Discovery BoxGenesis 36:1--40:23
Context36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). 1
36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: 2 Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 3 of Zibeon the Hivite, 36:3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
36:4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 36:5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
36:6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from 4 Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled 5 was not able to support them because of their livestock. 36:8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir. 6
36:9 This is the account of Esau, the father 7 of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.
36:10 These were the names of Esau’s sons:
Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:11 The sons of Eliphaz were:
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
36:12 Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons 8 of Esau’s wife Adah.
36:13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons 9 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 10 of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.
36:15 These were the chiefs 11 among the descendants 12 of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 36:16 chief Korah, 13 chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons 14 of Adah.
36:17 These were the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these were the sons 15 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.
36:20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, 16 who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 36:21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants 17 of Seir in the land of Edom.
36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; 18 Lotan’s sister was Timna.
36:23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, 19 and Onam.
36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs 20 in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).
36:25 These were the children 21 of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:26 These were the sons of Dishon: 22 Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
36:27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
36:28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
36:29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 36:30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir.
36:31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: 23
36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
36:33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
36:34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
36:35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place; the name of his city was Avith.
36:36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
36:37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River 24 reigned in his place.
36:38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
36:39 When Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad 25 reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. 26 His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 36:41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 36:42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 36:43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements 27 in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.
37:1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, 28 in the land of Canaan. 29
37:2 This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, 30 was taking care of 31 the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster 32 working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. 33 Joseph brought back a bad report about them 34 to their father.
37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons 35 because he was a son born to him late in life, 36 and he made a special 37 tunic for him. 37:4 When Joseph’s 38 brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, 39 they hated Joseph 40 and were not able to speak to him kindly. 41
37:5 Joseph 42 had a dream, 43 and when he told his brothers about it, 44 they hated him even more. 45 37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 46 37:7 There we were, 47 binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down 48 to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” 49 They hated him even more 50 because of his dream and because of what he said. 51
37:9 Then he had another dream, 52 and told it to his brothers. “Look,” 53 he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? 54 Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” 55 37:11 His brothers were jealous 56 of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. 57
37:12 When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers 58 are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” 59 Joseph replied. 60 37:14 So Jacob 61 said to him, “Go now and check on 62 the welfare 63 of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob 64 sent him from the valley of Hebron.
37:15 When Joseph reached Shechem, 65 a man found him wandering 66 in the field, so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell 67 me where they are grazing their flocks.” 37:17 The man said, “They left this area, 68 for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
37:18 Now Joseph’s brothers 69 saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 37:19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams! 70 37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild 71 animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” 72
37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph 73 from their hands, 74 saying, 75 “Let’s not take his life!” 76 37:22 Reuben continued, 77 “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” 78 (Reuben said this 79 so he could rescue Joseph 80 from them 81 and take him back to his father.)
37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him 82 of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore. 37:24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; 83 there was no water in it.)
37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up 84 and saw 85 a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. 86 37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, 87 for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. 88 37:28 So when the Midianite 89 merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled 90 him 91 out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites 92 then took Joseph to Egypt.
37:29 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! 93 He tore his clothes, 37:30 returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?” 37:31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a young goat, 94 and dipped the tunic in the blood. 37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father 95 and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”
37:33 He recognized it and exclaimed, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! 96 Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, 97 and mourned for his son many days. 37:35 All his sons and daughters stood by 98 him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” 99 So Joseph’s 100 father wept for him.
37:36 Now 101 in Egypt the Midianites 102 sold Joseph 103 to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. 104
38:1 At that time Judah left 105 his brothers and stayed 106 with an Adullamite man 107 named Hirah.
38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man 108 named Shua. 109 Judah acquired her as a wife 110 and had marital relations with her. 111 38:3 She became pregnant 112 and had a son. Judah named 113 him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had 114 yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. 115
38:6 Judah acquired 116 a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.
38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with 117 your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise 118 up a descendant for your brother.” 119 38:9 But Onan knew that the child 120 would not be considered his. 121 So whenever 122 he had sexual relations with 123 his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely 124 so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord 125 killed him too.
38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, 126 “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” 127 So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
38:12 After some time 128 Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with 129 his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, 130 “Look, your father-in-law is going up 131 to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because 132 she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) 133
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute 134 because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” 135 (He did not realize 136 it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” 137 38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” 138 38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. 139 She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, 140 removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.
38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah 141 the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, 142 but Hirah 143 could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, 144 “Where is the cult prostitute 145 who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things 146 for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. 147 I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”
38:24 After three months Judah was told, 148 “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, 149 and as a result she has become pregnant.” 150 Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word 151 to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” 152 Then she said, “Identify 153 the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright 154 than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her 155 again.
