7:1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation. 1 7:2 You must take with you seven 2 of every kind of clean animal, 3 the male and its mate, 4 two of every kind of unclean animal, the male and its mate, 7:3 and also seven 5 of every kind of bird in the sky, male and female, 6 to preserve their offspring 7 on the face of the earth. 7:4 For in seven days 8 I will cause it to rain 9 on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the ground every living thing that I have made.”
7:5 And Noah did all 10 that the Lord commanded him.
7:6 Noah 11 was 600 years old when the floodwaters engulfed 12 the earth. 7:7 Noah entered the ark along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives because 13 of the floodwaters. 7:8 Pairs 14 of clean animals, of unclean animals, of birds, and of everything that creeps along the ground, 7:9 male and female, came into the ark to Noah, 15 just as God had commanded him. 16 7:10 And after seven days the floodwaters engulfed the earth. 17
7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month – on that day all the fountains of the great deep 18 burst open and the floodgates of the heavens 19 were opened. 7:12 And the rain fell 20 on the earth forty days and forty nights.
7:13 On that very day Noah entered the ark, accompanied by his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, along with his wife and his sons’ three wives. 21 7:14 They entered, 22 along with every living creature after its kind, every animal after its kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, everything with wings. 23 7:15 Pairs 24 of all creatures 25 that have the breath of life came into the ark to Noah. 7:16 Those that entered were male and female, 26 just as God commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in.
7:17 The flood engulfed the earth for forty days. As the waters increased, they lifted the ark and raised it above the earth. 7:18 The waters completely overwhelmed 27 the earth, and the ark floated 28 on the surface of the waters. 7:19 The waters completely inundated 29 the earth so that even 30 all the high mountains under the entire sky were covered. 7:20 The waters rose more than twenty feet 31 above the mountains. 32 7:21 And all living things 33 that moved on the earth died, including the birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all humankind. 7:22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life 34 in its nostrils died. 7:23 So the Lord 35 destroyed 36 every living thing that was on the surface of the ground, including people, animals, creatures that creep along the ground, and birds of the sky. 37 They were wiped off the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark survived. 38 7:24 The waters prevailed over 39 the earth for 150 days.
8:1 But God remembered 40 Noah and all the wild animals and domestic animals that were with him in the ark. God caused a wind to blow over 41 the earth and the waters receded. 8:2 The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed, 42 and the rain stopped falling from the sky. 8:3 The waters kept receding steadily 43 from the earth, so that they 44 had gone down 45 by the end of the 150 days. 8:4 On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on one of the mountains of Ararat. 46 8:5 The waters kept on receding 47 until the tenth month. On the first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains became visible. 48
8:6 At the end of forty days, 49 Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 50 8:7 and sent out a raven; it kept flying 51 back and forth until the waters had dried up on the earth.
8:8 Then Noah 52 sent out a dove 53 to see if the waters had receded 54 from the surface of the ground. 8:9 The dove could not find a resting place for its feet because water still covered 55 the surface of the entire earth, and so it returned to Noah 56 in the ark. He stretched out his hand, took the dove, 57 and brought it back into the ark. 58 8:10 He waited seven more days and then sent out the dove again from the ark. 8:11 When 59 the dove returned to him in the evening, there was 60 a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak! Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 8:12 He waited another seven days and sent the dove out again, 61 but it did not return to him this time. 62
8:13 In Noah’s six hundred and first year, 63 in the first day of the first month, the waters had dried up from the earth, and Noah removed the covering from the ark and saw that 64 the surface of the ground was dry. 8:14 And by the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth 65 was dry.
8:15 Then God spoke to Noah and said, 8:16 “Come out of the ark, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 8:17 Bring out with you all the living creatures that are with you. Bring out 66 every living thing, including the birds, animals, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Let them increase 67 and be fruitful and multiply on the earth!” 68
8:18 Noah went out along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives. 8:19 Every living creature, every creeping thing, every bird, and everything that moves on the earth went out of the ark in their groups.
8:20 Noah built an altar to the Lord. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 69 8:21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma 70 and said 71 to himself, 72 “I will never again curse 73 the ground because of humankind, even though 74 the inclination of their minds 75 is evil from childhood on. 76 I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done.
8:22 “While the earth continues to exist, 77
planting time 78 and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
and day and night will not cease.”
9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 9:2 Every living creature of the earth and every bird of the sky will be terrified of you. 79 Everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea are under your authority. 80 9:3 You may eat any moving thing that lives. 81 As I gave you 82 the green plants, I now give 83 you everything.
9:4 But 84 you must not eat meat 85 with its life (that is, 86 its blood) in it. 87 9:5 For your lifeblood 88 I will surely exact punishment, 89 from 90 every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person 91 I will exact punishment for the life of the individual 92 since the man was his relative. 93
9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood, 94
by other humans 95
must his blood be shed;
for in God’s image 96
God 97 has made humankind.”
9:7 But as for you, 98 be fruitful and multiply; increase abundantly on the earth and multiply on it.”
9:8 God said to Noah and his sons, 99 9:9 “Look! I now confirm 100 my covenant with you and your descendants after you 101 9:10 and with every living creature that is with you, including the birds, the domestic animals, and every living creature of the earth with you, all those that came out of the ark with you – every living creature of the earth. 102 9:11 I confirm 103 my covenant with you: Never again will all living things 104 be wiped out 105 by the waters of a flood; 106 never again will a flood destroy the earth.”
