Genesis 26:1--33:20

Isaac and Abimelech

26:1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred ¹  in the days of Abraham. ²  Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. 26:2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; ³  settle down in the land that I will point out to you. ⁴  26:3 Stay ⁵  in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, ⁶  for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, ⁷  and I will fulfill ⁸  the solemn promise I made ⁹  to your father Abraham. 26:4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them ¹⁰  all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. ¹¹  26:5 All this will come to pass ¹²  because Abraham obeyed me ¹³  and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” ¹⁴  26:6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.

26:7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, “She is my sister.” ¹⁵  He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, ¹⁶  “The men of this place will kill me to get ¹⁷  Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”

26:8 After Isaac ¹⁸  had been there a long time, ¹⁹  Abimelech king of the Philistines happened to look out a window and observed ²⁰  Isaac caressing ²¹  his wife Rebekah. 26:9 So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really ²²  your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.” ²³ 

26:10 Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? ²⁴  One of the men ²⁵  might easily have had sexual relations with ²⁶  your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!” 26:11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, “Whoever touches ²⁷  this man or his wife will surely be put to death.” ²⁸ 

26:12 When Isaac planted in that land, he reaped in the same year a hundred times what he had sown, ²⁹  because the Lord blessed him. ³⁰  26:13 The man became wealthy. ³¹  His influence continued to grow ³²  until he became very prominent. 26:14 He had ³³  so many sheep ³⁴  and cattle ³⁵  and such a great household of servants that the Philistines became jealous ³⁶  of him. 26:15 So the Philistines took dirt and filled up ³⁷  all the wells that his father’s servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham.

26:16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave us and go elsewhere, ³⁸  for you have become much more powerful ³⁹  than we are.” 26:17 So Isaac left there and settled in the Gerar Valley. ⁴⁰  26:18 Isaac reopened ⁴¹  the wells that had been dug ⁴²  back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up ⁴³  after Abraham died. Isaac ⁴⁴  gave these wells ⁴⁵  the same names his father had given them. ⁴⁶ 

26:19 When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing ⁴⁷  water there, 26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled ⁴⁸  with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac ⁴⁹  named the well ⁵⁰  Esek ⁵¹  because they argued with him about it. ⁵²  26:21 His servants ⁵³  dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it ⁵⁴  Sitnah. ⁵⁵  26:22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac ⁵⁶  named it ⁵⁷  Rehoboth, ⁵⁸  saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”

26:23 From there Isaac ⁵⁹  went up to Beer Sheba. 26:24 The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 26:25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped ⁶⁰  the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well. ⁶¹ 

26:26 Now Abimelech had come ⁶²  to him from Gerar along with ⁶³  Ahuzzah his friend ⁶⁴  and Phicol the commander of his army. 26:27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me? You hate me ⁶⁵  and sent me away from you.” 26:28 They replied, “We could plainly see ⁶⁶  that the Lord is with you. So we decided there should be ⁶⁷  a pact between us ⁶⁸  – between us ⁶⁹  and you. Allow us to make ⁷⁰  a treaty with you 26:29 so that ⁷¹  you will not do us any harm, just as we have not harmed ⁷²  you, but have always treated you well ⁷³  before sending you away ⁷⁴  in peace. Now you are blessed by the Lord.” ⁷⁵ 

26:30 So Isaac ⁷⁶  held a feast for them and they celebrated. ⁷⁷  26:31 Early in the morning the men made a treaty with each other. ⁷⁸  Isaac sent them off; they separated on good terms. ⁷⁹ 

26:32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported. ⁸⁰  26:33 So he named it Shibah; ⁸¹  that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba ⁸²  to this day.

26:34 When ⁸³  Esau was forty years old, ⁸⁴  he married ⁸⁵  Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, as well as Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 26:35 They caused Isaac and Rebekah great anxiety. ⁸⁶ 

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing

27:1 When ⁸⁷  Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, ⁸⁸  he called his older ⁸⁹  son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau ⁹⁰  replied. 27:2 Isaac ⁹¹  said, “Since ⁹²  I am so old, I could die at any time. ⁹³  27:3 Therefore, take your weapons – your quiver and your bow – and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game ⁹⁴  for me. 27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then ⁹⁵  I will eat it so that I may bless you ⁹⁶  before I die.”

27:5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. ⁹⁷  When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back, ⁹⁸  27:6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 27:7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat ⁹⁹  it and bless you ¹⁰⁰  in the presence of the Lord ¹⁰¹  before I die.’ 27:8 Now then, my son, do ¹⁰²  exactly what I tell you! ¹⁰³  27:9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare ¹⁰⁴  them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 27:10 Then you will take ¹⁰⁵  it to your father. Thus he will eat it ¹⁰⁶  and ¹⁰⁷  bless you before he dies.”

27:11 “But Esau my brother is a hairy man,” Jacob protested to his mother Rebekah, “and I have smooth skin! ¹⁰⁸  27:12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him ¹⁰⁹  and I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.” 27:13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me, ¹¹⁰  my son! Just obey me! ¹¹¹  Go and get them for me!”

27:14 So he went and got the goats ¹¹²  and brought them to his mother. She ¹¹³  prepared some tasty food, just the way his father loved it. 27:15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 27:16 She put the skins of the young goats ¹¹⁴  on his hands ¹¹⁵  and the smooth part of his neck. 27:17 Then she handed ¹¹⁶  the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

27:18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac ¹¹⁷  replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” ¹¹⁸  27:19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up ¹¹⁹  and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” ¹²⁰  27:20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world ¹²¹  did you find it so quickly, ¹²²  my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” ¹²³  he replied. ¹²⁴  27:21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you, ¹²⁵  my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.” ¹²⁶  27:22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 27:23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob. ¹²⁷  27:24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob ¹²⁸  replied. 27:25 Isaac ¹²⁹  said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son. ¹³⁰  Then I will bless you.” ¹³¹  So Jacob ¹³²  brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac ¹³³  drank. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27:27 So Jacob ¹³⁴  went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent ¹³⁵  of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,

“Yes, ¹³⁶  my son smells

like the scent of an open field

which the Lord has blessed.

27:28 May God give you

the dew of the sky ¹³⁷ 

and the richness ¹³⁸  of the earth,

and plenty of grain and new wine.

27:29 May peoples serve you

and nations bow down to you.

You will be ¹³⁹  lord ¹⁴⁰  over your brothers,

and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. ¹⁴¹ 

May those who curse you be cursed,

and those who bless you be blessed.”

27:30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left ¹⁴²  his father’s ¹⁴³  presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. ¹⁴⁴  27:31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau ¹⁴⁵  said to him, “My father, get up ¹⁴⁶  and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.” ¹⁴⁷  27:32 His father Isaac asked, ¹⁴⁸  “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,” ¹⁴⁹  he replied, “Esau!” 27:33 Isaac began to shake violently ¹⁵⁰  and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him. ¹⁵¹  He will indeed be blessed!”

27:34 When Esau heard ¹⁵²  his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly. ¹⁵³  He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 27:35 But Isaac ¹⁵⁴  replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away ¹⁵⁵  your blessing.” 27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! ¹⁵⁶  He has tripped me up ¹⁵⁷  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?”

27:37 Isaac replied to Esau, “Look! I have made him lord over you. I have made all his relatives his servants and provided him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?” 27:38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!” ¹⁵⁸  Then Esau wept loudly. ¹⁵⁹ 

27:39 So his father Isaac said to him,

“Indeed, ¹⁶⁰  your home will be

away from the richness ¹⁶¹  of the earth,

and away from the dew of the sky above.

27:40 You will live by your sword

but you will serve your brother.

When you grow restless,

you will tear off his yoke

from your neck.” ¹⁶² 

27:41 So Esau hated ¹⁶³  Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. ¹⁶⁴  Esau said privately, ¹⁶⁵  “The time ¹⁶⁶  of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill ¹⁶⁷  my brother Jacob!”

27:42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said, ¹⁶⁸  she quickly summoned ¹⁶⁹  her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you. ¹⁷⁰  27:43 Now then, my son, do what I say. ¹⁷¹  Run away immediately ¹⁷²  to my brother Laban in Haran. 27:44 Live with him for a little while ¹⁷³  until your brother’s rage subsides. 27:45 Stay there ¹⁷⁴  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. ¹⁷⁵  Why should I lose both of you in one day?” ¹⁷⁶ 

27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed ¹⁷⁷  because of these daughters of Heth. ¹⁷⁸  If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!” ¹⁷⁹ 

28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman! ¹⁸⁰  28:2 Leave immediately ¹⁸¹  for Paddan Aram! Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and find yourself a wife there, among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 28:3 May the sovereign God ¹⁸²  bless you! May he make you fruitful and give you a multitude of descendants! ¹⁸³  Then you will become ¹⁸⁴  a large nation. ¹⁸⁵  28:4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing he gave to Abraham ¹⁸⁶  so that you may possess the land ¹⁸⁷  God gave to Abraham, the land where you have been living as a temporary resident.” ¹⁸⁸  28:5 So Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean and brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

28:6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him off to Paddan Aram to find a wife there. ¹⁸⁹  As he blessed him, ¹⁹⁰  Isaac commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman.” ¹⁹¹  28:7 Jacob obeyed his father and mother and left for Paddan Aram. 28:8 Then Esau realized ¹⁹²  that the Canaanite women ¹⁹³  were displeasing to ¹⁹⁴  his father Isaac. 28:9 So Esau went to Ishmael and married ¹⁹⁵  Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, along with the wives he already had.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

28:10 Meanwhile Jacob left Beer Sheba and set out for Haran. 28:11 He reached a certain place ¹⁹⁶  where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. ¹⁹⁷  He took one of the stones ¹⁹⁸  and placed it near his head. ¹⁹⁹  Then he fell asleep ²⁰⁰  in that place 28:12 and had a dream. ²⁰¹  He saw ²⁰²  a stairway ²⁰³  erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it 28:13 and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. ²⁰⁴  I will give you and your descendants the ground ²⁰⁵  you are lying on. 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, ²⁰⁶  and you will spread out ²⁰⁷  to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another ²⁰⁸  using your name and that of your descendants. ²⁰⁹  28:15 I am with you! ²¹⁰  I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

28:16 Then Jacob woke up ²¹¹  and thought, ²¹²  “Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not realize it!” 28:17 He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!”

28:18 Early ²¹³  in the morning Jacob ²¹⁴  took the stone he had placed near his head ²¹⁵  and set it up as a sacred stone. ²¹⁶  Then he poured oil on top of it. 28:19 He called that place Bethel, ²¹⁷  although the former name of the town was Luz. 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food ²¹⁸  to eat and clothing to wear, 28:21 and I return safely to my father’s home, ²¹⁹  then the Lord will become my God. 28:22 Then this stone ²²⁰  that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely ²²¹  give you back a tenth of everything you give me.” ²²² 

The Marriages of Jacob

29:1 So Jacob moved on ²²³  and came to the land of the eastern people. ²²⁴  29:2 He saw ²²⁵  in the field a well with ²²⁶  three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now ²²⁷  a large stone covered the mouth of the well. 29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds ²²⁸  would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well’s mouth.

29:4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We’re from Haran.” 29:5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson ²²⁹  of Nahor?” “We know him,” ²³⁰  they said. 29:6 “Is he well?” ²³¹  Jacob asked. They replied, “He is well. ²³²  Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” 29:7 Then Jacob ²³³  said, “Since it is still the middle of the day, ²³⁴  it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.” ²³⁵  29:8 “We can’t,” they said, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water ²³⁶  the sheep.”

29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was tending them. ²³⁷  29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, ²³⁸  and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he ²³⁹  went over ²⁴⁰  and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. ²⁴¹  29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly. ²⁴²  29:12 When Jacob explained ²⁴³  to Rachel that he was a relative of her father ²⁴⁴  and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father. 29:13 When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob ²⁴⁵  told Laban how he was related to him. ²⁴⁶  29:14 Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” ²⁴⁷  So Jacob ²⁴⁸  stayed with him for a month. ²⁴⁹ 

29:15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you work ²⁵⁰  for me for nothing because you are my relative? ²⁵¹  Tell me what your wages should be.” 29:16 (Now Laban had two daughters; ²⁵²  the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. 29:17 Leah’s eyes were tender, ²⁵³  but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) ²⁵⁴  29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with ²⁵⁵  Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.” 29:19 Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. ²⁵⁶  Stay with me.” 29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. ²⁵⁷  But they seemed like only a few days to him ²⁵⁸  because his love for her was so great. ²⁵⁹ 

29:21 Finally Jacob said ²⁶⁰  to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. ²⁶¹  I want to have marital relations with her.” ²⁶²  29:22 So Laban invited all the people ²⁶³  of that place and prepared a feast. 29:23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leah ²⁶⁴  to Jacob, ²⁶⁵  and Jacob ²⁶⁶  had marital relations with her. ²⁶⁷  29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) ²⁶⁸ 

29:25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! ²⁶⁹  So Jacob ²⁷⁰  said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me! ²⁷¹  Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked ²⁷²  me?” 29:26 “It is not our custom here,” ²⁷³  Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage ²⁷⁴  before the firstborn. 29:27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. ²⁷⁵  Then we will give you the younger one ²⁷⁶  too, in exchange for seven more years of work.” ²⁷⁷ 

29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. ²⁷⁸  When Jacob ²⁷⁹  completed Leah’s bridal week, ²⁸⁰  Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. ²⁸¹  29:29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) ²⁸²  29:30 Jacob ²⁸³  had marital relations ²⁸⁴  with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban ²⁸⁵  for seven more years. ²⁸⁶ 

The Family of Jacob

29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, ²⁸⁷  he enabled her to become pregnant ²⁸⁸  while Rachel remained childless. 29:32 So Leah became pregnant ²⁸⁹  and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, ²⁹⁰  for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. ²⁹¹  Surely my husband will love me now.”

