18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take 7 three measures 8 of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” 9 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, 10 who quickly prepared it. 11 18:8 Abraham 12 then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food 13 before them. They ate while 14 he was standing near them under a tree.
32:8 An honorable man makes honorable plans;
his honorable character gives him security. 22
32:1 Look, a king will promote fairness; 23
officials will promote justice. 24
4:1 Seven women will grab hold of
one man at that time. 25
They will say, “We will provide 26 our own food,
we will provide 27 our own clothes;
but let us belong to you 28 –
take away our shame!” 29
1 tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.
2 tn The word “all” has been supplied in the translation because the Hebrew verb translated “wash” and the pronominal suffix on the word “feet” are plural, referring to all three of the visitors.
3 tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.
4 tn Heb “a piece of bread.” The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lekhem) can refer either to bread specifically or to food in general. Based on Abraham’s directions to Sarah in v. 6, bread was certainly involved, but v. 7 indicates that Abraham had a more elaborate meal in mind.
5 tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.
6 tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”
7 tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.
8 sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.
9 sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.
10 tn Heb “the young man.”
11 tn The construction uses the Piel preterite, “he hurried,” followed by the infinitive construct; the two probably form a verbal hendiadys: “he quickly prepared.”
12 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
14 tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.
15 tn Grk “these are the ones who cause divisions.”
16 tn Or “natural,” that is, living on the level of instincts, not on a spiritual level (the same word occurs in 1 Cor 2:14 as a description of nonbelievers).
17 tn Grk “not having [the] Spirit.”
18 tn The participles in v. 20 have been variously interpreted. Some treat them imperativally or as attendant circumstance to the imperative in v. 21 (“maintain”): “build yourselves up…pray.” But they do not follow the normal contours of either the imperatival or attendant circumstance participles, rendering this unlikely. A better option is to treat them as the means by which the readers are to maintain themselves in the love of God. This both makes eminently good sense and fits the structural patterns of instrumental participles elsewhere.
19 tn Or “keep.”
20 tn Or “waiting for.”
21 tn Grk “unto eternal life.”
22 tn Heb “and he upon honorable things stands.”
23 tn Heb “will reign according to fairness.”
24 tn Heb “will rule according to justice.”
25 tn Or “in that day” (ASV).
26 tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.”
27 tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.”
28 tn Heb “only let your name be called over us.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28, and BDB 896 s.v. I ָקרָא Niph. 2.d.(4). The language reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israel, where women were legally the property of their husbands.
29 sn This refers to the humiliation of being unmarried and childless. The women’s words reflect the cultural standards of ancient Israel, where a woman’s primary duties were to be a wife and mother.