Discovery BoxGenesis 18:1--22:24
Context18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham 1 by the oaks 2 of Mamre while 3 he was sitting at the entrance 4 to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham 5 looked up 6 and saw 7 three men standing across 8 from him. When he saw them 9 he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low 10 to the ground. 11
18:3 He said, “My lord, 12 if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. 13 18:4 Let a little water be brought so that 14 you may all 15 wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get 16 a bit of food 17 so that you may refresh yourselves 18 since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” 19 “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take 20 three measures 21 of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” 22 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, 23 who quickly prepared it. 24 18:8 Abraham 25 then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food 26 before them. They ate while 27 he was standing near them under a tree.
18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, 28 in the tent.” 18:10 One of them 29 said, “I will surely return 30 to you when the season comes round again, 31 and your wife Sarah will have a son!” 32 (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 33 18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; 34 Sarah had long since passed menopause.) 35 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, 36 “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, 37 especially when my husband is old too?” 38
18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why 39 did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really 40 have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything impossible 41 for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” 42 18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.” 43
18:16 When the men got up to leave, 44 they looked out over 45 Sodom. (Now 46 Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 47 18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 48 18:18 After all, Abraham 49 will surely become 50 a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 51 using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him 52 so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep 53 the way of the Lord by doing 54 what is right and just. Then the Lord will give 55 to Abraham what he promised 56 him.”
18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against 57 Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 58 18:21 that I must go down 59 and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. 60 If not, 61 I want to know.”
18:22 The two men turned 62 and headed 63 toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord. 64 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 65 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 66 of the whole earth do what is right?” 67
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 68 (although I am but dust and ashes), 69 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy 70 the whole city because five are lacking?” 71 He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
18:29 Abraham 72 spoke to him again, 73 “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
18:30 Then Abraham 74 said, “May the Lord not be angry 75 so that I may speak! 76 What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
18:31 Abraham 77 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 78 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 79 when he had finished speaking 80 to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. 81
19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while 82 Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway. 83 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 84 and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.” 85 “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.” 86
19:3 But he urged 87 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, 88 all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. 89 19:5 They shouted to Lot, 90 “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex 91 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! 92 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with 93 a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. 94 Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection 95 of my roof.” 96
19:9 “Out of our way!” 97 they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, 98 and now he dares to judge us! 99 We’ll do more harm 100 to you than to them!” They kept 101 pressing in on Lot until they were close enough 102 to break down the door.
19:10 So the men inside 103 reached out 104 and pulled Lot back into the house 105 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, 106 with blindness. The men outside 107 wore themselves out trying to find the door. 19:12 Then the two visitors 108 said to Lot, “Who else do you have here? 109 Do you have 110 any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city? 111 Get them out of this 112 place 19:13 because we are about to destroy 113 it. The outcry against this place 114 is so great before the Lord that he 115 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. 116 He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy 117 the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. 118
19:15 At dawn 119 the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, 120 or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!” 121 19:16 When Lot 122 hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them. 123 They led them away and placed them 124 outside the city. 19:17 When they had brought them outside, they 125 said, “Run 126 for your lives! Don’t look 127 behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! 128 Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”
19:18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord! 129 19:19 Your 130 servant has found favor with you, 131 and you have shown me great 132 kindness 133 by sparing 134 my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because 135 this disaster will overtake 136 me and I’ll die. 137 19:20 Look, this town 138 over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. 139 Let me go there. 140 It’s just a little place, isn’t it? 141 Then I’ll survive.” 142
19:21 “Very well,” he replied, 143 “I will grant this request too 144 and will not overthrow 145 the town you mentioned. 19:22 Run there quickly, 146 for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.) 147
19:23 The sun had just risen 148 over the land as Lot reached Zoar. 149 19:24 Then the Lord rained down 150 sulfur and fire 151 on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. 152 19:25 So he overthrew those cities and all that region, 153 including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation that grew 154 from the ground. 19:26 But Lot’s 155 wife looked back longingly 156 and was turned into a pillar of salt.