38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child 156 put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. 157 She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” 158 So he was named Perez. 159 38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. 160
39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. 161 An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, 162 purchased him from 163 the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful 164 and lived 165 in the household of his Egyptian master. 39:3 His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful. 166 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. 167 Potiphar appointed Joseph 168 overseer of his household and put him in charge 169 of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time 170 Potiphar 171 appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed 172 the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both 173 in his house and in his fields. 174 39:6 So Potiphar 175 left 176 everything he had in Joseph’s care; 177 he gave no thought 178 to anything except the food he ate. 179
Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. 180 39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of 181 Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.” 182 39:8 But he refused, saying 183 to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought 184 to his household with me here, 185 and everything that he owns he has put into my care. 186 39:9 There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do 187 such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak 188 to Joseph day after day, he did not respond 189 to her invitation to have sex with her. 190
39:11 One day 191 he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants 192 were there in the house. 39:12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran 193 outside. 194 39:13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, 39:14 she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought 195 in a Hebrew man 196 to us to humiliate us. 197 He tried to have sex with me, 198 but I screamed loudly. 199 39:15 When he heard me raise 200 my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”
39:16 So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. 39:17 This is what she said to him: 201 “That Hebrew slave 202 you brought to us tried to humiliate me, 203 39:18 but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”
39:19 When his master heard his wife say, 204 “This is the way 205 your slave treated me,” 206 he became furious. 207 39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, 208 the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. 209
39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. 210 He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. 211 39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. 212 39:23 The warden did not concern himself 213 with anything that was in Joseph’s 214 care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.
40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer 215 to the king of Egypt and the royal baker 216 offended 217 their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, 218 the cupbearer and the baker, 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. 219
They spent some time in custody. 220 40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream 221 the same night. 222 Each man’s dream had its own meaning. 223 40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. 224 40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” 225 40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, 226 but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them 227 to me.”
40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: 228 “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his 229 cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 230
40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent 231 three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you 232 and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before 233 when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me 234 when it goes well for you, and show 235 me kindness. 236 Make mention 237 of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, 238 40:15 for I really was kidnapped 239 from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”
40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, 240 he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread 241 on my head. 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”
40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent 242 three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you 243 and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” 244 the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position 245 so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. 246 40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. 247
Genesis 15:8-17
Context15:8 But 248 Abram 249 said, “O sovereign Lord, 250 by what 251 can I know that I am to possess it?”
15:9 The Lord 252 said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram 253 took all these for him and then cut them in two 254 and placed each half opposite the other, 255 but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, 256 and great terror overwhelmed him. 257 15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain 258 that your descendants will be strangers 259 in a foreign country. 260 They will be enslaved and oppressed 261 for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. 262 Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, 263 you will go to your ancestors 264 in peace and be buried at a good old age. 265 15:16 In the fourth generation 266 your descendants 267 will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” 268
15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch 269 passed between the animal parts. 270
Exodus 4:1-9
Context4:1 271 Moses answered again, 272 “And if 273 they do not believe me or pay attention to me, 274 but say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’?” 4:2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 275 4:3 The Lord 276 said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, 277 and Moses ran from it. 4:4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail” – so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand 278 – 4:5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
4:6 The Lord also said to him, “Put your hand into your robe.” 279 So he put his hand into his robe, and when he brought it out – there was his hand, 280 leprous like snow! 281 4:7 He said, “Put your hand back into your robe.” So he put his hand back into his robe, and when he brought it out from his robe – there it was, 282 restored 283 like the rest of his skin! 284 4:8 “If 285 they do not believe you or pay attention to 286 the former sign, then they may 287 believe the latter sign. 288 4:9 And if 289 they do not believe even these two signs or listen to you, 290 then take 291 some water from the Nile and pour it out on the dry ground. The water you take out of the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” 292
Exodus 4:2
Context4:2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 293
Exodus 20:8-11
Context20:8 “Remember 294 the Sabbath 295 day to set it apart as holy. 296 20:9 For six days 297 you may labor 298 and do all your work, 299 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it 300 you shall not do any work, you, 301 or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. 302 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
Psalms 86:17
Context86:17 Show me evidence of your favor! 303
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, 304
for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me. 305
Isaiah 7:11
Context7:11 “Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous.” 306
[36:1] 1 sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50,” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.
[36:2] 2 tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”
[36:2] 3 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
[36:6] 4 tn Heb “from before.”
[36:7] 5 tn Heb “land of their settlements.”
[36:8] 6 tn Traditionally “Mount Seir,” but in this case the expression בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר (bÿhar se’ir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.
[36:9] 7 sn The term father in genealogical records needs to be carefully defined. It can refer to a literal father, a grandfather, a political overlord, or a founder.
[36:12] 8 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:13] 9 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:14] 10 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
[36:15] 11 tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).
[36:16] 13 tc The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).
[36:16] 14 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:17] 15 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:20] 16 sn The same pattern of sons, grandsons, and chiefs is now listed for Seir the Horite. “Seir” is both the name of the place and the name of the ancestor of these tribes. The name “Horite” is probably not to be identified with “Hurrian.” The clan of Esau settled in this area, intermarried with these Horites and eventually dispossessed them, so that they all became known as Edomites (Deut 2:12 telescopes the whole development).
