Genesis 46:1-34

The Family of Jacob goes to Egypt

46:1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. ¹  When he came to Beer Sheba ²  he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night ³  and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 46:3 He said, “I am God, ⁴  the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. ⁵  Joseph will close your eyes.” ⁶ 

46:5 Then Jacob started out ⁷  from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 46:6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt. ⁸  46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, ⁹  his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants.

46:8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons:

Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.

46:9 The sons of Reuben:

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

46:10 The sons of Simeon:

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar,

and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).

46:11 The sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

46:12 The sons of Judah:

Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah

(but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).

The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

46:13 The sons of Issachar:

Tola, Puah, ¹⁰  Jashub, ¹¹  and Shimron.

46:14 The sons of Zebulun:

Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

46:15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all. ¹² 

46:16 The sons of Gad:

Zephon, ¹³  Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

46:17 The sons of Asher:

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.

The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.

46:18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.

46:19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob:

Joseph and Benjamin.

46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ¹⁴  bore them to him.

46:21 The sons of Benjamin: ¹⁵ 

Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

46:22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.

46:23 The son of Dan: Hushim. ¹⁶ 

46:24 The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

46:25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.

46:26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.) ¹⁷  46:27 Counting the two sons ¹⁸  of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy. ¹⁹ 

46:28 Jacob ²⁰  sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen. ²¹  So they came to the land of Goshen. 46:29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, ²²  he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.

46:30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” ²³  46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, ²⁴  ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 46:32 The men are shepherds; ²⁵  they take care of livestock. ²⁶  They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 46:33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle ²⁷  from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, ²⁸  for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting ²⁹  to the Egyptians.”

Genesis 29:20-28

29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. ³⁰  But they seemed like only a few days to him ³¹  because his love for her was so great. ³² 

29:21 Finally Jacob said ³³  to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. ³⁴  I want to have marital relations with her.” ³⁵  29:22 So Laban invited all the people ³⁶  of that place and prepared a feast. 29:23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leah ³⁷  to Jacob, ³⁸  and Jacob ³⁹  had marital relations with her. ⁴⁰  29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) ⁴¹ 

29:25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! ⁴²  So Jacob ⁴³  said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me! ⁴⁴  Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked ⁴⁵  me?” 29:26 “It is not our custom here,” ⁴⁶  Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage ⁴⁷  before the firstborn. 29:27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. ⁴⁸  Then we will give you the younger one ⁴⁹  too, in exchange for seven more years of work.” ⁵⁰ 

29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. ⁵¹  When Jacob ⁵²  completed Leah’s bridal week, ⁵³  Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. ⁵⁴ 

Genesis 31:17-18

31:17 So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. ⁵⁵  31:18 He took ⁵⁶  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. ⁵⁷ 

Genesis 32:22

32:22 During the night Jacob quickly took ⁵⁸  his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons ⁵⁹  and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ⁶⁰ 

Genesis 32:26

32:26 Then the man ⁶¹  said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” ⁶²  “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, ⁶³  “unless you bless me.” ⁶⁴ 

Genesis 32:1

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

32:1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God ⁶⁵  met him.

Genesis 9:7-9

9:7 But as for you, ⁶⁶  be fruitful and multiply; increase abundantly on the earth and multiply on it.”

9:8 God said to Noah and his sons, ⁶⁷  9:9 “Look! I now confirm ⁶⁸  my covenant with you and your descendants after you ⁶⁹ 

Genesis 16:3-4

16:3 So after Abram had lived ⁷⁰  in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, ⁷¹  to her husband to be his wife. ⁷²  16:4 He had sexual relations with ⁷³  Hagar, and she became pregnant. ⁷⁴  Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. ⁷⁵ 

Lamentations 1:9

ט (Tet)

1:9 Her menstrual flow ⁷⁶  has soiled ⁷⁷  her clothing; ⁷⁸ 

she did not consider ⁷⁹  the consequences of her sin. ⁸⁰ 

Her demise ⁸¹  was astonishing, ⁸² 

and there was no one to comfort her.

