Discovery BoxGenesis 20:7 
Context20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed 1 he is a prophet 2 and he will pray for you; thus you will live. 3 But if you don’t give her back, 4 know that you will surely die 5 along with all who belong to you.”
Genesis 38:11
Context38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, 6 “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” 7 So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
Genesis 47:29
Context47:29 The time 8 for Israel to die approached, so he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh 9 and show me kindness and faithfulness. 10 Do not bury me in Egypt,
Genesis 50:5
Context50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, 11 “I am about to die. Bury me 12 in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’”
1 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.
2 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.
3 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.
sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.
4 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.
5 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.
6 tn Heb “said.”
7 tn Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.”
sn I don’t want him to die like his brothers. This clause explains that Judah had no intention of giving Shelah to Tamar for the purpose of the levirate marriage. Judah apparently knew the nature of his sons, and feared that God would be angry with the third son and kill him as well.
8 tn Heb “days.”
9 sn On the expression put your hand under my thigh see Gen 24:2.
10 tn Or “deal with me in faithful love.”
11 tn Heb “saying.”
12 tn The imperfect verbal form here has the force of a command.
