Discovery BoxGenesis 13:1--17:27
Context13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. 1 He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. 2 13:2 (Now Abram was very wealthy 3 in livestock, silver, and gold.) 4
13:3 And he journeyed from place to place 5 from the Negev as far as Bethel. 6 He returned 7 to the place where he had pitched his tent 8 at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai. 13:4 This was the place where he had first built the altar, 9 and there Abram worshiped the Lord. 10
13:5 Now Lot, who was traveling 11 with Abram, also had 12 flocks, herds, and tents. 13:6 But the land could 13 not support them while they were living side by side. 14 Because their possessions were so great, they were not able to live 15 alongside one another. 13:7 So there were quarrels 16 between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. 17 (Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.) 18
13:8 Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. 19 13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go 20 to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.”
13:10 Lot looked up and saw 21 the whole region 22 of the Jordan. He noticed 23 that all of it was well-watered (before the Lord obliterated 24 Sodom and Gomorrah) 25 like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, 26 all the way to Zoar. 13:11 Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled 27 toward the east.
So the relatives separated from each other. 28 13:12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain 29 and pitched his tents next to Sodom. 13:13 (Now 30 the people 31 of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.) 32
13:14 After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, 33 “Look 34 from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west. 13:15 I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants 35 forever. 13:16 And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted. 36 13:17 Get up and 37 walk throughout 38 the land, 39 for I will give it to you.”
13:18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live 40 by the oaks 41 of Mamre in Hebron, and he built an altar to the Lord there.
14:1 At that time 42 Amraphel king of Shinar, 43 Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations 44 14:2 went to war 45 against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 46 14:3 These last five kings 47 joined forces 48 in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 49 14:4 For twelve years 50 they had served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year 51 they rebelled. 52 14:5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were his allies came and defeated 53 the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 14:6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is near the desert. 54 14:7 Then they attacked En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) again, 55 and they conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.
14:8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and prepared for battle. In the Valley of Siddim they met 56 14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, 57 Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against 58 five. 14:10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. 59 When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, 60 but some survivors 61 fled to the hills. 62 14:11 The four victorious kings 63 took all the possessions and food of Sodom and Gomorrah and left. 14:12 They also took Abram’s nephew 64 Lot and his possessions when 65 they left, for Lot 66 was living in Sodom. 67
14:13 A fugitive 68 came and told Abram the Hebrew. 69 Now Abram was living by the oaks 70 of Mamre the Amorite, the brother 71 of Eshcol and Aner. (All these were allied by treaty 72 with Abram.) 73 14:14 When Abram heard that his nephew 74 had been taken captive, he mobilized 75 his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders 76 as far as Dan. 77 14:15 Then, during the night, 78 Abram 79 divided his forces 80 against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north 81 of Damascus. 14:16 He retrieved all the stolen property. 82 He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of 83 the people.
14:17 After Abram 84 returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram 85 in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley). 86 14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem 87 brought out bread and wine. (Now he was the priest of the Most High God.) 88 14:19 He blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by 89 the Most High God,
Creator 90 of heaven and earth. 91
14:20 Worthy of praise is 92 the Most High God,
who delivered 93 your enemies into your hand.”
Abram gave Melchizedek 94 a tenth of everything.
14:21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself.” 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I raise my hand 95 to the Lord, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, and vow 96 14:23 that I will take nothing 97 belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal. That way you can never say, ‘It is I 98 who made Abram rich.’ 14:24 I will take nothing 99 except compensation for what the young men have eaten. 100 As for the share of the men who went with me – Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre – let them take their share.”
15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield 101 and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” 102
15:2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, 103 what will you give me since 104 I continue to be 105 childless, and my heir 106 is 107 Eliezer of Damascus?” 108 15:3 Abram added, 109 “Since 110 you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” 111
15:4 But look, 112 the word of the Lord came to him: “This man 113 will not be your heir, 114 but instead 115 a son 116 who comes from your own body will be 117 your heir.” 118 15:5 The Lord 119 took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
15:6 Abram believed 120 the Lord, and the Lord 121 considered his response of faith 122 as proof of genuine loyalty. 123
15:7 The Lord said 124 to him, “I am the Lord 125 who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans 126 to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But 127 Abram 128 said, “O sovereign Lord, 129 by what 130 can I know that I am to possess it?”
15:9 The Lord 131 said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram 132 took all these for him and then cut them in two 133 and placed each half opposite the other, 134 but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, 135 and great terror overwhelmed him. 136 15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain 137 that your descendants will be strangers 138 in a foreign country. 139 They will be enslaved and oppressed 140 for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. 141 Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, 142 you will go to your ancestors 143 in peace and be buried at a good old age. 144 15:16 In the fourth generation 145 your descendants 146 will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” 147
15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch 148 passed between the animal parts. 149 15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant 150 with Abram: “To your descendants I give 151 this land, from the river of Egypt 152 to the great river, the Euphrates River – 15:19 the land 153 of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” 154
16:1 Now Sarai, 155 Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, 156 but she had an Egyptian servant 157 named Hagar. 158 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since 159 the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with 160 my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” 161 Abram did what 162 Sarai told him.
16:3 So after Abram had lived 163 in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, 164 to her husband to be his wife. 165 16:4 He had sexual relations with 166 Hagar, and she became pregnant. 167 Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 168 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! 169 I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, 170 but when she realized 171 that she was pregnant, she despised me. 172 May the Lord judge between you and me!” 173
16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your 174 servant is under your authority, 175 do to her whatever you think best.” 176 Then Sarai treated Hagar 177 harshly, 178 so she ran away from Sarai. 179
16:7 The Lord’s angel 180 found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road to Shur. 181 16:8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from 182 my mistress, Sarai.”
16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit 183 to her authority. 16:10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added, 184 “so that they will be too numerous to count.” 185 16:11 Then the Lord’s angel said to her,
“You are now 186 pregnant
and are about to give birth 187 to a son.
You are to name him Ishmael, 188
for the Lord has heard your painful groans. 189
16:12 He will be a wild donkey 190 of a man.
He will be hostile to everyone, 191
and everyone will be hostile to him. 192
He will live away from 193 his brothers.”
16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” 194 for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” 195 16:14 That is why the well was called 196 Beer Lahai Roi. 197 (It is located 198 between Kadesh and Bered.)
16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. 199 16:16 (Now 200 Abram was 86 years old 201 when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.) 202
17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, 203 the Lord appeared to him and said, 204 “I am the sovereign God. 205 Walk 206 before me 207 and be blameless. 208 17:2 Then I will confirm my covenant 209 between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.” 210
17:3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, 211 and God said to him, 212 17:4 “As for me, 213 this 214 is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 17:5 No longer will your name be 215 Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham 216 because I will make you 217 the father of a multitude of nations. 17:6 I will make you 218 extremely 219 fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. 220 17:7 I will confirm 221 my covenant as a perpetual 222 covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 223 17:8 I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing 224 – to you and your descendants after you as a permanent 225 possession. I will be their God.”
17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep 226 the covenantal requirement 227 I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 17:10 This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: 228 Every male among you must be circumcised. 229 17:11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder 230 of the covenant between me and you. 17:12 Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old 231 must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants. 17:13 They must indeed be circumcised, 232 whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant 233 will be visible in your flesh as a permanent 234 reminder. 17:14 Any uncircumcised male 235 who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off 236 from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement.” 237
17:15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; 238 Sarah 239 will be her name. 17:16 I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. 240 Kings of countries 241 will come from her!”
17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed 242 as he said to himself, 243 “Can 244 a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? 245 Can Sarah 246 bear a child at the age of ninety?” 247 17:18 Abraham said to God, “O that 248 Ishmael might live before you!” 249
17:19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. 250 I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual 251 covenant for his descendants after him. 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. 252 I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. 253 He will become the father of twelve princes; 254 I will make him into a great nation. 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.” 17:22 When he finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. 255
17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) 256 and circumcised them 257 on that very same day, just as God had told him to do. 17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old 258 when he was circumcised; 259 17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old 260 when he was circumcised. 17:26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day. 17:27 All the men of his household, whether born in his household or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Genesis 31:1--36:43
Context31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, 261 “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich 262 at our father’s expense!” 263 31:2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed. 264
31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers 265 and to your relatives. I will be with you.” 266 31:4 So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah 267 to come to the field 268 where his flocks were. 269 31:5 There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, 270 but the God of my father has been with me. 31:6 You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could, 271 31:7 but your father has humiliated 272 me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm. 31:8 If he said, 273 ‘The speckled animals 274 will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to speckled offspring. But if he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to streaked offspring. 31:9 In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.
31:10 “Once 275 during breeding season I saw 276 in a dream that the male goats mating with 277 the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 31:11 In the dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am!’ I replied. 31:12 Then he said, ‘Observe 278 that all the male goats mating with 279 the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you. 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, 280 where you anointed 281 the sacred stone and made a vow to me. 282 Now leave this land immediately 283 and return to your native land.’”
31:14 Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance 284 in our father’s house? 31:15 Hasn’t he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted 285 the money paid for us! 286 31:16 Surely all the wealth that God snatched away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So now do everything God has told you.”
31:17 So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. 287 31:18 He took 288 away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac. 289
31:19 While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, 290 Rachel stole the household idols 291 that belonged to her father. 31:20 Jacob also deceived 292 Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. 293 31:21 He left 294 with all he owned. He quickly crossed 295 the Euphrates River 296 and headed for 297 the hill country of Gilead.
31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. 298 31:23 So he took his relatives 299 with him and pursued Jacob 300 for seven days. 301 He caught up with 302 him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, 303 “Be careful 304 that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.” 305
31:25 Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. 306 31:26 “What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me 307 and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war! 308 31:27 Why did you run away secretly 309 and deceive me? 310 Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? 311 31:28 You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren 312 good-bye. You have acted foolishly! 31:29 I have 313 the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful 314 that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’ 315 31:30 Now I understand that 316 you have gone away 317 because you longed desperately 318 for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” 319
31:31 “I left secretly because I was afraid!” 320 Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought 321 you might take your daughters away from me by force. 322 31:32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! 323 In the presence of our relatives 324 identify whatever is yours and take it.” 325 (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.) 326
31:33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. 327 Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 328 31:34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle 329 and sat on them.) 330 Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. 331 31:35 Rachel 332 said to her father, “Don’t be angry, 333 my lord. I cannot stand up 334 in your presence because I am having my period.” 335 So he searched thoroughly, 336 but did not find the idols.
31:36 Jacob became angry 337 and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. 338 “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? 339 31:37 When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? 340 Set it here before my relatives and yours, 341 and let them settle the dispute between the two of us! 342
31:38 “I have been with you for the past twenty years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 31:39 Animals torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I always absorbed the loss myself. 343 You always made me pay for every missing animal, 344 whether it was taken by day or at night. 31:40 I was consumed by scorching heat 345 during the day and by piercing cold 346 at night, and I went without sleep. 347 31:41 This was my lot 348 for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave 349 for you – fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times! 31:42 If the God of my father – the God of Abraham, the one whom Isaac fears 350 – had not been with me, you would certainly have sent me away empty-handed! But God saw how I was oppressed and how hard I worked, 351 and he rebuked you last night.”
31:43 Laban replied 352 to Jacob, “These women 353 are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, 354 and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today 355 or the children to whom they have given birth? 31:44 So now, come, let’s make a formal agreement, 356 you and I, and it will be 357 proof that we have made peace.” 358
31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. 31:46 Then he 359 said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they brought stones and put them in a pile. 360 They ate there by the pile of stones. 31:47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, 361 but Jacob called it Galeed. 362
31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement 363 today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah 364 because he said, “May the Lord watch 365 between us 366 when we are out of sight of one another. 367 31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize 368 that God is witness to your actions.” 369
31:51 “Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you,” Laban said to Jacob. 370 31:52 “This pile of stones and the pillar are reminders that I will not pass beyond this pile to come to harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to come to harm me. 371 31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, 372 the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. 373 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice 374 on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. 375 They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.
31:55 (32:1) 376 Early in the morning Laban kissed 377 his grandchildren 378 and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home. 379
32:1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God 380 met him. 32:2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, 381 “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. 382
32:3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead 383 to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region 384 of Edom. 32:4 He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant 385 Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now. 32:5 I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and female servants. I have sent 386 this message 387 to inform my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”
32:6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.” 32:7 Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels. 32:8 “If Esau attacks one camp,” 388 he thought, 389 “then the other camp will be able to escape.” 390
32:9 Then Jacob prayed, 391 “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said 392 to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ 393 32:10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love 394 you have shown 395 your servant. With only my walking stick 396 I crossed the Jordan, 397 but now I have become two camps. 32:11 Rescue me, 398 I pray, from the hand 399 of my brother Esau, 400 for I am afraid he will come 401 and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children. 402 32:12 But you 403 said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper 404 and will make 405 your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’” 406
32:13 Jacob 407 stayed there that night. Then he sent 408 as a gift 409 to his brother Esau 32:14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 32:15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 32:16 He entrusted them to 410 his servants, who divided them into herds. 411 He told his servants, “Pass over before me, and keep some distance between one herd and the next.” 32:17 He instructed the servant leading the first herd, 412 “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? 413 Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’ 414 32:18 then you must say, 415 ‘They belong 416 to your servant Jacob. 417 They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. 418 In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’” 419
32:19 He also gave these instructions to the second and third servants, as well as all those who were following the herds, saying, “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 420 32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” 421 Jacob thought, 422 “I will first appease him 423 by sending a gift ahead of me. 424 After that I will meet him. 425 Perhaps he will accept me.” 426 32:21 So the gifts were sent on ahead of him 427 while he spent that night in the camp. 428
32:22 During the night Jacob quickly took 429 his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons 430 and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 431 32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream along with all his possessions. 432 32:24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man 433 wrestled 434 with him until daybreak. 435 32:25 When the man 436 saw that he could not defeat Jacob, 437 he struck 438 the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
32:26 Then the man 439 said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” 440 “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, 441 “unless you bless me.” 442 32:27 The man asked him, 443 “What is your name?” 444 He answered, “Jacob.” 32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, 445 “but Israel, 446 because you have fought 447 with God and with men and have prevailed.”