[36:22] 18 tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”
[36:23] 19 tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.
[36:24] 20 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”
[36:25] 21 tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”
[36:26] 22 tn Heb “Dishan,” but this must be either a scribal error or variant spelling, since “Dishan” is mentioned in v. 28 (see also v. 21).
[36:31] 23 tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”
[36:37] 24 tn Typically the Hebrew expression “the River” refers to the Euphrates River, but it is not certain whether that is the case here. Among the modern English versions which take this as a reference to the Euphrates are NASB, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT. Cf. NAB, TEV “Rehoboth-on-the-River.”
[36:39] 25 tc Most
[36:39] 26 tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.
[36:43] 27 tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”
[37:1] 28 tn Heb “the land of the sojournings of his father.”
[37:1] 29 sn The next section begins with the heading This is the account of Jacob in Gen 37:2, so this verse actually forms part of the preceding section as a concluding contrast with Esau and his people. In contrast to all the settled and expanded population of Esau, Jacob was still moving about in the land without a permanent residence and without kings. Even if the Edomite king list was added later (as the reference to kings in Israel suggests), its placement here in contrast to Jacob and his descendants is important. Certainly the text deals with Esau before dealing with Jacob – that is the pattern. But the detail is so great in chap. 36 that the contrast cannot be missed.
[37:2] 30 tn Heb “a son of seventeen years.” The word “son” is in apposition to the name “Joseph.”
[37:2] 31 tn Or “tending”; Heb “shepherding” or “feeding.”
[37:2] 32 tn Or perhaps “a helper.” The significance of this statement is unclear. It may mean “now the lad was with,” or it may suggest Joseph was like a servant to them.
[37:2] 33 tn Heb “and he [was] a young man with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father.”
[37:2] 34 tn Heb “their bad report.” The pronoun is an objective genitive, specifying that the bad or damaging report was about the brothers.
[37:3] 35 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information vital to the story. It explains in part the brothers’ animosity toward Joseph.
[37:3] 36 tn Heb “a son of old age was he to him.” This expression means “a son born to him when he [i.e., Jacob] was old.”
[37:3] 37 tn It is not clear what this tunic was like, because the meaning of the Hebrew word that describes it is uncertain. The idea that it was a coat of many colors comes from the Greek translation of the OT. An examination of cognate terms in Semitic suggests it was either a coat or tunic with long sleeves (cf. NEB, NRSV), or a tunic that was richly embroidered (cf. NIV). It set Joseph apart as the favored one.
[37:4] 38 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:4] 39 tn Heb “of his brothers.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “them.”
[37:4] 40 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:4] 41 tn Heb “speak to him for peace.”
[37:5] 42 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:5] 43 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[37:5] 44 sn Some interpreters see Joseph as gloating over his brothers, but the text simply says he told his brothers about it (i.e., the dream). The text gives no warrant for interpreting his manner as arrogant or condescending. It seems normal that he would share a dream with the family.
[37:5] 45 tn The construction uses a hendiadys, “they added to hate,” meaning they hated him even more.
[37:6] 46 tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”
[37:7] 47 tn All three clauses in this dream report begin with וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), which lends vividness to the report. This is represented in the translation by the expression “there we were.”
[37:7] 48 tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.
[37:8] 49 tn Heb “Ruling, will you rule over us, or reigning, will you reign over us?” The statement has a poetic style, with the two questions being in synonymous parallelism. Both verbs in this statement are preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Joseph’s brothers said, “You don’t really think you will rule over us, do you? You don’t really think you will have dominion over us, do you?”
[37:8] 50 tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.
[37:8] 51 sn The response of Joseph’s brothers is understandable, given what has already been going on in the family. But here there is a hint of uneasiness – they hated him because of his dream and because of his words. The dream bothered them, as well as his telling them. And their words in the rhetorical question are ironic, for this is exactly what would happen. The dream was God’s way of revealing it.
[37:9] 52 tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”
[37:9] 53 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Look.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. Both clauses of the dream report begin with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which lends vividness to the report.
[37:10] 54 sn The question What is this dream that you had? expresses Jacob’s dismay at what he perceives to be Joseph’s audacity.
[37:10] 55 tn Heb “Coming, will we come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down to you to the ground?” The verb “come” is preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Jacob said, “You don’t really think we will come…to bow down…do you?”
[37:11] 56 sn Joseph’s brothers were already jealous of him, but this made it even worse. Such jealousy easily leads to action, as the next episode in the story shows. Yet dreams were considered a form of revelation, and their jealousy was not only of the favoritism of their father, but of the dreams. This is why Jacob kept the matter in mind.
[37:11] 57 tn Heb “kept the word.” The referent of the Hebrew term “word” has been specified as “what Joseph said” in the translation for clarity, and the words “in mind” have been supplied for stylistic reasons.
