1:24 Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, 8 and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, 9 without blemish 10 before his glorious presence, 11
1 tn Heb “the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.” The Hebrew word for “father” can typically be used in a broader sense than the English word, in this case referring to Abraham (who was Jacob’s grandfather). For stylistic reasons and for clarity, the words “your father” are supplied with “Isaac” in the translation.
2 tn The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets) can mean “[the] earth,” “land,” “region,” “piece of ground,” or “ground” depending on the context. Here the term specifically refers to the plot of ground on which Jacob was lying, but at the same time this stands by metonymy for the entire land of Canaan.
3 tn The name Bethel means “house of God” in Hebrew (see v. 17).
4 tn The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/subject) is used to highlight the statement.
5 tn The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb for emphasis.
6 tn Heb “and all which you give to me I will surely give a tenth of it to you.” The disjunctive clause structure (conjunction + noun/object) highlights this statement as well.
7 sn Heb “Yahweh-nissi” (so NAB), which means “Yahweh is my banner.” Note that when Israel murmured and failed God, the name commemorated the incident or the outcome of their failure. When they were blessed with success, the naming praised God. Here the holding up of the staff of God was preserved in the name for the altar – God gave them the victory.
8 tn The construction in Greek is a double accusative object-complement. “You” is the object and “free from falling” is the adjectival complement.
9 tn Grk “with rejoicing.” The prepositional clause is placed after “his glorious presence” in Greek, but most likely goes with “cause you to stand.”
10 tn The construction in Greek is a double accusative object-complement. “You” is the object and “without blemish” is the adjectival complement.
11 tn Or “in the presence of his glory,” “before his glory.”
12 tn Heb “eighteen thousand cubits” (i.e., 9.45 kilometers).
13 sn See Rev 21:12-21.