32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” 448 “Why 449 do you ask my name?” the man replied. 450 Then he blessed 451 Jacob 452 there. 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, 453 explaining, 454 “Certainly 455 I have seen God face to face 456 and have survived.” 457
32:31 The sun rose 458 over him as he crossed over Penuel, 459 but 460 he was limping because of his hip. 32:32 That is why to this day 461 the Israelites do not eat the sinew which is attached to the socket of the hip, because he struck 462 the socket of Jacob’s hip near the attached sinew.
33:1 Jacob looked up 463 and saw that Esau was coming 464 along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. 33:2 He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. 465 33:3 But Jacob 466 himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached 467 his brother. 33:4 But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept. 33:5 When Esau 468 looked up 469 and saw the women and the children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob 470 replied, “The children whom God has graciously given 471 your servant.” 33:6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. 472 33:7 Then Leah came forward with her children and they bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down.
33:8 Esau 473 then asked, “What did you intend 474 by sending all these herds to meet me?” 475 Jacob 476 replied, “To find favor in your sight, my lord.” 33:9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you.” 33:10 “No, please take them,” Jacob said. 477 “If I have found favor in your sight, accept 478 my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, 479 it is as if I have seen the face of God. 480 33:11 Please take my present 481 that was brought to you, for God has been generous 482 to me and I have all I need.” 483 When Jacob urged him, he took it. 484
33:12 Then Esau 485 said, “Let’s be on our way! 486 I will go in front of you.” 33:13 But Jacob 487 said to him, “My lord knows that the children are young, 488 and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. 489 If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die. 33:14 Let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the herds and the children, 490 until I come to my lord at Seir.”
33:15 So Esau said, “Let me leave some of my men with you.” 491 “Why do that?” Jacob replied. 492 “My lord has already been kind enough to me.” 493
33:16 So that same day Esau made his way back 494 to Seir. 33:17 But 495 Jacob traveled to Succoth 496 where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called 497 Succoth. 498
33:18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near 499 the city. 33:19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it 500 from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money. 501 33:20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.” 502
34:1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet 503 the young women 504 of the land. 34:2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, 505 and sexually assaulted her. 506 34:3 Then he became very attached 507 to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. 508 34:4 Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Acquire this young girl as my wife.” 509 34:5 When 510 Jacob heard that Shechem 511 had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. So Jacob remained silent 512 until they came in.
34:6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. 513 34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. 514 They 515 were offended 516 and very angry because Shechem 517 had disgraced Israel 518 by sexually assaulting 519 Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed. 520
34:8 But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter. 521 Please give her to him as his wife. 34:9 Intermarry with us. 522 Let us marry your daughters, and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. 523 34:10 You may live 524 among us, and the land will be open to you. 525 Live in it, travel freely in it, 526 and acquire property in it.”
34:11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s 527 father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me 528 I’ll give. 529 34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, 530 and I’ll give 531 whatever you ask 532 of me. Just give me the young woman as my wife!”
34:13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem 533 had violated their sister Dinah. 34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give 534 our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace 535 to us. 34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become 536 like us by circumcising 537 all your males. 34:16 Then we will give 538 you our daughters to marry, 539 and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. 34:17 But if you do not agree to our terms 540 by being circumcised, then we will take 541 our sister 542 and depart.”
34:18 Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. 543 34:19 The young man did not delay in doing what they asked 544 because he wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah 545 badly. (Now he was more important 546 than anyone in his father’s household.) 547 34:20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate 548 of their city and spoke to the men of their city, 34:21 “These men are at peace with us. So let them live in the land and travel freely in it, for the land is wide enough 549 for them. We will take their daughters for wives, and we will give them our daughters to marry. 550 34:22 Only on this one condition will these men consent to live with us and become one people: They demand 551 that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 34:23 If we do so, 552 won’t their livestock, their property, and all their animals become ours? So let’s consent to their demand, so they will live among us.”
34:24 All the men who assembled at the city gate 553 agreed with 554 Hamor and his son Shechem. Every male who assembled at the city gate 555 was circumcised. 34:25 In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword 556 and went to the unsuspecting city 557 and slaughtered every male. 34:26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. 34:27 Jacob’s sons killed them 558 and looted the city because their sister had been violated. 559 34:28 They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. 560 34:29 They captured as plunder 561 all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses.
34:30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought ruin 562 on me by making me a foul odor 563 among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I 564 am few in number; they will join forces against me and attack me, and both I and my family will be destroyed!” 34:31 But Simeon and Levi replied, 565 “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?”
35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once 566 to Bethel 567 and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 568 35:2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. 569 Purify yourselves and change your clothes. 570 35:3 Let us go up at once 571 to Bethel. Then I will make 572 an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress 573 and has been with me wherever I went.” 574
35:4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their possession 575 and the rings that were in their ears. 576 Jacob buried them 577 under the oak 578 near Shechem 35:5 and they started on their journey. 579 The surrounding cities were afraid of God, 580 and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
35:6 Jacob and all those who were with him arrived at Luz (that is, Bethel) 581 in the land of Canaan. 582 35:7 He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel 583 because there God had revealed himself 584 to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 35:8 (Deborah, 585 Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel; thus it was named 586 Oak of Weeping.) 587
35:9 God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan Aram and blessed him. 35:10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but your name will no longer be called Jacob; Israel will be your name.” So God named him Israel. 588 35:11 Then God said to him, “I am the sovereign God. 589 Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants! 590 35:12 The land I gave 591 to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you. To your descendants 592 I will also give this land.” 35:13 Then God went up from the place 593 where he spoke with him. 35:14 So Jacob set up a sacred stone pillar in the place where God spoke with him. 594 He poured out a drink offering on it, and then he poured oil on it. 595 35:15 Jacob named the place 596 where God spoke with him Bethel. 597
35:16 They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, 598 Rachel went into labor 599 – and her labor was hard. 35:17 When her labor was at its hardest, 600 the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you are having another son.” 601 35:18 With her dying breath, 602 she named him Ben-Oni. 603 But his father called him Benjamin instead. 604 35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 605 35:20 Jacob set up a marker 606 over her grave; it is 607 the Marker of Rachel’s Grave to this day.
35:21 Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. 608 35:22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with 609 Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it.
Jacob had twelve sons:
35:23 The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, as well as Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
35:24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
35:25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.
35:26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher.
These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
35:27 So Jacob came back to his father Isaac in Mamre, 610 to Kiriath Arba 611 (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 612 35:28 Isaac lived to be 180 years old. 613 35:29 Then Isaac breathed his last and joined his ancestors. 614 He died an old man who had lived a full life. 615 His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). 616
36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: 617 Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 618 of Zibeon the Hivite, 36:3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
36:4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 36:5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
36:6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from 619 Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled 620 was not able to support them because of their livestock. 36:8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir. 621
36:9 This is the account of Esau, the father 622 of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.
36:10 These were the names of Esau’s sons:
Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:11 The sons of Eliphaz were:
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
36:12 Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons 623 of Esau’s wife Adah.
36:13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons 624 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 625 of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.
36:15 These were the chiefs 626 among the descendants 627 of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 36:16 chief Korah, 628 chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons 629 of Adah.
36:17 These were the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these were the sons 630 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.
36:20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, 631 who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 36:21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants 632 of Seir in the land of Edom.
36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; 633 Lotan’s sister was Timna.
36:23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, 634 and Onam.
36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs 635 in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).
36:25 These were the children 636 of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:26 These were the sons of Dishon: 637 Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
36:27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
36:28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
36:29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 36:30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir.
36:31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: 638
36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
36:33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
36:34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
36:35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place; the name of his city was Avith.
36:36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
36:37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River 639 reigned in his place.
36:38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
36:39 When Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad 640 reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. 641 His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 36:41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 36:42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 36:43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements 642 in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.
Genesis 1:1-14
Context1:1 In the beginning 643 God 644 created 645 the heavens and the earth. 646
1:2 Now 647 the earth 648 was without shape and empty, 649 and darkness 650 was over the surface of the watery deep, 651 but the Spirit of God 652 was moving 653 over the surface 654 of the water. 655 1:3 God said, 656 “Let there be 657 light.” 658 And there was light! 1:4 God saw 659 that the light was good, 660 so God separated 661 the light from the darkness. 1:5 God called 662 the light “day” and the darkness 663 “night.” There was evening, and there was morning, marking the first day. 664
1:6 God said, “Let there be an expanse 665 in the midst of the waters and let it separate water 666 from water. 1:7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. 667 It was so. 668 1:8 God called the expanse “sky.” 669 There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.
1:9 God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place 670 and let dry ground appear.” 671 It was so. 1:10 God called the dry ground “land” 672 and the gathered waters he called “seas.” God saw that it was good.
1:11 God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: 673 plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, 674 and 675 trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.” It was so. 1:12 The land produced vegetation – plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. God saw that it was good. 1:13 There was evening, and there was morning, a third day.
1:14 God said, “Let there be lights 676 in the expanse 677 of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs 678 to indicate seasons and days and years,
Genesis 1:1
Context1:1 In the beginning 679 God 680 created 681 the heavens and the earth. 682
Colossians 2:7-9
Context2:7 rooted 683 and built up in him and firm 684 in your 685 faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 2:8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you 686 through an empty, deceitful philosophy 687 that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits 688 of the world, and not according to Christ. 2:9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives 689 in bodily form,
Colossians 2:1
Context2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, 690 and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face. 691
Colossians 3:16
Context3:16 Let the word of Christ 692 dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace 693 in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:1
Context3:1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 4:10
Context4:10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him).
[13:1] 1 tn Or “the South [country]” (also in v. 3).
[13:1] 2 tn Heb “And Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all which was his, and Lot with him, to the Negev.”
[13:2] 4 tn This parenthetical clause, introduced by the vav (ו) disjunctive (translated “now”), provides information necessary to the point of the story.
[13:3] 5 tn Heb “on his journeys”; the verb and noun combination means to pick up the tents and move from camp to camp.
[13:3] 6 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[13:3] 7 tn The words “he returned” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[13:3] 8 tn Heb “where his tent had been.”
[13:4] 9 tn Heb “to the place of the altar which he had made there in the beginning” (cf. Gen 12:7-8).
[13:4] 10 tn Heb “he called in the name of the
[13:5] 12 tn The Hebrew idiom is “to Lot…there was,” the preposition here expressing possession.
[13:6] 13 tn The potential nuance for the perfect tense is necessary here, and supported by the parallel clause that actually uses “to be able.”
[13:6] 14 tn The infinitive construct לָשֶׁבֶת (lashevet, from יָשַׁב, yashav) explains what it was that the land could not support: “the land could not support them to live side by side.” See further J. C. de Moor, “Lexical Remarks Concerning Yahad and Yahdaw,” VT 7 (1957): 350-55.
[13:6] 15 tn The same infinitive occurs here, serving as the object of the verb.
[13:7] 16 tn The Hebrew term רִיב (riv) means “strife, conflict, quarreling.” In later texts it has the meaning of “legal controversy, dispute.” See B. Gemser, “The rîb – or Controversy – Pattern in Hebrew Mentality,” Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near East [VTSup], 120-37.
[13:7] 17 sn Since the quarreling was between the herdsmen, the dispute was no doubt over water and vegetation for the animals.
[13:7] 18 tn This parenthetical clause, introduced with the vav (ו) disjunctive (translated “now”), again provides critical information. It tells in part why the land cannot sustain these two bedouins, and it also hints of the danger of weakening the family by inner strife.
[13:8] 19 tn Heb “men, brothers [are] we.” Here “brothers” describes the closeness of the relationship, but could be misunderstood if taken literally, since Abram was Lot’s uncle.
[13:9] 20 tn The words “you go” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons both times in this verse.
[13:10] 21 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.” The expression draws attention to the act of looking, indicating that Lot took a good look. It also calls attention to the importance of what was seen.
[13:10] 22 tn Or “plain”; Heb “circle.”
[13:10] 23 tn The words “he noticed” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[13:10] 24 sn Obliterated. The use of the term “destroy” (שַׁחֵת, shakhet) is reminiscent of the Noahic flood (Gen 6:13). Both at the flood and in Sodom the place was obliterated by catastrophe and only one family survived (see C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:178).
[13:10] 25 tn This short temporal clause (preposition + Piel infinitive construct + subjective genitive + direct object) is strategically placed in the middle of the lavish descriptions to sound an ominous note. The entire clause is parenthetical in nature. Most English translations place the clause at the end of v. 10 for stylistic reasons.
[13:10] 26 sn The narrative places emphasis on what Lot saw so that the reader can appreciate how it aroused his desire for the best land. It makes allusion to the garden of the
[13:11] 27 tn Heb “Lot traveled.” The proper name has not been repeated in the translation at this point for stylistic reasons.
[13:11] 28 tn Heb “a man from upon his brother.”