9:12 And God said, “This is the guarantee 107 of the covenant I am making 108 with you 109 and every living creature with you, a covenant 110 for all subsequent 111 generations: 9:13 I will place 112 my rainbow 113 in the clouds, and it will become 114 a guarantee of the covenant between me and the earth. 9:14 Whenever 115 I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 9:15 then I will remember my covenant with you 116 and with all living creatures of all kinds. 117 Never again will the waters become a flood and destroy 118 all living things. 119 9:16 When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will notice it and remember 120 the perpetual covenant between God and all living creatures of all kinds that are on the earth.”
9:17 So God said to Noah, “This is the guarantee of the covenant that I am confirming between me and all living things 121 that are on the earth.”
9:18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Now Ham was the father of Canaan.) 122 9:19 These were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated. 123
9:20 Noah, a man of the soil, 124 began to plant a vineyard. 125 9:21 When he drank some of the wine, he got drunk and uncovered himself 126 inside his tent. 9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, 127 saw his father’s nakedness 128 and told his two brothers who were outside. 9:23 Shem and Japheth took the garment 129 and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned 130 the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.
9:24 When Noah awoke from his drunken stupor 131 he learned 132 what his youngest son had done 133 to him. 9:25 So he said,
“Cursed 134 be Canaan! 135
The lowest of slaves 136
he will be to his brothers.”
9:26 He also said,
“Worthy of praise is 137 the Lord, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem! 138
9:27 May God enlarge Japheth’s territory and numbers! 139
May he live 140 in the tents of Shem
and may Canaan be his slave!”
9:28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 9:29 The entire lifetime of Noah was 950 years, and then he died.
10:1 This is the account 141 of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons 142 were born 143 to them after the flood.
10:2 The sons of Japheth 144 were Gomer, 145 Magog, 146 Madai, 147 Javan, 148 Tubal, 149 Meshech, 150 and Tiras. 151 10:3 The sons of Gomer were 152 Askenaz, 153 Riphath, 154 and Togarmah. 155 10:4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, 156 Tarshish, 157 the Kittim, 158 and the Dodanim. 159 10:5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations.
10:6 The sons of Ham were Cush, 160 Mizraim, 161 Put, 162 and Canaan. 163 10:7 The sons of Cush were Seba, 164 Havilah, 165 Sabtah, 166 Raamah, 167 and Sabteca. 168 The sons of Raamah were Sheba 169 and Dedan. 170
10:8 Cush was the father of 171 Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. 10:9 He was a mighty hunter 172 before the Lord. 173 (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”) 10:10 The primary regions 174 of his kingdom were Babel, 175 Erech, 176 Akkad, 177 and Calneh 178 in the land of Shinar. 179 10:11 From that land he went 180 to Assyria, 181 where he built Nineveh, 182 Rehoboth-Ir, 183 Calah, 184 10:12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah. 185
10:13 Mizraim 186 was the father of 187 the Ludites, 188 Anamites, 189 Lehabites, 190 Naphtuhites, 191 10:14 Pathrusites, 192 Casluhites 193 (from whom the Philistines came), 194 and Caphtorites. 195
10:15 Canaan was the father of 196 Sidon his firstborn, 197 Heth, 198 10:16 the Jebusites, 199 Amorites, 200 Girgashites, 201 10:17 Hivites, 202 Arkites, 203 Sinites, 204 10:18 Arvadites, 205 Zemarites, 206 and Hamathites. 207 Eventually the families of the Canaanites were scattered 10:19 and the borders of Canaan extended 208 from Sidon 209 all the way to 210 Gerar as far as Gaza, and all the way to 211 Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 10:20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.
10:21 And sons were also born 212 to Shem (the older brother of Japheth), 213 the father of all the sons of Eber.
10:22 The sons of Shem were Elam, 214 Asshur, 215 Arphaxad, 216 Lud, 217 and Aram. 218 10:23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 219 10:24 Arphaxad was the father of 220 Shelah, 221 and Shelah was the father of Eber. 222 10:25 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg because in his days the earth was divided, 223 and his brother’s name was Joktan. 10:26 Joktan was the father of 224 Almodad, 225 Sheleph, 226 Hazarmaveth, 227 Jerah, 228 10:27 Hadoram, Uzal, 229 Diklah, 230 10:28 Obal, 231 Abimael, 232 Sheba, 233 10:29 Ophir, 234 Havilah, 235 and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. 10:30 Their dwelling place was from Mesha all the way to 236 Sephar in the eastern hills. 10:31 These are the sons of Shem according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and according to their nations.
10:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations, and from these the nations spread 237 over the earth after the flood.
25:1 Abraham had taken 238 another 239 wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. 240 The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants 241 of Keturah.
25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines 242 and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac. 243
25:7 Abraham lived a total of 244 175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. 245 He joined his ancestors. 246 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah 247 near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. 248 There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed 249 his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi. 250
25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, 251 whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.
25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: 252 Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes 253 according to their clans.
25:17 Ishmael lived a total of 254 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. 255 25:18 His descendants 256 settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next 257 to Egypt all the way 258 to Asshur. 259 They settled 260 away from all their relatives. 261
25:19 This is the account of Isaac, 262 the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, 263 the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. 264
25:21 Isaac prayed to 265 the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled 266 inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” 267 So she asked the Lord, 268 25:23 and the Lord said to her,
“Two nations 269 are in your womb,
and two peoples will be separated from within you.
One people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, 270 there were 271 twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish 272 all over, 273 like a hairy 274 garment, so they named him Esau. 275 25:26 When his brother came out with 276 his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. 277 Isaac was sixty years old 278 when they were born.
25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled 279 hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 280 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, 281 but Rebekah loved 282 Jacob.
