) and circumcising Isaac (17:12).

[21:5]  ⁵⁴⁹ tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause underscores how miraculous this birth was. Abraham was 100 years old. The fact that the genealogies give the ages of the fathers when their first son is born shows that this was considered a major milestone in one’s life (G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:80).

[21:6]  ⁵⁵⁰ tn Heb “Laughter God has made for me.”

[21:6]  ⁵⁵¹ tn The words “about this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[21:6]  ⁵⁵² sn Sarah’s words play on the name “Isaac” in a final triumphant manner. God prepared “laughter” (צְחֹק, ysÿkhoq ) for her, and everyone who hears about this “will laugh” (יִצְחַק, yitskhaq ) with her. The laughter now signals great joy and fulfillment, not unbelief (cf. Gen 18:12-15).

[21:7]  ⁵⁵³ tn Heb “said.”

[21:7]  ⁵⁵⁴ tn The perfect form of the verb is used here to describe a hypothetical situation.

[21:8]  ⁵⁵⁵ tn Heb “made.”

[21:8]  ⁵⁵⁶ sn Children were weaned closer to the age of two or three in the ancient world, because infant mortality was high. If an infant grew to this stage, it was fairly certain he or she would live. Such an event called for a celebration, especially for parents who had waited so long for a child.

[21:9]  ⁵⁵⁷ tn Heb “saw.”

[21:9]  ⁵⁵⁸ tn The Piel participle used here is from the same root as the name “Isaac.” In the Piel stem the verb means “to jest; to make sport of; to play with,” not simply “to laugh,” which is the meaning of the verb in the Qal stem. What exactly Ishmael was doing is not clear. Interpreters have generally concluded that the boy was either (1) mocking Isaac (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) or (2) merely playing with Isaac as if on equal footing (cf. NAB, NRSV). In either case Sarah saw it as a threat. The same participial form was used in Gen 19:14 to describe how some in Lot’s family viewed his attempt to warn them of impending doom. It also appears later in Gen 39:14, 17, where Potiphar accuses Joseph of mocking them.

[21:9]  sn Mocking. Here Sarah interprets Ishmael’s actions as being sinister. Ishmael probably did not take the younger child seriously and Sarah saw this as a threat to Isaac. Paul in Gal 4:29 says that Ishmael persecuted Isaac. He uses a Greek word that can mean “to put to flight; to chase away; to pursue” and may be drawing on a rabbinic interpretation of the passage. In Paul’s analogical application of the passage, he points out that once the promised child Isaac (symbolizing Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promise) has come, there is no room left for the slave woman and her son (who symbolize the Mosaic law).

[21:10]  ⁵⁵⁹ tn Heb “drive out.” The language may seem severe, but Sarah’s maternal instincts sensed a real danger in that Ishmael was not treating Isaac with the proper respect.

[21:11]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn Heb “and the word was very wrong in the eyes of Abraham on account of his son.” The verb רָעַע (ra’a’) often refers to what is morally or ethically “evil.” It usage here suggests that Abraham thought Sarah’s demand was ethically (and perhaps legally) wrong.

[21:12]  ⁵⁶¹ tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”

[21:12]  ⁵⁶² tn Heb “listen to her voice.” The idiomatic expression means “obey; comply.” Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later (see Gen 25), when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well.

[21:12]  ⁵⁶³ tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.

[21:12]  ⁵⁶⁴ tn Or perhaps “will be named”; Heb “for in Isaac offspring will be called to you.” The exact meaning of the statement is not clear, but it does indicate that God’s covenantal promises to Abraham will be realized through Isaac, not Ishmael.

[21:14]  ⁵⁶⁵ tn Heb “and Abraham rose up early in the morning and he took.”

[21:14]  ⁵⁶⁶ tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[21:14]  ⁵⁶⁷ tn Heb “He put upon her shoulder, and the boy [or perhaps, “and with the boy”], and he sent her away.” It is unclear how “and the boy” relates syntactically to what precedes. Perhaps the words should be rearranged and the text read, “and he put [them] on her shoulder and he gave to Hagar the boy.”

[21:14]  ⁵⁶⁸ tn Heb “she went and wandered.”

[21:14]  ⁵⁶⁹ tn Or “desert,” although for English readers this usually connotes a sandy desert like the Sahara rather than the arid wasteland of this region with its sparse vegetation.

[21:15]  ⁵⁷⁰ tn Heb “threw,” but the child, who was now thirteen years old, would not have been carried, let alone thrown under a bush. The exaggerated language suggests Ishmael is limp from dehydration and is being abandoned to die. See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 2:85.

[21:16]  ⁵⁷¹ sn A bowshot would be a distance of about a hundred yards (ninety meters).

[21:16]  ⁵⁷² tn Heb “said.”

[21:16]  ⁵⁷³ tn Heb “I will not look on the death of the child.” The cohortative verbal form (note the negative particle אַל,’al) here expresses her resolve to avoid the stated action.

[21:16]  ⁵⁷⁴ tn Heb “and she lifted up her voice and wept” (that is, she wept uncontrollably). The LXX reads “he” (referring to Ishmael) rather than “she” (referring to Hagar), but this is probably an attempt to harmonize this verse with the following one, which refers to the boy’s cries.

[21:17]  ⁵⁷⁵ sn God heard the boy’s voice. The text has not to this point indicated that Ishmael was crying out, either in pain or in prayer. But the text here makes it clear that God heard him. Ishmael is clearly central to the story. Both the mother and the Lord are focused on the child’s imminent death.

[21:17]  ⁵⁷⁶ tn Heb “What to you?”

[21:17]  ⁵⁷⁷ sn Here the verb heard picks up the main motif of the name Ishmael (“God hears”), introduced back in chap. 16.

[21:19]  ⁵⁷⁸ tn Heb “And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” The referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:21]  ⁵⁷⁹ sn The wilderness of Paran is an area in the east central region of the Sinai peninsula, northeast from the traditional site of Mt. Sinai and with the Arabah and the Gulf of Aqaba as its eastern border.

[21:21]  ⁵⁸⁰ tn Heb “And his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.”

[21:22]  ⁵⁸¹ sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.

[21:23]  ⁵⁸² tn Heb “And now swear to me by God here.”

[21:23]  ⁵⁸³ tn Heb “my offspring and my descendants.”

[21:23]  ⁵⁸⁴ tn The word “land” refers by metonymy to the people in the land.

[21:23]  ⁵⁸⁵ tn The Hebrew verb means “to stay, to live, to sojourn” as a temporary resident without ownership rights.

[21:23]  ⁵⁸⁶ tn Or “kindness.”

[21:23]  ⁵⁸⁷ tn Heb “According to the loyalty which I have done with you, do with me and with the land in which you are staying.”

[21:24]  ⁵⁸⁸ tn Heb “I swear.” No object is specified in the Hebrew text, but the content of the oath requested by Abimelech is the implied object.

[21:25]  ⁵⁸⁹ tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to argue; to dispute”; it can focus on the beginning of the dispute (as here), the dispute itself, or the resolution of a dispute (Isa 1:18). Apparently the complaint was lodged before the actual oath was taken.

[21:25]  ⁵⁹⁰ tn Heb “concerning the matter of the well of water.”

[21:25]  ⁵⁹¹ tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to steal; to rob; to take violently.” The statement reflects Abraham’s perspective.

[21:26]  ⁵⁹² tn Heb “and also.”

[21:27]  ⁵⁹³ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[21:29]  ⁵⁹⁴ tn Heb “What are these?”

[21:30]  ⁵⁹⁵ tn Heb “that it be for me for a witness.”

[21:30]  ⁵⁹⁶ sn This well. Since the king wanted a treaty to share in Abraham’s good fortune, Abraham used the treaty to secure ownership of and protection for the well he dug. It would be useless to make a treaty to live in this territory if he had no rights to the water. Abraham consented to the treaty, but added his rider to it.

[21:31]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”

[21:31]  ⁵⁹⁸ sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven.” Both the verb “to swear” and the number “seven” have been used throughout the account. Now they are drawn in as part of the explanation of the significance of the name.

[21:31]  ⁵⁹⁹ sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.

[21:32]  ⁶⁰⁰ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[21:32]  ⁶⁰¹ tn Heb “arose and returned.”

[21:32]  ⁶⁰² sn The Philistines mentioned here may not be ethnically related to those who lived in Palestine in the time of the judges and the united monarchy. See D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 238.

[21:33]  ⁶⁰³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:33]  ⁶⁰⁴ sn The planting of the tamarisk tree is a sign of Abraham’s intent to stay there for a long time, not a religious act. A growing tree in the Negev would be a lasting witness to God’s provision of water.

[21:33]  ⁶⁰⁵ tn Heb “he called there in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.

[21:34]  ⁶⁰⁶ tn Heb “many days.”

[22:1]  ⁶⁰⁷ sn The Hebrew verb used here means “to test; to try; to prove.” In this passage God tests Abraham to see if he would be obedient. See T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 44-48. See also J. L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment (OBT), 9-30; and J. I. Lawlor, “The Test of Abraham,” GTJ 1 (1980): 19-35.

[22:1]  ⁶⁰⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:2]  ⁶⁰⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:2]  ⁶¹⁰ sn Take your son…Isaac. The instructions are very clear, but the details are deliberate. With every additional description the commandment becomes more challenging.

[22:2]  ⁶¹¹ sn There has been much debate over the location of Moriah; 2 Chr 3:1 suggests it may be the site where the temple was later built in Jerusalem.

[22:2]  ⁶¹² sn A whole burnt offering signified the complete surrender of the worshiper and complete acceptance by God. The demand for a human sacrifice was certainly radical and may have seemed to Abraham out of character for God. Abraham would have to obey without fully understanding what God was about.

[22:2]  ⁶¹³ tn Heb “which I will say to.”

[22:3]  ⁶¹⁴ tn Heb “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.”

[22:3]  ⁶¹⁵ tn Heb “he arose and he went.”

[22:4]  ⁶¹⁶ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.”

[22:5]  ⁶¹⁷ tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.

[22:5]  ⁶¹⁸ tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey.

[22:5]  ⁶¹⁹ tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal.

[22:5]  ⁶²⁰ tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.”

[22:5]  ⁶²¹ sn It is impossible to know what Abraham was thinking when he said, “we will…return to you.” When he went he knew (1) that he was to sacrifice Isaac, and (2) that God intended to fulfill his earlier promises through Isaac. How he reconciled those facts is not clear in the text. Heb 11:17-19 suggests that Abraham believed God could restore Isaac to him through resurrection.

[22:6]  ⁶²² sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead.

[22:7]  ⁶²³ tn The Hebrew text adds “and said.” This is redundant and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[22:7]  ⁶²⁴ tn Heb “Here I am” (cf. Gen 22:1).

[22:7]  ⁶²⁵ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here is the fire and the wood.’” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here and in the following verse the order of the introductory clauses and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:8]  ⁶²⁶ tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”

[22:8]  sn God will provide is the central theme of the passage and the turning point in the story. Note Paul’s allusion to the story in Rom 8:32 (“how shall he not freely give us all things?”) as well as H. J. Schoeps, “The Sacrifice of Isaac in Paul’s Theology,” JBL 65 (1946): 385-92.

[22:9]  ⁶²⁷ sn Abraham built an altar there. The theme of Abraham’s altar building culminates here. He has been a faithful worshiper. Will he continue to worship when called upon to make such a radical sacrifice?

[22:9]  ⁶²⁸ sn Then he tied up. This text has given rise to an important theme in Judaism known as the Aqedah, from the Hebrew word for “binding.” When sacrifices were made in the sanctuary, God remembered the binding of Isaac, for which a substitute was offered. See D. Polish, “The Binding of Isaac,” Jud 6 (1957): 17-21.

[22:10]  ⁶²⁹ tn Heb “in order to slaughter.”

[22:11]  ⁶³⁰ sn Heb “the messenger of the Lord” (also in v. 15). Some identify the angel of the Lord as the preincarnate Christ because in some texts the angel is identified with the Lord himself. However, see the note on the phrase “the Lord’s angel” in Gen 16:7.

[22:12]  ⁶³¹ tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.”

[22:12]  ⁶³² tn Heb “and he said, ‘Do not extend…’”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the context for clarity. The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:12]  ⁶³³ sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1).

[22:12]  ⁶³⁴ sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith.

[22:13]  ⁶³⁵ tn Heb “lifted his eyes.”

[22:13]  ⁶³⁶ tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to what Abraham saw and invites the audience to view the scene through his eyes.

[22:13]  ⁶³⁷ tc The translation follows the reading of the MT; a number of Hebrew mss, the LXX, Syriac, and Samaritan Pentateuch read “one” (אֶחָד, ’ekhad) instead of “behind him” (אַחַר, ’akhar).

[22:13]  ⁶³⁸ tn Heb “Abraham”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[22:14]  ⁶³⁹ tn Heb “the Lord sees” (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, yÿhvah yir’eh, traditionally transliterated “Jehovah Jireh”; see the note on the word “provide” in v. 8). By so naming the place Abraham preserved in the memory of God’s people the amazing event that took place there.

[22:14]  ⁶⁴⁰ sn On the expression to this day see B. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until this Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.

[22:14]  ⁶⁴¹ sn The saying connected with these events has some ambiguity, which was probably intended. The Niphal verb could be translated (1) “in the mountain of the Lord it will be seen/provided” or (2) “in the mountain the Lord will appear.” If the temple later stood here (see the note on “Moriah” in Gen 22:2), the latter interpretation might find support, for the people went to the temple to appear before the Lord, who “appeared” to them by providing for them his power and blessings. See S. R. Driver, Genesis, 219.

[22:16]  ⁶⁴² tn Heb “By myself I swear.”

[22:16]  ⁶⁴³ tn Heb “the oracle of the Lord.” The phrase refers to a formal oracle or decree from the Lord.

[22:17]  ⁶⁴⁴ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form (either an imperfect or cohortative) emphasizes the certainty of the blessing.

[22:17]  ⁶⁴⁵ tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).

[22:17]  sn I will greatly multiply. The Lord here ratifies his earlier promise to give Abram a multitude of descendants. For further discussion see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 35-54.

[22:17]  ⁶⁴⁶ tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[22:17]  ⁶⁴⁷ tn Or “inherit.”

[22:17]  ⁶⁴⁸ tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. To break through the gate complex would be to conquer the city, for the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”).

[22:18]  ⁶⁴⁹ tn In the Hebrew text this causal clause comes at the end of the sentence. The translation alters the word order for stylistic reasons.

[22:18]  sn Because you have obeyed me. Abraham’s obedience brought God’s ratification of the earlier conditional promise (see Gen 12:2).

[22:18]  ⁶⁵⁰ tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 26:4). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)

[22:19]  ⁶⁵¹ tn Heb “and they arose and went together.”

