Discovery BoxGenesis 1:3 
Context1:3 God said, 1 “Let there be 2 light.” 3 And there was light!
Genesis 19:18
Context19:18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord! 4
Genesis 30:11
Context30:11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” 5 So she named him Gad. 6
Genesis 30:34
Context30:34 “Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.” 7
Genesis 37:6
Context37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 8
Genesis 47:8
Context47:8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?” 9
1 tn The prefixed verb form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the narrative sequence. Ten times in the chapter the decree of God in creation will be so expressed. For the power of the divine word in creation, see Ps 33:9, John 1:1-3, 1 Cor 8:6, and Col 1:16.
sn God said. By speaking, God brings the world into existence. The efficacious nature of the word of the
2 tn “Let there be” is the short jussive form of the verb “to be”; the following expression “and there was” is the short preterite form of the same verb. As such, יְהִי (yÿhi) and וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) form a profound wordplay to express both the calling into existence and the complete fulfillment of the divine word.
3 sn Light. The Hebrew word simply means “light,” but it is used often in scripture to convey the ideas of salvation, joy, knowledge, righteousness, and life. In this context one cannot ignore those connotations, for it is the antithesis of the darkness. The first thing God does is correct the darkness; without the light there is only chaos.
4 tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
5 tc The statement in the Kethib (consonantal text) appears to mean literally “with good fortune,” if one takes the initial בְּ (bet) as a preposition indicating accompaniment. The Qere (marginal reading) means “good fortune has arrived.”
6 sn The name Gad (גָּד, gad) means “good fortune.” The name reflects Leah’s feeling that good fortune has come her way, as expressed in her statement recorded earlier in the verse.
7 tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘Good, let it be according to your word.’” On the asseverative use of the particle לוּ (lu) here, see HALOT 521 s.v. לוּ.
8 tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”
9 tn Heb “How many are the days of the years of your life?”
