Genesis 13:14

13:14 After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, ¹  “Look ²  from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west.

Genesis 15:3

15:3 Abram added, ³  “Since ⁴  you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” ⁵ 

Genesis 26:8

26:8 After Isaac ⁶  had been there a long time, ⁷  Abimelech king of the Philistines happened to look out a window and observed ⁸  Isaac caressing ⁹  his wife Rebekah.

Genesis 40:7

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?” ¹⁰ 

Genesis 41:33

41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look ¹¹  for a wise and discerning man ¹²  and give him authority ¹³  over all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 42:2

42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us ¹⁴  so that we may live ¹⁵  and not die.” ¹⁶ 

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¹ 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.

² tn Heb “lift up your eyes and see.”

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.

³ tn Heb “And Abram said.”

⁴ tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).

⁵ tn Heb “is inheriting me.”

⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷ tn Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”

⁸ 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.

⁹ tn Or “fondling.”

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.

¹⁰ tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”

¹¹ tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

¹² tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹³ tn Heb “and let him set him.”

¹⁴ 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.

¹⁵ tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.

¹⁶ tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.