Kejadian 16:14

16:14 That is why the well was called ¹  Beer Lahai Roi. ²  (It is located ³  between Kadesh and Bered.)

Kejadian 21:31

21:31 That is why he named that place ⁴  Beer Sheba, ⁵  because the two of them swore ⁶  an oath there.

Kejadian 25:30

25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed ⁷  me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called ⁸  Edom.) ⁹ 

Kejadian 19:21

19:21 “Very well,” he replied, ¹⁰  “I will grant this request too ¹¹  and will not overthrow ¹²  the town you mentioned.

Kejadian 16:13

16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” ¹³  for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” ¹⁴ 

Kejadian 23:16

23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price ¹⁵  and weighed ¹⁶  out for him ¹⁷  the price ¹⁸  that Ephron had quoted ¹⁹  in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. ²⁰ 

Kejadian 35:8

35:8 (Deborah, ²¹  Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel; thus it was named ²²  Oak of Weeping.) ²³ 

Kejadian 48:6

48:6 Any children that you father ²⁴  after them will be yours; they will be listed ²⁵  under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. ²⁶ 

Kejadian 48:16

48:16 the Angel ²⁷  who has protected me ²⁸ 

from all harm –

bless these boys.

May my name be named in them, ²⁹ 

and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.

May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”

Kejadian 38:4

38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan.

Kejadian 32:29

32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” ³⁰  “Why ³¹  do you ask my name?” the man replied. ³²  Then he blessed ³³  Jacob ³⁴  there.

Kejadian 40:14

40:14 But remember me ³⁵  when it goes well for you, and show ³⁶  me kindness. ³⁷  Make mention ³⁸  of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, ³⁹ 

Kejadian 41:45

41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. ⁴⁰  He also gave him Asenath ⁴¹  daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ⁴²  to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of ⁴³  all the land of Egypt.

Kejadian 36:1

The Descendants of Esau

36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). ⁴⁴ 

Kejadian 14:3

14:3 These last five kings ⁴⁵  joined forces ⁴⁶  in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). ⁴⁷ 

Kejadian 19:22

19:22 Run there quickly, ⁴⁸  for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.) ⁴⁹ 

Kejadian 25:13

25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: ⁵⁰  Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Kejadian 35:10

35:10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but your name will no longer be called Jacob; Israel will be your name.” So God named him Israel. ⁵¹ 

Kejadian 43:27

43:27 He asked them how they were doing. ⁵²  Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?”

Kejadian 43:29

43:29 When Joseph looked up ⁵³  and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ⁵⁴ 

Kejadian 14:2

14:2 went to war ⁵⁵  against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ⁵⁶ 

Kejadian 21:12

21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset ⁵⁷  about the boy or your slave wife. Do ⁵⁸  all that Sarah is telling ⁵⁹  you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. ⁶⁰ 

Kejadian 48:20

48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you ⁶¹  will Israel bless, ⁶²  saying,

‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ⁶³ 

Kejadian 4:26

4:26 And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. At that time people ⁶⁴  began to worship ⁶⁵  the Lord.

Kejadian 17:5

17:5 No longer will your name be ⁶⁶  Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham ⁶⁷  because I will make you ⁶⁸  the father of a multitude of nations.

Kejadian 17:15

17:15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; ⁶⁹  Sarah ⁷⁰  will be her name.

Kejadian 22:14

22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” ⁷¹  It is said to this day, ⁷²  “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.” ⁷³ 

Kejadian 2:13

2:13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it runs through ⁷⁴  the entire land of Cush. ⁷⁵ 

Kejadian 31:9

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

Kejadian 10:9

10:9 He was a mighty hunter ⁷⁶  before the Lord. ⁷⁷  (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”)

Kejadian 11:9

11:9 That is why its name was called ⁷⁸  Babel ⁷⁹  – because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.

Kejadian 14:7

14:7 Then they attacked En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) again, ⁸⁰  and they conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.

Kejadian 14:17

14:17 After Abram ⁸¹  returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram ⁸²  in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley). ⁸³ 

Kejadian 32:28

32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, ⁸⁴  “but Israel, ⁸⁵  because you have fought ⁸⁶  with God and with men and have prevailed.”

