Discovery BoxGenesis 48:1
Context48:1 After these things Joseph was told, 1 “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.
Genesis 23:1--24:67
Context23:1 Sarah lived 127 years. 2 23:2 Then she 3 died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 4
23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife 5 and said to the sons of Heth, 6 23:4 “I am a temporary settler 7 among you. Grant 8 me ownership 9 of a burial site among you so that I may 10 bury my dead.” 11
23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 12 23:6 “Listen, sir, 13 you are a mighty prince 14 among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you 15 from burying your dead.”
23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, 16 the sons of Heth. 23:8 Then he said to them, “If you agree 17 that I may bury my dead, 18 then hear me out. 19 Ask 20 Ephron the son of Zohar 23:9 if he will sell 21 me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly 22 for the full price, 23 so that I may own it as a burial site.”
23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite 24 replied to Abraham in the hearing 25 of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate 26 of his city – 23:11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell 27 you both the field and the cave that is in it. 28 In the presence of my people 29 I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”
23:12 Abraham bowed before the local people 23:13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, “Hear me, if you will. I pay 30 to you the price 31 of the field. Take it from me so that I may 32 bury my dead there.”
23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 23:15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 33 400 pieces of silver, 34 but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price 35 and weighed 36 out for him 37 the price 38 that Ephron had quoted 39 in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. 40
23:17 So Abraham secured 41 Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city. 42
23:19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 23:20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site 43 from the sons of Heth.
24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, 44 and the Lord had blessed him 45 in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one 46 in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh 47 24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise 48 by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire 49 a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives 50 to find 51 a wife for my son Isaac.”
24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me 52 to this land? Must I then 53 take your son back to the land from which you came?”
24:6 “Be careful 54 never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him. 55 24:7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, 56 promised me with a solemn oath, 57 ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel 58 before you so that you may find 59 a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, 60 you will be free 61 from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!” 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. 62
24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. 63 He journeyed 64 to the region of Aram Naharaim 65 and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well 66 outside the city. It was evening, 67 the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. 68 Be faithful 69 to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, 70 and the daughters of the people 71 who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ 72 In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 73
24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah 74 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). 75 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. 76 She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant 77 ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering 78 her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, 79 she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied 80 her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine 81 if the Lord had made his journey successful 82 or not.
24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka 83 and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels 84 and gave them to her. 85 24:23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. 86 “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24:24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. 87 24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, 88 “and room for you 89 to spend the night.”
24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love 90 for my master! The Lord has led me 91 to the house 92 of my master’s relatives!” 93
24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about 94 these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) 95 Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring 96 and heard his sister Rebekah say, 97 “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing 98 by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, 99 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! 100 Why are you standing out here when I have prepared 101 the house and a place for the camels?”
24:32 So Abraham’s servant 102 went to the house and unloaded 103 the camels. Straw and feed were given 104 to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 105 24:33 When food was served, 106 he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” 107 “Tell us,” Laban said. 108
24:34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 24:35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. 109 The Lord 110 has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him 111 when she was old, 112 and my master 113 has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find 114 a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go 115 with me?’ 116 24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, 117 will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath 118 if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, 119 may events unfold as follows: 120 24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. 121 When 122 the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 24:44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, 123 along came Rebekah 124 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.’ 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ 125 I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter 126 of my master’s brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” 127
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. 128 Our wishes are of no concern. 129 24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become 130 the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” 131
24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he 132 brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. 133
When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 134 24:55 But Rebekah’s 135 brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 24:56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord 136 has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return 137 to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 138 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want 139 to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”
24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: 140
“Our sister, may you become the mother 141 of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds 142 of their enemies.”
24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with 143 the man. So Abraham’s servant 144 took Rebekah and left.
24:62 Now 145 Isaac came from 146 Beer Lahai Roi, 147 for 148 he was living in the Negev. 149 24:63 He 150 went out to relax 151 in the field in the early evening. 152 Then he looked up 153 and saw that 154 there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up 155 and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked 156 Abraham’s servant, 157 “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. 158 So she took her veil and covered herself.