[22:19]  ⁶⁵² tn Heb “and Abraham stayed in Beer Sheba. This has been translated as a relative clause for stylistic reasons.

[22:20]  ⁶⁵³ tn In the Hebrew text the sentence begins with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to the statement.

[22:21]  ⁶⁵⁴ sn This parenthetical note about Kemuel’s descendant is probably a later insertion by the author/compiler of Genesis and not part of the original announcement.

[22:23]  ⁶⁵⁵ tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is important but parenthetical to the narrative. Rebekah would become the wife of Isaac (Gen 24:15).

[23:1]  ⁶⁵⁶ tn Heb “And the years of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.”

[23:2]  ⁶⁵⁷ tn Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons.

[23:2]  ⁶⁵⁸ sn Mourn…weep. The description here is of standard mourning rites (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD³ 149-50). They would have been carried out in the presence of the corpse, probably in Sarah’s tent. So Abraham came in to mourn; then he rose up to go and bury his dead (v. 3).

[23:3]  ⁶⁵⁹ tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”

[23:3]  ⁶⁶⁰ tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.

[23:4]  ⁶⁶¹ tn Heb “a resident alien and a settler.”

[23:4]  ⁶⁶² tn Heb “give,” which is used here as an idiom for “sell” (see v. 9). The idiom reflects the polite bartering that was done in the culture at the time.

[23:4]  ⁶⁶³ tn Or “possession.”

[23:4]  ⁶⁶⁴ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose.

[23:4]  ⁶⁶⁵ tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:5]  ⁶⁶⁶ tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”

[23:6]  ⁶⁶⁷ tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”

[23:6]  ⁶⁶⁸ tn Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “Nasi’ ‘elohim (Gen 23:6),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16.

[23:6]  ⁶⁶⁹ tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:7]  ⁶⁷⁰ tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).

[23:8]  ⁶⁷¹ tn Heb “If it is with your purpose.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here has the nuance “purpose” or perhaps “desire” (see BDB 661 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ).

[23:8]  ⁶⁷² tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:8]  ⁶⁷³ tn Or “hear me.”

[23:8]  ⁶⁷⁴ tn Heb “intercede for me with.”

[23:9]  ⁶⁷⁵ tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4.

[23:9]  ⁶⁷⁶ tn Heb “in your presence.”

[23:9]  ⁶⁷⁷ tn Heb “silver.”

[23:10]  ⁶⁷⁸ tn Or perhaps “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3.

[23:10]  ⁶⁷⁹ tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.

[23:10]  ⁶⁸⁰ sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33.

[23:11]  ⁶⁸¹ tn Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field.

[23:11]  ⁶⁸² tn The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[23:11]  ⁶⁸³ tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”

[23:13]  ⁶⁸⁴ tn Heb “give.”

[23:13]  ⁶⁸⁵ tn Heb “silver.”

[23:13]  ⁶⁸⁶ tn After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.

[23:15]  ⁶⁸⁷ tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:15]  ⁶⁸⁸ sn Four hundred pieces of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 4.6 kilograms, or 160 ounces (about 10 pounds).

[23:16]  ⁶⁸⁹ tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”

[23:16]  ⁶⁹⁰ tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”

[23:16]  ⁶⁹¹ tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:16]  ⁶⁹² tn Heb “silver.”

[23:16]  ⁶⁹³ tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[23:16]  ⁶⁹⁴ tn Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.

[23:17]  ⁶⁹⁵ tn Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:18]  ⁶⁹⁶ tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:18]  sn See G. M. Tucker, “The Legal Background of Genesis 23,” JBL 85 (1966):77-84; and M. R. Lehmann, “Abraham’s Purchase of Machpelah and Hittite Law,” BASOR 129 (1953): 15-18.

[23:20]  ⁶⁹⁷ tn Heb “possession of a grave.”

[24:1]  ⁶⁹⁸ tn Heb “days.”

[24:1]  ⁶⁹⁹ tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.

[24:2]  ⁷⁰⁰ tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).

[24:2]  ⁷⁰¹ sn Put your hand under my thigh. The taking of this oath had to do with the sanctity of the family and the continuation of the family line. See D. R. Freedman, “Put Your Hand Under My Thigh – the Patriarchal Oath,” BAR 2 (1976): 2-4, 42.

[24:3]  ⁷⁰² tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.

[24:3]  ⁷⁰³ tn Heb “because you must not take.”

[24:4]  ⁷⁰⁴ tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”

[24:4]  ⁷⁰⁵ tn Heb “and take.”

[24:5]  ⁷⁰⁶ tn Heb “to go after me.”

[24:5]  ⁷⁰⁷ tn In the Hebrew text the construction is emphatic; the infinitive absolute precedes the imperfect. However, it is difficult to reflect this emphasis in an English translation.

[24:6]  ⁷⁰⁸ tn Heb “guard yourself.”

[24:6]  ⁷⁰⁹ tn The introductory clause “And Abraham said to him” has been moved to the end of the opening sentence of direct discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:7]  ⁷¹⁰ tn Or “the land of my birth.”

[24:7]  ⁷¹¹ tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”

[24:7]  ⁷¹² tn Or “his messenger.”

[24:7]  ⁷¹³ tn Heb “before you and you will take.”

[24:8]  ⁷¹⁴ tn Heb “ to go after you.”

[24:8]  ⁷¹⁵ sn You will be free. If the prospective bride was not willing to accompany the servant back to Canaan, the servant would be released from his oath to Abraham.

[24:9]  ⁷¹⁶ tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”

[24:10]  ⁷¹⁷ tn Heb “and every good thing of his master was in his hand.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, explaining that he took all kinds of gifts to be used at his discretion.

[24:10]  ⁷¹⁸ tn Heb “and he arose and went.”

[24:10]  ⁷¹⁹ tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:10]  sn Aram Naharaim means in Hebrew “Aram of the Two Rivers,” a region in northern Mesopotamia.

[24:11]  ⁷²⁰ tn Heb “well of water.”

[24:11]  ⁷²¹ tn Heb “at the time of evening.”

[24:12]  ⁷²² tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).

[24:12]  ⁷²³ tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”

[24:13]  ⁷²⁴ tn Heb “the spring of water.”

[24:13]  ⁷²⁵ tn Heb “the men.”

[24:14]  ⁷²⁶ sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.

[24:14]  ⁷²⁷ tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”

[24:15]  ⁷²⁸ tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out!” Using the participle introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator dramatically transports the audience back into the event and invites them to see Rebekah through the servant’s eyes.

[24:15]  ⁷²⁹ tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out – [she] who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham – and her jug [was] on her shoulder.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:16]  ⁷³⁰ tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man she had not known.” Some argue that the Hebrew noun translated “virgin” (בְּתוּלָה, bÿtulah) is better understood in a general sense, “young woman” (see Joel 1:8, where the word appears to refer to one who is married). In this case the circumstantial clause (“and a man she had not known”) would be restrictive, rather than descriptive. If the term actually means “virgin,” one wonders why the circumstantial clause is necessary (see Judg 21:12 as well). Perhaps the repetition emphasizes her sexual purity as a prerequisite for her role as the mother of the covenant community.

[24:17]  ⁷³¹ tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:18]  ⁷³² tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”

[24:19]  ⁷³³ tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:20]  ⁷³⁴ tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”

[24:21]  ⁷³⁵ tn Heb “to know.”

[24:21]  ⁷³⁶ tn The Hebrew term צָלָה (tsalah), meaning “to make successful” in the Hiphil verbal stem, is a key term in the story (see vv. 40, 42, 56).

[24:22]  ⁷³⁷ sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).

[24:22]  ⁷³⁸ sn A shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce) although weights varied locally, so these bracelets weighed about 4 ounces (115 grams).

[24:22]  ⁷³⁹ tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[24:23]  ⁷⁴⁰ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:24]  ⁷⁴¹ tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ⁷⁴² tn Heb “and she said, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed.’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:25]  ⁷⁴³ tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[24:27]  ⁷⁴⁴ tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”

[24:27]  ⁷⁴⁵ tn Heb “As for me – in the way the Lord led me.”

[24:27]  ⁷⁴⁶ tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.

[24:27]  ⁷⁴⁷ tn Heb “brothers.”

[24:28]  ⁷⁴⁸ tn Heb “according to.”

[24:29]  ⁷⁴⁹ tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.

[24:30]  ⁷⁵⁰ tn Heb “And it was when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister.” The word order is altered in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[24:30]  ⁷⁵¹ tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”

[24:30]  ⁷⁵² tn Heb “and look, he was standing.” The disjunctive clause with the participle following the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites the audience to view the scene through Laban’s eyes.

[24:31]  ⁷⁵³ tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified and the words “to him” supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:31]  ⁷⁵⁴ sn Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the Lord. Already the author is laying the foundation for subsequent events in the narrative, where Laban’s greed becomes his dominant characteristic.

[24:31]  ⁷⁵⁵ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.

[24:32]  ⁷⁵⁶ tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:32]  ⁷⁵⁷ tn Some translations (e.g., NEB, NASB, NRSV) understand Laban to be the subject of this and the following verbs or take the subject of this and the following verbs as indefinite (referring to an unnamed servant; e.g., NAB, NIV).

[24:32]  ⁷⁵⁸ tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.

[24:32]  ⁷⁵⁹ tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”

[24:33]  ⁷⁶⁰ tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”

[24:33]  ⁷⁶¹ tn Heb “my words.”

[24:33]  ⁷⁶² tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”

[24:33]  tn Heb “and he said, ‘Speak.’” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:35]  ⁷⁶³ tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.

[24:35]  ⁷⁶⁴ tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:36]  ⁷⁶⁵ tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:36]  ⁷⁶⁶ tn Heb “after her old age.”

[24:36]  ⁷⁶⁷ tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:38]  ⁷⁶⁸ tn Heb “but to the house of my father you must go and to my family and you must take a wife for my son.”

[24:39]  ⁷⁶⁹ tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.

[24:39]  ⁷⁷⁰ tn Heb “after me.”

[24:40]  ⁷⁷¹ tn The verb is the Hitpael of הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning “live one’s life” (see Gen 17:1). The statement may simply refer to serving the Lord or it may have a more positive moral connotation (“serve faithfully”).

[24:41]  ⁷⁷² tn Heb “my oath” (twice in this verse). From the Hebrew perspective the oath belonged to the person to whom it was sworn (Abraham), although in contemporary English an oath is typically viewed as belonging to the person who swears it (the servant).

[24:42]  ⁷⁷³ tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”

[24:42]  ⁷⁷⁴ tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[24:43]  ⁷⁷⁵ tn Heb “the spring of water.”

[24:43]  ⁷⁷⁶ tn Heb “and it will be.”

[24:45]  ⁷⁷⁷ tn Heb “As for me, before I finished speaking to my heart.” The adverb טֶרֶם (terem) indicates the verb is a preterite; the infinitive that follows is the direct object.

[24:45]  ⁷⁷⁸ tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.

[24:47]  ⁷⁷⁹ tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:48]  ⁷⁸⁰ tn Heb “daughter.” Rebekah was actually the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. One can either translate the Hebrew term בַּת (bat) as “daughter,” in which case the term אָח (’akh) must be translated more generally as “relative” rather than “brother” (cf. NASB, NRSV) or one can translate בַּת as “granddaughter,” in which case אָח may be translated “brother” (cf. NIV).

[24:49]  ⁷⁸¹ tn Heb “and I will turn to the right or to the left.” The expression apparently means that Abraham’s servant will know where he should go if there is no further business here.

[24:50]  ⁷⁸² tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”

[24:50]  ⁷⁸³ tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.

[24:51]  ⁷⁸⁴ tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[24:51]  ⁷⁸⁵ tn Heb “as the Lord has spoken.”

[24:53]  ⁷⁸⁶ tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:54]  ⁷⁸⁷ tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”

[24:54]  ⁷⁸⁸ tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”

[24:55]  ⁷⁸⁹ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:56]  ⁷⁹⁰ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.

[24:56]  ⁷⁹¹ tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[24:57]  ⁷⁹² tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”

[24:58]  ⁷⁹³ tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.

[24:60]  ⁷⁹⁴ tn Heb “and said to her.”

[24:60]  ⁷⁹⁵ tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”

[24:60]  sn May you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands. The blessing expresses their prayer that she produce children and start a family line that will greatly increase (cf. Gen 17:16).

[24:60]  ⁷⁹⁶ tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). A similar phrase occurs in Gen 22:17.

[24:61]  ⁷⁹⁷ tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”

[24:61]  ⁷⁹⁸ tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:62]  ⁷⁹⁹ tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.

[24:62]  ⁸⁰⁰ tn Heb “from the way of.”

[24:62]  ⁸⁰¹ sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” See Gen 16:14.

[24:62]  ⁸⁰² tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.

[24:62]  ⁸⁰³ tn Or “the South [country].”

[24:62]  sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[24:63]  ⁸⁰⁴ tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:63]  ⁸⁰⁵ tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).

[24:63]  ⁸⁰⁶ tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”

[24:63]  ⁸⁰⁷ tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.

[24:63]  ⁸⁰⁸ tn Heb “and look.” The clause introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) invites the audience to view the scene through Isaac’s eyes.

[24:64]  ⁸⁰⁹ tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”

[24:65]  ⁸¹⁰ tn Heb “and she said to.”

[24:65]  ⁸¹¹ tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:65]  ⁸¹² tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:67]  ⁸¹³ tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.

[24:67]  ⁸¹⁴ tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:67]  ⁸¹⁵ tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”

[24:67]  ⁸¹⁶ tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.

[25:1]  ⁸¹⁷ tn Or “took.”

[25:1]  sn Abraham had taken another wife. These events are not necessarily in chronological order following the events of the preceding chapter. They are listed here to summarize Abraham’s other descendants before the narrative of his death.

[25:1]  ⁸¹⁸ tn Heb “And Abraham added and took.”

[25:3]  ⁸¹⁹ sn The names Sheba and Dedan appear in Gen 10:7 as descendants of Ham through Cush and Raamah. Since these two names are usually interpreted to be place names, one plausible suggestion is that some of Abraham’s descendants lived in those regions and took names linked with it.

[25:4]  ⁸²⁰ tn Or “sons.”

[25:6]  ⁸²¹ tn Heb “the sons of the concubines who [belonged] to Abraham.”

[25:6]  ⁸²² tn Heb “And he sent them away from upon Isaac his son, while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.”

[25:7]  ⁸²³ tn Heb “and these are the days of the years of the lifetime of Abraham that he lived.” The normal genealogical formula is expanded here due to the importance of the life of Abraham.

[25:8]  ⁸²⁴ tn Heb “old and full.”

