Genesis 4:20-21

4:20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the first ¹  of those who live in tents and keep ²  livestock. 4:21 The name of his brother was Jubal; he was the first of all who play the harp and the flute.

Genesis 10:8

10:8 Cush was the father of ³  Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth.

Genesis 10:21

10:21 And sons were also born ⁴  to Shem (the older brother of Japheth), ⁵  the father of all the sons of Eber.

Genesis 15:15

15:15 But as for you, ⁶  you will go to your ancestors ⁷  in peace and be buried at a good old age. ⁸ 

Genesis 25:3

25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. ⁹  The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites.

Genesis 31:9

31:9 In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

[4:20]  ¹ tn Heb “father.” In this passage the word “father” means “founder,” referring to the first to establish such lifestyles and occupations.

[4:20]  ² tn The word “keep” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation. Other words that might be supplied instead are “tend,” “raise” (NIV), or “have” (NRSV).

[10:8]  ³ tn Heb “fathered.” Embedded within Cush’s genealogy is an account of Nimrod, a mighty warrior. There have been many attempts to identify him, but none are convincing.

[10:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “And to Shem was born.”

[10:21]  ⁶ tn Or “whose older brother was Japheth.” Some translations render Japheth as the older brother, understanding the adjective הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol, “older”) as modifying Japheth. However, in Hebrew when a masculine singular definite attributive adjective follows the sequence masculine singular construct noun + proper name, the adjective invariably modifies the noun in construct, not the proper name. Such is the case here. See Deut 11:7; Judg 1:13; 2:7; 3:9; 9:5; 2 Kgs 15:35; 2 Chr 27:3; Neh 3:30; Jer 13:9; 36:10; Ezek 10:19; 11:1.

[15:15]  ⁷ tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.

[15:15]  ⁸ sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.

[15:15]  ⁹ tn Heb “in a good old age.”

[25:3]  ⁹ sn The names Sheba and Dedan appear in Gen 10:7 as descendants of Ham through Cush and Raamah. Since these two names are usually interpreted to be place names, one plausible suggestion is that some of Abraham’s descendants lived in those regions and took names linked with it.