Genesis 27:30

27:30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left ¹  his father’s ²  presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. ³ 

Genesis 10:11

10:11 From that land he went ⁴  to Assyria, ⁵  where he built Nineveh, ⁶  Rehoboth-Ir, ⁷  Calah, ⁸ 

Genesis 15:4

15:4 But look, ⁹  the word of the Lord came to him: “This man ¹⁰  will not be your heir, ¹¹  but instead ¹²  a son ¹³  who comes from your own body will be ¹⁴  your heir.” ¹⁵ 

Genesis 24:50

24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. ¹⁶  Our wishes are of no concern. ¹⁷ 

Genesis 25:26

25:26 When his brother came out with ¹⁸  his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. ¹⁹  Isaac was sixty years old ²⁰  when they were born.

Genesis 38:28-29

38:28 While she was giving birth, one child ²¹  put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. ²²  She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” ²³  So he was named Perez. ²⁴ 

[27:30]  ¹ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.

[27:30]  ² tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was

[27:30]  ³ tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”

[10:11]  ⁴ tn The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.

[10:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “Asshur.”

[10:11]  ⁶ sn Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.

[10:11]  ⁷ sn The name Rehoboth-Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.

[10:11]  ⁸ sn Calah (modern Nimrud) was located twenty miles north of Nineveh.

[15:4]  ⁷ tn The disjunctive draws attention to God’s response and the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, translated “look”) mirrors Abram’s statement in v. 3 and highlights the fact that God responded to Abram.

[15:4]  ⁸ tn The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated “this one” or “this man.” That the Lord does not mention him by name is significant; often in ancient times the use of the name would bring legitimacy to inheritance and adoption cases.

[15:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “inherit you.”

[15:4]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.

[15:4]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he who”; the implied referent (Abram’s unborn son who will be his heir) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:4]  ¹² tn The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: “whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you.”

[15:4]  ¹³ tn Heb “will inherit you.”

[24:50]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”

[24:50]  ¹¹ tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.

[25:26]  ¹³ tn The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.

[25:26]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “And he called his name Jacob.” Some ancient witnesses read “they called his name Jacob” (see v. 25). In either case the subject is indefinite.

[25:26]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “the son of sixty years.”

[38:28]  ¹⁶ tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “Look, his brother came out.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through the midwife’s eyes. The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29]  ²⁰ tn Heb “How you have made a breach for yourself!” The Hebrew verb translated “make a breach” frequently occurs, as here, with a cognate accusative. The event provided the meaningful name Perez, “he who breaks through.”

[38:29]  ²¹ sn The name Perez means “he who breaks through,” referring to Perez reaching out his hand at birth before his brother was born. The naming signified the completion of Tamar’s struggle and also depicted the destiny of the tribe of Perez who later became dominant (Gen 46:12 and Num 26:20). Judah and his brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they could thwart God’s plan that the elder brothers should serve the younger. God demonstrated that principle through these births in Judah’s own family, affirming that the elder will serve the younger, and that Joseph’s leadership could not so easily be set aside. See J. Goldin, “The Youngest Son; or, Where Does Genesis 38 Belong?” JBL 96 (1977): 27-44.