17:3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, 1 and God said to him, 2
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute 3 because she had covered her face.
43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, 4 “Set out the food.”
50:1 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face. 5 He wept over him and kissed him.
1 tn Heb “And Abram fell on his face.” This expression probably means that Abram sank to his knees and put his forehead to the ground, although it is possible that he completely prostrated himself. In either case the posture indicates humility and reverence.
2 tn Heb “God spoke to him, saying.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
3 tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.
4 tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”
5 tn Heb “fell on.” The expression describes Joseph’s unrestrained sorrow over Jacob’s death; he probably threw himself across the body and embraced his father.