[25:8]  ⁸²⁵ tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.

[25:9]  ⁸²⁶ sn The cave of Machpelah was the place Abraham had purchased as a burial place for his wife Sarah (Gen 23:17-18).

[25:10]  ⁸²⁷ tn See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.

[25:11]  ⁸²⁸ sn God blessed Isaac. The Hebrew verb “bless” in this passage must include all the gifts that God granted to Isaac. But fertility was not one of them, at least not for twenty years, because Rebekah was barren as well (see v. 21).

[25:11]  ⁸²⁹ sn Beer Lahai Roi. See the note on this place name in Gen 24:62.

[25:12]  ⁸³⁰ sn This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).

[25:13]  ⁸³¹ tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”

[25:16]  ⁸³² tn Or “tribal chieftains.”

[25:17]  ⁸³³ tn Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”

[25:17]  ⁸³⁴ tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.

[25:18]  ⁸³⁵ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:18]  ⁸³⁶ tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.

[25:18]  ⁸³⁷ tn Heb “as you go.”

[25:18]  ⁸³⁸ sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.

[25:18]  ⁸³⁹ tn Heb “he fell.”

[25:18]  ⁸⁴⁰ tn Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.

[25:19]  ⁸⁴¹ sn This is the account of Isaac. What follows for several chapters is not the account of Isaac, except briefly, but the account of Jacob and Esau. The next chapters tell what became of Isaac and his family.

[25:20]  ⁸⁴² tn Heb “And Isaac was the son of forty years when he took Rebekah.”

[25:20]  ⁸⁴³ sn Some valuable information is provided here. We learn here that Isaac married thirty-five years before Abraham died, that Rebekah was barren for twenty years, and that Abraham would have lived to see Jacob and Esau begin to grow up. The death of Abraham was recorded in the first part of the chapter as a “tidying up” of one generation before beginning the account of the next.

[25:21]  ⁸⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew verb עָתַר (’atar), translated “prayed [to]” here, appears in the story of God’s judgment on Egypt in which Moses asked the Lord to remove the plagues. The cognate word in Arabic means “to slaughter for sacrifice,” and the word is used in Zeph 3:10 to describe worshipers who bring offerings. Perhaps some ritual accompanied Isaac’s prayer here.

[25:22]  ⁸⁴⁵ tn The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.

[25:22]  ⁸⁴⁶ tn Heb “If [it is] so, why [am] I this [way]?” Rebekah wanted to know what was happening to her, but the question itself reflects a growing despair over the struggle of the unborn children.

[25:22]  ⁸⁴⁷ sn Asked the Lord. In other passages (e.g., 1 Sam 9:9) this expression refers to inquiring of a prophet, but no details are provided here.

[25:23]  ⁸⁴⁸ sn By metonymy the two children in her womb are described as two nations of which the two children, Jacob and Esau, would become the fathers. The language suggests there would be a struggle between these nations, with one being stronger than the other. The oracle reveals that all of Jacob’s scheming was unnecessary in the final analysis. He would have become the dominant nation without using deception to steal his brother’s blessing.

[25:24]  ⁸⁴⁹ tn Heb “And her days were filled to give birth.”

[25:24]  ⁸⁵⁰ tn Heb “look!” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene as if they were actually present at the birth.

[25:25]  ⁸⁵¹ sn Reddish. The Hebrew word translated “reddish” is אַדְמוֹנִי (’admoni), which forms a wordplay on the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. The writer sees in Esau’s appearance at birth a sign of what was to come. After all, the reader has already been made aware of the “nations” that were being born.

[25:25]  ⁸⁵² tn Heb “all of him.”

[25:25]  ⁸⁵³ sn Hairy. Here is another wordplay involving the descendants of Esau. The Hebrew word translated “hairy” is שֵׂעָר (se’ar); the Edomites will later live in Mount Seir, perhaps named for its wooded nature.

[25:25]  ⁸⁵⁴ tn Heb “And they called his name Esau.” The name “Esau” (עֵשָׂו, ’esav) is not etymologically related to שֵׂעָר (se’ar), but it draws on some of the sounds.

[25:26]  ⁸⁵⁵ tn The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.

[25:26]  ⁸⁵⁶ tn Heb “And he called his name Jacob.” Some ancient witnesses read “they called his name Jacob” (see v. 25). In either case the subject is indefinite.

[25:26]  sn The name Jacob is a play on the Hebrew word for “heel” (עָקֵב, ’aqev). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. It did not have a negative connotation until Esau redefined it. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. After receiving such an oracle, the parents would have preserved in memory almost every detail of the unusual births.

[25:26]  ⁸⁵⁷ tn Heb “the son of sixty years.”

[25:27]  ⁸⁵⁸ tn Heb “knowing.”

[25:27]  ⁸⁵⁹ tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Jacob with Esau and draws attention to the striking contrasts. In contrast to Esau, a man of the field, Jacob was civilized, as the phrase “living in tents” signifies. Whereas Esau was a skillful hunter, Jacob was calm and even-tempered (תָּם, tam), which normally has the idea of “blameless.”

[25:28]  ⁸⁶⁰ tn Heb “the taste of game was in his mouth.” The word for “game,” “venison” is here the same Hebrew word as “hunter” in the last verse. Here it is a metonymy, referring to that which the hunter kills.

[25:28]  ⁸⁶¹ tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Rebekah with Jacob and draws attention to the contrast. The verb here is a participle, drawing attention to Rebekah’s continuing, enduring love for her son.

[25:29]  ⁸⁶² sn Jacob cooked some stew. There are some significant words and wordplays in this story that help clarify the points of the story. The verb “cook” is זִיד (zid), which sounds like the word for “hunter” (צַיִד, tsayid). This is deliberate, for the hunter becomes the hunted in this story. The word זִיד means “to cook, to boil,” but by the sound play with צַיִד it comes to mean “set a trap by cooking.” The usage of the word shows that it can also have the connotation of acting presumptuously (as in boiling over). This too may be a comment on the scene. For further discussion of the rhetorical devices in the Jacob narratives, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis (SSN).

[25:30]  ⁸⁶³ tn The rare term לָעַט (la’at), translated “feed,” is used in later Hebrew for feeding animals (see Jastrow, 714). If this nuance was attached to the word in the biblical period, then it may depict Esau in a negative light, comparing him to a hungry animal. Famished Esau comes in from the hunt, only to enter the trap. He can only point at the red stew and ask Jacob to feed him.

[25:30]  ⁸⁶⁴ tn The verb has no expressed subject and so is given a passive translation.

[25:30]  ⁸⁶⁵ sn Esau’s descendants would eventually be called Edom. Edom was the place where they lived, so-named probably because of the reddish nature of the hills. The writer can use the word “red” to describe the stew that Esau gasped for to convey the nature of Esau and his descendants. They were a lusty, passionate, and profane people who lived for the moment. Again, the wordplay is meant to capture the “omen in the nomen.”

[25:31]  ⁸⁶⁶ tn Heb “today.”

[25:32]  ⁸⁶⁷ tn Heb “And what is this to me, a birthright?”

[25:33]  ⁸⁶⁸ tn Heb “Swear to me today.”

[25:33]  ⁸⁶⁹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:33]  ⁸⁷⁰ sn And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.

[25:34]  ⁸⁷¹ sn The style here is typical of Hebrew narrative; after the tension is resolved with the dialogue, the working out of it is recorded in a rapid sequence of verbs (“gave”; “ate”; “drank”; “got up”; “went out”). See also Gen 3:1-7 for another example.

[25:34]  ⁸⁷² sn So Esau despised his birthright. This clause, which concludes the episode, is a summary statement which reveals the underlying significance of Esau’s actions. “To despise” means to treat something as worthless or with contempt. Esau’s willingness to sell his birthright was evidence that he considered it to be unimportant.

[26:1]  ⁸⁷³ tn Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”

[26:1]  ⁸⁷⁴ 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]  ⁸⁷⁵ 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]  ⁸⁷⁶ tn Heb “say to you.”

[26:3]  ⁸⁷⁷ 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]  ⁸⁷⁸ 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]  ⁸⁷⁹ 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]  ⁸⁸⁰ 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]  ⁸⁸¹ 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]  ⁸⁸² tn Heb “your descendants.”

[26:4]  ⁸⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁸⁴ tn The words “All this will come to pass” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[26:5]  ⁸⁸⁵ tn Heb “listened to my voice.”

[26:5]  ⁸⁸⁶ 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]  ⁸⁸⁷ sn Rebekah, unlike Sarah, was not actually her husband’s sister.

[26:7]  ⁸⁸⁸ 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]  ⁸⁸⁹ tn Heb “kill me on account of.”

[26:8]  ⁸⁹⁰ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:8]  ⁸⁹¹ tn Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”

[26:8]  ⁸⁹² 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]  ⁸⁹³ 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]  ⁸⁹⁴ tn Heb “Surely, look!” See N. H. Snaith, “The meaning of Hebrew ‘ak,” VT 14 (1964): 221-25.

[26:9]  ⁸⁹⁵ 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]  ⁸⁹⁶ 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]  ⁸⁹⁷ tn Heb “people.”

[26:10]  ⁸⁹⁸ 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]  ⁸⁹⁹ 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]  ⁹⁰⁰ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the imperfect makes the construction emphatic.

[26:12]  ⁹⁰¹ tn Heb “a hundredfold.”

[26:12]  ⁹⁰² tn This final clause explains why Isaac had such a bountiful harvest.

[26:13]  ⁹⁰³ tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Isaac’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are included.

[26:13]  ⁹⁰⁴ tn Heb “and he went, going and becoming great.” The construction stresses that his growth in possessions and power continued steadily.

[26:14]  ⁹⁰⁵ tn Heb “and there was to him.”

[26:14]  ⁹⁰⁶ tn Heb “possessions of sheep.”

[26:14]  ⁹⁰⁷ tn Heb “possessions of cattle.”

[26:14]  ⁹⁰⁸ tn The Hebrew verb translated “became jealous” refers here to intense jealousy or envy that leads to hostile action (see v. 15).

[26:15]  ⁹⁰⁹ tn Heb “and the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with dirt.”

[26:16]  ⁹¹⁰ tn Heb “Go away from us.”

[26:16]  ⁹¹¹ 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]  ⁹¹² 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]  ⁹¹³ tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”

[26:18]  ⁹¹⁴ tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.

[26:18]  ⁹¹⁵ tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.

[26:18]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁹¹⁷ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁹¹⁸ tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”

[26:19]  ⁹¹⁹ tn Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).

[26:20]  ⁹²⁰ tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.

[26:20]  ⁹²¹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:20]  ⁹²² tn Heb “and he called the name of the well.”

[26:20]  ⁹²³ 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]  ⁹²⁴ tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:21]  ⁹²⁵ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁹²⁶ tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁹²⁷ 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]  ⁹²⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:22]  ⁹²⁹ tn Heb “and he called its name.”

[26:22]  ⁹³⁰ 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]  ⁹³¹ tn Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:25]  ⁹³² 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]  ⁹³³ tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”

[26:26]  ⁹³⁴ 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]  ⁹³⁵ tn Heb “and.”

[26:26]  ⁹³⁶ 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]  ⁹³⁷ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.

[26:28]  ⁹³⁸ tn The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.

[26:28]  ⁹³⁹ 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]  ⁹⁴⁰ tn The pronoun “us” here is inclusive – it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.

[26:28]  ⁹⁴¹ tn The pronoun “us” here is exclusive – it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).

[26:28]  ⁹⁴² 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]  ⁹⁴³ tn The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”

[26:29]  ⁹⁴⁴ tn Heb “touched.”

[26:29]  ⁹⁴⁵ tn Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”

[26:29]  ⁹⁴⁶ tn Heb “and we sent you away.”

[26:29]  ⁹⁴⁷ 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]  ⁹⁴⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:30]  ⁹⁴⁹ tn Heb “and they ate and drank.”

[26:31]  ⁹⁵⁰ tn Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”

[26:31]  ⁹⁵¹ tn Heb “and they went from him in peace.”

[26:32]  ⁹⁵² 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]  ⁹⁵³ 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]  ⁹⁵⁴ 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]  ⁹⁵⁵ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.

[26:34]  ⁹⁵⁶ tn Heb “the son of forty years.”

[26:34]  ⁹⁵⁷ tn Heb “took as a wife.”

[26:35]  ⁹⁵⁸ tn Heb “And they were [a source of ] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”

[27:1]  ⁹⁵⁹ 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]  ⁹⁶⁰ tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”

[27:1]  ⁹⁶¹ tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).

[27:1]  ⁹⁶² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2]  ⁹⁶³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2]  ⁹⁶⁴ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.

[27:2]  ⁹⁶⁵ tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”

[27:3]  ⁹⁶⁶ 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]  ⁹⁶⁷ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:4]  ⁹⁶⁸ 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]  ⁹⁶⁹ 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]  ⁹⁷⁰ tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.

[27:7]  ⁹⁷¹ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:7]  ⁹⁷² tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.

[27:7]  ⁹⁷³ 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]  ⁹⁷⁴ tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”

[27:8]  ⁹⁷⁵ tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”

[27:9]  ⁹⁷⁶ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:10]  ⁹⁷⁷ 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]  ⁹⁷⁸ 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]  ⁹⁷⁹ tn Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:11]  ⁹⁸⁰ 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]  ⁹⁸¹ 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]  ⁹⁸² tn Heb “upon me your curse.”

[27:13]  ⁹⁸³ tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”

[27:14]  ⁹⁸⁴ tn The words “the goats” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:14]  ⁹⁸⁵ tn Heb “his mother.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “she” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:16]  ⁹⁸⁶ 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]  ⁹⁸⁷ 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]  ⁹⁸⁸ tn Heb “gave…into the hand of.”

[27:18]  ⁹⁸⁹ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:18]  ⁹⁹⁰ 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]  ⁹⁹¹ 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]  ⁹⁹² 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]  ⁹⁹³ 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]  ⁹⁹⁴ tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.

[27:20]  ⁹⁹⁵ tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”

[27:20]  ⁹⁹⁶ 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]  ⁹⁹⁷ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:21]  ⁹⁹⁸ 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]  ⁹⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹⁰⁰¹ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹⁰⁰² 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]  ¹⁰⁰³ 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]  ¹⁰⁰⁴ tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹⁰⁰⁵ tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹⁰⁰⁷ tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹⁰⁰⁸ tn Heb “see.”

[27:28]  ¹⁰⁰⁹ tn Heb “and from the dew of the sky.”

[27:28]  ¹⁰¹⁰ tn Heb “and from the fatness.”

[27:29]  ¹⁰¹¹ 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]  ¹⁰¹² 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]  ¹⁰¹³ 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]  ¹⁰¹⁴ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.