[13:12] 29 tn Or “the cities of the plain”; Heb “[the cities of] the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[13:13] 30 tn Here is another significant parenthetical clause in the story, signaled by the vav (וו) disjunctive (translated “now”) on the noun at the beginning of the clause.
[13:13] 31 tn Heb “men.” However, this is generic in sense; it is unlikely that only the male residents of Sodom were sinners.
[13:13] 32 tn Heb “wicked and sinners against the
[13:14] 33 tn Heb “and the
[13:14] 34 tn Heb “lift up your eyes and see.”
[13:15] 35 tn Heb “for all the land which you see to you I will give it and to your descendants.”
[13:16] 36 tn The translation “can be counted” (potential imperfect) is suggested by the use of יוּכַל (yukhal, “is able”) in the preceding clause.
[13:17] 37 tn The connective “and” is not present in the Hebrew text; it has been supplied for purposes of English style.
[13:17] 38 tn The Hitpael form הִתְהַלֵּךְ (hithallekh) means “to walk about”; it also can carry the ideas of moving about, traversing, going back and forth, or living in an area. It here has the connotation of traversing the land to survey it, to look it over.
[13:17] 39 tn Heb “the land to its length and to its breadth.” This phrase has not been included in the translation because it is somewhat redundant (see the note on the word “throughout” in this verse).
[13:18] 40 tn Heb “he came and lived.”
[13:18] 41 tn Or “terebinths.”
[14:1] 42 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) followed by “in the days of.”
[14:1] 43 sn Shinar (also in v. 9) is the region of Babylonia.
[14:1] 44 tn Or “king of Goyim.” The Hebrew term גּוֹיִם (goyim) means “nations,” but a number of modern translations merely transliterate the Hebrew (cf. NEB “Goyim”; NIV, NRSV “Goiim”).
[14:2] 46 sn On the geographical background of vv. 1-2 see J. P. Harland, “Sodom and Gomorrah,” The Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 1:41-75; and D. N. Freedman, “The Real Story of the Ebla Tablets, Ebla and the Cities of the Plain,” BA 41 (1978): 143-64.
[14:3] 47 tn Heb “all these,” referring only to the last five kings named. The referent has been specified as “these last five kings” in the translation for clarity.
[14:3] 48 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to join together; to unite; to be allied.” It stresses close associations, especially of friendships, marriages, or treaties.
[14:3] 49 sn The Salt Sea is the older name for the Dead Sea.
[14:4] 50 tn The sentence simply begins with “twelve years”; it serves as an adverbial accusative giving the duration of their bondage.
[14:4] 51 tn This is another adverbial accusative of time.
[14:4] 52 sn The story serves as a foreshadowing of the plight of the kingdom of Israel later. Eastern powers came and forced the western kingdoms into submission. Each year, then, they would send tribute east – to keep them away. Here, in the thirteenth year, they refused to send the tribute (just as later Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria). And so in the fourteenth year the eastern powers came to put them down again. This account from Abram’s life taught future generations that God can give victory over such threats – that people did not have to live in servitude to tyrants from the east.
[14:5] 53 tn The Hebrew verb נָכָה (nakhah) means “to attack, to strike, to smite.” In this context it appears that the strike was successful, and so a translation of “defeated” is preferable.
[14:6] 54 sn The line of attack ran down the eastern side of the Jordan Valley into the desert, and then turned and came up the valley to the cities of the plain.
[14:7] 55 tn Heb “they returned and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh).” The two verbs together form a verbal hendiadys, the first serving as the adverb: “they returned and came” means “they came again.” Most English translations do not treat this as a hendiadys, but translate “they turned back” or something similar. Since in the context, however, “came again to” does not simply refer to travel but an assault against the place, the present translation expresses this as “attacked…again.”
[14:9] 57 tn Or “Goyim.” See the note on the word “nations” in 14:1.
[14:9] 58 tn The Hebrew text has simply “against.” The word “fought” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[14:10] 59 tn Heb “Now the Valley of Siddim [was] pits, pits of tar.” This parenthetical disjunctive clause emphasizes the abundance of tar pits in the area through repetition of the noun “pits.”
[14:10] 60 tn Or “they were defeated there.” After a verb of motion the Hebrew particle שָׁם (sham) with the directional heh (שָׁמָּה, shammah) can mean “into it, therein” (BDB 1027 s.v. שָׁם).
[14:10] 62 sn The reference to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah must mean the kings along with their armies. Most of them were defeated in the valley, but some of them escaped to the hills.
[14:11] 63 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the four victorious kings, see v. 9) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[14:12] 64 tn Heb “Lot the son of his brother.”
[14:12] 66 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:12] 67 tn This disjunctive clause is circumstantial/causal, explaining that Lot was captured because he was living in Sodom at the time.
[14:13] 68 tn Heb “the fugitive.” The article carries a generic force or indicates that this fugitive is definite in the mind of the speaker.
[14:13] 69 sn E. A. Speiser (Genesis [AB], 103) suggests that part of this chapter came from an outside source since it refers to Abram the Hebrew. That is not impossible, given that the narrator likely utilized traditions and genealogies that had been collected and transmitted over the years. The meaning of the word “Hebrew” has proved elusive. It may be related to the verb “to cross over,” perhaps meaning “immigrant.” Or it might be derived from the name of Abram’s ancestor Eber (see Gen 11:14-16).
[14:13] 70 tn Or “terebinths.”
[14:13] 71 tn Or “a brother”; or “a relative”; or perhaps “an ally.”
[14:13] 72 tn Heb “possessors of a treaty with.” Since it is likely that the qualifying statement refers to all three (Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner) the words “all these” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear.
[14:13] 73 tn This parenthetical disjunctive clause explains how Abram came to be living in their territory, but it also explains why they must go to war with Abram.
[14:14] 74 tn Heb “his brother,” by extension, “relative.” Here and in v. 16 the more specific term “nephew” has been used in the translation for clarity. Lot was the son of Haran, Abram’s brother (Gen 11:27).
[14:14] 75 tn The verb וַיָּרֶק (vayyareq) is a rare form, probably related to the word רֵיק (req, “to be empty”). If so, it would be a very figurative use: “he emptied out” (or perhaps “unsheathed”) his men. The LXX has “mustered” (cf. NEB). E. A. Speiser (Genesis [AB], 103-4) suggests reading with the Samaritan Pentateuch a verb diq, cognate with Akkadian deku, “to mobilize” troops. If this view is accepted, one must assume that a confusion of the Hebrew letters ד (dalet) and ר (resh) led to the error in the traditional Hebrew text. These two letters are easily confused in all phases of ancient Hebrew script development. The present translation is based on this view.
[14:14] 76 tn The words “the invaders” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.
[14:14] 77 sn The use of the name Dan reflects a later perspective. The Danites did not migrate to this northern territory until centuries later (see Judg 18:29). Furthermore Dan was not even born until much later. By inserting this name a scribe has clarified the location of the region.
[14:15] 78 tn The Hebrew text simply has “night” as an adverbial accusative.
[14:15] 79 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:15] 80 tn Heb “he divided himself…he and his servants.”
[14:15] 81 tn Heb “left.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.
[14:16] 82 tn The word “stolen” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[14:16] 83 tn The phrase “the rest of “ has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
[14:17] 84 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:17] 85 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:17] 86 sn The King’s Valley is possibly a reference to what came to be known later as the Kidron Valley.
[14:18] 87 sn Salem is traditionally identified as the Jebusite stronghold of old Jerusalem. Accordingly, there has been much speculation about its king. Though some have identified him with the preincarnate Christ or with Noah’s son Shem, it is far more likely that Melchizedek was a Canaanite royal priest whom God used to renew the promise of the blessing to Abram, perhaps because Abram considered Melchizedek his spiritual superior. But Melchizedek remains an enigma. In a book filled with genealogical records he appears on the scene without a genealogy and then disappears from the narrative. In Psalm 110 the
[14:18] 88 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause significantly identifies Melchizedek as a priest as well as a king.
[14:19] 89 tn The preposition לְ (lamed) introduces the agent after the passive participle.
[14:19] 90 tn Some translate “possessor of heaven and earth” (cf. NASB). But cognate evidence from Ugaritic indicates that there were two homonymic roots ָקנָה (qanah), one meaning “to create” (as in Gen 4:1) and the other “to obtain, to acquire, to possess.” While “possessor” would fit here, “creator” is the more likely due to the collocation with “heaven and earth.”
[14:19] 91 tn The terms translated “heaven” and “earth” are both objective genitives after the participle in construct.
[14:20] 92 tn Heb “blessed be.” For God to be “blessed” means that is praised. His reputation is enriched in the world as his name is praised.
[14:20] 93 sn Who delivered. The Hebrew verb מִגֵּן (miggen, “delivered”) foreshadows the statement by God to Abram in Gen 15:1, “I am your shield” (מָגֵן, magen). Melchizedek provided a theological interpretation of Abram’s military victory.
[14:20] 94 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:22] 95 tn Abram takes an oath, raising his hand as a solemn gesture. The translation understands the perfect tense as having an instantaneous nuance: “Here and now I raise my hand.”
[14:22] 96 tn The words “and vow” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[14:23] 97 tn The oath formula is elliptical, reading simply: “…if I take.” It is as if Abram says, “[May the
[14:23] 98 tn The Hebrew text adds the independent pronoun (“I”) to the verb form for emphasis.
[14:24] 99 tn The words “I will take nothing” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[14:24] 100 tn Heb “except only what the young men have eaten.”
[15:1] 101 sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.
[15:1] 102 tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).
[15:2] 103 tn The Hebrew text has אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה (’adonay yehvih, “Master,
[15:2] 104 tn The vav (ו) disjunctive at the beginning of the clause is circumstantial, expressing the cause or reason.
[15:2] 105 tn Heb “I am going.”
[15:2] 106 tn Heb “the son of the acquisition of my house.”
[15:2] 107 tn The pronoun is anaphoric here, equivalent to the verb “to be” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).
[15:2] 108 sn The sentence in the Hebrew text employs a very effective wordplay on the name Damascus: “The son of the acquisition (בֶּן־מֶשֶׁק, ben-mesheq) of my house is Eliezer of Damascus (דַּמֶּשֶׁק, dammesheq).” The words are not the same; they have different sibilants. But the sound play gives the impression that “in the nomen is the omen.” Eliezer the Damascene will be Abram’s heir if Abram dies childless because “Damascus” seems to mean that. See M. F. Unger, “Some Comments on the Text of Genesis 15:2-3,” JBL 72 (1953): 49-50; H. L. Ginsberg, “Abram’s ‘Damascene’ Steward,” BASOR 200 (1970): 31-32.
[15:3] 109 tn Heb “And Abram said.”
[15:3] 110 tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).
[15:3] 111 tn Heb “is inheriting me.”
[15:4] 112 tn The disjunctive draws attention to God’s response and the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, translated “look”) mirrors Abram’s statement in v. 3 and highlights the fact that God responded to Abram.
[15:4] 113 tn The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated “this one” or “this man.” That the
[15:4] 114 tn Heb “inherit you.”
[15:4] 115 tn The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.
[15:4] 116 tn Heb “he who”; the implied referent (Abram’s unborn son who will be his heir) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:4] 117 tn The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: “whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you.”
[15:4] 118 tn Heb “will inherit you.”
[15:5] 119 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[15:6] 120 tn The nonconsecutive vav (ו) is on a perfect verbal form. If the composer of the narrative had wanted to show simple sequence, he would have used the vav consecutive with the preterite. The perfect with vav conjunctive (where one expects the preterite with vav consecutive) in narrative contexts can have a variety of discourse functions, but here it probably serves to highlight Abram’s response to God’s promise. For a detailed discussion of the vav + perfect construction in Hebrew narrative, see R. Longacre, “Weqatal Forms in Biblical Hebrew Prose: A Discourse-modular Approach,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 50-98. The Hebrew verb אָמַן (’aman) means “to confirm, to support” in the Qal verbal stem. Its derivative nouns refer to something or someone that/who provides support, such as a “pillar,” “nurse,” or “guardian, trustee.” In the Niphal stem it comes to mean “to be faithful, to be reliable, to be dependable,” or “to be firm, to be sure.” In the Hiphil, the form used here, it takes on a declarative sense: “to consider something reliable [or “dependable”].” Abram regarded the God who made this promise as reliable and fully capable of making it a reality.
[15:6] 121 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
[15:6] 122 tn Heb “and he reckoned it to him.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix refers back to Abram’s act of faith, mentioned in the preceding clause. On third feminine singular pronouns referring back to verbal ideas see GKC 440-41 §135.p. Some propose taking the suffix as proleptic, anticipating the following feminine noun (“righteousness”). In this case one might translate: “and he reckoned it to him – [namely] righteousness.” See O. P. Robertson, “Genesis 15:6: A New Covenant Exposition of an Old Covenant Text,” WTJ 42 (1980): 259-89.
[15:6] 123 tn Or “righteousness”; or “evidence of steadfast commitment.” The noun is an adverbial accusative. The verb translated “considered” (Heb “reckoned”) also appears with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) in Ps 106:31. Alluding to the events recorded in Numbers 25, the psalmist notes that Phinehas’ actions were “credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.” Reference is made to the unconditional, eternal covenant with which God rewarded Phinehas’ loyalty (Num 25:12-13). So צְדָקָה seems to carry by metonymy the meaning “loyal, rewardable behavior” here, a nuance that fits nicely in Genesis 15, where God responds to Abram’s faith by formally ratifying his promise to give Abram and his descendants the land. (See R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 40.) In Phoenician and Old Aramaic inscriptions cognate nouns glossed as “correct, justifiable conduct” sometimes carry this same semantic nuance (DNWSI 2:962).
