19:2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. Stay the night 10 and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.” 11 “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.” 12
1 tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”
2 tn Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”
3 tn Heb “saw.”
4 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.
5 tn Heb “me and you.”
sn May the
6 tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.
7 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.
8 tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.
9 tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”
10 tn The imperatives have the force of invitation.
11 tn These two verbs form a verbal hendiadys: “you can rise up early and go” means “you can go early.”
12 sn The town square refers to the wide street area at the gate complex of the city.
13 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.
14 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.”