Discovery BoxGenesis 11:4 
Context11:4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens 1 so that 2 we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise 3 we will be scattered 4 across the face of the entire earth.”
Genesis 19:8
Context19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with 5 a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. 6 Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection 7 of my roof.” 8
Genesis 30:33
Context30:33 My integrity will testify for me 9 later on. 10 When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, 11 if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.” 12
Genesis 34:7
Context34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. 13 They 14 were offended 15 and very angry because Shechem 16 had disgraced Israel 17 by sexually assaulting 18 Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed. 19
Genesis 38:16
Context38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” 20 (He did not realize 21 it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” 22
Genesis 42:7
Context42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger 23 to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, 24 “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” 25
Genesis 42:21
Context42:21 They said to one other, 26 “Surely we’re being punished 27 because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was 28 when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress 29 has come on us!”
Genesis 47:4
Context47:4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents 30 in the land. There 31 is no pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”
1 tn A translation of “heavens” for שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) fits this context because the Babylonian ziggurats had temples at the top, suggesting they reached to the heavens, the dwelling place of the gods.
2 tn The form וְנַעֲשֶׂה (vÿna’aseh, from the verb עשׂה, “do, make”) could be either the imperfect or the cohortative with a vav (ו) conjunction (“and let us make…”). Coming after the previous cohortative, this form expresses purpose.
3 tn The Hebrew particle פֶּן (pen) expresses a negative purpose; it means “that we be not scattered.”
4 sn The Hebrew verb פָּוָץ (pavats, translated “scatter”) is a key term in this passage. The focal point of the account is the dispersion (“scattering”) of the nations rather than the Tower of Babel. But the passage also forms a polemic against Babylon, the pride of the east and a cosmopolitan center with a huge ziggurat. To the Hebrews it was a monument to the judgment of God on pride.
5 tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
6 tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”
7 tn Heb “shadow.”
8 sn This chapter portrays Lot as a hypocrite. He is well aware of the way the men live in his city and is apparently comfortable in the midst of it. But when confronted by the angels, he finally draws the line. But he is nevertheless willing to sacrifice his daughters’ virginity to protect his guests. His opposition to the crowds leads to his rejection as a foreigner by those with whom he had chosen to live. The one who attempted to rescue his visitors ends up having to be rescued by them.
9 tn Heb “will answer on my behalf.”
10 tn Heb “on the following day,” or “tomorrow.”
11 tn Heb “when you come concerning my wage before you.”
sn Only the wage we agreed on. Jacob would have to be considered completely honest here, for he would have no control over the kind of animals born; and there could be no disagreement over which animals were his wages.
12 tn Heb “every one which is not speckled and spotted among the lambs and dark among the goats, stolen it is with me.”
13 tn Heb “when they heard.” The words “the news” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
14 tn Heb “the men.” This sounds as if a new group has been introduced into the narrative, so it has been translated as “they” to indicate that it refers to Jacob’s sons, mentioned in the first part of the verse.
15 tn The Hebrew verb עָצַב (’atsav) can carry one of three semantic nuances depending on the context: (1) “to be injured” (Ps 56:5; Eccl 10:9; 1 Chr 4:10); (2) “to experience emotional pain; to be depressed emotionally; to be worried” (2 Sam 19:2; Isa 54:6; Neh 8:10-11); (3) “to be embarrassed; to be insulted; to be offended” (to the point of anger at another or oneself; Gen 6:6; 45:5; 1 Sam 20:3, 34; 1 Kgs 1:6; Isa 63:10; Ps 78:40). This third category develops from the second by metonymy. In certain contexts emotional pain leads to embarrassment and/or anger. In this last use the subject sometimes directs his anger against the source of grief (see especially Gen 6:6). The third category fits best in Gen 34:7 because Jacob’s sons were not merely wounded emotionally. On the contrary, Shechem’s action prompted them to strike out in judgment against the source of their distress.
16 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
17 tn Heb “a disgraceful thing he did against Israel.”
18 tn Heb “by lying with the daughter of Jacob.” The infinitive here explains the preceding verb, indicating exactly how he had disgraced Jacob. The expression “to lie with” is a euphemism for sexual relations, or in this case, sexual assault.
19 tn Heb “and so it should not be done.” The negated imperfect has an obligatory nuance here, but there is also a generalizing tone. The narrator emphasizes that this particular type of crime (sexual assault) is especially reprehensible.
20 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.
21 tn Heb “for he did not know that.”
22 tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
23 sn But pretended to be a stranger. Joseph intends to test his brothers to see if they have changed and have the integrity to be patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He will do this by putting them in the same situations that they and he were in before. The first test will be to awaken their conscience.
24 tn Heb “said.”
25 tn The verb is denominative, meaning “to buy grain”; the word “food” could simply be the direct object, but may also be an adverbial accusative.
26 tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”
27 tn Or “we are guilty”; the Hebrew word can also refer to the effect of being guilty, i.e., “we are being punished for guilt.”
28 tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”
29 sn The repetition of the Hebrew noun translated distress draws attention to the fact that they regard their present distress as appropriate punishment for their refusal to ignore their brother when he was in distress.
30 tn Heb “to sojourn.”
31 tn Heb “for there.” The Hebrew uses a causal particle to connect what follows with what precedes. The translation divides the statement into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
