Discovery BoxGenesis 15:1--24:67
Context15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield 1 and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” 2
15:2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, 3 what will you give me since 4 I continue to be 5 childless, and my heir 6 is 7 Eliezer of Damascus?” 8 15:3 Abram added, 9 “Since 10 you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” 11
15:4 But look, 12 the word of the Lord came to him: “This man 13 will not be your heir, 14 but instead 15 a son 16 who comes from your own body will be 17 your heir.” 18 15:5 The Lord 19 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 20 the Lord, and the Lord 21 considered his response of faith 22 as proof of genuine loyalty. 23
15:7 The Lord said 24 to him, “I am the Lord 25 who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans 26 to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But 27 Abram 28 said, “O sovereign Lord, 29 by what 30 can I know that I am to possess it?”
15:9 The Lord 31 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 32 took all these for him and then cut them in two 33 and placed each half opposite the other, 34 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, 35 and great terror overwhelmed him. 36 15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain 37 that your descendants will be strangers 38 in a foreign country. 39 They will be enslaved and oppressed 40 for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. 41 Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, 42 you will go to your ancestors 43 in peace and be buried at a good old age. 44 15:16 In the fourth generation 45 your descendants 46 will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” 47
15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch 48 passed between the animal parts. 49 15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant 50 with Abram: “To your descendants I give 51 this land, from the river of Egypt 52 to the great river, the Euphrates River – 15:19 the land 53 of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” 54
16:1 Now Sarai, 55 Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, 56 but she had an Egyptian servant 57 named Hagar. 58 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since 59 the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with 60 my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” 61 Abram did what 62 Sarai told him.
16:3 So after Abram had lived 63 in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, 64 to her husband to be his wife. 65 16:4 He had sexual relations with 66 Hagar, and she became pregnant. 67 Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 68 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! 69 I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, 70 but when she realized 71 that she was pregnant, she despised me. 72 May the Lord judge between you and me!” 73
16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your 74 servant is under your authority, 75 do to her whatever you think best.” 76 Then Sarai treated Hagar 77 harshly, 78 so she ran away from Sarai. 79
16:7 The Lord’s angel 80 found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road to Shur. 81 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 82 my mistress, Sarai.”
16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit 83 to her authority. 16:10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added, 84 “so that they will be too numerous to count.” 85 16:11 Then the Lord’s angel said to her,
“You are now 86 pregnant
and are about to give birth 87 to a son.
You are to name him Ishmael, 88
for the Lord has heard your painful groans. 89
16:12 He will be a wild donkey 90 of a man.
He will be hostile to everyone, 91
and everyone will be hostile to him. 92
He will live away from 93 his brothers.”
16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” 94 for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” 95 16:14 That is why the well was called 96 Beer Lahai Roi. 97 (It is located 98 between Kadesh and Bered.)
16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. 99 16:16 (Now 100 Abram was 86 years old 101 when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.) 102
17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, 103 the Lord appeared to him and said, 104 “I am the sovereign God. 105 Walk 106 before me 107 and be blameless. 108 17:2 Then I will confirm my covenant 109 between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.” 110
17:3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, 111 and God said to him, 112 17:4 “As for me, 113 this 114 is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 17:5 No longer will your name be 115 Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham 116 because I will make you 117 the father of a multitude of nations. 17:6 I will make you 118 extremely 119 fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. 120 17:7 I will confirm 121 my covenant as a perpetual 122 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. 123 17:8 I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing 124 – to you and your descendants after you as a permanent 125 possession. I will be their God.”
17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep 126 the covenantal requirement 127 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: 128 Every male among you must be circumcised. 129 17:11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder 130 of the covenant between me and you. 17:12 Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old 131 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, 132 whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant 133 will be visible in your flesh as a permanent 134 reminder. 17:14 Any uncircumcised male 135 who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off 136 from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement.” 137
17:15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; 138 Sarah 139 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. 140 Kings of countries 141 will come from her!”
17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed 142 as he said to himself, 143 “Can 144 a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? 145 Can Sarah 146 bear a child at the age of ninety?” 147 17:18 Abraham said to God, “O that 148 Ishmael might live before you!” 149
17:19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. 150 I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual 151 covenant for his descendants after him. 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. 152 I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. 153 He will become the father of twelve princes; 154 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. 155
17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) 156 and circumcised them 157 on that very same day, just as God had told him to do. 17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old 158 when he was circumcised; 159 17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old 160 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.
18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham 161 by the oaks 162 of Mamre while 163 he was sitting at the entrance 164 to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham 165 looked up 166 and saw 167 three men standing across 168 from him. When he saw them 169 he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low 170 to the ground. 171
18:3 He said, “My lord, 172 if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. 173 18:4 Let a little water be brought so that 174 you may all 175 wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get 176 a bit of food 177 so that you may refresh yourselves 178 since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” 179 “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take 180 three measures 181 of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” 182 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, 183 who quickly prepared it. 184 18:8 Abraham 185 then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food 186 before them. They ate while 187 he was standing near them under a tree.
18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, 188 in the tent.” 18:10 One of them 189 said, “I will surely return 190 to you when the season comes round again, 191 and your wife Sarah will have a son!” 192 (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 193 18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; 194 Sarah had long since passed menopause.) 195 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, 196 “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, 197 especially when my husband is old too?” 198
18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why 199 did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really 200 have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything impossible 201 for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” 202 18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.” 203
18:16 When the men got up to leave, 204 they looked out over 205 Sodom. (Now 206 Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 207 18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 208 18:18 After all, Abraham 209 will surely become 210 a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 211 using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him 212 so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep 213 the way of the Lord by doing 214 what is right and just. Then the Lord will give 215 to Abraham what he promised 216 him.”
18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against 217 Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 218 18:21 that I must go down 219 and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. 220 If not, 221 I want to know.”
18:22 The two men turned 222 and headed 223 toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord. 224 18:23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare 225 the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge 226 of the whole earth do what is right?” 227
18:26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord 228 (although I am but dust and ashes), 229 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy 230 the whole city because five are lacking?” 231 He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
18:29 Abraham 232 spoke to him again, 233 “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
18:30 Then Abraham 234 said, “May the Lord not be angry 235 so that I may speak! 236 What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
18:31 Abraham 237 said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
18:32 Finally Abraham 238 said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
18:33 The Lord went on his way 239 when he had finished speaking 240 to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. 241
19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while 242 Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway. 243 When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground.
19:2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. Stay the night 244 and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.” 245 “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.” 246
19:3 But he urged 247 them persistently, so they turned aside with him and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them, including bread baked without yeast, and they ate. 19:4 Before they could lie down to sleep, 248 all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. 249 19:5 They shouted to Lot, 250 “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex 251 with them!”
19:6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 19:7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly! 252 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with 253 a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. 254 Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection 255 of my roof.” 256
19:9 “Out of our way!” 257 they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, 258 and now he dares to judge us! 259 We’ll do more harm 260 to you than to them!” They kept 261 pressing in on Lot until they were close enough 262 to break down the door.
19:10 So the men inside 263 reached out 264 and pulled Lot back into the house 265 as they shut the door. 19:11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, 266 with blindness. The men outside 267 wore themselves out trying to find the door. 19:12 Then the two visitors 268 said to Lot, “Who else do you have here? 269 Do you have 270 any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city? 271 Get them out of this 272 place 19:13 because we are about to destroy 273 it. The outcry against this place 274 is so great before the Lord that he 275 has sent us to destroy it.”