29:33 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, ²⁹²  he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. ²⁹³ 

29:34 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Now this time my husband will show me affection, ²⁹⁴  because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi. ²⁹⁵ 

29:35 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” That is why she named him Judah. ²⁹⁶  Then she stopped having children.

30:1 When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she ²⁹⁷  became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children ²⁹⁸  or I’ll die!” 30:2 Jacob became furious ²⁹⁹  with Rachel and exclaimed, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” ³⁰⁰  30:3 She replied, “Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with ³⁰¹  her so that she can bear ³⁰²  children ³⁰³  for me ³⁰⁴  and I can have a family through her.” ³⁰⁵ 

30:4 So Rachel ³⁰⁶  gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had marital relations with ³⁰⁷  her. 30:5 Bilhah became pregnant ³⁰⁸  and gave Jacob a son. ³⁰⁹  30:6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me. He has responded to my prayer ³¹⁰  and given me a son.” That is why ³¹¹  she named him Dan. ³¹² 

30:7 Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, became pregnant again and gave Jacob another son. ³¹³  30:8 Then Rachel said, “I have fought a desperate struggle with my sister, but I have won.” ³¹⁴  So she named him Naphtali. ³¹⁵ 

30:9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave ³¹⁶  her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. 30:10 Soon Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob a son. ³¹⁷  30:11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” ³¹⁸  So she named him Gad. ³¹⁹ 

30:12 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob another son. ³²⁰  30:13 Leah said, “How happy I am, ³²¹  for women ³²²  will call me happy!” So she named him Asher. ³²³ 

30:14 At the time ³²⁴  of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants ³²⁵  in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 30:15 But Leah replied, ³²⁶  “Wasn’t it enough that you’ve taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes too?” “All right,” ³²⁷  Rachel said, “he may sleep ³²⁸  with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 30:16 When Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must sleep ³²⁹  with me because I have paid for your services ³³⁰  with my son’s mandrakes.” So he had marital relations ³³¹  with her that night. 30:17 God paid attention ³³²  to Leah; she became pregnant ³³³  and gave Jacob a son for the fifth time. ³³⁴  30:18 Then Leah said, “God has granted me a reward ³³⁵  because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife.” ³³⁶  So she named him Issachar. ³³⁷ 

30:19 Leah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a son for the sixth time. ³³⁸  30:20 Then Leah said, “God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will honor me because I have given him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. ³³⁹ 

30:21 After that she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

30:22 Then God took note of ³⁴⁰  Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. ³⁴¹  30:23 She became pregnant ³⁴²  and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my shame.” ³⁴³  30:24 She named him Joseph, ³⁴⁴  saying, “May the Lord give me yet another son.”

The Flocks of Jacob

30:25 After Rachel had given birth ³⁴⁵  to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send ³⁴⁶  me on my way so that I can go ³⁴⁷  home to my own country. ³⁴⁸  30:26 Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you. ³⁴⁹  Then I’ll depart, ³⁵⁰  because you know how hard I’ve worked for you.” ³⁵¹ 

30:27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, ³⁵²  for I have learned by divination ³⁵³  that the Lord has blessed me on account of you.” 30:28 He added, “Just name your wages – I’ll pay whatever you want.” ³⁵⁴ 

30:29 “You know how I have worked for you,” Jacob replied, ³⁵⁵  “and how well your livestock have fared under my care. ³⁵⁶  30:30 Indeed, ³⁵⁷  you had little before I arrived, ³⁵⁸  but now your possessions have increased many times over. ³⁵⁹  The Lord has blessed you wherever I worked. ³⁶⁰  But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?” ³⁶¹ 

30:31 So Laban asked, ³⁶²  “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,” ³⁶³  Jacob replied, ³⁶⁴  “but if you agree to this one condition, ³⁶⁵  I will continue to care for ³⁶⁶  your flocks and protect them: 30:32 Let me walk among ³⁶⁷  all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, ³⁶⁸  and the spotted or speckled goats. ³⁶⁹  These animals will be my wages. ³⁷⁰  30:33 My integrity will testify for me ³⁷¹  later on. ³⁷²  When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, ³⁷³  if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.” ³⁷⁴  30:34 “Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.” ³⁷⁵ 

30:35 So that day Laban ³⁷⁶  removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted (all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care ³⁷⁷  of his sons. 30:36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey, ³⁷⁸  while ³⁷⁹  Jacob was taking care of the rest of Laban’s flocks.

30:37 But Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He made white streaks by peeling them, making the white inner wood in the branches visible. 30:38 Then he set up the peeled branches in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He set up the branches in front of the flocks when they were in heat and came to drink. ³⁸⁰  30:39 When the sheep mated ³⁸¹  in front of the branches, they ³⁸²  gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 30:40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face ³⁸³  the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks. 30:41 When the stronger females were in heat, ³⁸⁴  Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches. 30:42 But if the animals were weaker, he did not set the branches there. ³⁸⁵  So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban ³⁸⁶  and the stronger animals to Jacob. 30:43 In this way Jacob ³⁸⁷  became extremely prosperous. He owned ³⁸⁸  large flocks, male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.

Jacob’s Flight from Laban

31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, ³⁸⁹  “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich ³⁹⁰  at our father’s expense!” ³⁹¹  31:2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed. ³⁹² 

31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers ³⁹³  and to your relatives. I will be with you.” ³⁹⁴  31:4 So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah ³⁹⁵  to come to the field ³⁹⁶  where his flocks were. ³⁹⁷  31:5 There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, ³⁹⁸  but the God of my father has been with me. 31:6 You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could, ³⁹⁹  31:7 but your father has humiliated ⁴⁰⁰  me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm. 31:8 If he said, ⁴⁰¹  ‘The speckled animals ⁴⁰²  will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to speckled offspring. But if he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to streaked offspring. 31:9 In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

31:10 “Once ⁴⁰³  during breeding season I saw ⁴⁰⁴  in a dream that the male goats mating with ⁴⁰⁵  the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 31:11 In the dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am!’ I replied. 31:12 Then he said, ‘Observe ⁴⁰⁶  that all the male goats mating with ⁴⁰⁷  the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you. 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, ⁴⁰⁸  where you anointed ⁴⁰⁹  the sacred stone and made a vow to me. ⁴¹⁰  Now leave this land immediately ⁴¹¹  and return to your native land.’”

31:14 Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance ⁴¹²  in our father’s house? 31:15 Hasn’t he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted ⁴¹³  the money paid for us! ⁴¹⁴  31:16 Surely all the wealth that God snatched away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So now do everything God has told you.”

31:17 So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. ⁴¹⁵  31:18 He took ⁴¹⁶  away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac. ⁴¹⁷ 

31:19 While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, ⁴¹⁸  Rachel stole the household idols ⁴¹⁹  that belonged to her father. 31:20 Jacob also deceived ⁴²⁰  Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. ⁴²¹  31:21 He left ⁴²²  with all he owned. He quickly crossed ⁴²³  the Euphrates River ⁴²⁴  and headed for ⁴²⁵  the hill country of Gilead.

31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. ⁴²⁶  31:23 So he took his relatives ⁴²⁷  with him and pursued Jacob ⁴²⁸  for seven days. ⁴²⁹  He caught up with ⁴³⁰  him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, ⁴³¹  “Be careful ⁴³²  that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.” ⁴³³ 

31:25 Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. ⁴³⁴  31:26 “What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me ⁴³⁵  and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war! ⁴³⁶  31:27 Why did you run away secretly ⁴³⁷  and deceive me? ⁴³⁸  Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? ⁴³⁹  31:28 You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren ⁴⁴⁰  good-bye. You have acted foolishly! 31:29 I have ⁴⁴¹  the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful ⁴⁴²  that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’ ⁴⁴³  31:30 Now I understand that ⁴⁴⁴  you have gone away ⁴⁴⁵  because you longed desperately ⁴⁴⁶  for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” ⁴⁴⁷ 

31:31 “I left secretly because I was afraid!” ⁴⁴⁸  Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought ⁴⁴⁹  you might take your daughters away from me by force. ⁴⁵⁰  31:32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! ⁴⁵¹  In the presence of our relatives ⁴⁵²  identify whatever is yours and take it.” ⁴⁵³  (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.) ⁴⁵⁴ 

31:33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. ⁴⁵⁵  Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. ⁴⁵⁶  31:34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle ⁴⁵⁷  and sat on them.) ⁴⁵⁸  Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. ⁴⁵⁹  31:35 Rachel ⁴⁶⁰  said to her father, “Don’t be angry, ⁴⁶¹  my lord. I cannot stand up ⁴⁶²  in your presence because I am having my period.” ⁴⁶³  So he searched thoroughly, ⁴⁶⁴  but did not find the idols.

31:36 Jacob became angry ⁴⁶⁵  and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. ⁴⁶⁶  “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? ⁴⁶⁷  31:37 When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? ⁴⁶⁸  Set it here before my relatives and yours, ⁴⁶⁹  and let them settle the dispute between the two of us! ⁴⁷⁰ 

31:38 “I have been with you for the past twenty years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 31:39 Animals torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I always absorbed the loss myself. ⁴⁷¹  You always made me pay for every missing animal, ⁴⁷²  whether it was taken by day or at night. 31:40 I was consumed by scorching heat ⁴⁷³  during the day and by piercing cold ⁴⁷⁴  at night, and I went without sleep. ⁴⁷⁵  31:41 This was my lot ⁴⁷⁶  for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave ⁴⁷⁷  for you – fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times! 31:42 If the God of my father – the God of Abraham, the one whom Isaac fears ⁴⁷⁸  – had not been with me, you would certainly have sent me away empty-handed! But God saw how I was oppressed and how hard I worked, ⁴⁷⁹  and he rebuked you last night.”

31:43 Laban replied ⁴⁸⁰  to Jacob, “These women ⁴⁸¹  are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, ⁴⁸²  and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today ⁴⁸³  or the children to whom they have given birth? 31:44 So now, come, let’s make a formal agreement, ⁴⁸⁴  you and I, and it will be ⁴⁸⁵  proof that we have made peace.” ⁴⁸⁶ 

31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. 31:46 Then he ⁴⁸⁷  said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they brought stones and put them in a pile. ⁴⁸⁸  They ate there by the pile of stones. 31:47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, ⁴⁸⁹  but Jacob called it Galeed. ⁴⁹⁰ 

31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement ⁴⁹¹  today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah ⁴⁹²  because he said, “May the Lord watch ⁴⁹³  between us ⁴⁹⁴  when we are out of sight of one another. ⁴⁹⁵  31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize ⁴⁹⁶  that God is witness to your actions.” ⁴⁹⁷ 

31:51 “Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you,” Laban said to Jacob. ⁴⁹⁸  31:52 “This pile of stones and the pillar are reminders that I will not pass beyond this pile to come to harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to come to harm me. ⁴⁹⁹  31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, ⁵⁰⁰  the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. ⁵⁰¹  31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice ⁵⁰²  on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. ⁵⁰³  They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.