[15:7] 124 tn Heb “And he said.”
[15:7] 125 sn I am the
[15:7] 126 sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium
[15:8] 127 tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”
[15:8] 128 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:8] 129 tn See note on the phrase “sovereign
[15:9] 131 tn Heb “He”; the referent (the
[15:10] 132 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:10] 133 tn Heb “in the middle.”
[15:10] 134 tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”
[15:12] 135 tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”
[15:12] 136 tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”
[15:13] 137 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, with the Qal infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “know”). The imperfect here has an obligatory or imperatival force.
[15:13] 138 tn The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger, “sojourner, stranger”) is related to the verb גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to stay for awhile”). Abram’s descendants will stay in a land as resident aliens without rights of citizenship.
[15:13] 139 tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”
[15:13] 140 tn Heb “and they will serve them and they will oppress them.” The verb עִנּוּ, (’innu, a Piel form from עָנָה, ’anah, “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly”), is used in Exod 1:11 to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.
[15:14] 141 tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.
[15:15] 142 tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.
[15:15] 143 sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.
[15:15] 144 tn Heb “in a good old age.”
[15:16] 145 sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are four hundred years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to one hundred years.
[15:16] 146 tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[15:16] 147 tn Heb “is not yet complete.”
[15:17] 148 sn A smoking pot with a flaming torch. These same implements were used in Mesopotamian rituals designed to ward off evil (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 113-14).
[15:17] 149 tn Heb “these pieces.”
[15:18] 150 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[15:18] 151 tn The perfect verbal form is understood as instantaneous (“I here and now give”). Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, indicating certitude (“I have given” meaning it is as good as done, i.e., “I will surely give”).
[15:18] 152 sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.
[15:19] 153 tn The words “the land” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[15:21] 154 tn Each of the names in the list has the Hebrew definite article, which is used here generically for the class of people identified.
[16:1] 155 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.
[16:1] 156 sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.
[16:1] 157 tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.
[16:1] 158 sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)
[16:2] 159 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.
[16:2] 160 tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).
[16:2] 161 tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.
[16:2] 162 tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”
[16:3] 163 tn Heb “at the end of ten years, to live, Abram.” The prepositional phrase introduces the temporal clause, the infinitive construct serves as the verb, and the name “Abram” is the subject.
[16:3] 164 tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”
[16:3] 165 sn To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.
[16:4] 166 tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.
[16:4] 167 tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)
[16:4] 168 tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.
[16:5] 169 tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”
[16:5] 170 tn Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”
[16:5] 172 tn Heb “I was despised in her eyes.” The passive verb has been translated as active for stylistic reasons. Sarai was made to feel supplanted and worthless by Hagar the servant girl.
[16:5] 173 tn Heb “me and you.”
[16:6] 174 tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”
[16:6] 175 tn Heb “in your hand.”
[16:6] 176 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”
[16:6] 177 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:6] 178 tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”
[16:6] 179 tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:7] 180 tn Heb “the messenger of the
[16:7] 181 tn Heb “And the angel of the
[16:8] 182 tn Heb “from the presence of.”
[16:9] 183 tn The imperative וְהִתְעַנִּי (vÿhit’anni) is the Hitpael of עָנָה (’anah, here translated “submit”), the same word used for Sarai’s harsh treatment of her. Hagar is instructed not only to submit to Sarai’s authority, but to whatever mistreatment that involves. God calls for Hagar to humble herself.
[16:10] 184 tn Heb “The
[16:10] 185 tn Heb “cannot be numbered because of abundance.”
[16:11] 186 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”
[16:11] 187 tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.
[16:11] 188 sn The name Ishmael consists of the imperfect or jussive form of the Hebrew verb with the theophoric element added as the subject. It means “God hears” or “may God hear.”
[16:11] 189 tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.
[16:12] 190 sn A wild donkey of a man. The prophecy is not an insult. The wild donkey lived a solitary existence in the desert away from society. Ishmael would be free-roaming, strong, and like a bedouin; he would enjoy the freedom his mother sought.
[16:12] 191 tn Heb “His hand will be against everyone.” The “hand” by metonymy represents strength. His free-roaming life style would put him in conflict with those who follow social conventions. There would not be open warfare, only friction because of his antagonism to their way of life.
[16:12] 192 tn Heb “And the hand of everyone will be against him.”
[16:12] 193 tn Heb “opposite, across from.” Ishmael would live on the edge of society (cf. NASB “to the east of”). Some take this as an idiom meaning “be at odds with” (cf. NRSV, NLT) or “live in hostility toward” (cf. NIV).
[16:13] 194 tn Heb “God of my seeing.” The pronominal suffix may be understood either as objective (“who sees me,” as in the translation) or subjective (“whom I see”).
[16:13] 195 tn Heb “after one who sees me.”
[16:14] 196 tn The verb does not have an expressed subject and so is rendered as passive in the translation.
[16:14] 197 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” The text suggests that God takes up the cause of those who are oppressed.
[16:14] 198 tn Heb “look.” The words “it is located” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[16:15] 199 tn Heb “and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”
[16:16] 200 tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is parenthetical to the narrative.
[16:16] 201 tn Heb “the son of eighty-six years.”
[16:16] 202 tn The Hebrew text adds, “for Abram.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons; it is somewhat redundant given the three occurrences of Abram’s name in this and the previous verse.
[17:1] 203 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”
[17:1] 204 tn Heb “appeared to Abram and said to him.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) and the final phrase “to him” has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.
[17:1] 205 tn The name אֵל שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72. Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world who grants, blesses, and judges. In the Book of Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name are uncertain (see discussion below) its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. In Gen 17:1-8 he appeared to Abram, introduced himself as El Shaddai, and announced his intention to make the patriarch fruitful. In the role of El Shaddai God repeated these words (now elevated to the status of a decree) to Jacob (35:11). Earlier Isaac had pronounced a blessing on Jacob in which he asked El Shaddai to make Jacob fruitful (28:3). Jacob later prayed that his sons would be treated with mercy when they returned to Egypt with Benjamin (43:14). The fertility theme is not as apparent here, though one must remember that Jacob viewed Benjamin as the sole remaining son of the favored and once-barren Rachel (see 29:31; 30:22-24; 35:16-18). It is quite natural that he would appeal to El Shaddai to preserve Benjamin’s life, for it was El Shaddai’s miraculous power which made it possible for Rachel to give him sons in the first place. In 48:3 Jacob, prior to blessing Joseph’s sons, told him how El Shaddai appeared to him at Bethel (see Gen 28) and promised to make him fruitful. When blessing Joseph on his deathbed Jacob referred to Shaddai (we should probably read “El Shaddai,” along with a few Hebrew
[17:1] 206 tn Or “Live out your life.” The Hebrew verb translated “walk” is the Hitpael; it means “to walk back and forth; to walk about; to live out one’s life.”
[17:1] 207 tn Or “in my presence.”
[17:1] 208 tn There are two imperatives here: “walk…and be blameless [or “perfect”].” The second imperative may be purely sequential (see the translation) or consequential: “walk before me and then you will be blameless.” How one interprets the sequence depends on the meaning of “walk before”: (1) If it simply refers in a neutral way to serving the
[17:2] 209 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative indicates consequence. If Abram is blameless, then the
[17:2] 210 tn Heb “I will multiply you exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
[17:3] 211 tn Heb “And Abram fell on his face.” This expression probably means that Abram sank to his knees and put his forehead to the ground, although it is possible that he completely prostrated himself. In either case the posture indicates humility and reverence.
[17:3] 212 tn Heb “God spoke to him, saying.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[17:4] 214 tn Heb “is” (הִנֵּה, hinneh).
[17:5] 215 tn Heb “will your name be called.”
[17:5] 216 sn Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of God’s promise. “Abram” means “exalted father,” probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name “Abraham” is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (’av-hamon, “the father of a multitude,” which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ’avraham, “Abraham”). The new name would be a reminder of God’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, “Renaming in the Old Testament,” Words and Meanings, 70-83.
[17:5] 217 tn The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.
[17:6] 218 tn This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express God’s intentions.
[17:6] 219 tn Heb “exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
[17:6] 220 tn Heb “and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you.”
[17:7] 221 tn The verb קוּם (qum, “to arise, to stand up”) in the Hiphil verbal stem means “to confirm, to give effect to, to carry out” (i.e., a covenant or oath; see BDB 878-79 s.v. קוּם).
[17:7] 222 tn Or “as an eternal.”
[17:7] 223 tn Heb “to be to you for God and to your descendants after you.”
[17:8] 224 tn The verbal root is גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to reside temporarily,” i.e., as a resident alien). It is the land in which Abram resides, but does not yet possess as his very own.
[17:8] 225 tn Or “as an eternal.”
[17:9] 226 tn The imperfect tense could be translated “you shall keep” as a binding command; but the obligatory nuance (“must”) captures the binding sense better.
[17:9] 227 tn Heb “my covenant.” The Hebrew word בְּרִית (bÿrit) can refer to (1) the agreement itself between two parties (see v. 7), (2) the promise made by one party to another (see vv. 2-3, 7), (3) an obligation placed by one party on another, or (4) a reminder of the agreement. In vv. 9-10 the word refers to a covenantal obligation which God gives to Abraham and his descendants.
[17:10] 228 tn Heb “This is my covenant that you must keep between me and you and your descendants after you.”
[17:10] 229 sn For a discussion of male circumcision as the sign of the covenant in this passage see M. V. Fox, “The Sign of the Covenant: Circumcision in the Light of the Priestly ‘ot Etiologies,” RB 81 (1974): 557-96.
[17:12] 231 tn Heb “the son of eight days.”
[17:13] 232 tn The emphatic construction employs the Niphal imperfect tense (collective singular) and the Niphal infinitive.
[17:13] 233 tn Heb “my covenant.” Here in v. 13 the Hebrew word בְּרִית (bÿrit) refers to the outward, visible sign, or reminder, of the covenant. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word “requirement” in v. 9.
[17:13] 234 tn Or “an eternal.”
[17:14] 235 tn The disjunctive clause calls attention to the “uncircumcised male” and what will happen to him.
[17:14] 236 tn Heb “that person will be cut off.” The words “that person” have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[17:14] 237 tn Heb “he has broken my covenant.” The noun בְּרִית (bÿrit) here refers to the obligation required by God in conjunction with the covenantal agreement. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word “requirement” in v. 9.
[17:15] 238 tn Heb “[As for] Sarai your wife, you must not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [will be] her name.”
[17:15] 239 sn Sarah. The name change seems to be a dialectical variation, both spellings meaning “princess” or “queen.” Like the name Abram, the name Sarai symbolized the past. The new name Sarah, like the name Abraham, would be a reminder of what God intended to do for Sarah in the future.
[17:16] 240 tn Heb “she will become nations.”
[17:17] 242 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.
[17:17] 243 tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”
[17:17] 244 tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.
[17:17] 245 tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”
[17:17] 246 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).
[17:17] 247 tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”
[17:18] 248 tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”
[17:18] 249 tn Or “live with your blessing.”
[17:19] 250 tn Heb “will call his name Isaac.” The name means “he laughs,” or perhaps “may he laugh” (see the note on the word “laughed” in v. 17).
[17:19] 251 tn Or “as an eternal.”
[17:20] 252 sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.
[17:20] 253 tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
[17:20] 254 tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.
[17:22] 255 tn Heb “And when he finished speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.” The sequence of pronouns and proper names has been modified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[17:23] 256 tn Heb “Ishmael his son and all born in his house and all bought with money, every male among the men of the house of Abraham.”
[17:23] 257 tn Heb “circumcised the flesh of their foreskin.” The Hebrew expression is somewhat pleonastic and has been simplified in the translation.
[17:24] 258 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”
[17:24] 259 tn Heb “circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin” (also in v. 25).
[17:25] 260 tn Heb “the son of thirteen years.”
[31:1] 261 tn Heb “and he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying.”
[31:1] 262 sn The Hebrew word translated “gotten rich” (כָּבוֹד, cavod) has the basic idea of “weight.” If one is heavy with possessions, then that one is wealthy (13:2). Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph all became wealthy when they left the promised land. Jacob’s wealth foreshadows what will happen to Israel when they leave the land of Egypt (Exod 12:35-38).
[31:1] 263 tn Heb “and from that which belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth.”
[31:2] 264 tn Heb “and Jacob saw the face of Laban, and look, he was not with him as formerly.” Jacob knew from the expression on Laban’s face that his attitude toward him had changed – Jacob had become persona non grata.
[31:3] 265 tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.
[31:3] 266 sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the
[31:4] 267 tn Heb “sent and called for Rachel and for Leah.” Jacob did not go in person, but probably sent a servant with a message for his wives to meet him in the field.
[31:4] 268 tn Heb “the field.” The word is an adverbial accusative, indicating that this is where Jacob wanted them to meet him. The words “to come to” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
[31:4] 269 tn Heb “to his flock.”
[31:5] 270 tn Heb “I see the face of your father, that he is not toward me as formerly.”
[31:6] 271 tn Heb “with all my strength.”
[31:7] 272 tn This rare verb means “to make a fool of” someone. It involves deceiving someone so that their public reputation suffers (see Exod 8:25).
[31:8] 273 tn In the protasis (“if” section) of this conditional clause, the imperfect verbal form has a customary nuance – whatever he would say worked to Jacob’s benefit.
[31:8] 274 tn Heb “speckled” (twice this verse). The word “animals” (after the first occurrence of “speckled”) and “offspring” (after the second) have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The same two terms (“animals” and “offspring”) have been supplied after the two occurrences of “streaked” later in this verse.