Kejadian 36:40

36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth,

Kejadian 2:11

2:11 The name of the first is Pishon; it runs through ⁸⁷  the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Kejadian 15:6

15:6 Abram believed ⁸⁸  the Lord, and the Lord ⁸⁹  considered his response of faith ⁹⁰  as proof of genuine loyalty. ⁹¹ 

Kejadian 35:19

35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ⁹² 

Kejadian 5:2

5:2 He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind.” ⁹³ 

Kejadian 21:33

21:33 Abraham ⁹⁴  planted a tamarisk tree ⁹⁵  in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, ⁹⁶  the eternal God.

Kejadian 22:1

The Sacrifice of Isaac

22:1 Some time after these things God tested ⁹⁷  Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham ⁹⁸  replied.

Kejadian 24:62

24:62 Now ⁹⁹  Isaac came from ¹⁰⁰  Beer Lahai Roi, ¹⁰¹  for ¹⁰²  he was living in the Negev. ¹⁰³ 

Kejadian 25:11

25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed ¹⁰⁴  his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi. ¹⁰⁵ 

Kejadian 30:13

30:13 Leah said, “How happy I am, ¹⁰⁶  for women ¹⁰⁷  will call me happy!” So she named him Asher. ¹⁰⁸ 

Kejadian 31:49

31:49 It was also called Mizpah ¹⁰⁹  because he said, “May the Lord watch ¹¹⁰  between us ¹¹¹  when we are out of sight of one another. ¹¹² 

Kejadian 35:6

35:6 Jacob and all those who were with him arrived at Luz (that is, Bethel) ¹¹³  in the land of Canaan. ¹¹⁴ 

Kejadian 35:27

35:27 So Jacob came back to his father Isaac in Mamre, ¹¹⁵  to Kiriath Arba ¹¹⁶  (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. ¹¹⁷ 

Kejadian 41:9

41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. ¹¹⁸ 

Kejadian 50:11

50:11 When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very sad occasion ¹¹⁹  for the Egyptians.” That is why its name was called ¹²⁰  Abel Mizraim, ¹²¹  which is beyond the Jordan.

Kejadian 15:1

The Cutting of the Covenant

15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield ¹²²  and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” ¹²³ 

Kejadian 33:17

33:17 But ¹²⁴  Jacob traveled to Succoth ¹²⁵  where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called ¹²⁶  Succoth. ¹²⁷ 

Kejadian 36:15

36:15 These were the chiefs ¹²⁸  among the descendants ¹²⁹  of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,

Kejadian 26:18

26:18 Isaac reopened ¹³⁰  the wells that had been dug ¹³¹  back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up ¹³²  after Abraham died. Isaac ¹³³  gave these wells ¹³⁴  the same names his father had given them. ¹³⁵ 

Kejadian 27:36

27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! ¹³⁶  He has tripped me up ¹³⁷  two times! He took away my birthright, and now, look, he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me?”

Kejadian 36:6

36:6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from ¹³⁸  Jacob his brother

[16:14]  ¹ tn The verb does not have an expressed subject and so is rendered as passive in the translation.

[16:14]  ² 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.” The text suggests that God takes up the cause of those who are oppressed.

[16:14]  ³ tn Heb “look.” The words “it is located” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[21:31]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.

[25:30]  ⁷ tn The rare term לָעַט (la’at), translated “feed,” is used in later Hebrew for feeding animals (see Jastrow, 714). If this nuance was attached to the word in the biblical period, then it may depict Esau in a negative light, comparing him to a hungry animal. Famished Esau comes in from the hunt, only to enter the trap. He can only point at the red stew and ask Jacob to feed him.

[25:30]  ⁸ tn The verb has no expressed subject and so is given a passive translation.

[25:30]  ⁹ sn Esau’s descendants would eventually be called Edom. Edom was the place where they lived, so-named probably because of the reddish nature of the hills. The writer can use the word “red” to describe the stew that Esau gasped for to convey the nature of Esau and his descendants. They were a lusty, passionate, and profane people who lived for the moment. Again, the wordplay is meant to capture the “omen in the nomen.”

