Kejadian 1:14

1:14 God said, “Let there be lights ¹  in the expanse ²  of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs ³  to indicate seasons and days and years,

Kejadian 1:22

1:22 God blessed them ⁴  and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” ⁵ 

Kejadian 2:5

2:5 Now ⁶  no shrub of the field had yet grown on the earth, and no plant of the field ⁷  had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. ⁸ 

Kejadian 14:2

14:2 went to war ⁹  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). ¹⁰ 

Kejadian 14:15

14:15 Then, during the night, ¹¹  Abram ¹²  divided his forces ¹³  against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north ¹⁴  of Damascus.

Kejadian 18:6

18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take ¹⁵  three measures ¹⁶  of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” ¹⁷ 

Kejadian 19:19

19:19 Your ¹⁸  servant has found favor with you, ¹⁹  and you have shown me great ²⁰  kindness ²¹  by sparing ²²  my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because ²³  this disaster will overtake ²⁴  me and I’ll die. ²⁵ 

Kejadian 21:7

21:7 She went on to say, ²⁶  “Who would ²⁷  have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”

Kejadian 21:17

21:17 But God heard the boy’s voice. ²⁸  The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, ²⁹  Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard ³⁰  the boy’s voice right where he is crying.

Kejadian 23:8

23:8 Then he said to them, “If you agree ³¹  that I may bury my dead, ³²  then hear me out. ³³  Ask ³⁴  Ephron the son of Zohar

Kejadian 24:5

24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me ³⁵  to this land? Must I then ³⁶  take your son back to the land from which you came?”

Kejadian 24:36

24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him ³⁷  when she was old, ³⁸  and my master ³⁹  has given him everything he owns.

Kejadian 27:1

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing

27:1 When ⁴⁰  Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, ⁴¹  he called his older ⁴²  son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau ⁴³  replied.

Kejadian 28:11

28:11 He reached a certain place ⁴⁴  where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. ⁴⁵  He took one of the stones ⁴⁶  and placed it near his head. ⁴⁷  Then he fell asleep ⁴⁸  in that place

Kejadian 28:20

28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food ⁴⁹  to eat and clothing to wear,

Kejadian 31:17

31:17 So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. ⁵⁰ 

Kejadian 31:36

31:36 Jacob became angry ⁵¹  and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. ⁵²  “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? ⁵³ 

Kejadian 36:15

36:15 These were the chiefs ⁵⁴  among the descendants ⁵⁵  of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,

Kejadian 36:18

36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

Kejadian 37:20

37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild ⁵⁶  animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” ⁵⁷ 

Kejadian 37:32

37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father ⁵⁸  and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”

Kejadian 38:9

38:9 But Onan knew that the child ⁵⁹  would not be considered his. ⁶⁰  So whenever ⁶¹  he had sexual relations with ⁶²  his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely ⁶³  so as not to give his brother a descendant.

Kejadian 38:20

38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah ⁶⁴  the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, ⁶⁵  but Hirah ⁶⁶  could not find her.

Kejadian 40:13

40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ⁶⁷  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ⁶⁸  when you were cupbearer.

Kejadian 41:41

41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place ⁶⁹  you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” ⁷⁰ 

[1:14]  ¹ sn Let there be lights. Light itself was created before the light-bearers. The order would not seem strange to the ancient Hebrew mind that did not automatically link daylight with the sun (note that dawn and dusk appear to have light without the sun).

[1:14]  ² tn The language describing the cosmos, which reflects a prescientific view of the world, must be interpreted as phenomenal, describing what appears to be the case. The sun and the moon are not in the sky (below the clouds), but from the viewpoint of a person standing on the earth, they appear that way. Even today we use similar phenomenological expressions, such as “the sun is rising” or “the stars in the sky.”

[1:14]  ³ tn The text has “for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” It seems likely from the meanings of the words involved that “signs” is the main idea, followed by two categories, “seasons” and “days and years.” This is the simplest explanation, and one that matches vv. 11-13. It could even be rendered “signs for the fixed seasons, that is [explicative vav (ו)] days and years.”

[1:14]  sn Let them be for signs. The point is that the sun and the moon were important to fix the days for the seasonal celebrations for the worshiping community.

[1:22]  ⁴ tn While the translation “blessed” has been retained here for the sake of simplicity, it would be most helpful to paraphrase it as “God endowed them with fruitfulness” or something similar, for here it refers to God’s giving the animals the capacity to reproduce. The expression “blessed” needs clarification in its different contexts, for it is one of the unifying themes of the Book of Genesis. The divine blessing occurs after works of creation and is intended to continue that work – the word of blessing guarantees success. The word means “to enrich; to endow,” and the most visible evidence of that enrichment is productivity or fruitfulness. See C. Westermann, Blessing in the Bible and the Life of the Church (OBT).

[1:22]  ⁵ sn The instruction God gives to creation is properly a fuller expression of the statement just made (“God blessed them”), that he enriched them with the ability to reproduce. It is not saying that these were rational creatures who heard and obeyed the word; rather, it stresses that fruitfulness in the animal world is a result of the divine decree and not of some pagan cultic ritual for fruitfulness. The repeated emphasis of “be fruitful – multiply – fill” adds to this abundance God has given to life. The meaning is underscored by the similar sounds: בָּרָךְ (barakh) with בָּרָא (bara’), and פָּרָה (parah) with רָבָה (ravah).

[2:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “Now every sprig of the field before it was.” The verb forms, although appearing to be imperfects, are technically preterites coming after the adverb טֶּרֶם (terem). The word order (conjunction + subject + predicate) indicates a disjunctive clause, which provides background information for the following narrative (as in 1:2). Two negative clauses are given (“before any sprig…”, and “before any cultivated grain” existed), followed by two causal clauses explaining them, and then a positive circumstantial clause is given – again dealing with water as in 1:2 (water would well up).

