Genesis 19:14

19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. ¹  He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy ²  the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. ³ 

Genesis 19:34

19:34 So in the morning the older daughter ⁴  said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. ⁵  Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” ⁶ 

Genesis 20:7

20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed ⁷  he is a prophet ⁸  and he will pray for you; thus you will live. ⁹  But if you don’t give her back, ¹⁰  know that you will surely die ¹¹  along with all who belong to you.”

Genesis 38:25

38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word ¹²  to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” ¹³  Then she said, “Identify ¹⁴  the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.”

Genesis 43:11

43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man – a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

Genesis 50:17

50:17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept. ¹⁵ 

---

¹ sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.

² tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.

³ tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.

⁴ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

⁵ tn Heb “Look, I lied down with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight.”

⁶ tn Heb “And go, lie down with him and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

⁷ tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

⁸ sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

⁹ tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.

¹⁰ tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

¹¹ tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

¹² 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.

¹³ tn Heb “who these to him.”

¹⁴ tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “and Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”