[31:10] 275 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator, “and it happened at the time of.”
[31:10] 276 tn Heb “in the time of the breeding of the flock I lifted up my eyes and I saw.”
[31:10] 277 tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.
[31:12] 278 tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”
[31:12] 279 tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.
[31:13] 280 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[31:13] 281 sn You anointed the sacred stone. In Gen 28:18 the text simply reported that Jacob poured oil on top of the stone. Now that pouring is interpreted by the
[31:13] 282 sn And made a vow to me. The second clause reminds Jacob of the vow he made to the
[31:13] 283 tn Heb “arise, leave!” The first imperative draws attention to the need for immediate action.
[31:14] 284 tn The two nouns may form a hendiadys, meaning “a share in the inheritance” or “a portion to inherit.”
[31:15] 285 tn Heb “and he devoured, even devouring.” The infinitive absolute (following the finite verb here) is used for emphasis.
[31:15] 286 tn Heb “our money.” The word “money” is used figuratively here; it means the price paid for Leah and Rachel. A literal translation (“our money”) makes it sound as if Laban wasted money that belonged to Rachel and Leah, rather than the money paid for them.
[31:17] 287 tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”
[31:18] 288 tn Heb “drove,” but this is subject to misunderstanding in contemporary English.
[31:18] 289 tn Heb “and he led away all his cattle and all his moveable property which he acquired, the cattle he obtained, which he acquired in Paddan Aram to go to Isaac his father to the land of Canaan.”
[31:19] 290 tn This disjunctive clause (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new scene. In the English translation it may be subordinated to the following clause.
[31:19] 291 tn Or “household gods.” Some translations merely transliterate the Hebrew term תְּרָפִים (tÿrafim) as “teraphim,” which apparently refers to household idols. Some contend that possession of these idols guaranteed the right of inheritance, but it is more likely that they were viewed simply as protective deities. See M. Greenberg, “Another Look at Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim,” JBL 81 (1962): 239-48.
[31:20] 292 tn Heb “stole the heart of,” an expression which apparently means “to deceive.” The repetition of the verb “to steal” shows that Jacob and Rachel are kindred spirits. Any thought that Laban would have resigned himself to their departure was now out of the question.
[31:20] 293 tn Heb “fleeing,” which reflects Jacob’s viewpoint.
[31:21] 294 tn Heb “and he fled.”
[31:21] 295 tn Heb “he arose and crossed.” The first verb emphasizes that he wasted no time in getting across.
[31:21] 296 tn Heb “the river”; the referent (the Euphrates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[31:21] 297 tn Heb “he set his face.”
[31:22] 298 tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”
[31:23] 299 tn Heb “his brothers.”
[31:23] 300 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[31:23] 301 tn Heb “and he pursued after him a journey of seven days.”
[31:23] 302 tn Heb “drew close to.”
[31:24] 303 tn Heb “said to him.”
[31:24] 304 tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.
[31:24] 305 tn Heb “lest you speak with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 29, is uncertain. Since Laban proceeded to speak to Jacob at length, it cannot mean to maintain silence. Nor does it seem to be a prohibition against criticism (see vv. 26-30). Most likely it refers to a formal pronouncement, whether it be a blessing or a curse. Laban was to avoid saying anything to Jacob that would be intended to enhance him or to harm him.
[31:25] 306 tn Heb “and Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban pitched with his brothers in the hill country of Gilead.” The juxtaposition of disjunctive clauses (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb in both clauses) indicates synchronism of action.
[31:26] 307 tn Heb “and you have stolen my heart.” This expression apparently means “to deceive” (see v. 20).
[31:26] 308 tn Heb “and you have led away my daughters like captives of a sword.”
[31:27] 309 tn Heb “Why did you hide in order to flee?” The verb “hide” and the infinitive “to flee” form a hendiadys, the infinitive becoming the main verb and the other the adverb: “flee secretly.”
[31:27] 310 tn Heb “and steal me.”
[31:27] 311 tn Heb “And [why did] you not tell me so I could send you off with joy and with songs, with a tambourine and with a harp?”
[31:28] 312 tn Heb “my sons and my daughters.” Here “sons” refers to “grandsons,” and has been translated “grandchildren” since at least one granddaughter, Dinah, was involved. The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[31:29] 313 tn Heb “there is to my hand.”
[31:29] 314 tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.
[31:29] 315 tn Heb “from speaking with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 24, is uncertain. See the note on the same phrase in v. 24.
[31:30] 316 tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[31:30] 317 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.
[31:30] 318 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.
[31:30] 319 sn Yet why did you steal my gods? This last sentence is dropped into the speech rather suddenly. See C. Mabee, “Jacob and Laban: The Structure of Judicial Proceedings,” VT 30 (1980): 192-207, and G. W. Coats, “Self-Abasement and Insult Formulas,” JBL 91 (1972): 90-92.
[31:31] 320 tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘Because I was afraid.’” This statement is a not a response to the question about Laban’s household gods that immediately precedes, but to the earlier question about Jacob’s motivation for leaving so quickly and secretly (see v. 27). For this reason the words “I left secretly” are supplied in the translation to indicate the connection to Laban’s earlier question in v. 27. Additionally the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[31:31] 321 tn Heb “for I said.”
[31:31] 322 tn Heb “lest you steal your daughters from with me.”
[31:32] 323 tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”
[31:32] 324 tn Heb “brothers.”
[31:32] 325 tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”
[31:32] 326 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, it has been placed in parentheses in the translation.
[31:33] 327 tn No direct object is specified for the verb “find” in the Hebrew text. The words “the idols” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.
[31:33] 328 tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”
[31:34] 329 tn The “camel’s saddle” was probably some sort of basket-saddle, a cushioned saddle with a basket bound on. Cf. NAB “inside a camel cushion.”
[31:34] 330 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.
[31:34] 331 tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
[31:35] 332 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[31:35] 333 tn Heb “let it not be hot in the eyes of my lord.” This idiom refers to anger, in this case as a result of Rachel’s failure to stand in the presence of her father as a sign of respect.
[31:35] 334 tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”
[31:35] 335 tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.
[31:35] 336 tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
[31:36] 337 tn Heb “it was hot to Jacob.” This idiom refers to anger.
[31:36] 338 tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘What is my sin?’” The proper name “Jacob” has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation and the order of the introductory clause and direct discourse rearranged for stylistic reasons.
[31:36] 339 tn Heb “What is my sin that you have hotly pursued after me.” The Hebrew verb translated “pursue hotly” is used elsewhere of soldiers chasing defeated enemies (1 Sam 17:53).
[31:37] 340 tn Heb “what did you find from all the goods of your house?”
[31:37] 341 tn Heb “your relatives.” The word “relatives” has not been repeated in the translation here for stylistic reasons.
[31:37] 342 tn Heb “that they may decide between us two.”
[31:39] 343 tn The imperfect verbal form indicates that this was a customary or typical action.
[31:39] 344 tn Heb “from my hand you exacted it.” The imperfect verbal form again indicates that this was a customary or typical action. The words “for every missing animal” are supplied in the translation for clarity; the following clause in Hebrew, “stolen by day or stolen by night,” probably means “stolen by wild beasts” and refers to the same animals “torn by wild beasts” in the previous clause, although it may refer to animals stolen by people. The translation used here, “missing,” is ambiguous enough to cover either eventuality.
[31:40] 345 tn Or “by drought.”
[31:40] 346 tn Heb “frost, ice,” though when contrasted with the חֹרֶב (khorev, “drought, parching heat”) of the day, “piercing cold” is more appropriate as a contrast.
[31:40] 347 tn Heb “and my sleep fled from my eyes.”
[31:41] 348 tn Heb “this to me.”
[31:41] 349 tn Heb “served you,” but in this accusatory context the meaning is more “worked like a slave.”
[31:42] 350 tn Heb “the fear of Isaac,” that is, the one whom Isaac feared and respected. For further discussion of this title see M. Malul, “More on pahad yitschaq (Gen. 31:42,53) and the Oath by the Thigh,” VT 35 (1985): 192-200.
[31:42] 351 tn Heb “My oppression and the work of my hands God saw.”
[31:43] 352 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[31:43] 353 tn Heb “daughters.”
[31:43] 354 tn Heb “children.”
[31:43] 355 tn Heb “but to my daughters what can I do to these today?”
[31:44] 356 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[31:44] 357 tn The verb הָיָה (hayah) followed by the preposition לְ (lÿ) means “become.”
[31:44] 358 tn Heb “and it will become a witness between me and you.”
[31:46] 359 tn Heb “Jacob”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[31:46] 360 sn The Hebrew word for “pile” is גַּל (gal), which sounds like the name “Galeed” (גַּלְעֵד, gal’ed). See v. 48.
[31:47] 361 sn Jegar Sahadutha. Laban the Aramean gave the place an Aramaic name which means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness.”
[31:47] 362 sn Galeed also means “witness pile” or “the pile is a witness,” but this name is Canaanite or Western Semitic and closer to later Hebrew. Jacob, though certainly capable of speaking Aramaic, here prefers to use the western dialect.
[31:48] 363 tn Heb “a witness between me and you.”
[31:49] 364 tn Heb “and Mizpah.”
[31:49] 365 sn The name Mizpah (מִצְפָּה, mitspah), which means “watchpost,” sounds like the verb translated “may he watch” (יִצֶף, yitsef). Neither Laban nor Jacob felt safe with each other, and so they agreed to go their separate ways, trusting the
[31:49] 366 tn Heb “between me and you.”
[31:49] 367 tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”
[31:50] 369 tn Heb “between me and you.”
[31:51] 370 tn Heb “and Laban said to Jacob, ‘Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between men and you.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[31:52] 371 tn Heb “This pile is a witness and the pillar is a witness, if I go past this pile to you and if you go past this pile and this pillar to me for harm.”
[31:53] 372 tn The God of Abraham and the god of Nahor. The Hebrew verb translated “judge” is plural, suggesting that Laban has more than one “god” in mind. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, apparently in an effort to make the statement monotheistic, have a singular verb. In this case one could translate, “May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” However, Laban had a polytheistic world view, as evidenced by his possession of household idols (cf. 31:19). The translation uses “God” when referring to Abraham’s God, for Genesis makes it clear that Abraham worshiped the one true God. It employs “god” when referring to Nahor’s god, for in the Hebrew text Laban refers to a different god here, probably one of the local deities.
[31:53] 373 tn Heb “by the fear of his father Isaac.” See the note on the word “fears” in v. 42.
[31:54] 374 tn The construction is a cognate accusative with the verb, expressing a specific sacrifice.
[31:54] 375 tn Heb “bread, food.” Presumably this was a type of peace offering, where the person bringing the offering ate the animal being sacrificed.
[31:55] 376 sn Beginning with 31:55, the verse numbers in the English Bible through 32:32 differ by one from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 31:55 ET = 32:1 HT, 32:1 ET = 32:2 HT, etc., through 32:32 ET = 32:33 HT. From 33:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
[31:55] 377 tn Heb “and Laban got up early in the morning and he kissed.”
[31:55] 378 tn Heb “his sons.”
[31:55] 379 tn Heb “to his place.”
[32:1] 380 sn The phrase angels of God occurs only here and in Gen 28:12 in the OT. Jacob saw a vision of angels just before he left the promised land. Now he encounters angels as he prepares to return to it. The text does not give the details of the encounter, but Jacob’s response suggests it was amicable. This location was a spot where heaven made contact with earth, and where God made his presence known to the patriarch. See C. Houtman, “Jacob at Mahanaim: Some Remarks on Genesis XXXII 2-3,” VT 28 (1978): 37-44.
[32:2] 381 tn Heb “and Jacob said when he saw them.”
[32:2] 382 sn The name Mahanaim apparently means “two camps.” Perhaps the two camps were those of God and of Jacob.
[32:3] 383 tn Heb “before him.”
[32:4] 385 sn Your servant. The narrative recounts Jacob’s groveling in fear before Esau as he calls his brother his “lord,” as if to minimize what had been done twenty years ago.
[32:5] 386 tn Or “I am sending.” The form is a preterite with the vav consecutive; it could be rendered as an English present tense – as the Hebrew perfect/preterite allows – much like an epistolary aorist in Greek. The form assumes the temporal perspective of the one who reads the message.
[32:5] 387 tn The words “this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[32:8] 388 tn Heb “If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.”
[32:8] 389 tn Heb “and he said, ‘If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it.” The Hebrew verb אָמַר (’amar) here represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated “he thought.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[32:8] 390 tn Heb “the surviving camp will be for escape.” The word “escape” is a feminine noun. The term most often refers to refugees from war.
[32:9] 392 tn Heb “the one who said.”
[32:9] 393 tn Heb “I will cause good” or “I will treat well [or “favorably”].” The idea includes more than prosperity, though that is its essential meaning. Here the form is subordinated to the preceding imperative and indicates purpose or result. Jacob is reminding God of his promise in the hope that God will honor his word.
[32:10] 394 tn Heb “the loving deeds and faithfulness” (see 24:27, 49).
[32:10] 395 tn Heb “you have done with.”
[32:10] 396 tn Heb “for with my staff.” The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally translated “staff,” has been rendered as “walking stick” because a “staff” in contemporary English refers typically to the support personnel in an organization.
[32:10] 397 tn Heb “this Jordan.”
[32:11] 398 tn The imperative has the force of a prayer here, not a command.
[32:11] 399 tn The “hand” here is a metonymy for “power.”
[32:11] 400 tn Heb “from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.”