31:55 (32:1) ⁵⁰⁴  Early in the morning Laban kissed ⁵⁰⁵  his grandchildren ⁵⁰⁶  and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home. ⁵⁰⁷ 

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

32:1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God ⁵⁰⁸  met him. 32:2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, ⁵⁰⁹  “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. ⁵¹⁰ 

32:3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead ⁵¹¹  to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region ⁵¹²  of Edom. 32:4 He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant ⁵¹³  Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now. 32:5 I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and female servants. I have sent ⁵¹⁴  this message ⁵¹⁵  to inform my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”

32:6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.” 32:7 Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels. 32:8 “If Esau attacks one camp,” ⁵¹⁶  he thought, ⁵¹⁷  “then the other camp will be able to escape.” ⁵¹⁸ 

32:9 Then Jacob prayed, ⁵¹⁹  “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said ⁵²⁰  to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ ⁵²¹  32:10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love ⁵²²  you have shown ⁵²³  your servant. With only my walking stick ⁵²⁴  I crossed the Jordan, ⁵²⁵  but now I have become two camps. 32:11 Rescue me, ⁵²⁶  I pray, from the hand ⁵²⁷  of my brother Esau, ⁵²⁸  for I am afraid he will come ⁵²⁹  and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children. ⁵³⁰  32:12 But you ⁵³¹  said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper ⁵³²  and will make ⁵³³  your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’” ⁵³⁴ 

32:13 Jacob ⁵³⁵  stayed there that night. Then he sent ⁵³⁶  as a gift ⁵³⁷  to his brother Esau 32:14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 32:15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 32:16 He entrusted them to ⁵³⁸  his servants, who divided them into herds. ⁵³⁹  He told his servants, “Pass over before me, and keep some distance between one herd and the next.” 32:17 He instructed the servant leading the first herd, ⁵⁴⁰  “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? ⁵⁴¹  Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’ ⁵⁴²  32:18 then you must say, ⁵⁴³  ‘They belong ⁵⁴⁴  to your servant Jacob. ⁵⁴⁵  They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. ⁵⁴⁶  In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’” ⁵⁴⁷ 

32:19 He also gave these instructions to the second and third servants, as well as all those who were following the herds, saying, “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ⁵⁴⁸  32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” ⁵⁴⁹  Jacob thought, ⁵⁵⁰  “I will first appease him ⁵⁵¹  by sending a gift ahead of me. ⁵⁵²  After that I will meet him. ⁵⁵³  Perhaps he will accept me.” ⁵⁵⁴  32:21 So the gifts were sent on ahead of him ⁵⁵⁵  while he spent that night in the camp. ⁵⁵⁶ 

32:22 During the night Jacob quickly took ⁵⁵⁷  his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons ⁵⁵⁸  and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ⁵⁵⁹  32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream along with all his possessions. ⁵⁶⁰  32:24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man ⁵⁶¹  wrestled ⁵⁶²  with him until daybreak. ⁵⁶³  32:25 When the man ⁵⁶⁴  saw that he could not defeat Jacob, ⁵⁶⁵  he struck ⁵⁶⁶  the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

32:26 Then the man ⁵⁶⁷  said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” ⁵⁶⁸  “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, ⁵⁶⁹  “unless you bless me.” ⁵⁷⁰  32:27 The man asked him, ⁵⁷¹  “What is your name?” ⁵⁷²  He answered, “Jacob.” 32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, ⁵⁷³  “but Israel, ⁵⁷⁴  because you have fought ⁵⁷⁵  with God and with men and have prevailed.”

32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” ⁵⁷⁶  “Why ⁵⁷⁷  do you ask my name?” the man replied. ⁵⁷⁸  Then he blessed ⁵⁷⁹  Jacob ⁵⁸⁰  there. 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, ⁵⁸¹  explaining, ⁵⁸²  “Certainly ⁵⁸³  I have seen God face to face ⁵⁸⁴  and have survived.” ⁵⁸⁵ 

32:31 The sun rose ⁵⁸⁶  over him as he crossed over Penuel, ⁵⁸⁷  but ⁵⁸⁸  he was limping because of his hip. 32:32 That is why to this day ⁵⁸⁹  the Israelites do not eat the sinew which is attached to the socket of the hip, because he struck ⁵⁹⁰  the socket of Jacob’s hip near the attached sinew.

Jacob Meets Esau

33:1 Jacob looked up ⁵⁹¹  and saw that Esau was coming ⁵⁹²  along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. 33:2 He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. ⁵⁹³  33:3 But Jacob ⁵⁹⁴  himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached ⁵⁹⁵  his brother. 33:4 But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept. 33:5 When Esau ⁵⁹⁶  looked up ⁵⁹⁷  and saw the women and the children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob ⁵⁹⁸  replied, “The children whom God has graciously given ⁵⁹⁹  your servant.” 33:6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. ⁶⁰⁰  33:7 Then Leah came forward with her children and they bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down.

33:8 Esau ⁶⁰¹  then asked, “What did you intend ⁶⁰²  by sending all these herds to meet me?” ⁶⁰³  Jacob ⁶⁰⁴  replied, “To find favor in your sight, my lord.” 33:9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you.” 33:10 “No, please take them,” Jacob said. ⁶⁰⁵  “If I have found favor in your sight, accept ⁶⁰⁶  my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, ⁶⁰⁷  it is as if I have seen the face of God. ⁶⁰⁸  33:11 Please take my present ⁶⁰⁹  that was brought to you, for God has been generous ⁶¹⁰  to me and I have all I need.” ⁶¹¹  When Jacob urged him, he took it. ⁶¹² 

33:12 Then Esau ⁶¹³  said, “Let’s be on our way! ⁶¹⁴  I will go in front of you.” 33:13 But Jacob ⁶¹⁵  said to him, “My lord knows that the children are young, ⁶¹⁶  and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. ⁶¹⁷  If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die. 33:14 Let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the herds and the children, ⁶¹⁸  until I come to my lord at Seir.”

33:15 So Esau said, “Let me leave some of my men with you.” ⁶¹⁹  “Why do that?” Jacob replied. ⁶²⁰  “My lord has already been kind enough to me.” ⁶²¹ 

33:16 So that same day Esau made his way back ⁶²²  to Seir. 33:17 But ⁶²³  Jacob traveled to Succoth ⁶²⁴  where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called ⁶²⁵  Succoth. ⁶²⁶ 

33:18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near ⁶²⁷  the city. 33:19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it ⁶²⁸  from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money. ⁶²⁹  33:20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.” ⁶³⁰ 

Genesis 11:1

The Dispersion of the Nations at Babel

11:1 The whole earth ⁶³¹  had a common language and a common vocabulary. ⁶³² 

Romans 13:13

13:13 Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy.

Colossians 2:5

2:5 For though ⁶³³  I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to see ⁶³⁴  your morale ⁶³⁵  and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Titus 1:5

Titus’ Task on Crete

1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

[26:1]  ¹ tn Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”

[26:1]  ² sn This account is parallel to two similar stories about Abraham (see Gen 12:10-20; 20:1-18). Many scholars do not believe there were three similar incidents, only one that got borrowed and duplicated. Many regard the account about Isaac as the original, which then was attached to the more important person, Abraham, with supernatural elements being added. For a critique of such an approach, see R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 47-62. It is more likely that the story illustrates the proverb “like father, like son” (see T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 53). In typical human fashion the son follows his father’s example of lying to avoid problems. The appearance of similar events reported in a similar way underscores the fact that the blessing has now passed to Isaac, even if he fails as his father did.

[26:2]  ³ sn Do not go down to Egypt. The words echo Gen 12:10, which reports that “Abram went down to Egypt,” but state the opposite.

[26:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “say to you.”

[26:3]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur) means “to live temporarily without ownership of land.” Abraham’s family will not actually possess the land of Canaan until the Israelite conquest hundreds of years later.

[26:3]  ⁶ tn After the imperative “stay” the two prefixed verb forms with prefixed conjunction here indicate consequence.

[26:3]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[26:3]  ⁸ tn The Hiphil stem of the verb קוּם (qum) here means “to fulfill, to bring to realization.” For other examples of this use of this verb form, see Lev 26:9; Num 23:19; Deut 8:18; 9:5; 1 Sam 1:23; 1 Kgs 6:12; Jer 11:5.

[26:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “the oath which I swore.”

[26:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “your descendants.”

[26:4]  ¹¹ tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 22:18). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)

[26:5]  ¹² tn The words “All this will come to pass” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[26:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “listened to my voice.”

[26:5]  ¹⁴ sn My charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. The language of this verse is clearly interpretive, for Abraham did not have all these laws. The terms are legal designations for sections of the Mosaic law and presuppose the existence of the law. Some Rabbinic views actually conclude that Abraham had fulfilled the whole law before it was given (see m. Qiddushin 4:14). Some scholars argue that this story could only have been written after the law was given (C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:424-25). But the simplest explanation is that the narrator (traditionally taken to be Moses the Lawgiver) elaborated on the simple report of Abraham’s obedience by using terms with which the Israelites were familiar. In this way he depicts Abraham as the model of obedience to God’s commands, whose example Israel should follow.

[26:7]  ¹⁵ sn Rebekah, unlike Sarah, was not actually her husband’s sister.

[26:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “lest.” The words “for he thought to himself” are supplied because the next clause is written with a first person pronoun, showing that Isaac was saying or thinking this.

[26:7]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “kill me on account of.”

[26:8]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”

[26:8]  ²⁰ tn Heb “look, Isaac.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene through Abimelech’s eyes.

[26:8]  ²¹ tn Or “fondling.”

[26:9]  ²² tn Heb “Surely, look!” See N. H. Snaith, “The meaning of Hebrew ‘ak,” VT 14 (1964): 221-25.

[26:9]  ²³ tn Heb “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’” Since the verb “said” probably means “said to myself” (i.e., “thought”) here, the direct discourse in the Hebrew statement has been converted to indirect discourse in the translation. In addition the simple prepositional phrase “on account of her” has been clarified in the translation as “to get her” (cf. v. 7).

[26:10]  ²⁴ tn Heb “What is this you have done to us?” The Hebrew demonstrative pronoun “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to us?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[26:10]  ²⁵ tn Heb “people.”

[26:10]  ²⁶ tn The Hebrew verb means “to lie down.” Here the expression “lie with” or “sleep with” is euphemistic for “have sexual relations with.”

[26:11]  ²⁷ tn Heb “strikes.” Here the verb has the nuance “to harm in any way.” It would include assaulting the woman or killing the man.

[26:11]  ²⁸ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the imperfect makes the construction emphatic.

[26:12]  ²⁹ tn Heb “a hundredfold.”

[26:12]  ³⁰ tn This final clause explains why Isaac had such a bountiful harvest.

[26:13]  ³¹ tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Isaac’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are included.

[26:13]  ³² tn Heb “and he went, going and becoming great.” The construction stresses that his growth in possessions and power continued steadily.

[26:14]  ³³ tn Heb “and there was to him.”

[26:14]  ³⁴ tn Heb “possessions of sheep.”

[26:14]  ³⁵ tn Heb “possessions of cattle.”

[26:14]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew verb translated “became jealous” refers here to intense jealousy or envy that leads to hostile action (see v. 15).

[26:15]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with dirt.”

[26:16]  ³⁸ tn Heb “Go away from us.”

[26:16]  ³⁹ sn You have become much more powerful. This explanation for the expulsion of Isaac from Philistine territory foreshadows the words used later by the Egyptians to justify their oppression of Israel (see Exod 1:9).

[26:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and he camped in the valley of Gerar and he lived there.”

[26:18]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”

[26:18]  ⁴² tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.

[26:18]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.

[26:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”

[26:19]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).

[26:20]  ⁴⁸ tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.

[26:20]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:20]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and he called the name of the well.”

[26:20]  ⁵¹ sn The name Esek means “argument” in Hebrew. The following causal clause explains that Isaac gave the well this name as a reminder of the conflict its discovery had created. In the Hebrew text there is a wordplay, for the name is derived from the verb translated “argued.”

[26:20]  ⁵² tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:21]  ⁵³ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁵⁵ sn The name Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה, sitnah) is derived from a Hebrew verbal root meaning “to oppose; to be an adversary” (cf. Job 1:6). The name was a reminder that the digging of this well caused “opposition” from the Philistines.

[26:22]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:22]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “and he called its name.”

[26:22]  ⁵⁸ sn The name Rehoboth (רְהֹבוֹת, rehovot) is derived from a verbal root meaning “to make room.” The name was a reminder that God had made room for them. The story shows Isaac’s patience with the opposition; it also shows how God’s blessing outdistanced the men of Gerar. They could not stop it or seize it any longer.

[26:23]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:25]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “called in the name of.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 21:33). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116.

[26:25]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”

[26:26]  ⁶² tn The disjunctive clause supplies pertinent supplemental information. The past perfect is used because the following narrative records the treaty at Beer Sheba. Prior to this we are told that Isaac settled in Beer Sheba; presumably this treaty would have allowed him to do that. However, it may be that he settled there and then made the treaty by which he renamed the place Beer Sheba. In this case one may translate “Now Abimelech came to him.”

[26:26]  ⁶³ tn Heb “and.”

[26:26]  ⁶⁴ tn Many modern translations render the Hebrew term מֵרֵעַ (merea’) as “councillor” or “adviser,” but the term may not designate an official position but simply a close personal friend.

[26:27]  ⁶⁵ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.

[26:28]  ⁶⁶ tn The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.

[26:28]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “And we said, ‘Let there be.’” The direct discourse in the Hebrew text has been rendered as indirect discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:28]  ⁶⁸ tn The pronoun “us” here is inclusive – it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.

[26:28]  ⁶⁹ tn The pronoun “us” here is exclusive – it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).

[26:28]  ⁷⁰ tn The translation assumes that the cohortative expresses their request. Another option is to understand the cohortative as indicating resolve: “We want to make.’”