[19:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “And he said, ‘Look, I will grant.’” The order of the clauses has been rearranged for stylistic reasons. The referent of the speaker (“he”) is somewhat ambiguous: It could be taken as the angel to whom Lot has been speaking (so NLT; note the singular references in vv. 18-19), or it could be that Lot is speaking directly to the Lord here. Most English translations leave the referent of the pronoun unspecified and maintain the ambiguity.

[19:21]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I have lifted up your face [i.e., shown you favor] also concerning this matter.”

[19:21]  ¹² tn The negated infinitive construct indicates either the consequence of God’s granting the request (“I have granted this request, so that I will not”) or the manner in which he will grant it (“I have granted your request by not destroying”).

[16:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “God of my seeing.” The pronominal suffix may be understood either as objective (“who sees me,” as in the translation) or subjective (“whom I see”).

[16:13]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “after one who sees me.”

[16:13]  sn For a discussion of Hagar’s exclamation, see T. Booij, “Hagar’s Words in Genesis 16:13b,” VT 30 (1980): 1-7.

[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]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “silver.”

[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.

[35:8]  ²¹ sn Deborah. This woman had been Rebekah’s nurse, but later attached herself to Jacob. She must have been about one hundred and eighty years old when she died.

[35:8]  ²² tn “and he called its name.” There is no expressed subject, so the verb can be translated as passive.

[35:8]  ²³ tn Or “Allon Bacuth,” if one transliterates the Hebrew name (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). An oak tree was revered in the ancient world and often designated as a shrine or landmark. This one was named for the weeping (mourning) occasioned by the death of Deborah.

[48:6]  ²⁴ tn Or “you fathered.”

[48:6]  ²⁵ tn Heb “called” or “named.”

[48:6]  ²⁶ sn Listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. This means that any subsequent children of Joseph will be incorporated into the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

[48:16]  ²⁷ sn The Samaritan Pentateuch reads “king” here, but the traditional reading (“angel”) may be maintained. Jacob closely associates God with an angelic protective presence. This does not mean that Jacob viewed his God as a mere angel, but it does suggest that he was aware of an angelic presence sent by God to protect him. Here he so closely associates the two that they become virtually indistinguishable. In this culture messengers typically carried the authority of the one who sent them and could even be addressed as such. Perhaps Jacob thought that the divine blessing would be mediated through this angelic messenger.

[48:16]  ²⁸ tn The verb גָּאַל (ga’al) has the basic idea of “protect” as a near relative might do. It is used for buying someone out of bondage, marrying a deceased brother’s widow, paying off debts, avenging the family, and the like. The meanings of “deliver, protect, avenge” are most fitting when God is the subject (see A. R. Johnson, “The Primary Meaning of √גאל,” Congress Volume: Copenhagen, 1953 [VTSup], 67-77).

[48:16]  ²⁹ tn Or “be recalled through them.”

[32:29]  ³⁰ sn Tell me your name. In primitive thought to know the name of a deity or supernatural being would enable one to use it for magical manipulation or power (A. S. Herbert, Genesis 12-50 [TBC], 108). For a thorough structural analysis of the passage discussing the plays on the names and the request of Jacob, see R. Barthes, “The Struggle with the Angel: Textual Analysis of Genesis 32:23-33,” Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis (PTMS), 21-33.

[32:29]  ³¹ tn The question uses the enclitic pronoun “this” to emphasize the import of the question.

[32:29]  ³² tn Heb “and he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:29]  ³³ tn The verb here means that the Lord endowed Jacob with success; he would be successful in everything he did, including meeting Esau.

[32:29]  ³⁴ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[40:14]  ³⁵ tn Heb “but you have remembered me with you.” The perfect verbal form may be used rhetorically here to emphasize Joseph’s desire to be remembered. He speaks of the action as already being accomplished in order to make it clear that he expects it to be done. The form can be translated as volitional, expressing a plea or a request.

[40:14]  ³⁶ tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.

