¹ tn The “camel’s saddle” was probably some sort of basket-saddle, a cushioned saddle with a basket bound on. Cf. NAB “inside a camel cushion.”

¹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word <span class="hebrew">מִדִּיןspan> (<span class="translit">middinspan>, “saddle blankets”) in this context is uncertain.

¹ tn <i>Hebi> “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.”

¹ tn The Hebrew term for “means of riding” is a cognate noun from the verb “ride” later in this verse. It refers to anything on which one may ride without the feet touching the ground including, for example, a saddle, a (saddle) blanket, or a seat on a chariot (see, e.g., J. Milgrom, <i>Leviticusi> [AB], 1:916).

⁴ tn This verb, <span class="hebrew">אָכַףspan> (<span class="translit">ʾakafspan>), occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible. Cognate languages associate it with saddling an animal or pressing. A similar English idiom might be “to spur on.” The verbs in the proverb are past time, noting a pattern which has been observed and is prototypical.

³ tn The noun <span class="hebrew">רְפִידָהspan> (<span class="translit">r<sup>esup>fidahspan>) is a <i>hapax legomenoni> whose meaning is uncertain. It may be related to the masculine noun <span class="hebrew">רָפַדspan> (<span class="translit">rafadspan>, “camping place, station”) referring to a stopping point in the wilderness march of Israel (<data ref="Bible:Ex 17:1">Exod 17:1data>, <data ref="Bible:Ex 17:8">8data>; <data ref="Bible:Ex 19:2">19:2data>; <data ref="Bible:Nu 33:14">Num 33:14data>); however, what any semantic connection might be is difficult to discern. The versions have translated <span class="hebrew">רְפִידָהspan> variously: LXX <span class="greek">ἀνάκλιτονspan> (<span class="translit">anaklitonspan>, “chair for reclining”), Vulgate <span class="translit">reclinatoriumspan> (“support, back-rest of a chair”) Peshitta <span class="translit">teshwiteh dahbaspan> (“golden cover, throne sheathed in gold leaf”). Modern translators have taken three basic approaches: (1) Following the LXX and Vulgate (“support, rest, back of a chair”), BDB suggests “support,” referring to the back or arm of the chair of palanquin (BDB 951 s.v. <span class="hebrew">רָפַדspan>). Several translations take this view, e.g., NRSV “its back,” NEB/REB “its headrest,” and NJPS: “its back.” (2) Koehler-Baumgartner suggest “base, foundation of a saddle, litter” (KBL 905). Several translations follow this approach, e.g., KJV “the bottom,” NASB “its base” (margin: “its support,” and NIV “its base.” (3) G. Gerleman suggests the meaning “cover,” as proposed by Peshitta. The first two approaches are more likely than the third. Thus, it probably refers either to (1) the back of the sedan-chair of the palanquin or (2) the foundation/base of the saddle/litter upon which the palanquin rested (<i>HALOTi> 1276 s.v. <span class="hebrew">רפדspan>).