Genesis 24:50

24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. ¹  Our wishes are of no concern. ² 

Genesis 29:26

29:26 “It is not our custom here,” ³  Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage ⁴  before the firstborn.

Genesis 31:48

31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement ⁵  today.” That is why it was called Galeed.

Genesis 33:12

33:12 Then Esau ⁶  said, “Let’s be on our way! ⁷  I will go in front of you.”

Genesis 34:15

34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become ⁸  like us by circumcising ⁹  all your males.

Genesis 37:26

37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?

Genesis 43:4

43:4 If you send ¹⁰  our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you.

Genesis 43:28

43:28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility. ¹¹ 

Genesis 47:25

47:25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor, ¹²  and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” ¹³ 

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¹ tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”

² tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.

³ tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘It is not done so in our place.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁴ tn Heb “to give the younger.” The words “daughter” and “in marriage” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

⁵ tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”

⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷ tn Heb “let us travel and let us go.” The two cohortatives are used in combination with the sense, “let’s travel along, get going, be on our way.”

⁸ tn Heb “if you are like us.”

⁹ tn The infinitive here explains how they would become like them.

¹⁰ tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”

¹¹ tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.

¹² tn Heb “we find favor in the eyes of my lord.” Some interpret this as a request, “may we find favor in the eyes of my lord.”

¹³ sn Slaves. See the note on this word in v. 21.