25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, 283 and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed 284 me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called 285 Edom.) 286
25:31 But Jacob replied, “First 287 sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 288 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” 289 So Esau 290 swore an oath to him and sold his birthright 291 to Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. 292 So Esau despised his birthright. 293
1 tn Heb “for you I see [as] godly before me in this generation.” The direct object (“you”) is placed first in the clause to give it prominence. The verb “to see” here signifies God’s evaluative discernment.
2 tn Or “seven pairs” (cf. NRSV).
3 sn For a study of the Levitical terminology of “clean” and “unclean,” see L. E. Toombs, IDB 1:643.
4 tn Heb “a male and his female” (also a second time at the end of this verse). The terms used here for male and female animals (אִישׁ, ’ish) and אִשָּׁה, ’ishah) normally refer to humans.
5 tn Or “seven pairs” (cf. NRSV).
6 tn Here (and in v. 9) the Hebrew text uses the normal generic terms for “male and female” (זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, zakhar unÿqevah).
7 tn Heb “to keep alive offspring.”
8 tn Heb “for seven days yet,” meaning “after [or “in”] seven days.”
9 tn The Hiphil participle מַמְטִיר (mamtir, “cause to rain”) here expresses the certainty of the act in the imminent future.
10 tn Heb “according to all.”
11 tn Heb “Now Noah was.” The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + predicate nominative after implied “to be” verb) provides background information. The age of Noah receives prominence.
12 tn Heb “and the flood was water upon.” The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) is circumstantial/temporal in relation to the preceding clause. The verb הָיָה (hayah) here carries the nuance “to come” (BDB 225 s.v. הָיָה). In this context the phrase “come upon” means “to engulf.”
13 tn The preposition מִן (min) is causal here, explaining why Noah and his family entered the ark.
14 tn Heb “two two” meaning “in twos.”
15 tn The Hebrew text of vv. 8-9a reads, “From the clean animal[s] and from the animal[s] which are not clean and from the bird[s] and everything that creeps on the ground, two two they came to Noah to the ark, male and female.”
16 tn Heb “Noah”; the pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
17 tn Heb “came upon.”
18 tn The Hebrew term תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “deep”) refers to the watery deep, the salty ocean – especially the primeval ocean that surrounds and underlies the earth (see Gen 1:2).
19 sn On the prescientific view of the sky reflected here, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World (AnBib), 46.
20 tn Heb “was.”
21 tn Heb “On that very day Noah entered, and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and the wife of Noah, and the three wives of his sons with him into the ark.”
22 tn The verb “entered” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
23 tn Heb “every bird, every wing.”
24 tn Heb “two two” meaning “in twos.”
25 tn Heb “flesh.”
26 tn Heb “Those that went in, male and female from all flesh they went in.”
27 tn Heb “and the waters were great and multiplied exceedingly.” The first verb in the sequence is וַיִּגְבְּרוּ (vayyigbÿru, from גָּבַר, gavar), meaning “to become great, mighty.” The waters did not merely rise; they “prevailed” over the earth, overwhelming it.
28 tn Heb “went.”
29 tn Heb “and the waters were great exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition emphasizes the depth of the waters.
30 tn Heb “and.”
31 tn Heb “rose fifteen cubits.” Since a cubit is considered by most authorities to be about eighteen inches, this would make the depth 22.5 feet. This figure might give the modern reader a false impression of exactness, however, so in the translation the phrase “fifteen cubits” has been rendered “more than twenty feet.”
32 tn Heb “the waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward and they covered the mountains.” Obviously, a flood of twenty feet did not cover the mountains; the statement must mean the flood rose about twenty feet above the highest mountain.
33 tn Heb “flesh.”
34 tn Heb “everything which [has] the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils from all which is in the dry land.”
35 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
36 tn Heb “wiped away” (cf. NRSV “blotted out”).
37 tn Heb “from man to animal to creeping thing and to the bird of the sky.”
38 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁאָר (sha’ar) means “to be left over; to survive” in the Niphal verb stem. It is the word used in later biblical texts for the remnant that escapes judgment. See G. F. Hasel, “Semantic Values of Derivatives of the Hebrew Root só’r,” AUSS 11 (1973): 152-69.
39 sn The Hebrew verb translated “prevailed over” suggests that the waters were stronger than the earth. The earth and everything in it were no match for the return of the chaotic deep.
40 tn The Hebrew word translated “remembered” often carries the sense of acting in accordance with what is remembered, i.e., fulfilling covenant promises (see B. S. Childs, Memory and Tradition in Israel [SBT], especially p. 34).
41 tn Heb “to pass over.”
42 tn Some (e.g., NIV) translate the preterite verb forms in this verse as past perfects (e.g., “had been closed”), for it seems likely that the sources of the water would have stopped before the waters receded.
43 tn The construction combines a Qal preterite from שׁוּב (shuv) with its infinitive absolute to indicate continuous action. The infinitive absolute from הָלָךְ (halakh) is included for emphasis: “the waters returned…going and returning.”
44 tn Heb “the waters.” The pronoun (“they”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
45 tn The vav (ו) consecutive with the preterite here describes the consequence of the preceding action.
46 tn Heb “on the mountains of Ararat.” Obviously a boat (even one as large as the ark) cannot rest on multiple mountains. Perhaps (1) the preposition should be translated “among,” or (2) the plural “mountains” should be understood in the sense of “mountain range” (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 53). A more probable option (3) is that the plural indicates an indefinite singular, translated “one of the mountains” (see GKC 400 §124.o).