19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. 276 He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy 277 the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. 278
19:15 At dawn 279 the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, 280 or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!” 281 19:16 When Lot 282 hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them. 283 They led them away and placed them 284 outside the city. 19:17 When they had brought them outside, they 285 said, “Run 286 for your lives! Don’t look 287 behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! 288 Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”
19:18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord! 289 19:19 Your 290 servant has found favor with you, 291 and you have shown me great 292 kindness 293 by sparing 294 my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because 295 this disaster will overtake 296 me and I’ll die. 297 19:20 Look, this town 298 over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. 299 Let me go there. 300 It’s just a little place, isn’t it? 301 Then I’ll survive.” 302
19:21 “Very well,” he replied, 303 “I will grant this request too 304 and will not overthrow 305 the town you mentioned. 19:22 Run there quickly, 306 for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.) 307
19:23 The sun had just risen 308 over the land as Lot reached Zoar. 309 19:24 Then the Lord rained down 310 sulfur and fire 311 on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. 312 19:25 So he overthrew those cities and all that region, 313 including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation that grew 314 from the ground. 19:26 But Lot’s 315 wife looked back longingly 316 and was turned into a pillar of salt.
19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went 317 to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 He looked out toward 318 Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region. 319 As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace. 320
19:29 So when God destroyed 321 the cities of the region, 322 God honored 323 Abraham’s request. He removed Lot 324 from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed 325 the cities Lot had lived in.
19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 19:31 Later the older daughter said 326 to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby 327 to have sexual relations with us, 328 according to the way of all the world. 19:32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine 329 so we can have sexual relations 330 with him and preserve 331 our family line through our father.” 332
19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, 333 and the older daughter 334 came and had sexual relations with her father. 335 But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 336 19:34 So in the morning the older daughter 337 said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. 338 Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 339 19:35 So they made their father drunk 340 that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. 341 But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 342
19:36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter 343 gave birth to a son and named him Moab. 344 He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. 345 He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.
20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev 346 region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident 347 in Gerar, 20:2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.
20:3 But God appeared 348 to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead 349 because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.” 350
20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, 351 would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 352 20:5 Did Abraham 353 not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, 354 ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience 355 and with innocent hands!”
20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. 356 That is why I have kept you 357 from sinning against me and why 358 I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed 359 he is a prophet 360 and he will pray for you; thus you will live. 361 But if you don’t give her back, 362 know that you will surely die 363 along with all who belong to you.”
20:8 Early in the morning 364 Abimelech summoned 365 all his servants. When he told them about all these things, 366 they 367 were terrified. 20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? 368 You have done things to me that should not be done!” 369 20:10 Then Abimelech asked 370 Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?” 371
20:11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought, 372 ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of 373 my wife.’ 20:12 What’s more, 374 she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife. 20:13 When God made me wander 375 from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: 376 Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”
20:14 So Abimelech gave 377 sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 20:15 Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.” 378
20:16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver 379 to your ‘brother.’ 380 This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.” 381
20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 20:18 For the Lord 382 had caused infertility to strike every woman 383 in the household of Abimelech because he took 384 Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
21:1 The Lord visited 385 Sarah just as he had said he would and did 386 for Sarah what he had promised. 387 21:2 So Sarah became pregnant 388 and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 21:3 Abraham named his son – whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac. 389 21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, 390 Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. 391 21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.) 392
21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. 393 Everyone who hears about this 394 will laugh 395 with me.” 21:7 She went on to say, 396 “Who would 397 have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”
21:8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared 398 a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 399 21:9 But Sarah noticed 400 the son of Hagar the Egyptian – the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham – mocking. 401 21:10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish 402 that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!”
21:11 Sarah’s demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son. 403 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset 404 about the boy or your slave wife. Do 405 all that Sarah is telling 406 you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 407 21:13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.”
21:14 Early in the morning Abraham took 408 some food 409 and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, 410 and sent her away. So she went wandering 411 aimlessly through the wilderness 412 of Beer Sheba. 21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved 413 the child under one of the shrubs. 21:16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot 414 away; for she thought, 415 “I refuse to watch the child die.” 416 So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably. 417
21:17 But God heard the boy’s voice. 418 The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, 419 Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard 420 the boy’s voice right where he is crying. 21:18 Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 21:19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. 421 She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink.
21:20 God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21:21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. 422 His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt. 423
21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you 424 in all that you do. 21:23 Now swear to me right here in God’s name 425 that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. 426 Show me, and the land 427 where you are staying, 428 the same loyalty 429 that I have shown you.” 430
21:24 Abraham said, “I swear to do this.” 431 21:25 But Abraham lodged a complaint 432 against Abimelech concerning a well 433 that Abimelech’s servants had seized. 434 21:26 “I do not know who has done this thing,” Abimelech replied. “Moreover, 435 you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today.”
21:27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. 436 21:28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 21:29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these 437 seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 21:30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof 438 that I dug this well.” 439 21:31 That is why he named that place 440 Beer Sheba, 441 because the two of them swore 442 an oath there.
21:32 So they made a treaty 443 at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned 444 to the land of the Philistines. 445 21:33 Abraham 446 planted a tamarisk tree 447 in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, 448 the eternal God. 21:34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time. 449
22:1 Some time after these things God tested 450 Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham 451 replied. 22:2 God 452 said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac 453 – and go to the land of Moriah! 454 Offer him up there as a burnt offering 455 on one of the mountains which I will indicate to 456 you.”
22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. 457 He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out 458 for the place God had spoken to him about.
22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of 459 the place in the distance. 22:5 So he 460 said to his servants, “You two stay 461 here with the donkey while 462 the boy and I go up there. We will worship 463 and then return to you.” 464
22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, 465 and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, 466 “My father?” “What is it, 467 my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, 468 “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 22:8 “God will provide 469 for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.
22:9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there 470 and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up 471 his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 22:10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter 472 his son. 22:11 But the Lord’s angel 473 called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 22:12 “Do not harm the boy!” 474 the angel said. 475 “Do not do anything to him, for now I know 476 that you fear 477 God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”
22:13 Abraham looked up 478 and saw 479 behind him 480 a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he 481 went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” 482 It is said to this day, 483 “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.” 484
22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16 and said, “‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’ 485 decrees the Lord, 486 ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you, 487 and I will greatly multiply 488 your descendants 489 so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession 490 of the strongholds 491 of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, 492 all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 493 using the name of your descendants.’”
22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together 494 for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed. 495
22:20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah 496 also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 497 22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 22:23 (Now 498 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children – Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
23:1 Sarah lived 127 years. 499 23:2 Then she 500 died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 501
23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife 502 and said to the sons of Heth, 503 23:4 “I am a temporary settler 504 among you. Grant 505 me ownership 506 of a burial site among you so that I may 507 bury my dead.” 508
23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 509 23:6 “Listen, sir, 510 you are a mighty prince 511 among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you 512 from burying your dead.”
23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, 513 the sons of Heth. 23:8 Then he said to them, “If you agree 514 that I may bury my dead, 515 then hear me out. 516 Ask 517 Ephron the son of Zohar 23:9 if he will sell 518 me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly 519 for the full price, 520 so that I may own it as a burial site.”
23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite 521 replied to Abraham in the hearing 522 of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate 523 of his city – 23:11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell 524 you both the field and the cave that is in it. 525 In the presence of my people 526 I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”
23:12 Abraham bowed before the local people 23:13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, “Hear me, if you will. I pay 527 to you the price 528 of the field. Take it from me so that I may 529 bury my dead there.”
23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 23:15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 530 400 pieces of silver, 531 but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price 532 and weighed 533 out for him 534 the price 535 that Ephron had quoted 536 in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. 537
23:17 So Abraham secured 538 Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city. 539
23:19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 23:20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site 540 from the sons of Heth.
