Genesis 16:2

16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since ¹  the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with ²  my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” ³  Abram did what ⁴  Sarai told him.

Genesis 24:5

24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me ⁵  to this land? Must I then ⁶  take your son back to the land from which you came?”

Genesis 32:20

32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” ⁷  Jacob thought, ⁸  “I will first appease him ⁹  by sending a gift ahead of me. ¹⁰  After that I will meet him. ¹¹  Perhaps he will accept me.” ¹² 

[16:2]  ¹ tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.

[16:2]  ² tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).

[16:2]  ³ tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.

[16:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”

[24:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “to go after me.”

[24:5]  ⁶ 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.

[32:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”

[32:20]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “for he said.” The referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally represents Jacob’s thought or reasoning, and is therefore translated “thought.”

[32:20]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I will appease his face.” The cohortative here expresses Jacob’s resolve. In the Book of Leviticus the Hebrew verb translated “appease” has the idea of removing anger due to sin or guilt, a nuance that fits this passage very well. Jacob wanted to buy Esau off with a gift of more than five hundred and fifty animals.

[32:20]  ¹² tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”

[32:20]  ¹³ tn Heb “I will see his face.”

[32:20]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.