31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, 1 “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich 2 at our father’s expense!” 3 31:2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed. 4
31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers 5 and to your relatives. I will be with you.” 6 31:4 So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah 7 to come to the field 8 where his flocks were. 9 31:5 There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, 10 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, 11 31:7 but your father has humiliated 12 me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm. 31:8 If he said, 13 ‘The speckled animals 14 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 15 during breeding season I saw 16 in a dream that the male goats mating with 17 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 18 that all the male goats mating with 19 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, 20 where you anointed 21 the sacred stone and made a vow to me. 22 Now leave this land immediately 23 and return to your native land.’”
31:14 Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance 24 in our father’s house? 31:15 Hasn’t he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted 25 the money paid for us! 26 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. 27 31:18 He took 28 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. 29
31:19 While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, 30 Rachel stole the household idols 31 that belonged to her father. 31:20 Jacob also deceived 32 Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. 33 31:21 He left 34 with all he owned. He quickly crossed 35 the Euphrates River 36 and headed for 37 the hill country of Gilead.
31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. 38 31:23 So he took his relatives 39 with him and pursued Jacob 40 for seven days. 41 He caught up with 42 him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, 43 “Be careful 44 that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.” 45
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. 46 31:26 “What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me 47 and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war! 48 31:27 Why did you run away secretly 49 and deceive me? 50 Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? 51 31:28 You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren 52 good-bye. You have acted foolishly! 31:29 I have 53 the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful 54 that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’ 55 31:30 Now I understand that 56 you have gone away 57 because you longed desperately 58 for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” 59
31:31 “I left secretly because I was afraid!” 60 Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought 61 you might take your daughters away from me by force. 62 31:32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! 63 In the presence of our relatives 64 identify whatever is yours and take it.” 65 (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.) 66
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. 67 Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 68 31:34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle 69 and sat on them.) 70 Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. 71 31:35 Rachel 72 said to her father, “Don’t be angry, 73 my lord. I cannot stand up 74 in your presence because I am having my period.” 75 So he searched thoroughly, 76 but did not find the idols.
31:36 Jacob became angry 77 and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. 78 “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? 79 31:37 When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? 80 Set it here before my relatives and yours, 81 and let them settle the dispute between the two of us! 82
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. 83 You always made me pay for every missing animal, 84 whether it was taken by day or at night. 31:40 I was consumed by scorching heat 85 during the day and by piercing cold 86 at night, and I went without sleep. 87 31:41 This was my lot 88 for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave 89 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 90 – 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, 91 and he rebuked you last night.”
31:43 Laban replied 92 to Jacob, “These women 93 are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, 94 and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today 95 or the children to whom they have given birth? 31:44 So now, come, let’s make a formal agreement, 96 you and I, and it will be 97 proof that we have made peace.” 98
31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. 31:46 Then he 99 said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they brought stones and put them in a pile. 100 They ate there by the pile of stones. 31:47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, 101 but Jacob called it Galeed. 102
31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement 103 today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah 104 because he said, “May the Lord watch 105 between us 106 when we are out of sight of one another. 107 31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize 108 that God is witness to your actions.” 109
31:51 “Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you,” Laban said to Jacob. 110 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. 111 31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, 112 the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. 113 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice 114 on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. 115 They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.
31:55 (32:1) 116 Early in the morning Laban kissed 117 his grandchildren 118 and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home. 119
32:1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God 120 met him. 32:2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, 121 “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. 122
32:3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead 123 to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region 124 of Edom. 32:4 He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant 125 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 126 this message 127 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,” 128 he thought, 129 “then the other camp will be able to escape.” 130
32:9 Then Jacob prayed, 131 “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said 132 to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ 133 32:10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love 134 you have shown 135 your servant. With only my walking stick 136 I crossed the Jordan, 137 but now I have become two camps. 32:11 Rescue me, 138 I pray, from the hand 139 of my brother Esau, 140 for I am afraid he will come 141 and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children. 142 32:12 But you 143 said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper 144 and will make 145 your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’” 146
32:13 Jacob 147 stayed there that night. Then he sent 148 as a gift 149 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 150 his servants, who divided them into herds. 151 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, 152 “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? 153 Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’ 154 32:18 then you must say, 155 ‘They belong 156 to your servant Jacob. 157 They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. 158 In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’” 159
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. 160 32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” 161 Jacob thought, 162 “I will first appease him 163 by sending a gift ahead of me. 164 After that I will meet him. 165 Perhaps he will accept me.” 166 32:21 So the gifts were sent on ahead of him 167 while he spent that night in the camp. 168
32:22 During the night Jacob quickly took 169 his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons 170 and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 171 32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream along with all his possessions. 172 32:24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man 173 wrestled 174 with him until daybreak. 175 32:25 When the man 176 saw that he could not defeat Jacob, 177 he struck 178 the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
32:26 Then the man 179 said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” 180 “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, 181 “unless you bless me.” 182 32:27 The man asked him, 183 “What is your name?” 184 He answered, “Jacob.” 32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, 185 “but Israel, 186 because you have fought 187 with God and with men and have prevailed.”
32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” 188 “Why 189 do you ask my name?” the man replied. 190 Then he blessed 191 Jacob 192 there. 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, 193 explaining, 194 “Certainly 195 I have seen God face to face 196 and have survived.” 197
32:31 The sun rose 198 over him as he crossed over Penuel, 199 but 200 he was limping because of his hip. 32:32 That is why to this day 201 the Israelites do not eat the sinew which is attached to the socket of the hip, because he struck 202 the socket of Jacob’s hip near the attached sinew.
33:1 Jacob looked up 203 and saw that Esau was coming 204 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. 205 33:3 But Jacob 206 himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached 207 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 208 looked up 209 and saw the women and the children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob 210 replied, “The children whom God has graciously given 211 your servant.” 33:6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. 212 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 213 then asked, “What did you intend 214 by sending all these herds to meet me?” 215 Jacob 216 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. 217 “If I have found favor in your sight, accept 218 my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, 219 it is as if I have seen the face of God. 220 33:11 Please take my present 221 that was brought to you, for God has been generous 222 to me and I have all I need.” 223 When Jacob urged him, he took it. 224
33:12 Then Esau 225 said, “Let’s be on our way! 226 I will go in front of you.” 33:13 But Jacob 227 said to him, “My lord knows that the children are young, 228 and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. 229 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, 230 until I come to my lord at Seir.”
