Genesis 5:29

5:29 He named him Noah, ¹  saying, “This one will bring us comfort ²  from our labor and from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the Lord has cursed.”

Genesis 37:27

37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, ³  for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. ⁴ 

Genesis 41:12

41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant ⁵  of the captain of the guards, ⁶  was with us there. We told him our dreams, ⁷  and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. ⁸ 

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¹ sn The name Noah appears to be related to the Hebrew word נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”). There are several wordplays on the name “Noah” in the story of the flood.

² tn The Hebrew verb יְנַחֲמֵנוּ (yÿnakhamenu) is from the root נָחָם (nakham), which means “to comfort” in the Piel verbal stem. The letters נ (nun) and ח (heth) pick up the sounds in the name “Noah,” forming a paronomasia on the name. They are not from the same verbal root, and so the connection is only by sound. Lamech’s sentiment reflects the oppression of living under the curse on the ground, but also expresses the hope for relief in some way through the birth of Noah. His words proved to be ironic but prophetic. The relief would come with a new beginning after the flood. See E. G. Kraeling, “The Interpretations of the Name Noah in Genesis 5:29,” JBL 48 (1929): 138-43.

³ tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”

⁴ tn Heb “listened.”

⁵ tn Or “slave.”

⁶ tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.

⁷ tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁸ tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”