24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, 541 and the Lord had blessed him 542 in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one 543 in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh 544 24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise 545 by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire 546 a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives 547 to find 548 a wife for my son Isaac.”
24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me 549 to this land? Must I then 550 take your son back to the land from which you came?”
24:6 “Be careful 551 never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him. 552 24:7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, 553 promised me with a solemn oath, 554 ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel 555 before you so that you may find 556 a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, 557 you will be free 558 from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!” 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. 559
24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. 560 He journeyed 561 to the region of Aram Naharaim 562 and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well 563 outside the city. It was evening, 564 the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. 565 Be faithful 566 to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, 567 and the daughters of the people 568 who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ 569 In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 570
24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah 571 with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor). 572 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. 573 She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant 574 ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering 575 her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, 576 she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied 577 her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine 578 if the Lord had made his journey successful 579 or not.
24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka 580 and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels 581 and gave them to her. 582 24:23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. 583 “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24:24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. 584 24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, 585 “and room for you 586 to spend the night.”
24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love 587 for my master! The Lord has led me 588 to the house 589 of my master’s relatives!” 590
24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about 591 these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) 592 Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring 593 and heard his sister Rebekah say, 594 “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing 595 by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, 596 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! 597 Why are you standing out here when I have prepared 598 the house and a place for the camels?”
24:32 So Abraham’s servant 599 went to the house and unloaded 600 the camels. Straw and feed were given 601 to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 602 24:33 When food was served, 603 he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” 604 “Tell us,” Laban said. 605
24:34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 24:35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. 606 The Lord 607 has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him 608 when she was old, 609 and my master 610 has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find 611 a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go 612 with me?’ 613 24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, 614 will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath 615 if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, 616 may events unfold as follows: 617 24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. 618 When 619 the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 24:44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, 620 along came Rebekah 621 with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ 622 I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter 623 of my master’s brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” 624
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. 625 Our wishes are of no concern. 626 24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become 627 the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” 628
24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he 629 brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. 630
When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 631 24:55 But Rebekah’s 632 brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 24:56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord 633 has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return 634 to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 635 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want 636 to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”
24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: 637
“Our sister, may you become the mother 638 of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds 639 of their enemies.”
24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with 640 the man. So Abraham’s servant 641 took Rebekah and left.
24:62 Now 642 Isaac came from 643 Beer Lahai Roi, 644 for 645 he was living in the Negev. 646 24:63 He 647 went out to relax 648 in the field in the early evening. 649 Then he looked up 650 and saw that 651 there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up 652 and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked 653 Abraham’s servant, 654 “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. 655 So she took her veil and covered herself.
24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah 656 into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her 657 as his wife and loved her. 658 So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. 659
Galatians 5:17-24
Context5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires 660 that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to 661 each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh 662 are obvious: 663 sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, 664 hostilities, 665 strife, 666 jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, 667 factions, 5:21 envying, 668 murder, 669 drunkenness, carousing, 670 and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit 671 is love, 672 joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 673 5:23 gentleness, and 674 self-control. Against such things there is no law. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ 675 have crucified the flesh 676 with its passions 677 and desires.
[15:1] 1 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] 2 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] 3 tn The Hebrew text has אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה (’adonay yehvih, “Master,
[15:2] 4 tn The vav (ו) disjunctive at the beginning of the clause is circumstantial, expressing the cause or reason.
[15:2] 6 tn Heb “the son of the acquisition of my house.”
[15:2] 7 tn The pronoun is anaphoric here, equivalent to the verb “to be” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).
[15:2] 8 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] 9 tn Heb “And Abram said.”
[15:3] 10 tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).
[15:3] 11 tn Heb “is inheriting me.”
[15:4] 12 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] 13 tn The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated “this one” or “this man.” That the
[15:4] 14 tn Heb “inherit you.”
[15:4] 15 tn The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.
[15:4] 16 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] 17 tn The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: “whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you.”
[15:4] 18 tn Heb “will inherit you.”
[15:5] 19 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[15:6] 20 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] 21 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
[15:6] 22 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] 23 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] 24 tn Heb “And he said.”
[15:7] 25 sn I am the
[15:7] 26 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] 27 tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”
[15:8] 28 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:8] 29 tn See note on the phrase “sovereign
[15:9] 31 tn Heb “He”; the referent (the
[15:10] 32 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:10] 33 tn Heb “in the middle.”
[15:10] 34 tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”
[15:12] 35 tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”
[15:12] 36 tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”
[15:13] 37 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] 38 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] 39 tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”
[15:13] 40 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] 41 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] 42 tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.
[15:15] 43 sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.
[15:15] 44 tn Heb “in a good old age.”
[15:16] 45 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] 46 tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[15:16] 47 tn Heb “is not yet complete.”
[15:17] 48 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] 49 tn Heb “these pieces.”
[15:18] 50 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[15:18] 51 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] 52 sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.
[15:19] 53 tn The words “the land” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[15:21] 54 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] 55 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.
[16:1] 56 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] 57 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] 58 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] 59 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.
[16:2] 60 tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).
[16:2] 61 tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.
[16:2] 62 tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”
[16:3] 63 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] 64 tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”
[16:3] 65 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] 66 tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.
[16:4] 67 tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)
[16:4] 68 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] 69 tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”
[16:5] 70 tn Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”
[16:5] 72 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] 73 tn Heb “me and you.”
[16:6] 74 tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”
[16:6] 75 tn Heb “in your hand.”
[16:6] 76 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”
[16:6] 77 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:6] 78 tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”
[16:6] 79 tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:7] 80 tn Heb “the messenger of the
[16:7] 81 tn Heb “And the angel of the
[16:8] 82 tn Heb “from the presence of.”
[16:9] 83 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] 84 tn Heb “The
[16:10] 85 tn Heb “cannot be numbered because of abundance.”
[16:11] 86 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”
[16:11] 87 tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.
[16:11] 88 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] 89 tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.
[16:12] 90 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] 91 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] 92 tn Heb “And the hand of everyone will be against him.”
[16:12] 93 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] 94 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] 95 tn Heb “after one who sees me.”
[16:14] 96 tn The verb does not have an expressed subject and so is rendered as passive in the translation.
[16:14] 97 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] 98 tn Heb “look.” The words “it is located” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[16:15] 99 tn Heb “and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”
[16:16] 100 tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is parenthetical to the narrative.
[16:16] 101 tn Heb “the son of eighty-six years.”
[16:16] 102 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] 103 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”
[17:1] 104 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] 105 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] 106 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] 107 tn Or “in my presence.”
[17:1] 108 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] 109 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative indicates consequence. If Abram is blameless, then the
[17:2] 110 tn Heb “I will multiply you exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
[17:3] 111 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] 112 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] 114 tn Heb “is” (הִנֵּה, hinneh).
[17:5] 115 tn Heb “will your name be called.”
[17:5] 116 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] 117 tn The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.
[17:6] 118 tn This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express God’s intentions.
[17:6] 119 tn Heb “exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
[17:6] 120 tn Heb “and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you.”
[17:7] 121 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] 122 tn Or “as an eternal.”
[17:7] 123 tn Heb “to be to you for God and to your descendants after you.”
[17:8] 124 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] 125 tn Or “as an eternal.”
[17:9] 126 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] 127 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] 128 tn Heb “This is my covenant that you must keep between me and you and your descendants after you.”
[17:10] 129 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] 131 tn Heb “the son of eight days.”
[17:13] 132 tn The emphatic construction employs the Niphal imperfect tense (collective singular) and the Niphal infinitive.
[17:13] 133 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] 134 tn Or “an eternal.”
[17:14] 135 tn The disjunctive clause calls attention to the “uncircumcised male” and what will happen to him.
