Discovery BoxGenesis 22:1--25:34
Context22:1 Some time after these things God tested 1 Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham 2 replied. 22:2 God 3 said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac 4 – and go to the land of Moriah! 5 Offer him up there as a burnt offering 6 on one of the mountains which I will indicate to 7 you.”
22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. 8 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 9 for the place God had spoken to him about.
22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of 10 the place in the distance. 22:5 So he 11 said to his servants, “You two stay 12 here with the donkey while 13 the boy and I go up there. We will worship 14 and then return to you.” 15
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, 16 and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, 17 “My father?” “What is it, 18 my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, 19 “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 22:8 “God will provide 20 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 21 and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up 22 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 23 his son. 22:11 But the Lord’s angel 24 called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 22:12 “Do not harm the boy!” 25 the angel said. 26 “Do not do anything to him, for now I know 27 that you fear 28 God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”
22:13 Abraham looked up 29 and saw 30 behind him 31 a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he 32 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.” 33 It is said to this day, 34 “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.” 35
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,’ 36 decrees the Lord, 37 ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you, 38 and I will greatly multiply 39 your descendants 40 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 41 of the strongholds 42 of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, 43 all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 44 using the name of your descendants.’”
22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together 45 for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed. 46
22:20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah 47 also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 48 22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 22:23 (Now 49 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. 50 23:2 Then she 51 died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 52
23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife 53 and said to the sons of Heth, 54 23:4 “I am a temporary settler 55 among you. Grant 56 me ownership 57 of a burial site among you so that I may 58 bury my dead.” 59
23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 60 23:6 “Listen, sir, 61 you are a mighty prince 62 among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you 63 from burying your dead.”
23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, 64 the sons of Heth. 23:8 Then he said to them, “If you agree 65 that I may bury my dead, 66 then hear me out. 67 Ask 68 Ephron the son of Zohar 23:9 if he will sell 69 me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly 70 for the full price, 71 so that I may own it as a burial site.”
23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite 72 replied to Abraham in the hearing 73 of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate 74 of his city – 23:11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell 75 you both the field and the cave that is in it. 76 In the presence of my people 77 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 78 to you the price 79 of the field. Take it from me so that I may 80 bury my dead there.”
23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 23:15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 81 400 pieces of silver, 82 but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price 83 and weighed 84 out for him 85 the price 86 that Ephron had quoted 87 in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. 88
23:17 So Abraham secured 89 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. 90
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 91 from the sons of Heth.
24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, 92 and the Lord had blessed him 93 in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one 94 in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh 95 24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise 96 by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire 97 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 98 to find 99 a wife for my son Isaac.”
24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me 100 to this land? Must I then 101 take your son back to the land from which you came?”
24:6 “Be careful 102 never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him. 103 24:7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, 104 promised me with a solemn oath, 105 ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel 106 before you so that you may find 107 a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, 108 you will be free 109 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. 110
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. 111 He journeyed 112 to the region of Aram Naharaim 113 and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well 114 outside the city. It was evening, 115 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. 116 Be faithful 117 to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, 118 and the daughters of the people 119 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.’ 120 In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 121
24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah 122 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). 123 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. 124 She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant 125 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 126 her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, 127 she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied 128 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 129 if the Lord had made his journey successful 130 or not.
24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka 131 and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels 132 and gave them to her. 133 24:23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. 134 “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. 135 24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, 136 “and room for you 137 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 138 for my master! The Lord has led me 139 to the house 140 of my master’s relatives!” 141
24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about 142 these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) 143 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 144 and heard his sister Rebekah say, 145 “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing 146 by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, 147 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! 148 Why are you standing out here when I have prepared 149 the house and a place for the camels?”