She cried, “Look, ⁸³  O Lord, on my ⁸⁴  affliction

because my ⁸⁵  enemy boasts!”

Lamentations 1:12

ל (Lamed)

1:12 Is it nothing to you, ⁸⁶  all you who pass by on the road? ⁸⁷ 

Look and see!

Is there any pain like mine?

The Lord ⁸⁸  has afflicted me, ⁸⁹ 

he ⁹⁰  has inflicted it on me

when ⁹¹  he burned with anger. ⁹² 

Lamentations 4:12

ל (Lamed)

4:12 Neither the kings of the earth

nor the people of the lands ⁹³  ever thought ⁹⁴ 

that enemy or foe would enter

the gates ⁹⁵  of Jerusalem. ⁹⁶ 

Daniel 9:12

9:12 He has carried out his threats ⁹⁷  against us and our rulers ⁹⁸  who were over ⁹⁹  us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven!

Hosea 3:4

3:4 For the Israelites ¹⁰⁰  must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols.

Mark 13:19

13:19 For in those days there will be suffering ¹⁰¹  unlike anything that has happened ¹⁰²  from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, or ever will happen.

[46:1]  ¹ tn Heb “and Israel journeyed, and all that was his.”

[46:1]  ² sn Beer Sheba. See Gen 21:31; 28:10.

[46:2]  ³ tn Heb “in visions of the night.” The plural form has the singular meaning, probably as a plural of intensity.

[46:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “the God.”

[46:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “and I, I will bring you up, also bringing up.” The independent personal pronoun before the first person imperfect verbal form draws attention to the speaker/subject, while the infinitive absolute after the imperfect strongly emphasizes the statement: “I myself will certainly bring you up.”

[46:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “and Joseph will put his hand upon your eyes.” This is a promise of peaceful death in Egypt with Joseph present to close his eyes.

[46:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “arose.”

[46:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “and they took their livestock and their possessions which they had acquired in the land of Canaan and they went to Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[46:7]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew text adds “with him” here. This is omitted in the translation because it is redundant in English style (note the same phrase earlier in the verse).

[46:13]  ¹⁰ tc The MT reads “Puvah” (cf. Num 26:23); the Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac read “Puah” (cf. 1 Chr 7:1).

[46:13]  ¹¹ tc The MT reads “Iob,” but the Samaritan Pentateuch and some LXX mss read “Jashub” (see Num 26:24; 1 Chr 7:1).

[46:15]  ¹² tn Heb “all the lives of his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.”

[46:16]  ¹³ tc The MT reads “Ziphion,” but see Num 26:15, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, all of which read “Zephon.”

[46:20]  ¹⁴ sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[46:21]  ¹⁵ sn The sons of Benjamin. It is questionable whether youthful Benjamin had ten sons by the time he went into Egypt, but it is not impossible. If Benjamin was born when Joseph was six or seven, he was ten when Joseph was sold into Egypt, and would have been thirty-two at this point. Some suggest that the list originally served another purpose and included the names of all who were in the immediate family of the sons, whether born in Canaan or later in Egypt.

[46:23]  ¹⁶ tn This name appears as “Shuham” in Num 26:42. The LXX reads “Hashum” here.

[46:26]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “All the people who went with Jacob to Egypt, the ones who came out of his body, apart from the wives of the sons of Jacob, all the people were sixty-six.”

[46:27]  ¹⁸ tn The LXX reads “nine sons,” probably counting the grandsons of Joseph born to Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. 1 Chr 7:14-20).

[46:27]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two people; all the people belonging to the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.”

[46:28]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[46:28]  ²¹ tn Heb “to direct before him to Goshen.”

[46:29]  ²² tn Heb “and he appeared to him.”

[46:30]  ²³ tn Heb “after my seeing your face that you are still alive.”

[46:31]  ²⁴ tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”

[46:32]  ²⁵ tn Heb “feeders of sheep.”