47 tn Heb “the waters were going and lessening.” The perfect verb form הָיָה (hayah) is used as an auxiliary verb with the infinitive absolute חָסוֹר (khasor, “lessening”), while the infinitive absolute הָלוֹךְ (halokh) indicates continuous action.
48 tn Or “could be seen.”
49 tn The introductory verbal form וַיְהִי (vayÿhi), traditionally rendered “and it came to pass,” serves as a temporal indicator and has not been translated here.
50 tn Heb “opened the window in the ark which he had made.” The perfect tense (“had made”) refers to action preceding the opening of the window, and is therefore rendered as a past perfect. Since in English “had made” could refer to either the ark or the window, the order of the phrases was reversed in the translation to clarify that the window is the referent.
51 tn Heb “and it went out, going out and returning.” The Hebrew verb יָצָא (yatsa’), translated here “flying,” is modified by two infinitives absolute indicating that the raven went back and forth.
52 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Noah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
53 tn The Hebrew text adds “from him.” This has not been translated for stylistic reasons, because it is redundant in English.
54 tn The Hebrew verb קָלָל (qalal) normally means “to be light, to be slight”; it refers here to the waters receding.
55 tn The words “still covered” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
56 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Noah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
57 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the dove) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
58 tn Heb “and he brought it to himself to the ark.”
59 tn The clause introduced by vav (ו) consecutive is translated as a temporal clause subordinated to the following clause.
60 tn The deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to the olive leaf. It invites readers to enter into the story, as it were, and look at the olive leaf with their own eyes.
61 tn The word “again” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
62 tn Heb “it did not again return to him still.” For a study of this section of the flood narrative, see W. O. E. Oesterley, “The Dove with the Olive Leaf (Gen VIII 8–11),” ExpTim 18 (1906/07): 377-78.
63 tn Heb In the six hundred and first year.” Since this refers to the six hundred and first year of Noah’s life, the word “Noah’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
64 tn Heb “and saw and look.” As in v. 11, the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites readers to enter into the story, as it were, and look at the dry ground with their own eyes.
65 tn In v. 13 the ground (הָאֲדָמָה, ha’adamah) is dry; now the earth (הָאָרֶץ, ha’arets) is dry.
66 tn The words “bring out” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
67 tn Following the Hiphil imperative, “bring out,” the three perfect verb forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry an imperatival nuance. For a discussion of the Hebrew construction here and the difficulty of translating it into English, see S. R. Driver, A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew, 124-25.
68 tn Heb “and let them swarm in the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
69 sn Offered burnt offerings on the altar. F. D. Maurice includes a chapter on the sacrifice of Noah in The Doctrine of Sacrifice. The whole burnt offering, according to Leviticus 1, represented the worshiper’s complete surrender and dedication to the
70 tn The
71 tn Heb “and the
72 tn Heb “in his heart.”
73 tn Here the Hebrew word translated “curse” is קָלָל (qalal), used in the Piel verbal stem.
74 tn The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) can be used in a concessive sense (see BDB 473 s.v. כִּי), which makes good sense in this context. Its normal causal sense (“for”) does not fit the context here very well.
75 tn Heb “the inclination of the heart of humankind.”
76 tn Heb “from his youth.”
77 tn Heb “yet all the days of the earth.” The idea is “[while there are] yet all the days of the earth,” meaning, “as long as the earth exists.”
78 tn Heb “seed,” which stands here by metonymy for the time when seed is planted.
79 tn Heb “and fear of you and dread of you will be upon every living creature of the earth and upon every bird of the sky.” The suffixes on the nouns “fear” and “dread” are objective genitives. The animals will fear humans from this time forward.
80 tn Heb “into your hand are given.” The “hand” signifies power. To say the animals have been given into the hands of humans means humans have been given authority over them.
81 tn Heb “every moving thing that lives for you will be for food.”
82 tn The words “I gave you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
83 tn The perfect verb form describes the action that accompanies the declaration.
84 tn Heb “only.”
85 tn Or “flesh.”
86 tn Heb “its life, its blood.” The second word is in apposition to the first, explaining what is meant by “its life.” Since the blood is equated with life, meat that had the blood in it was not to be eaten.
87 tn The words “in it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
88 tn Again the text uses apposition to clarify what kind of blood is being discussed: “your blood, [that is] for your life.” See C. L. Dewar, “The Biblical Use of the Term ‘Blood,’” JTS 4 (1953): 204-8.
89 tn The word “punishment” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification. The verb דָּרָשׁ (darash) means “to require, to seek, to ask for, to exact.” Here it means that God will exact punishment for the taking of a life. See R. Mawdsley, “Capital Punishment in Gen. 9:6,” CentBib 18 (1975): 20-25.
90 tn Heb “from the hand of,” which means “out of the hand of” or “out of the power of” and is nearly identical in sense to the preposition מִן (min) alone.
91 tn Heb “and from the hand of the man.” The article has a generic function, indicating the class, i.e., humankind.
92 tn Heb “of the man.”
93 tn Heb “from the hand of a man, his brother.” The point is that God will require the blood of someone who kills, since the person killed is a relative (“brother”) of the killer. The language reflects Noah’s situation (after the flood everyone would be part of Noah’s extended family), but also supports the concept of the brotherhood of humankind. According to the Genesis account the entire human race descended from Noah.
94 tn Heb “the blood of man.”
95 tn Heb “by man,” a generic term here for other human beings.
96 sn See the notes on the words “humankind” and “likeness” in Gen 1:26, as well as J. Barr, “The Image of God in the Book of Genesis – A Study of Terminology,” BJRL 51 (1968/69): 11-26.