[40:14]  ³⁷ tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”

[40:14]  ³⁸ tn The verb זָכַר (zakhar) in the Hiphil stem means “to cause to remember, to make mention, to boast.” The implication is that Joseph would be pleased for them to tell his story and give him the credit due him so that Pharaoh would release him. Since Pharaoh had never met Joseph, the simple translation of “cause him to remember me” would mean little.

[40:14]  ³⁹ tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.

[41:45]  ⁴⁰ sn The meaning of Joseph’s Egyptian name, Zaphenath-Paneah, is uncertain. Many recent commentators have followed the proposal of G. Steindorff that it means “the god has said, ‘he will live’” (“Der Name Josephs Saphenat-Pa‘neach,” ZÄS 31 [1889]: 41-42); others have suggested “the god speaks and lives” (see BDB 861 s.v. צָפְנָת פַּעְנֵחַ); “the man he knows” (J. Vergote, Joseph en Égypte, 145); or “Joseph [who is called] áIp-àankh” (K. A. Kitchen, NBD³ 1262).

[41:45]  ⁴¹ sn The name Asenath may mean “she belongs to the goddess Neit” (see HALOT 74 s.v. אָֽסְנַת). A novel was written at the beginning of the first century entitled Joseph and Asenath, which included a legendary account of the conversion of Asenath to Joseph’s faith in Yahweh. However, all that can be determined from this chapter is that their children received Hebrew names. See also V. Aptowitzer, “Asenath, the Wife of Joseph – a Haggadic Literary-Historical Study,” HUCA 1 (1924): 239-306.

[41:45]  ⁴² sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[41:45]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and he passed through.”

[36:1]  ⁴⁴ sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50,” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.

[14:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “all these,” referring only to the last five kings named. The referent has been specified as “these last five kings” in the translation for clarity.

[14:3]  ⁴⁶ tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to join together; to unite; to be allied.” It stresses close associations, especially of friendships, marriages, or treaties.

[14:3]  ⁴⁷ sn The Salt Sea is the older name for the Dead Sea.

[19:22]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “Be quick! Escape to there!” The two imperatives form a verbal hendiadys, the first becoming adverbial.

[19:22]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “Therefore the name of the city is called Zoar.” The name of the place, צוֹעַר (tso’ar) apparently means “Little Place,” in light of the wordplay with the term “little” (מִצְעָר, mits’ar) used twice by Lot to describe the town (v. 20).

[25:13]  ⁵⁰ tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”

[35:10]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “and he called his name Israel.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[35:10]  sn The name Israel means “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). See Gen 32:28.

[43:27]  ⁵² tn Heb “concerning peace.”

[43:29]  ⁵³ tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:29]  ⁵⁴ sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.

[14:2]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “made war.”

[14:2]  sn Went to war. The conflict here reflects international warfare in the Early and Middle Bronze periods. The countries operated with overlords and vassals. Kings ruled over city states, or sometimes a number of city states (i.e., nations). Due to their treaties, when one went to war, those confederate with him joined him in battle. It appears here that it is Kedorlaomer’s war, because the western city states have rebelled against him (meaning they did not send products as tribute to keep him from invading them).

[14:2]  ⁵⁶ sn On the geographical background of vv. 1-2 see J. P. Harland, “Sodom and Gomorrah,” The Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 1:41-75; and D. N. Freedman, “The Real Story of the Ebla Tablets, Ebla and the Cities of the Plain,” BA 41 (1978): 143-64.

[21:12]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”

[21:12]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “listen to her voice.” The idiomatic expression means “obey; comply.” Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later (see Gen 25), when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well.

[21:12]  ⁵⁹ tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.

[21:12]  ⁶⁰ tn Or perhaps “will be named”; Heb “for in Isaac offspring will be called to you.” The exact meaning of the statement is not clear, but it does indicate that God’s covenantal promises to Abraham will be realized through Isaac, not Ishmael.

[48:20]  ⁶¹ tn The pronoun is singular in the Hebrew text, apparently elevating Ephraim as the more prominent of the two. Note, however, that both are named in the blessing formula that follows.

