Genesis 19:14

19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. ¹  He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy ²  the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. ³ 

Genesis 44:4

44:4 They had not gone very far from the city ⁴  when Joseph said ⁵  to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! ⁶  When you overtake ⁷  them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?

Joshua 7:13

7:13 Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord God of Israel says, “You are contaminated, ⁸  O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.” ⁹ 

¹ sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.

² tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.

³ tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.

⁴ tn Heb “they left the city, they were not far,” meaning “they had not gone very far.”

⁵ tn Heb “and Joseph said.” This clause, like the first one in the verse, has the subject before the verb, indicating synchronic action.

⁶ tn Heb “arise, chase after the men.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

⁷ tn After the imperative this perfect verbal form with vav consecutive has the same nuance of instruction. In the translation it is subordinated to the verbal form that follows (also a perfect with vav consecutive): “and overtake them and say,” becomes “when you overtake them, say.”

⁸ tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] [is] in your midst.”

⁹ tn Heb “remove what is set apart [i.e., to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.”