Genesis 19:4

19:4 Before they could lie down to sleep, ¹  all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. ² 

Genesis 37:7

37:7 There we were, ³  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 ⁴  to it!”

Genesis 42:24

42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, ⁵  he had Simeon taken ⁶  from them and tied up ⁷  before their eyes.

[19:4]  ¹ tn The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) means “to lie down, to recline,” that is, “to go to bed.” Here what appears to be an imperfect is a preterite after the adverb טֶרֶם (terem). The nuance of potential (perfect) fits well.

[19:4]  ² tn Heb “and the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young to the old, all the people from the end [of the city].” The repetition of the phrase “men of” stresses all kinds of men.

[37:7]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.

[42:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”

[42:24]  ⁶ tn Heb “took Simeon.” This was probably done at Joseph’s command, however; the grand vizier of Egypt would not have personally seized a prisoner.

[42:24]  ⁷ tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”