33:15 So Esau said, “Let me leave some of my men with you.” 231 “Why do that?” Jacob replied. 232 “My lord has already been kind enough to me.” 233
33:16 So that same day Esau made his way back 234 to Seir. 33:17 But 235 Jacob traveled to Succoth 236 where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called 237 Succoth. 238
33:18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near 239 the city. 33:19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it 240 from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money. 241 33:20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.” 242
34:1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet 243 the young women 244 of the land. 34:2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, 245 and sexually assaulted her. 246 34:3 Then he became very attached 247 to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. 248 34:4 Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Acquire this young girl as my wife.” 249 34:5 When 250 Jacob heard that Shechem 251 had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. So Jacob remained silent 252 until they came in.
34:6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. 253 34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. 254 They 255 were offended 256 and very angry because Shechem 257 had disgraced Israel 258 by sexually assaulting 259 Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed. 260
34:8 But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter. 261 Please give her to him as his wife. 34:9 Intermarry with us. 262 Let us marry your daughters, and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. 263 34:10 You may live 264 among us, and the land will be open to you. 265 Live in it, travel freely in it, 266 and acquire property in it.”
34:11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s 267 father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me 268 I’ll give. 269 34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, 270 and I’ll give 271 whatever you ask 272 of me. Just give me the young woman as my wife!”
34:13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem 273 had violated their sister Dinah. 34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give 274 our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace 275 to us. 34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become 276 like us by circumcising 277 all your males. 34:16 Then we will give 278 you our daughters to marry, 279 and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. 34:17 But if you do not agree to our terms 280 by being circumcised, then we will take 281 our sister 282 and depart.”
34:18 Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. 283 34:19 The young man did not delay in doing what they asked 284 because he wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah 285 badly. (Now he was more important 286 than anyone in his father’s household.) 287 34:20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate 288 of their city and spoke to the men of their city, 34:21 “These men are at peace with us. So let them live in the land and travel freely in it, for the land is wide enough 289 for them. We will take their daughters for wives, and we will give them our daughters to marry. 290 34:22 Only on this one condition will these men consent to live with us and become one people: They demand 291 that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 34:23 If we do so, 292 won’t their livestock, their property, and all their animals become ours? So let’s consent to their demand, so they will live among us.”
34:24 All the men who assembled at the city gate 293 agreed with 294 Hamor and his son Shechem. Every male who assembled at the city gate 295 was circumcised. 34:25 In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword 296 and went to the unsuspecting city 297 and slaughtered every male. 34:26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. 34:27 Jacob’s sons killed them 298 and looted the city because their sister had been violated. 299 34:28 They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. 300 34:29 They captured as plunder 301 all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses.
34:30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought ruin 302 on me by making me a foul odor 303 among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I 304 am few in number; they will join forces against me and attack me, and both I and my family will be destroyed!” 34:31 But Simeon and Levi replied, 305 “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?”
35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once 306 to Bethel 307 and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 308 35:2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. 309 Purify yourselves and change your clothes. 310 35:3 Let us go up at once 311 to Bethel. Then I will make 312 an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress 313 and has been with me wherever I went.” 314
35:4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their possession 315 and the rings that were in their ears. 316 Jacob buried them 317 under the oak 318 near Shechem 35:5 and they started on their journey. 319 The surrounding cities were afraid of God, 320 and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
35:6 Jacob and all those who were with him arrived at Luz (that is, Bethel) 321 in the land of Canaan. 322 35:7 He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel 323 because there God had revealed himself 324 to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 35:8 (Deborah, 325 Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel; thus it was named 326 Oak of Weeping.) 327
35:9 God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan Aram and blessed him. 35:10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but your name will no longer be called Jacob; Israel will be your name.” So God named him Israel. 328 35:11 Then God said to him, “I am the sovereign God. 329 Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants! 330 35:12 The land I gave 331 to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you. To your descendants 332 I will also give this land.” 35:13 Then God went up from the place 333 where he spoke with him. 35:14 So Jacob set up a sacred stone pillar in the place where God spoke with him. 334 He poured out a drink offering on it, and then he poured oil on it. 335 35:15 Jacob named the place 336 where God spoke with him Bethel. 337
35:16 They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, 338 Rachel went into labor 339 – and her labor was hard. 35:17 When her labor was at its hardest, 340 the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you are having another son.” 341 35:18 With her dying breath, 342 she named him Ben-Oni. 343 But his father called him Benjamin instead. 344 35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 345 35:20 Jacob set up a marker 346 over her grave; it is 347 the Marker of Rachel’s Grave to this day.
35:21 Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. 348 35:22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with 349 Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it.
Jacob had twelve sons:
35:23 The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, as well as Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
35:24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
35:25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.
35:26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher.
These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
35:27 So Jacob came back to his father Isaac in Mamre, 350 to Kiriath Arba 351 (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 352 35:28 Isaac lived to be 180 years old. 353 35:29 Then Isaac breathed his last and joined his ancestors. 354 He died an old man who had lived a full life. 355 His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). 356
36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: 357 Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 358 of Zibeon the Hivite, 36:3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
36:4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 36:5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
36:6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from 359 Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled 360 was not able to support them because of their livestock. 36:8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir. 361
36:9 This is the account of Esau, the father 362 of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.
36:10 These were the names of Esau’s sons:
Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:11 The sons of Eliphaz were:
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
36:12 Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons 363 of Esau’s wife Adah.
36:13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons 364 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 365 of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.
36:15 These were the chiefs 366 among the descendants 367 of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 36:16 chief Korah, 368 chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons 369 of Adah.
36:17 These were the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these were the sons 370 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.
36:20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, 371 who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 36:21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants 372 of Seir in the land of Edom.
36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; 373 Lotan’s sister was Timna.
36:23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, 374 and Onam.
36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs 375 in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).
36:25 These were the children 376 of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:26 These were the sons of Dishon: 377 Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
36:27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
36:28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
36:29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 36:30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir.