[48:20]  ⁶² tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”

[48:20]  ⁶³ sn On the elevation of Ephraim over Manasseh see E. C. Kingsbury, “He Set Ephraim Before Manasseh,” HUCA 38 (1967): 129-36; H. Mowvley, “The Concept and Content of ‘Blessing’ in the Old Testament,” BT 16 (1965): 74-80; and I. Mendelsohn, “On the Preferential Status of the Eldest Son,” BASOR 156 (1959): 38-40.

[4:26]  ⁶⁴ tn The word “people” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation. The construction uses a passive verb without an expressed subject. “To call was begun” can be interpreted to mean that people began to call.

[4:26]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “call in the name.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 12:8; 13:4; 21:33; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116.

[17:5]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “will your name be called.”

[17:5]  ⁶⁷ sn Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of God’s promise. “Abram” means “exalted father,” probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name “Abraham” is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (’av-hamon, “the father of a multitude,” which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ’avraham, “Abraham”). The new name would be a reminder of God’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, “Renaming in the Old Testament,” Words and Meanings, 70-83.

[17:5]  ⁶⁸ tn The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.

[17:15]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “[As for] Sarai your wife, you must not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [will be] her name.”

[17:15]  ⁷⁰ sn Sarah. The name change seems to be a dialectical variation, both spellings meaning “princess” or “queen.” Like the name Abram, the name Sarai symbolized the past. The new name Sarah, like the name Abraham, would be a reminder of what God intended to do for Sarah in the future.

[22:14]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “the Lord sees” (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, yÿhvah yir’eh, traditionally transliterated “Jehovah Jireh”; see the note on the word “provide” in v. 8). By so naming the place Abraham preserved in the memory of God’s people the amazing event that took place there.

[22:14]  ⁷² sn On the expression to this day see B. Childs, “A Study of the Formula ‘Until this Day’,” JBL 82 (1963): 279-92.

[22:14]  ⁷³ sn The saying connected with these events has some ambiguity, which was probably intended. The Niphal verb could be translated (1) “in the mountain of the Lord it will be seen/provided” or (2) “in the mountain the Lord will appear.” If the temple later stood here (see the note on “Moriah” in Gen 22:2), the latter interpretation might find support, for the people went to the temple to appear before the Lord, who “appeared” to them by providing for them his power and blessings. See S. R. Driver, Genesis, 219.

[2:13]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[2:13]  ⁷⁵ sn Cush. In the Bible the Hebrew word כּוּשׁ (kush, “Kush”) often refers to Ethiopia (so KJV, CEV), but here it must refer to a region in Mesopotamia, the area of the later Cassite dynasty of Babylon. See Gen 10:8 as well as E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 20.

[10:9]  ⁷⁶ tn The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).

[10:9]  ⁷⁷ tn Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yÿhvah, “before the Lord [YHWH]”), as a means of expressing the superlative degree. In this case one may translate “Nimrod was the greatest hunter in the world.”

[11:9]  ⁷⁸ tn The verb has no expressed subject and so can be rendered as a passive in the translation.

[11:9]  ⁷⁹ sn Babel. Here is the climax of the account, a parody on the pride of Babylon. In the Babylonian literature the name bab-ili meant “the gate of God,” but in Hebrew it sounds like the word for “confusion,” and so retained that connotation. The name “Babel” (בָּבֶל, bavel) and the verb translated “confused” (בָּלַל, balal) form a paronomasia (sound play). For the many wordplays and other rhetorical devices in Genesis, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis (SSN).

[14:7]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “they returned and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh).” The two verbs together form a verbal hendiadys, the first serving as the adverb: “they returned and came” means “they came again.” Most English translations do not treat this as a hendiadys, but translate “they turned back” or something similar. Since in the context, however, “came again to” does not simply refer to travel but an assault against the place, the present translation expresses this as “attacked…again.”

[14:17]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17]  ⁸² tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17]  ⁸³ sn The King’s Valley is possibly a reference to what came to be known later as the Kidron Valley.

[32:28]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “and he said.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:28]  ⁸⁵ sn The name Israel is a common construction, using a verb with a theophoric element (אֵל, ’el) that usually indicates the subject of the verb. Here it means “God fights.” This name will replace the name Jacob; it will be both a promise and a call for faith. In essence, the Lord was saying that Jacob would have victory and receive the promises because God would fight for him.