24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah 159 into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her 160 as his wife and loved her. 161 So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. 162
[48:1] 1 tn Heb “and one said.” With no expressed subject in the Hebrew text, the verb can be translated with the passive voice.
[23:1] 2 tn Heb “And the years of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.”
[23:2] 3 tn Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons.
[23:2] 4 sn Mourn…weep. The description here is of standard mourning rites (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 149-50). They would have been carried out in the presence of the corpse, probably in Sarah’s tent. So Abraham came in to mourn; then he rose up to go and bury his dead (v. 3).
[23:3] 4 tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”
[23:3] 5 tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.
[23:4] 5 tn Heb “a resident alien and a settler.”
[23:4] 6 tn Heb “give,” which is used here as an idiom for “sell” (see v. 9). The idiom reflects the polite bartering that was done in the culture at the time.
[23:4] 8 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose.
[23:4] 9 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:5] 6 tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”
[23:6] 7 tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”
[23:6] 8 tn Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “Nasi’ ‘elohim (Gen 23:6),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16.
[23:6] 9 tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:7] 8 tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).
[23:8] 9 tn Heb “If it is with your purpose.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here has the nuance “purpose” or perhaps “desire” (see BDB 661 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ).
[23:8] 10 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:8] 12 tn Heb “intercede for me with.”
[23:9] 10 tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4.
[23:9] 11 tn Heb “in your presence.”
[23:10] 11 tn Or perhaps “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3.
[23:10] 12 tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.
[23:10] 13 sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33.
[23:11] 12 tn Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field.
[23:11] 13 tn The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[23:11] 14 tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”
[23:13] 15 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.
[23:15] 14 tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:15] 15 sn Four hundred pieces of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 4.6 kilograms, or 160 ounces (about 10 pounds).
[23:16] 15 tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”
[23:16] 16 tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”
[23:16] 17 tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:16] 19 tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[23:16] 20 tn Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.
[23:17] 16 tn Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[23:18] 17 tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:20] 18 tn Heb “possession of a grave.”
[24:1] 20 tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
[24:2] 20 tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).
[24:2] 21 sn Put your hand under my thigh. The taking of this oath had to do with the sanctity of the family and the continuation of the family line. See D. R. Freedman, “Put Your Hand Under My Thigh – the Patriarchal Oath,” BAR 2 (1976): 2-4, 42.
[24:3] 21 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.
[24:3] 22 tn Heb “because you must not take.”
[24:4] 22 tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”
[24:5] 23 tn Heb “to go after me.”
[24:5] 24 tn In the Hebrew text the construction is emphatic; the infinitive absolute precedes the imperfect. However, it is difficult to reflect this emphasis in an English translation.
[24:6] 24 tn Heb “guard yourself.”
[24:6] 25 tn The introductory clause “And Abraham said to him” has been moved to the end of the opening sentence of direct discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:7] 25 tn Or “the land of my birth.”
[24:7] 26 tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”
[24:7] 27 tn Or “his messenger.”
[24:7] 28 tn Heb “before you and you will take.”
[24:8] 26 tn Heb “ to go after you.”
[24:8] 27 sn You will be free. If the prospective bride was not willing to accompany the servant back to Canaan, the servant would be released from his oath to Abraham.
[24:9] 27 tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”
[24:10] 28 tn Heb “and every good thing of his master was in his hand.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, explaining that he took all kinds of gifts to be used at his discretion.
[24:10] 29 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”
[24:10] 30 tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:11] 29 tn Heb “well of water.”
[24:11] 30 tn Heb “at the time of evening.”
[24:12] 30 tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).
[24:12] 31 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”
[24:13] 31 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
[24:14] 32 sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.
[24:14] 33 tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”
[24:15] 33 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] 34 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.
[24:16] 34 tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man she had not known.” Some argue that the Hebrew noun translated “virgin” (בְּתוּלָה, bÿtulah) is better understood in a general sense, “young woman” (see Joel 1:8, where the word appears to refer to one who is married). In this case the circumstantial clause (“and a man she had not known”) would be restrictive, rather than descriptive. If the term actually means “virgin,” one wonders why the circumstantial clause is necessary (see Judg 21:12 as well). Perhaps the repetition emphasizes her sexual purity as a prerequisite for her role as the mother of the covenant community.
