Genesis 11:27-31

The Record of Terah

11:27 This is the account of Terah.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 11:28 Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans, ¹  while his father Terah was still alive. ²  11:29 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, ³  and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah; ⁴  she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no children.

11:31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (the son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and with them he set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came to Haran, they settled there.

Genesis 13:8

13:8 Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. ⁵ 

Proverbs 17:17

17:17 A friend ⁶  loves at all times,

and a relative ⁷  is born to help in adversity. ⁸ 

Proverbs 24:11-12

24:11 Deliver those being taken away to death,

and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. ⁹ 

24:12 If you say, “But we did not know about this,”

does not the one who evaluates ¹⁰  hearts consider?

Does not the one who guards your life know?

Will he not repay each person according to his deeds? ¹¹ 

Galatians 6:1-2

Support One Another

6:1 Brothers and sisters, ¹²  if a person ¹³  is discovered in some sin, ¹⁴  you who are spiritual ¹⁵  restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. ¹⁶  Pay close attention ¹⁷  to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:1

Support One Another

6:1 Brothers and sisters, ¹⁸  if a person ¹⁹  is discovered in some sin, ²⁰  you who are spiritual ²¹  restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. ²²  Pay close attention ²³  to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.

Galatians 2:18

2:18 But if I build up again those things I once destroyed, ²⁴  I demonstrate that I am one who breaks God’s law. ²⁵ 

[11:28]  ¹ sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium b.c.

[11:28]  ² tn Heb “upon the face of Terah his father.”

[11:29]  ³ sn The name Sarai (a variant spelling of “Sarah”) means “princess” (or “lady”). Sharratu was the name of the wife of the moon god Sin. The original name may reflect the culture out of which the patriarch was called, for the family did worship other gods in Mesopotamia.

[11:29]  ⁴ sn The name Milcah means “Queen.” But more to the point here is the fact that Malkatu was a title for Ishtar, the daughter of the moon god. If the women were named after such titles (and there is no evidence that this was the motivation for naming the girls “Princess” or “Queen”), that would not necessarily imply anything about the faith of the two women themselves.

[13:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “men, brothers [are] we.” Here “brothers” describes the closeness of the relationship, but could be misunderstood if taken literally, since Abram was Lot’s uncle.

[17:17]  ⁶ sn The verse uses synonymous parallelism, so “friend” and “relative” are equated. Others, however, will take the verse with antithetical parallelism: W. G. Plaut argues that friendship is a spiritual relationship whereas a brother’s ties are based on a blood relationship – often adversity is the only thing that brings brothers together (Proverbs, 189).

[17:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “a brother.”

[17:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “is born for adversity.” This is not referring to sibling rivalry but to the loyalty a brother shows during times of calamity. This is not to say that a brother only shows loyalty when there is trouble, nor that he always does in these times (e.g., 18:19, 24; 19:7; 27:10). The true friend is the same as a brotherly relation – in times of greatest need the loyal love is displayed.

[24:11]  ⁹ tn The idea of “slipping” (participle from מוֹט, mot) has troubled some commentators. G. R. Driver emends it to read “at the point of” (“Problems in Proverbs,” ZAW 50 [1932]: 146). But the MT as it stands makes good sense. The reference would be general, viz., to help any who are in mortal danger or who might be tottering on the edge of such disaster – whether through sin, or through disease, war, or danger. Several English versions (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV) render this term as “staggering.”

[24:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “weighs” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV) meaning “tests” or “evaluates.”

[24:12]  ¹¹ sn The verse completes the saying by affirming that people will be judged responsible for helping those in mortal danger. The verse uses a series of rhetorical questions to affirm that God knows our hearts and we cannot plead ignorance.

[6:1]  ¹² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

[6:1]  ¹³ tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.

[6:1]  ¹⁴ tn Or “some transgression” (L&N 88.297).

[6:1]  ¹⁵ sn Who are spiritual refers to people who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit.

[6:1]  ¹⁶ tn Or “with a gentle spirit” or “gently.”

[6:1]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “taking careful notice.”

[6:1]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

[6:1]  ¹⁹ tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.

[6:1]  ²⁰ tn Or “some transgression” (L&N 88.297).

[6:1]  ²¹ sn Who are spiritual refers to people who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit.

[6:1]  ²² tn Or “with a gentle spirit” or “gently.”

[6:1]  ²³ tn Grk “taking careful notice.”

[2:18]  ²⁴ tn Or “once tore down.”

[2:18]  ²⁵ tn Traditionally, “that I am a transgressor.”