[17:14] 136 tn Heb “that person will be cut off.” The words “that person” have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[17:14] 137 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] 138 tn Heb “[As for] Sarai your wife, you must not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [will be] her name.”
[17:15] 139 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] 140 tn Heb “she will become nations.”
[17:17] 142 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] 143 tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”
[17:17] 144 tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.
[17:17] 145 tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”
[17:17] 146 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] 147 tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”
[17:18] 148 tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”
[17:18] 149 tn Or “live with your blessing.”
[17:19] 150 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] 151 tn Or “as an eternal.”
[17:20] 152 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] 153 tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
[17:20] 154 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] 155 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] 156 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] 157 tn Heb “circumcised the flesh of their foreskin.” The Hebrew expression is somewhat pleonastic and has been simplified in the translation.
[17:24] 158 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”
[17:24] 159 tn Heb “circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin” (also in v. 25).
[17:25] 160 tn Heb “the son of thirteen years.”
[18:1] 161 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:1] 162 tn Or “terebinths.”
[18:1] 163 tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.
[18:1] 164 tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.
[18:2] 165 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:2] 166 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”
[18:2] 167 tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.
[18:2] 168 tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.
[18:2] 169 tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
[18:2] 170 tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).
[18:2] 171 sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the
[18:3] 172 tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the
[18:3] 173 tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”
[18:4] 174 tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.
[18:4] 175 tn The word “all” has been supplied in the translation because the Hebrew verb translated “wash” and the pronominal suffix on the word “feet” are plural, referring to all three of the visitors.
[18:5] 176 tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.
[18:5] 177 tn Heb “a piece of bread.” The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lekhem) can refer either to bread specifically or to food in general. Based on Abraham’s directions to Sarah in v. 6, bread was certainly involved, but v. 7 indicates that Abraham had a more elaborate meal in mind.
[18:5] 178 tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.
[18:5] 179 tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”
[18:6] 180 tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.
[18:6] 181 sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.
[18:6] 182 sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.
[18:7] 183 tn Heb “the young man.”
[18:7] 184 tn The construction uses the Piel preterite, “he hurried,” followed by the infinitive construct; the two probably form a verbal hendiadys: “he quickly prepared.”
[18:8] 185 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:8] 186 tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
[18:8] 187 tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.
[18:9] 188 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.
[18:10] 189 tn Heb “he”; the referent (one of the three men introduced in v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some English translations have specified the referent as the
[18:10] 190 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense.
[18:10] 191 tn Heb “as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime.
[18:10] 192 tn Heb “and there will be (הִנֵּה, hinneh) a son for Sarah.”
[18:10] 193 tn This is the first of two disjunctive parenthetical clauses preparing the reader for Sarah’s response (see v. 12).
[18:11] 195 tn Heb “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.”
[18:12] 197 tn It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.
[18:12] 198 tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[18:13] 199 tn Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the
[18:13] 200 tn The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”
[18:14] 201 tn The Hebrew verb פָּלָא (pala’) means “to be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be surpassing, to be amazing.”
[18:14] 202 sn Sarah will have a son. The passage brings God’s promise into clear focus. As long as it was a promise for the future, it really could be believed without much involvement. But now, when it seemed so impossible from the human standpoint, when the
[18:15] 203 tn Heb “And he said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” The referent (the
[18:16] 204 tn Heb “And the men arose from there.”
[18:16] 205 tn Heb “toward the face of.”
[18:16] 206 tn The disjunctive parenthetical clause sets the stage for the following speech.
[18:16] 207 tn The Piel of שָׁלַח (shalakh) means “to lead out, to send out, to expel”; here it is used in the friendly sense of seeing the visitors on their way.
[18:17] 208 tn The active participle here refers to an action that is imminent.
[18:18] 209 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The disjunctive clause is probably causal, giving a reason why God should not hide his intentions from Abraham. One could translate, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation?”
[18:18] 210 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the finite verb that follows.
[18:18] 211 tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings upon”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 18:18 (like 12:2) predicts that Abraham will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.
[18:19] 212 tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the
[18:19] 213 tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).
[18:19] 214 tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the
[18:19] 215 tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.
[18:19] 216 tn Heb “spoke to.”
[18:20] 217 tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.
[18:21] 219 tn The cohortative indicates the
[18:21] 220 tn Heb “[if] according to the outcry that has come to me they have done completely.” Even the
[18:21] 221 sn The short phrase if not provides a ray of hope and inspires Abraham’s intercession.
[18:22] 222 tn Heb “And the men turned from there.” The word “two” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied here for clarity. Gen 19:1 mentions only two individuals (described as “angels”), while Abraham had entertained three visitors (18:2). The implication is that the
[18:22] 224 tc An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition reads “but the
[18:24] 225 tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).
[18:25] 227 sn Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right? For discussion of this text see J. L. Crenshaw, “Popular Questioning of the Justice of God in Ancient Israel,” ZAW 82 (1970): 380-95, and C. S. Rodd, “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do What Is Just?” ExpTim 83 (1972): 137-39.
[18:27] 228 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[18:27] 229 tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the
[18:28] 230 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.
[18:28] 231 tn Heb “because of five.”
[18:29] 232 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:29] 233 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”
[18:30] 234 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:30] 235 tn Heb “let it not be hot to the
[18:30] 236 tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.
[18:31] 237 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:32] 238 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:33] 239 tn Heb “And the
[18:33] 240 tn The infinitive construct (“speaking”) serves as the direct object of the verb “finished.”
[18:33] 241 tn Heb “to his place.”
[19:1] 242 tn The disjunctive clause is temporal here, indicating what Lot was doing at the time of their arrival.
[19:1] 243 tn Heb “sitting in the gate of Sodom.” The phrase “the gate of Sodom” has been translated “the city’s gateway” for stylistic reasons.
[19:2] 244 tn The imperatives have the force of invitation.
[19:2] 245 tn These two verbs form a verbal hendiadys: “you can rise up early and go” means “you can go early.”
[19:2] 246 sn The town square refers to the wide street area at the gate complex of the city.
[19:3] 247 tn The Hebrew verb פָּצַר (patsar, “to press, to insist”) ironically foreshadows the hostile actions of the men of the city (see v. 9, where the verb also appears). The repetition of the word serves to contrast Lot to his world.
[19:4] 248 tn The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) means “to lie down, to recline,” that is, “to go to bed.” Here what appears to be an imperfect is a preterite after the adverb טֶרֶם (terem). The nuance of potential (perfect) fits well.
[19:4] 249 tn Heb “and the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young to the old, all the people from the end [of the city].” The repetition of the phrase “men of” stresses all kinds of men.
[19:5] 250 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to him.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[19:5] 251 tn The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “to know”) is used here in the sense of “to lie with” or “to have sex with” (as in Gen 4:1). That this is indeed the meaning is clear from Lot’s warning that they not do so wickedly, and his willingness to give them his daughters instead.
[19:7] 252 tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”
[19:8] 253 tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[19:8] 254 tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”
[19:8] 256 sn This chapter portrays Lot as a hypocrite. He is well aware of the way the men live in his city and is apparently comfortable in the midst of it. But when confronted by the angels, he finally draws the line. But he is nevertheless willing to sacrifice his daughters’ virginity to protect his guests. His opposition to the crowds leads to his rejection as a foreigner by those with whom he had chosen to live. The one who attempted to rescue his visitors ends up having to be rescued by them.
[19:9] 257 tn Heb “approach out there” which could be rendered “Get out of the way, stand back!”
[19:9] 258 tn Heb “to live as a resident alien.”
[19:9] 259 tn Heb “and he has judged, judging.” The infinitive absolute follows the finite verbal form for emphasis. This emphasis is reflected in the translation by the phrase “dares to judge.”