36:31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: 378
36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
36:33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
36:34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
36:35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place; the name of his city was Avith.
36:36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
36:37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River 379 reigned in his place.
36:38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
36:39 When Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad 380 reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. 381 His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 36:41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 36:42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 36:43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements 382 in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.
37:1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, 383 in the land of Canaan. 384
37:2 This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, 385 was taking care of 386 the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster 387 working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. 388 Joseph brought back a bad report about them 389 to their father.
37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons 390 because he was a son born to him late in life, 391 and he made a special 392 tunic for him. 37:4 When Joseph’s 393 brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, 394 they hated Joseph 395 and were not able to speak to him kindly. 396
37:5 Joseph 397 had a dream, 398 and when he told his brothers about it, 399 they hated him even more. 400 37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 401 37:7 There we were, 402 binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down 403 to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” 404 They hated him even more 405 because of his dream and because of what he said. 406
37:9 Then he had another dream, 407 and told it to his brothers. “Look,” 408 he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? 409 Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” 410 37:11 His brothers were jealous 411 of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. 412
37:12 When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers 413 are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” 414 Joseph replied. 415 37:14 So Jacob 416 said to him, “Go now and check on 417 the welfare 418 of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob 419 sent him from the valley of Hebron.
37:15 When Joseph reached Shechem, 420 a man found him wandering 421 in the field, so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell 422 me where they are grazing their flocks.” 37:17 The man said, “They left this area, 423 for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
37:18 Now Joseph’s brothers 424 saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 37:19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams! 425 37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild 426 animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” 427
37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph 428 from their hands, 429 saying, 430 “Let’s not take his life!” 431 37:22 Reuben continued, 432 “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” 433 (Reuben said this 434 so he could rescue Joseph 435 from them 436 and take him back to his father.)
37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him 437 of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore. 37:24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; 438 there was no water in it.)
37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up 439 and saw 440 a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. 441 37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, 442 for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. 443 37:28 So when the Midianite 444 merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled 445 him 446 out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites 447 then took Joseph to Egypt.
37:29 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! 448 He tore his clothes, 37:30 returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?” 37:31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a young goat, 449 and dipped the tunic in the blood. 37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father 450 and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”
37:33 He recognized it and exclaimed, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! 451 Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, 452 and mourned for his son many days. 37:35 All his sons and daughters stood by 453 him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” 454 So Joseph’s 455 father wept for him.
37:36 Now 456 in Egypt the Midianites 457 sold Joseph 458 to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. 459
38:1 At that time Judah left 460 his brothers and stayed 461 with an Adullamite man 462 named Hirah.
38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man 463 named Shua. 464 Judah acquired her as a wife 465 and had marital relations with her. 466 38:3 She became pregnant 467 and had a son. Judah named 468 him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had 469 yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. 470
38:6 Judah acquired 471 a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.
38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with 472 your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise 473 up a descendant for your brother.” 474 38:9 But Onan knew that the child 475 would not be considered his. 476 So whenever 477 he had sexual relations with 478 his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely 479 so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord 480 killed him too.
38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, 481 “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” 482 So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
38:12 After some time 483 Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with 484 his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, 485 “Look, your father-in-law is going up 486 to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because 487 she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) 488
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute 489 because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” 490 (He did not realize 491 it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” 492 38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” 493 38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. 494 She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, 495 removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.
38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah 496 the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, 497 but Hirah 498 could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, 499 “Where is the cult prostitute 500 who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things 501 for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. 502 I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”
38:24 After three months Judah was told, 503 “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, 504 and as a result she has become pregnant.” 505 Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word 506 to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” 507 Then she said, “Identify 508 the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright 509 than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her 510 again.
38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child 511 put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. 512 She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” 513 So he was named Perez. 514 38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. 515
42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may 516 put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care 517 and I will bring him back to you.”
1:24 Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, 518 and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, 519 without blemish 520 before his glorious presence, 521
1 tn Heb “and he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying.”
2 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).
3 tn Heb “and from that which belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth.”
4 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.
5 tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.
6 sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the
7 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.
8 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.
9 tn Heb “to his flock.”
10 tn Heb “I see the face of your father, that he is not toward me as formerly.”
11 tn Heb “with all my strength.”
12 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).
13 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.
14 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.
15 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator, “and it happened at the time of.”
16 tn Heb “in the time of the breeding of the flock I lifted up my eyes and I saw.”
17 tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.
18 tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”
19 tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.
20 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
21 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
22 sn And made a vow to me. The second clause reminds Jacob of the vow he made to the
23 tn Heb “arise, leave!” The first imperative draws attention to the need for immediate action.
24 tn The two nouns may form a hendiadys, meaning “a share in the inheritance” or “a portion to inherit.”
25 tn Heb “and he devoured, even devouring.” The infinitive absolute (following the finite verb here) is used for emphasis.
26 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.
27 tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”
28 tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.
29 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.”
30 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 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.
32 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.
33 tn Heb “fleeing,” which reflects Jacob’s viewpoint.
34 tn Heb “and he fled.”
35 tn Heb “he arose and crossed.” The first verb emphasizes that he wasted no time in getting across.
36 tn Heb “the river”; the referent (the Euphrates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
37 tn Heb “he set his face.”
38 tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”
39 tn Heb “his brothers.”
40 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
41 tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”
42 tn Heb “drew close to.”
43 tn Heb “said to him.”
44 tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.
45 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.
46 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.
47 tn Heb “and you have stolen my heart.” This expression apparently means “to deceive” (see v. 20).
48 tn Heb “and you have led away my daughters like captives of a sword.”
49 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.”
50 tn Heb “and steal me.”
51 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?”
52 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.
53 tn Heb “there is to my hand.”
54 tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.
55 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.
56 tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
57 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.
58 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.
59 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.
60 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.
61 tn Heb “for I said.”
62 tn Heb “lest you steal your daughters from with me.”
63 tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”
64 tn Heb “brothers.”
65 tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”
66 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.
67 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.
68 tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”
69 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.”
70 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.
71 tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
72 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
73 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.
74 tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”
75 tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.
76 tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
77 tn Heb “it was hot to Jacob.” This idiom refers to anger.
78 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.
79 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).
