“This one at last 3 is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one will be called 4 ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of 5 man.” 6
3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God moving about 7 in the orchard at the breezy time 8 of the day, and they hid 9 from the Lord God among the trees of the orchard.
4:1 Now 10 the man had marital relations with 11 his wife Eve, and she became pregnant 12 and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created 13 a man just as the Lord did!” 14
12:8 Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel 22 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. 23
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 26
16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your 35 servant is under your authority, 36 do to her whatever you think best.” 37 Then Sarai treated Hagar 38 harshly, 39 so she ran away from Sarai. 40
“You are now 41 pregnant
and are about to give birth 42 to a son.
You are to name him Ishmael, 43
for the Lord has heard your painful groans. 44
18:30 Then Abraham 48 said, “May the Lord not be angry 49 so that I may speak! 50 What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, 63 and the older daughter 64 came and had sexual relations with her father. 65 But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 66
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, 79 and the two of them walked on together.
24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me 80 to this land? Must I then 81 take your son back to the land from which you came?”
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. 82 He journeyed 83 to the region of Aram Naharaim 84 and the city of Nahor.
26:10 Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? 97 One of the men 98 might easily have had sexual relations with 99 your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”
27:41 So Esau hated 116 Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. 117 Esau said privately, 118 “The time 119 of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill 120 my brother Jacob!”
28:18 Early 126 in the morning Jacob 127 took the stone he had placed near his head 128 and set it up as a sacred stone. 129 Then he poured oil on top of it.
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. 135 Then she stopped having children.
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. 144 Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 145
32:9 Then Jacob prayed, 146 “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said 147 to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ 148
35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once 153 to Bethel 154 and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 155
37:9 Then he had another dream, 167 and told it to his brothers. “Look,” 168 he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with 173 your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise 174 up a descendant for your brother.” 175
38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah 176 the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, 177 but Hirah 178 could not find her.
42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill 191 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. 192
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 193 for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know 194 that you are honest men and not spies. 195 Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” 196
42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may 197 put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care 198 and I will bring him back to you.”
43:29 When Joseph looked up 199 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.” 200
44:18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. 203 Please do not get angry with your servant, 204 for you are just like Pharaoh. 205
46:5 Then Jacob started out 210 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.
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 216
all my life long to this day,
50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you 217 and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give 218 to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
1 tn The text uses הִנֵּה (hinneh), often archaically translated “behold.” It is often used to express the dramatic present, the immediacy of an event – “Look, this is what I am doing!”
2 sn G. J. Wenham (Genesis [WBC], 1:34) points out that there is nothing in the passage that prohibits the man and the woman from eating meat. He suggests that eating meat came after the fall. Gen 9:3 may then ratify the postfall practice of eating meat rather than inaugurate the practice, as is often understood.
3 tn The Hebrew term הַפַּעַם (happa’am) means “the [this] time, this place,” or “now, finally, at last.” The expression conveys the futility of the man while naming the animals and finding no one who corresponded to him.
4 tn The Hebrew text is very precise, stating: “of this one it will be said, ‘woman’.” The text is not necessarily saying that the man named his wife – that comes after the fall (Gen 3:20).
sn Some argue that naming implies the man’s authority or ownership over the woman here. Naming can indicate ownership or authority if one is calling someone or something by one’s name and/or calling a name over someone or something (see 2 Sam 12:28; 2 Chr 7:14; Isa 4:1; Jer 7:14; 15:16), especially if one is conquering and renaming a site. But the idiomatic construction used here (the Niphal of קָרָא, qara’, with preposition lamed [לְ, lÿ]) does not suggest such an idea. In each case where it is used, the one naming discerns something about the object being named and gives it an appropriate name (See 1 Sam 9:9; 2 Sam 18:18; Prov 16:21; Isa 1:26; 32:5; 35:8; 62:4, 12; Jer 19:6). Adam is not so much naming the woman as he is discerning her close relationship to him and referring to her accordingly. He may simply be anticipating that she will be given an appropriate name based on the discernible similarity.