[2:5]  ⁷ tn The first term, שִׂיחַ (siakh), probably refers to the wild, uncultivated plants (see Gen 21:15; Job 30:4,7); whereas the second, עֵשֶׂב (’esev), refers to cultivated grains. It is a way of saying: “back before anything was growing.”

[2:5]  ⁸ tn The two causal clauses explain the first two disjunctive clauses: There was no uncultivated, general growth because there was no rain, and there were no grains because there was no man to cultivate the soil.

[2:5]  sn The last clause in v. 5, “and there was no man to cultivate the ground,” anticipates the curse and the expulsion from the garden (Gen 3:23).

[14:2]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ 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.

[14:15]  ¹¹ tn The Hebrew text simply has “night” as an adverbial accusative.

[14:15]  ¹² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:15]  ¹³ tn Heb “he divided himself…he and his servants.”

[14:15]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “left.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.

[18:6]  ¹⁵ tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.

[18:6]  ¹⁶ sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.

[18:6]  ¹⁷ sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.

[19:19]  ¹⁸ tn The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.

[19:19]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “in your eyes.”

[19:19]  ²⁰ tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”

[19:19]  ²¹ sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.

[19:19]  ²² tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.

[19:19]  ²³ tn Heb “lest.”

[19:19]  ²⁴ tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.

[19:19]  ²⁵ tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.

[21:7]  ²⁶ tn Heb “said.”

[21:7]  ²⁷ tn The perfect form of the verb is used here to describe a hypothetical situation.

[21:17]  ²⁸ sn God heard the boy’s voice. The text has not to this point indicated that Ishmael was crying out, either in pain or in prayer. But the text here makes it clear that God heard him. Ishmael is clearly central to the story. Both the mother and the Lord are focused on the child’s imminent death.

[21:17]  ²⁹ tn Heb “What to you?”

[21:17]  ³⁰ sn Here the verb heard picks up the main motif of the name Ishmael (“God hears”), introduced back in chap. 16.

[23:8]  ³¹ 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]  ³² 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]  ³³ tn Or “hear me.”

[23:8]  ³⁴ tn Heb “intercede for me with.”

[24:5]  ³⁵ tn Heb “to go after me.”

[24:5]  ³⁶ 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.

[24:36]  ³⁷ tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[24:36]  ³⁸ tn Heb “after her old age.”

[24:36]  ³⁹ tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:1]  ⁴⁰ tn The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.

[27:1]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”

[27:1]  ⁴² tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).

[27:1]  ⁴³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:11]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “the place.” The article may indicate simply that the place is definite in the mind of the narrator. However, as the story unfolds the place is transformed into a holy place. See A. P. Ross, “Jacob’s Vision: The Founding of Bethel,” BSac 142 (1985): 224-37.

[28:11]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “and he spent the night there because the sun had gone down.”

[28:11]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “he took from the stones of the place,” which here means Jacob took one of the stones (see v. 18).

[28:11]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “and he put [it at] the place of his head.” The text does not actually say the stone was placed under his head to serve as a pillow, although most interpreters and translators assume this. It is possible the stone served some other purpose. Jacob does not seem to have been a committed monotheist yet (see v. 20-21) so he may have believed it contained some spiritual power. Note that later in the story he anticipates the stone becoming the residence of God (see v. 22). Many cultures throughout the world view certain types of stones as magical and/or sacred. See J. G. Fraser, Folklore in the Old Testament, 231-37.

[28:11]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “lay down.”

[28:20]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.

[31:17]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and Jacob arose and he lifted up his sons and his wives on to the camels.”

[31:36]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “it was hot to Jacob.” This idiom refers to anger.

[31:36]  ⁵² tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘What is my sin?’” The proper name “Jacob” has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation and the order of the introductory clause and direct discourse rearranged for stylistic reasons.

[31:36]  ⁵³ tn Heb “What is my sin that you have hotly pursued after me.” The Hebrew verb translated “pursue hotly” is used elsewhere of soldiers chasing defeated enemies (1 Sam 17:53).

[36:15]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).

[36:15]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “sons.”

[37:20]  ⁵⁶ tn The Hebrew word can sometimes carry the nuance “evil,” but when used of an animal it refers to a dangerous wild animal.

[37:20]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”

[37:32]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “and they sent the special tunic and they brought [it] to their father.” The text as it stands is problematic. It sounds as if they sent the tunic on ahead and then came and brought it to their father. Some emend the second verb to a Qal form and read “and they came.” In this case, they sent the tunic on ahead.

[38:9]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “offspring.”

[38:9]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.

[38:9]  ⁶¹ tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.

[38:9]  sn The text makes it clear that the purpose of the custom was to produce an heir for the deceased brother. Onan had no intention of doing that. But he would have sex with the girl as much as he wished. He was willing to use the law to gratify his desires, but was not willing to do the responsible thing.

[38:9]  ⁶² tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:9]  ⁶³ tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.

[38:20]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.

[38:20]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”

[38:20]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[40:13]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head.” This Hebrew idiom usually refers to restoring dignity, office, or power. It is comparable to the modern saying “someone can hold his head up high.”

[40:13]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[41:41]  ⁶⁹ tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is descriptive of a present action. Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, in which case Pharaoh describes a still future action as if it had already occurred in order to emphasize its certainty. In this case one could translate “I have placed” or “I will place.” The verb נָתַן (natan) is translated here as “to place in authority [over].”

[41:41]  ⁷⁰ sn Joseph became the grand vizier of the land of Egypt. See W. A. Ward, “The Egyptian Office of Joseph,” JSS 5 (1960): 144-50; and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 129-31.