80 tn Heb “what did you find from all the goods of your house?”
81 tn Heb “your relatives.” The word “relatives” has not been repeated in the translation here for stylistic reasons.
82 tn Heb “that they may decide between us two.”
83 tn The imperfect verbal form indicates that this was a customary or typical action.
84 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.
85 tn Or “by drought.”
86 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.
87 tn Heb “and my sleep fled from my eyes.”
88 tn Heb “this to me.”
89 tn Heb “served you,” but in this accusatory context the meaning is more “worked like a slave.”
90 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.
91 tn Heb “My oppression and the work of my hands God saw.”
92 tn Heb “answered and said.”
93 tn Heb “daughters.”
94 tn Heb “children.”
95 tn Heb “but to my daughters what can I do to these today?”
96 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
97 tn The verb הָיָה (hayah) followed by the preposition לְ (lÿ) means “become.”
98 tn Heb “and it will become a witness between me and you.”
99 tn Heb “Jacob”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
100 sn The Hebrew word for “pile” is גַּל (gal), which sounds like the name “Galeed” (גַּלְעֵד, gal’ed). See v. 48.
101 sn Jegar Sahadutha. Laban the Aramean gave the place an Aramaic name which means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness.”
102 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.
103 tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”
104 tn Heb “and Mizpah.”
105 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
106 tn Heb “between me and you.”
107 tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”
108 tn Heb “see.”
109 tn Heb “between me and you.”
110 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.
111 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.”
112 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.
113 tn Heb “by the fear of his father Isaac.” See the note on the word “fears” in v. 42.
114 tn The construction is a cognate accusative with the verb, expressing a specific sacrifice.
115 tn Heb “bread, food.” Presumably this was a type of peace offering, where the person bringing the offering ate the animal being sacrificed.
116 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.
117 tn Heb “and Laban got up early in the morning and he kissed.”
118 tn Heb “his sons.”
119 tn Heb “to his place.”
120 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.
121 tn Heb “and Jacob said when he saw them.”
122 sn The name Mahanaim apparently means “two camps.” Perhaps the two camps were those of God and of Jacob.
123 tn Heb “before him.”
124 tn Heb “field.”
125 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.
126 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.
127 tn The words “this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
128 tn Heb “If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.”
129 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.
130 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.
131 tn Heb “said.”
132 tn Heb “the one who said.”
133 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.
134 tn Heb “the loving deeds and faithfulness” (see 24:27, 49).
135 tn Heb “you have done with.”
136 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.
137 tn Heb “this Jordan.”
138 tn The imperative has the force of a prayer here, not a command.
139 tn The “hand” here is a metonymy for “power.”
140 tn Heb “from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.”
141 tn Heb “for I am afraid of him, lest he come.”
142 sn Heb “me, [the] mother upon [the] sons.” The first person pronoun “me” probably means here “me and mine,” as the following clause suggests.
143 tn Heb “But you, you said.” One of the occurrences of the pronoun “you” has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.
144 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.
145 tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the nuance of the preceding verb forward.
146 tn Heb “which cannot be counted because of abundance.” The imperfect verbal form indicates potential here.
147 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
148 tn Heb “and he took from that which was going into his hand,” meaning that he took some of what belonged to him.
149 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).
150 tn Heb “and he put them in the hand of.”
151 tn Heb “a herd, a herd, by itself,” or “each herd by itself.” The distributive sense is expressed by repetition.
152 tn Heb “the first”; this has been specified as “the servant leading the first herd” in the translation for clarity.
153 tn Heb “to whom are you?”
154 tn Heb “and to whom are these before you?”
155 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.
156 tn The words “they belong” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
157 tn Heb “to your servant, to Jacob.”
158 tn Heb “to my lord, to Esau.”
159 tn Heb “and look, also he [is] behind us.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
160 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.’”
161 tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”
162 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.”
163 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.
164 tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”
165 tn Heb “I will see his face.”
166 tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.
167 tn Heb “and the gift passed over upon his face.”
168 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial/temporal.
169 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.
170 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).
171 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.
172 tn Heb “and he sent across what he had.”
173 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.
174 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.
175 tn Heb “until the rising of the dawn.”
176 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
177 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
178 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.
179 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
180 tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”
181 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.
182 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.
183 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.
184 sn What is your name? The question is rhetorical, since the
185 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.
186 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
187 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).
188 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.
189 tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.
190 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.
191 tn The verb here means that the
192 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
193 sn The name Peniel means “face of God.” Since Jacob saw God face to face here, the name is appropriate.
194 tn The word “explaining” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
195 tn Or “because.”
196 sn I have seen God face to face. See the note on the name “Peniel” earlier in the verse.
197 tn Heb “and my soul [= life] has been preserved.”
198 tn Heb “shone.”
199 sn The name is spelled Penuel here, apparently a variant spelling of Peniel (see v. 30).
200 tn The disjunctive clause draws attention to an important fact: He may have crossed the stream, but he was limping.
201 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.
202 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.
203 tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”
204 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.
205 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.
206 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
207 tn Heb “until his drawing near unto his brother.” The construction uses the preposition with the infinitive construct to express a temporal clause.
208 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
209 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”
210 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
211 tn The Hebrew verb means “to be gracious; to show favor”; here it carries the nuance “to give graciously.”
212 tn Heb “and the female servants drew near, they and their children and they bowed down.”
213 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
214 tn Heb “Who to you?”
215 tn Heb “all this camp which I met.”
216 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
217 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.
218 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.
219 tn The verbal form is the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive, indicating result here.
220 tn Heb “for therefore I have seen your face like seeing the face of God and you have accepted me.”
221 tn Heb “blessing.” It is as if Jacob is trying to repay what he stole from his brother twenty years earlier.
222 tn Or “gracious,” but in the specific sense of prosperity.
223 tn Heb “all.”
224 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.
225 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
226 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.”
227 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
228 tn Heb “weak.”
229 tn Heb “and the sheep and the cattle nursing [are] upon me.”
230 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.”
231 tn The cohortative verbal form here indicates a polite offer of help.
232 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.
233 tn Heb “I am finding favor in the eyes of my lord.”
234 tn Heb “returned on his way.”
235 tn The disjunctive clause contrasts Jacob’s action with Esau’s.