[26:29]  ⁷¹ tn The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”

[26:29]  ⁷² tn Heb “touched.”

[26:29]  ⁷³ tn Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”

[26:29]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “and we sent you away.”

[26:29]  ⁷⁵ tn The Philistine leaders are making an observation, not pronouncing a blessing, so the translation reads “you are blessed” rather than “may you be blessed” (cf. NAB).

[26:30]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:30]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and they ate and drank.”

[26:31]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”

[26:31]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “and they went from him in peace.”

[26:32]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “and they said to him, ‘We have found water.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:33]  ⁸¹ sn The name Shibah (שִׁבְעָה, shiv’ah) means (or at least sounds like) the word meaning “oath.” The name was a reminder of the oath sworn by Isaac and the Philistines to solidify their treaty.

[26:33]  ⁸² sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of an oath” or “well of seven.” According to Gen 21:31 Abraham gave Beer Sheba its name when he made a treaty with the Philistines. Because of the parallels between this earlier story and the account in 26:26-33, some scholars see chaps. 21 and 26 as two versions (or doublets) of one original story. However, if one takes the text as it stands, it appears that Isaac made a later treaty agreement with the people of the land that was similar to his father’s. Abraham dug a well at the site and named the place Beer Sheba; Isaac dug another well there and named the well Shibah. Later generations then associated the name Beer Sheba with Isaac, even though Abraham gave the place its name at an earlier time.

[26:34]  ⁸³ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.

[26:34]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “the son of forty years.”

[26:34]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “took as a wife.”

[26:35]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “And they were [a source of ] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”

[27:1]  ⁸⁷ tn The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.

[27:1]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”

[27:1]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).

[27:1]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:2]  ⁹² tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.

[27:2]  ⁹³ tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”

[27:3]  ⁹⁴ tn The Hebrew word is to be spelled either צַיִד (tsayid) following the marginal reading (Qere), or צֵידָה (tsedah) following the consonantal text (Kethib). Either way it is from the same root as the imperative צוּדָה (tsudah, “hunt down”).

[27:4]  ⁹⁵ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:4]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The use of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as the subject emphasizes that the blessing will be made with all Isaac’s desire and vitality. The conjunction “so that” closely relates the meal to the blessing, suggesting that this will be a ritual meal in conjunction with the giving of a formal blessing.

[27:5]  ⁹⁷ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a conjunction with the subject, followed by the predicate) here introduces a new scene in the story.

[27:5]  ⁹⁸ tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.

[27:7]  ⁹⁹ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:7]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.

[27:7]  ¹⁰¹ tn In her report to Jacob, Rebekah plays down Isaac’s strong desire to bless Esau by leaving out נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”), but by adding the phrase “in the presence of the Lord,” she stresses how serious this matter is.

[27:8]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”

[27:8]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”

[27:9]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:10]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive. It carries forward the tone of instruction initiated by the command to “go…and get” in the preceding verse.

[27:10]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The form is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; it carries the future nuance of the preceding verbs of instruction, but by switching the subject to Jacob, indicates the expected result of the subterfuge.

[27:10]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:11]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, but I am a smooth [skinned] man.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:12]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes like a mocker.” The Hebrew expression “I will be in his eyes like” means “I would appear to him as.”

[27:13]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “upon me your curse.”

[27:13]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”

[27:14]  ¹¹² tn The words “the goats” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:14]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “his mother.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “she” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:16]  ¹¹⁴ tn In the Hebrew text the object (“the skins of the young goats”) precedes the verb. The disjunctive clause draws attention to this key element in the subterfuge.

[27:16]  ¹¹⁵ tn The word “hands” probably includes the forearms here. How the skins were attached is not specified in the Hebrew text; cf. NLT “she made him a pair of gloves.”

[27:17]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “gave…into the hand of.”

[27:18]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:18]  ¹¹⁸ sn Which are you, my son? Isaac’s first question shows that the deception is going to require more subterfuge than Rebekah had anticipated. Jacob will have to pull off the deceit.

[27:19]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “get up and sit.” This may mean simply “sit up,” or it may indicate that he was to get up from his couch and sit at a table.

[27:19]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.” These words, though not reported by Rebekah to Jacob (see v. 7) accurately reflect what Isaac actually said to Esau (see v. 4). Perhaps Jacob knew more than Rebekah realized, but it is more likely that this was an idiom for sincere blessing with which Jacob was familiar. At any rate, his use of the precise wording was a nice, convincing touch.

[27:20]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “What is this?” The enclitic pronoun “this” adds emphasis to the question, which is comparable to the English rhetorical question, “How in the world?”

[27:20]  ¹²² tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.

[27:20]  ¹²³ tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”

[27:20]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Because the Lord your God….’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:21]  ¹²⁵ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:21]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “Are you this one, Esau, my son, or not?” On the use of the interrogative particle here, see BDB 210 s.v. הֲ.

[27:23]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “and he blessed him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” (Isaac) and “him” (Jacob) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:24]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹²⁹ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “Bring near to me and I will eat of the wild game, my son.” Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:25]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The presence of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as subject emphasizes Isaac’s heartfelt desire to do this. The conjunction indicates that the ritual meal must be first eaten before the formal blessing may be given.

[27:25]  ¹³² tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:25]  ¹³³ tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:27]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “see.”

[27:28]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “and from the dew of the sky.”

[27:28]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “and from the fatness.”

[27:29]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “and be.” The verb is an imperative, which is used rhetorically in this oracle of blessing. It is an invitation to exercise authority his brothers and indicates that he is granted such authority by the patriarch of the family. Furthermore, the blessing enables the recipient to accomplish this.

[27:29]  ¹⁴⁰ tn The Hebrew word is גְבִיר (gevir, “lord, mighty one”). The one being blessed will be stronger and therefore more powerful than his brother. See Gen 25:23. The feminine form of this rare noun means “mistress” or “queen-mother.”

[27:29]  ¹⁴¹ tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (which is either an imperfect or a jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[27:30]  ¹⁴² tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.

[27:30]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was

[27:30]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”

[27:31]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “and he said to his father”; the referent of “he” (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity, while the words “his father” have been replaced by the pronoun “him” for stylistic reasons.

[27:31]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).

[27:31]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”

[27:32]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “said.”

[27:32]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he said, ‘I [am] your son, your firstborn.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[27:33]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “and Isaac trembled with a great trembling to excess.” The verb “trembled” is joined with a cognate accusative, which is modified by an adjective “great,” and a prepositional phrase “to excess.” All of this is emphatic, showing the violence of Isaac’s reaction to the news.

[27:33]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “Who then is he who hunted game and brought [it] to me so that I ate from all before you arrived and blessed him?”

[27:34]  ¹⁵² tn The temporal clause is introduced with the temporal indicator and has the infinitive as its verb.

[27:34]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “and he yelled [with] a great and bitter yell to excess.”

[27:35]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Or “took”; “received.”

[27:36]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” The rhetorical question, since it expects a positive reply, has been translated as a declarative statement.

[27:36]  ¹⁵⁷ 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.”

[27:38]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:38]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”

[27:39]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “look.”

[27:39]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “from the fatness.”

[27:40]  ¹⁶² sn You will tear off his yoke from your neck. It may be that this prophetic blessing found its fulfillment when Jerusalem fell and Edom got its revenge. The oracle makes Edom subservient to Israel and suggests the Edomites would live away from the best land and be forced to sustain themselves by violent measures.

[27:41]  ¹⁶³ tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.

[27:41]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”

[27:41]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “said in his heart.” The expression may mean “said to himself.” Even if this is the case, v. 42 makes it clear that he must have shared his intentions with someone, because the news reached Rebekah.

[27:41]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “days.”

[27:41]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.

[27:42]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “and the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.”

[27:42]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “she sent and called for.”

[27:42]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Heb “is consoling himself with respect to you to kill you.” The only way Esau had of dealing with his anger at the moment was to plan to kill his brother after the death of Isaac.

[27:43]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “listen to my voice.”

[27:43]  ¹⁷² tn Heb “arise, flee.”

[27:44]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “a few days.” Rebekah probably downplays the length of time Jacob will be gone, perhaps to encourage him and assure him that things will settle down soon. She probably expects Esau’s anger to die down quickly. However, Jacob ends up being gone twenty years and he never sees Rebekah again.

[27:45]  ¹⁷⁴ tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:45]  ¹⁷⁵ 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.

[27:45]  ¹⁷⁶ tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.

[27:46]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “loathe my life.” The Hebrew verb translated “loathe” refers to strong disgust (see Lev 20:23).

[27:46]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (see also Gen 23:3), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.

[27:46]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, why to me life?”

[28:1]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:2]  ¹⁸¹ tn Heb “Arise! Go!” The first of the two imperatives is adverbial and stresses the immediacy of the departure.

[28:3]  ¹⁸² tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[28:3]  ¹⁸³ tn Heb “and make you fruitful and multiply you.” See Gen 17:6, 20 for similar terminology.

[28:3]  ¹⁸⁴ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here indicates consequence. The collocation הָיָה + preposition לְ (hayah + lÿ) means “become.”

[28:3]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “an assembly of peoples.”

[28:4]  ¹⁸⁶ tn Heb “and may he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you.” The name “Abraham” is an objective genitive here; this refers to the blessing that God gave to Abraham.

[28:4]  ¹⁸⁷ tn The words “the land” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[28:4]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Heb “the land of your sojournings,” that is, the land where Jacob had been living as a resident alien, as his future descendants would after him.

[28:6]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “to take for himself from there a wife.”

[28:6]  ¹⁹⁰ tn The infinitive construct with the preposition and the suffix form a temporal clause.

[28:6]  ¹⁹¹ tn Heb “you must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8]  ¹⁹² tn Heb “saw.”

[28:8]  ¹⁹³ tn Heb “the daughters of Canaan.”

[28:8]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “evil in the eyes of.”

[28:9]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “took for a wife.”

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Heb “the place.” The article may indicate simply that the place is definite in the mind of the narrator. However, as the story unfolds the place is transformed into a holy place. See A. P. Ross, “Jacob’s Vision: The Founding of Bethel,” BSac 142 (1985): 224-37.

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “and he spent the night there because the sun had gone down.”

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “he took from the stones of the place,” which here means Jacob took one of the stones (see v. 18).

[28:11]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “and he put [it at] the place of his head.” The text does not actually say the stone was placed under his head to serve as a pillow, although most interpreters and translators assume this. It is possible the stone served some other purpose. Jacob does not seem to have been a committed monotheist yet (see v. 20-21) so he may have believed it contained some spiritual power. Note that later in the story he anticipates the stone becoming the residence of God (see v. 22). Many cultures throughout the world view certain types of stones as magical and/or sacred. See J. G. Fraser, Folklore in the Old Testament, 231-37.

[28:11]  ²⁰⁰ tn Heb “lay down.”

[28:12]  ²⁰¹ tn Heb “and dreamed.”

[28:12]  ²⁰² tn Heb “and look.” The scene which Jacob witnessed is described in three clauses introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh). In this way the narrator invites the reader to witness the scene through Jacob’s eyes. J. P. Fokkelman points out that the particle goes with a lifted arm and an open mouth: “There, a ladder! Oh, angels! and look, the Lord himself” (Narrative Art in Genesis [SSN], 51-52).

[28:12]  ²⁰³ tn The Hebrew noun סֻלָּם (sullam, “ladder, stairway”) occurs only here in the OT, but there appears to be an Akkadian cognate simmiltu (with metathesis of the second and third consonants and a feminine ending) which has a specialized meaning of “stairway, ramp.” See H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 34. For further discussion see C. Houtman, “What Did Jacob See in His Dream at Bethel? Some Remarks on Genesis 28:10-22,” VT 27 (1977): 337-52; J. G. Griffiths, “The Celestial Ladder and the Gate of Heaven,” ExpTim 76 (1964/65): 229-30; and A. R. Millard, “The Celestial Ladder and the Gate of Heaven,” ExpTim 78 (1966/67): 86-87.

[28:13]  ²⁰⁴ tn Heb “the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.” The Hebrew word for “father” can typically be used in a broader sense than the English word, in this case referring to Abraham (who was Jacob’s grandfather). For stylistic reasons and for clarity, the words “your father” are supplied with “Isaac” in the translation.

[28:13]  ²⁰⁵ tn The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets) can mean “[the] earth,” “land,” “region,” “piece of ground,” or “ground” depending on the context. Here the term specifically refers to the plot of ground on which Jacob was lying, but at the same time this stands by metonymy for the entire land of Canaan.

[28:14]  ²⁰⁶ tn This is the same Hebrew word translated “ground” in the preceding verse.

[28:14]  ²⁰⁷ tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew; Jacob is addressed as the representative of his descendants.

[28:14]  ²⁰⁸ tn Theoretically the Niphal stem can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Jacob were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in other formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless (i.e., pronounce blessings upon) themselves/one another.” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 28:14 predicts that Jacob will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae (see Gen 12:2 and 18:18 as well, where Abram/Abraham receives this promise). For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[28:14]  ²⁰⁹ tn Heb “and they will pronounce blessings by you, all the families of the earth, and by your offspring.”