[32:11] 401 tn Heb “for I am afraid of him, lest he come.”
[32:11] 402 sn Heb “me, [the] mother upon [the] sons.” The first person pronoun “me” probably means here “me and mine,” as the following clause suggests.
[32:12] 403 tn Heb “But you, you said.” One of the occurrences of the pronoun “you” has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.
[32:12] 404 tn Or “will certainly deal well with you.” The infinitive absolute appears before the imperfect, underscoring God’s promise to bless. The statement is more emphatic than in v. 9.
[32:12] 405 tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the nuance of the preceding verb forward.
[32:12] 406 tn Heb “which cannot be counted because of abundance.” The imperfect verbal form indicates potential here.
[32:13] 407 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:13] 408 tn Heb “and he took from that which was going into his hand,” meaning that he took some of what belonged to him.
[32:13] 409 sn The Hebrew noun translated gift can in some contexts refer to the tribute paid by a subject to his lord. Such a nuance is possible here, because Jacob refers to Esau as his lord and to himself as Esau’s servant (v. 4).
[32:16] 410 tn Heb “and he put them in the hand of.”
[32:16] 411 tn Heb “a herd, a herd, by itself,” or “each herd by itself.” The distributive sense is expressed by repetition.
[32:17] 412 tn Heb “the first”; this has been specified as “the servant leading the first herd” in the translation for clarity.
[32:17] 413 tn Heb “to whom are you?”
[32:17] 414 tn Heb “and to whom are these before you?”
[32:18] 415 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.
[32:18] 416 tn The words “they belong” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[32:18] 417 tn Heb “to your servant, to Jacob.”
[32:18] 418 tn Heb “to my lord, to Esau.”
[32:18] 419 tn Heb “and look, also he [is] behind us.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:19] 420 tn Heb “And he commanded also the second, also the third, also all the ones going after the herds, saying: ‘According to this word you will speak when you find him.’”
[32:20] 421 tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”
[32:20] 422 tn Heb “for he said.” The referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated “thought.”
[32:20] 423 tn Heb “I will appease his face.” The cohortative here expresses Jacob’s resolve. In the Book of Leviticus the Hebrew verb translated “appease” has the idea of removing anger due to sin or guilt, a nuance that fits this passage very well. Jacob wanted to buy Esau off with a gift of more than five hundred and fifty animals.
[32:20] 424 tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”
[32:20] 425 tn Heb “I will see his face.”
[32:20] 426 tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.
[32:21] 427 tn Heb “and the gift passed over upon his face.”
[32:21] 428 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial/temporal.
[32:22] 429 tn Heb “and he arose in that night and he took.” The first verb is adverbial, indicating that he carried out the crossing right away.
[32:22] 430 tn The Hebrew term used here is יֶלֶד (yeled) which typically describes male offspring. Some translations render the term “children” but this is a problem because by this time Jacob had twelve children in all, including one daughter, Dinah, born to Leah (Gen 30:21). Benjamin, his twelfth son and thirteenth child, was not born until later (Gen 35:16-19).
[32:22] 431 sn Hebrew narrative style often includes a summary statement of the whole passage followed by a more detailed report of the event. Here v. 22 is the summary statement, while v. 23 begins the detailed account.
[32:23] 432 tn Heb “and he sent across what he had.”
[32:24] 433 sn Reflecting Jacob’s perspective at the beginning of the encounter, the narrator calls the opponent simply “a man.” Not until later in the struggle does Jacob realize his true identity.
[32:24] 434 sn The verb translated “wrestled” (וַיֵּאָבֵק, vayye’aveq) sounds in Hebrew like the names “Jacob” (יַעֲקֹב, ya’aqov) and “Jabbok” (יַבֹּק, yabboq). In this way the narrator links the setting, the main action, and the main participant together in the mind of the reader or hearer.
[32:24] 435 tn Heb “until the rising of the dawn.”
[32:25] 436 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:25] 437 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:25] 438 tn Or “injured”; traditionally “touched.” The Hebrew verb translated “struck” has the primary meanings “to touch; to reach; to strike.” It can, however, carry the connotation “to harm; to molest; to injure.” God’s “touch” cripples Jacob – it would be comparable to a devastating blow.
[32:26] 439 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:26] 440 tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”
[32:26] 441 tn Heb “and he said, ‘I will not let you go.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[32:26] 442 sn Jacob wrestled with a man thinking him to be a mere man, and on that basis was equal to the task. But when it had gone on long enough, the night visitor touched Jacob and crippled him. Jacob’s request for a blessing can only mean that he now knew that his opponent was supernatural. Contrary to many allegorical interpretations of the passage that make fighting equivalent to prayer, this passage shows that Jacob stopped fighting, and then asked for a blessing.
[32:27] 443 tn Heb “and he said to him.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:27] 444 sn What is your name? The question is rhetorical, since the
[32:28] 445 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[32:28] 446 sn The name Israel is a common construction, using a verb with a theophoric element (אֵל, ’el) that usually indicates the subject of the verb. Here it means “God fights.” This name will replace the name Jacob; it will be both a promise and a call for faith. In essence, the
[32:28] 447 sn You have fought. The explanation of the name Israel includes a sound play. In Hebrew the verb translated “you have fought” (שָׂרִיתָ, sarita) sounds like the name “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yisra’el ), meaning “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). The name would evoke the memory of the fight and what it meant. A. Dillmann says that ever after this the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with God, he won the battle with man (Genesis, 2:279). To be successful with God meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency (A. P. Ross, “Jacob at the Jabboq, Israel at Peniel,” BSac 142 [1985]: 51-62).
[32:29] 448 sn Tell me your name. In primitive thought to know the name of a deity or supernatural being would enable one to use it for magical manipulation or power (A. S. Herbert, Genesis 12-50 [TBC], 108). For a thorough structural analysis of the passage discussing the plays on the names and the request of Jacob, see R. Barthes, “The Struggle with the Angel: Textual Analysis of Genesis 32:23-33,” Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis (PTMS), 21-33.
[32:29] 449 tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.
[32:29] 450 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[32:29] 451 tn The verb here means that the
[32:29] 452 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:30] 453 sn The name Peniel means “face of God.” Since Jacob saw God face to face here, the name is appropriate.
[32:30] 454 tn The word “explaining” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[32:30] 456 sn I have seen God face to face. See the note on the name “Peniel” earlier in the verse.
[32:30] 457 tn Heb “and my soul [= life] has been preserved.”
[32:31] 459 sn The name is spelled Penuel here, apparently a variant spelling of Peniel (see v. 30).
[32:31] 460 tn The disjunctive clause draws attention to an important fact: He may have crossed the stream, but he was limping.
[32:32] 461 sn On the use of the expression to this day, see B. S. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until This Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.
[32:32] 462 tn Or “because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive. On the translation of the word “struck” see the note on this term in v. 25.
[33:1] 463 tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”
[33:1] 464 tn Or “and look, Esau was coming.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.
[33:2] 465 sn This kind of ranking according to favoritism no doubt fed the jealousy over Joseph that later becomes an important element in the narrative. It must have been painful to the family to see that they were expendable.
[33:3] 466 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:3] 467 tn Heb “until his drawing near unto his brother.” The construction uses the preposition with the infinitive construct to express a temporal clause.
[33:5] 468 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:5] 469 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”
[33:5] 470 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:5] 471 tn The Hebrew verb means “to be gracious; to show favor”; here it carries the nuance “to give graciously.”
[33:6] 472 tn Heb “and the female servants drew near, they and their children and they bowed down.”
[33:8] 473 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:8] 474 tn Heb “Who to you?”
[33:8] 475 tn Heb “all this camp which I met.”
[33:8] 476 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:10] 477 tn Heb “and Jacob said, ‘No, please.’” The words “take them” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse rearranged for stylistic reasons.
[33:10] 478 tn The form is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, expressing a contingent future nuance in the “then” section of the conditional sentence.
[33:10] 479 tn The verbal form is the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive, indicating result here.
[33:10] 480 tn Heb “for therefore I have seen your face like seeing the face of God and you have accepted me.”
[33:11] 481 tn Heb “blessing.” It is as if Jacob is trying to repay what he stole from his brother twenty years earlier.
[33:11] 482 tn Or “gracious,” but in the specific sense of prosperity.
[33:11] 484 tn Heb “and he urged him and he took.” The referent of the first pronoun in the sequence (“he”) has been specified as “Jacob” in the translation for clarity.
[33:12] 485 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:12] 486 tn Heb “let us travel and let us go.” The two cohortatives are used in combination with the sense, “let’s travel along, get going, be on our way.”
[33:13] 487 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:13] 489 tn Heb “and the sheep and the cattle nursing [are] upon me.”
[33:14] 490 tn Heb “and I, I will move along according to my leisure at the foot of the property which is before me and at the foot of the children.”
[33:15] 491 tn The cohortative verbal form here indicates a polite offer of help.
[33:15] 492 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why this?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[33:15] 493 tn Heb “I am finding favor in the eyes of my lord.”
[33:16] 494 tn Heb “returned on his way.”
[33:17] 495 tn The disjunctive clause contrasts Jacob’s action with Esau’s.
[33:17] 496 sn But Jacob traveled to Succoth. There are several reasons why Jacob chose not to go to Mt. Seir after Esau. First, as he said, his herds and children probably could not keep up with the warriors. Second, he probably did not fully trust his brother. The current friendliness could change, and he could lose everything. And third, God did tell him to return to his land, not Seir. But Jacob is still not able to deal truthfully, probably because of fear of Esau.
[33:17] 497 tn Heb “why he called.” One could understand “Jacob” as the subject of the verb, but it is more likely that the subject is indefinite, in which case the verb is better translated as passive.
[33:17] 498 sn The name Succoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.
[33:18] 499 tn Heb “in front of.”
[33:19] 500 tn The words “he bought it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 19 is one long sentence.
[33:19] 501 tn The Hebrew word קְשִׂיטָה (qÿsitah) is generally understood to refer to a unit of money, but the value is unknown. (However, cf. REB, which renders the term as “sheep”).
[33:20] 502 tn Heb “God, the God of Israel.” Rather than translating the name, a number of modern translations merely transliterate it from the Hebrew as “El Elohe Israel” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB). It is not entirely clear how the name should be interpreted grammatically. One option is to supply an equative verb, as in the translation: “The God of Israel [is] God.” Another interpretive option is “the God of Israel [is] strong [or “mighty”].” Buying the land and settling down for a while was a momentous step for the patriarch, so the commemorative naming of the altar is significant.
[34:1] 503 tn Heb “went out to see.” The verb “to see,” followed by the preposition בְּ (bÿ), here has the idea of “look over.” The young girl wanted to meet these women and see what they were like.
[34:1] 504 tn Heb “daughters.”
[34:2] 505 tn Heb “and he took her and lay with her.” The suffixed form following the verb appears to be the sign of the accusative instead of the preposition, but see BDB 1012 s.v. שָׁכַב.
[34:2] 506 tn The verb עָנָה (’anah) in the Piel stem can have various shades of meaning, depending on the context: “to defile; to mistreat; to violate; to rape; to shame; to afflict.” Here it means that Shechem violated or humiliated Dinah by raping her.
[34:3] 507 tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.
[34:3] 508 tn Heb “and he spoke to the heart of the young woman,” which apparently refers in this context to tender, romantic speech (Hos 2:14). Another option is to translate the expression “he reassured the young woman” (see Judg 19:3, 2 Sam 19:7; cf. NEB “comforted her”).
[34:4] 509 tn Heb “Take for me this young woman for a wife.”
[34:5] 510 tn The two disjunctive clauses in this verse (“Now Jacob heard…and his sons were”) are juxtaposed to indicate synchronic action.
[34:5] 511 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:5] 512 sn The expected response would be anger or rage; but Jacob remained silent. He appears too indifferent or confused to act decisively. When the leader does not act decisively, the younger zealots will, and often with disastrous results.
[34:6] 513 tn Heb “went out to Jacob to speak with him.” The words “about Dinah” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[34:7] 514 tn Heb “when they heard.” The words “the news” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[34:7] 515 tn Heb “the men.” This sounds as if a new group has been introduced into the narrative, so it has been translated as “they” to indicate that it refers to Jacob’s sons, mentioned in the first part of the verse.
[34:7] 516 tn The Hebrew verb עָצַב (’atsav) can carry one of three semantic nuances depending on the context: (1) “to be injured” (Ps 56:5; Eccl 10:9; 1 Chr 4:10); (2) “to experience emotional pain; to be depressed emotionally; to be worried” (2 Sam 19:2; Isa 54:6; Neh 8:10-11); (3) “to be embarrassed; to be insulted; to be offended” (to the point of anger at another or oneself; Gen 6:6; 45:5; 1 Sam 20:3, 34; 1 Kgs 1:6; Isa 63:10; Ps 78:40). This third category develops from the second by metonymy. In certain contexts emotional pain leads to embarrassment and/or anger. In this last use the subject sometimes directs his anger against the source of grief (see especially Gen 6:6). The third category fits best in Gen 34:7 because Jacob’s sons were not merely wounded emotionally. On the contrary, Shechem’s action prompted them to strike out in judgment against the source of their distress.
[34:7] 517 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:7] 518 tn Heb “a disgraceful thing he did against Israel.”
[34:7] 519 tn Heb “by lying with the daughter of Jacob.” The infinitive here explains the preceding verb, indicating exactly how he had disgraced Jacob. The expression “to lie with” is a euphemism for sexual relations, or in this case, sexual assault.