[37:13] 58 tn The text uses an interrogative clause: “Are not your brothers,” which means “your brothers are.”
[37:13] 59 sn With these words Joseph is depicted here as an obedient son who is ready to do what his father commands.
[37:13] 60 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here I am.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
[37:14] 61 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:14] 64 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:15] 65 tn Heb “and he [i.e., Joseph] went to Shechem.” The referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:15] 66 tn Heb “and a man found him and look, he was wandering in the field.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the action through this unnamed man’s eyes.
[37:16] 67 tn The imperative in this sentence has more of the nuance of a request than a command.
[37:17] 68 tn Heb “they traveled from this place.”
[37:18] 69 tn Heb “and they”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:19] 70 tn Heb “Look, this master of dreams is coming.” The brothers’ words have a sarcastic note and indicate that they resent his dreams.
[37:20] 71 tn The Hebrew word can sometimes carry the nuance “evil,” but when used of an animal it refers to a dangerous wild animal.
[37:20] 72 tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”
[37:21] 73 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:21] 74 sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).
[37:21] 75 tn Heb “and he said.”
[37:21] 76 tn Heb “we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.”
[37:22] 77 tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”
[37:22] 78 sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reuben’s words.
[37:22] 79 tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[37:22] 80 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:22] 81 tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.
[37:23] 82 tn Heb “Joseph”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[37:24] 83 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that helps the reader or hearer to picture what happened.
[37:25] 84 tn Heb “lifted up their eyes.”
[37:25] 85 tn Heb “and they saw and look.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the event through the eyes of the brothers.
[37:25] 86 tn Heb “and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh, going to go down to Egypt.”
[37:27] 87 tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”
[37:28] 89 sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.
[37:28] 90 tn Heb “they drew and they lifted up.” The referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity; otherwise the reader might assume the Midianites had pulled Joseph from the cistern (but cf. NAB).
[37:28] 91 tn Heb “Joseph” (both here and in the following clause); the proper name has been replaced both times by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[37:28] 92 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:29] 93 tn Heb “and look, Joseph was not in the cistern.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the situation through Reuben’s eyes.
[37:31] 94 sn It was with two young goats that Jacob deceived his father (Gen 27:9); now with a young goat his sons continue the deception that dominates this family.
[37:32] 95 tn Heb “and they sent the special tunic and they brought [it] to their father.” The text as it stands is problematic. It sounds as if they sent the tunic on ahead and then came and brought it to their father. Some emend the second verb to a Qal form and read “and they came.” In this case, they sent the tunic on ahead.
[37:33] 96 sn A wild animal has eaten him. Jacob draws this conclusion on his own without his sons actually having to lie with their words (see v. 20). Dipping the tunic in the goat’s blood was the only deception needed.
[37:34] 97 tn Heb “and put sackcloth on his loins.”
[37:35] 98 tn Heb “arose, stood”; which here suggests that they stood by him in his time of grief.
[37:35] 99 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Indeed I will go down to my son mourning to Sheol.’” Sheol was viewed as the place where departed spirits went after death.
[37:35] 100 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:36] 101 tn The disjunctive clause formally signals closure for this episode of Joseph’s story, which will be resumed in Gen 39.
[37:36] 102 tc The MT spells the name of the merchants as מְדָנִים (mÿdanim, “Medanites”) rather than מִדְיָנִים (midyanim, “Midianites”) as in v. 28. It is likely that the MT is corrupt at this point, with the letter yod (י) being accidentally omitted. The LXX, Vulgate, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac read “Midianites” here. Some prefer to read “Medanites” both here and in v. 28, but Judg 8:24, which identifies the Midianites and Ishmaelites, favors the reading “Midianites.”
[37:36] 103 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:36] 104 sn The expression captain of the guard might indicate that Potiphar was the chief executioner.
[38:1] 105 tn Heb “went down from.”
[38:1] 106 tn Heb “and he turned aside unto.”
[38:1] 107 tn Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”
[38:2] 108 tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”
[38:2] 109 tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”
[38:2] 110 tn Heb “and he took her.”
[38:2] 111 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:3] 112 tn Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).
[38:3] 113 tc Some
[38:5] 114 tn Heb “and she added again and she gave birth.” The first verb and the adverb emphasize that she gave birth once more.
[38:5] 115 tn Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”
[38:6] 116 tn Heb “and Judah took.”
[38:8] 117 tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:8] 118 tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
[38:8] 119 sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.
[38:9] 120 tn Heb “offspring.”
[38:9] 121 tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.
[38:9] 122 tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.
[38:9] 123 tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:9] 124 tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.
[38:10] 125 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[38:11] 127 tn Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.”
[38:12] 128 sn After some time. There is not enough information in the narrative to know how long this was. The text says “the days increased.” It was long enough for Shelah to mature and for Tamar to realize she would not have him.
[38:12] 129 tn Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”
[38:13] 130 tn Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”
[38:13] 131 tn The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.
[38:14] 132 tn The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.
