Genesis 14:1

The Blessing of Victory for God’s People

14:1 At that time ¹  Amraphel king of Shinar, ²  Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations ³ 

Genesis 14:9

14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, ⁴  Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against ⁵  five.

Genesis 17:5

17:5 No longer will your name be ⁶  Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham ⁷  because I will make you ⁸  the father of a multitude of nations.

Genesis 25:23

25:23 and the Lord said to her,

“Two nations ⁹  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.”

Genesis 35:11

35:11 Then God said to him, “I am the sovereign God. ¹⁰  Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants! ¹¹ 

[14:1]  ¹ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) followed by “in the days of.”

[14:1]  ² sn Shinar (also in v. 9) is the region of Babylonia.

[14:1]  ³ tn Or “king of Goyim.” The Hebrew term גּוֹיִם (goyim) means “nations,” but a number of modern translations merely transliterate the Hebrew (cf. NEB “Goyim”; NIV, NRSV “Goiim”).

[14:9]  ⁴ tn Or “Goyim.” See the note on the word “nations” in 14:1.

[14:9]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text has simply “against.” The word “fought” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “will your name be called.”

[17:5]  ⁸ sn Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of God’s promise. “Abram” means “exalted father,” probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name “Abraham” is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (’av-hamon, “the father of a multitude,” which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ’avraham, “Abraham”). The new name would be a reminder of God’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, “Renaming in the Old Testament,” Words and Meanings, 70-83.

[17:5]  ⁹ tn The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.

[25:23]  ¹⁰ 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.

[35:11]  ¹³ tn The name אֵל שַׁדַּי (’el shadday, “El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72. Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king of the world who grants, blesses, and judges. In the Book of Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness. The patriarchs knew God primarily as El Shaddai (Exod 6:3). While the origin and meaning of this name are uncertain its significance is clear. The name is used in contexts where God appears as the source of fertility and life. For a fuller discussion see the note on “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[35:11]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “A nation and a company of nations will be from you and kings from your loins will come out.”