24:32 So Abraham’s servant 150 went to the house and unloaded 151 the camels. Straw and feed were given 152 to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 153 24:33 When food was served, 154 he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” 155 “Tell us,” Laban said. 156
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. 157 The Lord 158 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 159 when she was old, 160 and my master 161 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 162 a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go 163 with me?’ 164 24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, 165 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 166 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, 167 may events unfold as follows: 168 24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. 169 When 170 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, 171 along came Rebekah 172 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.’ 173 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 174 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.” 175
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. 176 Our wishes are of no concern. 177 24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become 178 the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” 179
24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he 180 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. 181
When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 182 24:55 But Rebekah’s 183 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 184 has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return 185 to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 186 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want 187 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: 188
“Our sister, may you become the mother 189 of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds 190 of their enemies.”
24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with 191 the man. So Abraham’s servant 192 took Rebekah and left.
24:62 Now 193 Isaac came from 194 Beer Lahai Roi, 195 for 196 he was living in the Negev. 197 24:63 He 198 went out to relax 199 in the field in the early evening. 200 Then he looked up 201 and saw that 202 there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up 203 and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked 204 Abraham’s servant, 205 “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. 206 So she took her veil and covered herself.
24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah 207 into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her 208 as his wife and loved her. 209 So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. 210
25:1 Abraham had taken 211 another 212 wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. 213 The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants 214 of Keturah.
25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines 215 and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac. 216
25:7 Abraham lived a total of 217 175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. 218 He joined his ancestors. 219 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah 220 near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. 221 There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed 222 his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi. 223
25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, 224 whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.
25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: 225 Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes 226 according to their clans.
25:17 Ishmael lived a total of 227 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. 228 25:18 His descendants 229 settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next 230 to Egypt all the way 231 to Asshur. 232 They settled 233 away from all their relatives. 234
25:19 This is the account of Isaac, 235 the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, 236 the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. 237
25:21 Isaac prayed to 238 the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled 239 inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” 240 So she asked the Lord, 241 25:23 and the Lord said to her,
“Two nations 242 are in your womb,
and two peoples will be separated from within you.
One people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, 243 there were 244 twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish 245 all over, 246 like a hairy 247 garment, so they named him Esau. 248 25:26 When his brother came out with 249 his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. 250 Isaac was sixty years old 251 when they were born.
25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled 252 hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 253 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, 254 but Rebekah loved 255 Jacob.
25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, 256 and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed 257 me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called 258 Edom.) 259
25:31 But Jacob replied, “First 260 sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 261 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” 262 So Esau 263 swore an oath to him and sold his birthright 264 to Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. 265 So Esau despised his birthright. 266
[22:1] 1 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] 2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:2] 3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:2] 4 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] 5 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] 6 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] 7 tn Heb “which I will say to.”
[22:3] 8 tn Heb “Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.”
[22:3] 9 tn Heb “he arose and he went.”
[22:4] 10 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes and saw.”
[22:5] 11 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
[22:5] 12 tn The Hebrew verb is masculine plural, referring to the two young servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac on the journey.
[22:5] 13 tn The disjunctive clause (with the compound subject preceding the verb) may be circumstantial and temporal.
[22:5] 14 tn This Hebrew word literally means “to bow oneself close to the ground.” It often means “to worship.”
[22:5] 15 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] 16 sn He took the fire and the knife in his hand. These details anticipate the sacrifice that lies ahead.
[22:7] 17 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said.” This is redundant and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[22:7] 18 tn Heb “Here I am” (cf. Gen 22:1).
[22:7] 19 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] 20 tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”
[22:9] 21 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] 22 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] 23 tn Heb “in order to slaughter.”
[22:11] 24 sn Heb “the messenger of the
[22:12] 25 tn Heb “Do not extend your hand toward the boy.”
[22:12] 26 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] 27 sn For now I know. The test was designed to see if Abraham would be obedient (see v. 1).
[22:12] 28 sn In this context fear refers by metonymy to obedience that grows from faith.
[22:13] 29 tn Heb “lifted his eyes.”
