Genesis 48:22

48:22 As one who is above your ¹  brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, ²  which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

Genesis 49:15

49:15 When he sees ³  a good resting place,

and the pleasant land,

he will bend his shoulder to the burden

and become a slave laborer. ⁴ 

Genesis 9:23

9:23 Shem and Japheth took the garment ⁵  and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned ⁶  the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.

Genesis 21:14

21:14 Early in the morning Abraham took ⁷  some food ⁸  and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, ⁹  and sent her away. So she went wandering ¹⁰  aimlessly through the wilderness ¹¹  of Beer Sheba.

Genesis 24:15

24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah ¹²  with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor). ¹³ 

Genesis 24:45

24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, ¹⁴  along came Rebekah ¹⁵  with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

[48:22]  ¹ tn The pronouns translated “your” and “you” in this verse are singular in the Hebrew text.

[48:22]  ² tn The Hebrew word שְׁכֶם (shÿkhem) could be translated either as “mountain slope” or “shoulder, portion,” or even taken as the proper name “Shechem.” Jacob was giving Joseph either (1) one portion above his brothers, or (2) the mountain ridge he took from the Amorites, or (3) Shechem. The ambiguity actually allows for all three to be the referent. He could be referring to the land in Shechem he bought in Gen 33:18-19, but he mentions here that it was acquired by warfare, suggesting that the events of 34:25-29 are in view (even though at the time he denounced it, 34:30). Joseph was later buried in Shechem (Josh 24:32).

[49:15]  ³ tn The verb forms in this verse (“sees,” “will bend,” and “[will] become”) are preterite; they is used in a rhetorical manner, describing the future as if it had already transpired.

[49:15]  ⁴ sn The oracle shows that the tribe of Issachar will be willing to trade liberty for the material things of life. Issachar would work (become a slave laborer) for the Canaanites, a reversal of the oracle on Canaan. See C. M. Carmichael, “Some Sayings in Genesis 49,” JBL 88 (1969): 435-44; and S. Gevirtz, “The Issachar Oracle in the Testament of Jacob,” ErIsr 12 (1975): 104-12.

[9:23]  ⁵ tn The word translated “garment” has the Hebrew definite article on it. The article may simply indicate that the garment is definite and vivid in the mind of the narrator, but it could refer instead to Noah’s garment. Did Ham bring it out when he told his brothers?

[9:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “their faces [were turned] back.”

[21:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “and Abraham rose up early in the morning and he took.”

[21:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[21:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “He put upon her shoulder, and the boy [or perhaps, “and with the boy”], and he sent her away.” It is unclear how “and the boy” relates syntactically to what precedes. Perhaps the words should be rearranged and the text read, “and he put [them] on her shoulder and he gave to Hagar the boy.”

[21:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “she went and wandered.”

[21:14]  ¹¹ tn Or “desert,” although for English readers this usually connotes a sandy desert like the Sahara rather than the arid wasteland of this region with its sparse vegetation.

[24:15]  ⁹ tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out!” Using the participle introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator dramatically transports the audience back into the event and invites them to see Rebekah through the servant’s eyes.

[24:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out – [she] who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham – and her jug [was] on her shoulder.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:45]  ¹¹ tn Heb “As for me, before I finished speaking to my heart.” The adverb טֶרֶם (terem) indicates the verb is a preterite; the infinitive that follows is the direct object.

[24:45]  ¹² tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.