19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went 157 to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 He looked out toward 158 Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region. 159 As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace. 160
19:29 So when God destroyed 161 the cities of the region, 162 God honored 163 Abraham’s request. He removed Lot 164 from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed 165 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 166 to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby 167 to have sexual relations with us, 168 according to the way of all the world. 19:32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine 169 so we can have sexual relations 170 with him and preserve 171 our family line through our father.” 172
19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, 173 and the older daughter 174 came and had sexual relations with her father. 175 But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 176 19:34 So in the morning the older daughter 177 said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. 178 Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 179 19:35 So they made their father drunk 180 that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. 181 But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 182
19:36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter 183 gave birth to a son and named him Moab. 184 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. 185 He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.
20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev 186 region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident 187 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 188 to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead 189 because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.” 190
20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, 191 would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 192 20:5 Did Abraham 193 not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, 194 ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience 195 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. 196 That is why I have kept you 197 from sinning against me and why 198 I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed 199 he is a prophet 200 and he will pray for you; thus you will live. 201 But if you don’t give her back, 202 know that you will surely die 203 along with all who belong to you.”
20:8 Early in the morning 204 Abimelech summoned 205 all his servants. When he told them about all these things, 206 they 207 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? 208 You have done things to me that should not be done!” 209 20:10 Then Abimelech asked 210 Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?” 211
20:11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought, 212 ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of 213 my wife.’ 20:12 What’s more, 214 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 215 from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: 216 Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”
20:14 So Abimelech gave 217 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.” 218
20:16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver 219 to your ‘brother.’ 220 This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.” 221
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 222 had caused infertility to strike every woman 223 in the household of Abimelech because he took 224 Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
21:1 The Lord visited 225 Sarah just as he had said he would and did 226 for Sarah what he had promised. 227 21:2 So Sarah became pregnant 228 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. 229 21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, 230 Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. 231 21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.) 232
21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. 233 Everyone who hears about this 234 will laugh 235 with me.” 21:7 She went on to say, 236 “Who would 237 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 238 a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 239 21:9 But Sarah noticed 240 the son of Hagar the Egyptian – the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham – mocking. 241 21:10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish 242 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. 243 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset 244 about the boy or your slave wife. Do 245 all that Sarah is telling 246 you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 247 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 248 some food 249 and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, 250 and sent her away. So she went wandering 251 aimlessly through the wilderness 252 of Beer Sheba. 21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved 253 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 254 away; for she thought, 255 “I refuse to watch the child die.” 256 So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably. 257
21:17 But God heard the boy’s voice. 258 The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, 259 Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard 260 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. 261 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. 262 His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt. 263
21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you 264 in all that you do. 21:23 Now swear to me right here in God’s name 265 that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. 266 Show me, and the land 267 where you are staying, 268 the same loyalty 269 that I have shown you.” 270
21:24 Abraham said, “I swear to do this.” 271 21:25 But Abraham lodged a complaint 272 against Abimelech concerning a well 273 that Abimelech’s servants had seized. 274 21:26 “I do not know who has done this thing,” Abimelech replied. “Moreover, 275 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. 276 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 277 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 278 that I dug this well.” 279 21:31 That is why he named that place 280 Beer Sheba, 281 because the two of them swore 282 an oath there.
21:32 So they made a treaty 283 at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned 284 to the land of the Philistines. 285 21:33 Abraham 286 planted a tamarisk tree 287 in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, 288 the eternal God. 21:34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time. 289
22:1 Some time after these things God tested 290 Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham 291 replied. 22:2 God 292 said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac 293 – and go to the land of Moriah! 294 Offer him up there as a burnt offering 295 on one of the mountains which I will indicate to 296 you.”
22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. 297 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 298 for the place God had spoken to him about.
22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of 299 the place in the distance. 22:5 So he 300 said to his servants, “You two stay 301 here with the donkey while 302 the boy and I go up there. We will worship 303 and then return to you.” 304
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, 305 and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, 306 “My father?” “What is it, 307 my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, 308 “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 22:8 “God will provide 309 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 310 and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up 311 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 312 his son. 22:11 But the Lord’s angel 313 called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 22:12 “Do not harm the boy!” 314 the angel said. 315 “Do not do anything to him, for now I know 316 that you fear 317 God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”
22:13 Abraham looked up 318 and saw 319 behind him 320 a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he 321 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.” 322 It is said to this day, 323 “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.” 324
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,’ 325 decrees the Lord, 326 ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you, 327 and I will greatly multiply 328 your descendants 329 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 330 of the strongholds 331 of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, 332 all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 333 using the name of your descendants.’”
