Discovery BoxGenesis 18:1
Context18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham 1 by the oaks 2 of Mamre while 3 he was sitting at the entrance 4 to his tent during the hottest time of the day.
Genesis 9:1-29
Context9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 9:2 Every living creature of the earth and every bird of the sky will be terrified of you. 5 Everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea are under your authority. 6 9:3 You may eat any moving thing that lives. 7 As I gave you 8 the green plants, I now give 9 you everything.
9:4 But 10 you must not eat meat 11 with its life (that is, 12 its blood) in it. 13 9:5 For your lifeblood 14 I will surely exact punishment, 15 from 16 every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person 17 I will exact punishment for the life of the individual 18 since the man was his relative. 19
9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood, 20
by other humans 21
must his blood be shed;
for in God’s image 22
God 23 has made humankind.”
9:7 But as for you, 24 be fruitful and multiply; increase abundantly on the earth and multiply on it.”
9:8 God said to Noah and his sons, 25 9:9 “Look! I now confirm 26 my covenant with you and your descendants after you 27 9:10 and with every living creature that is with you, including the birds, the domestic animals, and every living creature of the earth with you, all those that came out of the ark with you – every living creature of the earth. 28 9:11 I confirm 29 my covenant with you: Never again will all living things 30 be wiped out 31 by the waters of a flood; 32 never again will a flood destroy the earth.”
9:12 And God said, “This is the guarantee 33 of the covenant I am making 34 with you 35 and every living creature with you, a covenant 36 for all subsequent 37 generations: 9:13 I will place 38 my rainbow 39 in the clouds, and it will become 40 a guarantee of the covenant between me and the earth. 9:14 Whenever 41 I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 9:15 then I will remember my covenant with you 42 and with all living creatures of all kinds. 43 Never again will the waters become a flood and destroy 44 all living things. 45 9:16 When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will notice it and remember 46 the perpetual covenant between God and all living creatures of all kinds that are on the earth.”
9:17 So God said to Noah, “This is the guarantee of the covenant that I am confirming between me and all living things 47 that are on the earth.”
9:18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Now Ham was the father of Canaan.) 48 9:19 These were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated. 49
9:20 Noah, a man of the soil, 50 began to plant a vineyard. 51 9:21 When he drank some of the wine, he got drunk and uncovered himself 52 inside his tent. 9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, 53 saw his father’s nakedness 54 and told his two brothers who were outside. 9:23 Shem and Japheth took the garment 55 and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned 56 the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.
9:24 When Noah awoke from his drunken stupor 57 he learned 58 what his youngest son had done 59 to him. 9:25 So he said,
The lowest of slaves 62
he will be to his brothers.”
9:26 He also said,
“Worthy of praise is 63 the Lord, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem! 64
9:27 May God enlarge Japheth’s territory and numbers! 65
May he live 66 in the tents of Shem
and may Canaan be his slave!”
9:28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 9:29 The entire lifetime of Noah was 950 years, and then he died.
Genesis 18:1-33
Context18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham 67 by the oaks 68 of Mamre while 69 he was sitting at the entrance 70 to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham 71 looked up 72 and saw 73 three men standing across 74 from him. When he saw them 75 he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low 76 to the ground. 77
18:3 He said, “My lord, 78 if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. 79 18:4 Let a little water be brought so that 80 you may all 81 wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get 82 a bit of food 83 so that you may refresh yourselves 84 since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” 85 “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take 86 three measures 87 of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” 88 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, 89 who quickly prepared it. 90 18:8 Abraham 91 then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food 92 before them. They ate while 93 he was standing near them under a tree.
18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, 94 in the tent.” 18:10 One of them 95 said, “I will surely return 96 to you when the season comes round again, 97 and your wife Sarah will have a son!” 98 (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 99 18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; 100 Sarah had long since passed menopause.) 101 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, 102 “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, 103 especially when my husband is old too?” 104
18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why 105 did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really 106 have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything impossible 107 for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” 108 18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.” 109
18:16 When the men got up to leave, 110 they looked out over 111 Sodom. (Now 112 Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 113 18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 114 18:18 After all, Abraham 115 will surely become 116 a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 117 using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him 118 so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep 119 the way of the Lord by doing 120 what is right and just. Then the Lord will give 121 to Abraham what he promised 122 him.”