97 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
98 sn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + pronominal subject + verb) here indicates a strong contrast to what has preceded. Against the backdrop of the warnings about taking life, God now instructs the people to produce life, using terms reminiscent of the mandate given to Adam (Gen 1:28).
99 tn Heb “to Noah and to his sons with him, saying.”
100 tn Heb “I, look, I confirm.” The particle הִנְנִי (hinni) used with the participle מֵקִים (meqim) gives the sense of immediacy or imminence, as if to say, “Look! I am now confirming.”
101 tn The three pronominal suffixes (translated “you,” “your,” and “you”) are masculine plural. As v. 8 indicates, Noah and his sons are addressed.
102 tn The verbal repetition is apparently for emphasis.
103 tn The verb וַהֲקִמֹתִי (vahaqimoti) is a perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive and should be translated with the English present tense, just as the participle at the beginning of the speech was (v. 9). Another option is to translate both forms with the English future tense (“I will confirm”).
104 tn Heb “all flesh.”
105 tn Heb “cut off.”
106 tn Heb “and all flesh will not be cut off again by the waters of the flood.”
107 tn Heb “sign.”
108 sn On the making of covenants in Genesis, see W. F. Albright, “The Hebrew Expression for ‘Making a Covenant’ in Pre-Israelite Documents,” BASOR 121 (1951): 21-22.
109 tn Heb “between me and between you.”
110 tn The words “a covenant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
111 tn The Hebrew term עוֹלָם (’olam) means “ever, forever, lasting, perpetual.” The covenant would extend to subsequent generations.
112 tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, emphasizing the certainty of the action. Other translation options include “I have placed” (present perfect; cf. NIV, NRSV) and “I place” (instantaneous perfect; cf. NEB).
113 sn The Hebrew word קֶשֶׁת (qeshet) normally refers to a warrior’s bow. Some understand this to mean that God the warrior hangs up his battle bow at the end of the flood, indicating he is now at peace with humankind, but others question the legitimacy of this proposal. See C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:473, and G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:196.
114 tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect of certitude.
115 tn The temporal indicator (וְהָיָה, vÿhayah, conjunction + the perfect verb form), often translated “it will be,” anticipates a future development.
116 tn Heb “which [is] between me and between you.”
117 tn Heb “all flesh.”
118 tn Heb “to destroy.”
119 tn Heb “all flesh.”
120 tn The translation assumes that the infinitive לִזְכֹּר (lizkor, “to remember”) here expresses the result of seeing the rainbow. Another option is to understand it as indicating purpose, in which case it could be translated, “I will look at it so that I may remember.”
121 tn Heb “all flesh.”
122 sn The concluding disjunctive clause is parenthetical. It anticipates the following story, which explains that the Canaanites, Ham’s descendants through Canaan, were cursed because they shared the same moral abandonment that their ancestor displayed. See A. van Selms, “The Canaanites in the Book of Genesis,” OTS 12 (1958): 182-213.
123 tn Heb “was scattered.” The verb פָּצָה (patsah, “to scatter” [Niphal, “to be scattered”]) figures prominently in story of the dispersion of humankind in chap. 11.
124 sn The epithet a man of the soil indicates that Noah was a farmer.
125 tn Or “Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard”; Heb “and Noah, a man of the ground, began and he planted a vineyard.”
126 tn The Hebrew verb גָּלָה (galah) in the Hitpael verbal stem (וַיִּתְגַּל, vayyitggal) means “to uncover oneself” or “to be uncovered.” Noah became overheated because of the wine and uncovered himself in the tent.
127 sn For the second time (see v. 18) the text informs the reader of the relationship between Ham and Canaan. Genesis 10 will explain that Canaan was the ancestor of the Canaanite tribes living in the promised land.
128 tn Some would translate “had sexual relations with,” arguing that Ham committed a homosexual act with his drunken father for which he was cursed. However, the expression “see nakedness” usually refers to observation of another’s nakedness, not a sexual act (see Gen 42:9, 12 where “nakedness” is used metaphorically to convey the idea of “weakness” or “vulnerability”; Deut 23:14 where “nakedness” refers to excrement; Isa 47:3; Ezek 16:37; Lam 1:8). The following verse (v. 23) clearly indicates that visual observation, not a homosexual act, is in view here. In Lev 20:17 the expression “see nakedness” does appear to be a euphemism for sexual intercourse, but the context there, unlike that of Gen 9:22, clearly indicates that in that passage sexual contact is in view. The expression “see nakedness” does not in itself suggest a sexual connotation. Some relate Gen 9:22 to Lev 18:6-11, 15-19, where the expression “uncover [another’s] nakedness” (the Piel form of גָּלָה, galah) refers euphemistically to sexual intercourse. However, Gen 9:22 does not say Ham “uncovered” the nakedness of his father. According to the text, Noah uncovered himself; Ham merely saw his father naked. The point of the text is that Ham had no respect for his father. Rather than covering his father up, he told his brothers. Noah then gave an oracle that Ham’s descendants, who would be characterized by the same moral abandonment, would be cursed. Leviticus 18 describes that greater evil of the Canaanites (see vv. 24-28).
129 tn The word translated “garment” has the Hebrew definite article on it. The article may simply indicate that the garment is definite and vivid in the mind of the narrator, but it could refer instead to Noah’s garment. Did Ham bring it out when he told his brothers?
130 tn Heb “their faces [were turned] back.”
131 tn Heb “his wine,” used here by metonymy for the drunken stupor it produced.
132 tn Heb “he knew.”