[22:13] 30 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] 31 tc The translation follows the reading of the MT; a number of Hebrew
[22:13] 32 tn Heb “Abraham”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:14] 33 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] 34 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] 35 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] 36 tn Heb “By myself I swear.”
[22:16] 37 tn Heb “the oracle of the
[22:17] 38 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] 39 tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).
[22:17] 40 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] 42 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] 43 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] 44 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] 45 tn Heb “and they arose and went together.”
[22:19] 46 tn Heb “and Abraham stayed in Beer Sheba. This has been translated as a relative clause for stylistic reasons.
[22:20] 47 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence begins with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to the statement.
[22:21] 48 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] 49 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] 50 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] 51 tn Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons.
[23:2] 52 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] 53 tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”
[23:3] 54 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] 55 tn Heb “a resident alien and a settler.”
[23:4] 56 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] 58 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose.
[23:4] 59 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] 60 tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”
[23:6] 61 tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”
[23:6] 62 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] 63 tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:7] 64 tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).
[23:8] 65 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] 66 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] 68 tn Heb “intercede for me with.”
[23:9] 69 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] 70 tn Heb “in your presence.”
[23:10] 72 tn Or perhaps “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3.
[23:10] 73 tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.
[23:10] 74 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] 75 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] 76 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] 77 tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”
[23:13] 80 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.
[23:15] 81 tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:15] 82 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] 83 tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”
[23:16] 84 tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”
[23:16] 85 tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:16] 87 tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[23:16] 88 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] 89 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] 90 tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:20] 91 tn Heb “possession of a grave.”
[24:1] 93 tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
[24:2] 94 tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).
[24:2] 95 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] 96 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.
[24:3] 97 tn Heb “because you must not take.”
[24:4] 98 tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”
[24:5] 100 tn Heb “to go after me.”
[24:5] 101 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] 102 tn Heb “guard yourself.”
[24:6] 103 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] 104 tn Or “the land of my birth.”
[24:7] 105 tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”
[24:7] 106 tn Or “his messenger.”
[24:7] 107 tn Heb “before you and you will take.”
[24:8] 108 tn Heb “ to go after you.”
[24:8] 109 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] 110 tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”
[24:10] 111 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] 112 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”
[24:10] 113 tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:11] 114 tn Heb “well of water.”
[24:11] 115 tn Heb “at the time of evening.”
[24:12] 116 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] 117 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”
[24:13] 118 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
[24:14] 120 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] 121 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] 122 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] 123 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] 124 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] 125 tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:18] 126 tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”
[24:19] 127 tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:20] 128 tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”
[24:21] 130 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] 131 sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).
[24:22] 132 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] 133 tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[24:23] 134 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] 135 tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:25] 136 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] 137 tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[24:27] 138 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”
[24:27] 139 tn Heb “As for me – in the way the
[24:27] 140 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.
[24:27] 141 tn Heb “brothers.”
[24:28] 142 tn Heb “according to.”
[24:29] 143 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.
[24:30] 144 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] 145 tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”
[24:30] 146 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] 147 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified and the words “to him” supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:31] 148 sn Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the
[24:31] 149 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.
[24:32] 150 tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:32] 151 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] 152 tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.
[24:32] 153 tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”
[24:33] 154 tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”
[24:33] 155 tn Heb “my words.”
[24:33] 156 tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”
[24:35] 157 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.
[24:35] 158 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the
[24:36] 159 tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:36] 160 tn Heb “after her old age.”
[24:36] 161 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:38] 162 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] 163 tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.
[24:39] 164 tn Heb “after me.”
[24:40] 165 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] 166 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] 167 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”
[24:42] 168 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[24:43] 169 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
[24:43] 170 tn Heb “and it will be.”
[24:45] 171 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] 172 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.
[24:47] 173 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:48] 174 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] 175 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] 176 tn Heb “From the
[24:50] 177 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] 178 tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[24:51] 179 tn Heb “as the
[24:53] 180 tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:54] 181 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”
[24:54] 182 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”
[24:55] 183 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:56] 184 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.