[38:14] 133 tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”
[38:15] 134 tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.
[38:16] 135 tn Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:16] 136 tn Heb “for he did not know that.”
[38:16] 137 tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:17] 138 tn Heb “until you send.”
[38:18] 139 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:19] 140 tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.
[38:20] 141 tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.
[38:20] 142 tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”
[38:20] 143 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[38:21] 144 tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.
[38:21] 145 sn The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (AOAT), 213-23.
[38:23] 146 tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:23] 147 tn Heb “we will become contemptible.” The Hebrew word בּוּז (buz) describes the contempt that a respectable person would have for someone who is worthless, foolish, or disreputable.
[38:24] 148 tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”
[38:24] 149 tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.
[38:24] 150 tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”
[38:25] 151 tn Heb “she was being brought out and she sent.” The juxtaposition of two clauses, both of which place the subject before the predicate, indicates synchronic action.
[38:25] 152 tn Heb “who these to him.”
[38:25] 153 tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”
[38:26] 154 tn Traditionally “more righteous”; cf. NCV, NRSV, NLT “more in the right.”
[38:26] 155 tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:28] 156 tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:29] 157 tn Heb “Look, his brother came out.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through the midwife’s eyes. The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:29] 158 tn Heb “How you have made a breach for yourself!” The Hebrew verb translated “make a breach” frequently occurs, as here, with a cognate accusative. The event provided the meaningful name Perez, “he who breaks through.”
[38:29] 159 sn The name Perez means “he who breaks through,” referring to Perez reaching out his hand at birth before his brother was born. The naming signified the completion of Tamar’s struggle and also depicted the destiny of the tribe of Perez who later became dominant (Gen 46:12 and Num 26:20). Judah and his brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they could thwart God’s plan that the elder brothers should serve the younger. God demonstrated that principle through these births in Judah’s own family, affirming that the elder will serve the younger, and that Joseph’s leadership could not so easily be set aside. See J. Goldin, “The Youngest Son; or, Where Does Genesis 38 Belong?” JBL 96 (1977): 27-44.
[38:30] 160 sn Perhaps the child was named Zerah because of the scarlet thread. Though the Hebrew word used for “scarlet thread” in v. 28 is not related to the name Zerah, there is a related root in Babylonian and western Aramaic that means “scarlet” or “scarlet thread.” In Hebrew the name appears to be derived from a root meaning “to shine.” The name could have originally meant something like “shining one” or “God has shined.” Zerah became the head of a tribe (Num 26:20) from whom Achan descended (Josh 7:1).
[39:1] 161 tn The disjunctive clause resumes the earlier narrative pertaining to Joseph by recapitulating the event described in 37:36. The perfect verbal form is given a past perfect translation to restore the sequence of the narrative for the reader.
[39:1] 162 sn Captain of the guard. See the note on this phrase in Gen 37:36.
[39:1] 163 tn Heb “from the hand of.”
[39:2] 164 tn Heb “and he was a prosperous man.” This does not mean that Joseph became wealthy, but that he was successful in what he was doing, or making progress in his situation (see 24:21).
[39:2] 165 tn Heb “and he was.”
[39:3] 166 tn The Hebrew text adds “in his hand,” a phrase not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[39:4] 167 sn The Hebrew verb translated became his personal attendant refers to higher domestic service, usually along the lines of a personal attendant. Here Joseph is made the household steward, a position well-attested in Egyptian literature.
[39:4] 168 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[39:4] 169 tn Heb “put into his hand.”
[39:5] 170 tn Heb “and it was from then.”
[39:5] 171 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[39:5] 172 sn The Hebrew word translated blessed carries the idea of enrichment, prosperity, success. It is the way believers describe success at the hand of God. The text illustrates the promise made to Abraham that whoever blesses his descendants will be blessed (Gen 12:1-3).
[39:5] 173 tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[39:5] 174 sn The passage gives us a good picture of Joseph as a young man who was responsible and faithful, both to his master and to his God. This happened within a very short time of his being sold into Egypt. It undermines the view that Joseph was a liar, a tattletale, and an arrogant adolescent.
[39:6] 175 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[39:6] 176 sn The Hebrew verb translated left indicates he relinquished the care of it to Joseph. This is stronger than what was said earlier. Apparently Potiphar had come to trust Joseph so much that he knew it was in better care with Joseph than with anyone else.
[39:6] 177 tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
[39:6] 178 tn Heb “did not know.”
[39:6] 179 sn The expression except the food he ate probably refers to Potiphar’s private affairs and should not be limited literally to what he ate.
[39:6] 180 tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.
[39:7] 181 tn Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.
[39:7] 182 tn Heb “lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[39:8] 183 tn Heb “and he said.”
[39:8] 185 tn The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[39:8] 186 tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
[39:9] 187 tn The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.
[39:10] 188 tn The verse begins with the temporal indicator, followed by the infinitive construct with the preposition כְּ (kÿ). This clause could therefore be taken as temporal.
[39:10] 189 tn Heb “listen to.”