133 tn The Hebrew verb עָשָׂה (’asah, “to do”) carries too general a sense to draw the conclusion that Ham had to have done more than look on his father’s nakedness and tell his brothers.
134 sn For more on the curse, see H. C. Brichto, The Problem of “Curse” in the Hebrew Bible (JBLMS), and J. Scharbert, TDOT 1:405-18.
135 sn Cursed be Canaan. The curse is pronounced on Canaan, not Ham. Noah sees a problem in Ham’s character, and on the basis of that he delivers a prophecy about the future descendants who will live in slavery to such things and then be controlled by others. (For more on the idea of slavery in general, see E. M. Yamauchi, “Slaves of God,” BETS 9 [1966]: 31-49). In a similar way Jacob pronounced oracles about his sons based on their revealed character (see Gen 49).
136 tn Heb “a servant of servants” (עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים, ’eved ’avadim), an example of the superlative genitive. It means Canaan will become the most abject of slaves.
137 tn Heb “blessed be.”
138 tn Heb “a slave to him”; the referent (Shem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
139 tn Heb “may God enlarge Japheth.” The words “territory and numbers” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
140 tn In this context the prefixed verbal form is a jussive (note the distinct jussive forms both before and after this in vv. 26 and 27).
141 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1–11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.
142 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.
143 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.
144 sn The Greek form of the name Japheth, Iapetos, is used in Greek tradition for the ancestor of the Greeks.
145 sn Gomer was the ancestor of the Cimmerians. For a discussion of the Cimmerians see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 49-61.
146 sn For a discussion of various proposals concerning the descendants of Magog see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 22-24.
147 sn Madai was the ancestor of the Medes, who lived east of Assyria.
148 sn Javan was the father of the Hellenic race, the Ionians who lived in western Asia Minor.
149 sn Tubal was the ancestor of militaristic tribes that lived north of the Black Sea. For a discussion of ancient references to Tubal see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
150 sn Meshech was the ancestor of the people known in Assyrian records as the Musku. For a discussion of ancient references to them see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
151 sn Tiras was the ancestor of the Thracians, some of whom possibly became the Pelasgian pirates of the Aegean.
152 sn The descendants of Gomer were all northern tribes of the Upper Euphrates.
153 sn Askenaz was the ancestor of a northern branch of Indo-Germanic tribes, possibly Scythians. For discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 63.
154 sn The descendants of Riphath lived in a district north of the road from Haran to Carchemish.
155 sn Togarmah is also mentioned in Ezek 38:6, where it refers to Til-garimmu, the capital of Kammanu, which bordered Tabal in eastern Turkey. See E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 26, n. 28.
156 sn The descendants of Elishah populated Cyprus.
157 sn The descendants of Tarshish settled along the southern coast of what is modern Turkey. However, some identify the site Tarshish (see Jonah 1:3) with Sardinia or Spain.
158 sn The name Kittim is associated with Cyprus, as well as coastlands east of Rhodes. It is used in later texts to refer to the Romans.
159 tc Most of the MT
160 sn The descendants of Cush settled in Nubia (Ethiopia).
161 sn The descendants of Mizraim settled in Upper and Lower Egypt.
162 sn The descendants of Put settled in Libya.
163 sn The descendants of Canaan lived in the region of Phoenicia (Palestine).
164 sn The descendants of Seba settled in Upper Egypt along the Nile.
165 sn The Hebrew name Havilah apparently means “stretch of sand” (see HALOT 297 s.v. חֲוִילָה). Havilah’s descendants settled in eastern Arabia.
166 sn The descendants of Sabtah settled near the western shore of the Persian Gulf in ancient Hadhramaut.
167 sn The descendants of Raamah settled in southwest Arabia.
168 sn The descendants of Sabteca settled in Samudake, east toward the Persian Gulf.
169 sn Sheba became the name of a kingdom in southwest Arabia.
170 sn The name Dedan is associated with àUla in northern Arabia.
171 tn Heb “fathered.” Embedded within Cush’s genealogy is an account of Nimrod, a mighty warrior. There have been many attempts to identify him, but none are convincing.
172 tn The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).
173 tn Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yÿhvah, “before the
174 tn Heb “beginning.” E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 67, suggests “mainstays,” citing Jer 49:35 as another text where the Hebrew noun is so used.
175 tn Or “Babylon.”
176 sn Erech (ancient Uruk, modern Warka), one of the most ancient civilizations, was located southeast of Babylon.
177 sn Akkad, or ancient Agade, was associated with Sargon and located north of Babylon.
178 tn No such place is known in Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Therefore some have translated the Hebrew term כַלְנֵה (khalneh) as “all of them,” referring to the three previous names (cf. NRSV).
179 sn Shinar is another name for Babylonia.
180 tn The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.
181 tn Heb “Asshur.”
182 sn Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.
183 sn The name Rehoboth-Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.
184 sn Calah (modern Nimrud) was located twenty miles north of Nineveh.
185 tn Heb “and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; it [i.e., Calah] is the great city.”
186 sn Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt (cf. NRSV).
187 tn Heb “fathered.”
188 sn The Ludites were African tribes west of the Nile Delta.
189 sn The Anamites lived in North Africa, west of Egypt, near Cyrene.
190 sn The Lehabites are identified with the Libyans.
191 sn The Naphtuhites lived in Lower Egypt (the Nile Delta region).
192 sn The Pathrusites are known in Egyptian as P-to-reshi; they resided in Upper Egypt.
193 sn The Casluhites lived in Crete and eventually settled east of the Egyptian Delta, between Egypt and Canaan.
