Discovery BoxGenesis 4:1
Context4:1 Now 1 the man had marital relations with 2 his wife Eve, and she became pregnant 3 and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created 4 a man just as the Lord did!” 5
Genesis 6:4
Context6:4 The Nephilim 6 were on the earth in those days (and also after this) 7 when the sons of God were having sexual relations with 8 the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. 9 They were the mighty heroes 10 of old, the famous men. 11
Genesis 16:2
Context16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since 12 the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with 13 my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” 14 Abram did what 15 Sarai told him.
Genesis 16:4
Context16:4 He had sexual relations with 16 Hagar, and she became pregnant. 17 Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 18
Genesis 38:8-9
Context38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with 19 your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise 20 up a descendant for your brother.” 21 38:9 But Onan knew that the child 22 would not be considered his. 23 So whenever 24 he had sexual relations with 25 his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely 26 so as not to give his brother a descendant.
Genesis 38:14-30
Context38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because 27 she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) 28
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute 29 because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” 30 (He did not realize 31 it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” 32 38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” 33 38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. 34 She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, 35 removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.
38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah 36 the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, 37 but Hirah 38 could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, 39 “Where is the cult prostitute 40 who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things 41 for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. 42 I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”
38:24 After three months Judah was told, 43 “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, 44 and as a result she has become pregnant.” 45 Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word 46 to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” 47 Then she said, “Identify 48 the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright 49 than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her 50 again.
38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child 51 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. 52 She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” 53 So he was named Perez. 54 38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. 55
Deuteronomy 25:5
Context25:5 If brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, the dead man’s wife must not remarry someone outside the family. Instead, her late husband’s brother must go to her, marry her, 56 and perform the duty of a brother-in-law. 57
Isaiah 4:1
Context4:1 Seven women will grab hold of
one man at that time. 58
They will say, “We will provide 59 our own food,
we will provide 60 our own clothes;
but let us belong to you 61 –
take away our shame!” 62
[4:1] 1 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new episode in the ongoing narrative.
[4:1] 2 tn Heb “the man knew,” a frequent euphemism for sexual relations.
[4:1] 3 tn Or “she conceived.”
[4:1] 4 tn Here is another sound play (paronomasia) on a name. The sound of the verb קָנִיתִי (qaniti, “I have created”) reflects the sound of the name Cain in Hebrew (קַיִן, qayin) and gives meaning to it. The saying uses the Qal perfect of קָנָה (qanah). There are two homonymic verbs with this spelling, one meaning “obtain, acquire” and the other meaning “create” (see Gen 14:19, 22; Deut 32:6; Ps 139:13; Prov 8:22). The latter fits this context very well. Eve has created a man.
[4:1] 5 tn Heb “with the
[6:4] 6 tn The Hebrew word נְפִילִים (nÿfilim) is simply transliterated here, because the meaning of the term is uncertain. According to the text, the Nephilim became mighty warriors and gained great fame in the antediluvian world. The text may imply they were the offspring of the sexual union of the “sons of God” and the “daughters of humankind” (v. 2), but it stops short of saying this in a direct manner. The Nephilim are mentioned in the OT only here and in Num 13:33, where it is stated that they were giants (thus KJV, TEV, NLT “giants” here). The narrator observes that the Anakites of Canaan were descendants of the Nephilim. Certainly these later Anakite Nephilim could not be descendants of the antediluvian Nephilim (see also the following note on the word “this”).
[6:4] 7 tn This observation is parenthetical, explaining that there were Nephilim even after the flood. If all humankind, with the exception of Noah and his family, died in the flood, it is difficult to understand how the postdiluvian Nephilim could be related to the antediluvian Nephilim or how the Anakites of Canaan could be their descendants (see Num 13:33). It is likely that the term Nephilim refers generally to “giants” (see HALOT 709 s.v. נְפִילִים) without implying any ethnic connection between the antediluvian and postdiluvian varieties.
[6:4] 8 tn Heb “were entering to,” referring euphemistically to sexual intercourse here. The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the ongoing nature of such sexual unions during the time before the flood.