[32:28]  ⁸⁶ sn You have fought. The explanation of the name Israel includes a sound play. In Hebrew the verb translated “you have fought” (שָׂרִיתָ, sarita) sounds like the name “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yisra’el ), meaning “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). The name would evoke the memory of the fight and what it meant. A. Dillmann says that ever after this the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with God, he won the battle with man (Genesis, 2:279). To be successful with God meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency (A. P. Ross, “Jacob at the Jabboq, Israel at Peniel,” BSac 142 [1985]: 51-62).

[2:11]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “it is that which goes around.”

[15:6]  ⁸⁸ tn The nonconsecutive vav (ו) is on a perfect verbal form. If the composer of the narrative had wanted to show simple sequence, he would have used the vav consecutive with the preterite. The perfect with vav conjunctive (where one expects the preterite with vav consecutive) in narrative contexts can have a variety of discourse functions, but here it probably serves to highlight Abram’s response to God’s promise. For a detailed discussion of the vav + perfect construction in Hebrew narrative, see R. Longacre, “Weqatal Forms in Biblical Hebrew Prose: A Discourse-modular Approach,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 50-98. The Hebrew verb אָמַן (’aman) means “to confirm, to support” in the Qal verbal stem. Its derivative nouns refer to something or someone that/who provides support, such as a “pillar,” “nurse,” or “guardian, trustee.” In the Niphal stem it comes to mean “to be faithful, to be reliable, to be dependable,” or “to be firm, to be sure.” In the Hiphil, the form used here, it takes on a declarative sense: “to consider something reliable [or “dependable”].” Abram regarded the God who made this promise as reliable and fully capable of making it a reality.

[15:6]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “and he reckoned it to him.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix refers back to Abram’s act of faith, mentioned in the preceding clause. On third feminine singular pronouns referring back to verbal ideas see GKC 440-41 §135.p. Some propose taking the suffix as proleptic, anticipating the following feminine noun (“righteousness”). In this case one might translate: “and he reckoned it to him – [namely] righteousness.” See O. P. Robertson, “Genesis 15:6: A New Covenant Exposition of an Old Covenant Text,” WTJ 42 (1980): 259-89.

[15:6]  ⁹¹ tn Or “righteousness”; or “evidence of steadfast commitment.” The noun is an adverbial accusative. The verb translated “considered” (Heb “reckoned”) also appears with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) in Ps 106:31. Alluding to the events recorded in Numbers 25, the psalmist notes that Phinehas’ actions were “credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.” Reference is made to the unconditional, eternal covenant with which God rewarded Phinehas’ loyalty (Num 25:12-13). So צְדָקָה seems to carry by metonymy the meaning “loyal, rewardable behavior” here, a nuance that fits nicely in Genesis 15, where God responds to Abram’s faith by formally ratifying his promise to give Abram and his descendants the land. (See R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 40.) In Phoenician and Old Aramaic inscriptions cognate nouns glossed as “correct, justifiable conduct” sometimes carry this same semantic nuance (DNWSI 2:962).

[15:6]  sn This episode is basic to the NT teaching of Paul on justification (Romans 4). Paul weaves this passage and Psalm 32 together, for both use this word. Paul explains that for the one who believes in the Lord, like Abram, God credits him with righteousness but does not credit his sins against him because he is forgiven. Justification does not mean that the believer is righteous; it means that God credits him with righteousness, so that in the records of heaven (as it were) he is declared righteous. See M. G. Kline, “Abram’s Amen,” WTJ 31 (1968): 1-11.

[35:19]  ⁹² sn This explanatory note links the earlier name Ephrath with the later name Bethlehem.

[35:19]  map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[5:2]  ⁹³ tn The Hebrew word used here is אָדָם (’adam).

[21:33]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:33]  ⁹⁵ sn The planting of the tamarisk tree is a sign of Abraham’s intent to stay there for a long time, not a religious act. A growing tree in the Negev would be a lasting witness to God’s provision of water.

[21:33]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “he called there in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.

