Discovery BoxGenesis 8:9 
Context8:9 The dove could not find a resting place for its feet because water still covered 1 the surface of the entire earth, and so it returned to Noah 2 in the ark. He stretched out his hand, took the dove, 3 and brought it back into the ark. 4
Genesis 27:36
Context27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! 5 He has tripped me up 6 two times! He took away my birthright, and now, look, he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me?”
Genesis 27:45
Context27:45 Stay there 7 until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there. 8 Why should I lose both of you in one day?” 9
Genesis 37:2
Context37:2 This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, 10 was taking care of 11 the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster 12 working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. 13 Joseph brought back a bad report about them 14 to their father.
Genesis 37:22
Context37:22 Reuben continued, 15 “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” 16 (Reuben said this 17 so he could rescue Joseph 18 from them 19 and take him back to his father.)
1 tn The words “still covered” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
2 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Noah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the dove) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Heb “and he brought it to himself to the ark.”
5 tn Heb “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” The rhetorical question, since it expects a positive reply, has been translated as a declarative statement.
6 sn He has tripped me up. When originally given, the name Jacob was a play on the word “heel” (see Gen 25:26). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. Esau gives the name “Jacob” a negative connotation here, the meaning “to trip up; to supplant.”
7 tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
8 tn Heb “and I will send and I will take you from there.” The verb “send” has no object in the Hebrew text; one must be supplied in the translation. Either “someone” or “a message” could be supplied, but since in those times a message would require a messenger, “someone” has been used.
9 tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.
10 tn Heb “a son of seventeen years.” The word “son” is in apposition to the name “Joseph.”
11 tn Or “tending”; Heb “shepherding” or “feeding.”
12 tn Or perhaps “a helper.” The significance of this statement is unclear. It may mean “now the lad was with,” or it may suggest Joseph was like a servant to them.
13 tn Heb “and he [was] a young man with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father.”
14 tn Heb “their bad report.” The pronoun is an objective genitive, specifying that the bad or damaging report was about the brothers.
sn Some interpreters portray Joseph as a tattletale for bringing back a bad report about them [i.e., his brothers], but the entire Joseph story has some of the characteristics of wisdom literature. Joseph is presented in a good light – not because he was perfect, but because the narrative is showing how wisdom rules. In light of that, this section portrays Joseph as faithful to his father in little things, even though unpopular – and so he will eventually be given authority over greater things.
15 tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”
16 sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reuben’s words.
17 tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
18 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19 tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.
