² tn Heb “and to the house of Jacob their sin.” The verb “declare” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

² sn The two “houses” of Israel (= the patriarch Jacob) are the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

¹ sn This verse presents a somewhat idealized view of Jacob’s descendants as devoted worshipers of the Lord.

⁴ sn See B. Jacob, “The Gifts of the Egyptians; A Critical Commentary,” Journal of Reformed Judaism 27 (1980): 59-69.

¹ sn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story. The weakness of Israel’s sight is one of several connections between this chapter and Gen 27. Here there are two sons, and it appears that the younger is being blessed over the older by a blind old man. While it was by Jacob’s deception in chap. 27, here it is with Jacob’s full knowledge.

¹ tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.

² tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹ tn Heb “blessing.” It is as if Jacob is trying to repay what he stole from his brother twenty years earlier.

⁴ sn The name Sukkoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.

¹ sn The name Peniel means “face of God.” Since Jacob saw God face-to-face here, the name is appropriate.

² sn The name Mahanaim apparently means “two camps.” Perhaps the two camps were those of God and of Jacob.

¹ tn Heb “Jacob”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹ tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”

¹ tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

¹ tn Heb “and she became pregnant again and Bilhah, the servant of Rachel, bore a second son for Jacob.”

¹ tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “my brother.” The term “brother” is used in a loose sense; actually Jacob was Laban’s nephew.

² tn Heb “Jacob.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹ tn The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.

² tn Heb “And/But you do not be afraid, my servant Jacob.” Here and elsewhere in the verse the terms Jacob and Israel are poetic for the people of Israel descended from the patriarch Jacob. The terms have been supplied throughout with plural referents for greater clarity.