[39:10] 190 tn Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[39:11] 191 tn Heb “and it was about this day.”
[39:11] 192 tn Heb “the men of the house.”
[39:12] 193 tn Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.
[39:12] 194 sn For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” VT 2 (1952): 85-87.
[39:14] 195 tn The verb has no expressed subject, and so it could be treated as a passive (“a Hebrew man was brought in”; cf. NIV). But it is clear from the context that her husband brought Joseph into the household, so Potiphar is the apparent referent here. Thus the translation supplies “my husband” as the referent of the unspecified pronominal subject of the verb (cf. NEB, NRSV).
[39:14] 196 sn A Hebrew man. Potiphar’s wife raises the ethnic issue when talking to her servants about what their boss had done.
[39:14] 197 tn Heb “to make fun of us.” The verb translated “to humiliate us” here means to hold something up for ridicule, or to toy with something harmfully. Attempted rape would be such an activity, for it would hold the victim in contempt.
[39:14] 198 tn Heb “he came to me to lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[39:14] 199 tn Heb “and I cried out with a loud voice.”
[39:15] 200 tn Heb “that I raised.”
[39:17] 201 tn Heb “and she spoke to him according to these words, saying.”
[39:17] 202 sn That Hebrew slave. Now, when speaking to her husband, Potiphar’s wife refers to Joseph as a Hebrew slave, a very demeaning description.
[39:17] 203 tn Heb “came to me to make fun of me.” The statement needs no explanation because of the connotations of “came to me” and “to make fun of me.” See the note on the expression “humiliate us” in v. 14.
[39:19] 204 tn Heb “and when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying.”
[39:19] 205 tn Heb “according to these words.”
[39:19] 206 tn Heb “did to me.”
[39:19] 207 tn Heb “his anger burned.”
[39:20] 208 tn Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.
[39:20] 209 sn The story of Joseph is filled with cycles and repetition: He has two dreams (chap. 37), he interprets two dreams in prison (chap. 40) and the two dreams of Pharaoh (chap. 41), his brothers make two trips to see him (chaps. 42-43), and here, for the second time (see 37:24), he is imprisoned for no good reason, with only his coat being used as evidence. For further discussion see H. Jacobsen, “A Legal Note on Potiphar’s Wife,” HTR 69 (1976): 177.
[39:21] 210 tn Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”
[39:21] 211 tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).
[39:22] 212 tn Heb “all which they were doing there, he was doing.” This probably means that Joseph was in charge of everything that went on in the prison.
[39:23] 213 tn Heb “was not looking at anything.”
[39:23] 214 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[40:1] 215 sn The Hebrew term cupbearer corresponds to the Egyptian wb’, an official (frequently a foreigner) who often became a confidant of the king and wielded political power (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 248). Nehemiah held this post in Persia.
[40:1] 216 sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.
[40:1] 217 sn The Hebrew verb translated offended here is the same one translated “sin” in 39:9. Perhaps there is an intended contrast between these officials, who deserve to be imprisoned, and Joseph, who refused to sin against God, but was thrown into prison in spite of his innocence.
[40:2] 218 tn The Hebrew word סָרִיס (saris), used here of these two men and of Potiphar (see 39:1), normally means “eunuch.” But evidence from Akkadian texts shows that in early times the title was used of a court official in general. Only later did it become more specialized in its use.
[40:4] 219 sn He served them. This is the same Hebrew verb, meaning “to serve as a personal attendant,” that was translated “became [his] servant” in 39:4.
[40:4] 220 tn Heb “they were days in custody.”
[40:5] 221 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[40:5] 222 tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”
[40:5] 223 tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”
[40:6] 224 tn The verb זָעַף (za’af) only occurs here and Dan 1:10. It means “to be sick, to be emaciated,” probably in this case because of depression.
[40:7] 225 tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”
[40:8] 226 tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”
[40:8] 227 tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:9] 228 tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.
[40:11] 229 tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:11] 230 sn The cupbearer’s dream is dominated by sets of three: three branches, three stages of growth, and three actions of the cupbearer.
[40:12] 231 tn Heb “the three branches [are].”
[40:13] 232 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head.” This Hebrew idiom usually refers to restoring dignity, office, or power. It is comparable to the modern saying “someone can hold his head up high.”
[40:13] 233 tn Heb “according to the former custom.”
[40:14] 234 tn Heb “but you have remembered me with you.” The perfect verbal form may be used rhetorically here to emphasize Joseph’s desire to be remembered. He speaks of the action as already being accomplished in order to make it clear that he expects it to be done. The form can be translated as volitional, expressing a plea or a request.
[40:14] 235 tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.
[40:14] 236 tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”
[40:14] 237 tn The verb זָכַר (zakhar) in the Hiphil stem means “to cause to remember, to make mention, to boast.” The implication is that Joseph would be pleased for them to tell his story and give him the credit due him so that Pharaoh would release him. Since Pharaoh had never met Joseph, the simple translation of “cause him to remember me” would mean little.