[27:30]  ¹⁰¹⁵ tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was

[27:30]  ¹⁰¹⁶ tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”

[27:31]  ¹⁰¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁰¹⁸ tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).

[27:31]  ¹⁰¹⁹ tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”

[27:32]  ¹⁰²⁰ tn Heb “said.”

[27:32]  ¹⁰²¹ 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]  ¹⁰²² 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]  ¹⁰²³ 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]  ¹⁰²⁴ tn The temporal clause is introduced with the temporal indicator and has the infinitive as its verb.

[27:34]  ¹⁰²⁵ tn Heb “and he yelled [with] a great and bitter yell to excess.”

[27:35]  ¹⁰²⁶ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35]  ¹⁰²⁷ tn Or “took”; “received.”

[27:36]  ¹⁰²⁸ 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]  ¹⁰²⁹ 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]  ¹⁰³⁰ tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:38]  ¹⁰³¹ tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”

[27:39]  ¹⁰³² tn Heb “look.”

[27:39]  ¹⁰³³ tn Heb “from the fatness.”

[27:40]  ¹⁰³⁴ 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]  ¹⁰³⁵ tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.

[27:41]  ¹⁰³⁶ tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”

[27:41]  ¹⁰³⁷ 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]  ¹⁰³⁸ tn Heb “days.”

[27:41]  ¹⁰³⁹ tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.

[27:42]  ¹⁰⁴⁰ tn Heb “and the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.”

[27:42]  ¹⁰⁴¹ tn Heb “she sent and called for.”

[27:42]  ¹⁰⁴² 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]  ¹⁰⁴³ tn Heb “listen to my voice.”

[27:43]  ¹⁰⁴⁴ tn Heb “arise, flee.”

[27:44]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁶ tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:45]  ¹⁰⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁴⁸ tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.

[27:46]  ¹⁰⁴⁹ tn Heb “loathe my life.” The Hebrew verb translated “loathe” refers to strong disgust (see Lev 20:23).

[27:46]  ¹⁰⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁵² tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:2]  ¹⁰⁵³ tn Heb “Arise! Go!” The first of the two imperatives is adverbial and stresses the immediacy of the departure.

[28:3]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[28:3]  ¹⁰⁵⁵ tn Heb “and make you fruitful and multiply you.” See Gen 17:6, 20 for similar terminology.

[28:3]  ¹⁰⁵⁶ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here indicates consequence. The collocation הָיָה + preposition לְ (hayah + lÿ) means “become.”

[28:3]  ¹⁰⁵⁷ tn Heb “an assembly of peoples.”

[28:4]  ¹⁰⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁵⁹ tn The words “the land” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[28:4]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁶¹ tn Heb “to take for himself from there a wife.”

[28:6]  ¹⁰⁶² tn The infinitive construct with the preposition and the suffix form a temporal clause.

[28:6]  ¹⁰⁶³ tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8]  ¹⁰⁶⁴ tn Heb “saw.”

[28:8]  ¹⁰⁶⁵ tn Heb “the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ tn Heb “evil in the eyes of.”

[28:9]  ¹⁰⁶⁷ tn Heb “took for a wife.”

[28:11]  ¹⁰⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ tn Heb “and he spent the night there because the sun had gone down.”

[28:11]  ¹⁰⁷⁰ tn Heb “he took from the stones of the place,” which here means Jacob took one of the stones (see v. 18).

[28:11]  ¹⁰⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁰⁷² tn Heb “lay down.”

[28:12]  ¹⁰⁷³ tn Heb “and dreamed.”

[28:12]  ¹⁰⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn This is the same Hebrew word translated “ground” in the preceding verse.

[28:14]  ¹⁰⁷⁹ tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew; Jacob is addressed as the representative of his descendants.

[28:14]  ¹⁰⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁰⁸¹ tn Heb “and they will pronounce blessings by you, all the families of the earth, and by your offspring.”

[28:15]  ¹⁰⁸² 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]  ¹⁰⁸³ tn Heb “woke up from his sleep.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[28:16]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ tn Heb “said.”

[28:18]  ¹⁰⁸⁵ tn Heb “and he got up early…and he took.”

[28:18]  ¹⁰⁸⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:18]  ¹⁰⁸⁷ tn See the note on this phrase in v. 11.

[28:18]  ¹⁰⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁰⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[28:21]  ¹⁰⁹¹ tn Heb “and I return in peace to the house of my father.”

[28:22]  ¹⁰⁹² tn The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/subject) is used to highlight the statement.

[28:22]  ¹⁰⁹³ tn The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb for emphasis.

[28:22]  ¹⁰⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁵ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ tn Heb “the land of the sons of the east.”

[29:2]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁰⁹⁸ tn Heb “and look, there.”

[29:2]  ¹⁰⁹⁹ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the noun with the prefixed conjunction) provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[29:3]  ¹¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the shepherds) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:5]  ¹¹⁰¹ tn Heb “son.”

[29:5]  ¹¹⁰² 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]  ¹¹⁰³ tn Heb “and he said to them, ‘Is there peace to him?’”

[29:6]  ¹¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “peace.”

[29:7]  ¹¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:7]  ¹¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “the day is great.”

[29:7]  ¹¹⁰⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁰⁸ tn The perfect verbal forms with the vav (ו) consecutive carry on the sequence begun by the initial imperfect form.

[29:9]  ¹¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “was a shepherdess.”

[29:10]  ¹¹¹⁰ tn Heb “Laban, the brother of his mother” (twice in this verse).

[29:10]  ¹¹¹¹ tn Heb “Jacob.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:10]  ¹¹¹² tn Heb “drew near, approached.”

[29:10]  ¹¹¹³ 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]  ¹¹¹⁴ 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]  ¹¹¹⁵ tn Heb “declared.”

[29:12]  ¹¹¹⁶ tn Heb “that he [was] the brother of her father.”

[29:13]  ¹¹¹⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:13]  ¹¹¹⁸ 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]  ¹¹¹⁹ 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]  ¹¹²⁰ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:14]  ¹¹²¹ tn Heb “a month of days.”

[29:15]  ¹¹²² tn The verb is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; the nuance in the question is deliberative.

[29:15]  ¹¹²³ tn Heb “my brother.” The term “brother” is used in a loose sense; actually Jacob was Laban’s nephew.

[29:16]  ¹¹²⁴ 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]  ¹¹²⁵ 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]  ¹¹²⁶ tn Heb “and Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.”

[29:18]  ¹¹²⁷ tn Heb “Jacob loved.”

[29:19]  ¹¹²⁸ tn Heb “Better my giving her to you than my giving her to another man.”

[29:20]  ¹¹²⁹ tn Heb “in exchange for Rachel.”

[29:20]  ¹¹³⁰ 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]  ¹¹³¹ tn Heb “because of his love for her.” The words “was so great” are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[29:21]  ¹¹³² tn Heb “and Jacob said.”

[29:21]  ¹¹³³ tn Heb “my days are fulfilled.”

[29:21]  ¹¹³⁴ 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]  ¹¹³⁵ tn Heb “men.”

[29:23]  ¹¹³⁶ 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]  ¹¹³⁷ tn Heb “to him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ¹¹³⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ¹¹³⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁴¹ 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]  ¹¹⁴² tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:25]  ¹¹⁴³ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “this other one.”

[29:27]  ¹¹⁴⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:28]  ¹¹⁵¹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:28]  ¹¹⁵² 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]  ¹¹⁵³ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “and Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female servant, for her for a servant.”

[29:30]  ¹¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ¹¹⁵⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ¹¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “and he loved also Rachel, more than Leah, and he served with him still seven other years.”

[29:31]  ¹¹⁵⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “he opened up her womb.”

[29:32]  ¹¹⁶¹ tn Or “Leah conceived” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35).

[29:32]  ¹¹⁶² sn The name Reuben (רְאוּבֵן, rÿ’uven) means “look, a son.”

[29:32]  ¹¹⁶³ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “hated.” See the note on the word “unloved” in v. 31.

[29:33]  ¹¹⁶⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “will be joined to me.”

[29:34]  ¹¹⁶⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “Rachel.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:1]  ¹¹⁷⁰ tn Heb “sons.”

[30:2]  ¹¹⁷¹ tn Heb “and the anger of Jacob was hot.”

[30:2]  ¹¹⁷² tn Heb “who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb.”

[30:3]  ¹¹⁷³ tn Heb “go in to.” The expression “go in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:3]  ¹¹⁷⁴ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates the immediate purpose of the proposed activity.

[30:3]  ¹¹⁷⁵ tn The word “children” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:3]  ¹¹⁷⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁷⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁷⁸ tn Heb “and she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:4]  ¹¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “went in to.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:5]  ¹¹⁸⁰ tn Or “Bilhah conceived” (also in v. 7).

[30:5]  ¹¹⁸¹ tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:6]  ¹¹⁸² 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]  ¹¹⁸³ tn Or “therefore.”

[30:6]  ¹¹⁸⁴ 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]  ¹¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “and she became pregnant again and Bilhah, the servant of Rachel, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:8]  ¹¹⁸⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁸⁷ 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]  ¹¹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:11]  ¹¹⁹⁰ 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]  ¹¹⁹¹ 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]  ¹¹⁹² tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:13]  ¹¹⁹³ tn The Hebrew statement apparently means “with my happiness.”

[30:13]  ¹¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “daughters.”

[30:13]  ¹¹⁹⁵ 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]  ¹¹⁹⁶ tn Heb “during the days.”

[30:14]  ¹¹⁹⁷ sn Mandrake plants were popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac in the culture of the time.

[30:15]  ¹¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “and she said to her”; the referent of the pronoun “she” (Leah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:15]  ¹¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “therefore.”

[30:15]  ¹²⁰⁰ 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]  ¹²⁰¹ 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]  ¹²⁰² 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]  ¹²⁰³ 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]  ¹²⁰⁴ tn Heb “listened to.”

[30:17]  ¹²⁰⁵ tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 19).

[30:17]  ¹²⁰⁶ tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a fifth son,” i.e., this was the fifth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:18]  ¹²⁰⁷ tn Heb “God has given my reward.”

[30:18]  ¹²⁰⁸ 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]  ¹²⁰⁹ 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]  ¹²¹⁰ tn Heb “and she bore a sixth son for Jacob,” i.e., this was the sixth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:20]  ¹²¹¹ 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]  ¹²¹² tn Heb “remembered.”

[30:22]  ¹²¹³ 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]  ¹²¹⁴ tn Or “conceived.”

[30:23]  ¹²¹⁵ 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]  ¹²¹⁶ 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]  ¹²¹⁷ 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]  ¹²¹⁸ 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]  ¹²¹⁹ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:25]  ¹²²⁰ tn Heb “to my place and to my land.”

[30:26]  ¹²²¹ 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]  ¹²²² tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:26]  ¹²²³ tn Heb “for you, you know my service [with] which I have served you.”

[30:27]  ¹²²⁴ tn The words “please stay here” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[30:27]  ¹²²⁵ 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]  ¹²²⁶ tn Heb “set your wage for me so I may give [it].”

[30:29]  ¹²²⁷ 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]  ¹²²⁸ tn Heb “and how your cattle were with me.”

[30:30]  ¹²²⁹ tn Or “for.”

[30:30]  ¹²³⁰ tn Heb “before me.”

[30:30]  ¹²³¹ tn Heb “and it has broken out with respect to abundance.”

[30:30]  ¹²³² tn Heb “at my foot.”

[30:30]  ¹²³³ tn Heb “How long [until] I do, also I, for my house?”

[30:31]  ¹²³⁴ tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:31]  ¹²³⁵ tn The negated imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance.

[30:31]  ¹²³⁶ tn The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:31]  ¹²³⁷ tn Heb “If you do for me this thing.”

[30:31]  ¹²³⁸ tn Heb “I will return, I will tend,” an idiom meaning “I will continue tending.”

[30:32]  ¹²³⁹ tn Heb “pass through.”

[30:32]  ¹²⁴⁰ tn Or “every black lamb”; Heb “and every dark sheep among the lambs.”

[30:32]  ¹²⁴¹ tn Heb “and the spotted and speckled among the goats.”

[30:32]  ¹²⁴² 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]  ¹²⁴³ tn Heb “will answer on my behalf.”

[30:33]  ¹²⁴⁴ tn Heb “on the following day,” or “tomorrow.”

[30:33]  ¹²⁴⁵ 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]  ¹²⁴⁶ 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]  ¹²⁴⁷ 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]  ¹²⁴⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:35]  ¹²⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he gave [them] into the hand.”

[30:36]  ¹²⁵⁰ 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]  ¹²⁵¹ 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]  ¹²⁵² 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]  ¹²⁵³ 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]  ¹²⁵⁴ tn Heb “the sheep.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“they”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:40]  ¹²⁵⁵ tn Heb “and he set the faces of.”

[30:41]  ¹²⁵⁶ tn Heb “and at every breeding-heat of the flock.”

[30:42]  ¹²⁵⁷ 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]  ¹²⁵⁸ tn Heb “were for Laban.”

[30:43]  ¹²⁵⁹ tn Heb “the man”; Jacob’s name has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[30:43]  ¹²⁶⁰ tn Heb “and there were to him.”

[31:1]  ¹²⁶¹ tn Heb “and he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying.”

[31:1]  ¹²⁶² 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]  ¹²⁶³ tn Heb “and from that which belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth.”

[31:2]  ¹²⁶⁴ 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]  ¹²⁶⁵ tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

[31:3]  ¹²⁶⁶ sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the Lord promised to be.

[31:4]  ¹²⁶⁷ 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]  ¹²⁶⁸ 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]  ¹²⁶⁹ tn Heb “to his flock.”

[31:5]  ¹²⁷⁰ tn Heb “I see the face of your father, that he is not toward me as formerly.”

[31:6]  ¹²⁷¹ tn Heb “with all my strength.”

[31:7]  ¹²⁷² 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]  ¹²⁷³ 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]  ¹²⁷⁴ 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]  ¹²⁷⁵ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator, “and it happened at the time of.”

[31:10]  ¹²⁷⁶ tn Heb “in the time of the breeding of the flock I lifted up my eyes and I saw.”

[31:10]  ¹²⁷⁷ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:12]  ¹²⁷⁸ tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”

[31:12]  ¹²⁷⁹ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:13]  ¹²⁸⁰ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[31:13]  ¹²⁸¹ 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]  ¹²⁸² 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]  ¹²⁸³ 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]  ¹²⁸⁴ tn The two nouns may form a hendiadys, meaning “a share in the inheritance” or “a portion to inherit.”

[31:15]  ¹²⁸⁵ 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]  ¹²⁸⁶ 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]  ¹²⁸⁷ tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”

[31:18]  ¹²⁸⁸ tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.