194 tn Several commentators prefer to reverse the order of the words to put this clause after the next word, since the Philistines came from Crete (where the Caphtorites lived). But the table may suggest migration rather than lineage, and the Philistines, like the Israelites, came through the Nile Delta region of Egypt. For further discussion of the origin and migration of the Philistines, see D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 232.
195 sn The Caphtorites resided in Crete, but in Egyptian literature Caphtor refers to “the region beyond” the Mediterranean.
196 tn Heb “fathered.”
197 sn Sidon was the foremost city in Phoenicia; here Sidon may be the name of its founder.
198 tn Some see a reference to “Hittites” here (cf. NIV), but this seems unlikely. See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.
199 sn The Jebusites were the Canaanite inhabitants of ancient Jerusalem.
200 sn Here Amorites refers to smaller groups of Canaanite inhabitants of the mountainous regions of Palestine, rather than the large waves of Amurru, or western Semites, who migrated to the region.
201 sn The Girgashites are an otherwise unknown Canaanite tribe, though the name is possibly mentioned in Ugaritic texts (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 1:226).
202 sn The Hivites were Canaanite tribes of a Hurrian origin.
203 sn The Arkites lived in Arka, a city in Lebanon, north of Sidon.
204 sn The Sinites lived in Sin, another town in Lebanon.
205 sn The Arvadites lived in the city Arvad, located on an island near the mainland close to the river El Kebir.
206 sn The Zemarites lived in the town Sumur, north of Arka.
207 sn The Hamathites lived in Hamath on the Orontes River.
208 tn Heb “were.”
209 map For location see Map1-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
210 tn Heb “as you go.”
211 tn Heb “as you go.”
212 tn Heb “And to Shem was born.”
213 tn Or “whose older brother was Japheth.” Some translations render Japheth as the older brother, understanding the adjective הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol, “older”) as modifying Japheth. However, in Hebrew when a masculine singular definite attributive adjective follows the sequence masculine singular construct noun + proper name, the adjective invariably modifies the noun in construct, not the proper name. Such is the case here. See Deut 11:7; Judg 1:13; 2:7; 3:9; 9:5; 2 Kgs 15:35; 2 Chr 27:3; Neh 3:30; Jer 13:9; 36:10; Ezek 10:19; 11:1.
214 sn The Hebrew name Elam (עֵילָם, ’elam) means “highland.” The Elamites were a non-Semitic people who lived east of Babylon.
215 sn Asshur is the name for the Assyrians. Asshur was the region in which Nimrod expanded his power (see v. 11, where the name is also mentioned). When names appear in both sections of a genealogical list, it probably means that there were both Hamites and Shemites living in that region in antiquity, especially if the name is a place name.
216 sn The descendants of Arphaxad may have lived northeast of Nineveh.
217 sn Lud may have been the ancestor of the Ludbu, who lived near the Tigris River.
218 sn Aram became the collective name of the northern tribes living in the steppes of Mesopotamia and speaking Aramaic dialects.
219 tc The MT reads “Mash”; the LXX and 1 Chr 1:17 read “Meshech.”
220 tn Heb “fathered.”
221 tc The MT reads “Arphaxad fathered Shelah”; the LXX reads “Arphaxad fathered Cainan, and Cainan fathered Sala [= Shelah].” The LXX reading also appears to lie behind Luke 3:35-36.
222 sn Genesis 11 traces the line of Shem through Eber (עֵבֶר, ’ever ) to Abraham the “Hebrew” (עִבְרִי, ’ivri).
223 tn The expression “the earth was divided” may refer to dividing the land with canals, but more likely it anticipates the division of languages at Babel (Gen 11). The verb פָּלָג (palag, “separate, divide”) is used in Ps 55:9 for a division of languages.
224 tn Heb “fathered.”
225 sn The name Almodad combines the Arabic article al with modad (“friend”). Almodad was the ancestor of a South Arabian people.
226 sn The name Sheleph may be related to Shilph, a district of Yemen; Shalph is a Yemenite tribe.
227 sn The name Hazarmaveth should be equated with Hadramawt, located in Southern Arabia.
228 sn The name Jerah means “moon.”
229 sn Uzal was the name of the old capital of Yemen.
230 sn The name Diklah means “date-palm.”
231 sn Obal was a name used for several localities in Yemen.
232 sn The name Abimael is a genuine Sabean form which means “my father, truly, he is God.”
233 sn The descendants of Sheba lived in South Arabia, where the Joktanites were more powerful than the Hamites.
234 sn Ophir became the name of a territory in South Arabia. Many of the references to Ophir are connected with gold (e.g., 1 Kgs 9:28, 10:11, 22:48; 1 Chr 29:4; 2 Chr 8:18, 9:10; Job 22:24, 28:16; Ps 45:9; Isa 13:12).
235 sn Havilah is listed with Ham in v. 7.
236 tn Heb “as you go.”
237 tn Or “separated.”
238 tn Or “took.”
239 tn Heb “And Abraham added and took.”
240 sn The names Sheba and Dedan appear in Gen 10:7 as descendants of Ham through Cush and Raamah. Since these two names are usually interpreted to be place names, one plausible suggestion is that some of Abraham’s descendants lived in those regions and took names linked with it.
241 tn Or “sons.”
242 tn Heb “the sons of the concubines who [belonged] to Abraham.”
243 tn Heb “And he sent them away from upon Isaac his son, while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.”
244 tn Heb “and these are the days of the years of the lifetime of Abraham that he lived.” The normal genealogical formula is expanded here due to the importance of the life of Abraham.
245 tn Heb “old and full.”
