Discovery BoxGenesis 8:3 
Context8:3 The waters kept receding steadily 1 from the earth, so that they 2 had gone down 3 by the end of the 150 days.
Genesis 15:17
Context15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch 4 passed between the animal parts. 5
Genesis 31:30
Context31:30 Now I understand that 6 you have gone away 7 because you longed desperately 8 for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” 9
Genesis 47:16
Context47:16 Then Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food 10 in exchange for 11 your livestock.”
1 tn The construction combines a Qal preterite from שׁוּב (shuv) with its infinitive absolute to indicate continuous action. The infinitive absolute from הָלָךְ (halakh) is included for emphasis: “the waters returned…going and returning.”
2 tn Heb “the waters.” The pronoun (“they”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
3 tn The vav (ו) consecutive with the preterite here describes the consequence of the preceding action.
4 sn A smoking pot with a flaming torch. These same implements were used in Mesopotamian rituals designed to ward off evil (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 113-14).
5 tn Heb “these pieces.”
6 tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
7 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.
8 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.
9 sn Yet why did you steal my gods? This last sentence is dropped into the speech rather suddenly. See C. Mabee, “Jacob and Laban: The Structure of Judicial Proceedings,” VT 30 (1980): 192-207, and G. W. Coats, “Self-Abasement and Insult Formulas,” JBL 91 (1972): 90-92.
10 tn The word “food” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
11 tn On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.
