Genesis 9:23

9:23 Shem and Japheth took the garment 1  and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned 2  the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.

Genesis 20:6

20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. 3  That is why I have kept you 4  from sinning against me and why 5  I did not allow you to touch her.

Genesis 20:9

20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? 6  You have done things to me that should not be done!” 7 

Genesis 27:45

27:45 Stay there 8  until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there. 9  Why should I lose both of you in one day?” 10 

Genesis 30:40

30:40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face 11  the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks.

Genesis 38:14

38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because 12  she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) 13 

Genesis 38:16

38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” 14  (He did not realize 15  it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” 16 

Genesis 50:17

50:17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept. 17 

1 tn The word translated “garment” has the Hebrew definite article on it. The article may simply indicate that the garment is definite and vivid in the mind of the narrator, but it could refer instead to Noah’s garment. Did Ham bring it out when he told his brothers?

2 tn Heb “their faces [were turned] back.”

3 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”

4 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”

5 tn Heb “therefore.”

6 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.

7 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.

8 tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

9 tn Heb “and I will send and I will take you from there.” The verb “send” has no object in the Hebrew text; one must be supplied in the translation. Either “someone” or “a message” could be supplied, but since in those times a message would require a messenger, “someone” has been used.

10 tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.

11 tn Heb “and he set the faces of.”

12 tn The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.

13 tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”

14 tn Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

15 tn Heb “for he did not know that.”

16 tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

17 tn Heb “and Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”