236 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.
237 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.
238 sn The name Succoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.
239 tn Heb “in front of.”
240 tn The words “he bought it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 19 is one long sentence.
241 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”).
242 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.
243 tn Heb “went out to see.” The verb “to see,” followed by the preposition בְּ (bÿ), here has the idea of “look over.” The young girl wanted to meet these women and see what they were like.
244 tn Heb “daughters.”
245 tn Heb “and he took her and lay with her.” The suffixed form following the verb appears to be the sign of the accusative instead of the preposition, but see BDB 1012 s.v. שָׁכַב.
246 tn The verb עָנָה (’anah) in the Piel stem can have various shades of meaning, depending on the context: “to defile; to mistreat; to violate; to rape; to shame; to afflict.” Here it means that Shechem violated or humiliated Dinah by raping her.
247 tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.
248 tn Heb “and he spoke to the heart of the young woman,” which apparently refers in this context to tender, romantic speech (Hos 2:14). Another option is to translate the expression “he reassured the young woman” (see Judg 19:3, 2 Sam 19:7; cf. NEB “comforted her”).
249 tn Heb “Take for me this young woman for a wife.”
250 tn The two disjunctive clauses in this verse (“Now Jacob heard…and his sons were”) are juxtaposed to indicate synchronic action.
251 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
252 sn The expected response would be anger or rage; but Jacob remained silent. He appears too indifferent or confused to act decisively. When the leader does not act decisively, the younger zealots will, and often with disastrous results.
253 tn Heb “went out to Jacob to speak with him.” The words “about Dinah” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
254 tn Heb “when they heard.” The words “the news” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
255 tn Heb “the men.” This sounds as if a new group has been introduced into the narrative, so it has been translated as “they” to indicate that it refers to Jacob’s sons, mentioned in the first part of the verse.
256 tn The Hebrew verb עָצַב (’atsav) can carry one of three semantic nuances depending on the context: (1) “to be injured” (Ps 56:5; Eccl 10:9; 1 Chr 4:10); (2) “to experience emotional pain; to be depressed emotionally; to be worried” (2 Sam 19:2; Isa 54:6; Neh 8:10-11); (3) “to be embarrassed; to be insulted; to be offended” (to the point of anger at another or oneself; Gen 6:6; 45:5; 1 Sam 20:3, 34; 1 Kgs 1:6; Isa 63:10; Ps 78:40). This third category develops from the second by metonymy. In certain contexts emotional pain leads to embarrassment and/or anger. In this last use the subject sometimes directs his anger against the source of grief (see especially Gen 6:6). The third category fits best in Gen 34:7 because Jacob’s sons were not merely wounded emotionally. On the contrary, Shechem’s action prompted them to strike out in judgment against the source of their distress.
257 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
258 tn Heb “a disgraceful thing he did against Israel.”
259 tn Heb “by lying with the daughter of Jacob.” The infinitive here explains the preceding verb, indicating exactly how he had disgraced Jacob. The expression “to lie with” is a euphemism for sexual relations, or in this case, sexual assault.
260 tn Heb “and so it should not be done.” The negated imperfect has an obligatory nuance here, but there is also a generalizing tone. The narrator emphasizes that this particular type of crime (sexual assault) is especially reprehensible.
261 tn Heb “Shechem my son, his soul is attached to your daughter.” The verb means “to love” in the sense of being emotionally attached to or drawn to someone. This is a slightly different way of saying what was reported earlier (v. 3). However, there is no mention here of the offense. Even though Hamor is speaking to Dinah’s brothers, he refers to her as their daughter (see v. 17).
262 tn Heb “form marriage alliances with us.”
263 tn Heb “Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.” In the translation the words “let…marry” and “as wives” are supplied for clarity.
264 tn The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.
265 tn Heb “before you.”
266 tn The verb seems to carry the basic meaning “travel about freely,” although the substantival participial form refers to a trader (see E. A. Speiser, “The Verb sh£r in Genesis and Early Hebrew Movements,” BASOR 164 [1961]: 23-28); cf. NIV, NRSV “trade in it.”
267 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Dinah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
268 tn Heb “whatever you say.”
269 tn Or “pay.”
270 tn Heb “Make very great upon me the bride price and gift.” The imperatives are used in a rhetorical manner. Shechem’s point is that he will pay the price, no matter how expensive it might be.
271 tn The cohortative expresses Shechem’s resolve to have Dinah as his wife.
272 tn Heb “say.”
273 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
274 tn Heb “we are not able to do this thing, to give.” The second infinitive is in apposition to the first, explaining what they are not able to do.
275 tn The Hebrew word translated “disgrace” usually means “ridicule; taunt; reproach.” It can also refer to the reason the condition of shame or disgrace causes ridicule or a reproach.
276 tn Heb “if you are like us.”
277 tn The infinitive here explains how they would become like them.
278 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.
279 tn The words “to marry” (and the words “as wives” in the following clause) are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
280 tn Heb “listen to us.”
281 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.
282 tn Heb “daughter.” Jacob’s sons call Dinah their daughter, even though she was their sister (see v. 8). This has been translated as “sister” for clarity.
283 tn Heb “and their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem son of Hamor.”
284 tn Heb “doing the thing.”
285 tn Heb “Jacob’s daughter.” The proper name “Dinah” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
286 tn The Hebrew verb כָּבֵד (kaved), translated “was…important,” has the primary meaning “to be heavy,” but here carries a secondary sense of “to be important” (that is, “heavy” in honor or respect).
287 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause explains why the community would respond to him (see vv. 20-24).
288 sn The gate. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the location for conducting important public business.
289 tn Heb “wide on both hands,” that is, in both directions.
290 tn The words “to marry” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
291 tn Heb “when every one of our males is circumcised.”
292 tn The words “If we do so” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
293 tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”
294 tn Heb “listened to.”
295 tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”
296 tn Heb “a man his sword.”
297 tn Heb “and they came upon the city, [which was] secure.” In this case “secure” means the city was caught unprepared and at peace, not expecting an attack.
298 tn Heb “came upon the slain.” Because of this statement the preceding phrase “Jacob’s sons” is frequently taken to mean the other sons of Jacob besides Simeon and Levi, but the text does not clearly affirm this.