18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against 123 Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 124 18:21 that I must go down 125 and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. 126 If not, 127 I want to know.”
18:22 The two men turned 128 and headed 129 toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord. 130 18:23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare 131 the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge 132 of the whole earth do what is right?” 133
18:26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord 134 (although I am but dust and ashes), 135 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy 136 the whole city because five are lacking?” 137 He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
18:29 Abraham 138 spoke to him again, 139 “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
18:30 Then Abraham 140 said, “May the Lord not be angry 141 so that I may speak! 142 What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
18:31 Abraham 143 said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
18:32 Finally Abraham 144 said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
18:33 The Lord went on his way 145 when he had finished speaking 146 to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. 147
Genesis 20:1-18
Context20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev 148 region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident 149 in Gerar, 20:2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.
20:3 But God appeared 150 to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead 151 because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.” 152
20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, 153 would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 154 20:5 Did Abraham 155 not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, 156 ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience 157 and with innocent hands!”
20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. 158 That is why I have kept you 159 from sinning against me and why 160 I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed 161 he is a prophet 162 and he will pray for you; thus you will live. 163 But if you don’t give her back, 164 know that you will surely die 165 along with all who belong to you.”
20:8 Early in the morning 166 Abimelech summoned 167 all his servants. When he told them about all these things, 168 they 169 were terrified. 20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? 170 You have done things to me that should not be done!” 171 20:10 Then Abimelech asked 172 Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?” 173
20:11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought, 174 ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of 175 my wife.’ 20:12 What’s more, 176 she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife. 20:13 When God made me wander 177 from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: 178 Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”
20:14 So Abimelech gave 179 sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 20:15 Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.” 180
20:16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver 181 to your ‘brother.’ 182 This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.” 183
20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 20:18 For the Lord 184 had caused infertility to strike every woman 185 in the household of Abimelech because he took 186 Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
[18:1] 1 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:1] 3 tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.
[18:1] 4 tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.
[9:2] 5 tn Heb “and fear of you and dread of you will be upon every living creature of the earth and upon every bird of the sky.” The suffixes on the nouns “fear” and “dread” are objective genitives. The animals will fear humans from this time forward.
[9:2] 6 tn Heb “into your hand are given.” The “hand” signifies power. To say the animals have been given into the hands of humans means humans have been given authority over them.
[9:3] 9 tn Heb “every moving thing that lives for you will be for food.”
[9:3] 10 tn The words “I gave you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[9:3] 11 tn The perfect verb form describes the action that accompanies the declaration.
[9:4] 15 tn Heb “its life, its blood.” The second word is in apposition to the first, explaining what is meant by “its life.” Since the blood is equated with life, meat that had the blood in it was not to be eaten.
[9:4] 16 tn The words “in it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[9:5] 17 tn Again the text uses apposition to clarify what kind of blood is being discussed: “your blood, [that is] for your life.” See C. L. Dewar, “The Biblical Use of the Term ‘Blood,’” JTS 4 (1953): 204-8.
[9:5] 18 tn The word “punishment” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification. The verb דָּרָשׁ (darash) means “to require, to seek, to ask for, to exact.” Here it means that God will exact punishment for the taking of a life. See R. Mawdsley, “Capital Punishment in Gen. 9:6,” CentBib 18 (1975): 20-25.
[9:5] 19 tn Heb “from the hand of,” which means “out of the hand of” or “out of the power of” and is nearly identical in sense to the preposition מִן (min) alone.
[9:5] 20 tn Heb “and from the hand of the man.” The article has a generic function, indicating the class, i.e., humankind.
[9:5] 22 tn Heb “from the hand of a man, his brother.” The point is that God will require the blood of someone who kills, since the person killed is a relative (“brother”) of the killer. The language reflects Noah’s situation (after the flood everyone would be part of Noah’s extended family), but also supports the concept of the brotherhood of humankind. According to the Genesis account the entire human race descended from Noah.
[9:6] 21 tn Heb “the blood of man.”
[9:6] 22 tn Heb “by man,” a generic term here for other human beings.
[9:6] 23 sn See the notes on the words “humankind” and “likeness” in Gen 1:26, as well as J. Barr, “The Image of God in the Book of Genesis – A Study of Terminology,” BJRL 51 (1968/69): 11-26.