[40:14] 238 tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.
[40:15] 239 tn The verb גָּנַב (ganav) means “to steal,” but in the Piel/Pual stem “to steal away.” The idea of “kidnap” would be closer to the sense, meaning he was stolen and carried off. The preceding infinitive absolute underscores the point Joseph is making.
[40:16] 240 tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[40:16] 241 tn Or “three wicker baskets.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun חֹרִי (khori, “white bread, cake”) is uncertain; some have suggested the meaning “wicker” instead. Comparison with texts from Ebla suggests the meaning “pastries made with white flour” (M. Dahood, “Eblaite h¬a-rí and Genesis 40,16 h£o„rî,” BN 13 [1980]: 14-16).
[40:18] 242 tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”
[40:19] 243 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you.” Joseph repeats the same expression from the first interpretation (see v. 13), but with the added words “from upon you,” which allow the statement to have a more literal and ominous meaning – the baker will be decapitated.
[40:20] 244 tn The translation puts the verb in quotation marks because it is used rhetorically here and has a double meaning. With respect to the cup bearer it means “reinstate” (see v. 13), but with respect to the baker it means “decapitate” (see v. 19).
[40:21] 245 tn Heb “his cupbearing.”
[40:22] 246 tn Heb “had interpreted for them.”
[40:23] 247 tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.
[15:8] 248 tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”
[15:8] 249 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:8] 250 tn See note on the phrase “sovereign
[15:9] 252 tn Heb “He”; the referent (the
[15:10] 253 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:10] 254 tn Heb “in the middle.”
[15:10] 255 tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”
[15:12] 256 tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”
[15:12] 257 tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”
[15:13] 258 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, with the Qal infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “know”). The imperfect here has an obligatory or imperatival force.
[15:13] 259 tn The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger, “sojourner, stranger”) is related to the verb גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to stay for awhile”). Abram’s descendants will stay in a land as resident aliens without rights of citizenship.
[15:13] 260 tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”
[15:13] 261 tn Heb “and they will serve them and they will oppress them.” The verb עִנּוּ, (’innu, a Piel form from עָנָה, ’anah, “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly”), is used in Exod 1:11 to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.
[15:14] 262 tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.
[15:15] 263 tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.
[15:15] 264 sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.
[15:15] 265 tn Heb “in a good old age.”
[15:16] 266 sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are four hundred years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to one hundred years.
[15:16] 267 tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[15:16] 268 tn Heb “is not yet complete.”
[15:17] 269 sn A smoking pot with a flaming torch. These same implements were used in Mesopotamian rituals designed to ward off evil (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 113-14).
[15:17] 270 tn Heb “these pieces.”
[4:1] 271 sn In chap. 3, the first part of this extensive call, Yahweh promises to deliver his people. At the hesitancy of Moses, God guarantees his presence will be with him, and that assures the success of the mission. But with chap. 4, the second half of the call, the tone changes sharply. Now Moses protests his inadequacies in view of the nature of the task. In many ways, these verses address the question, “Who is sufficient for these things?” There are three basic movements in the passage. The first nine verses tell how God gave Moses signs in case Israel did not believe him (4:1-9). The second section records how God dealt with the speech problem of Moses (4:10-12). And finally, the last section records God’s provision of a helper, someone who could talk well (4:13-17). See also J. E. Hamlin, “The Liberator’s Ordeal: A Study of Exodus 4:1-9,” Rhetorical Criticism [PTMS], 33-42.
[4:1] 272 tn Heb “and Moses answered and said.”
[4:1] 273 tn Or “What if.” The use of הֵן (hen) is unusual here, introducing a conditional idea in the question without a following consequence clause (see Exod 8:22 HT [8:26 ET]; Jer 2:10; 2 Chr 7:13). The Greek has “if not” but adds the clause “what shall I say to them?”
[4:1] 274 tn Heb “listen to my voice,” so as to respond positively.
[4:2] 275 tn Or “rod” (KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “walking stick”; NLT “shepherd’s staff.”
[4:3] 276 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[4:3] 277 sn The details of the verse are designed to show that there was a staff that became a snake. The question is used to affirm that there truly was a staff, and then the report of Moses running from it shows it was a genuine snake. Using the serpent as a sign would have had an impact on the religious ideas of Egypt, for the sacred cobra was one of their symbols.
[4:4] 278 sn The signs authenticated Moses’ ministry as the
[4:6] 279 tn The word חֵיק (kheq), often rendered “bosom,” refers to the front of the chest and a fold in the garment there where an item could be placed for carrying (see Prov 6:27; 16:33; 21:14). So “into your robe” should be understood loosely here and in v. 7 as referring to the inside of the top front of Moses’ garment. The inside chest pocket of a jacket is a rough modern equivalent.
[4:6] 280 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) points out the startling or amazing sight as if the reader were catching first glimpse of it with Moses.
