38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man 1 named Shua. 2 Judah acquired her as a wife 3 and had marital relations with her. 4
17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed 5 as he said to himself, 6 “Can 7 a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? 8 Can Sarah 9 bear a child at the age of ninety?” 10
21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. 11 Everyone who hears about this 12 will laugh 13 with me.”
1 tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”
2 tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”
3 tn Heb “and he took her.”
4 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
5 sn Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: “And he laughed” is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaq); the name “Isaac” is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), “he laughs.” Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy.
6 tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”
7 tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.
8 tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”
9 sn It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of God (v. 15).
10 tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”
11 tn Heb “Laughter God has made for me.”
12 tn The words “about this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
13 sn Sarah’s words play on the name “Isaac” in a final triumphant manner. God prepared “laughter” (צְחֹק, ysÿkhoq ) for her, and everyone who hears about this “will laugh” (יִצְחַק, yitskhaq ) with her. The laughter now signals great joy and fulfillment, not unbelief (cf. Gen 18:12-15).
14 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
15 sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God. 1st century Judaism tended to minimize use of the divine name out of reverence.
16 sn The younger son launches into his confession just as he had planned. See vv. 18-19.