[19:9] 260 tn The verb “to do wickedly” is repeated here (see v. 7). It appears that whatever “wickedness” the men of Sodom had intended to do to Lot’s visitors – probably nothing short of homosexual rape – they were now ready to inflict on Lot.
[19:9] 261 tn Heb “and they pressed against the man, against Lot, exceedingly.”
[19:9] 262 tn Heb “and they drew near.”
[19:10] 263 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “inside” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[19:10] 264 tn The Hebrew text adds “their hand.” These words have not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[19:10] 265 tn Heb “to them into the house.”
[19:11] 266 tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”
[19:11] 267 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:12] 268 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “visitors” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[19:12] 269 tn Heb “Yet who [is there] to you here?”
[19:12] 270 tn The words “Do you have” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:12] 271 tn Heb “a son-in-law and your sons and your daughters and anyone who (is) to you in the city.”
[19:12] 272 tn Heb “the place.” The Hebrew article serves here as a demonstrative.
[19:13] 273 tn The Hebrew participle expresses an imminent action here.
[19:13] 274 tn Heb “for their outcry.” The words “about this place” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:13] 275 tn Heb “the
[19:14] 276 sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.
[19:14] 277 tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.
[19:14] 278 tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.
[19:15] 279 tn Heb “When dawn came up.”
[19:15] 280 tn Heb “who are found.” The wording might imply he had other daughters living in the city, but the text does not explicitly state this.
[19:15] 281 tn Or “with the iniquity [i.e., punishment] of the city” (cf. NASB, NRSV).
[19:16] 282 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:16] 283 tn Heb “in the compassion of the
[19:16] 284 tn Heb “brought him out and placed him.” The third masculine singular suffixes refer specifically to Lot, though his wife and daughters accompanied him (see v. 17). For stylistic reasons these have been translated as plural pronouns (“them”).
[19:17] 285 tn Or “one of them”; Heb “he.” Several ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate, Syriac) read the plural “they.” See also the note on “your” in v. 19.
[19:17] 287 tn The Hebrew verb translated “look” signifies an intense gaze, not a passing glance. This same verb is used later in v. 26 to describe Lot’s wife’s self-destructive look back at the city.
[19:17] 288 tn Or “in the plain”; Heb “in the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[19:18] 289 tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[19:19] 290 tn The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.
[19:19] 291 tn Heb “in your eyes.”
[19:19] 292 tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”
[19:19] 293 sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.
[19:19] 294 tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.
[19:19] 296 tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.
[19:19] 297 tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.
[19:20] 298 tn The Hebrew word עִיר (’ir) can refer to either a city or a town, depending on the size of the place. Given that this place was described by Lot later in this verse as a “little place,” the translation uses “town.”
[19:20] 299 tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”
[19:20] 300 tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.
[19:20] 301 tn Heb “Is it not little?”
[19:20] 302 tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.
[19:21] 303 tn Heb “And he said, ‘Look, I will grant.’” The order of the clauses has been rearranged for stylistic reasons. The referent of the speaker (“he”) is somewhat ambiguous: It could be taken as the angel to whom Lot has been speaking (so NLT; note the singular references in vv. 18-19), or it could be that Lot is speaking directly to the
[19:21] 304 tn Heb “I have lifted up your face [i.e., shown you favor] also concerning this matter.”
[19:21] 305 tn The negated infinitive construct indicates either the consequence of God’s granting the request (“I have granted this request, so that I will not”) or the manner in which he will grant it (“I have granted your request by not destroying”).
[19:22] 306 tn Heb “Be quick! Escape to there!” The two imperatives form a verbal hendiadys, the first becoming adverbial.
[19:22] 307 tn Heb “Therefore the name of the city is called Zoar.” The name of the place, צוֹעַר (tso’ar) apparently means “Little Place,” in light of the wordplay with the term “little” (מִצְעָר, mits’ar) used twice by Lot to describe the town (v. 20).
[19:23] 308 sn The sun had just risen. There was very little time for Lot to escape between dawn (v. 15) and sunrise (here).
[19:23] 309 tn The juxtaposition of the two disjunctive clauses indicates synchronic action. The first action (the sun’s rising) occurred as the second (Lot’s entering Zoar) took place. The disjunctive clauses also signal closure for the preceding scene.
[19:24] 310 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of the next scene and highlights God’s action.
[19:24] 311 tn Or “burning sulfur” (the traditional “fire and brimstone”).
[19:24] 312 tn Heb “from the
[19:25] 313 tn Or “and all the plain”; Heb “and all the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[19:25] 314 tn Heb “and the vegetation of the ground.”
[19:26] 315 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:26] 316 tn The Hebrew verb means “to look intently; to gaze” (see 15:5).
[19:27] 317 tn The words “and went” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:28] 318 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
[19:28] 319 tn Or “all the land of the plain”; Heb “and all the face of the land of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[19:28] 320 tn Heb “And he saw, and look, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.”
[19:29] 321 tn The construction is a temporal clause comprised of the temporal indicator, an infinitive construct with a preposition, and the subjective genitive.
[19:29] 322 tn Or “of the plain”; Heb “of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[19:29] 323 tn Heb “remembered,” but this means more than mental recollection here. Abraham’s request (Gen 18:23-32) was that the
[19:29] 324 sn God’s removal of Lot before the judgment is paradigmatic. He typically delivers the godly before destroying their world.
[19:29] 325 tn Heb “the overthrow when [he] overthrew.”
[19:31] 326 tn Heb “and the firstborn said.”
[19:31] 327 tn Or perhaps “on earth,” in which case the statement would be hyperbolic; presumably there had been some men living in the town of Zoar to which Lot and his daughters had initially fled.
[19:31] 328 tn Heb “to enter upon us.” This is a euphemism for sexual relations.
[19:32] 329 tn Heb “drink wine.”
[19:32] 330 tn Heb “and we will lie down.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose/result.
[19:32] 331 tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.
[19:32] 332 tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”
[19:33] 333 tn Heb “drink wine.”
[19:33] 334 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
[19:33] 335 tn Heb “and the firstborn came and lied down with her father.” The expression “lied down with” here and in the following verses is a euphemism for sexual relations.
[19:33] 336 tn Heb “and he did not know when she lay down and when she arose.”
[19:34] 337 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
[19:34] 338 tn Heb “Look, I lied down with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight.”
[19:34] 339 tn Heb “And go, lie down with him and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”
[19:35] 340 tn Heb “drink wine.”
[19:35] 341 tn Heb “lied down with him.”
[19:35] 342 tn Heb “And he did not know when she lied down and when she arose.”
[19:37] 343 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
[19:37] 344 sn The meaning of the name Moab is not certain. The name sounds like the Hebrew phrase “from our father” (מֵאָבִינוּ, me’avinu) which the daughters used twice (vv. 32, 34). This account is probably included in the narrative in order to portray the Moabites, who later became enemies of God’s people, in a negative light.
[19:38] 345 sn The name Ben-Ammi means “son of my people.” Like the account of Moab’s birth, this story is probably included in the narrative to portray the Ammonites, another perennial enemy of Israel, in a negative light.
[20:1] 346 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”
[20:1] 347 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”
[20:3] 349 tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.
[20:3] 350 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.
[20:4] 351 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[20:4] 352 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.
[20:5] 353 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:5] 354 tn Heb “and she, even she.”
[20:5] 355 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”
[20:6] 356 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”
[20:6] 357 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”
[20:6] 358 tn Heb “therefore.”
[20:7] 359 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.
[20:7] 360 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.
[20:7] 361 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.
[20:7] 362 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.
[20:7] 363 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.
