Genesis 4:19

4:19 Lamech took two wives for himself; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah.

Genesis 5:8

5:8 The entire lifetime of Seth was 912 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:18

5:18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.

Genesis 5:20

5:20 The entire lifetime of Jared was 962 years, and then he died.

Genesis 5:28

5:28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son.

Genesis 9:22

9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, ¹  saw his father’s nakedness ²  and told his two brothers who were outside.

Genesis 14:4

14:4 For twelve years ³  they had served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year ⁴  they rebelled. ⁵ 

Genesis 21:27

21:27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. ⁶ 

Genesis 21:31

21:31 That is why he named that place ⁷  Beer Sheba, ⁸  because the two of them swore ⁹  an oath there.

Genesis 22:8

22:8 “God will provide ¹⁰  for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.

Genesis 25:16

25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes ¹¹  according to their clans.

Genesis 29:16

29:16 (Now Laban had two daughters; ¹²  the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel.

Genesis 40:2

40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, ¹³  the cupbearer and the baker,

Genesis 44:27

44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons. ¹⁴ 

[9:22]  ¹ sn For the second time (see v. 18) the text informs the reader of the relationship between Ham and Canaan. Genesis 10 will explain that Canaan was the ancestor of the Canaanite tribes living in the promised land.

[9:22]  ² tn Some would translate “had sexual relations with,” arguing that Ham committed a homosexual act with his drunken father for which he was cursed. However, the expression “see nakedness” usually refers to observation of another’s nakedness, not a sexual act (see Gen 42:9, 12 where “nakedness” is used metaphorically to convey the idea of “weakness” or “vulnerability”; Deut 23:14 where “nakedness” refers to excrement; Isa 47:3; Ezek 16:37; Lam 1:8). The following verse (v. 23) clearly indicates that visual observation, not a homosexual act, is in view here. In Lev 20:17 the expression “see nakedness” does appear to be a euphemism for sexual intercourse, but the context there, unlike that of Gen 9:22, clearly indicates that in that passage sexual contact is in view. The expression “see nakedness” does not in itself suggest a sexual connotation. Some relate Gen 9:22 to Lev 18:6-11, 15-19, where the expression “uncover [another’s] nakedness” (the Piel form of גָּלָה, galah) refers euphemistically to sexual intercourse. However, Gen 9:22 does not say Ham “uncovered” the nakedness of his father. According to the text, Noah uncovered himself; Ham merely saw his father naked. The point of the text is that Ham had no respect for his father. Rather than covering his father up, he told his brothers. Noah then gave an oracle that Ham’s descendants, who would be characterized by the same moral abandonment, would be cursed. Leviticus 18 describes that greater evil of the Canaanites (see vv. 24-28).

[14:4]  ¹ tn The sentence simply begins with “twelve years”; it serves as an adverbial accusative giving the duration of their bondage.

[14:4]  ² tn This is another adverbial accusative of time.

[14:4]  ³ sn The story serves as a foreshadowing of the plight of the kingdom of Israel later. Eastern powers came and forced the western kingdoms into submission. Each year, then, they would send tribute east – to keep them away. Here, in the thirteenth year, they refused to send the tribute (just as later Hezekiah rebelled against Assyria). And so in the fourteenth year the eastern powers came to put them down again. This account from Abram’s life taught future generations that God can give victory over such threats – that people did not have to live in servitude to tyrants from the east.

[21:27]  ¹ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[21:31]  ¹ tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”

[21:31]  ² sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven.” Both the verb “to swear” and the number “seven” have been used throughout the account. Now they are drawn in as part of the explanation of the significance of the name.

[21:31]  ³ sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.

[22:8]  ¹ tn Heb “will see for himself.” The construction means “to look out for; to see to it; to provide.”

[25:16]  ¹ tn Or “tribal chieftains.”

[29:16]  ¹ tn Heb “and to Laban [there were] two daughters.” The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a conjunction and a prepositional phrase) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, vv. 16-17 have been set in parentheses in the translation.

[40:2]  ¹ tn The Hebrew word סָרִיס (saris), used here of these two men and of Potiphar (see 39:1), normally means “eunuch.” But evidence from Akkadian texts shows that in early times the title was used of a court official in general. Only later did it become more specialized in its use.

[44:27]  ¹ tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”