299 tn Heb “because they violated their sister.” The plural verb is active in form, but with no expressed subject, it may be translated passive.
300 tn Heb “and what was in the city and what was in the field they took.”
301 tn Heb “they took captive and they plundered,” that is, “they captured as plunder.”
302 tn The traditional translation is “troubled me” (KJV, ASV), but the verb refers to personal or national disaster and suggests complete ruin (see Josh 7:25, Judg 11:35, Prov 11:17). The remainder of the verse describes the “trouble” Simeon and Levi had caused.
303 tn In the causative stem the Hebrew verb בָּאַשׁ (ba’ash) means “to cause to stink, to have a foul smell.” In the contexts in which it is used it describes foul smells, stenches, or things that are odious. Jacob senses that the people in the land will find this act terribly repulsive. See P. R. Ackroyd, “The Hebrew Root באשׁ,” JTS 2 (1951): 31-36.
304 tn Jacob speaks in the first person as the head and representative of the entire family.
305 tn Heb “but they said.” The referent of “they” (Simeon and Levi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
306 tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.
307 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
308 sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).
309 tn Heb “which are in your midst.”
310 sn The actions of removing false gods, becoming ritually clean, and changing garments would become necessary steps in Israel when approaching the
311 tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.
312 tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.
313 tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.
314 tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).
315 tn Heb “in their hand.”
316 sn On the basis of a comparison with Gen 34 and Num 31, G. J. Wenham argues that the foreign gods and the rings could have been part of the plunder that came from the destruction of Shechem (Genesis [WBC], 2:324).
317 sn Jacob buried them. On the burial of the gods, see E. Nielson, “The Burial of the Foreign Gods,” ST 8 (1954/55): 102-22.
318 tn Or “terebinth.”
319 tn Heb “and they journeyed.”
320 tn Heb “and the fear of God was upon the cities which were round about them.” The expression “fear of God” apparently refers (1) to a fear of God (objective genitive; God is the object of their fear). (2) But it could mean “fear from God,” that is, fear which God placed in them (cf. NRSV “a terror from God”). Another option (3) is that the divine name is used as a superlative here, referring to “tremendous fear” (cf. NEB “were panic-stricken”; NASB “a great terror”).
321 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
322 tn Heb “and Jacob came to Luz which is in the land of Canaan – it is Bethel – he and all the people who were with him.”
323 sn The name El-Bethel means “God of Bethel.”
324 tn Heb “revealed themselves.” The verb נִגְלוּ (niglu), translated “revealed himself,” is plural, even though one expects the singular form with the plural of majesty. Perhaps אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is here a numerical plural, referring both to God and the angelic beings that appeared to Jacob. See the note on the word “know” in Gen 3:5.
325 sn Deborah. This woman had been Rebekah’s nurse, but later attached herself to Jacob. She must have been about one hundred and eighty years old when she died.
326 tn “and he called its name.” There is no expressed subject, so the verb can be translated as passive.
327 tn Or “Allon Bacuth,” if one transliterates the Hebrew name (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). An oak tree was revered in the ancient world and often designated as a shrine or landmark. This one was named for the weeping (mourning) occasioned by the death of Deborah.
328 tn Heb “and he called his name Israel.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
329 tn The name אֵל שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72. Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world who grants, blesses, and judges. In the Book of Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name are uncertain its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. For a fuller discussion see the note on “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.
330 tn Heb “A nation and a company of nations will be from you and kings from your loins will come out.”
331 tn The Hebrew verb translated “gave” refers to the Abrahamic promise of the land. However, the actual possession of that land lay in the future. The decree of the
332 tn Heb “and to your offspring after you.”
333 tn Heb “went up from upon him in the place.”
334 tn Heb “and Jacob set up a sacred pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a sacred pillar of stone” (see the notes on the term “sacred stone” in Gen 28:18). This passage stands parallel to Gen 28:18-19, where Jacob set up a sacred stone, poured oil on it, and called the place Bethel. Some commentators see these as two traditions referring to the same event, but it is more likely that Jacob reconsecrated the place in fulfillment of the vow he had made here earlier. In support of this is the fact that the present narrative alludes to and is built on the previous one.
335 tn The verb נָסַךְ (nasakh) means “to pour out, to make libations,” and the noun נֶסֶךְ (nesekh) is a “drink-offering,” usually of wine or of blood. The verb יָצַק (yatsaq) means “to pour out,” often of anointing oil, but of other elements as well.
336 sn Called the name of the place. In view of the previous naming of Bethel in Gen 28:19, here Jacob was confirming or affirming the name through an official ritual marking the fulfillment of the vow. This place now did become Bethel, the house of God.
337 tn The name Bethel means “house of God” in Hebrew.
338 tn Heb “and there was still a stretch of the land to go to Ephrath.”
339 tn Normally the verb would be translated “she gave birth,” but because that obviously had not happened yet, it is better to translate the verb as ingressive, “began to give birth” (cf. NIV) or “went into labor.”
340 tn The construction uses a Hiphil infinitive, which E. A. Speiser classifies as an elative Hiphil. The contrast is with the previous Piel: there “she had hard labor,” and here, “her labor was at its hardest.” Failure to see this, Speiser notes, has led to redundant translations and misunderstandings (Genesis [AB], 273).
341 sn Another son. The episode recalls and fulfills the prayer of Rachel at the birth of Joseph (Gen 30:24): “may he add” another son.
342 tn Heb “in the going out of her life, for she was dying.” Rachel named the child with her dying breath.
343 sn The name Ben-Oni means “son of my suffering.” It is ironic that Rachel’s words to Jacob in Gen 30:1, “Give me children or I’ll die,” take a different turn here, for it was having the child that brought about her death.
344 tn The disjunctive clause is contrastive.
345 sn This explanatory note links the earlier name Ephrath with the later name Bethlehem.
346 tn Heb “standing stone.”
347 tn Or perhaps “it is known as” (cf. NEB).
348 sn The location of Migdal Eder is not given. It appears to be somewhere between Bethlehem and Hebron. Various traditions have identified it as at the shepherds’ fields near Bethlehem (the Hebrew name Migdal Eder means “tower of the flock”; see Mic 4:8) or located it near Solomon’s pools.
