Genesis 4:13

4:13 Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment ¹  is too great to endure! ² 

Genesis 26:21

26:21 His servants ³  dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it ⁴  Sitnah. ⁵ 

Genesis 43:13

43:13 Take your brother too, and go right away ⁶  to the man. ⁷ 

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¹ tn The primary meaning of the Hebrew word עָוֹן (’avon) is “sin, iniquity.” But by metonymy it can refer to the “guilt” of sin, or to “punishment” for sin. The third meaning applies here. Just before this the Lord announces the punishment for Cain’s actions, and right after this statement Cain complains of the severity of the punishment. Cain is not portrayed as repenting of his sin.

² tn Heb “great is my punishment from bearing.” The preposition מִן (min, “from”) is used here in a comparative sense.

³ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁵ sn The name Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה, sitnah) is derived from a Hebrew verbal root meaning “to oppose; to be an adversary” (cf. Job 1:6). The name was a reminder that the digging of this well caused “opposition” from the Philistines.

⁶ tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”

⁷ sn The man refers to the Egyptian official, whom the reader or hearer of the narrative knows is Joseph. In this context both the sons and Jacob refer to him simply as “the man” (see vv. 3-7).