Genesis 23:9

23:9 if he will sell ¹  me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly ²  for the full price, ³  so that I may own it as a burial site.”

Genesis 25:23

25:23 and the Lord said to her,

“Two nations ⁴  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 32:20

32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” ⁵  Jacob thought, ⁶  “I will first appease him ⁷  by sending a gift ahead of me. ⁸  After that I will meet him. ⁹  Perhaps he will accept me.” ¹⁰ 

[23:9]  ¹ tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4.

[23:9]  ² tn Heb “in your presence.”

[23:9]  ³ tn Heb “silver.”

[25:23]  ⁴ 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.

[32:20]  ⁷ tn Heb “and look, your servant Jacob [is] behind us.”

[32:20]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “with a gift going before me.”

[32:20]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I will see his face.”

[32:20]  ¹² tn Heb “Perhaps he will lift up my face.” In this context the idiom refers to acceptance.