[24:17] 35 tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:18] 36 tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”
[24:19] 37 tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:20] 38 tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”
[24:21] 40 tn The Hebrew term צָלָה (tsalah), meaning “to make successful” in the Hiphil verbal stem, is a key term in the story (see vv. 40, 42, 56).
[24:22] 40 sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).
[24:22] 41 sn A shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce) although weights varied locally, so these bracelets weighed about 4 ounces (115 grams).
[24:22] 42 tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[24:23] 41 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:24] 42 tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:25] 43 tn Heb “and she said, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed.’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:25] 44 tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[24:27] 44 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”
[24:27] 45 tn Heb “As for me – in the way the
[24:27] 46 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.
[24:28] 45 tn Heb “according to.”
[24:29] 46 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.
[24:30] 47 tn Heb “And it was when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister.” The word order is altered in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[24:30] 48 tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”
[24:30] 49 tn Heb “and look, he was standing.” The disjunctive clause with the participle following the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites the audience to view the scene through Laban’s eyes.
[24:31] 48 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified and the words “to him” supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:31] 49 sn Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the
[24:31] 50 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.
[24:32] 49 tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:32] 50 tn Some translations (e.g., NEB, NASB, NRSV) understand Laban to be the subject of this and the following verbs or take the subject of this and the following verbs as indefinite (referring to an unnamed servant; e.g., NAB, NIV).
[24:32] 51 tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.
[24:32] 52 tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”
[24:33] 50 tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”
[24:33] 52 tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”
[24:35] 51 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.
[24:35] 52 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the
[24:36] 52 tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:36] 53 tn Heb “after her old age.”
[24:36] 54 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:38] 53 tn Heb “but to the house of my father you must go and to my family and you must take a wife for my son.”
[24:39] 54 tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.
[24:40] 55 tn The verb is the Hitpael of הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning “live one’s life” (see Gen 17:1). The statement may simply refer to serving the
[24:41] 56 tn Heb “my oath” (twice in this verse). From the Hebrew perspective the oath belonged to the person to whom it was sworn (Abraham), although in contemporary English an oath is typically viewed as belonging to the person who swears it (the servant).
[24:42] 57 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”
[24:42] 58 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[24:43] 58 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
[24:43] 59 tn Heb “and it will be.”
[24:45] 59 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] 60 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.
[24:47] 60 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:48] 61 tn Heb “daughter.” Rebekah was actually the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. One can either translate the Hebrew term בַּת (bat) as “daughter,” in which case the term אָח (’akh) must be translated more generally as “relative” rather than “brother” (cf. NASB, NRSV) or one can translate בַּת as “granddaughter,” in which case אָח may be translated “brother” (cf. NIV).
[24:49] 62 tn Heb “and I will turn to the right or to the left.” The expression apparently means that Abraham’s servant will know where he should go if there is no further business here.
[24:50] 63 tn Heb “From the
[24:50] 64 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.
[24:51] 64 tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[24:51] 65 tn Heb “as the
[24:53] 65 tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:54] 66 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”
[24:54] 67 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”
[24:55] 67 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:56] 68 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.
[24:56] 69 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[24:57] 69 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”
[24:58] 70 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.
[24:60] 71 tn Heb “and said to her.”
[24:60] 72 tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”
[24:60] 73 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). A similar phrase occurs in Gen 22:17.
[24:61] 72 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”
[24:61] 73 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:62] 73 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.
[24:62] 74 tn Heb “from the way of.”
[24:62] 75 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” See Gen 16:14.
[24:62] 76 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.
[24:62] 77 tn Or “the South [country].”
[24:63] 74 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:63] 75 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).
[24:63] 76 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”
[24:63] 77 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.
[24:63] 78 tn Heb “and look.” The clause introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) invites the audience to view the scene through Isaac’s eyes.
[24:64] 75 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”
[24:65] 76 tn Heb “and she said to.”
[24:65] 77 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[24:65] 78 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:67] 77 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.
[24:67] 78 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[24:67] 79 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”
[24:67] 80 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.