[4:6] 281 sn This sudden skin disease indicated that God was able to bring such diseases on Egypt in the plagues and that only he could remove them. The whitening was the first stage of death for the diseased (Num 12:10; 2 Kgs 5:27). The Hebrew words traditionally rendered “leprous” or “leprosy,” as they are used in Lev 13 and 14, encompass a variety of conditions, not limited to the disease called leprosy and identified as Hansen’s disease in modern times.
[4:7] 282 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) points out the startling or amazing sight as if the reader were catching first glimpse of it with Moses.
[4:7] 283 tn Heb “it returned.”
[4:7] 284 tn Heb “like his flesh.”
[4:8] 285 tn Heb “and it will be if.”
[4:8] 286 tn Heb “listen to the voice of,” meaning listen so as to respond appropriately.
[4:8] 287 tn The nuance of this perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive will be equal to the imperfect of possibility – “they may believe.”
[4:8] 288 tn Heb “believe the voice of the latter sign,” so as to understand and accept the meaning of the event.
[4:9] 289 tn Heb “and it will be if.”
[4:9] 290 tn Heb “listen to your voice.”
[4:9] 291 tn The verb form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it functions then as the equivalent of the imperfect tense – here as an imperfect of instruction.
[4:9] 292 sn This is a powerful sign, for the Nile was always known as the source of life in Egypt, but now it will become the evidence of death. So the three signs were alike, each consisting of life and death. They would clearly anticipate the struggle with Egypt through the plagues. The point is clear that in the face of the possibility that people might not believe, the servants of God must offer clear proof of the power of God as they deliver the message of God. The rest is up to God.
[4:2] 293 tn Or “rod” (KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “walking stick”; NLT “shepherd’s staff.”
[20:8] 294 tn The text uses the infinitive absolute זָכוֹר (zakhor) for the commandment for the Sabbath day, which is the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant. The infinitive absolute functions in place of the emphatic imperative here (see GKC 346 §113.bb); the absolute stresses the basic verbal idea of the root – remembering. The verb includes the mental activity of recalling and pondering as well as the consequent actions for such remembering.
[20:8] 295 tn The word “Sabbath” is clearly connected to the verb שָׁבַת (shavat, “to cease, desist, rest”). There are all kinds of theories as to the origin of the day, most notably in the Babylonian world, but the differences are striking in so far as the pagan world had these days filled with magic. Nevertheless, the pagan world does bear witness to a tradition of a regular day set aside for special sacrifices. See, for example, H. W. Wolff, “The Day of Rest in the Old Testament,” LTQ 7 (1972): 65-76; H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the OT and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-42; and M. Tsevat, “The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath,” ZAW 84 (1972): 447-59.
[20:8] 296 tn The Piel infinitive construct provides the purpose of remembering the Sabbath day – to set it apart, to make it distinct from the other days. Verses 9 and 10 explain in part how this was to be done. To set this day apart as holy taught Israel the difference between the holy and the profane, that there was something higher than daily life. If an Israelite bent down to the ground laboring all week, the Sabbath called his attention to the heavens, to pattern life after the Creator (B. Jacob, Exodus, 569-70).
[20:9] 297 tn The text has simply “six days,” but this is an adverbial accusative of time, answering how long they were to work (GKC 374 §118.k).
[20:9] 298 tn The imperfect tense has traditionally been rendered as a commandment, “you will labor.” But the point of this commandment is the prohibition of work on the seventh day. The permission nuance of the imperfect works well here.
[20:9] 299 tn This is the occupation, or business of the work week.
[20:10] 300 tn The phrase “on it” has been supplied for clarity.
[20:10] 301 sn The wife is omitted in the list, not that she was considered unimportant, nor that she was excluded from the rest, but rather in reflecting her high status. She was not man’s servant, not lesser than the man, but included with the man as an equal before God. The “you” of the commandments is addressed to the Israelites individually, male and female, just as God in the Garden of Eden held both the man and the woman responsible for their individual sins (see B. Jacob, Exodus, 567-68).
[20:10] 302 sn The Sabbath day was the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant. It required Israel to cease from ordinary labors and devote the day to God. It required Israel to enter into the life of God, to share his Sabbath. It gave them a chance to recall the work of the Creator. But in the NT the apostolic teaching for the Church does not make one day holier than another, but calls for the entire life to be sanctified to God. This teaching is an application of the meaning of entering into the Sabbath of God. The book of Hebrews declares that those who believe in Christ cease from their works and enter into his Sabbath rest. For a Christian keeping Saturday holy is not a requirement from the NT; it may be a good and valuable thing to have a day of rest and refreshment, but it is not a binding law for the Church. The principle of setting aside time to worship and serve the Lord has been carried forward, but the strict regulations have not.
[86:17] 303 tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.
[86:17] 304 tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.
[86:17] 305 tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the
[7:11] 306 tn Heb “Make it as deep as Sheol or make it high upwards.” These words suggest that Ahaz can feel free to go beyond the bounds of ordinary human experience.
