Genesis 8:21

8:21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, even though the inclination of their minds is evil from childhood on. I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done.

Genesis 18:19

18:19 I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing 10  what is right and just. Then the Lord will give 11  to Abraham what he promised 12  him.”


tn The Lord “smelled” (וַיָּרַח, vayyarakh) a “soothing smell” (רֵיחַ הַנִּיהֹחַ, reakh hannihoakh). The object forms a cognate accusative with the verb. The language is anthropomorphic. The offering had a sweet aroma that pleased or soothed. The expression in Lev 1 signifies that God accepts the offering with pleasure, and in accepting the offering he accepts the worshiper.

tn Heb “and the Lord said.”

tn Heb “in his heart.”

tn Here the Hebrew word translated “curse” is קָלָל (qalal), used in the Piel verbal stem.

tn The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) can be used in a concessive sense (see BDB 473 s.v. כִּי), which makes good sense in this context. Its normal causal sense (“for”) does not fit the context here very well.

tn Heb “the inclination of the heart of humankind.”

tn Heb “from his youth.”

tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the Lord.

tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).

10 tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the Lord.

11 tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿmaan) indicates result here.

12 tn Heb “spoke to.”