[24:56] 185 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[24:57] 186 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”
[24:58] 187 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.
[24:60] 188 tn Heb “and said to her.”
[24:60] 189 tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”
[24:60] 190 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] 191 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”
[24:61] 192 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:62] 193 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.
[24:62] 194 tn Heb “from the way of.”
[24:62] 195 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] 196 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.
[24:62] 197 tn Or “the South [country].”
[24:63] 198 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:63] 199 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).
[24:63] 200 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”
[24:63] 201 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.
[24:63] 202 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] 203 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”
[24:65] 204 tn Heb “and she said to.”
[24:65] 205 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:65] 206 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] 207 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.
[24:67] 208 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:67] 209 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”
[24:67] 210 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.
[25:1] 212 tn Heb “And Abraham added and took.”
[25:3] 213 sn The names Sheba and Dedan appear in Gen 10:7 as descendants of Ham through Cush and Raamah. Since these two names are usually interpreted to be place names, one plausible suggestion is that some of Abraham’s descendants lived in those regions and took names linked with it.
[25:6] 215 tn Heb “the sons of the concubines who [belonged] to Abraham.”
[25:6] 216 tn Heb “And he sent them away from upon Isaac his son, while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.”
[25:7] 217 tn Heb “and these are the days of the years of the lifetime of Abraham that he lived.” The normal genealogical formula is expanded here due to the importance of the life of Abraham.
[25:8] 218 tn Heb “old and full.”
[25:8] 219 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
[25:9] 220 sn The cave of Machpelah was the place Abraham had purchased as a burial place for his wife Sarah (Gen 23:17-18).
[25:10] 221 tn See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.
[25:11] 222 sn God blessed Isaac. The Hebrew verb “bless” in this passage must include all the gifts that God granted to Isaac. But fertility was not one of them, at least not for twenty years, because Rebekah was barren as well (see v. 21).
[25:11] 223 sn Beer Lahai Roi. See the note on this place name in Gen 24:62.
[25:12] 224 sn This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).
[25:13] 225 tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”
[25:16] 226 tn Or “tribal chieftains.”
[25:17] 227 tn Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”
[25:17] 228 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
[25:18] 229 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:18] 230 tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.
[25:18] 231 tn Heb “as you go.”
[25:18] 232 sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.
[25:18] 234 tn Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.
[25:19] 235 sn This is the account of Isaac. What follows for several chapters is not the account of Isaac, except briefly, but the account of Jacob and Esau. The next chapters tell what became of Isaac and his family.
[25:20] 236 tn Heb “And Isaac was the son of forty years when he took Rebekah.”
[25:20] 237 sn Some valuable information is provided here. We learn here that Isaac married thirty-five years before Abraham died, that Rebekah was barren for twenty years, and that Abraham would have lived to see Jacob and Esau begin to grow up. The death of Abraham was recorded in the first part of the chapter as a “tidying up” of one generation before beginning the account of the next.
[25:21] 238 tn The Hebrew verb עָתַר (’atar), translated “prayed [to]” here, appears in the story of God’s judgment on Egypt in which Moses asked the
[25:22] 239 tn The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.
[25:22] 240 tn Heb “If [it is] so, why [am] I this [way]?” Rebekah wanted to know what was happening to her, but the question itself reflects a growing despair over the struggle of the unborn children.
[25:22] 241 sn Asked the
[25:23] 242 sn By metonymy the two children in her womb are described as two nations of which the two children, Jacob and Esau, would become the fathers. The language suggests there would be a struggle between these nations, with one being stronger than the other. The oracle reveals that all of Jacob’s scheming was unnecessary in the final analysis. He would have become the dominant nation without using deception to steal his brother’s blessing.
[25:24] 243 tn Heb “And her days were filled to give birth.”