[20:8] 364 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”
[20:8] 365 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”
[20:8] 366 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”
[20:8] 367 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[20:9] 368 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.
[20:9] 369 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.
[20:10] 370 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”
[20:10] 371 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.
[20:11] 372 tn Heb “Because I said.”
[20:11] 373 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
[20:12] 374 tn Heb “but also.”
[20:13] 375 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”
[20:13] 376 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”
[20:14] 377 tn Heb “took and gave.”
[20:15] 378 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”
[20:16] 379 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).
[20:16] 380 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).
[20:16] 381 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).
[20:18] 382 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”
[20:18] 383 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
[20:18] 384 tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[21:1] 385 sn The Hebrew verb translated “visit” (פָּקַד, paqad ) often describes divine intervention for blessing or cursing; it indicates God’s special attention to an individual or a matter, always with respect to his people’s destiny. He may visit (that is, destroy) the Amalekites; he may visit (that is, deliver) his people in Egypt. Here he visits Sarah, to allow her to have the promised child. One’s destiny is changed when the
[21:1] 386 tn Heb “and the
[21:2] 388 tn Or “she conceived.”
[21:3] 389 tn Heb “the one born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.” The two modifying clauses, the first introduced with an article and the second with the relative pronoun, are placed in the middle of the sentence, before the name Isaac is stated. They are meant to underscore that this was indeed an actual birth to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of the promise.
[21:4] 390 tn Heb “Isaac his son, the son of eight days.” The name “Isaac” is repeated in the translation for clarity.
[21:4] 391 sn Just as God had commanded him to do. With the birth of the promised child, Abraham obeyed the
[21:5] 392 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause underscores how miraculous this birth was. Abraham was 100 years old. The fact that the genealogies give the ages of the fathers when their first son is born shows that this was considered a major milestone in one’s life (G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:80).
[21:6] 393 tn Heb “Laughter God has made for me.”
[21:6] 394 tn The words “about this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[21:6] 395 sn Sarah’s words play on the name “Isaac” in a final triumphant manner. God prepared “laughter” (צְחֹק, ysÿkhoq ) for her, and everyone who hears about this “will laugh” (יִצְחַק, yitskhaq ) with her. The laughter now signals great joy and fulfillment, not unbelief (cf. Gen 18:12-15).
[21:7] 397 tn The perfect form of the verb is used here to describe a hypothetical situation.
[21:8] 399 sn Children were weaned closer to the age of two or three in the ancient world, because infant mortality was high. If an infant grew to this stage, it was fairly certain he or she would live. Such an event called for a celebration, especially for parents who had waited so long for a child.
[21:9] 401 tn The Piel participle used here is from the same root as the name “Isaac.” In the Piel stem the verb means “to jest; to make sport of; to play with,” not simply “to laugh,” which is the meaning of the verb in the Qal stem. What exactly Ishmael was doing is not clear. Interpreters have generally concluded that the boy was either (1) mocking Isaac (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) or (2) merely playing with Isaac as if on equal footing (cf. NAB, NRSV). In either case Sarah saw it as a threat. The same participial form was used in Gen 19:14 to describe how some in Lot’s family viewed his attempt to warn them of impending doom. It also appears later in Gen 39:14, 17, where Potiphar accuses Joseph of mocking them.
[21:10] 402 tn Heb “drive out.” The language may seem severe, but Sarah’s maternal instincts sensed a real danger in that Ishmael was not treating Isaac with the proper respect.
[21:11] 403 tn Heb “and the word was very wrong in the eyes of Abraham on account of his son.” The verb רָעַע (ra’a’) often refers to what is morally or ethically “evil.” It usage here suggests that Abraham thought Sarah’s demand was ethically (and perhaps legally) wrong.
[21:12] 404 tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”
[21:12] 405 tn Heb “listen to her voice.” The idiomatic expression means “obey; comply.” Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later (see Gen 25), when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well.
[21:12] 406 tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.
[21:12] 407 tn Or perhaps “will be named”; Heb “for in Isaac offspring will be called to you.” The exact meaning of the statement is not clear, but it does indicate that God’s covenantal promises to Abraham will be realized through Isaac, not Ishmael.
[21:14] 408 tn Heb “and Abraham rose up early in the morning and he took.”
[21:14] 409 tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.
[21:14] 410 tn Heb “He put upon her shoulder, and the boy [or perhaps, “and with the boy”], and he sent her away.” It is unclear how “and the boy” relates syntactically to what precedes. Perhaps the words should be rearranged and the text read, “and he put [them] on her shoulder and he gave to Hagar the boy.”
[21:14] 411 tn Heb “she went and wandered.”
[21:14] 412 tn Or “desert,” although for English readers this usually connotes a sandy desert like the Sahara rather than the arid wasteland of this region with its sparse vegetation.
[21:15] 413 tn Heb “threw,” but the child, who was now thirteen years old, would not have been carried, let alone thrown under a bush. The exaggerated language suggests Ishmael is limp from dehydration and is being abandoned to die. See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 2:85.
[21:16] 414 sn A bowshot would be a distance of about a hundred yards (ninety meters).
[21:16] 416 tn Heb “I will not look on the death of the child.” The cohortative verbal form (note the negative particle אַל,’al) here expresses her resolve to avoid the stated action.
[21:16] 417 tn Heb “and she lifted up her voice and wept” (that is, she wept uncontrollably). The LXX reads “he” (referring to Ishmael) rather than “she” (referring to Hagar), but this is probably an attempt to harmonize this verse with the following one, which refers to the boy’s cries.
[21:17] 418 sn God heard the boy’s voice. The text has not to this point indicated that Ishmael was crying out, either in pain or in prayer. But the text here makes it clear that God heard him. Ishmael is clearly central to the story. Both the mother and the
[21:17] 419 tn Heb “What to you?”
[21:17] 420 sn Here the verb heard picks up the main motif of the name Ishmael (“God hears”), introduced back in chap. 16.
[21:19] 421 tn Heb “And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” The referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:21] 422 sn The wilderness of Paran is an area in the east central region of the Sinai peninsula, northeast from the traditional site of Mt. Sinai and with the Arabah and the Gulf of Aqaba as its eastern border.
[21:21] 423 tn Heb “And his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.”
[21:22] 424 sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.
[21:23] 425 tn Heb “And now swear to me by God here.”
[21:23] 426 tn Heb “my offspring and my descendants.”
[21:23] 427 tn The word “land” refers by metonymy to the people in the land.
[21:23] 428 tn The Hebrew verb means “to stay, to live, to sojourn” as a temporary resident without ownership rights.
[21:23] 430 tn Heb “According to the loyalty which I have done with you, do with me and with the land in which you are staying.”
[21:24] 431 tn Heb “I swear.” No object is specified in the Hebrew text, but the content of the oath requested by Abimelech is the implied object.
[21:25] 432 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to argue; to dispute”; it can focus on the beginning of the dispute (as here), the dispute itself, or the resolution of a dispute (Isa 1:18). Apparently the complaint was lodged before the actual oath was taken.
[21:25] 433 tn Heb “concerning the matter of the well of water.”
[21:25] 434 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to steal; to rob; to take violently.” The statement reflects Abraham’s perspective.
[21:26] 435 tn Heb “and also.”
[21:27] 436 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[21:29] 437 tn Heb “What are these?”
[21:30] 438 tn Heb “that it be for me for a witness.”
[21:30] 439 sn This well. Since the king wanted a treaty to share in Abraham’s good fortune, Abraham used the treaty to secure ownership of and protection for the well he dug. It would be useless to make a treaty to live in this territory if he had no rights to the water. Abraham consented to the treaty, but added his rider to it.
[21:31] 440 tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”
[21:31] 441 sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven.” Both the verb “to swear” and the number “seven” have been used throughout the account. Now they are drawn in as part of the explanation of the significance of the name.