[31:18]  ¹²⁸⁹ 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]  ¹²⁹⁰ 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]  ¹²⁹¹ 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]  ¹²⁹² 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]  ¹²⁹³ tn Heb “fleeing,” which reflects Jacob’s viewpoint.

[31:21]  ¹²⁹⁴ tn Heb “and he fled.”

[31:21]  ¹²⁹⁵ tn Heb “he arose and crossed.” The first verb emphasizes that he wasted no time in getting across.

[31:21]  ¹²⁹⁶ tn Heb “the river”; the referent (the Euphrates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:21]  ¹²⁹⁷ tn Heb “he set his face.”

[31:22]  ¹²⁹⁸ tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”

[31:23]  ¹²⁹⁹ tn Heb “his brothers.”

[31:23]  ¹³⁰⁰ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:23]  ¹³⁰¹ tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”

[31:23]  ¹³⁰² tn Heb “drew close to.”

[31:24]  ¹³⁰³ tn Heb “said to him.”

[31:24]  ¹³⁰⁴ tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:24]  ¹³⁰⁵ 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]  ¹³⁰⁶ 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]  ¹³⁰⁷ tn Heb “and you have stolen my heart.” This expression apparently means “to deceive” (see v. 20).

[31:26]  ¹³⁰⁸ tn Heb “and you have led away my daughters like captives of a sword.”

[31:27]  ¹³⁰⁹ 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]  ¹³¹⁰ tn Heb “and steal me.”

[31:27]  ¹³¹¹ 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]  ¹³¹² 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]  ¹³¹³ tn Heb “there is to my hand.”

[31:29]  ¹³¹⁴ tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:29]  ¹³¹⁵ 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]  ¹³¹⁶ tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[31:30]  ¹³¹⁷ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.

[31:30]  ¹³¹⁸ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.

[31:30]  ¹³¹⁹ 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]  ¹³²⁰ 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]  ¹³²¹ tn Heb “for I said.”

[31:31]  ¹³²² tn Heb “lest you steal your daughters from with me.”

[31:32]  ¹³²³ tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”

[31:32]  ¹³²⁴ tn Heb “brothers.”

[31:32]  ¹³²⁵ tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”

[31:32]  ¹³²⁶ 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]  ¹³²⁷ 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]  ¹³²⁸ tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”

[31:34]  ¹³²⁹ 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]  ¹³³⁰ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.

[31:34]  ¹³³¹ tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:35]  ¹³³² tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:35]  ¹³³³ 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]  ¹³³⁴ tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”

[31:35]  ¹³³⁵ tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.

[31:35]  ¹³³⁶ tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.

[31:36]  ¹³³⁷ tn Heb “it was hot to Jacob.” This idiom refers to anger.

[31:36]  ¹³³⁸ 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]  ¹³³⁹ 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]  ¹³⁴⁰ tn Heb “what did you find from all the goods of your house?”

[31:37]  ¹³⁴¹ tn Heb “your relatives.” The word “relatives” has not been repeated in the translation here for stylistic reasons.

[31:37]  ¹³⁴² tn Heb “that they may decide between us two.”

[31:39]  ¹³⁴³ tn The imperfect verbal form indicates that this was a customary or typical action.

[31:39]  ¹³⁴⁴ 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]  ¹³⁴⁵ tn Or “by drought.”

[31:40]  ¹³⁴⁶ 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]  ¹³⁴⁷ tn Heb “and my sleep fled from my eyes.”

[31:41]  ¹³⁴⁸ tn Heb “this to me.”

[31:41]  ¹³⁴⁹ tn Heb “served you,” but in this accusatory context the meaning is more “worked like a slave.”

[31:42]  ¹³⁵⁰ 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]  ¹³⁵¹ tn Heb “My oppression and the work of my hands God saw.”

[31:43]  ¹³⁵² tn Heb “answered and said.”

[31:43]  ¹³⁵³ tn Heb “daughters.”

[31:43]  ¹³⁵⁴ tn Heb “children.”

[31:43]  ¹³⁵⁵ tn Heb “but to my daughters what can I do to these today?”

[31:44]  ¹³⁵⁶ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[31:44]  ¹³⁵⁷ tn The verb הָיָה (hayah) followed by the preposition לְ (lÿ) means “become.”

[31:44]  ¹³⁵⁸ tn Heb “and it will become a witness between me and you.”

[31:46]  ¹³⁵⁹ tn Heb “Jacob”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:46]  ¹³⁶⁰ sn The Hebrew word for “pile” is גַּל (gal), which sounds like the name “Galeed” (גַּלְעֵד, gal’ed). See v. 48.

[31:47]  ¹³⁶¹ sn Jegar Sahadutha. Laban the Aramean gave the place an Aramaic name which means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness.”

[31:47]  ¹³⁶² 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]  ¹³⁶³ tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”

[31:49]  ¹³⁶⁴ tn Heb “and Mizpah.”

[31:49]  ¹³⁶⁵ 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]  ¹³⁶⁶ tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:49]  ¹³⁶⁷ tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”

[31:50]  ¹³⁶⁸ tn Heb “see.”

[31:50]  ¹³⁶⁹ tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:51]  ¹³⁷⁰ 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]  ¹³⁷¹ 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]  ¹³⁷² 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]  ¹³⁷³ tn Heb “by the fear of his father Isaac.” See the note on the word “fears” in v. 42.

[31:54]  ¹³⁷⁴ tn The construction is a cognate accusative with the verb, expressing a specific sacrifice.

[31:54]  ¹³⁷⁵ 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]  ¹³⁷⁶ 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]  ¹³⁷⁷ tn Heb “and Laban got up early in the morning and he kissed.”

[31:55]  ¹³⁷⁸ tn Heb “his sons.”

[31:55]  ¹³⁷⁹ tn Heb “to his place.”

[32:1]  ¹³⁸⁰ 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]  ¹³⁸¹ tn Heb “and Jacob said when he saw them.”

[32:2]  ¹³⁸² sn The name Mahanaim apparently means “two camps.” Perhaps the two camps were those of God and of Jacob.

[32:3]  ¹³⁸³ tn Heb “before him.”

[32:3]  ¹³⁸⁴ tn Heb “field.”

[32:4]  ¹³⁸⁵ 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]  ¹³⁸⁶ 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]  ¹³⁸⁷ tn The words “this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:8]  ¹³⁸⁸ tn Heb “If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.”

[32:8]  ¹³⁸⁹ 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]  ¹³⁹⁰ 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]  ¹³⁹¹ tn Heb “said.”

[32:9]  ¹³⁹² tn Heb “the one who said.”

[32:9]  ¹³⁹³ 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]  ¹³⁹⁴ tn Heb “the loving deeds and faithfulness” (see 24:27, 49).

[32:10]  ¹³⁹⁵ tn Heb “you have done with.”

[32:10]  ¹³⁹⁶ 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]  ¹³⁹⁷ tn Heb “this Jordan.”

[32:11]  ¹³⁹⁸ tn The imperative has the force of a prayer here, not a command.

[32:11]  ¹³⁹⁹ tn The “hand” here is a metonymy for “power.”

[32:11]  ¹⁴⁰⁰ tn Heb “from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.”

[32:11]  ¹⁴⁰¹ tn Heb “for I am afraid of him, lest he come.”

[32:11]  ¹⁴⁰² 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]  ¹⁴⁰³ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁵ tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the nuance of the preceding verb forward.

[32:12]  ¹⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “which cannot be counted because of abundance.” The imperfect verbal form indicates potential here.

[32:13]  ¹⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:13]  ¹⁴⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁴¹⁰ tn Heb “and he put them in the hand of.”

[32:16]  ¹⁴¹¹ tn Heb “a herd, a herd, by itself,” or “each herd by itself.” The distributive sense is expressed by repetition.

[32:17]  ¹⁴¹² tn Heb “the first”; this has been specified as “the servant leading the first herd” in the translation for clarity.

[32:17]  ¹⁴¹³ tn Heb “to whom are you?”

[32:17]  ¹⁴¹⁴ tn Heb “and to whom are these before you?”

[32:18]  ¹⁴¹⁵ tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.

[32:18]  ¹⁴¹⁶ tn The words “they belong” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:18]  ¹⁴¹⁷ tn Heb “to your servant, to Jacob.”

[32:18]  ¹⁴¹⁸ tn Heb “to my lord, to Esau.”

[32:18]  ¹⁴¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁴²⁰ 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]  ¹⁴²¹ tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”

[32:20]  ¹⁴²² 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]  ¹⁴²³ 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]  ¹⁴²⁴ tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”

[32:20]  ¹⁴²⁵ tn Heb “I will see his face.”

[32:20]  ¹⁴²⁶ tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.

[32:21]  ¹⁴²⁷ tn Heb “and the gift passed over upon his face.”

[32:21]  ¹⁴²⁸ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial/temporal.

[32:22]  ¹⁴²⁹ 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]  ¹⁴³⁰ 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]  ¹⁴³¹ 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]  ¹⁴³² tn Heb “and he sent across what he had.”

[32:24]  ¹⁴³³ 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]  ¹⁴³⁴ 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]  ¹⁴³⁵ tn Heb “until the rising of the dawn.”

[32:25]  ¹⁴³⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ¹⁴³⁷ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ¹⁴³⁸ 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]  ¹⁴³⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:26]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”

[32:26]  ¹⁴⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁴² 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]  ¹⁴⁴³ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁴⁹ tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.

[32:29]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁵² tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:30]  ¹⁴⁵³ sn The name Peniel means “face of God.” Since Jacob saw God face to face here, the name is appropriate.

[32:30]  ¹⁴⁵⁴ tn The word “explaining” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:30]  ¹⁴⁵⁵ tn Or “because.”

[32:30]  ¹⁴⁵⁶ sn I have seen God face to face. See the note on the name “Peniel” earlier in the verse.

[32:30]  ¹⁴⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁵⁸ tn Heb “shone.”

[32:31]  ¹⁴⁵⁹ sn The name is spelled Penuel here, apparently a variant spelling of Peniel (see v. 30).

[32:31]  ¹⁴⁶⁰ tn The disjunctive clause draws attention to an important fact: He may have crossed the stream, but he was limping.

[32:32]  ¹⁴⁶¹ 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]  ¹⁴⁶² 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]  ¹⁴⁶³ tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”

[33:1]  ¹⁴⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:3]  ¹⁴⁶⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[33:5]  ¹⁴⁷⁰ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5]  ¹⁴⁷¹ tn The Hebrew verb means “to be gracious; to show favor”; here it carries the nuance “to give graciously.”

[33:6]  ¹⁴⁷² tn Heb “and the female servants drew near, they and their children and they bowed down.”

[33:8]  ¹⁴⁷³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:8]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ tn Heb “Who to you?”

[33:8]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ tn Heb “all this camp which I met.”

[33:8]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:10]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁴⁷⁹ tn The verbal form is the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive, indicating result here.

[33:10]  ¹⁴⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁸¹ tn Heb “blessing.” It is as if Jacob is trying to repay what he stole from his brother twenty years earlier.

[33:11]  ¹⁴⁸² tn Or “gracious,” but in the specific sense of prosperity.

[33:11]  ¹⁴⁸³ tn Heb “all.”

[33:11]  ¹⁴⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:12]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:13]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ tn Heb “weak.”

[33:13]  ¹⁴⁸⁹ tn Heb “and the sheep and the cattle nursing [are] upon me.”

[33:14]  ¹⁴⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁴⁹¹ tn The cohortative verbal form here indicates a polite offer of help.

[33:15]  ¹⁴⁹² 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]  ¹⁴⁹³ tn Heb “I am finding favor in the eyes of my lord.”

[33:16]  ¹⁴⁹⁴ tn Heb “returned on his way.”

[33:17]  ¹⁴⁹⁵ tn The disjunctive clause contrasts Jacob’s action with Esau’s.

[33:17]  ¹⁴⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁹⁸ sn The name Succoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.

[33:18]  ¹⁴⁹⁹ tn Heb “in front of.”

[33:19]  ¹⁵⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁰² 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]  ¹⁵⁰³ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁴ tn Heb “daughters.”

[34:2]  ¹⁵⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.

[34:3]  ¹⁵⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁰⁹ tn Heb “Take for me this young woman for a wife.”

[34:5]  ¹⁵¹⁰ tn The two disjunctive clauses in this verse (“Now Jacob heard…and his sons were”) are juxtaposed to indicate synchronic action.

[34:5]  ¹⁵¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:5]  ¹⁵¹² 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]  ¹⁵¹³ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn Heb “when they heard.” The words “the news” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[34:7]  ¹⁵¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁵¹⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:7]  ¹⁵¹⁸ tn Heb “a disgraceful thing he did against Israel.”

[34:7]  ¹⁵¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁵²⁰ 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]  ¹⁵²¹ 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]  ¹⁵²² 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]  ¹⁵²³ 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]  ¹⁵²⁴ tn The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.

[34:10]  ¹⁵²⁵ tn Heb “before you.”

[34:10]  ¹⁵²⁶ 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]  ¹⁵²⁷ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Dinah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:11]  ¹⁵²⁸ tn Heb “whatever you say.”

[34:11]  ¹⁵²⁹ tn Or “pay.”

[34:12]  ¹⁵³⁰ 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]  ¹⁵³¹ tn The cohortative expresses Shechem’s resolve to have Dinah as his wife.

[34:12]  ¹⁵³² tn Heb “say.”

[34:13]  ¹⁵³³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:14]  ¹⁵³⁴ 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]  ¹⁵³⁵ 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]  ¹⁵³⁶ tn Heb “if you are like us.”

[34:15]  ¹⁵³⁷ tn The infinitive here explains how they would become like them.

[34:16]  ¹⁵³⁸ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:16]  ¹⁵³⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁰ tn Heb “listen to us.”

[34:17]  ¹⁵⁴¹ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.

[34:17]  ¹⁵⁴² 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]  ¹⁵⁴³ tn Heb “and their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem son of Hamor.”

[34:19]  ¹⁵⁴⁴ tn Heb “doing the thing.”

[34:19]  ¹⁵⁴⁵ tn Heb “Jacob’s daughter.” The proper name “Dinah” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:19]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁴⁷ tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause explains why the community would respond to him (see vv. 20-24).

[34:20]  ¹⁵⁴⁸ sn The gate. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the location for conducting important public business.

[34:21]  ¹⁵⁴⁹ tn Heb “wide on both hands,” that is, in both directions.

[34:21]  ¹⁵⁵⁰ tn The words “to marry” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:22]  ¹⁵⁵¹ tn Heb “when every one of our males is circumcised.”

[34:23]  ¹⁵⁵² 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]  ¹⁵⁵³ tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:24]  ¹⁵⁵⁴ tn Heb “listened to.”

[34:24]  ¹⁵⁵⁵ tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”

[34:25]  ¹⁵⁵⁶ tn Heb “a man his sword.”

