Kejadian 9:27

9:27 May God enlarge Japheth’s territory and numbers! ¹ 

May he live ²  in the tents of Shem

and may Canaan be his slave!”

Kejadian 13:5

13:5 Now Lot, who was traveling ³  with Abram, also had ⁴  flocks, herds, and tents.

Kejadian 21:13

21:13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.”

Kejadian 30:7

30:7 Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, became pregnant again and gave Jacob another son. ⁵ 

[9:27]  ¹ tn Heb “may God enlarge Japheth.” The words “territory and numbers” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:27]  sn There is a wordplay (paronomasia) on the name Japheth. The verb יַפְתְּ (yaft, “may he enlarge”) sounds like the name יֶפֶת (yefet, “Japheth”). The name itself suggested the idea. The blessing for Japheth extends beyond the son to the descendants. Their numbers and their territories will be enlarged, so much so that they will share in Shem’s territories. Again, in this oracle, Noah is looking beyond his immediate family to future generations. For a helpful study of this passage and the next chapter, see T. O. Figart, A Biblical Perspective on the Race Problem, 55-58.

[9:27]  ² tn In this context the prefixed verbal form is a jussive (note the distinct jussive forms both before and after this in vv. 26 and 27).

[13:5]  ³ tn Heb “was going.”

[13:5]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew idiom is “to Lot…there was,” the preposition here expressing possession.

[30:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “and she became pregnant again and Bilhah, the servant of Rachel, bore a second son for Jacob.”