349 tn Heb “and Reuben went and lay with.” The expression “lay with” is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse.
350 tn This is an adverbial accusative of location.
351 tn The name “Kiriath Arba” is in apposition to the preceding name, “Mamre.”
352 tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” refers to temporary settlement without ownership rights.
353 tn Heb “And the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years.”
354 tn Heb “and Isaac expired and died and he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
355 tn Heb “old and full of years.”
356 sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50,” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.
357 tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”
358 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
359 tn Heb “from before.”
360 tn Heb “land of their settlements.”
361 tn Traditionally “Mount Seir,” but in this case the expression בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר (bÿhar se’ir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.
362 sn The term father in genealogical records needs to be carefully defined. It can refer to a literal father, a grandfather, a political overlord, or a founder.
363 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
364 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
365 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
366 tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).
367 tn Or “sons.”
368 tc The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).
369 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
370 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
371 sn The same pattern of sons, grandsons, and chiefs is now listed for Seir the Horite. “Seir” is both the name of the place and the name of the ancestor of these tribes. The name “Horite” is probably not to be identified with “Hurrian.” The clan of Esau settled in this area, intermarried with these Horites and eventually dispossessed them, so that they all became known as Edomites (Deut 2:12 telescopes the whole development).
372 tn Or “sons.”
373 tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”
374 tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.
375 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”
376 tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”
377 tn Heb “Dishan,” but this must be either a scribal error or variant spelling, since “Dishan” is mentioned in v. 28 (see also v. 21).
378 tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”
379 tn Typically the Hebrew expression “the River” refers to the Euphrates River, but it is not certain whether that is the case here. Among the modern English versions which take this as a reference to the Euphrates are NASB, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT. Cf. NAB, TEV “Rehoboth-on-the-River.”
380 tc Most
381 tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.
382 tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”
383 tn Heb “the land of the sojournings of his father.”
384 sn The next section begins with the heading This is the account of Jacob in Gen 37:2, so this verse actually forms part of the preceding section as a concluding contrast with Esau and his people. In contrast to all the settled and expanded population of Esau, Jacob was still moving about in the land without a permanent residence and without kings. Even if the Edomite king list was added later (as the reference to kings in Israel suggests), its placement here in contrast to Jacob and his descendants is important. Certainly the text deals with Esau before dealing with Jacob – that is the pattern. But the detail is so great in chap. 36 that the contrast cannot be missed.
385 tn Heb “a son of seventeen years.” The word “son” is in apposition to the name “Joseph.”
386 tn Or “tending”; Heb “shepherding” or “feeding.”
387 tn Or perhaps “a helper.” The significance of this statement is unclear. It may mean “now the lad was with,” or it may suggest Joseph was like a servant to them.
388 tn Heb “and he [was] a young man with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father.”
389 tn Heb “their bad report.” The pronoun is an objective genitive, specifying that the bad or damaging report was about the brothers.
390 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information vital to the story. It explains in part the brothers’ animosity toward Joseph.
391 tn Heb “a son of old age was he to him.” This expression means “a son born to him when he [i.e., Jacob] was old.”
392 tn It is not clear what this tunic was like, because the meaning of the Hebrew word that describes it is uncertain. The idea that it was a coat of many colors comes from the Greek translation of the OT. An examination of cognate terms in Semitic suggests it was either a coat or tunic with long sleeves (cf. NEB, NRSV), or a tunic that was richly embroidered (cf. NIV). It set Joseph apart as the favored one.
393 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
394 tn Heb “of his brothers.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “them.”
395 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
396 tn Heb “speak to him for peace.”
397 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
398 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
399 sn Some interpreters see Joseph as gloating over his brothers, but the text simply says he told his brothers about it (i.e., the dream). The text gives no warrant for interpreting his manner as arrogant or condescending. It seems normal that he would share a dream with the family.
400 tn The construction uses a hendiadys, “they added to hate,” meaning they hated him even more.
401 tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”
402 tn All three clauses in this dream report begin with וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), which lends vividness to the report. This is represented in the translation by the expression “there we were.”
403 tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.
404 tn Heb “Ruling, will you rule over us, or reigning, will you reign over us?” The statement has a poetic style, with the two questions being in synonymous parallelism. Both verbs in this statement are preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Joseph’s brothers said, “You don’t really think you will rule over us, do you? You don’t really think you will have dominion over us, do you?”
405 tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.
406 sn The response of Joseph’s brothers is understandable, given what has already been going on in the family. But here there is a hint of uneasiness – they hated him because of his dream and because of his words. The dream bothered them, as well as his telling them. And their words in the rhetorical question are ironic, for this is exactly what would happen. The dream was God’s way of revealing it.
407 tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”
408 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Look.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. Both clauses of the dream report begin with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which lends vividness to the report.
409 sn The question What is this dream that you had? expresses Jacob’s dismay at what he perceives to be Joseph’s audacity.
410 tn Heb “Coming, will we come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down to you to the ground?” The verb “come” is preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Jacob said, “You don’t really think we will come…to bow down…do you?”
411 sn Joseph’s brothers were already jealous of him, but this made it even worse. Such jealousy easily leads to action, as the next episode in the story shows. Yet dreams were considered a form of revelation, and their jealousy was not only of the favoritism of their father, but of the dreams. This is why Jacob kept the matter in mind.
412 tn Heb “kept the word.” The referent of the Hebrew term “word” has been specified as “what Joseph said” in the translation for clarity, and the words “in mind” have been supplied for stylistic reasons.
413 tn The text uses an interrogative clause: “Are not your brothers,” which means “your brothers are.”
414 sn With these words Joseph is depicted here as an obedient son who is ready to do what his father commands.
415 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here I am.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
416 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
417 tn Heb “see.”
418 tn Heb “peace.”
419 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
420 tn Heb “and he [i.e., Joseph] went to Shechem.” The referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
421 tn Heb “and a man found him and look, he was wandering in the field.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the action through this unnamed man’s eyes.
422 tn The imperative in this sentence has more of the nuance of a request than a command.
423 tn Heb “they traveled from this place.”
424 tn Heb “and they”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
425 tn Heb “Look, this master of dreams is coming.” The brothers’ words have a sarcastic note and indicate that they resent his dreams.
