Genesis 4:3

4:3 At the designated time ¹  Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering ²  to the Lord.

Genesis 13:13

13:13 (Now ³  the people ⁴  of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.) ⁵ 

Genesis 18:17

18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? ⁶ 

Genesis 22:15

22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven

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¹ tn Heb “And it happened at the end of days.” The clause indicates the passing of a set period of time leading up to offering sacrifices.

² tn The Hebrew term מִנְחָה (minkhah, “offering”) is a general word for tribute, a gift, or an offering. It is the main word used in Lev 2 for the dedication offering. This type of offering could be comprised of vegetables. The content of the offering (vegetables, as opposed to animals) was not the critical issue, but rather the attitude of the offerer.

³ tn Here is another significant parenthetical clause in the story, signaled by the vav (וו) disjunctive (translated “now”) on the noun at the beginning of the clause.

⁴ tn Heb “men.” However, this is generic in sense; it is unlikely that only the male residents of Sodom were sinners.

⁵ tn Heb “wicked and sinners against the Lord exceedingly.” The description of the sinfulness of the Sodomites is very emphatic. First, two nouns are used to form a hendiadys: “wicked and sinners” means “wicked sinners,” the first word becoming adjectival. The text is saying these were no ordinary sinners; they were wicked sinners, the type that cause pain for others. Then to this phrase is added “against the Lord,” stressing their violation of the laws of heaven and their culpability. Finally, to this is added מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “exceedingly,” translated here as “extremely”).

⁶ tn The active participle here refers to an action that is imminent.