[34:25]  ¹⁵⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁶⁰ tn Heb “and what was in the city and what was in the field they took.”

[34:29]  ¹⁵⁶¹ tn Heb “they took captive and they plundered,” that is, “they captured as plunder.”

[34:30]  ¹⁵⁶² 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]  ¹⁵⁶³ 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]  ¹⁵⁶⁴ tn Jacob speaks in the first person as the head and representative of the entire family.

[34:31]  ¹⁵⁶⁵ tn Heb “but they said.” The referent of “they” (Simeon and Levi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[35:1]  ¹⁵⁶⁶ tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[35:1]  ¹⁵⁶⁷ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:1]  ¹⁵⁶⁸ sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).

[35:2]  ¹⁵⁶⁹ tn Heb “which are in your midst.”

[35:2]  ¹⁵⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁷¹ tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.

[35:3]  ¹⁵⁷² tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.

[35:3]  ¹⁵⁷³ tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.

[35:3]  ¹⁵⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁵ tn Heb “in their hand.”

[35:4]  ¹⁵⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁷⁸ tn Or “terebinth.”

[35:5]  ¹⁵⁷⁹ tn Heb “and they journeyed.”

[35:5]  ¹⁵⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁸¹ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:6]  ¹⁵⁸² 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]  ¹⁵⁸³ sn The name El-Bethel means “God of Bethel.”

[35:7]  ¹⁵⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁶ tn “and he called its name.” There is no expressed subject, so the verb can be translated as passive.

[35:8]  ¹⁵⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁵⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁰ 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]  ¹⁵⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁵⁹² tn Heb “and to your offspring after you.”

[35:13]  ¹⁵⁹³ tn Heb “went up from upon him in the place.”

[35:14]  ¹⁵⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁵ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁹⁸ tn Heb “and there was still a stretch of the land to go to Ephrath.”

[35:16]  ¹⁵⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁰² tn Heb “in the going out of her life, for she was dying.” Rachel named the child with her dying breath.

[35:18]  ¹⁶⁰³ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁶ tn Heb “standing stone.”

[35:20]  ¹⁶⁰⁷ tn Or perhaps “it is known as” (cf. NEB).

[35:21]  ¹⁶⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁶⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁶¹⁰ tn This is an adverbial accusative of location.

[35:27]  ¹⁶¹¹ tn The name “Kiriath Arba” is in apposition to the preceding name, “Mamre.”

[35:27]  ¹⁶¹² tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” refers to temporary settlement without ownership rights.

[35:28]  ¹⁶¹³ tn Heb “And the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years.”

[35:29]  ¹⁶¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁶¹⁵ tn Heb “old and full of years.”

[36:1]  ¹⁶¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁶¹⁷ tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”

[36:2]  ¹⁶¹⁸ tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.

[36:6]  ¹⁶¹⁹ tn Heb “from before.”

[36:7]  ¹⁶²⁰ tn Heb “land of their settlements.”

[36:8]  ¹⁶²¹ 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]  ¹⁶²² 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]  ¹⁶²³ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:13]  ¹⁶²⁴ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:14]  ¹⁶²⁵ tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.

[36:15]  ¹⁶²⁶ tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).

[36:15]  ¹⁶²⁷ tn Or “sons.”

[36:16]  ¹⁶²⁸ tc The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).

[36:16]  ¹⁶²⁹ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:17]  ¹⁶³⁰ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

[36:20]  ¹⁶³¹ 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]  ¹⁶³² tn Or “sons.”

[36:22]  ¹⁶³³ tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”

[36:23]  ¹⁶³⁴ tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.

[36:24]  ¹⁶³⁵ tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”

[36:25]  ¹⁶³⁶ tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”

[36:26]  ¹⁶³⁷ 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]  ¹⁶³⁸ tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”

[36:37]  ¹⁶³⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁴⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁴¹ tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.

[36:43]  ¹⁶⁴² tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”

[37:1]  ¹⁶⁴³ tn Heb “the land of the sojournings of his father.”

[37:1]  ¹⁶⁴⁴ 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]  ¹⁶⁴⁵ tn Heb “a son of seventeen years.” The word “son” is in apposition to the name “Joseph.”

[37:2]  ¹⁶⁴⁶ tn Or “tending”; Heb “shepherding” or “feeding.”

[37:2]  ¹⁶⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁶⁴⁸ 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]  ¹⁶⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁵¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁵² 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]  ¹⁶⁵³ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:4]  ¹⁶⁵⁴ tn Heb “of his brothers.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “them.”

[37:4]  ¹⁶⁵⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:4]  ¹⁶⁵⁶ tn Heb “speak to him for peace.”

[37:5]  ¹⁶⁵⁷ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:5]  ¹⁶⁵⁸ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[37:5]  ¹⁶⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁰ tn The construction uses a hendiadys, “they added to hate,” meaning they hated him even more.

[37:6]  ¹⁶⁶¹ tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”

[37:7]  ¹⁶⁶² 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]  ¹⁶⁶³ tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.

[37:8]  ¹⁶⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁵ tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.

[37:8]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁷ tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”

[37:9]  ¹⁶⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁶⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁶⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁷² 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]  ¹⁶⁷³ tn The text uses an interrogative clause: “Are not your brothers,” which means “your brothers are.”

[37:13]  ¹⁶⁷⁴ sn With these words Joseph is depicted here as an obedient son who is ready to do what his father commands.

[37:13]  ¹⁶⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁷⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:14]  ¹⁶⁷⁷ tn Heb “see.”

[37:14]  ¹⁶⁷⁸ tn Heb “peace.”

[37:14]  ¹⁶⁷⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:15]  ¹⁶⁸⁰ tn Heb “and he [i.e., Joseph] went to Shechem.” The referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:15]  ¹⁶⁸¹ 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]  ¹⁶⁸² tn The imperative in this sentence has more of the nuance of a request than a command.

[37:17]  ¹⁶⁸³ tn Heb “they traveled from this place.”

[37:18]  ¹⁶⁸⁴ tn Heb “and they”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:19]  ¹⁶⁸⁵ 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]  ¹⁶⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁶⁸⁷ tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”

[37:21]  ¹⁶⁸⁸ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:21]  ¹⁶⁸⁹ sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).

[37:21]  ¹⁶⁹⁰ tn Heb “and he said.”

[37:21]  ¹⁶⁹¹ tn Heb “we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.”

[37:22]  ¹⁶⁹² tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”

[37:22]  ¹⁶⁹³ 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]  ¹⁶⁹⁴ tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[37:22]  ¹⁶⁹⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:22]  ¹⁶⁹⁶ tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.

[37:23]  ¹⁶⁹⁷ tn Heb “Joseph”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[37:24]  ¹⁶⁹⁸ tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that helps the reader or hearer to picture what happened.

[37:25]  ¹⁶⁹⁹ tn Heb “lifted up their eyes.”

[37:25]  ¹⁷⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁰¹ tn Heb “and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh, going to go down to Egypt.”

[37:27]  ¹⁷⁰² tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”

[37:27]  ¹⁷⁰³ tn Heb “listened.”

[37:28]  ¹⁷⁰⁴ sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.

[37:28]  ¹⁷⁰⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁰⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁰⁷ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:29]  ¹⁷⁰⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁰⁹ 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]  ¹⁷¹⁰ 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]  ¹⁷¹¹ 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]  ¹⁷¹² tn Heb “and put sackcloth on his loins.”

[37:35]  ¹⁷¹³ tn Heb “arose, stood”; which here suggests that they stood by him in his time of grief.

[37:35]  ¹⁷¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁷¹⁵ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:36]  ¹⁷¹⁶ tn The disjunctive clause formally signals closure for this episode of Joseph’s story, which will be resumed in Gen 39.

[37:36]  ¹⁷¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁷¹⁸ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:36]  ¹⁷¹⁹ sn The expression captain of the guard might indicate that Potiphar was the chief executioner.

[38:1]  ¹⁷²⁰ tn Heb “went down from.”

[38:1]  ¹⁷²¹ tn Heb “and he turned aside unto.”

[38:1]  ¹⁷²² tn Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”

[38:2]  ¹⁷²³ tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”

[38:2]  ¹⁷²⁴ tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”

[38:2]  ¹⁷²⁵ tn Heb “and he took her.”

[38:2]  ¹⁷²⁶ tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:3]  ¹⁷²⁷ tn Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).

[38:3]  ¹⁷²⁸ 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]  ¹⁷²⁹ 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]  ¹⁷³⁰ tn Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”

[38:6]  ¹⁷³¹ tn Heb “and Judah took.”

[38:8]  ¹⁷³² tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:8]  ¹⁷³³ tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.

[38:8]  ¹⁷³⁴ 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]  ¹⁷³⁵ tn Heb “offspring.”

[38:9]  ¹⁷³⁶ 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]  ¹⁷³⁷ 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]  ¹⁷³⁸ tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:9]  ¹⁷³⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁴⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:11]  ¹⁷⁴¹ tn Heb “said.”

[38:11]  ¹⁷⁴² 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]  ¹⁷⁴³ 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]  ¹⁷⁴⁴ tn Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”

[38:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁵ tn Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”

[38:13]  ¹⁷⁴⁶ tn The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.

[38:14]  ¹⁷⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁴⁸ tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”

[38:15]  ¹⁷⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁵¹ tn Heb “for he did not know that.”

[38:16]  ¹⁷⁵² tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:17]  ¹⁷⁵³ tn Heb “until you send.”

[38:18]  ¹⁷⁵⁴ tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:19]  ¹⁷⁵⁵ tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.

[38:20]  ¹⁷⁵⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁵⁷ tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”

[38:20]  ¹⁷⁵⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:21]  ¹⁷⁵⁹ tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.

[38:21]  ¹⁷⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁷⁶¹ tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:23]  ¹⁷⁶² 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]  ¹⁷⁶³ tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”

[38:24]  ¹⁷⁶⁴ tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.

[38:24]  ¹⁷⁶⁵ tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”

[38:25]  ¹⁷⁶⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁶⁷ tn Heb “who these to him.”

[38:25]  ¹⁷⁶⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁰ tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:28]  ¹⁷⁷¹ tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29]  ¹⁷⁷² 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]  ¹⁷⁷³ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁶ 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]  ¹⁷⁷⁷ sn Captain of the guard. See the note on this phrase in Gen 37:36.

[39:1]  ¹⁷⁷⁸ tn Heb “from the hand of.”

[39:2]  ¹⁷⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁰ tn Heb “and he was.”

[39:3]  ¹⁷⁸¹ tn The Hebrew text adds “in his hand,” a phrase not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:4]  ¹⁷⁸² 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]  ¹⁷⁸³ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:4]  ¹⁷⁸⁴ tn Heb “put into his hand.”

[39:5]  ¹⁷⁸⁵ tn Heb “and it was from then.”

[39:5]  ¹⁷⁸⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:5]  ¹⁷⁸⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁸⁸ tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:5]  ¹⁷⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁷⁹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:6]  ¹⁷⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁷⁹² tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:6]  ¹⁷⁹³ tn Heb “did not know.”

[39:6]  ¹⁷⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁷⁹⁵ tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.

[39:7]  ¹⁷⁹⁶ tn Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.

[39:7]  ¹⁷⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁷⁹⁸ tn Heb “and he said.”

[39:8]  ¹⁷⁹⁹ tn Heb “know.”

[39:8]  ¹⁸⁰⁰ tn The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:8]  ¹⁸⁰¹ tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:9]  ¹⁸⁰² tn The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.

[39:10]  ¹⁸⁰³ 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]  ¹⁸⁰⁴ tn Heb “listen to.”

[39:10]  ¹⁸⁰⁵ tn Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:11]  ¹⁸⁰⁶ tn Heb “and it was about this day.”

[39:11]  ¹⁸⁰⁷ tn Heb “the men of the house.”

[39:12]  ¹⁸⁰⁸ tn Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.

[39:12]  ¹⁸⁰⁹ sn For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” VT 2 (1952): 85-87.

[39:14]  ¹⁸¹⁰ 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]  ¹⁸¹¹ sn A Hebrew man. Potiphar’s wife raises the ethnic issue when talking to her servants about what their boss had done.

[39:14]  ¹⁸¹² 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]  ¹⁸¹³ tn Heb “he came to me to lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:14]  ¹⁸¹⁴ tn Heb “and I cried out with a loud voice.”

[39:15]  ¹⁸¹⁵ tn Heb “that I raised.”

[39:17]  ¹⁸¹⁶ tn Heb “and she spoke to him according to these words, saying.”

[39:17]  ¹⁸¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁸¹⁹ tn Heb “and when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying.”

[39:19]  ¹⁸²⁰ tn Heb “according to these words.”

[39:19]  ¹⁸²¹ tn Heb “did to me.”

[39:19]  ¹⁸²² tn Heb “his anger burned.”

[39:20]  ¹⁸²³ tn Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.

[39:20]  ¹⁸²⁴ 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]  ¹⁸²⁵ tn Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”

[39:21]  ¹⁸²⁶ tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).

[39:22]  ¹⁸²⁷ 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]  ¹⁸²⁸ tn Heb “was not looking at anything.”

[39:23]  ¹⁸²⁹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[40:1]  ¹⁸³⁰ 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]  ¹⁸³¹ sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.

[40:1]  ¹⁸³² 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]  ¹⁸³³ 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]  ¹⁸³⁴ 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]  ¹⁸³⁵ tn Heb “they were days in custody.”

[40:5]  ¹⁸³⁶ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[40:5]  ¹⁸³⁷ tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”

[40:5]  ¹⁸³⁸ tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”

[40:6]  ¹⁸³⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁰ tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”

[40:8]  ¹⁸⁴¹ tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”

[40:8]  ¹⁸⁴² tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:9]  ¹⁸⁴³ tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.

[40:11]  ¹⁸⁴⁴ tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:11]  ¹⁸⁴⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁶ tn Heb “the three branches [are].”

[40:13]  ¹⁸⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁸⁴⁸ tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[40:14]  ¹⁸⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁸⁵¹ tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”

[40:14]  ¹⁸⁵² 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]  ¹⁸⁵³ tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.

[40:15]  ¹⁸⁵⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁵⁵ tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[40:16]  ¹⁸⁵⁶ 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]  ¹⁸⁵⁷ tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”

[40:19]  ¹⁸⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁸⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁶⁰ tn Heb “his cupbearing.”

[40:22]  ¹⁸⁶¹ 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]  ¹⁸⁶² tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.

[41:1]  ¹⁸⁶³ tn Heb “two years, days.”

[41:1]  ¹⁸⁶⁴ tn Heb “was dreaming.”

[41:2]  ¹⁸⁶⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁶⁶ tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”

[41:3]  ¹⁸⁶⁷ tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:5]  ¹⁸⁶⁸ tn Heb “coming up.”

[41:5]  ¹⁸⁶⁹ tn Heb “fat.”

[41:6]  ¹⁸⁷⁰ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:7]  ¹⁸⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁸⁷² tn Heb “his spirit.”