[21:31] 442 sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.
[21:32] 443 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[21:32] 444 tn Heb “arose and returned.”
[21:32] 445 sn The Philistines mentioned here may not be ethnically related to those who lived in Palestine in the time of the judges and the united monarchy. See D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 238.
[21:33] 446 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:33] 447 sn The planting of the tamarisk tree is a sign of Abraham’s intent to stay there for a long time, not a religious act. A growing tree in the Negev would be a lasting witness to God’s provision of water.
[21:33] 448 tn Heb “he called there in the name of the
[21:34] 449 tn Heb “many days.”
[22:1] 450 sn The Hebrew verb used here means “to test; to try; to prove.” In this passage God tests Abraham to see if he would be obedient. See T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 44-48. See also J. L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment (OBT), 9-30; and J. I. Lawlor, “The Test of Abraham,” GTJ 1 (1980): 19-35.
[22:1] 451 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:2] 452 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:2] 453 sn Take your son…Isaac. The instructions are very clear, but the details are deliberate. With every additional description the commandment becomes more challenging.
[22:2] 454 sn There has been much debate over the location of Moriah; 2 Chr 3:1 suggests it may be the site where the temple was later built in Jerusalem.
[22:2] 455 sn A whole burnt offering signified the complete surrender of the worshiper and complete acceptance by God. The demand for a human sacrifice was certainly radical and may have seemed to Abraham out of character for God. Abraham would have to obey without fully understanding what God was about.
[22:2] 456 tn Heb “which I will say to.”
[22:3] 457 tn Heb “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.”
[22:3] 458 tn Heb “he arose and he went.”
[22:4] 459 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.”
[22:5] 460 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
[22:5] 461 tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey.
[22:5] 462 tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal.
[22:5] 463 tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.”
[22:5] 464 sn It is impossible to know what Abraham was thinking when he said, “we will…return to you.” When he went he knew (1) that he was to sacrifice Isaac, and (2) that God intended to fulfill his earlier promises through Isaac. How he reconciled those facts is not clear in the text. Heb 11:17-19 suggests that Abraham believed God could restore Isaac to him through resurrection.
[22:6] 465 sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead.
[22:7] 466 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said.” This is redundant and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[22:7] 467 tn Heb “Here I am” (cf. Gen 22:1).
[22:7] 468 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here is the fire and the wood.’” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here and in the following verse the order of the introductory clauses and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:8] 469 tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”
[22:9] 470 sn Abraham built an altar there. The theme of Abraham’s altar building culminates here. He has been a faithful worshiper. Will he continue to worship when called upon to make such a radical sacrifice?
[22:9] 471 sn Then he tied up. This text has given rise to an important theme in Judaism known as the Aqedah, from the Hebrew word for “binding.” When sacrifices were made in the sanctuary, God remembered the binding of Isaac, for which a substitute was offered. See D. Polish, “The Binding of Isaac,” Jud 6 (1957): 17-21.
[22:10] 472 tn Heb “in order to slaughter.”
[22:11] 473 sn Heb “the messenger of the
[22:12] 474 tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.”
[22:12] 475 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Do not extend…’”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the context for clarity. The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:12] 476 sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1).
[22:12] 477 sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith.
[22:13] 478 tn Heb “lifted his eyes.”
[22:13] 479 tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to what Abraham saw and invites the audience to view the scene through his eyes.
[22:13] 480 tc The translation follows the reading of the MT; a number of Hebrew
[22:13] 481 tn Heb “Abraham”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:14] 482 tn Heb “the Lord sees” (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, yÿhvah yir’eh, traditionally transliterated “Jehovah Jireh”; see the note on the word “provide” in v. 8). By so naming the place Abraham preserved in the memory of God’s people the amazing event that took place there.
[22:14] 483 sn On the expression to this day see B. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until this Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.
[22:14] 484 sn The saying connected with these events has some ambiguity, which was probably intended. The Niphal verb could be translated (1) “in the mountain of the Lord it will be seen/provided” or (2) “in the mountain the Lord will appear.” If the temple later stood here (see the note on “Moriah” in Gen 22:2), the latter interpretation might find support, for the people went to the temple to appear before the Lord, who “appeared” to them by providing for them his power and blessings. See S. R. Driver, Genesis, 219.
[22:16] 485 tn Heb “By myself I swear.”
[22:16] 486 tn Heb “the oracle of the
[22:17] 487 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form (either an imperfect or cohortative) emphasizes the certainty of the blessing.
[22:17] 488 tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).
[22:17] 489 tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.
[22:17] 491 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. To break through the gate complex would be to conquer the city, for the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”).
[22:18] 492 tn In the Hebrew text this causal clause comes at the end of the sentence. The translation alters the word order for stylistic reasons.
[22:18] 493 tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 26:4). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)
[22:19] 494 tn Heb “and they arose and went together.”
[22:19] 495 tn Heb “and Abraham stayed in Beer Sheba. This has been translated as a relative clause for stylistic reasons.
[22:20] 496 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence begins with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to the statement.
[22:21] 497 sn This parenthetical note about Kemuel’s descendant is probably a later insertion by the author/compiler of Genesis and not part of the original announcement.
[22:23] 498 tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is important but parenthetical to the narrative. Rebekah would become the wife of Isaac (Gen 24:15).
[23:1] 499 tn Heb “And the years of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.”
[23:2] 500 tn Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons.
[23:2] 501 sn Mourn…weep. The description here is of standard mourning rites (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 149-50). They would have been carried out in the presence of the corpse, probably in Sarah’s tent. So Abraham came in to mourn; then he rose up to go and bury his dead (v. 3).
[23:3] 502 tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”
[23:3] 503 tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.
[23:4] 504 tn Heb “a resident alien and a settler.”
[23:4] 505 tn Heb “give,” which is used here as an idiom for “sell” (see v. 9). The idiom reflects the polite bartering that was done in the culture at the time.
[23:4] 506 tn Or “possession.”
[23:4] 507 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose.
[23:4] 508 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:5] 509 tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”
[23:6] 510 tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”
[23:6] 511 tn Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “Nasi’ ‘elohim (Gen 23:6),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16.
[23:6] 512 tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:7] 513 tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).
[23:8] 514 tn Heb “If it is with your purpose.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here has the nuance “purpose” or perhaps “desire” (see BDB 661 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ).
[23:8] 515 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:8] 517 tn Heb “intercede for me with.”
[23:9] 518 tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4.
[23:9] 519 tn Heb “in your presence.”
[23:10] 521 tn Or perhaps “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3.
[23:10] 522 tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.
[23:10] 523 sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33.
[23:11] 524 tn Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field.
[23:11] 525 tn The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[23:11] 526 tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”
[23:13] 529 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.
[23:15] 530 tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:15] 531 sn Four hundred pieces of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 4.6 kilograms, or 160 ounces (about 10 pounds).
[23:16] 532 tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”
[23:16] 533 tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”
[23:16] 534 tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:16] 536 tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[23:16] 537 tn Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.
[23:17] 538 tn Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:18] 539 tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:20] 540 tn Heb “possession of a grave.”
[24:1] 542 tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
[24:2] 543 tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).
[24:2] 544 sn Put your hand under my thigh. The taking of this oath had to do with the sanctity of the family and the continuation of the family line. See D. R. Freedman, “Put Your Hand Under My Thigh – the Patriarchal Oath,” BAR 2 (1976): 2-4, 42.
[24:3] 545 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.
[24:3] 546 tn Heb “because you must not take.”
[24:4] 547 tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”
[24:5] 549 tn Heb “to go after me.”