22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together 334 for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed. 335
22:20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah 336 also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 337 22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 22:23 (Now 338 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.
[18:1] 1 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:1] 3 tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.
[18:1] 4 tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.
[18:2] 5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:2] 6 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”
[18:2] 7 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] 8 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] 9 tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
[18:2] 10 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] 11 sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the
[18:3] 12 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] 13 tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”
[18:4] 14 tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.
[18:4] 15 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] 16 tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.
[18:5] 17 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] 18 tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.
[18:5] 19 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] 20 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] 21 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] 22 sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.
[18:7] 23 tn Heb “the young man.”
[18:7] 24 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] 25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:8] 26 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] 27 tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.
[18:9] 28 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.
[18:10] 29 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] 30 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense.
[18:10] 31 tn Heb “as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime.
[18:10] 32 tn Heb “and there will be (הִנֵּה, hinneh) a son for Sarah.”
[18:10] 33 tn This is the first of two disjunctive parenthetical clauses preparing the reader for Sarah’s response (see v. 12).
[18:11] 35 tn Heb “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.”
[18:12] 37 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] 38 tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[18:13] 39 tn Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the
[18:13] 40 tn The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”
[18:14] 41 tn The Hebrew verb פָּלָא (pala’) means “to be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be surpassing, to be amazing.”
[18:14] 42 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] 43 tn Heb “And he said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” The referent (the
[18:16] 44 tn Heb “And the men arose from there.”
[18:16] 45 tn Heb “toward the face of.”
[18:16] 46 tn The disjunctive parenthetical clause sets the stage for the following speech.
[18:16] 47 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] 48 tn The active participle here refers to an action that is imminent.
[18:18] 49 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] 50 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the finite verb that follows.
[18:18] 51 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] 52 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] 53 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] 54 tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the
[18:19] 55 tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.
[18:20] 57 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] 59 tn The cohortative indicates the
[18:21] 60 tn Heb “[if] according to the outcry that has come to me they have done completely.” Even the
[18:21] 61 sn The short phrase if not provides a ray of hope and inspires Abraham’s intercession.
[18:22] 62 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] 64 tc An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition reads “but the
[18:24] 65 tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).
[18:25] 67 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] 68 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[18:27] 69 tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the
[18:28] 70 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.
[18:28] 71 tn Heb “because of five.”
[18:29] 72 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:29] 73 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”
[18:30] 74 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:30] 75 tn Heb “let it not be hot to the
[18:30] 76 tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.
[18:31] 77 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:32] 78 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:33] 79 tn Heb “And the
[18:33] 80 tn The infinitive construct (“speaking”) serves as the direct object of the verb “finished.”
[18:33] 81 tn Heb “to his place.”
[19:1] 82 tn The disjunctive clause is temporal here, indicating what Lot was doing at the time of their arrival.
[19:1] 83 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] 84 tn The imperatives have the force of invitation.
[19:2] 85 tn These two verbs form a verbal hendiadys: “you can rise up early and go” means “you can go early.”
[19:2] 86 sn The town square refers to the wide street area at the gate complex of the city.
[19:3] 87 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] 88 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] 89 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] 90 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to him.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[19:5] 91 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] 92 tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”
[19:8] 93 tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[19:8] 94 tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”
[19:8] 96 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] 97 tn Heb “approach out there” which could be rendered “Get out of the way, stand back!”
[19:9] 98 tn Heb “to live as a resident alien.”
[19:9] 99 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] 100 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] 101 tn Heb “and they pressed against the man, against Lot, exceedingly.”
[19:9] 102 tn Heb “and they drew near.”
[19:10] 103 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] 104 tn The Hebrew text adds “their hand.” These words have not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[19:10] 105 tn Heb “to them into the house.”
[19:11] 106 tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”
[19:11] 107 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:12] 108 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] 109 tn Heb “Yet who [is there] to you here?”
[19:12] 110 tn The words “Do you have” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:12] 111 tn Heb “a son-in-law and your sons and your daughters and anyone who (is) to you in the city.”
[19:12] 112 tn Heb “the place.” The Hebrew article serves here as a demonstrative.