[41:8]  ¹⁸⁷³ tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.

[41:8]  ¹⁸⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁷⁶ tn “there was no interpreter.”

[41:8]  ¹⁸⁷⁷ tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:9]  ¹⁸⁷⁸ tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).

[41:11]  ¹⁸⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁸⁸⁰ tn Or “slave.”

[41:12]  ¹⁸⁸¹ tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.

[41:12]  ¹⁸⁸² tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:12]  ¹⁸⁸³ tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”

[41:13]  ¹⁸⁸⁴ tn Heb “interpreted.”

[41:13]  ¹⁸⁸⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:13]  ¹⁸⁸⁶ tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:14]  ¹⁸⁸⁷ tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.

[41:15]  ¹⁸⁸⁸ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[41:15]  ¹⁸⁸⁹ tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”

[41:15]  ¹⁸⁹⁰ tn Heb “saying.”

[41:15]  ¹⁸⁹¹ 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]  ¹⁸⁹² tn Heb “not within me.”

[41:16]  ¹⁸⁹³ tn Heb “God will answer.”

[41:16]  ¹⁸⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁸⁹⁵ 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]  ¹⁸⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁸⁹⁷ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:19]  ¹⁸⁹⁸ tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:20]  ¹⁸⁹⁹ tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”

[41:21]  ¹⁹⁰⁰ tn Heb “when they went inside them.”

[41:21]  ¹⁹⁰¹ tn Heb “it was not known.”

[41:22]  ¹⁹⁰² tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”

[41:23]  ¹⁹⁰³ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:24]  ¹⁹⁰⁴ tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:24]  ¹⁹⁰⁵ tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”

[41:25]  ¹⁹⁰⁶ tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”

[41:25]  ¹⁹⁰⁷ tn Heb “declared.”

[41:25]  ¹⁹⁰⁸ tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.

[41:26]  ¹⁹⁰⁹ tn Heb “one dream it is.”

[41:27]  ¹⁹¹⁰ tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”

[41:28]  ¹⁹¹¹ tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”

[41:30]  ¹⁹¹² tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.

[41:30]  ¹⁹¹³ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁴ tn Heb “known.”

[41:31]  ¹⁹¹⁵ tn Or “heavy.”

[41:32]  ¹⁹¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁷ tn Heb “established.”

[41:32]  ¹⁹¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹¹⁹ tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:33]  ¹⁹²⁰ tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:33]  ¹⁹²¹ tn Heb “and let him set him.”

[41:34]  ¹⁹²² tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”

[41:34]  ¹⁹²³ tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:34]  ¹⁹²⁴ 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]  ¹⁹²⁵ 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]  ¹⁹²⁶ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:35]  ¹⁹²⁷ tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”

[41:35]  ¹⁹²⁸ tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.

[41:35]  ¹⁹²⁹ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.

[41:36]  ¹⁹³⁰ tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”

[41:37]  ¹⁹³¹ tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”

[41:38]  ¹⁹³² 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]  ¹⁹³³ tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”

[41:39]  ¹⁹³⁴ tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:40]  ¹⁹³⁵ 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]  ¹⁹³⁶ tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”

[41:41]  ¹⁹³⁷ 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]  ¹⁹³⁸ 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]  ¹⁹³⁹ 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]  ¹⁹⁴⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:43]  ¹⁹⁴¹ tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”

[41:43]  ¹⁹⁴² 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]  ¹⁹⁴³ tn Heb “apart from you.”

[41:44]  ¹⁹⁴⁴ tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.

[41:44]  ¹⁹⁴⁵ tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.

[41:45]  ¹⁹⁴⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁴⁸ sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[41:45]  ¹⁹⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he passed through.”

[41:46]  ¹⁹⁵⁰ tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”

[41:46]  ¹⁹⁵¹ tn Heb “when he stood before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁹⁵² tn Heb “went out from before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁹⁵³ 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]  ¹⁹⁵⁴ tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”

[41:48]  ¹⁹⁵⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:48]  ¹⁹⁵⁶ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:48]  ¹⁹⁵⁷ tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”

[41:49]  ¹⁹⁵⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁵⁹ tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”

[41:50]  ¹⁹⁶⁰ tn Heb “gave birth for him.”

[41:51]  ¹⁹⁶¹ 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]  ¹⁹⁶² tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:51]  ¹⁹⁶³ tn Or “for.”

[41:52]  ¹⁹⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁹⁶⁵ tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:52]  ¹⁹⁶⁶ tn Or “for.”

[41:54]  ¹⁹⁶⁷ tn Heb “began to arrive.”

[41:55]  ¹⁹⁶⁸ tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.

[41:56]  ¹⁹⁶⁹ 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]  ¹⁹⁷⁰ 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]  ¹⁹⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁹⁷² tn Heb “saw.”

[42:1]  ¹⁹⁷³ tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:1]  ¹⁹⁷⁴ 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]  ¹⁹⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁷⁶ tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.

[42:2]  ¹⁹⁷⁷ tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.

[42:4]  ¹⁹⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁷⁹ 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]  ¹⁹⁸⁰ 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]  ¹⁹⁸¹ tn Heb “encounters.”

[42:5]  ¹⁹⁸² tn Heb “in the midst of the coming ones.”

[42:6]  ¹⁹⁸³ 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]  ¹⁹⁸⁴ 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]  ¹⁹⁸⁵ tn The word “faces” is an adverbial accusative, so the preposition has been supplied in the translation.

[42:7]  ¹⁹⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁸⁷ tn Heb “said.”

[42:7]  ¹⁹⁸⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁸⁹ sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.

[42:9]  ¹⁹⁹⁰ tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”

[42:10]  ¹⁹⁹¹ tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.

[42:12]  ¹⁹⁹² 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]  ¹⁹⁹³ tn Heb “twelve [were] your servants, brothers [are] we.”

[42:13]  ¹⁹⁹⁴ tn Heb “today.”

[42:13]  ¹⁹⁹⁵ tn Heb “and the one is not.”

[42:14]  ¹⁹⁹⁶ tn Heb “to you, saying.”

[42:15]  ¹⁹⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹⁹⁹ tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.

[42:16]  ²⁰⁰⁰ tn Heb “bound.”

[42:16]  ²⁰⁰¹ tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:16]  ²⁰⁰² tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”

[42:17]  ²⁰⁰³ 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]  ²⁰⁰⁴ tn Heb “Do this.”

[42:18]  ²⁰⁰⁵ tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.

[42:18]  ²⁰⁰⁶ 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]  ²⁰⁰⁷ tn Heb “bound in the house of your prison.”

[42:19]  ²⁰⁰⁸ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal.

[42:19]  ²⁰⁰⁹ tn Heb “[for] the hunger of your households.”

[42:20]  ²⁰¹⁰ tn The imperfect here has an injunctive force.

[42:20]  ²⁰¹¹ tn After the injunctive imperfect, this imperfect with vav indicates purpose or result.

[42:20]  ²⁰¹² 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]  ²⁰¹³ tn Heb “and they did so.”

[42:21]  ²⁰¹⁴ tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”

[42:21]  ²⁰¹⁵ 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]  ²⁰¹⁶ tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”

[42:21]  ²⁰¹⁷ 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]  ²⁰¹⁸ 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]  ²⁰¹⁹ tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[42:23]  ²⁰²⁰ 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]  ²⁰²¹ 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]  ²⁰²² tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”

[42:24]  ²⁰²³ 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]  ²⁰²⁴ tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”

[42:25]  ²⁰²⁵ 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]  ²⁰²⁶ 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]  ²⁰²⁷ tn Heb “and they went from there.”

[42:27]  ²⁰²⁸ 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]  ²⁰²⁹ tn Heb “at the lodging place.”

[42:27]  ²⁰³⁰ 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]  ²⁰³¹ 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]  ²⁰³² tn Heb “and they trembled, a man to his neighbor.”

[42:28]  ²⁰³³ tn Heb “What is this God has done to us?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question.

[42:30]  ²⁰³⁴ tn Heb “made us.”

[42:30]  ²⁰³⁵ tn The words “if we were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:32]  ²⁰³⁶ tn Heb “twelve [were] we, brothers, sons of our father [are] we.”

[42:32]  ²⁰³⁷ tn Heb “the one is not.”

[42:32]  ²⁰³⁸ tn Heb “today.”

[42:33]  ²⁰³⁹ tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:34]  ²⁰⁴⁰ tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.

[42:34]  ²⁰⁴¹ tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”

[42:34]  ²⁰⁴² 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]  ²⁰⁴³ tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36]  ²⁰⁴⁴ tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36]  ²⁰⁴⁵ tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.

[42:37]  ²⁰⁴⁶ tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.

[42:37]  ²⁰⁴⁷ tn Heb “my hand.”

[42:38]  ²⁰⁴⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[42:38]  ²⁰⁴⁹ 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]  ²⁰⁵⁰ 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]  ²⁰⁵¹ tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[43:1]  ²⁰⁵² tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.

[43:3]  ²⁰⁵³ 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]  ²⁰⁵⁴ tn The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”

[43:4]  ²⁰⁵⁵ tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”

[43:6]  ²⁰⁵⁶ tn The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”

[43:6]  ²⁰⁵⁷ tn The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.

[43:7]  ²⁰⁵⁸ tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:7]  ²⁰⁵⁹ tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.

[43:7]  ²⁰⁶⁰ 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]  ²⁰⁶¹ tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”

[43:7]  ²⁰⁶² 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]  ²⁰⁶³ tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).

[43:8]  ²⁰⁶⁴ 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]  ²⁰⁶⁵ tn After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.

[43:9]  ²⁰⁶⁶ 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]  ²⁰⁶⁷ 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]  ²⁰⁶⁸ tn Heb “we could have returned.”

[43:12]  ²⁰⁶⁹ tn Heb “in your hand.”

[43:12]  ²⁰⁷⁰ 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]  ²⁰⁷¹ tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”

[43:13]  ²⁰⁷² 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]  ²⁰⁷³ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[43:14]  ²⁰⁷⁴ 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]  ²⁰⁷⁵ 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]  ²⁰⁷⁶ 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]  ²⁰⁷⁷ 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]  ²⁰⁷⁸ tn Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.

[43:17]  ²⁰⁷⁹ sn This verse is a summary statement. The next verses delineate intermediate steps (see v. 24) in the process.

[43:18]  ²⁰⁸⁰ tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[43:18]  ²⁰⁸¹ tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.

[43:18]  ²⁰⁸² 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]  ²⁰⁸³ tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:20]  ²⁰⁸⁴ tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.

[43:20]  ²⁰⁸⁵ tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).

[43:21]  ²⁰⁸⁶ tn Heb “in its weight.”

[43:21]  ²⁰⁸⁷ tn Heb “brought it back in our hand.”

[43:23]  ²⁰⁸⁸ 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]  ²⁰⁸⁹ 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]  ²⁰⁹⁰ tn Heb “your money came to me.”

[43:24]  ²⁰⁹¹ tn Heb “the man.”

[43:25]  ²⁰⁹² tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.

[43:25]  ²⁰⁹³ tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.

[43:25]  ²⁰⁹⁴ tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).

[43:26]  ²⁰⁹⁵ tn Heb “into the house.”

[43:27]  ²⁰⁹⁶ tn Heb “concerning peace.”

[43:28]  ²⁰⁹⁷ tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.

[43:29]  ²⁰⁹⁸ tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:29]  ²⁰⁹⁹ sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.

[43:30]  ²¹⁰⁰ 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]  ²¹⁰¹ tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”

[43:31]  ²¹⁰² tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”

[43:32]  ²¹⁰³ tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:32]  ²¹⁰⁴ 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]  ²¹⁰⁵ 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]  ²¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”

[43:33]  ²¹⁰⁷ 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]  ²¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”

[43:34]  ²¹⁰⁹ 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]  ²¹¹⁰ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.

[44:2]  ²¹¹¹ tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”

[44:3]  ²¹¹² tn Heb “the morning was light.”

[44:3]  ²¹¹³ 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]  ²¹¹⁴ tn Heb “they left the city, they were not far,” meaning “they had not gone very far.”

[44:4]  ²¹¹⁵ 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]  ²¹¹⁶ tn Heb “arise, chase after the men.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[44:4]  ²¹¹⁷ 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]  ²¹¹⁸ 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]  ²¹¹⁹ tn Heb “and he, divining, divines with it.” The infinitive absolute is emphatic, stressing the importance of the cup to Joseph.

[44:5]  ²¹²⁰ tn Heb “you have caused to be evil what you have done.”

[44:6]  ²¹²¹ 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]  ²¹²² tn Heb “Why does my lord speak according to these words?”

[44:7]  ²¹²³ tn Heb “according to this thing.”

[44:9]  ²¹²⁴ 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]  ²¹²⁵ 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]  ²¹²⁶ tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”

[44:10]  ²¹²⁷ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:10]  ²¹²⁸ 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]  ²¹²⁹ tn Heb “and they hurried and they lowered.” Their speed in doing this shows their presumption of innocence.

[44:12]  ²¹³⁰ 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]  ²¹³¹ sn Judah and his brothers. The narrative is already beginning to bring Judah to the forefront.

[44:14]  ²¹³² tn The disjunctive clause here provides supplemental information.

[44:15]  ²¹³³ 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]  ²¹³⁴ 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]  ²¹³⁵ tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.

[44:16]  ²¹³⁶ 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]  ²¹³⁷ 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]  ²¹³⁸ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:17]  ²¹³⁹ tn Heb “up” (reflecting directions from their point of view – “up” to Canaan; “down” to Egypt).

[44:18]  ²¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”

[44:18]  ²¹⁴¹ tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”

[44:18]  ²¹⁴² 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]  ²¹⁴³ tn Heb “and a small boy of old age,” meaning that he was born when his father was elderly.

[44:20]  ²¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “his”; the referent (the boy just mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:20]  ²¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “he, only he, to his mother is left.”

[44:21]  ²¹⁴⁶ tn The cohortative after the imperative indicates purpose here.

[44:21]  ²¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “that I may set my eyes upon him.”

[44:22]  ²¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the boy’s father, i.e., Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:22]  ²¹⁴⁹ tn The last two verbs are perfect tenses with vav consecutive. The first is subordinated to the second as a conditional clause.

[44:26]  ²¹⁵⁰ 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]  ²¹⁵¹ tn Heb “go down.”

[44:27]  ²¹⁵² tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”

[44:28]  ²¹⁵³ tn Heb “went forth from me.”

[44:29]  ²¹⁵⁴ 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]  ²¹⁵⁵ 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]  ²¹⁵⁶ 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]  ²¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[44:30]  ²¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “his life is bound up in his life.”

[44:31]  ²¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “when he sees that there is no boy.”

[44:32]  ²¹⁶⁰ tn Or “for.”

