Genesis 17:16

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. ¹  Kings of countries ²  will come from her!”

Genesis 28:5

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.

Genesis 30:14

30:14 At the time ³  of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants ⁴  in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

Genesis 37:10

37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? ⁵  Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” ⁶ 

Genesis 43:29

43:29 When Joseph looked up ⁷  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.” ⁸ 

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¹ tn Heb “she will become nations.”

² tn Heb “peoples.”

³ tn Heb “during the days.”

⁴ sn Mandrake plants were popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac in the culture of the time.

⁵ sn The question What is this dream that you had? expresses Jacob’s dismay at what he perceives to be Joseph’s audacity.

⁶ 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?”

⁷ tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁸ sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.