[9:6] 24 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:7] 25 sn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + pronominal subject + verb) here indicates a strong contrast to what has preceded. Against the backdrop of the warnings about taking life, God now instructs the people to produce life, using terms reminiscent of the mandate given to Adam (Gen 1:28).
[9:8] 29 tn Heb “to Noah and to his sons with him, saying.”
[9:9] 33 tn Heb “I, look, I confirm.” The particle הִנְנִי (hinni) used with the participle מֵקִים (meqim) gives the sense of immediacy or imminence, as if to say, “Look! I am now confirming.”
[9:9] 34 tn The three pronominal suffixes (translated “you,” “your,” and “you”) are masculine plural. As v. 8 indicates, Noah and his sons are addressed.
[9:10] 37 tn The verbal repetition is apparently for emphasis.
[9:11] 41 tn The verb וַהֲקִמֹתִי (vahaqimoti) is a perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive and should be translated with the English present tense, just as the participle at the beginning of the speech was (v. 9). Another option is to translate both forms with the English future tense (“I will confirm”).
[9:11] 44 tn Heb “and all flesh will not be cut off again by the waters of the flood.”
[9:12] 46 sn On the making of covenants in Genesis, see W. F. Albright, “The Hebrew Expression for ‘Making a Covenant’ in Pre-Israelite Documents,” BASOR 121 (1951): 21-22.
[9:12] 47 tn Heb “between me and between you.”
[9:12] 48 tn The words “a covenant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:12] 49 tn The Hebrew term עוֹלָם (’olam) means “ever, forever, lasting, perpetual.” The covenant would extend to subsequent generations.
[9:13] 49 tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, emphasizing the certainty of the action. Other translation options include “I have placed” (present perfect; cf. NIV, NRSV) and “I place” (instantaneous perfect; cf. NEB).
[9:13] 50 sn The Hebrew word קֶשֶׁת (qeshet) normally refers to a warrior’s bow. Some understand this to mean that God the warrior hangs up his battle bow at the end of the flood, indicating he is now at peace with humankind, but others question the legitimacy of this proposal. See C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:473, and G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:196.
[9:13] 51 tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect of certitude.
[9:14] 53 tn The temporal indicator (וְהָיָה, vÿhayah, conjunction + the perfect verb form), often translated “it will be,” anticipates a future development.
[9:15] 57 tn Heb “which [is] between me and between you.”
[9:15] 59 tn Heb “to destroy.”
[9:16] 61 tn The translation assumes that the infinitive לִזְכֹּר (lizkor, “to remember”) here expresses the result of seeing the rainbow. Another option is to understand it as indicating purpose, in which case it could be translated, “I will look at it so that I may remember.”
[9:18] 69 sn The concluding disjunctive clause is parenthetical. It anticipates the following story, which explains that the Canaanites, Ham’s descendants through Canaan, were cursed because they shared the same moral abandonment that their ancestor displayed. See A. van Selms, “The Canaanites in the Book of Genesis,” OTS 12 (1958): 182-213.
[9:19] 73 tn Heb “was scattered.” The verb פָּצָה (patsah, “to scatter” [Niphal, “to be scattered”]) figures prominently in story of the dispersion of humankind in chap. 11.
[9:20] 77 sn The epithet a man of the soil indicates that Noah was a farmer.
[9:20] 78 tn Or “Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard”; Heb “and Noah, a man of the ground, began and he planted a vineyard.”
[9:21] 81 tn The Hebrew verb גָּלָה (galah) in the Hitpael verbal stem (וַיִּתְגַּל, vayyitggal) means “to uncover oneself” or “to be uncovered.” Noah became overheated because of the wine and uncovered himself in the tent.
[9:22] 85 sn For the second time (see v. 18) the text informs the reader of the relationship between Ham and Canaan. Genesis 10 will explain that Canaan was the ancestor of the Canaanite tribes living in the promised land.