[44:34]  ²¹⁶¹ tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”

[44:34]  ²¹⁶² tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”

[45:1]  ²¹⁶³ tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”

[45:1]  ²¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “stood.”

[45:2]  ²¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud.

[45:2]  ²¹⁶⁶ 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]  ²¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.”

[45:5]  ²¹⁶⁸ 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]  ²¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.”

[45:7]  ²¹⁷⁰ 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]  ²¹⁷¹ tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.”

[45:7]  ²¹⁷² tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action.

[45:8]  ²¹⁷³ tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.

[45:9]  ²¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “hurry and go up.”

[45:10]  ²¹⁷⁵ tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:11]  ²¹⁷⁶ 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]  ²¹⁷⁷ 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]  ²¹⁷⁸ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:13]  ²¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”

[45:16]  ²¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “and the sound was heard.”

[45:16]  ²¹⁸¹ tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.”

[45:17]  ²¹⁸² tn Heb “and go! Enter!”

[45:18]  ²¹⁸³ tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.

[45:18]  ²¹⁸⁴ tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.

[45:18]  ²¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “fat.”

[45:19]  ²¹⁸⁶ tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[45:20]  ²¹⁸⁷ tn Heb “let not your eye regard.”

[45:21]  ²¹⁸⁸ tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.”

[45:21]  ²¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.”

[45:22]  ²¹⁹⁰ tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.”

[45:22]  ²¹⁹¹ tn Heb “changes of outer garments.”

[45:23]  ²¹⁹² tn Heb “according to this.”

[45:24]  ²¹⁹³ 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]  ²¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.”

[45:26]  ²¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.

[45:27]  ²¹⁹⁶ tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.”

[46:1]  ²¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “and Israel journeyed, and all that was his.”

[46:1]  ²¹⁹⁸ sn Beer Sheba. See Gen 21:31; 28:10.

[46:2]  ²¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “in visions of the night.” The plural form has the singular meaning, probably as a plural of intensity.

[46:3]  ²²⁰⁰ tn Heb “the God.”

[46:4]  ²²⁰¹ 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]  ²²⁰² 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]  ²²⁰³ tn Heb “arose.”

[46:6]  ²²⁰⁴ 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]  ²²⁰⁵ 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]  ²²⁰⁶ tc The MT reads “Puvah” (cf. Num 26:23); the Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac read “Puah” (cf. 1 Chr 7:1).

[46:13]  ²²⁰⁷ 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]  ²²⁰⁸ tn Heb “all the lives of his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.”

[46:16]  ²²⁰⁹ tc The MT reads “Ziphion,” but see Num 26:15, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, all of which read “Zephon.”

[46:20]  ²²¹⁰ sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[46:21]  ²²¹¹ 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]  ²²¹² tn This name appears as “Shuham” in Num 26:42. The LXX reads “Hashum” here.

[46:26]  ²²¹³ 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]  ²²¹⁴ 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]  ²²¹⁵ 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]  ²²¹⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[46:28]  ²²¹⁷ tn Heb “to direct before him to Goshen.”

[46:29]  ²²¹⁸ tn Heb “and he appeared to him.”

[46:30]  ²²¹⁹ tn Heb “after my seeing your face that you are still alive.”

[46:31]  ²²²⁰ tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”

[46:32]  ²²²¹ tn Heb “feeders of sheep.”

[46:32]  ²²²² tn Heb “for men of livestock they are.”

[46:34]  ²²²³ tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”

[46:34]  ²²²⁴ 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]  ²²²⁵ 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]  ²²²⁶ tn Heb “Look they [are] in the land of Goshen.” Joseph draws attention to the fact of their presence in Goshen.

[47:2]  ²²²⁷ tn Heb “and from the whole of his brothers he took five men and presented them before Pharaoh.”

[47:3]  ²²²⁸ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:3]  ²²²⁹ tn Heb “both we and our fathers.”

[47:4]  ²²³⁰ tn Heb “to sojourn.”

[47:4]  ²²³¹ 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]  ²²³² tn Heb “men of skill.”

[47:6]  ²²³³ 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]  ²²³⁴ tn Heb “caused him to stand.”

[47:7]  ²²³⁵ 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]  ²²³⁶ tn Heb “How many are the days of the years of your life?”

[47:9]  ²²³⁷ tn Heb “the days of.”

[47:9]  ²²³⁸ 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]  ²²³⁹ tn Heb “the days of.”

[47:9]  ²²⁴⁰ 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]  ²²⁴¹ tn Heb “and they have not reached the days of the years of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.”

[47:10]  ²²⁴² tn Heb “from before Pharaoh.”

[47:11]  ²²⁴³ 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]  ²²⁴⁴ 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]  ²²⁴⁵ 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]  ²²⁴⁶ tn Or “in exchange.” On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.

[47:14]  ²²⁴⁷ tn Heb “house.”

[47:15]  ²²⁴⁸ tn Heb “all Egypt.” The expression is a metonymy and refers to all the people of Egypt.

[47:15]  ²²⁴⁹ tn The imperfect verbal form has a deliberative force here.

[47:16]  ²²⁵⁰ tn The word “food” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:16]  ²²⁵¹ tn On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.

[47:17]  ²²⁵² tn The definite article is translated here as a possessive pronoun.

[47:18]  ²²⁵³ tn Heb “my.” The expression “my lord” occurs twice more in this verse.

[47:19]  ²²⁵⁴ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates consequence.

[47:19]  ²²⁵⁵ 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]  ²²⁵⁶ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates purpose or result.

[47:19]  ²²⁵⁷ tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + negated verb) highlights the statement and brings their argument to a conclusion.

[47:20]  ²²⁵⁸ 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]  ²²⁵⁹ tn The Hebrew text adds “upon them.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:21]  ²²⁶⁰ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:21]  ²²⁶¹ 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]  ²²⁶² tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive is equivalent to a command here.

[47:24]  ²²⁶³ tn The words “the crop” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:24]  ²²⁶⁴ tn The perfect form with the vav (ו) consecutive is equivalent to an imperfect of instruction here.

[47:24]  ²²⁶⁵ tn Heb “four parts.”

[47:25]  ²²⁶⁶ 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]  ²²⁶⁷ sn Slaves. See the note on this word in v. 21.

[47:26]  ²²⁶⁸ tn On the term translated “statute” see P. Victor, “A Note on Hoq in the Old Testament,” VT 16 (1966): 358-61.

[47:26]  ²²⁶⁹ tn The words “which is in effect” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[47:28]  ²²⁷⁰ tn Heb “the days of the years.”

[47:29]  ²²⁷¹ tn Heb “days.”

[47:29]  ²²⁷² sn On the expression put your hand under my thigh see Gen 24:2.

[47:29]  ²²⁷³ tn Or “deal with me in faithful love.”

[47:30]  ²²⁷⁴ tn Heb “lie down.” Here the expression “lie down” refers to death.

[47:30]  ²²⁷⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ²²⁷⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ²²⁷⁷ tn Heb “swear on oath to me.” The words “that you will do so” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ²²⁷⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[47:31]  ²²⁷⁹ tn Heb “swore on oath to him.”

[47:31]  ²²⁸⁰ 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]  ²²⁸¹ 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]  ²²⁸² tn Heb “and one said.” With no expressed subject in the Hebrew text, the verb can be translated with the passive voice.

[48:2]  ²²⁸³ tn Heb “and one told and said.” The verbs have no expressed subject and can be translated with the passive voice.

[48:2]  ²²⁸⁴ tn Heb “Look, your son Joseph.”

[48:3]  ²²⁸⁵ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[48:4]  ²²⁸⁶ 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]  ²²⁸⁷ tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the certain future idea.

[48:4]  ²²⁸⁸ tn The Hebrew text adds “after you,” which has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[48:4]  ²²⁸⁹ 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]  ²²⁹⁰ 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]  ²²⁹¹ tn Or “you fathered.”

[48:6]  ²²⁹² tn Heb “called” or “named.”

[48:6]  ²²⁹³ 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]  ²²⁹⁴ tn Heb “upon me, against me,” which might mean something like “to my sorrow.”

[48:7]  ²²⁹⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[48:9]  ²²⁹⁶ tn Heb “my.”

[48:9]  ²²⁹⁷ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:9]  ²²⁹⁸ tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the imperative.

[48:10]  ²²⁹⁹ 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]  ²³⁰⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:10]  ²³⁰¹ tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:10]  ²³⁰² tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:11]  ²³⁰³ 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]  ²³⁰⁴ tn Heb “your face.”

[48:11]  ²³⁰⁵ tn Heb “offspring.”

[48:12]  ²³⁰⁶ 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]  ²³⁰⁷ tn Heb “and Joseph took the two of them.”

[48:13]  ²³⁰⁸ 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]  ²³⁰⁹ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-concessive here.

[48:15]  ²³¹⁰ tn Heb “shepherded me.” The verb has been translated as an English noun for stylistic reasons.

[48:16]  ²³¹¹ 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]  ²³¹² 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]  ²³¹³ tn Or “be recalled through them.”

[48:17]  ²³¹⁴ tn Heb “it was bad in his eyes.”

[48:19]  ²³¹⁵ tn Heb “fullness.”

[48:20]  ²³¹⁶ 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]  ²³¹⁷ tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”

[48:20]  ²³¹⁸ 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]  ²³¹⁹ tn The pronouns translated “you,” “you,” and “your” in this verse are plural in the Hebrew text.

[48:22]  ²³²⁰ tn The pronouns translated “your” and “you” in this verse are singular in the Hebrew text.

[48:22]  ²³²¹ 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]  ²³²² tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.

[49:1]  ²³²³ 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]  ²³²⁴ 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]  ²³²⁵ 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]  ²³²⁶ sn This is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse with Jacob’s wives (see Gen 35:22).

[49:4]  ²³²⁷ 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]  ²³²⁸ 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]  ²³²⁹ 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]  ²³³⁰ 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]  ²³³¹ 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]  ²³³² 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]  ²³³³ 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]  ²³³⁴ 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]  ²³³⁵ tn The perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, describing coming events as though they have already taken place.

[49:12]  ²³³⁶ 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]  ²³³⁷ 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]  ²³³⁸ map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[49:15]  ²³³⁹ 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]  ²³⁴⁰ 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]  ²³⁴¹ sn The name Dan (דָּן, dan) means “judge” and forms a wordplay with the following verb.

[49:16]  ²³⁴² tn Or “govern.”

[49:17]  ²³⁴³ 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]  ²³⁴⁴ 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]  ²³⁴⁵ 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]  ²³⁴⁶ 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]  ²³⁴⁷ tn The Hebrew word translated “rich,” when applied to products of the ground, means abundant in quantity and quality.

[49:20]  ²³⁴⁸ tn The word translated “delicacies” refers to foods that were delightful, the kind fit for a king.

[49:21]  ²³⁴⁹ tn Heb “a doe set free.”

[49:21]  ²³⁵⁰ 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]  ²³⁵¹ 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]  ²³⁵² tn Heb “daughters.”

[49:23]  ²³⁵³ 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]  ²³⁵⁴ tn Heb “the arms of his hands.”

[49:24]  ²³⁵⁵ tn Heb “from there,” but the phrase should be revocalized and read “from [i.e., because of] the name of.”

[49:24]  ²³⁵⁶ tn Or “Stone.”

[49:25]  ²³⁵⁷ tn Heb “and he will help you.”

[49:25]  ²³⁵⁸ 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]  ²³⁵⁹ tn Heb “and he will bless you.”

[49:25]  ²³⁶⁰ 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]  ²³⁶¹ tn Heb “have prevailed over.”

[49:26]  ²³⁶² 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]  ²³⁶³ tn For further discussion of this passage, see I. Sonne, “Genesis 49:24-26,” JBL 65 (1946): 303-6.

[49:28]  ²³⁶⁴ tn Heb “All these.”

[49:28]  ²³⁶⁵ tn Heb “and he blessed them, each of whom according to his blessing, he blessed them.”

[49:29]  ²³⁶⁶ 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]  ²³⁶⁷ tn Heb “I am about to be gathered” The participle is used here to describe what is imminent.

[49:32]  ²³⁶⁸ 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]  ²³⁶⁹ tn Heb “was gathered.”

[50:1]  ²³⁷⁰ 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]  ²³⁷¹ tn Heb “his servants the physicians.”

[50:3]  ²³⁷² tn Heb “and forty days were fulfilled for him, for thus are fulfilled the days of embalming.”

[50:3]  ²³⁷³ tn Heb “wept.”

[50:3]  ²³⁷⁴ sn Seventy days. This probably refers to a time of national mourning.

[50:4]  ²³⁷⁵ tn Heb “weeping.”

[50:4]  ²³⁷⁶ tn Heb “the house of Pharaoh.”

[50:4]  ²³⁷⁷ tn Heb “in the ears of Pharaoh.”

[50:5]  ²³⁷⁸ tn Heb “saying.”

[50:5]  ²³⁷⁹ tn The imperfect verbal form here has the force of a command.

[50:6]  ²³⁸⁰ tn Heb “he made you swear on oath.”

[50:7]  ²³⁸¹ tn Or “dignitaries”; Heb “elders.”

[50:9]  ²³⁸² tn Heb “camp.”

[50:10]  ²³⁸³ 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]  ²³⁸⁴ 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]  ²³⁸⁵ tn Heb “this is heavy mourning for Egypt.”

[50:11]  ²³⁸⁶ tn The verb has no expressed subject and so it may be translated as passive.

[50:11]  ²³⁸⁷ sn The name Abel Mizraim means “the mourning of Egypt.”

[50:15]  ²³⁸⁸ tn The imperfect tense could be a simple future; it could also have a desiderative nuance.

[50:15]  ²³⁸⁹ tn The infinitive absolute makes the statement emphatic, “repay in full.”

[50:15]  ²³⁹⁰ tn Or “evil.”

[50:16]  ²³⁹¹ 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]  ²³⁹² tn Heb “and Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”

[50:19]  ²³⁹³ tn Heb “For am I.”

[50:20]  ²³⁹⁴ tn Heb “you devised against me evil.”

[50:20]  ²³⁹⁵ tn Heb “God devised it for good in order to do, like this day, to preserve alive a great nation.”

[50:21]  ²³⁹⁶ tn Heb “spoke to their heart.”

[50:22]  ²³⁹⁷ tn Heb “he and the house of his father.”

[50:23]  ²³⁹⁸ tn Heb “saw Ephraim, the children of the third.”

[50:23]  ²³⁹⁹ 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]  ²⁴⁰⁰ 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]  ²⁴⁰¹ tn The words “to give” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[50:26]  ²⁴⁰² tn Heb “son of a hundred and ten years.”

[50:26]  ²⁴⁰³ tn Heb “he.”