Discovery BoxGenesis 9:23 
Context9:23 Shem and Japheth took the garment 1 and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned 2 the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.
Genesis 21:14
Context21:14 Early in the morning Abraham took 3 some food 4 and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, 5 and sent her away. So she went wandering 6 aimlessly through the wilderness 7 of Beer Sheba.
1 tn The word translated “garment” has the Hebrew definite article on it. The article may simply indicate that the garment is definite and vivid in the mind of the narrator, but it could refer instead to Noah’s garment. Did Ham bring it out when he told his brothers?
2 tn Heb “their faces [were turned] back.”
3 tn Heb “and Abraham rose up early in the morning and he took.”
4 tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.
5 tn Heb “He put upon her shoulder, and the boy [or perhaps, “and with the boy”], and he sent her away.” It is unclear how “and the boy” relates syntactically to what precedes. Perhaps the words should be rearranged and the text read, “and he put [them] on her shoulder and he gave to Hagar the boy.”
6 tn Heb “she went and wandered.”
7 tn Or “desert,” although for English readers this usually connotes a sandy desert like the Sahara rather than the arid wasteland of this region with its sparse vegetation.