[34:7] 520 tn Heb “and so it should not be done.” The negated imperfect has an obligatory nuance here, but there is also a generalizing tone. The narrator emphasizes that this particular type of crime (sexual assault) is especially reprehensible.
[34:8] 521 tn Heb “Shechem my son, his soul is attached to your daughter.” The verb means “to love” in the sense of being emotionally attached to or drawn to someone. This is a slightly different way of saying what was reported earlier (v. 3). However, there is no mention here of the offense. Even though Hamor is speaking to Dinah’s brothers, he refers to her as their daughter (see v. 17).
[34:9] 522 tn Heb “form marriage alliances with us.”
[34:9] 523 tn Heb “Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.” In the translation the words “let…marry” and “as wives” are supplied for clarity.
[34:10] 524 tn The imperfect verbal form has a permissive nuance here.
[34:10] 525 tn Heb “before you.”
[34:10] 526 tn The verb seems to carry the basic meaning “travel about freely,” although the substantival participial form refers to a trader (see E. A. Speiser, “The Verb sh£r in Genesis and Early Hebrew Movements,” BASOR 164 [1961]: 23-28); cf. NIV, NRSV “trade in it.”
[34:11] 527 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Dinah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:11] 528 tn Heb “whatever you say.”
[34:12] 530 tn Heb “Make very great upon me the bride price and gift.” The imperatives are used in a rhetorical manner. Shechem’s point is that he will pay the price, no matter how expensive it might be.
[34:12] 531 tn The cohortative expresses Shechem’s resolve to have Dinah as his wife.
[34:13] 533 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Shechem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[34:14] 534 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.
[34:14] 535 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.
[34:15] 536 tn Heb “if you are like us.”
[34:15] 537 tn The infinitive here explains how they would become like them.
[34:16] 538 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.
[34:16] 539 tn The words “to marry” (and the words “as wives” in the following clause) are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[34:17] 540 tn Heb “listen to us.”
[34:17] 541 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the apodosis of the conditional sentence.
[34:17] 542 tn Heb “daughter.” Jacob’s sons call Dinah their daughter, even though she was their sister (see v. 8). This has been translated as “sister” for clarity.
[34:18] 543 tn Heb “and their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem son of Hamor.”
[34:19] 544 tn Heb “doing the thing.”
[34:19] 545 tn Heb “Jacob’s daughter.” The proper name “Dinah” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[34:19] 546 tn The Hebrew verb כָּבֵד (kaved), translated “was…important,” has the primary meaning “to be heavy,” but here carries a secondary sense of “to be important” (that is, “heavy” in honor or respect).
[34:19] 547 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause explains why the community would respond to him (see vv. 20-24).
[34:20] 548 sn The gate. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the location for conducting important public business.
[34:21] 549 tn Heb “wide on both hands,” that is, in both directions.
[34:21] 550 tn The words “to marry” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[34:22] 551 tn Heb “when every one of our males is circumcised.”
[34:23] 552 tn The words “If we do so” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[34:24] 553 tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”
[34:24] 554 tn Heb “listened to.”
[34:24] 555 tn Heb “all those going out the gate of his city.”
[34:25] 556 tn Heb “a man his sword.”
[34:25] 557 tn Heb “and they came upon the city, [which was] secure.” In this case “secure” means the city was caught unprepared and at peace, not expecting an attack.
[34:27] 558 tn Heb “came upon the slain.” Because of this statement the preceding phrase “Jacob’s sons” is frequently taken to mean the other sons of Jacob besides Simeon and Levi, but the text does not clearly affirm this.
[34:27] 559 tn Heb “because they violated their sister.” The plural verb is active in form, but with no expressed subject, it may be translated passive.
[34:28] 560 tn Heb “and what was in the city and what was in the field they took.”
[34:29] 561 tn Heb “they took captive and they plundered,” that is, “they captured as plunder.”
[34:30] 562 tn The traditional translation is “troubled me” (KJV, ASV), but the verb refers to personal or national disaster and suggests complete ruin (see Josh 7:25, Judg 11:35, Prov 11:17). The remainder of the verse describes the “trouble” Simeon and Levi had caused.
[34:30] 563 tn In the causative stem the Hebrew verb בָּאַשׁ (ba’ash) means “to cause to stink, to have a foul smell.” In the contexts in which it is used it describes foul smells, stenches, or things that are odious. Jacob senses that the people in the land will find this act terribly repulsive. See P. R. Ackroyd, “The Hebrew Root באשׁ,” JTS 2 (1951): 31-36.
[34:30] 564 tn Jacob speaks in the first person as the head and representative of the entire family.
[34:31] 565 tn Heb “but they said.” The referent of “they” (Simeon and Levi) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[35:1] 566 tn Heb “arise, go up.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.
[35:1] 567 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[35:1] 568 sn God is calling on Jacob to fulfill his vow he made when he fled from…Esau (see Gen 28:20-22).
[35:2] 569 tn Heb “which are in your midst.”
[35:2] 570 sn The actions of removing false gods, becoming ritually clean, and changing garments would become necessary steps in Israel when approaching the
[35:3] 571 tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.
[35:3] 572 tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.
[35:3] 573 tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.
[35:3] 574 tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).
[35:4] 575 tn Heb “in their hand.”
[35:4] 576 sn On the basis of a comparison with Gen 34 and Num 31, G. J. Wenham argues that the foreign gods and the rings could have been part of the plunder that came from the destruction of Shechem (Genesis [WBC], 2:324).
[35:4] 577 sn Jacob buried them. On the burial of the gods, see E. Nielson, “The Burial of the Foreign Gods,” ST 8 (1954/55): 102-22.
[35:5] 579 tn Heb “and they journeyed.”
[35:5] 580 tn Heb “and the fear of God was upon the cities which were round about them.” The expression “fear of God” apparently refers (1) to a fear of God (objective genitive; God is the object of their fear). (2) But it could mean “fear from God,” that is, fear which God placed in them (cf. NRSV “a terror from God”). Another option (3) is that the divine name is used as a superlative here, referring to “tremendous fear” (cf. NEB “were panic-stricken”; NASB “a great terror”).
[35:6] 581 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[35:6] 582 tn Heb “and Jacob came to Luz which is in the land of Canaan – it is Bethel – he and all the people who were with him.”
[35:7] 583 sn The name El-Bethel means “God of Bethel.”
[35:7] 584 tn Heb “revealed themselves.” The verb נִגְלוּ (niglu), translated “revealed himself,” is plural, even though one expects the singular form with the plural of majesty. Perhaps אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is here a numerical plural, referring both to God and the angelic beings that appeared to Jacob. See the note on the word “know” in Gen 3:5.
[35:8] 585 sn Deborah. This woman had been Rebekah’s nurse, but later attached herself to Jacob. She must have been about one hundred and eighty years old when she died.
[35:8] 586 tn “and he called its name.” There is no expressed subject, so the verb can be translated as passive.
[35:8] 587 tn Or “Allon Bacuth,” if one transliterates the Hebrew name (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). An oak tree was revered in the ancient world and often designated as a shrine or landmark. This one was named for the weeping (mourning) occasioned by the death of Deborah.
[35:10] 588 tn Heb “and he called his name Israel.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[35:11] 589 tn The name אֵל שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72. Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world who grants, blesses, and judges. In the Book of Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name are uncertain its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. For a fuller discussion see the note on “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.
[35:11] 590 tn Heb “A nation and a company of nations will be from you and kings from your loins will come out.”
[35:12] 591 tn The Hebrew verb translated “gave” refers to the Abrahamic promise of the land. However, the actual possession of that land lay in the future. The decree of the
[35:12] 592 tn Heb “and to your offspring after you.”
[35:13] 593 tn Heb “went up from upon him in the place.”
[35:14] 594 tn Heb “and Jacob set up a sacred pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a sacred pillar of stone” (see the notes on the term “sacred stone” in Gen 28:18). This passage stands parallel to Gen 28:18-19, where Jacob set up a sacred stone, poured oil on it, and called the place Bethel. Some commentators see these as two traditions referring to the same event, but it is more likely that Jacob reconsecrated the place in fulfillment of the vow he had made here earlier. In support of this is the fact that the present narrative alludes to and is built on the previous one.
[35:14] 595 tn The verb נָסַךְ (nasakh) means “to pour out, to make libations,” and the noun נֶסֶךְ (nesekh) is a “drink-offering,” usually of wine or of blood. The verb יָצַק (yatsaq) means “to pour out,” often of anointing oil, but of other elements as well.
[35:15] 596 sn Called the name of the place. In view of the previous naming of Bethel in Gen 28:19, here Jacob was confirming or affirming the name through an official ritual marking the fulfillment of the vow. This place now did become Bethel, the house of God.
[35:15] 597 tn The name Bethel means “house of God” in Hebrew.
[35:16] 598 tn Heb “and there was still a stretch of the land to go to Ephrath.”
[35:16] 599 tn Normally the verb would be translated “she gave birth,” but because that obviously had not happened yet, it is better to translate the verb as ingressive, “began to give birth” (cf. NIV) or “went into labor.”
[35:17] 600 tn The construction uses a Hiphil infinitive, which E. A. Speiser classifies as an elative Hiphil. The contrast is with the previous Piel: there “she had hard labor,” and here, “her labor was at its hardest.” Failure to see this, Speiser notes, has led to redundant translations and misunderstandings (Genesis [AB], 273).
[35:17] 601 sn Another son. The episode recalls and fulfills the prayer of Rachel at the birth of Joseph (Gen 30:24): “may he add” another son.
[35:18] 602 tn Heb “in the going out of her life, for she was dying.” Rachel named the child with her dying breath.
[35:18] 603 sn The name Ben-Oni means “son of my suffering.” It is ironic that Rachel’s words to Jacob in Gen 30:1, “Give me children or I’ll die,” take a different turn here, for it was having the child that brought about her death.
[35:18] 604 tn The disjunctive clause is contrastive.
[35:19] 605 sn This explanatory note links the earlier name Ephrath with the later name Bethlehem.
[35:20] 606 tn Heb “standing stone.”
[35:20] 607 tn Or perhaps “it is known as” (cf. NEB).
[35:21] 608 sn The location of Migdal Eder is not given. It appears to be somewhere between Bethlehem and Hebron. Various traditions have identified it as at the shepherds’ fields near Bethlehem (the Hebrew name Migdal Eder means “tower of the flock”; see Mic 4:8) or located it near Solomon’s pools.
[35:22] 609 tn Heb “and Reuben went and lay with.” The expression “lay with” is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse.
[35:27] 610 tn This is an adverbial accusative of location.
[35:27] 611 tn The name “Kiriath Arba” is in apposition to the preceding name, “Mamre.”
[35:27] 612 tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” refers to temporary settlement without ownership rights.
[35:28] 613 tn Heb “And the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years.”
[35:29] 614 tn Heb “and Isaac expired and died and he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
[35:29] 615 tn Heb “old and full of years.”
[36:1] 616 sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50,” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.
[36:2] 617 tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”
[36:2] 618 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
[36:6] 619 tn Heb “from before.”
[36:7] 620 tn Heb “land of their settlements.”
[36:8] 621 tn Traditionally “Mount Seir,” but in this case the expression בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר (bÿhar se’ir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.
[36:9] 622 sn The term father in genealogical records needs to be carefully defined. It can refer to a literal father, a grandfather, a political overlord, or a founder.
[36:12] 623 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:13] 624 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:14] 625 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
[36:15] 626 tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).
[36:16] 628 tc The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).
[36:16] 629 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:17] 630 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:20] 631 sn The same pattern of sons, grandsons, and chiefs is now listed for Seir the Horite. “Seir” is both the name of the place and the name of the ancestor of these tribes. The name “Horite” is probably not to be identified with “Hurrian.” The clan of Esau settled in this area, intermarried with these Horites and eventually dispossessed them, so that they all became known as Edomites (Deut 2:12 telescopes the whole development).
[36:22] 633 tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”
[36:23] 634 tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.
[36:24] 635 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”
[36:25] 636 tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”
[36:26] 637 tn Heb “Dishan,” but this must be either a scribal error or variant spelling, since “Dishan” is mentioned in v. 28 (see also v. 21).
[36:31] 638 tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”
[36:37] 639 tn Typically the Hebrew expression “the River” refers to the Euphrates River, but it is not certain whether that is the case here. Among the modern English versions which take this as a reference to the Euphrates are NASB, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT. Cf. NAB, TEV “Rehoboth-on-the-River.”
[36:39] 640 tc Most
[36:39] 641 tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.
[36:43] 642 tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”
[1:1] 643 tn The translation assumes that the form translated “beginning” is in the absolute state rather than the construct (“in the beginning of,” or “when God created”). In other words, the clause in v. 1 is a main clause, v. 2 has three clauses that are descriptive and supply background information, and v. 3 begins the narrative sequence proper. The referent of the word “beginning” has to be defined from the context since there is no beginning or ending with God.
[1:1] 644 sn God. This frequently used Hebrew name for God (אֱלֹהִים,’elohim ) is a plural form. When it refers to the one true God, the singular verb is normally used, as here. The plural form indicates majesty; the name stresses God’s sovereignty and incomparability – he is the “God of gods.”
[1:1] 645 tn The English verb “create” captures well the meaning of the Hebrew term in this context. The verb בָּרָא (bara’) always describes the divine activity of fashioning something new, fresh, and perfect. The verb does not necessarily describe creation out of nothing (see, for example, v. 27, where it refers to the creation of man); it often stresses forming anew, reforming, renewing (see Ps 51:10; Isa 43:15, 65:17).