[19:13] 113 tn The Hebrew participle expresses an imminent action here.
[19:13] 114 tn Heb “for their outcry.” The words “about this place” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:13] 115 tn Heb “the
[19:14] 116 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] 117 tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.
[19:14] 118 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] 119 tn Heb “When dawn came up.”
[19:15] 120 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] 121 tn Or “with the iniquity [i.e., punishment] of the city” (cf. NASB, NRSV).
[19:16] 122 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:16] 123 tn Heb “in the compassion of the
[19:16] 124 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] 125 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] 127 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] 128 tn Or “in the plain”; Heb “in the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[19:18] 129 tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[19:19] 130 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] 131 tn Heb “in your eyes.”
[19:19] 132 tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”
[19:19] 133 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] 134 tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.
[19:19] 136 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] 137 tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.
[19:20] 138 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] 139 tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”
[19:20] 140 tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.
[19:20] 141 tn Heb “Is it not little?”
[19:20] 142 tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.
[19:21] 143 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] 144 tn Heb “I have lifted up your face [i.e., shown you favor] also concerning this matter.”
[19:21] 145 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] 146 tn Heb “Be quick! Escape to there!” The two imperatives form a verbal hendiadys, the first becoming adverbial.
[19:22] 147 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] 148 sn The sun had just risen. There was very little time for Lot to escape between dawn (v. 15) and sunrise (here).
[19:23] 149 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] 150 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of the next scene and highlights God’s action.
[19:24] 151 tn Or “burning sulfur” (the traditional “fire and brimstone”).
[19:24] 152 tn Heb “from the
[19:25] 153 tn Or “and all the plain”; Heb “and all the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[19:25] 154 tn Heb “and the vegetation of the ground.”
[19:26] 155 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:26] 156 tn The Hebrew verb means “to look intently; to gaze” (see 15:5).
[19:27] 157 tn The words “and went” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:28] 158 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
[19:28] 159 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] 160 tn Heb “And he saw, and look, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.”
[19:29] 161 tn The construction is a temporal clause comprised of the temporal indicator, an infinitive construct with a preposition, and the subjective genitive.
[19:29] 162 tn Or “of the plain”; Heb “of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
[19:29] 163 tn Heb “remembered,” but this means more than mental recollection here. Abraham’s request (Gen 18:23-32) was that the
[19:29] 164 sn God’s removal of Lot before the judgment is paradigmatic. He typically delivers the godly before destroying their world.
[19:29] 165 tn Heb “the overthrow when [he] overthrew.”
[19:31] 166 tn Heb “and the firstborn said.”
[19:31] 167 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] 168 tn Heb “to enter upon us.” This is a euphemism for sexual relations.
[19:32] 169 tn Heb “drink wine.”
[19:32] 170 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] 171 tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.
[19:32] 172 tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”
[19:33] 173 tn Heb “drink wine.”
[19:33] 174 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
[19:33] 175 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] 176 tn Heb “and he did not know when she lay down and when she arose.”
[19:34] 177 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
[19:34] 178 tn Heb “Look, I lied down with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight.”
[19:34] 179 tn Heb “And go, lie down with him and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”
[19:35] 180 tn Heb “drink wine.”
[19:35] 181 tn Heb “lied down with him.”
[19:35] 182 tn Heb “And he did not know when she lied down and when she arose.”
[19:37] 183 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
[19:37] 184 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] 185 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] 186 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”
[20:1] 187 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”
[20:3] 189 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] 190 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.
[20:4] 191 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[20:4] 192 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] 193 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:5] 194 tn Heb “and she, even she.”
[20:5] 195 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”
[20:6] 196 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”
[20:6] 197 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”
[20:6] 198 tn Heb “therefore.”
[20:7] 199 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.
[20:7] 200 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.
[20:7] 201 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.
[20:7] 202 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.
[20:7] 203 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.
[20:8] 204 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”
[20:8] 205 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”
[20:8] 206 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”
[20:8] 207 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[20:9] 208 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] 209 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.
[20:10] 210 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”
[20:10] 211 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.
[20:11] 212 tn Heb “Because I said.”
[20:11] 213 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
[20:12] 214 tn Heb “but also.”