[25:24] 244 tn Heb “look!” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene as if they were actually present at the birth.
[25:25] 245 sn Reddish. The Hebrew word translated “reddish” is אַדְמוֹנִי (’admoni), which forms a wordplay on the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. The writer sees in Esau’s appearance at birth a sign of what was to come. After all, the reader has already been made aware of the “nations” that were being born.
[25:25] 246 tn Heb “all of him.”
[25:25] 247 sn Hairy. Here is another wordplay involving the descendants of Esau. The Hebrew word translated “hairy” is שֵׂעָר (se’ar); the Edomites will later live in Mount Seir, perhaps named for its wooded nature.
[25:25] 248 tn Heb “And they called his name Esau.” The name “Esau” (עֵשָׂו, ’esav) is not etymologically related to שֵׂעָר (se’ar), but it draws on some of the sounds.
[25:26] 249 tn The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.
[25:26] 250 tn Heb “And he called his name Jacob.” Some ancient witnesses read “they called his name Jacob” (see v. 25). In either case the subject is indefinite.
[25:26] 251 tn Heb “the son of sixty years.”
[25:27] 253 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Jacob with Esau and draws attention to the striking contrasts. In contrast to Esau, a man of the field, Jacob was civilized, as the phrase “living in tents” signifies. Whereas Esau was a skillful hunter, Jacob was calm and even-tempered (תָּם, tam), which normally has the idea of “blameless.”
[25:28] 254 tn Heb “the taste of game was in his mouth.” The word for “game,” “venison” is here the same Hebrew word as “hunter” in the last verse. Here it is a metonymy, referring to that which the hunter kills.
[25:28] 255 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Rebekah with Jacob and draws attention to the contrast. The verb here is a participle, drawing attention to Rebekah’s continuing, enduring love for her son.
[25:29] 256 sn Jacob cooked some stew. There are some significant words and wordplays in this story that help clarify the points of the story. The verb “cook” is זִיד (zid), which sounds like the word for “hunter” (צַיִד, tsayid). This is deliberate, for the hunter becomes the hunted in this story. The word זִיד means “to cook, to boil,” but by the sound play with צַיִד it comes to mean “set a trap by cooking.” The usage of the word shows that it can also have the connotation of acting presumptuously (as in boiling over). This too may be a comment on the scene. For further discussion of the rhetorical devices in the Jacob narratives, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis (SSN).
[25:30] 257 tn The rare term לָעַט (la’at), translated “feed,” is used in later Hebrew for feeding animals (see Jastrow, 714). If this nuance was attached to the word in the biblical period, then it may depict Esau in a negative light, comparing him to a hungry animal. Famished Esau comes in from the hunt, only to enter the trap. He can only point at the red stew and ask Jacob to feed him.
[25:30] 258 tn The verb has no expressed subject and so is given a passive translation.
[25:30] 259 sn Esau’s descendants would eventually be called Edom. Edom was the place where they lived, so-named probably because of the reddish nature of the hills. The writer can use the word “red” to describe the stew that Esau gasped for to convey the nature of Esau and his descendants. They were a lusty, passionate, and profane people who lived for the moment. Again, the wordplay is meant to capture the “omen in the nomen.”
[25:32] 261 tn Heb “And what is this to me, a birthright?”
[25:33] 262 tn Heb “Swear to me today.”
[25:33] 263 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:33] 264 sn And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.
[25:34] 265 sn The style here is typical of Hebrew narrative; after the tension is resolved with the dialogue, the working out of it is recorded in a rapid sequence of verbs (“gave”; “ate”; “drank”; “got up”; “went out”). See also Gen 3:1-7 for another example.
[25:34] 266 sn So Esau despised his birthright. This clause, which concludes the episode, is a summary statement which reveals the underlying significance of Esau’s actions. “To despise” means to treat something as worthless or with contempt. Esau’s willingness to sell his birthright was evidence that he considered it to be unimportant.
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