[1:1] 646 tn Or “the entire universe”; or “the sky and the dry land.” This phrase is often interpreted as a merism, referring to the entire ordered universe, including the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The “heavens and the earth” were completed in seven days (see Gen 2:1) and are characterized by fixed laws (see Jer 33:25). “Heavens” refers specifically to the sky, created on the second day (see v. 8), while “earth” refers specifically to the dry land, created on the third day (see v. 10). Both are distinct from the sea/seas (see v. 10 and Exod 20:11).
[1:2] 647 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) at the beginning of v. 2 gives background information for the following narrative, explaining the state of things when “God said…” (v. 3). Verse one is a title to the chapter, v. 2 provides information about the state of things when God spoke, and v. 3 begins the narrative per se with the typical narrative construction (vav [ו] consecutive followed by the prefixed verbal form). (This literary structure is paralleled in the second portion of the book: Gen 2:4 provides the title or summary of what follows, 2:5-6 use disjunctive clause structures to give background information for the following narrative, and 2:7 begins the narrative with the vav consecutive attached to a prefixed verbal form.) Some translate 1:2a “and the earth became,” arguing that v. 1 describes the original creation of the earth, while v. 2 refers to a judgment that reduced it to a chaotic condition. Verses 3ff. then describe the re-creation of the earth. However, the disjunctive clause at the beginning of v. 2 cannot be translated as if it were relating the next event in a sequence. If v. 2 were sequential to v. 1, the author would have used the vav consecutive followed by a prefixed verbal form and the subject.
[1:2] 648 tn That is, what we now call “the earth.” The creation of the earth as we know it is described in vv. 9-10. Prior to this the substance which became the earth (= dry land) lay dormant under the water.
[1:2] 649 tn Traditional translations have followed a more literal rendering of “waste and void.” The words describe a condition that is without form and empty. What we now know as “the earth” was actually an unfilled mass covered by water and darkness. Later תֹהוּ (tohu) and בֹּהוּ (bohu), when used in proximity, describe a situation resulting from judgment (Isa 34:11; Jer 4:23). Both prophets may be picturing judgment as the reversal of creation in which God’s judgment causes the world to revert to its primordial condition. This later use of the terms has led some to conclude that Gen 1:2 presupposes the judgment of a prior world, but it is unsound method to read the later application of the imagery (in a context of judgment) back into Gen 1:2.
[1:2] 650 sn Darkness. The Hebrew word simply means “darkness,” but in the Bible it has come to symbolize what opposes God, such as judgment (Exod 10:21), death (Ps 88:13), oppression (Isa 9:1), the wicked (1 Sam 2:9) and in general, sin. In Isa 45:7 it parallels “evil.” It is a fitting cover for the primeval waste, but it prepares the reader for the fact that God is about to reveal himself through his works.
[1:2] 651 tn The Hebrew term תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “deep”) refers to the watery deep, the salty ocean – especially the primeval ocean that surrounds and underlies the earth (see Gen 7:11).
[1:2] 652 tn The traditional rendering “Spirit of God” is preserved here, as opposed to a translation like “wind from/breath of God” (cf. NRSV) or “mighty wind” (cf. NEB), taking the word “God” to represent the superlative. Elsewhere in the OT the phrase refers consistently to the divine spirit that empowers and energizes individuals (see Gen 41:38; Exod 31:3; 35:31; Num 24:2; 1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 19:20, 23; Ezek 11:24; 2 Chr 15:1; 24:20).
[1:2] 653 tn The Hebrew verb has been translated “hovering” or “moving” (as a bird over her young, see Deut 32:11). The Syriac cognate term means “to brood over; to incubate.” How much of that sense might be attached here is hard to say, but the verb does depict the presence of the Spirit of God moving about mysteriously over the waters, presumably preparing for the acts of creation to follow. If one reads “mighty wind” (cf. NEB) then the verse describes how the powerful wind begins to blow in preparation for the creative act described in vv. 9-10. (God also used a wind to drive back the flood waters in Noah’s day. See Gen 8:1.)
[1:2] 655 sn The water. The text deliberately changes now from the term for the watery deep to the general word for water. The arena is now the life-giving water and not the chaotic abyss-like deep. The change may be merely stylistic, but it may also carry some significance. The deep carries with it the sense of the abyss, chaos, darkness – in short, that which is not good for life.
[1:3] 656 tn The prefixed verb form with the vav (ו) consecutive introduces the narrative sequence. Ten times in the chapter the decree of God in creation will be so expressed. For the power of the divine word in creation, see Ps 33:9, John 1:1-3, 1 Cor 8:6, and Col 1:16.
[1:3] 657 tn “Let there be” is the short jussive form of the verb “to be”; the following expression “and there was” is the short preterite form of the same verb. As such, יְהִי (yÿhi) and וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) form a profound wordplay to express both the calling into existence and the complete fulfillment of the divine word.
[1:3] 658 sn Light. The Hebrew word simply means “light,” but it is used often in scripture to convey the ideas of salvation, joy, knowledge, righteousness, and life. In this context one cannot ignore those connotations, for it is the antithesis of the darkness. The first thing God does is correct the darkness; without the light there is only chaos.
[1:4] 659 tn Heb “And God saw the light, that it was good.” The verb “saw” in this passage carries the meaning “reflected on,” “surveyed,” “concluded,” “noted.” It is a description of reflection of the mind – it is God’s opinion.
[1:4] 660 tn The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) in this context signifies whatever enhances, promotes, produces, or is conducive for life. It is the light that God considers “good,” not the darkness. Whatever is conducive to life in God’s creation is good, for God himself is good, and that goodness is reflected in all of his works.
[1:4] 661 tn The verb “separate, divide” here explains how God used the light to dispel the darkness. It did not do away with the darkness completely, but made a separation. The light came alongside the darkness, but they are mutually exclusive – a theme that will be developed in the Gospel of John (cf. John 1:5).
[1:5] 662 tn Heb “he called to,” meaning “he named.”
[1:5] 663 tn Heb “and the darkness he called night.” The words “he called” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:5] 664 tn Another option is to translate, “Evening came, and then morning came.” This formula closes the six days of creation. It seems to follow the Jewish order of reckoning time: from evening to morning. Day one started with the dark, continued through the creation of light, and ended with nightfall. Another alternative would be to translate, “There was night and then there was day, one day.”
[1:6] 665 tn The Hebrew word refers to an expanse of air pressure between the surface of the sea and the clouds, separating water below from water above. In v. 8 it is called “sky.”
[1:6] 666 tn Heb “the waters from the waters.”
[1:7] 667 tn Heb “the expanse.”
[1:7] 668 tn This statement indicates that it happened the way God designed it, underscoring the connection between word and event.
[1:8] 669 tn Though the Hebrew word can mean “heaven,” it refers in this context to “the sky.”
[1:9] 670 sn Let the water…be gathered to one place. In the beginning the water covered the whole earth; now the water was to be restricted to an area to form the ocean. The picture is one of the dry land as an island with the sea surrounding it. Again the sovereignty of God is revealed. Whereas the pagans saw the sea as a force to be reckoned with, God controls the boundaries of the sea. And in the judgment at the flood he will blur the boundaries so that chaos returns.
[1:9] 671 tn When the waters are collected to one place, dry land emerges above the surface of the receding water.
[1:10] 672 tn Heb “earth,” but here the term refers to the dry ground as opposed to the sea.
[1:11] 673 tn The Hebrew construction employs a cognate accusative, where the nominal object (“vegetation”) derives from the verbal root employed. It stresses the abundant productivity that God created.
[1:11] 674 sn After their kinds. The Hebrew word translated “kind” (מִין, min) indicates again that God was concerned with defining and dividing time, space, and species. The point is that creation was with order, as opposed to chaos. And what God created and distinguished with boundaries was not to be confused (see Lev 19:19 and Deut 22:9-11).
[1:11] 675 tn The conjunction “and” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation to clarify the relationship of the clauses.
[1:14] 676 sn Let there be lights. Light itself was created before the light-bearers. The order would not seem strange to the ancient Hebrew mind that did not automatically link daylight with the sun (note that dawn and dusk appear to have light without the sun).
[1:14] 677 tn The language describing the cosmos, which reflects a prescientific view of the world, must be interpreted as phenomenal, describing what appears to be the case. The sun and the moon are not in the sky (below the clouds), but from the viewpoint of a person standing on the earth, they appear that way. Even today we use similar phenomenological expressions, such as “the sun is rising” or “the stars in the sky.”
[1:14] 678 tn The text has “for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” It seems likely from the meanings of the words involved that “signs” is the main idea, followed by two categories, “seasons” and “days and years.” This is the simplest explanation, and one that matches vv. 11-13. It could even be rendered “signs for the fixed seasons, that is [explicative vav (ו)] days and years.”
[1:1] 679 tn The translation assumes that the form translated “beginning” is in the absolute state rather than the construct (“in the beginning of,” or “when God created”). In other words, the clause in v. 1 is a main clause, v. 2 has three clauses that are descriptive and supply background information, and v. 3 begins the narrative sequence proper. The referent of the word “beginning” has to be defined from the context since there is no beginning or ending with God.
[1:1] 680 sn God. This frequently used Hebrew name for God (אֱלֹהִים,’elohim ) is a plural form. When it refers to the one true God, the singular verb is normally used, as here. The plural form indicates majesty; the name stresses God’s sovereignty and incomparability – he is the “God of gods.”
[1:1] 681 tn The English verb “create” captures well the meaning of the Hebrew term in this context. The verb בָּרָא (bara’) always describes the divine activity of fashioning something new, fresh, and perfect. The verb does not necessarily describe creation out of nothing (see, for example, v. 27, where it refers to the creation of man); it often stresses forming anew, reforming, renewing (see Ps 51:10; Isa 43:15, 65:17).
[1:1] 682 tn Or “the entire universe”; or “the sky and the dry land.” This phrase is often interpreted as a merism, referring to the entire ordered universe, including the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The “heavens and the earth” were completed in seven days (see Gen 2:1) and are characterized by fixed laws (see Jer 33:25). “Heavens” refers specifically to the sky, created on the second day (see v. 8), while “earth” refers specifically to the dry land, created on the third day (see v. 10). Both are distinct from the sea/seas (see v. 10 and Exod 20:11).
[2:7] 683 tn Or “having been rooted.”
[2:7] 684 sn The three participles rooted, built up, and firm belong together and reflect three different metaphors. The first participle “rooted” (perfect tense) indicates a settled condition on the part of the Colossian believers and refers to horticulture. The second participle “built up” (present passive) comes from the world of architecture. The third participle “firm [established]” (present passive) comes from the law courts. With these three metaphors (as well as the following comment on thankfulness) Paul explains what he means when he commands them to continue to live their lives in Christ. The use of the passive probably reflects God’s activity among them. It was he who had rooted them, had been building them up, and had established them in the faith (cf. 1 Cor 3:5-15 for the use of mixed metaphors).
[2:7] 685 tn The Greek text has the article τῇ (th), not the possessive pronoun ὑμῶν (Jumwn), but the article often functions as a possessive pronoun and was translated as such here (ExSyn 215).
[2:8] 686 tn The Greek construction here is somewhat difficult and can be literally rendered “Be careful, lest someone shall be the one who takes you captive.”
[2:8] 687 tn The Greek reads τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης (th" filosofia" kai kenh" apath"). The two nouns φιλοσοφίας and κενῆς are joined by one article and probably form a hendiadys. Thus the second noun was taken as modifying the first, as the translation shows.
[2:8] 688 tn The phrase κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου (kata ta stoiceia tou kosmou) is difficult to translate because of problems surrounding the precise meaning of στοιχεῖα in this context. Originally it referred to the letters of the alphabet, with the idea at its root of “things in a row”; see C. Vaughn, “Colossians,” EBC 11:198. M. J. Harris (Colossians and Philemon [EGGNT], 93) outlines three probable options: (1) the material elements which comprise the physical world; (2) the elementary teachings of the world (so NEB, NASB, NIV); (3) the elemental spirits of the world (so NEB, RSV). The first option is highly unlikely because Paul is not concerned here with the physical elements, e.g., carbon or nitrogen. The last two options are both possible. Though the Gnostic-like heresy at Colossae would undoubtedly have been regarded by Paul as an “elementary teaching” at best, because the idea of “spirits” played such a role in Gnostic thought, he may very well have had in mind elemental spirits that operated in the world or controlled the world (i.e., under God’s authority and permission).
[2:9] 689 sn In him all the fullness of deity lives. The present tense in this verse (“lives”) is significant. Again, as was stated in the note on 1:19, this is not a temporary dwelling, but a permanent one. Paul’s point is polemical against the idea that the fullness of God dwells anywhere else, as the Gnostics believed, except in Christ alone. At the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity assumed humanity, and is forever the God-man.
[2:1] 690 tn Or “I want you to know how hard I am working for you…”
[2:1] 691 tn Grk “as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.”
[3:16] 692 tc Since “the word of Christ” occurs nowhere else in the NT, two predictable variants arose: “word of God” and “word of the Lord.” Even though some of the witnesses for these variants are impressive (κυρίου [kuriou, “of the Lord”] in א* I 1175 pc bo; θεοῦ [qeou, “of God”] in A C* 33 104 323 945 al), the reading Χριστοῦ (Cristou, “of Christ”) is read by an excellent cross-section of witnesses (Ì46 א2 B C2 D F G Ψ 075 1739 1881 Ï lat sa). On both internal and external grounds, Χριστοῦ is strongly preferred.
[3:16] 693 tn Grk “with grace”; “all” is supplied as it is implicitly related to all the previous instructions in the verse.