[46:32]  ²⁶ tn Heb “for men of livestock they are.”

[46:34]  ²⁷ tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”

[46:34]  ²⁸ sn So that you may live in the land of Goshen. Joseph is apparently trying to stress to Pharaoh that his family is self-sufficient, that they will not be a drain on the economy of Egypt. But they will need land for their animals and so Goshen, located on the edge of Egypt, would be a suitable place for them to live. The settled Egyptians were uneasy with nomadic people, but if Jacob and his family settled in Goshen they would represent no threat.

[46:34]  ²⁹ tn Heb “is an abomination.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 43:32 and Exod 8:22.

[29:20]  ³⁰ tn Heb “in exchange for Rachel.”

[29:20]  ³¹ 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]  ³² tn Heb “because of his love for her.” The words “was so great” are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[29:21]  ³³ tn Heb “and Jacob said.”

[29:21]  ³⁴ tn Heb “my days are fulfilled.”

[29:21]  ³⁵ 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]  ³⁶ tn Heb “men.”

[29:23]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and it happened in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her.”

[29:23]  ³⁸ tn Heb “to him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ³⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴¹ 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]  ⁴² 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]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:25]  ⁴⁴ 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]  ⁴⁵ 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]  ⁴⁶ 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]  ⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁸ 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]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “this other one.”

[29:27]  ⁵⁰ 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]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:28]  ⁵² tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:28]  ⁵³ 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]  ⁵⁴ 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.

[31:17]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”

[31:18]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.

[31:18]  ⁵⁷ 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.”

[32:22]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ 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]  ⁶⁰ 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.

[32:26]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:26]  ⁶² tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”

[32:26]  ⁶³ 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]  ⁶⁴ 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.

[32:1]  ⁶⁵ 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.

[9:7]  ⁶⁶ sn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + pronominal subject + verb) here indicates a strong contrast to what has preceded. Against the backdrop of the warnings about taking life, God now instructs the people to produce life, using terms reminiscent of the mandate given to Adam (Gen 1:28).

[9:8]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “to Noah and to his sons with him, saying.”

[9:9]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “I, look, I confirm.” The particle הִנְנִי (hinni) used with the participle מֵקִים (meqim) gives the sense of immediacy or imminence, as if to say, “Look! I am now confirming.”

[9:9]  ⁶⁹ tn The three pronominal suffixes (translated “you,” “your,” and “you”) are masculine plural. As v. 8 indicates, Noah and his sons are addressed.

[16:3]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “at the end of ten years, to live, Abram.” The prepositional phrase introduces the temporal clause, the infinitive construct serves as the verb, and the name “Abram” is the subject.

[16:3]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”

[16:3]  ⁷² sn To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.

[16:4]  ⁷³ tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.

[16:4]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)

[16:4]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.

[1:9]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “uncleanness.” The noun טֻמְאָה (tum’ah, “uncleanness”) refers in general to the state of ritual uncleanness and specifically to (1) sexual uncleanness (Num 5:19); (2) filthy mass (Ezek 24:11; 2 Chr 29:16); (3) ritual uncleanness (Lev 16:16, 19; Ezek 22:15; 24:13; 36:25, 29; 39:24; Zech 13:2); (4) menstrual uncleanness (Lev 15:25, 26, 30; 18:19; Ezek 36:17); (5) polluted meat (Judg 13:7, 14). Here, Jerusalem is personified as a woman whose menstrual uncleanness has soiled even her own clothes; this is a picture of the consequences of the sin of Jerusalem: uncleanness = her sin, and soiling her own clothes = consequences of sin. The poet may also be mixing metaphors allowing various images (of shame) to circulate in the hearer’s mind, including rape and public exposure. By not again mentioning sin directly (a topic relatively infrequent in this book), the poet lays a general acknowledgment of sin in 1:8 alongside an exceptionally vivid picture of the horrific circumstances which have come to be. It is no simplistic explanation that sin merits such inhumane treatment. Instead 1:9 insists that no matter the legal implications of being guilty, the Lord should be motivated to aid Jerusalem (and therefore her people) because her obscene reality is so revolting.