[28:15]  ²¹⁰ tn Heb “Look, I [am] with you.” The clause is a nominal clause; the verb to be supplied could be present (as in the translation) or future, “Look, I [will be] with you” (cf. NEB).

[28:16]  ²¹¹ tn Heb “woke up from his sleep.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[28:16]  ²¹² tn Heb “said.”

[28:18]  ²¹³ tn Heb “and he got up early…and he took.”

[28:18]  ²¹⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:18]  ²¹⁵ tn See the note on this phrase in v. 11.

[28:18]  ²¹⁶ tn Heb “standing stone.”

[28:19]  ²¹⁷ tn The name Bethel means “house of God” in Hebrew (see v. 17).

[28:20]  ²¹⁸ tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[28:21]  ²¹⁹ tn Heb “and I return in peace to the house of my father.”

[28:22]  ²²⁰ tn The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/subject) is used to highlight the statement.

[28:22]  ²²¹ tn The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb for emphasis.

[28:22]  ²²² tn Heb “and all which you give to me I will surely give a tenth of it to you.” The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/object) highlights this statement as well.

[29:1]  ²²³ tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his feet.” This unusual expression suggests that Jacob had a new lease on life now that God had promised him the blessing he had so desperately tried to gain by his own efforts. The text portrays him as having a new step in his walk.

[29:1]  ²²⁴ tn Heb “the land of the sons of the east.”

[29:2]  ²²⁵ tn Heb “and he saw, and look.” As in Gen 28:12-15, the narrator uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here and in the next clause to draw the reader into the story.

[29:2]  ²²⁶ tn Heb “and look, there.”

[29:2]  ²²⁷ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the noun with the prefixed conjunction) provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[29:3]  ²²⁸ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the shepherds) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:5]  ²²⁹ tn Heb “son.”

[29:5]  ²³⁰ tn Heb “and they said, ‘We know.’” The word “him” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the translation several introductory clauses throughout this section have been placed after the direct discourse they introduce for stylistic reasons as well.

[29:6]  ²³¹ tn Heb “and he said to them, ‘Is there peace to him?’”

[29:6]  ²³² tn Heb “peace.”

[29:7]  ²³³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:7]  ²³⁴ tn Heb “the day is great.”

[29:7]  ²³⁵ tn Heb “water the sheep and go and pasture [them].” The verbal forms are imperatives, but Jacob would hardly be giving direct orders to someone else’s shepherds. The nuance here is probably one of advice.

[29:8]  ²³⁶ tn The perfect verbal forms with the vav (ו) consecutive carry on the sequence begun by the initial imperfect form.

[29:9]  ²³⁷ tn Heb “was a shepherdess.”

[29:10]  ²³⁸ tn Heb “Laban, the brother of his mother” (twice in this verse).

[29:10]  ²³⁹ tn Heb “Jacob.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:10]  ²⁴⁰ tn Heb “drew near, approached.”

[29:10]  ²⁴¹ tn Heb “Laban, the brother of his mother.” The text says nothing initially about the beauty of Rachel. But the reader is struck by the repetition of “Laban the brother of his mother.” G. J. Wenham is no doubt correct when he observes that Jacob’s primary motive at this stage is to ingratiate himself with Laban (Genesis [WBC], 2:231).

[29:11]  ²⁴² tn Heb “and he lifted up his voice and wept.” The idiom calls deliberate attention to the fact that Jacob wept out loud.

[29:12]  ²⁴³ tn Heb “declared.”

[29:12]  ²⁴⁴ tn Heb “that he [was] the brother of her father.”

[29:13]  ²⁴⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:13]  ²⁴⁶ tn Heb “and he told to Laban all these things.” This might mean Jacob told Laban how he happened to be there, but Laban’s response (see v. 14) suggests “all these things” refers to what Jacob had previously told Rachel (see v. 12).

[29:14]  ²⁴⁷ tn Heb “indeed, my bone and my flesh are you.” The expression sounds warm enough, but the presence of “indeed” may suggest that Laban had to be convinced of Jacob’s identity before permitting him to stay. To be one’s “bone and flesh” is to be someone’s blood relative. For example, the phrase describes the relationship between Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg 9:2; his mother was a Shechemite); David and the Israelites (2 Sam 5:1); David and the elders of Judah (2 Sam 19:12,); and David and his nephew Amasa (2 Sam 19:13, see 2 Sam 17:2; 1 Chr 2:16-17).

[29:14]  ²⁴⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:14]  ²⁴⁹ tn Heb “a month of days.”

[29:15]  ²⁵⁰ tn The verb is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; the nuance in the question is deliberative.

[29:15]  ²⁵¹ tn Heb “my brother.” The term “brother” is used in a loose sense; actually Jacob was Laban’s nephew.

[29:16]  ²⁵² tn Heb “and to Laban [there were] two daughters.” The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a conjunction and a prepositional phrase) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, vv. 16-17 have been set in parentheses in the translation.

[29:17]  ²⁵³ tn Heb “and the eyes of Leah were tender.” The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a conjunction and a noun) continues the parenthesis begun in v. 16. It is not clear what is meant by “tender” (or “delicate”) eyes. The expression may mean she had appealing eyes (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT), though some suggest that they were plain, not having the brightness normally expected. Either way, she did not measure up to her gorgeous sister.

[29:17]  ²⁵⁴ tn Heb “and Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.”

[29:18]  ²⁵⁵ tn Heb “Jacob loved.”

[29:19]  ²⁵⁶ tn Heb “Better my giving her to you than my giving her to another man.”

[29:20]  ²⁵⁷ tn Heb “in exchange for Rachel.”

[29:20]  ²⁵⁸ sn But they seemed like only a few days to him. This need not mean that the time passed quickly. More likely it means that the price seemed insignificant when compared to what he was getting in the bargain.

[29:20]  ²⁵⁹ tn Heb “because of his love for her.” The words “was so great” are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[29:21]  ²⁶⁰ tn Heb “and Jacob said.”

[29:21]  ²⁶¹ tn Heb “my days are fulfilled.”

[29:21]  ²⁶² tn Heb “and I will go in to her.” The verb is a cohortative; it may be subordinated to the preceding request, “that I may go in,” or it may be an independent clause expressing his desire. The verb “go in” in this context refers to sexual intercourse (i.e., the consummation of the marriage).

[29:22]  ²⁶³ tn Heb “men.”

[29:23]  ²⁶⁴ tn Heb “and it happened in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her.”

[29:23]  ²⁶⁵ tn Heb “to him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ²⁶⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ²⁶⁷ tn Heb “went in to her.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.

[29:24]  ²⁶⁸ tn Heb “and Laban gave to her Zilpah his female servant, to Leah his daughter [for] a servant.” This clause gives information parenthetical to the narrative.

[29:25]  ²⁶⁹ tn Heb “and it happened in the morning that look, it was Leah.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.

[29:25]  ²⁷⁰ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:25]  ²⁷¹ tn Heb What is this you have done to me?” The use of the pronoun “this” is enclitic, adding emphasis to the question: “What in the world have you done to me?”

[29:25]  ²⁷² sn The Hebrew verb translated tricked here (רָמָה, ramah) is cognate to the noun used in Gen 27:35 to describe Jacob’s deception of Esau. Jacob is discovering that what goes around, comes around. See J. A. Diamond, “The Deception of Jacob: A New Perspective on an Ancient Solution to the Problem,” VT 34 (1984): 211-13.

[29:26]  ²⁷³ tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘It is not done so in our place.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:26]  ²⁷⁴ tn Heb “to give the younger.” The words “daughter” and “in marriage” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[29:27]  ²⁷⁵ tn Heb “fulfill the period of seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as “my older daughter” for clarity.

[29:27]  ²⁷⁶ tn Heb “this other one.”

[29:27]  ²⁷⁷ tn Heb “and we will give to you also this one in exchange for labor which you will work with me, still seven other years.”

[29:28]  ²⁷⁸ tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:28]  ²⁷⁹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:28]  ²⁸⁰ tn Heb “the seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as Leah to avoid confusion with Rachel, mentioned later in the verse.

[29:28]  ²⁸¹ tn Heb “and he gave to him Rachel his daughter for him for a wife.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:29]  ²⁸² tn Heb “and Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female servant, for her for a servant.”

[29:30]  ²⁸³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ²⁸⁴ tn Heb “went in also to Rachel.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.

[29:30]  ²⁸⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ²⁸⁶ tn Heb “and he loved also Rachel, more than Leah, and he served with him still seven other years.”

[29:31]  ²⁸⁷ tn Heb “hated.” The rhetorical device of overstatement is used (note v. 30, which says simply that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah) to emphasize that Rachel, as Jacob’s true love and the primary object of his affections, had an advantage over Leah.

[29:31]  ²⁸⁸ tn Heb “he opened up her womb.”

[29:32]  ²⁸⁹ tn Or “Leah conceived” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35).

[29:32]  ²⁹⁰ sn The name Reuben (רְאוּבֵן, rÿ’uven) means “look, a son.”

[29:32]  ²⁹¹ tn Heb “looked on my affliction.”

[29:33]  ²⁹² tn Heb “hated.” See the note on the word “unloved” in v. 31.

[29:33]  ²⁹³ sn The name Simeon (שִׁמְעוֹן, shim’on) is derived from the verbal root שָׁמַע (shama’) and means “hearing.” The name is appropriate since it is reminder that the Lord “heard” about Leah’s unloved condition and responded with pity.

[29:34]  ²⁹⁴ tn Heb “will be joined to me.”

[29:34]  ²⁹⁵ sn The name Levi (לֵוִי, levi), the precise meaning of which is debated, was appropriate because it sounds like the verb לָוָה (lavah, “to join”), used in the statement recorded earlier in the verse.

[29:35]  ²⁹⁶ sn The name Judah (יְהוּדָה, yÿhudah) means “he will be praised” and reflects the sentiment Leah expresses in the statement recorded earlier in the verse. For further discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names ‘Israel’ and ‘Judah’ with an Excursus on the Etymology of Todah and Torah,” JBL 46 (1927): 151-85; and A. R. Millard, “The Meaning of the Name Judah,” ZAW 86 (1974): 216-18.

[30:1]  ²⁹⁷ tn Heb “Rachel.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:1]  ²⁹⁸ tn Heb “sons.”

[30:2]  ²⁹⁹ tn Heb “and the anger of Jacob was hot.”

[30:2]  ³⁰⁰ tn Heb “who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb.”

[30:3]  ³⁰¹ tn Heb “go in to.” The expression “go in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:3]  ³⁰² tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates the immediate purpose of the proposed activity.

[30:3]  ³⁰³ tn The word “children” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:3]  ³⁰⁴ tn Heb “upon my knees.” This is an idiomatic way of saying that Bilhah will be simply a surrogate mother. Rachel will adopt the child as her own.

[30:3]  ³⁰⁵ tn Heb “and I will be built up, even I, from her.” The prefixed verbal form with the conjunction is subordinated to the preceding prefixed verbal form and gives the ultimate purpose for the proposed action. The idiom of “built up” here refers to having a family (see Gen 16:2, as well as Ruth 4:11 and BDB 125 s.v. בָנָה).

[30:4]  ³⁰⁶ tn Heb “and she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:4]  ³⁰⁷ tn Heb “went in to.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:5]  ³⁰⁸ tn Or “Bilhah conceived” (also in v. 7).

[30:5]  ³⁰⁹ tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:6]  ³¹⁰ tn Heb “and also he has heard my voice.” The expression means that God responded positively to Rachel’s cry and granted her request.

[30:6]  ³¹¹ tn Or “therefore.”

[30:6]  ³¹² sn The name Dan means “he vindicated” or “he judged.” The name plays on the verb used in the statement which appears earlier in the verse. The verb translated “vindicated” is from דִּין (din, “to judge, to vindicate”), the same verbal root from which the name is derived. Rachel sensed that God was righting the wrong.

[30:7]  ³¹³ tn Heb “and she became pregnant again and Bilhah, the servant of Rachel, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:8]  ³¹⁴ tn Heb “[with] a mighty struggle I have struggled with my sister, also I have prevailed.” The phrase “mighty struggle” reads literally “struggles of God.” The plural participle “struggles” reflects the ongoing nature of the struggle, while the divine name is used here idiomatically to emphasize the intensity of the struggle. See J. Skinner, Genesis (ICC), 387.

[30:8]  ³¹⁵ sn The name Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי, naftali) must mean something like “my struggle” in view of the statement Rachel made in the preceding clause. The name plays on this earlier statement, “[with] a mighty struggle I have struggled with my sister.”

[30:9]  ³¹⁶ tn Heb “she took her servant Zilpah and gave her.” The verbs “took” and “gave” are treated as a hendiadys in the translation: “she gave.”

[30:10]  ³¹⁷ tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore for Jacob a son.”