[20:13] 215 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] 216 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”
[20:14] 217 tn Heb “took and gave.”
[20:15] 218 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”
[20:16] 219 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] 220 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] 221 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] 222 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”
[20:18] 223 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
[20:18] 224 tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[21:1] 225 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] 226 tn Heb “and the
[21:2] 228 tn Or “she conceived.”
[21:3] 229 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] 230 tn Heb “Isaac his son, the son of eight days.” The name “Isaac” is repeated in the translation for clarity.
[21:4] 231 sn Just as God had commanded him to do. With the birth of the promised child, Abraham obeyed the
[21:5] 232 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] 233 tn Heb “Laughter God has made for me.”
[21:6] 234 tn The words “about this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[21:6] 235 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] 237 tn The perfect form of the verb is used here to describe a hypothetical situation.
[21:8] 239 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] 241 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] 242 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] 243 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] 244 tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”
[21:12] 245 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] 246 tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.
[21:12] 247 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] 248 tn Heb “and Abraham rose up early in the morning and he took.”
[21:14] 249 tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.
[21:14] 250 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] 251 tn Heb “she went and wandered.”
[21:14] 252 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] 253 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] 254 sn A bowshot would be a distance of about a hundred yards (ninety meters).
[21:16] 256 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] 257 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] 258 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] 259 tn Heb “What to you?”
[21:17] 260 sn Here the verb heard picks up the main motif of the name Ishmael (“God hears”), introduced back in chap. 16.
[21:19] 261 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] 262 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] 263 tn Heb “And his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.”
[21:22] 264 sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.
[21:23] 265 tn Heb “And now swear to me by God here.”
[21:23] 266 tn Heb “my offspring and my descendants.”
[21:23] 267 tn The word “land” refers by metonymy to the people in the land.
[21:23] 268 tn The Hebrew verb means “to stay, to live, to sojourn” as a temporary resident without ownership rights.
[21:23] 270 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] 271 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] 272 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] 273 tn Heb “concerning the matter of the well of water.”
[21:25] 274 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to steal; to rob; to take violently.” The statement reflects Abraham’s perspective.
[21:26] 275 tn Heb “and also.”
[21:27] 276 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[21:29] 277 tn Heb “What are these?”
[21:30] 278 tn Heb “that it be for me for a witness.”
[21:30] 279 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] 280 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] 281 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] 282 sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.
[21:32] 283 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[21:32] 284 tn Heb “arose and returned.”
[21:32] 285 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] 286 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:33] 287 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] 288 tn Heb “he called there in the name of the
[21:34] 289 tn Heb “many days.”
[22:1] 290 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] 291 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:2] 292 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:2] 293 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] 294 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] 295 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] 296 tn Heb “which I will say to.”
[22:3] 297 tn Heb “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.”
[22:3] 298 tn Heb “he arose and he went.”
[22:4] 299 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.”
[22:5] 300 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
[22:5] 301 tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey.
[22:5] 302 tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal.
[22:5] 303 tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.”
[22:5] 304 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] 305 sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead.
[22:7] 306 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said.” This is redundant and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[22:7] 307 tn Heb “Here I am” (cf. Gen 22:1).
[22:7] 308 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] 309 tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”
[22:9] 310 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] 311 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] 312 tn Heb “in order to slaughter.”
[22:11] 313 sn Heb “the messenger of the
[22:12] 314 tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.”
[22:12] 315 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] 316 sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1).
[22:12] 317 sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith.
[22:13] 318 tn Heb “lifted his eyes.”
[22:13] 319 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] 320 tc The translation follows the reading of the MT; a number of Hebrew
[22:13] 321 tn Heb “Abraham”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:14] 322 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] 323 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] 324 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] 325 tn Heb “By myself I swear.”
[22:16] 326 tn Heb “the oracle of the
[22:17] 327 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] 328 tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).
[22:17] 329 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] 331 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] 332 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] 333 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] 334 tn Heb “and they arose and went together.”
[22:19] 335 tn Heb “and Abraham stayed in Beer Sheba. This has been translated as a relative clause for stylistic reasons.
[22:20] 336 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence begins with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to the statement.
[22:21] 337 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] 338 tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is important but parenthetical to the narrative. Rebekah would become the wife of Isaac (Gen 24:15).