5 tn Or “from” (but see v. 22).
6 sn This poetic section expresses the correspondence between the man and the woman. She is bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh. Note the wordplay (paronomasia) between “woman” (אִשָּׁה, ’ishah) and “man” (אִישׁ, ’ish). On the surface it appears that the word for woman is the feminine form of the word for man. But the two words are not etymologically related. The sound and the sense give that impression, however, and make for a more effective wordplay.
7 tn The Hitpael participle of הָלָךְ (halakh, “to walk, to go”) here has an iterative sense, “moving” or “going about.” While a translation of “walking about” is possible, it assumes a theophany, the presence of the
8 tn The expression is traditionally rendered “cool of the day,” because the Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruakh) can mean “wind.” U. Cassuto (Genesis: From Adam to Noah, 152-54) concludes after lengthy discussion that the expression refers to afternoon when it became hot and the sun was beginning to decline. J. J. Niehaus (God at Sinai [SOTBT], 155-57) offers a different interpretation of the phrase, relating יוֹם (yom, usually understood as “day”) to an Akkadian cognate umu (“storm”) and translates the phrase “in the wind of the storm.” If Niehaus is correct, then God is not pictured as taking an afternoon stroll through the orchard, but as coming in a powerful windstorm to confront the man and woman with their rebellion. In this case קוֹל יְהוָה (qol yÿhvah, “sound of the
9 tn The verb used here is the Hitpael, giving the reflexive idea (“they hid themselves”). In v. 10, when Adam answers the
10 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new episode in the ongoing narrative.
11 tn Heb “the man knew,” a frequent euphemism for sexual relations.
12 tn Or “she conceived.”
13 tn Here is another sound play (paronomasia) on a name. The sound of the verb קָנִיתִי (qaniti, “I have created”) reflects the sound of the name Cain in Hebrew (קַיִן, qayin) and gives meaning to it. The saying uses the Qal perfect of קָנָה (qanah). There are two homonymic verbs with this spelling, one meaning “obtain, acquire” and the other meaning “create” (see Gen 14:19, 22; Deut 32:6; Ps 139:13; Prov 8:22). The latter fits this context very well. Eve has created a man.
14 tn Heb “with the
sn Since Exod 6:3 seems to indicate that the name Yahweh (יְהוָה, yÿhvah, translated
15 tn Heb “which [is] between me and between you.”
16 tn Heb “all flesh.”
17 tn Heb “to destroy.”
18 tn Heb “all flesh.”
19 tn Heb “and one lip to all of them.”
20 tn Heb “and now.” The foundational clause beginning with הֵן (hen) expresses the condition, and the second clause the result. It could be rendered “If this…then now.”
21 tn Heb “all that they purpose to do will not be withheld from them.”
22 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
23 tn Heb “he called in the name of the
24 tn The translation “can be counted” (potential imperfect) is suggested by the use of יוּכַל (yukhal, “is able”) in the preceding clause.
25 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.”
26 tn Heb “against.”
27 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
28 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
29 tn Heb “in the middle.”
30 tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”
sn For discussion of this ritual see G. F. Hasel, “The Meaning of the Animal Rite in Genesis 15,” JSOT 19 (1981): 61-78.
31 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.
32 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.
33 tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”
34 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.
35 tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”
36 tn Heb “in your hand.”
37 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”
38 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
39 tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”
40 tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
41 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”
42 tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.
43 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.”
44 tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.
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.
45 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
46 tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
47 tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.
48 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
49 tn Heb “let it not be hot to the
50 tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.
51 tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”
52 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
53 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “visitors” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
54 tn Heb “Yet who [is there] to you here?”
55 tn The words “Do you have” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
56 tn Heb “a son-in-law and your sons and your daughters and anyone who (is) to you in the city.”
57 tn Heb “the place.” The Hebrew article serves here as a demonstrative.