[9:22] 86 tn Some would translate “had sexual relations with,” arguing that Ham committed a homosexual act with his drunken father for which he was cursed. However, the expression “see nakedness” usually refers to observation of another’s nakedness, not a sexual act (see Gen 42:9, 12 where “nakedness” is used metaphorically to convey the idea of “weakness” or “vulnerability”; Deut 23:14 where “nakedness” refers to excrement; Isa 47:3; Ezek 16:37; Lam 1:8). The following verse (v. 23) clearly indicates that visual observation, not a homosexual act, is in view here. In Lev 20:17 the expression “see nakedness” does appear to be a euphemism for sexual intercourse, but the context there, unlike that of Gen 9:22, clearly indicates that in that passage sexual contact is in view. The expression “see nakedness” does not in itself suggest a sexual connotation. Some relate Gen 9:22 to Lev 18:6-11, 15-19, where the expression “uncover [another’s] nakedness” (the Piel form of גָּלָה, galah) refers euphemistically to sexual intercourse. However, Gen 9:22 does not say Ham “uncovered” the nakedness of his father. According to the text, Noah uncovered himself; Ham merely saw his father naked. The point of the text is that Ham had no respect for his father. Rather than covering his father up, he told his brothers. Noah then gave an oracle that Ham’s descendants, who would be characterized by the same moral abandonment, would be cursed. Leviticus 18 describes that greater evil of the Canaanites (see vv. 24-28).
[9:23] 89 tn The word translated “garment” has the Hebrew definite article on it. The article may simply indicate that the garment is definite and vivid in the mind of the narrator, but it could refer instead to Noah’s garment. Did Ham bring it out when he told his brothers?
[9:23] 90 tn Heb “their faces [were turned] back.”
[9:24] 93 tn Heb “his wine,” used here by metonymy for the drunken stupor it produced.
[9:24] 95 tn The Hebrew verb עָשָׂה (’asah, “to do”) carries too general a sense to draw the conclusion that Ham had to have done more than look on his father’s nakedness and tell his brothers.
[9:25] 97 sn For more on the curse, see H. C. Brichto, The Problem of “Curse” in the Hebrew Bible (JBLMS), and J. Scharbert, TDOT 1:405-18.
[9:25] 98 sn Cursed be Canaan. The curse is pronounced on Canaan, not Ham. Noah sees a problem in Ham’s character, and on the basis of that he delivers a prophecy about the future descendants who will live in slavery to such things and then be controlled by others. (For more on the idea of slavery in general, see E. M. Yamauchi, “Slaves of God,” BETS 9 [1966]: 31-49). In a similar way Jacob pronounced oracles about his sons based on their revealed character (see Gen 49).
[9:25] 99 tn Heb “a servant of servants” (עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים, ’eved ’avadim), an example of the superlative genitive. It means Canaan will become the most abject of slaves.
[9:26] 101 tn Heb “blessed be.”
[9:26] 102 tn Heb “a slave to him”; the referent (Shem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:27] 105 tn Heb “may God enlarge Japheth.” The words “territory and numbers” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:27] 106 tn In this context the prefixed verbal form is a jussive (note the distinct jussive forms both before and after this in vv. 26 and 27).
[18:1] 109 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:1] 110 tn Or “terebinths.”
[18:1] 111 tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.
[18:1] 112 tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.
[18:2] 113 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:2] 114 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”
[18:2] 115 tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.
[18:2] 116 tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.
[18:2] 117 tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
[18:2] 118 tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).
[18:2] 119 sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the
[18:3] 117 tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the
[18:3] 118 tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”
[18:4] 121 tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.
[18:4] 122 tn The word “all” has been supplied in the translation because the Hebrew verb translated “wash” and the pronominal suffix on the word “feet” are plural, referring to all three of the visitors.
[18:5] 125 tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.
[18:5] 126 tn Heb “a piece of bread.” The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lekhem) can refer either to bread specifically or to food in general. Based on Abraham’s directions to Sarah in v. 6, bread was certainly involved, but v. 7 indicates that Abraham had a more elaborate meal in mind.
[18:5] 127 tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.
[18:5] 128 tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”
[18:6] 129 tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.
[18:6] 130 sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.
[18:6] 131 sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.
[18:7] 133 tn Heb “the young man.”
[18:7] 134 tn The construction uses the Piel preterite, “he hurried,” followed by the infinitive construct; the two probably form a verbal hendiadys: “he quickly prepared.”
[18:8] 137 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:8] 138 tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
[18:8] 139 tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.
[18:9] 141 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.
[18:10] 145 tn Heb “he”; the referent (one of the three men introduced in v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some English translations have specified the referent as the
[18:10] 146 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense.
[18:10] 147 tn Heb “as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime.
