Kejadian 9:27

9:27 May God enlarge Japheth’s territory and numbers! ¹ 

May he live ²  in the tents of Shem

and may Canaan be his slave!”

Kejadian 16:15

16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. ³ 

Kejadian 28:1

28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman! ⁴ 

Kejadian 50:16

50:16 So they sent word ⁵  to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave these instructions before he died:

[9:27]  ¹ tn Heb “may God enlarge Japheth.” The words “territory and numbers” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:27]  sn There is a wordplay (paronomasia) on the name Japheth. The verb יַפְתְּ (yaft, “may he enlarge”) sounds like the name יֶפֶת (yefet, “Japheth”). The name itself suggested the idea. The blessing for Japheth extends beyond the son to the descendants. Their numbers and their territories will be enlarged, so much so that they will share in Shem’s territories. Again, in this oracle, Noah is looking beyond his immediate family to future generations. For a helpful study of this passage and the next chapter, see T. O. Figart, A Biblical Perspective on the Race Problem, 55-58.

[9:27]  ² tn In this context the prefixed verbal form is a jussive (note the distinct jussive forms both before and after this in vv. 26 and 27).

[16:15]  ³ 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.

[28:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[50:16]  ⁵ tn The verb means “command,” but they would hardly be commanding him. It probably means they sent their father’s instructions to Joseph.