[30:11]  ³¹⁸ tc The statement in the Kethib (consonantal text) appears to mean literally “with good fortune,” if one takes the initial בְּ (bet) as a preposition indicating accompaniment. The Qere (marginal reading) means “good fortune has arrived.”

[30:11]  ³¹⁹ sn The name Gad (גָּד, gad) means “good fortune.” The name reflects Leah’s feeling that good fortune has come her way, as expressed in her statement recorded earlier in the verse.

[30:12]  ³²⁰ tn Heb “and Zilpah, the servant of Leah, bore a second son for Jacob.”

[30:13]  ³²¹ tn The Hebrew statement apparently means “with my happiness.”

[30:13]  ³²² tn Heb “daughters.”

[30:13]  ³²³ sn The name Asher (אָשֶׁר, ’asher) apparently means “happy one.” The name plays on the words used in the statement which appears earlier in the verse. Both the Hebrew noun and verb translated “happy” and “call me happy,” respectively, are derived from the same root as the name Asher.

[30:14]  ³²⁴ tn Heb “during the days.”

[30:14]  ³²⁵ sn Mandrake plants were popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac in the culture of the time.

[30:15]  ³²⁶ tn Heb “and she said to her”; the referent of the pronoun “she” (Leah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:15]  ³²⁷ tn Heb “therefore.”

[30:15]  ³²⁸ tn Heb “lie down.” The expression “lie down with” in this context (here and in the following verse) refers to sexual intercourse. The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.

[30:16]  ³²⁹ tn Heb “must come in to me.” The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. She has acquired him for the night and feels he is obligated to have sexual relations with her.

[30:16]  ³³⁰ tn Heb “I have surely hired.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verbal form for emphasis. The name Issachar (see v. 18) seems to be related to this expression.

[30:16]  ³³¹ tn This is the same Hebrew verb (שָׁכַב, shakhav) translated “sleep with” in v. 15. In direct discourse the more euphemistic “sleep with” was used, but here in the narrative “marital relations” reflects more clearly the emphasis on sexual intercourse.

[30:17]  ³³² tn Heb “listened to.”

[30:17]  ³³³ tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 19).

[30:17]  ³³⁴ tn Heb “and she bore for Jacob a fifth son,” i.e., this was the fifth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:18]  ³³⁵ tn Heb “God has given my reward.”

[30:18]  ³³⁶ tn The words “as a wife” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarity (cf. v. 9).

[30:18]  ³³⁷ sn The name Issachar (יְשָּׁשכָר, yishakhar) appears to mean “man of reward” or possibly “there is reward.” The name plays on the word used in the statement made earlier in the verse. The Hebrew noun translated “reward” is derived from the same root as the name Issachar. The irony is that Rachel thought the mandrakes would work for her, and she was willing to trade one night for them. But in that one night Leah became pregnant.

[30:19]  ³³⁸ tn Heb “and she bore a sixth son for Jacob,” i.e., this was the sixth son that Leah had given Jacob.

[30:20]  ³³⁹ sn The name Zebulun (זְבֻלוּן, zevulun) apparently means “honor.” The name plays on the verb used in the statement made earlier in the verse. The Hebrew verb translated “will honor” and the name Zebulun derive from the same root.

[30:22]  ³⁴⁰ tn Heb “remembered.”

[30:22]  ³⁴¹ tn Heb “and God listened to her and opened up her womb.” Since “God” is the subject of the previous clause, the noun has been replaced by the pronoun “he” in the translation for stylistic reasons

[30:23]  ³⁴² tn Or “conceived.”

[30:23]  ³⁴³ tn Heb “my reproach.” A “reproach” is a cutting taunt or painful ridicule, but here it probably refers by metonymy to Rachel’s barren condition, which was considered shameful in this culture and was the reason why she was the object of taunting and ridicule.

[30:24]  ³⁴⁴ sn The name Joseph (יוֹסֵף, yoseph) means “may he add.” The name expresses Rachel’s desire to have an additional son. In Hebrew the name sounds like the verb (אָסַף,’asasf) translated “taken away” in the earlier statement made in v. 23. So the name, while reflecting Rachel’s hope, was also a reminder that God had removed her shame.

[30:25]  ³⁴⁵ tn The perfect verbal form is translated as a past perfect because Rachel’s giving birth to Joseph preceded Jacob’s conversation with Laban.

[30:25]  ³⁴⁶ tn The imperatival form here expresses a request.

[30:25]  ³⁴⁷ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:25]  ³⁴⁸ tn Heb “to my place and to my land.”

[30:26]  ³⁴⁹ tn Heb “give my wives and my children, for whom I have served you.” In one sense Laban had already “given” Jacob his two daughters as wives (Gen 29:21, 28). Here Jacob was asking for permission to take his own family along with him on the journey back to Canaan.

[30:26]  ³⁵⁰ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.

[30:26]  ³⁵¹ tn Heb “for you, you know my service [with] which I have served you.”

[30:27]  ³⁵² tn The words “please stay here” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[30:27]  ³⁵³ tn Or perhaps “I have grown rich and the Lord has blessed me” (cf. NEB). See J. Finkelstein, “An Old Babylonian Herding Contract and Genesis 31:38f.,” JAOS 88 (1968): 34, n. 19.

[30:28]  ³⁵⁴ tn Heb “set your wage for me so I may give [it].”

[30:29]  ³⁵⁵ tn Heb “and he said to him, ‘You know how I have served you.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons, and the referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:29]  ³⁵⁶ tn Heb “and how your cattle were with me.”

[30:30]  ³⁵⁷ tn Or “for.”

[30:30]  ³⁵⁸ tn Heb “before me.”

[30:30]  ³⁵⁹ tn Heb “and it has broken out with respect to abundance.”

[30:30]  ³⁶⁰ tn Heb “at my foot.”

[30:30]  ³⁶¹ tn Heb “How long [until] I do, also I, for my house?”

[30:31]  ³⁶² tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:31]  ³⁶³ tn The negated imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance.

[30:31]  ³⁶⁴ tn The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:31]  ³⁶⁵ tn Heb “If you do for me this thing.”

[30:31]  ³⁶⁶ tn Heb “I will return, I will tend,” an idiom meaning “I will continue tending.”

[30:32]  ³⁶⁷ tn Heb “pass through.”

[30:32]  ³⁶⁸ tn Or “every black lamb”; Heb “and every dark sheep among the lambs.”

[30:32]  ³⁶⁹ tn Heb “and the spotted and speckled among the goats.”

[30:32]  ³⁷⁰ tn Heb “and it will be my wage.” The referent collective singular pronoun (“it) has been specified as “these animals” in the translation for clarity.

[30:33]  ³⁷¹ tn Heb “will answer on my behalf.”

[30:33]  ³⁷² tn Heb “on the following day,” or “tomorrow.”

[30:33]  ³⁷³ tn Heb “when you come concerning my wage before you.”

[30:33]  ³⁷⁴ tn Heb “every one which is not speckled and spotted among the lambs and dark among the goats, stolen it is with me.”

[30:34]  ³⁷⁵ tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘Good, let it be according to your word.’” On the asseverative use of the particle לוּ (lu) here, see HALOT 521 s.v. לוּ.

[30:35]  ³⁷⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:35]  ³⁷⁷ tn Heb “and he gave [them] into the hand.”

[30:36]  ³⁷⁸ tn Heb “and he put a journey of three days between himself and Jacob.”

[30:36]  ³⁷⁹ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the vav with subject) is circumstantial/temporal; Laban removed the animals while Jacob was taking care of the rest.

[30:38]  ³⁸⁰ sn He put the branches in front of the flocks…when they came to drink. It was generally believed that placing such “visual aids” before the animals as they were mating, it was possible to influence the appearance of their offspring. E. A. Speiser notes that “Jacob finds a way to outwit his father-in-law, through prenatal conditioning of the flock by visual aids – in conformance with universal folk beliefs” (Genesis [AB], 238). Nevertheless, in spite of Jacob’s efforts at animal husbandry, he still attributes the resulting success to God (see 31:5).

[30:39]  ³⁸¹ tn The Hebrew verb used here can mean “to be in heat” (see v. 38) or “to mate; to conceive; to become pregnant.” The latter nuance makes better sense in this verse, for the next clause describes them giving birth.

[30:39]  ³⁸² tn Heb “the sheep.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“they”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:40]  ³⁸³ tn Heb “and he set the faces of.”

[30:41]  ³⁸⁴ tn Heb “and at every breeding-heat of the flock.”

[30:42]  ³⁸⁵ tn Heb “he did not put [them] in.” The referent of the [understood] direct object, “them,” has been specified as “the branches” in the translation for clarity.

[30:42]  ³⁸⁶ tn Heb “were for Laban.”

[30:43]  ³⁸⁷ tn Heb “the man”; Jacob’s name has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[30:43]  ³⁸⁸ tn Heb “and there were to him.”

[31:1]  ³⁸⁹ tn Heb “and he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying.”

[31:1]  ³⁹⁰ sn The Hebrew word translated “gotten rich” (כָּבוֹד, cavod) has the basic idea of “weight.” If one is heavy with possessions, then that one is wealthy (13:2). Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph all became wealthy when they left the promised land. Jacob’s wealth foreshadows what will happen to Israel when they leave the land of Egypt (Exod 12:35-38).

[31:1]  ³⁹¹ tn Heb “and from that which belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth.”

[31:2]  ³⁹² tn Heb “and Jacob saw the face of Laban, and look, he was not with him as formerly.” Jacob knew from the expression on Laban’s face that his attitude toward him had changed – Jacob had become persona non grata.

[31:3]  ³⁹³ tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

[31:3]  ³⁹⁴ sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the Lord promised to be.

[31:4]  ³⁹⁵ tn Heb “sent and called for Rachel and for Leah.” Jacob did not go in person, but probably sent a servant with a message for his wives to meet him in the field.

[31:4]  ³⁹⁶ tn Heb “the field.” The word is an adverbial accusative, indicating that this is where Jacob wanted them to meet him. The words “to come to” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.

[31:4]  ³⁹⁷ tn Heb “to his flock.”

[31:5]  ³⁹⁸ tn Heb “I see the face of your father, that he is not toward me as formerly.”

[31:6]  ³⁹⁹ tn Heb “with all my strength.”

[31:7]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn This rare verb means “to make a fool of” someone. It involves deceiving someone so that their public reputation suffers (see Exod 8:25).

[31:8]  ⁴⁰¹ tn In the protasis (“if” section) of this conditional clause, the imperfect verbal form has a customary nuance – whatever he would say worked to Jacob’s benefit.

[31:8]  ⁴⁰² tn Heb “speckled” (twice this verse). The word “animals” (after the first occurrence of “speckled”) and “offspring” (after the second) have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The same two terms (“animals” and “offspring”) have been supplied after the two occurrences of “streaked” later in this verse.

[31:10]  ⁴⁰³ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator, “and it happened at the time of.”

[31:10]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn Heb “in the time of the breeding of the flock I lifted up my eyes and I saw.”

[31:10]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:12]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”

[31:12]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:13]  ⁴⁰⁸ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[31:13]  ⁴⁰⁹ sn You anointed the sacred stone. In Gen 28:18 the text simply reported that Jacob poured oil on top of the stone. Now that pouring is interpreted by the Lord as an anointing. Jacob had consecrated the place.

[31:13]  ⁴¹⁰ sn And made a vow to me. The second clause reminds Jacob of the vow he made to the Lord when he anointed the stone (Gen 28:20-22). God is now going to take him back to the land, and so he will have to fulfill his vow.

[31:13]  ⁴¹¹ tn Heb “arise, leave!” The first imperative draws attention to the need for immediate action.

[31:14]  ⁴¹² tn The two nouns may form a hendiadys, meaning “a share in the inheritance” or “a portion to inherit.”

[31:15]  ⁴¹³ tn Heb “and he devoured, even devouring.” The infinitive absolute (following the finite verb here) is used for emphasis.

[31:15]  ⁴¹⁴ tn Heb “our money.” The word “money” is used figuratively here; it means the price paid for Leah and Rachel. A literal translation (“our money”) makes it sound as if Laban wasted money that belonged to Rachel and Leah, rather than the money paid for them.

[31:17]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”

[31:18]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.

[31:18]  ⁴¹⁷ tn Heb “and he led away all his cattle and all his moveable property which he acquired, the cattle he obtained, which he acquired in Paddan Aram to go to Isaac his father to the land of Canaan.”

[31:19]  ⁴¹⁸ tn This disjunctive clause (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new scene. In the English translation it may be subordinated to the following clause.

[31:19]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Or “household gods.” Some translations merely transliterate the Hebrew term תְּרָפִים (tÿrafim) as “teraphim,” which apparently refers to household idols. Some contend that possession of these idols guaranteed the right of inheritance, but it is more likely that they were viewed simply as protective deities. See M. Greenberg, “Another Look at Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim,” JBL 81 (1962): 239-48.