[22:1]  ⁹⁷ sn The Hebrew verb used here means “to test; to try; to prove.” In this passage God tests Abraham to see if he would be obedient. See T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 44-48. See also J. L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment (OBT), 9-30; and J. I. Lawlor, “The Test of Abraham,” GTJ 1 (1980): 19-35.

[22:1]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:62]  ⁹⁹ tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.

[24:62]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “from the way of.”

[24:62]  ¹⁰¹ 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]  ¹⁰² tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.

[24:62]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “the South [country].”

[24:62]  sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.

[25:11]  ¹⁰⁴ sn God blessed Isaac. The Hebrew verb “bless” in this passage must include all the gifts that God granted to Isaac. But fertility was not one of them, at least not for twenty years, because Rebekah was barren as well (see v. 21).

[25:11]  ¹⁰⁵ sn Beer Lahai Roi. See the note on this place name in Gen 24:62.

[30:13]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The Hebrew statement apparently means “with my happiness.”

[30:13]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “daughters.”

[30:13]  ¹⁰⁸ sn The name Asher (אָשֶׁר, ’asher) apparently means “happy one.” The name plays on the words used in the statement which appears earlier in the verse. Both the Hebrew noun and verb translated “happy” and “call me happy,” respectively, are derived from the same root as the name Asher.

[31:49]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “and Mizpah.”

[31:49]  ¹¹⁰ sn The name Mizpah (מִצְפָּה, mitspah), which means “watchpost,” sounds like the verb translated “may he watch” (יִצֶף, yitsef). Neither Laban nor Jacob felt safe with each other, and so they agreed to go their separate ways, trusting the Lord to keep watch at the border. Jacob did not need this treaty, but Laban, perhaps because he had lost his household gods, felt he did.

[31:49]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “between me and you.”

[31:49]  ¹¹² tn Heb “for we will be hidden, each man from his neighbor.”

[35:6]  ¹¹³ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[35:6]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “and Jacob came to Luz which is in the land of Canaan – it is Bethel – he and all the people who were with him.”

[35:27]  ¹¹⁵ tn This is an adverbial accusative of location.

[35:27]  ¹¹⁶ tn The name “Kiriath Arba” is in apposition to the preceding name, “Mamre.”

[35:27]  ¹¹⁷ tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur), traditionally rendered “to sojourn,” refers to temporary settlement without ownership rights.

[41:9]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).

[50:11]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “this is heavy mourning for Egypt.”

[50:11]  ¹²⁰ tn The verb has no expressed subject and so it may be translated as passive.

[50:11]  ¹²¹ sn The name Abel Mizraim means “the mourning of Egypt.”

[15:1]  ¹²² sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.

[15:1]  ¹²³ tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).

[15:1]  sn Abram has just rejected all the spoils of war, and the Lord promises to reward him in great abundance. In walking by faith and living with integrity he cannot lose.

[33:17]  ¹²⁴ tn The disjunctive clause contrasts Jacob’s action with Esau’s.

[33:17]  ¹²⁵ sn But Jacob traveled to Succoth. There are several reasons why Jacob chose not to go to Mt. Seir after Esau. First, as he said, his herds and children probably could not keep up with the warriors. Second, he probably did not fully trust his brother. The current friendliness could change, and he could lose everything. And third, God did tell him to return to his land, not Seir. But Jacob is still not able to deal truthfully, probably because of fear of Esau.

[33:17]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “why he called.” One could understand “Jacob” as the subject of the verb, but it is more likely that the subject is indefinite, in which case the verb is better translated as passive.

[33:17]  ¹²⁷ sn The name Succoth means “shelters,” an appropriate name in light of the shelters Jacob built there for his livestock.

[36:15]  ¹²⁸ tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).

[36:15]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “sons.”

[26:18]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”

[26:18]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.

[26:18]  ¹³² tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.

[26:18]  ¹³³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”

[27:36]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” The rhetorical question, since it expects a positive reply, has been translated as a declarative statement.

[27:36]  ¹³⁷ sn He has tripped me up. When originally given, the name Jacob was a play on the word “heel” (see Gen 25:26). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. Esau gives the name “Jacob” a negative connotation here, the meaning “to trip up; to supplant.”

[36:6]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “from before.”