Genesis 19:2

19:2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. Stay the night 1  and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.” 2  “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.” 3 

Genesis 24:14

24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ 4  In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 5 

Genesis 28:14

28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, 6  and you will spread out 7  to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 8  using your name and that of your descendants. 9 

1 tn The imperatives have the force of invitation.

2 tn These two verbs form a verbal hendiadys: “you can rise up early and go” means “you can go early.”

3 sn The town square refers to the wide street area at the gate complex of the city.

4 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.

5 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.”

6 tn This is the same Hebrew word translated “ground” in the preceding verse.

7 tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew; Jacob is addressed as the representative of his descendants.

8 tn Theoretically the Niphal stem can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Jacob were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in other formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless (i.e., pronounce blessings upon) themselves/one another.” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 28:14 predicts that Jacob will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae (see Gen 12:2 and 18:18 as well, where Abram/Abraham receives this promise). For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

9 tn Heb “and they will pronounce blessings by you, all the families of the earth, and by your offspring.”