[31:20]  ⁴²⁰ tn Heb “stole the heart of,” an expression which apparently means “to deceive.” The repetition of the verb “to steal” shows that Jacob and Rachel are kindred spirits. Any thought that Laban would have resigned himself to their departure was now out of the question.

[31:20]  ⁴²¹ tn Heb “fleeing,” which reflects Jacob’s viewpoint.

[31:21]  ⁴²² tn Heb “and he fled.”

[31:21]  ⁴²³ tn Heb “he arose and crossed.” The first verb emphasizes that he wasted no time in getting across.

[31:21]  ⁴²⁴ tn Heb “the river”; the referent (the Euphrates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:21]  ⁴²⁵ tn Heb “he set his face.”

[31:22]  ⁴²⁶ tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”

[31:23]  ⁴²⁷ tn Heb “his brothers.”

[31:23]  ⁴²⁸ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:23]  ⁴²⁹ tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”

[31:23]  ⁴³⁰ tn Heb “drew close to.”

[31:24]  ⁴³¹ tn Heb “said to him.”

[31:24]  ⁴³² tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:24]  ⁴³³ tn Heb “lest you speak with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 29, is uncertain. Since Laban proceeded to speak to Jacob at length, it cannot mean to maintain silence. Nor does it seem to be a prohibition against criticism (see vv. 26-30). Most likely it refers to a formal pronouncement, whether it be a blessing or a curse. Laban was to avoid saying anything to Jacob that would be intended to enhance him or to harm him.

[31:25]  ⁴³⁴ tn Heb “and Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban pitched with his brothers in the hill country of Gilead.” The juxtaposition of disjunctive clauses (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb in both clauses) indicates synchronism of action.

[31:26]  ⁴³⁵ tn Heb “and you have stolen my heart.” This expression apparently means “to deceive” (see v. 20).

[31:26]  ⁴³⁶ tn Heb “and you have led away my daughters like captives of a sword.”

[31:27]  ⁴³⁷ tn Heb “Why did you hide in order to flee?” The verb “hide” and the infinitive “to flee” form a hendiadys, the infinitive becoming the main verb and the other the adverb: “flee secretly.”

[31:27]  ⁴³⁸ tn Heb “and steal me.”

[31:27]  ⁴³⁹ tn Heb “And [why did] you not tell me so I could send you off with joy and with songs, with a tambourine and with a harp?”

[31:28]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn Heb “my sons and my daughters.” Here “sons” refers to “grandsons,” and has been translated “grandchildren” since at least one granddaughter, Dinah, was involved. The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:29]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Heb “there is to my hand.”

[31:29]  ⁴⁴² tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:29]  ⁴⁴³ tn Heb “from speaking with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 24, is uncertain. See the note on the same phrase in v. 24.

[31:30]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[31:30]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.

[31:30]  ⁴⁴⁶ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.

[31:30]  ⁴⁴⁷ 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.

[31:31]  ⁴⁴⁸ tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘Because I was afraid.’” This statement is a not a response to the question about Laban’s household gods that immediately precedes, but to the earlier question about Jacob’s motivation for leaving so quickly and secretly (see v. 27). For this reason the words “I left secretly” are supplied in the translation to indicate the connection to Laban’s earlier question in v. 27. Additionally the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:31]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Heb “for I said.”

[31:31]  ⁴⁵⁰ tn Heb “lest you steal your daughters from with me.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵² tn Heb “brothers.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵³ tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”

[31:32]  ⁴⁵⁴ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, it has been placed in parentheses in the translation.

[31:33]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn No direct object is specified for the verb “find” in the Hebrew text. The words “the idols” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:33]  ⁴⁵⁶ tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”

[31:34]  ⁴⁵⁷ 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.”

[31:34]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.

[31:34]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:35]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:35]  ⁴⁶¹ tn Heb “let it not be hot in the eyes of my lord.” This idiom refers to anger, in this case as a result of Rachel’s failure to stand in the presence of her father as a sign of respect.

[31:35]  ⁴⁶² tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”

[31:35]  ⁴⁶³ tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.

[31:35]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.

[31:36]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn Heb “it was hot to Jacob.” This idiom refers to anger.

[31:36]  ⁴⁶⁶ tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘What is my sin?’” The proper name “Jacob” has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation and the order of the introductory clause and direct discourse rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[31:36]  ⁴⁶⁷ tn Heb “What is my sin that you have hotly pursued after me.” The Hebrew verb translated “pursue hotly” is used elsewhere of soldiers chasing defeated enemies (1 Sam 17:53).

[31:37]  ⁴⁶⁸ tn Heb “what did you find from all the goods of your house?”

[31:37]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Heb “your relatives.” The word “relatives” has not been repeated in the translation here for stylistic reasons.

[31:37]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Heb “that they may decide between us two.”

[31:39]  ⁴⁷¹ tn The imperfect verbal form indicates that this was a customary or typical action.

[31:39]  ⁴⁷² tn Heb “from my hand you exacted it.” The imperfect verbal form again indicates that this was a customary or typical action. The words “for every missing animal” are supplied in the translation for clarity; the following clause in Hebrew, “stolen by day or stolen by night,” probably means “stolen by wild beasts” and refers to the same animals “torn by wild beasts” in the previous clause, although it may refer to animals stolen by people. The translation used here, “missing,” is ambiguous enough to cover either eventuality.

[31:40]  ⁴⁷³ tn Or “by drought.”

[31:40]  ⁴⁷⁴ tn Heb “frost, ice,” though when contrasted with the חֹרֶב (khorev, “drought, parching heat”) of the day, “piercing cold” is more appropriate as a contrast.

[31:40]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Heb “and my sleep fled from my eyes.”

[31:41]  ⁴⁷⁶ tn Heb “this to me.”

[31:41]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn Heb “served you,” but in this accusatory context the meaning is more “worked like a slave.”

[31:42]  ⁴⁷⁸ tn Heb “the fear of Isaac,” that is, the one whom Isaac feared and respected. For further discussion of this title see M. Malul, “More on pahad yitschaq (Gen. 31:42,53) and the Oath by the Thigh,” VT 35 (1985): 192-200.

[31:42]  ⁴⁷⁹ tn Heb “My oppression and the work of my hands God saw.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸⁰ tn Heb “answered and said.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸¹ tn Heb “daughters.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸² tn Heb “children.”

[31:43]  ⁴⁸³ tn Heb “but to my daughters what can I do to these today?”

[31:44]  ⁴⁸⁴ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[31:44]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn The verb הָיָה (hayah) followed by the preposition לְ (lÿ) means “become.”

[31:44]  ⁴⁸⁶ tn Heb “and it will become a witness between me and you.”

[31:46]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn Heb “Jacob”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:46]  ⁴⁸⁸ sn The Hebrew word for “pile” is גַּל (gal), which sounds like the name “Galeed” (גַּלְעֵד, gal’ed). See v. 48.

[31:47]  ⁴⁸⁹ sn Jegar Sahadutha. Laban the Aramean gave the place an Aramaic name which means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness.”

[31:47]  ⁴⁹⁰ sn Galeed also means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness,” but this name is Canaanite or Western Semitic and closer to later Hebrew. Jacob, though certainly capable of speaking Aramaic, here prefers to use the western dialect.

[31:48]  ⁴⁹¹ tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”

[31:49]  ⁴⁹² tn Heb “and Mizpah.”

[31:49]  ⁴⁹³ sn The name Mizpah (מִצְפָּה, mitspah), which means “watchpost,” sounds like the verb translated “may he watch” (יִצֶף, yitsef). Neither Laban nor Jacob felt safe with each other, and so they agreed to go their separate ways, trusting the Lord to keep watch at the border. Jacob did not need this treaty, but Laban, perhaps because he had lost his household gods, felt he did.

[31:49]  ⁴⁹⁴ tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:49]  ⁴⁹⁵ tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”

[31:50]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn Heb “see.”

[31:50]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:51]  ⁴⁹⁸ tn Heb “and Laban said to Jacob, ‘Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between men and you.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[31:52]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn Heb “This pile is a witness and the pillar is a witness, if I go past this pile to you and if you go past this pile and this pillar to me for harm.”

[31:53]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn The God of Abraham and the god of Nahor. The Hebrew verb translated “judge” is plural, suggesting that Laban has more than one “god” in mind. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, apparently in an effort to make the statement monotheistic, have a singular verb. In this case one could translate, “May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” However, Laban had a polytheistic world view, as evidenced by his possession of household idols (cf. 31:19). The translation uses “God” when referring to Abraham’s God, for Genesis makes it clear that Abraham worshiped the one true God. It employs “god” when referring to Nahor’s god, for in the Hebrew text Laban refers to a different god here, probably one of the local deities.

[31:53]  ⁵⁰¹ tn Heb “by the fear of his father Isaac.” See the note on the word “fears” in v. 42.

[31:54]  ⁵⁰² tn The construction is a cognate accusative with the verb, expressing a specific sacrifice.

[31:54]  ⁵⁰³ tn Heb “bread, food.” Presumably this was a type of peace offering, where the person bringing the offering ate the animal being sacrificed.

[31:55]  ⁵⁰⁴ sn Beginning with 31:55, the verse numbers in the English Bible through 32:32 differ by one from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 31:55 ET = 32:1 HT, 32:1 ET = 32:2 HT, etc., through 32:32 ET = 32:33 HT. From 33:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.

[31:55]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Heb “and Laban got up early in the morning and he kissed.”

[31:55]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Heb “his sons.”

[31:55]  ⁵⁰⁷ tn Heb “to his place.”

[32:1]  ⁵⁰⁸ sn The phrase angels of God occurs only here and in Gen 28:12 in the OT. Jacob saw a vision of angels just before he left the promised land. Now he encounters angels as he prepares to return to it. The text does not give the details of the encounter, but Jacob’s response suggests it was amicable. This location was a spot where heaven made contact with earth, and where God made his presence known to the patriarch. See C. Houtman, “Jacob at Mahanaim: Some Remarks on Genesis XXXII 2-3,” VT 28 (1978): 37-44.

[32:2]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Heb “and Jacob said when he saw them.”

[32:2]  ⁵¹⁰ sn The name Mahanaim apparently means “two camps.” Perhaps the two camps were those of God and of Jacob.

[32:3]  ⁵¹¹ tn Heb “before him.”

[32:3]  ⁵¹² tn Heb “field.”

[32:4]  ⁵¹³ sn Your servant. The narrative recounts Jacob’s groveling in fear before Esau as he calls his brother his “lord,” as if to minimize what had been done twenty years ago.

[32:5]  ⁵¹⁴ tn Or “I am sending.” The form is a preterite with the vav consecutive; it could be rendered as an English present tense – as the Hebrew perfect/preterite allows – much like an epistolary aorist in Greek. The form assumes the temporal perspective of the one who reads the message.

[32:5]  ⁵¹⁵ tn The words “this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:8]  ⁵¹⁶ tn Heb “If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.”

[32:8]  ⁵¹⁷ tn Heb “and he said, ‘If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.” The Hebrew verb אָמַר (’amar) here represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated “he thought.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:8]  ⁵¹⁸ tn Heb “the surviving camp will be for escape.” The word “escape” is a feminine noun. The term most often refers to refugees from war.

[32:9]  ⁵¹⁹ tn Heb “said.”

[32:9]  ⁵²⁰ tn Heb “the one who said.”

[32:9]  ⁵²¹ tn Heb “I will cause good” or “I will treat well [or “favorably”].” The idea includes more than prosperity, though that is its essential meaning. Here the form is subordinated to the preceding imperative and indicates purpose or result. Jacob is reminding God of his promise in the hope that God will honor his word.

[32:10]  ⁵²² tn Heb “the loving deeds and faithfulness” (see 24:27, 49).

[32:10]  ⁵²³ tn Heb “you have done with.”

[32:10]  ⁵²⁴ tn Heb “for with my staff.” The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally translated “staff,” has been rendered as “walking stick” because a “staff” in contemporary English refers typically to the support personnel in an organization.

[32:10]  ⁵²⁵ tn Heb “this Jordan.”

[32:11]  ⁵²⁶ tn The imperative has the force of a prayer here, not a command.

[32:11]  ⁵²⁷ tn The “hand” here is a metonymy for “power.”

[32:11]  ⁵²⁸ tn Heb “from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.”

[32:11]  ⁵²⁹ tn Heb “for I am afraid of him, lest he come.”

[32:11]  ⁵³⁰ sn Heb “me, [the] mother upon [the] sons.” The first person pronoun “me” probably means here “me and mine,” as the following clause suggests.

[32:12]  ⁵³¹ tn Heb “But you, you said.” One of the occurrences of the pronoun “you” has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.

[32:12]  ⁵³² tn Or “will certainly deal well with you.” The infinitive absolute appears before the imperfect, underscoring God’s promise to bless. The statement is more emphatic than in v. 9.

[32:12]  ⁵³³ tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the nuance of the preceding verb forward.