426 tn The Hebrew word can sometimes carry the nuance “evil,” but when used of an animal it refers to a dangerous wild animal.
427 tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”
428 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
429 sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).
430 tn Heb “and he said.”
431 tn Heb “we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.”
432 tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”
433 sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reuben’s words.
434 tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
435 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
436 tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.
437 tn Heb “Joseph”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
438 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that helps the reader or hearer to picture what happened.
439 tn Heb “lifted up their eyes.”
440 tn Heb “and they saw and look.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the event through the eyes of the brothers.
441 tn Heb “and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh, going to go down to Egypt.”
442 tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”
443 tn Heb “listened.”
444 sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.
445 tn Heb “they drew and they lifted up.” The referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity; otherwise the reader might assume the Midianites had pulled Joseph from the cistern (but cf. NAB).
446 tn Heb “Joseph” (both here and in the following clause); the proper name has been replaced both times by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
447 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
448 tn Heb “and look, Joseph was not in the cistern.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the situation through Reuben’s eyes.
449 sn It was with two young goats that Jacob deceived his father (Gen 27:9); now with a young goat his sons continue the deception that dominates this family.
450 tn Heb “and they sent the special tunic and they brought [it] to their father.” The text as it stands is problematic. It sounds as if they sent the tunic on ahead and then came and brought it to their father. Some emend the second verb to a Qal form and read “and they came.” In this case, they sent the tunic on ahead.
451 sn A wild animal has eaten him. Jacob draws this conclusion on his own without his sons actually having to lie with their words (see v. 20). Dipping the tunic in the goat’s blood was the only deception needed.
452 tn Heb “and put sackcloth on his loins.”
453 tn Heb “arose, stood”; which here suggests that they stood by him in his time of grief.
454 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Indeed I will go down to my son mourning to Sheol.’” Sheol was viewed as the place where departed spirits went after death.
455 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
456 tn The disjunctive clause formally signals closure for this episode of Joseph’s story, which will be resumed in Gen 39.
457 tc The MT spells the name of the merchants as מְדָנִים (mÿdanim, “Medanites”) rather than מִדְיָנִים (midyanim, “Midianites”) as in v. 28. It is likely that the MT is corrupt at this point, with the letter yod (י) being accidentally omitted. The LXX, Vulgate, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac read “Midianites” here. Some prefer to read “Medanites” both here and in v. 28, but Judg 8:24, which identifies the Midianites and Ishmaelites, favors the reading “Midianites.”
458 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
459 sn The expression captain of the guard might indicate that Potiphar was the chief executioner.
460 tn Heb “went down from.”
461 tn Heb “and he turned aside unto.”
462 tn Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”
463 tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”
464 tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”
465 tn Heb “and he took her.”
466 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
467 tn Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).
468 tc Some
469 tn Heb “and she added again and she gave birth.” The first verb and the adverb emphasize that she gave birth once more.
470 tn Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”
471 tn Heb “and Judah took.”
472 tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
473 tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
474 sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.
475 tn Heb “offspring.”
476 tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.
477 tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.
478 tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
479 tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.
480 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
481 tn Heb “said.”
482 tn Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.”
483 sn After some time. There is not enough information in the narrative to know how long this was. The text says “the days increased.” It was long enough for Shelah to mature and for Tamar to realize she would not have him.
484 tn Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”
485 tn Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”
486 tn The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.
487 tn The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.
488 tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”
489 tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.
490 tn Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
491 tn Heb “for he did not know that.”
492 tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
493 tn Heb “until you send.”
494 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
495 tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.
496 tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.
497 tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”
498 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
499 tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.
500 sn The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (AOAT), 213-23.
501 tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
502 tn Heb “we will become contemptible.” The Hebrew word בּוּז (buz) describes the contempt that a respectable person would have for someone who is worthless, foolish, or disreputable.
503 tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”
504 tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.
505 tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”
506 tn Heb “she was being brought out and she sent.” The juxtaposition of two clauses, both of which place the subject before the predicate, indicates synchronic action.
507 tn Heb “who these to him.”
508 tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”
509 tn Traditionally “more righteous”; cf. NCV, NRSV, NLT “more in the right.”
510 tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
511 tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
512 tn Heb “Look, his brother came out.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through the midwife’s eyes. The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
513 tn Heb “How you have made a breach for yourself!” The Hebrew verb translated “make a breach” frequently occurs, as here, with a cognate accusative. The event provided the meaningful name Perez, “he who breaks through.”
514 sn The name Perez means “he who breaks through,” referring to Perez reaching out his hand at birth before his brother was born. The naming signified the completion of Tamar’s struggle and also depicted the destiny of the tribe of Perez who later became dominant (Gen 46:12 and Num 26:20). Judah and his brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they could thwart God’s plan that the elder brothers should serve the younger. God demonstrated that principle through these births in Judah’s own family, affirming that the elder will serve the younger, and that Joseph’s leadership could not so easily be set aside. See J. Goldin, “The Youngest Son; or, Where Does Genesis 38 Belong?” JBL 96 (1977): 27-44.
515 sn Perhaps the child was named Zerah because of the scarlet thread. Though the Hebrew word used for “scarlet thread” in v. 28 is not related to the name Zerah, there is a related root in Babylonian and western Aramaic that means “scarlet” or “scarlet thread.” In Hebrew the name appears to be derived from a root meaning “to shine.” The name could have originally meant something like “shining one” or “God has shined.” Zerah became the head of a tribe (Num 26:20) from whom Achan descended (Josh 7:1).
516 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.
517 tn Heb “my hand.”
518 tn The construction in Greek is a double accusative object-complement. “You” is the object and “free from falling” is the adjectival complement.
519 tn Grk “with rejoicing.” The prepositional clause is placed after “his glorious presence” in Greek, but most likely goes with “cause you to stand.”
520 tn The construction in Greek is a double accusative object-complement. “You” is the object and “without blemish” is the adjectival complement.
521 tn Or “in the presence of his glory,” “before his glory.”
522 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
523 tn Grk “(as we are slandered and some affirm that we say…).”
524 tn Grk “whose.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, this relative clause was rendered as a new sentence in the translation.