[1:9]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “her uncleanness is in her skirts.”

[1:9]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “her skirts.” This term is a synecdoche of specific (skirts) for general (clothing).

[1:9]  ⁷⁹ tn The basic meaning of זָכַר (zakhar) is “to remember, call to mind” (HALOT 270 s.v. I זכר). Although it is often used in reference to recollection of past events or consideration of present situations, it also may mean “to consider, think about” the future outcome of conduct (e.g., Isa 47:7) (BDB 270 s.v. 5). The same term is used is 7a.

[1:9]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “she did not consider her end.” The noun אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) here refers to an outcome or the consequences of an action; in light of 1:8 here it is the consequence of sin or immoral behavior (Num 23:10; 24:20; Deut 32:20, 29; Job 8:7; Pss 37:37; 73:17; Prov 14:12; 23:32; 25:8; Eccl 7:8; Isa 46:10; 47:7; Jer 5:31; 17:11; Dan 12:8).

[1:9]  ⁸¹ tc The MT reads וַתֵּרֶד (vattered) vav (ו) consecutive + Qal preterite 3rd person feminine singular from יָרַד (yarad, “to go down”). Symmachus καὶ κατήχθη (kai kathcqh, “and she was brought down”) and Vulgate deposita est use passive forms which might reflect וַתּוּרַד (vatturad, vav consecutive + Pual preterite 3rd person feminine singular from from יָרַד [yarad, “to go down”]). External evidence favors the MT (supported by all other ancient versions and medieval Hebrew mss); none of the other ancient versions preserve/reflect a passive form. Symmachus is known to have departed from a wooden literal translation (characteristic of Aquila) in favor of smooth and elegant Greek style. The second edition of the Latin Vulgate drew on Symmachus; thus, it is not an independent witness to the passive reading, but merely a secondary witness reflecting Symmachus. The MT is undoubtedly the original reading.

[1:9]  ⁸² tn The noun פֶּלֶא (pele’) means not only “miracle, wonder” (BDB 810 s.v.) but “something unusual, astonishing” (HALOT 928 s.v.). The plural פְּלָאִים (pÿla’im, lit., “astonishments”) is an example of the plural of intensity: “very astonishing.” The noun functions as an adverbial accusative of manner; the nature of her descent shocks and astounds. Rendering פְּלָאִים וַתֵּרֶד (vattered pÿla’im) as “she has come down marvelously” (cf. BDB 810 s.v. 1 and KJV, ASV) is hardly appropriate; it is better to nuance it “in an astonishing way” (HALOT 928 s.v. 3) or simply “was astonishing.”

[1:9]  ⁸³ tn The words “she cried” do not appear in the Hebrew. They are added to indicate that personified Jerusalem is speaking.

[1:9]  ⁸⁴ tc The MT reads עָנְיִי (’onyi, “my affliction”) as reflected in all the ancient versions (LXX, Aramaic Targum, Latin Vulgate, Syriac Peshitta) and the medieval Hebrew mss. The Bohairic version and Ambrosius, however, read “her affliction,” which led the BHS editors to suggest a Vorlage of עָנְיָהּ (’onyah, “her affliction”). External evidence strongly favors the MT reading. The 3rd person feminine singular textual variant probably arose out of an attempt to harmonize this form with all the other 3rd person feminine singular forms in 1:1-11a. The MT is undoubtedly the original reading.

[1:9]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “an enemy.” While it is understood that the enemy is Jerusalem’s, not using the pronoun in Hebrew leaves room to imply to God that the enemy is not only Jerusalem’s but also God’s.

[1:12]  ⁸⁶ tc The Heb לוֹא אֲלֵיכֶם (lo’ ’alekhem, “not to you”) is awkward and often considered corrupt but there is no textual evidence yet adduced to certify a more original reading.