[32:12]  ⁵³⁴ tn Heb “which cannot be counted because of abundance.” The imperfect verbal form indicates potential here.

[32:13]  ⁵³⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:13]  ⁵³⁶ tn Heb “and he took from that which was going into his hand,” meaning that he took some of what belonged to him.

[32:13]  ⁵³⁷ sn The Hebrew noun translated gift can in some contexts refer to the tribute paid by a subject to his lord. Such a nuance is possible here, because Jacob refers to Esau as his lord and to himself as Esau’s servant (v. 4).

[32:16]  ⁵³⁸ tn Heb “and he put them in the hand of.”

[32:16]  ⁵³⁹ tn Heb “a herd, a herd, by itself,” or “each herd by itself.” The distributive sense is expressed by repetition.

[32:17]  ⁵⁴⁰ tn Heb “the first”; this has been specified as “the servant leading the first herd” in the translation for clarity.

[32:17]  ⁵⁴¹ tn Heb “to whom are you?”

[32:17]  ⁵⁴² tn Heb “and to whom are these before you?”

[32:18]  ⁵⁴³ tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁴ tn The words “they belong” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁵ tn Heb “to your servant, to Jacob.”

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn Heb “to my lord, to Esau.”

[32:18]  ⁵⁴⁷ tn Heb “and look, also he [is] behind us.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:19]  ⁵⁴⁸ tn Heb “And he commanded also the second, also the third, also all the ones going after the herds, saying: ‘According to this word you will speak when you find him.’”

[32:20]  ⁵⁴⁹ tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”

[32:20]  ⁵⁵⁰ tn Heb “for he said.” The referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated “thought.”

[32:20]  ⁵⁵¹ tn Heb “I will appease his face.” The cohortative here expresses Jacob’s resolve. In the Book of Leviticus the Hebrew verb translated “appease” has the idea of removing anger due to sin or guilt, a nuance that fits this passage very well. Jacob wanted to buy Esau off with a gift of more than five hundred and fifty animals.

[32:20]  ⁵⁵² tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”

[32:20]  ⁵⁵³ tn Heb “I will see his face.”

[32:20]  ⁵⁵⁴ tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.

[32:21]  ⁵⁵⁵ tn Heb “and the gift passed over upon his face.”

[32:21]  ⁵⁵⁶ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial/temporal.

[32:22]  ⁵⁵⁷ tn Heb “and he arose in that night and he took.” The first verb is adverbial, indicating that he carried out the crossing right away.

[32:22]  ⁵⁵⁸ tn The Hebrew term used here is יֶלֶד (yeled) which typically describes male offspring. Some translations render the term “children” but this is a problem because by this time Jacob had twelve children in all, including one daughter, Dinah, born to Leah (Gen 30:21). Benjamin, his twelfth son and thirteenth child, was not born until later (Gen 35:16-19).

[32:22]  ⁵⁵⁹ sn Hebrew narrative style often includes a summary statement of the whole passage followed by a more detailed report of the event. Here v. 22 is the summary statement, while v. 23 begins the detailed account.

[32:23]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn Heb “and he sent across what he had.”

[32:24]  ⁵⁶¹ sn Reflecting Jacob’s perspective at the beginning of the encounter, the narrator calls the opponent simply “a man.” Not until later in the struggle does Jacob realize his true identity.

[32:24]  ⁵⁶² sn The verb translated “wrestled” (וַיֵּאָבֵק, vayye’aveq) sounds in Hebrew like the names “Jacob” (יַעֲקֹב, ya’aqov) and “Jabbok” (יַבֹּק, yabboq). In this way the narrator links the setting, the main action, and the main participant together in the mind of the reader or hearer.

[32:24]  ⁵⁶³ tn Heb “until the rising of the dawn.”

[32:25]  ⁵⁶⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁵⁶⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁵⁶⁶ tn Or “injured”; traditionally “touched.” The Hebrew verb translated “struck” has the primary meanings “to touch; to reach; to strike.” It can, however, carry the connotation “to harm; to molest; to injure.” God’s “touch” cripples Jacob – it would be comparable to a devastating blow.

[32:26]  ⁵⁶⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:26]  ⁵⁶⁸ tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”

[32:26]  ⁵⁶⁹ tn Heb “and he said, ‘I will not let you go.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:26]  ⁵⁷⁰ sn Jacob wrestled with a man thinking him to be a mere man, and on that basis was equal to the task. But when it had gone on long enough, the night visitor touched Jacob and crippled him. Jacob’s request for a blessing can only mean that he now knew that his opponent was supernatural. Contrary to many allegorical interpretations of the passage that make fighting equivalent to prayer, this passage shows that Jacob stopped fighting, and then asked for a blessing.

[32:27]  ⁵⁷¹ tn Heb “and he said to him.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:27]  ⁵⁷² sn What is your name? The question is rhetorical, since the Lord obviously knew Jacob’s identity. But since the Lord is going to change Jacob’s name, this question is designed to bring focus Jacob’s attention on all that his name had come to signify.

[32:28]  ⁵⁷³ tn Heb “and he said.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:28]  ⁵⁷⁴ sn The name Israel is a common construction, using a verb with a theophoric element (אֵל, ’el) that usually indicates the subject of the verb. Here it means “God fights.” This name will replace the name Jacob; it will be both a promise and a call for faith. In essence, the Lord was saying that Jacob would have victory and receive the promises because God would fight for him.

[32:28]  ⁵⁷⁵ sn You have fought. The explanation of the name Israel includes a sound play. In Hebrew the verb translated “you have fought” (שָׂרִיתָ, sarita) sounds like the name “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yisra’el ), meaning “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). The name would evoke the memory of the fight and what it meant. A. Dillmann says that ever after this the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with God, he won the battle with man (Genesis, 2:279). To be successful with God meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency (A. P. Ross, “Jacob at the Jabboq, Israel at Peniel,” BSac 142 [1985]: 51-62).

[32:29]  ⁵⁷⁶ sn Tell me your name. In primitive thought to know the name of a deity or supernatural being would enable one to use it for magical manipulation or power (A. S. Herbert, Genesis 12-50 [TBC], 108). For a thorough structural analysis of the passage discussing the plays on the names and the request of Jacob, see R. Barthes, “The Struggle with the Angel: Textual Analysis of Genesis 32:23-33,” Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis (PTMS), 21-33.

[32:29]  ⁵⁷⁷ tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.

[32:29]  ⁵⁷⁸ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:29]  ⁵⁷⁹ tn The verb here means that the Lord endowed Jacob with success; he would be successful in everything he did, including meeting Esau.

[32:29]  ⁵⁸⁰ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸¹ sn The name Peniel means “face of God.” Since Jacob saw God face to face here, the name is appropriate.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸² tn The word “explaining” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸³ tn Or “because.”

[32:30]  ⁵⁸⁴ sn I have seen God face to face. See the note on the name “Peniel” earlier in the verse.

[32:30]  ⁵⁸⁵ tn Heb “and my soul [= life] has been preserved.”

[32:31]  ⁵⁸⁶ tn Heb “shone.”

[32:31]  ⁵⁸⁷ sn The name is spelled Penuel here, apparently a variant spelling of Peniel (see v. 30).

[32:31]  ⁵⁸⁸ tn The disjunctive clause draws attention to an important fact: He may have crossed the stream, but he was limping.

[32:32]  ⁵⁸⁹ sn On the use of the expression to this day, see B. S. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until This Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.

[32:32]  ⁵⁹⁰ tn Or “because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive. On the translation of the word “struck” see the note on this term in v. 25.

[33:1]  ⁵⁹¹ tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”

[33:1]  ⁵⁹² tn Or “and look, Esau was coming.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.

[33:2]  ⁵⁹³ sn This kind of ranking according to favoritism no doubt fed the jealousy over Joseph that later becomes an important element in the narrative. It must have been painful to the family to see that they were expendable.

[33:3]  ⁵⁹⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:3]  ⁵⁹⁵ tn Heb “until his drawing near unto his brother.” The construction uses the preposition with the infinitive construct to express a temporal clause.

[33:5]  ⁵⁹⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[33:5]  ⁵⁹⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:5]  ⁵⁹⁹ tn The Hebrew verb means “to be gracious; to show favor”; here it carries the nuance “to give graciously.”

[33:6]  ⁶⁰⁰ tn Heb “and the female servants drew near, they and their children and they bowed down.”

[33:8]  ⁶⁰¹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:8]  ⁶⁰² tn Heb “Who to you?”

[33:8]  ⁶⁰³ tn Heb “all this camp which I met.”

[33:8]  ⁶⁰⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:10]  ⁶⁰⁵ tn Heb “and Jacob said, ‘No, please.’” The words “take them” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[33:10]  ⁶⁰⁶ tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, expressing a contingent future nuance in the “then” section of the conditional sentence.

[33:10]  ⁶⁰⁷ tn The verbal form is the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive, indicating result here.

[33:10]  ⁶⁰⁸ tn Heb “for therefore I have seen your face like seeing the face of God and you have accepted me.”

[33:11]  ⁶⁰⁹ tn Heb “blessing.” It is as if Jacob is trying to repay what he stole from his brother twenty years earlier.

[33:11]  ⁶¹⁰ tn Or “gracious,” but in the specific sense of prosperity.

[33:11]  ⁶¹¹ tn Heb “all.”

[33:11]  ⁶¹² tn Heb “and he urged him and he took.” The referent of the first pronoun in the sequence (“he”) has been specified as “Jacob” in the translation for clarity.

[33:12]  ⁶¹³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:12]  ⁶¹⁴ tn Heb “let us travel and let us go.” The two cohortatives are used in combination with the sense, “let’s travel along, get going, be on our way.”

[33:13]  ⁶¹⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:13]  ⁶¹⁶ tn Heb “weak.”

[33:13]  ⁶¹⁷ tn Heb “and the sheep and the cattle nursing [are] upon me.”

[33:14]  ⁶¹⁸ tn Heb “and I, I will move along according to my leisure at the foot of the property which is before me and at the foot of the children.”

[33:15]  ⁶¹⁹ tn The cohortative verbal form here indicates a polite offer of help.

[33:15]  ⁶²⁰ tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why this?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[33:15]  ⁶²¹ tn Heb “I am finding favor in the eyes of my lord.”

[33:16]  ⁶²² tn Heb “returned on his way.”

[33:17]  ⁶²³ tn The disjunctive clause contrasts Jacob’s action with Esau’s.

[33:17]  ⁶²⁴ sn But Jacob traveled to Succoth. There are several reasons why Jacob chose not to go to Mt. Seir after Esau. First, as he said, his herds and children probably could not keep up with the warriors. Second, he probably did not fully trust his brother. The current friendliness could change, and he could lose everything. And third, God did tell him to return to his land, not Seir. But Jacob is still not able to deal truthfully, probably because of fear of Esau.

[33:17]  ⁶²⁵ tn Heb “why he called.” One could understand “Jacob” as the subject of the verb, but it is more likely that the subject is indefinite, in which case the verb is better translated as passive.

[33:17]  ⁶²⁶ sn The name Succoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.

[33:18]  ⁶²⁷ tn Heb “in front of.”

[33:19]  ⁶²⁸ tn The words “he bought it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 19 is one long sentence.

[33:19]  ⁶²⁹ tn The Hebrew word קְשִׂיטָה (qÿsitah) is generally understood to refer to a unit of money, but the value is unknown. (However, cf. REB, which renders the term as “sheep”).

[33:20]  ⁶³⁰ tn Heb “God, the God of Israel.” Rather than translating the name, a number of modern translations merely transliterate it from the Hebrew as “El Elohe Israel” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB). It is not entirely clear how the name should be interpreted grammatically. One option is to supply an equative verb, as in the translation: “The God of Israel [is] God.” Another interpretive option is “the God of Israel [is] strong [or “mighty”].” Buying the land and settling down for a while was a momentous step for the patriarch, so the commemorative naming of the altar is significant.

[11:1]  ⁶³¹ sn The whole earth. Here “earth” is a metonymy of subject, referring to the people who lived in the earth. Genesis 11 begins with everyone speaking a common language, but chap. 10 has the nations arranged by languages. It is part of the narrative art of Genesis to give the explanation of the event after the narration of the event. On this passage see A. P. Ross, “The Dispersion of the Nations in Genesis 11:1-9,” BSac 138 (1981): 119-38.

[11:1]  ⁶³² tn Heb “one lip and one [set of] words.” The term “lip” is a metonymy of cause, putting the instrument for the intended effect. They had one language. The term “words” refers to the content of their speech. They had the same vocabulary.

[2:5]  ⁶³³ tn The conditional particle εἰ (ei) together with καί (kai) here indicates a first class condition in Greek and carries a concessive force, especially when seen in contrast to the following phrase which begins with ἀλλά (alla).

[2:5]  ⁶³⁴ tn Grk “rejoicing and seeing.”

[2:5]  ⁶³⁵ tn The Greek word τάξις can mean “order,” “discipline,” or even “unbroken ranks” (REB).