Genesis 2:1

2:1 The heavens and the earth ¹  were completed with everything that was in them. ² 

Genesis 26:26

26:26 Now Abimelech had come ³  to him from Gerar along with ⁴  Ahuzzah his friend ⁵  and Phicol the commander of his army.

Genesis 21:22

21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you ⁶  in all that you do.

Genesis 21:32

21:32 So they made a treaty ⁷  at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned ⁸  to the land of the Philistines. ⁹ 

[2:1]  ¹ tn See the note on the phrase “the heavens and the earth” in 1:1.

[2:1]  ² tn Heb “and all the host of them.” Here the “host” refers to all the entities and creatures that God created to populate the world.

[26:26]  ³ tn The disjunctive clause supplies pertinent supplemental information. The past perfect is used because the following narrative records the treaty at Beer Sheba. Prior to this we are told that Isaac settled in Beer Sheba; presumably this treaty would have allowed him to do that. However, it may be that he settled there and then made the treaty by which he renamed the place Beer Sheba. In this case one may translate “Now Abimelech came to him.”

[26:26]  ⁴ tn Heb “and.”

[26:26]  ⁵ tn Many modern translations render the Hebrew term מֵרֵעַ (merea’) as “councillor” or “adviser,” but the term may not designate an official position but simply a close personal friend.

[21:22]  ⁵ sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.

[21:32]  ⁷ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[21:32]  ⁸ tn Heb “arose and returned.”

[21:32]  ⁹ sn The Philistines mentioned here may not be ethnically related to those who lived in Palestine in the time of the judges and the united monarchy. See D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 238.