[18:10] 148 tn Heb “and there will be (הִנֵּה, hinneh) a son for Sarah.”
[18:10] 149 tn This is the first of two disjunctive parenthetical clauses preparing the reader for Sarah’s response (see v. 12).
[18:11] 150 tn Heb “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.”
[18:12] 154 tn It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.
[18:12] 155 tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[18:13] 157 tn Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the
[18:13] 158 tn The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”
[18:14] 161 tn The Hebrew verb פָּלָא (pala’) means “to be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be surpassing, to be amazing.”
[18:14] 162 sn Sarah will have a son. The passage brings God’s promise into clear focus. As long as it was a promise for the future, it really could be believed without much involvement. But now, when it seemed so impossible from the human standpoint, when the
[18:15] 165 tn Heb “And he said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” The referent (the
[18:16] 169 tn Heb “And the men arose from there.”
[18:16] 170 tn Heb “toward the face of.”
[18:16] 171 tn The disjunctive parenthetical clause sets the stage for the following speech.
[18:16] 172 tn The Piel of שָׁלַח (shalakh) means “to lead out, to send out, to expel”; here it is used in the friendly sense of seeing the visitors on their way.
[18:17] 173 tn The active participle here refers to an action that is imminent.
[18:18] 177 tn Heb “And Abraham.” The disjunctive clause is probably causal, giving a reason why God should not hide his intentions from Abraham. One could translate, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation?”
[18:18] 178 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the finite verb that follows.
[18:18] 179 tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings upon”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 18:18 (like 12:2) predicts that Abraham 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.
[18:19] 181 tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the
[18:19] 182 tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).
[18:19] 183 tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the
[18:19] 184 tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.
[18:19] 185 tn Heb “spoke to.”
[18:20] 185 tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.
[18:21] 189 tn The cohortative indicates the
[18:21] 190 tn Heb “[if] according to the outcry that has come to me they have done completely.” Even the
[18:21] 191 sn The short phrase if not provides a ray of hope and inspires Abraham’s intercession.
[18:22] 193 tn Heb “And the men turned from there.” The word “two” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied here for clarity. Gen 19:1 mentions only two individuals (described as “angels”), while Abraham had entertained three visitors (18:2). The implication is that the
[18:22] 195 tc An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition reads “but the
[18:24] 197 tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).
[18:25] 202 sn Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right? For discussion of this text see J. L. Crenshaw, “Popular Questioning of the Justice of God in Ancient Israel,” ZAW 82 (1970): 380-95, and C. S. Rodd, “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do What Is Just?” ExpTim 83 (1972): 137-39.
[18:27] 205 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[18:27] 206 tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the
[18:28] 209 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.
[18:28] 210 tn Heb “because of five.”
[18:29] 213 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:29] 214 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”
[18:30] 217 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:30] 218 tn Heb “let it not be hot to the
[18:30] 219 tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.
[18:31] 221 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:32] 225 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:33] 229 tn Heb “And the
[18:33] 230 tn The infinitive construct (“speaking”) serves as the direct object of the verb “finished.”
[18:33] 231 tn Heb “to his place.”
[20:1] 233 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”
[20:1] 234 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”
[20:3] 238 tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.
[20:3] 239 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.
[20:4] 241 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[20:4] 242 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.
[20:5] 245 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:5] 246 tn Heb “and she, even she.”
[20:5] 247 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”
[20:6] 249 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”
[20:6] 250 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”
[20:6] 251 tn Heb “therefore.”
[20:7] 253 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.
[20:7] 254 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.
[20:7] 255 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.
[20:7] 256 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.
[20:7] 257 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.
[20:8] 257 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”
[20:8] 258 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the preposition לְ (lamed) means “to summon.”
[20:8] 259 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”
[20:8] 260 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[20:9] 261 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.
[20:9] 262 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.
[20:10] 265 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”
[20:10] 266 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.
[20:11] 269 tn Heb “Because I said.”
[20:11] 270 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
[20:12] 273 tn Heb “but also.”
[20:13] 277 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”
[20:13] 278 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”
[20:14] 281 tn Heb “took and gave.”
[20:15] 285 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”
[20:16] 289 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] 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 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).
[20:16] 290 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).
[20:16] 291 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).
[20:18] 293 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”
[20:18] 294 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
[20:18] 295 tn Heb “because of.” The words “he took” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
