Genesis 44:26

44:26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there. ¹  If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, ²  for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’

Genesis 24:50

24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. ³  Our wishes are of no concern. ⁴ 

Genesis 29:8

29:8 “We can’t,” they said, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water ⁵  the sheep.”

Genesis 34:14

34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give ⁶  our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace ⁷  to us.

¹ tn The direct object is not specified in the Hebrew text, but is implied; “there” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “go down.”

³ tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”

⁴ tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.

⁵ tn The perfect verbal forms with the vav (ו) consecutive carry on the sequence begun by the initial imperfect form.

⁷ tn Heb “we are not able to do this thing, to give.” The second infinitive is in apposition to the first, explaining what they are not able to do.

⁸ tn The Hebrew word translated “disgrace” usually means “ridicule; taunt; reproach.” It can also refer to the reason the condition of shame or disgrace causes ridicule or a reproach.