[1:12]  ⁸⁷ tn The line as it stands is imbalanced, such that the reference to the passersby may belong here or as a vocative with the following verb translated “look.”

[1:12]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “He.” The personal pronoun “he” and the personal name “the Lord,” both appearing in this verse, are transposed in the translation for the sake of readability. In the Hebrew text, “He” appears in the A-line and “the Lord” appears in the B-line – good Hebrew poetic style, but awkward English style.

[1:12]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “which was afflicted on me.” The Polal of עָלַל (’alal) gives the passive voice of the Polel. The Polel of the verb עָלַל (’alal) occurs ten times in the Bible, appearing in agricultural passages for gleaning or some other harvest activity and also in military passages. Jer 6:9 plays on this by comparing an attack to gleaning. The relationship between the meaning in the two types of contexts is unclear, but the very neutral rendering “to treat” in some dictionaries and translations misses the nuance appropriate to the military setting. Indeed it is not at all feasible in a passage like Judges 20:45 where “they treated them on the highway” would make no sense but “they mowed them down on the highway” would fit the context. Accordingly the verb is sometimes rendered “treat” or “deal severely,” as HALOT 834 s.v. poel.3 suggests for Lam 3:51, although simply suggesting “to deal with” in Lam 1:22 and 2:20. A more injurious nuance is given to the translation here and in 1:22; 2:20 and 3:51.

[1:12]  ⁹⁰ sn The delay in naming the Lord as cause is dramatic. The natural assumption upon hearing the passive verb in the previous line, “it was dealt severely,” might well be the pillaging army, but instead the Lord is named as the tormentor.

[1:12]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “in the day of.” The construction בְּיוֹם (bÿyom, “in the day of”) is a common Hebrew idiom, meaning “when” or “on the occasion of” (e.g., Gen 2:4; Lev 7:35; Num 3:1; Deut 4:15; 2 Sam 22:1; Pss 18:1; 138:3; Zech 8:9).

[1:12]  ⁹² tn Heb “on the day of burning anger.”

[4:12]  ⁹³ tn Heb “inhabitants of the mainland.”

[4:12]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “they did not believe that.” The verb הֶאֱמִינוּ (he’eminu), Hiphil perfect 3rd person common plural from אָמַן (’aman, “to believe”), ordinarily is a term of faith and trust, but occasionally it functions cognitively: “to think that” (Job 9:16; 15:22; Ps 116:10; Lam 4:12) and “to be convinced that” (Ps 27:13) (HALOT 64 s.v. I אמן hif.1). The semantic relationship between “to believe” = “to think” is metonymical, that is, effect for cause.

[4:12]  ⁹⁵ sn The expression “to enter the gates” of a city is an idiom referring to the military conquest of that city. Ancient Near Eastern fortified cities typically featured double and sometimes triple city gates – the bulwark of the defense of the city. Because fortified cities were enclosed with protective walls, the Achilles tendon of every city was the city gates – the weak point in the defense and the perennial point of attack by enemies (e.g., Judg 5:8, 11; 1 Sam 17:52; Isa 29:6; Jer 17:27; 51:54; Ezek 21:20, 27; Mic 1:9, 12; Neh 1:3; 2:3, 13, 17).

[4:12]  ⁹⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:12]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “he has fulfilled his word(s) which he spoke.”

[9:12]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “our judges.”

[9:12]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “who judged.”

[3:4]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “sons of Israel” (so NASB); KJV “children of Israel”; NAB “people of Israel” (likewise in the following verse).

[13:19]  ¹⁰¹ tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”

[13:19]  ¹⁰² sn Suffering unlike anything that has happened. Some refer this event to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. While the events of a.d. 70 may reflect somewhat the comments Jesus makes here, the reference to the scope and severity of this judgment strongly suggest that much more is in view. Most likely Jesus is referring to the great end-time judgment on Jerusalem in the great tribulation.