246 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
247 sn The cave of Machpelah was the place Abraham had purchased as a burial place for his wife Sarah (Gen 23:17-18).
248 tn See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.
249 sn God blessed Isaac. The Hebrew verb “bless” in this passage must include all the gifts that God granted to Isaac. But fertility was not one of them, at least not for twenty years, because Rebekah was barren as well (see v. 21).
250 sn Beer Lahai Roi. See the note on this place name in Gen 24:62.
251 sn This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).
252 tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”
253 tn Or “tribal chieftains.”
254 tn Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”
255 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
256 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
257 tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.
258 tn Heb “as you go.”
259 sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.
260 tn Heb “he fell.”
261 tn Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.
262 sn This is the account of Isaac. What follows for several chapters is not the account of Isaac, except briefly, but the account of Jacob and Esau. The next chapters tell what became of Isaac and his family.
263 tn Heb “And Isaac was the son of forty years when he took Rebekah.”
264 sn Some valuable information is provided here. We learn here that Isaac married thirty-five years before Abraham died, that Rebekah was barren for twenty years, and that Abraham would have lived to see Jacob and Esau begin to grow up. The death of Abraham was recorded in the first part of the chapter as a “tidying up” of one generation before beginning the account of the next.
265 tn The Hebrew verb עָתַר (’atar), translated “prayed [to]” here, appears in the story of God’s judgment on Egypt in which Moses asked the
266 tn The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.
267 tn Heb “If [it is] so, why [am] I this [way]?” Rebekah wanted to know what was happening to her, but the question itself reflects a growing despair over the struggle of the unborn children.
268 sn Asked the
269 sn By metonymy the two children in her womb are described as two nations of which the two children, Jacob and Esau, would become the fathers. The language suggests there would be a struggle between these nations, with one being stronger than the other. The oracle reveals that all of Jacob’s scheming was unnecessary in the final analysis. He would have become the dominant nation without using deception to steal his brother’s blessing.
270 tn Heb “And her days were filled to give birth.”
271 tn Heb “look!” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene as if they were actually present at the birth.
272 sn Reddish. The Hebrew word translated “reddish” is אַדְמוֹנִי (’admoni), which forms a wordplay on the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. The writer sees in Esau’s appearance at birth a sign of what was to come. After all, the reader has already been made aware of the “nations” that were being born.
273 tn Heb “all of him.”
274 sn Hairy. Here is another wordplay involving the descendants of Esau. The Hebrew word translated “hairy” is שֵׂעָר (se’ar); the Edomites will later live in Mount Seir, perhaps named for its wooded nature.
275 tn Heb “And they called his name Esau.” The name “Esau” (עֵשָׂו, ’esav) is not etymologically related to שֵׂעָר (se’ar), but it draws on some of the sounds.
276 tn The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.
277 tn Heb “And he called his name Jacob.” Some ancient witnesses read “they called his name Jacob” (see v. 25). In either case the subject is indefinite.
278 tn Heb “the son of sixty years.”
279 tn Heb “knowing.”
280 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Jacob with Esau and draws attention to the striking contrasts. In contrast to Esau, a man of the field, Jacob was civilized, as the phrase “living in tents” signifies. Whereas Esau was a skillful hunter, Jacob was calm and even-tempered (תָּם, tam), which normally has the idea of “blameless.”
281 tn Heb “the taste of game was in his mouth.” The word for “game,” “venison” is here the same Hebrew word as “hunter” in the last verse. Here it is a metonymy, referring to that which the hunter kills.
282 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Rebekah with Jacob and draws attention to the contrast. The verb here is a participle, drawing attention to Rebekah’s continuing, enduring love for her son.
283 sn Jacob cooked some stew. There are some significant words and wordplays in this story that help clarify the points of the story. The verb “cook” is זִיד (zid), which sounds like the word for “hunter” (צַיִד, tsayid). This is deliberate, for the hunter becomes the hunted in this story. The word זִיד means “to cook, to boil,” but by the sound play with צַיִד it comes to mean “set a trap by cooking.” The usage of the word shows that it can also have the connotation of acting presumptuously (as in boiling over). This too may be a comment on the scene. For further discussion of the rhetorical devices in the Jacob narratives, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis (SSN).
284 tn The rare term לָעַט (la’at), translated “feed,” is used in later Hebrew for feeding animals (see Jastrow, 714). If this nuance was attached to the word in the biblical period, then it may depict Esau in a negative light, comparing him to a hungry animal. Famished Esau comes in from the hunt, only to enter the trap. He can only point at the red stew and ask Jacob to feed him.
285 tn The verb has no expressed subject and so is given a passive translation.
286 sn Esau’s descendants would eventually be called Edom. Edom was the place where they lived, so-named probably because of the reddish nature of the hills. The writer can use the word “red” to describe the stew that Esau gasped for to convey the nature of Esau and his descendants. They were a lusty, passionate, and profane people who lived for the moment. Again, the wordplay is meant to capture the “omen in the nomen.”
287 tn Heb “today.”
288 tn Heb “And what is this to me, a birthright?”
289 tn Heb “Swear to me today.”
290 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
291 sn And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.
292 sn The style here is typical of Hebrew narrative; after the tension is resolved with the dialogue, the working out of it is recorded in a rapid sequence of verbs (“gave”; “ate”; “drank”; “got up”; “went out”). See also Gen 3:1-7 for another example.
293 sn So Esau despised his birthright. This clause, which concludes the episode, is a summary statement which reveals the underlying significance of Esau’s actions. “To despise” means to treat something as worthless or with contempt. Esau’s willingness to sell his birthright was evidence that he considered it to be unimportant.