58 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.”
59 tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”
60 tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.
61 tn Heb “Is it not little?”
62 tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.
63 tn Heb “drink wine.”
64 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
65 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.
66 tn Heb “and he did not know when she lay down and when she arose.”
67 tn Heb “drink wine.”
68 tn Heb “lied down with him.”
69 tn Heb “And he did not know when she lied down and when she arose.”
70 sn A bowshot would be a distance of about a hundred yards (ninety meters).
71 tn Heb “said.”
72 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.
73 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.
74 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
75 tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey.
76 tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal.
77 tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.”
78 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.
79 sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead.
80 tn Heb “to go after me.”
81 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.
82 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.
83 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”
84 tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
sn Aram Naharaim means in Hebrew “Aram of the Two Rivers,” a region in northern Mesopotamia.
85 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).
86 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
87 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).
88 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.
89 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
90 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”
91 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.
92 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.
93 tn After the imperative “stay” the two prefixed verb forms with prefixed conjunction here indicate consequence.
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.
94 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.
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
95 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.
96 tn Heb “the oath which I swore.”
sn The solemn promise I made. See Gen 15:18-20; 22:16-18.
97 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).
98 tn Heb “people.”
99 tn The Hebrew verb means “to lie down.” Here the expression “lie with” or “sleep with” is euphemistic for “have sexual relations with.”
100 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
101 tn Heb “and he called its name.”
102 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.
103 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
104 tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.
105 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
106 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
107 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.
108 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.
109 tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
110 tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
111 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.
112 tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).
113 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”
114 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.
115 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?”
116 tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.
117 tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”
118 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.
119 tn Heb “days.”
120 tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.
121 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.
122 tn Heb “and he spent the night there because the sun had gone down.”
123 tn Heb “he took from the stones of the place,” which here means Jacob took one of the stones (see v. 18).
124 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.
125 tn Heb “lay down.”
126 tn Heb “and he got up early…and he took.”
127 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
128 tn See the note on this phrase in v. 11.
129 tn Heb “standing stone.”
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
130 tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.
131 tn The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/subject) is used to highlight the statement.
132 tn The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb for emphasis.
133 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.
134 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the shepherds) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
135 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.
136 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.
137 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
138 tn Heb “for you, you know my service [with] which I have served you.”
139 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).
140 tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”
141 tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.
142 tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.
143 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.”
144 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.
145 tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”
146 tn Heb “said.”
147 tn Heb “the one who said.”
148 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.
149 tn The words “he bought it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 19 is one long sentence.
150 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”).
151 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.
152 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.
153 tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.
154 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
155 sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).
156 tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.
157 tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.
158 tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.
159 tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).
160 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.
161 tn Heb “A nation and a company of nations will be from you and kings from your loins will come out.”
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.
162 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.
163 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.
164 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?”
165 tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.
166 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.
167 tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”
168 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.
169 sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.
170 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).
171 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.
172 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
173 tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
174 tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
175 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.
176 tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.
177 tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”
178 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
179 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.
180 tn Heb “who these to him.”
181 tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”
182 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.
183 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.”
184 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.
185 tn Heb “And look.”
186 tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
187 tn Heb “when they went inside them.”
188 tn Heb “it was not known.”
189 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.
190 tn Heb “began to arrive.”
191 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.
192 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).
193 tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
194 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.
195 tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”
196 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.
197 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.
198 tn Heb “my hand.”
199 tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
200 sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.
201 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.
202 tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”
203 tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”
204 tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”
205 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.
206 tn Or “for.”
207 tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.
208 tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.
209 tn Heb “fat.”
210 tn Heb “arose.”
211 tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”
212 tn Or “in exchange.” On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.
213 tn Heb “house.”
214 tn Heb “and Joseph took the two of them.”
215 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.
216 tn Heb “shepherded me.” The verb has been translated as an English noun for stylistic reasons.
217 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.”
218 tn The words “to give” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.