[24:5] 550 tn In the Hebrew text the construction is emphatic; the infinitive absolute precedes the imperfect. However, it is difficult to reflect this emphasis in an English translation.
[24:6] 551 tn Heb “guard yourself.”
[24:6] 552 tn The introductory clause “And Abraham said to him” has been moved to the end of the opening sentence of direct discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:7] 553 tn Or “the land of my birth.”
[24:7] 554 tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”
[24:7] 555 tn Or “his messenger.”
[24:7] 556 tn Heb “before you and you will take.”
[24:8] 557 tn Heb “ to go after you.”
[24:8] 558 sn You will be free. If the prospective bride was not willing to accompany the servant back to Canaan, the servant would be released from his oath to Abraham.
[24:9] 559 tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”
[24:10] 560 tn Heb “and every good thing of his master was in his hand.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, explaining that he took all kinds of gifts to be used at his discretion.
[24:10] 561 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”
[24:10] 562 tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:11] 563 tn Heb “well of water.”
[24:11] 564 tn Heb “at the time of evening.”
[24:12] 565 tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).
[24:12] 566 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”
[24:13] 567 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
[24:14] 569 sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.
[24:14] 570 tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”
[24:15] 571 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out!” Using the participle introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator dramatically transports the audience back into the event and invites them to see Rebekah through the servant’s eyes.
[24:15] 572 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out – [she] who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham – and her jug [was] on her shoulder.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:16] 573 tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man she had not known.” Some argue that the Hebrew noun translated “virgin” (בְּתוּלָה, bÿtulah) is better understood in a general sense, “young woman” (see Joel 1:8, where the word appears to refer to one who is married). In this case the circumstantial clause (“and a man she had not known”) would be restrictive, rather than descriptive. If the term actually means “virgin,” one wonders why the circumstantial clause is necessary (see Judg 21:12 as well). Perhaps the repetition emphasizes her sexual purity as a prerequisite for her role as the mother of the covenant community.
[24:17] 574 tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:18] 575 tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”
[24:19] 576 tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:20] 577 tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”
[24:21] 579 tn The Hebrew term צָלָה (tsalah), meaning “to make successful” in the Hiphil verbal stem, is a key term in the story (see vv. 40, 42, 56).
[24:22] 580 sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).
[24:22] 581 sn A shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce) although weights varied locally, so these bracelets weighed about 4 ounces (115 grams).
[24:22] 582 tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[24:23] 583 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:24] 584 tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:25] 585 tn Heb “and she said, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed.’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:25] 586 tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[24:27] 587 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”
[24:27] 588 tn Heb “As for me – in the way the
[24:27] 589 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.
[24:27] 590 tn Heb “brothers.”
[24:28] 591 tn Heb “according to.”
[24:29] 592 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.
[24:30] 593 tn Heb “And it was when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister.” The word order is altered in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[24:30] 594 tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”
[24:30] 595 tn Heb “and look, he was standing.” The disjunctive clause with the participle following the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites the audience to view the scene through Laban’s eyes.
[24:31] 596 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified and the words “to him” supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:31] 597 sn Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the
[24:31] 598 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.
[24:32] 599 tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:32] 600 tn Some translations (e.g., NEB, NASB, NRSV) understand Laban to be the subject of this and the following verbs or take the subject of this and the following verbs as indefinite (referring to an unnamed servant; e.g., NAB, NIV).
[24:32] 601 tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.
[24:32] 602 tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”
[24:33] 603 tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”
[24:33] 604 tn Heb “my words.”
[24:33] 605 tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”
[24:35] 606 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.
[24:35] 607 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the
[24:36] 608 tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:36] 609 tn Heb “after her old age.”
[24:36] 610 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:38] 611 tn Heb “but to the house of my father you must go and to my family and you must take a wife for my son.”
[24:39] 612 tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.
[24:39] 613 tn Heb “after me.”
[24:40] 614 tn The verb is the Hitpael of הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning “live one’s life” (see Gen 17:1). The statement may simply refer to serving the
[24:41] 615 tn Heb “my oath” (twice in this verse). From the Hebrew perspective the oath belonged to the person to whom it was sworn (Abraham), although in contemporary English an oath is typically viewed as belonging to the person who swears it (the servant).
[24:42] 616 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”
[24:42] 617 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[24:43] 618 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
[24:43] 619 tn Heb “and it will be.”
[24:45] 620 tn Heb “As for me, before I finished speaking to my heart.” The adverb טֶרֶם (terem) indicates the verb is a preterite; the infinitive that follows is the direct object.
[24:45] 621 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.
[24:47] 622 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:48] 623 tn Heb “daughter.” Rebekah was actually the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. One can either translate the Hebrew term בַּת (bat) as “daughter,” in which case the term אָח (’akh) must be translated more generally as “relative” rather than “brother” (cf. NASB, NRSV) or one can translate בַּת as “granddaughter,” in which case אָח may be translated “brother” (cf. NIV).
[24:49] 624 tn Heb “and I will turn to the right or to the left.” The expression apparently means that Abraham’s servant will know where he should go if there is no further business here.
[24:50] 625 tn Heb “From the
[24:50] 626 tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.
[24:51] 627 tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[24:51] 628 tn Heb “as the
[24:53] 629 tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:54] 630 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”
[24:54] 631 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”
[24:55] 632 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:56] 633 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.
[24:56] 634 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[24:57] 635 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”
[24:58] 636 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.
[24:60] 637 tn Heb “and said to her.”
[24:60] 638 tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”
[24:60] 639 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). A similar phrase occurs in Gen 22:17.
[24:61] 640 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”
[24:61] 641 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:62] 642 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.
[24:62] 643 tn Heb “from the way of.”
[24:62] 644 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.” See Gen 16:14.
[24:62] 645 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.
[24:62] 646 tn Or “the South [country].”
[24:63] 647 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:63] 648 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).
[24:63] 649 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”
[24:63] 650 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.
[24:63] 651 tn Heb “and look.” The clause introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) invites the audience to view the scene through Isaac’s eyes.
[24:64] 652 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”
[24:65] 653 tn Heb “and she said to.”
[24:65] 654 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:65] 655 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:67] 656 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.
[24:67] 657 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:67] 658 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”
[24:67] 659 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.
[5:17] 660 tn The words “has desires” do not occur in the Greek text a second time, but are repeated in the translation for clarity.
[5:17] 661 tn Or “are hostile toward” (L&N 39.1).
[5:19] 662 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
[5:19] 663 tn Or “clear,” “evident.”
[5:20] 664 tn Or “witchcraft.”
[5:20] 665 tn Or “enmities,” “[acts of] hatred.”
[5:20] 666 tn Or “discord” (L&N 39.22).
[5:20] 667 tn Or “discord(s)” (L&N 39.13).
[5:21] 668 tn This term is plural in Greek (as is “murder” and “carousing”), but for clarity these abstract nouns have been translated as singular.
[5:21] 669 tc ‡ φόνοι (fonoi, “murders”) is absent in such important
[5:21] 670 tn Or “revelings,” “orgies” (L&N 88.287).
[5:22] 671 tn That is, the fruit the Spirit produces.
[5:22] 672 sn Another way to punctuate this is “love” followed by a colon (love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). It is thus possible to read the eight characteristics following “love” as defining love.
[5:22] 673 tn Or “reliability”; see BDAG 818 s.v. πίστις 1.a.
[5:23] 674 tn “And” is supplied here as a matter of English style, which normally inserts “and” between the last two elements of a list or series.
[5:24] 675 tc ‡ Some
[5:24] 676 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
[5:24] 677 tn The Greek term παθήμασιν (paqhmasin, translated “passions”) refers to strong physical desires, especially of a sexual nature (L&N 25.30).
