¹ tn The primary meaning of the Hebrew word עָוֹן (’avon) is “sin, iniquity.” But by metonymy it can refer to the “guilt” of sin, or to “punishment” for sin. The third meaning applies here. Just before this the Lord announces the punishment for Cain’s actions, and right after this statement Cain complains of the severity of the punishment. Cain is not portrayed as repenting of his sin.

² tn Heb “great is my punishment from bearing.” The preposition מִן (min, “from”) is used here in a comparative sense.

³ tn Heb “I, look, I confirm.” The particle הִנְנִי (hinni) used with the participle מֵקִים (meqim) gives the sense of immediacy or imminence, as if to say, “Look! I am now confirming.”

⁴ tn The three pronominal suffixes (translated “you,” “your,” and “you”) are masculine plural. As v. 8 indicates, Noah and his sons are addressed.

⁵ tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”

⁶ tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”

⁷ tn Heb “guard yourself.”

⁸ tn The introductory clause “And Abraham said to him” has been moved to the end of the opening sentence of direct discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ tn Heb “Take for me this young woman for a wife.”

¹¹ tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).

¹² tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.

¹³ tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.

¹⁴ tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).