15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield 4 and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” 5
16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your 6 servant is under your authority, 7 do to her whatever you think best.” 8 Then Sarai treated Hagar 9 harshly, 10 so she ran away from Sarai. 11
1 tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.
2 sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.
3 tn Heb “in a good old age.”
4 sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.
5 tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).
6 tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”
7 tn Heb “in your hand.”
8 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”
9 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”
11 tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.