[6:4] 9 tn Heb “and they gave birth to them.” The masculine plural suffix “them” refers to the “sons of God,” to whom the “daughters of humankind” bore children. After the Qal form of the verb יָלָד (yalad, “to give birth”) the preposition לְ (lÿ, “to”) introduces the father of the child(ren). See Gen 16:1, 15; 17:19, 21; 21:2-3, 9; 22:23; 24:24, 47; 25:2, etc.
[6:4] 10 tn The parenthetical/explanatory clause uses the word הַגִּבֹּרִים (haggibborim) to describe these Nephilim. The word means “warriors; mighty men; heroes.” The appositional statement further explains that they were “men of renown.” The text refers to superhuman beings who held the world in their power and who lived on in ancient lore outside the Bible. See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 45-46; C. Westermann, Genesis, 1:379-80; and Anne D. Kilmer, “The Mesopotamian Counterparts of the Biblical Nephilim,” Perspectives on Language and Text, 39-43.
[6:4] 11 tn Heb “men of name” (i.e., famous men).
[16:2] 12 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.
[16:2] 13 tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).
[16:2] 14 tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.
[16:2] 15 tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”
[16:4] 16 tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.
[16:4] 17 tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)
[16:4] 18 tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.
[38:8] 19 tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:8] 20 tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
[38:8] 21 sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.
[38:9] 23 tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.
[38:9] 24 tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.
[38:9] 25 tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:9] 26 tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.
[38:14] 27 tn The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.
[38:14] 28 tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”
[38:15] 29 tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.
[38:16] 30 tn Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:16] 31 tn Heb “for he did not know that.”
[38:16] 32 tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:17] 33 tn Heb “until you send.”
[38:18] 34 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:19] 35 tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.
[38:20] 36 tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.
[38:20] 37 tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”
[38:20] 38 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[38:21] 39 tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.
[38:21] 40 sn The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (AOAT), 213-23.
[38:23] 41 tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:23] 42 tn Heb “we will become contemptible.” The Hebrew word בּוּז (buz) describes the contempt that a respectable person would have for someone who is worthless, foolish, or disreputable.
[38:24] 43 tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”
[38:24] 44 tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.
[38:24] 45 tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”
[38:25] 46 tn Heb “she was being brought out and she sent.” The juxtaposition of two clauses, both of which place the subject before the predicate, indicates synchronic action.
[38:25] 47 tn Heb “who these to him.”
[38:25] 48 tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”
[38:26] 49 tn Traditionally “more righteous”; cf. NCV, NRSV, NLT “more in the right.”
[38:26] 50 tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:28] 51 tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:29] 52 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] 53 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] 54 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.
[38:30] 55 sn Perhaps the child was named Zerah because of the scarlet thread. Though the Hebrew word used for “scarlet thread” in v. 28 is not related to the name Zerah, there is a related root in Babylonian and western Aramaic that means “scarlet” or “scarlet thread.” In Hebrew the name appears to be derived from a root meaning “to shine.” The name could have originally meant something like “shining one” or “God has shined.” Zerah became the head of a tribe (Num 26:20) from whom Achan descended (Josh 7:1).
[25:5] 56 tn Heb “take her as wife”; NRSV “taking her in marriage.”
[25:5] 57 sn This is the so-called “levirate” custom (from the Latin term levir, “brother-in-law”), an ancient provision whereby a man who died without male descendants to carry on his name could have a son by proxy, that is, through a surviving brother who would marry his widow and whose first son would then be attributed to the brother who had died. This is the only reference to this practice in an OT legal text but it is illustrated in the story of Judah and his sons (Gen 38) and possibly in the account of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 2:8; 3:12; 4:6).
[4:1] 58 tn Or “in that day” (ASV).
[4:1] 59 tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.”
[4:1] 60 tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.”
[4:1] 61 tn Heb “only let your name be called over us.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28, and BDB 896 s.v. I ָקרָא Niph. 2.d.(4). The language reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israel, where women were legally the property of their husbands.
[4:1] 62 sn This refers to the humiliation of being unmarried and childless. The women’s words reflect the cultural standards of ancient Israel, where a woman’s primary duties were to be a wife and mother.
