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Genesis 26:17-27:46
New English Translation

17 So Isaac left there and settled in the Gerar Valley.[a] 18 Isaac reopened[b] the wells that had been dug[c] back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up[d] after Abraham died. Isaac[e] gave these wells[f] the same names his father had given them.[g]

19 When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing[h] water there, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled[i] with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac[j] named the well Esek[k] because they argued with him about it.[l] 21 His servants[m] dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it[n] Sitnah.[o] 22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac[p] named it[q] Rehoboth,[r] saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”

23 From there Isaac[s] went up to Beer Sheba. 24 The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped[t] the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well.[u]

26 Now Abimelech had come[v] to him from Gerar along with[w] Ahuzzah his friend[x] and Phicol the commander of his army. 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me? You hate me[y] and sent me away from you.” 28 They replied, “We could plainly see[z] that the Lord is with you. So we decided there should be[aa] a pact between us[ab]—between us[ac] and you. Allow us to make[ad] a treaty with you 29 so that[ae] you will not do us any harm, just as we have not harmed[af] you, but have always treated you well[ag] before sending you away[ah] in peace. Now you are blessed by the Lord.”[ai]

30 So Isaac[aj] held a feast for them and they celebrated.[ak] 31 Early in the morning the men made a treaty with each other.[al] Isaac sent them off; they separated on good terms.[am]

32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported.[an] 33 So he named it Shibah;[ao] that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba[ap] to this day.

34 When[aq] Esau was forty years old,[ar] he married[as] Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, as well as Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They caused Isaac and Rebekah great anxiety.[at]

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing

27 When[au] Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind,[av] he called his older[aw] son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau[ax] replied. 2 Isaac[ay] said, “Since[az] I am so old, I could die at any time.[ba] 3 Therefore, take your weapons—your quiver and your bow—and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game[bb] for me. 4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then[bc] I will eat it so that I may bless you[bd] before I die.”

5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau.[be] When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back,[bf] 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat[bg] it and bless you[bh] in the presence of the Lord[bi] before I die.’ 8 Now then, my son, do exactly[bj] what I tell you![bk] 9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare[bl] them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 10 Then you will take[bm] it to your father. Thus he will eat it[bn] and[bo] bless you before he dies.”

11 “But Esau my brother is a hairy man,” Jacob protested to his mother Rebekah, “and I have smooth skin![bp] 12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him[bq] and I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.” 13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me,[br] my son! Just obey me![bs] Go and get them for me!”

14 So he went and got the goats[bt] and brought them to his mother. She[bu] prepared some tasty food, just the way his father loved it. 15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She put the skins of the young goats[bv] on his hands[bw] and the smooth part of his neck. 17 Then she handed[bx] the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac[by] replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?”[bz] 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up[ca] and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.”[cb] 20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world[cc] did you find it so quickly,[cd] my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,”[ce] he replied.[cf] 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you,[cg] my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.”[ch] 22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob.[ci] 24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob[cj] replied. 25 Isaac[ck] said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son.[cl] Then I will bless you.”[cm] So Jacob[cn] brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac[co] drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27 So Jacob[cp] went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent[cq] of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,

“Yes,[cr] my son smells
like the scent of an open field
which the Lord has blessed.
28 May God give you
the dew of the sky[cs]
and the richness[ct] of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
29 May peoples serve you
and nations bow down to you.
You will be[cu] lord[cv] over your brothers,
and the sons of your mother will bow down to you.[cw]
May those who curse you be cursed,
and those who bless you be blessed.”

30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left[cx] his father’s[cy] presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt.[cz] 31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau[da] said to him, “My father, get up[db] and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.”[dc] 32 His father Isaac asked,[dd] “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,”[de] he replied, “Esau!” 33 Isaac began to shake violently[df] and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him.[dg] He will indeed be blessed!”

34 When Esau heard[dh] his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly.[di] He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 35 But Isaac[dj] replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away[dk] your blessing.” 36 Esau exclaimed, “Jacob is the right name for him![dl] He has tripped me up[dm] 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?”

37 Isaac replied to Esau, “Look! I have made him lord over you. I have made all his relatives his servants and provided him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!”[dn] Then Esau wept loudly.[do]

39 So his father Isaac said to him,

“See here,[dp] your home will be by[dq] the richness[dr] of the earth,
and by the dew of the sky above.
40 You will live by your sword
but you will serve your brother.
When you grow restless,
you will tear off his yoke
from your neck.”[ds]

41 So Esau hated[dt] Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother.[du] Esau said privately,[dv] “The time[dw] of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill[dx] my brother Jacob!”

42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said,[dy] she quickly summoned[dz] her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you.[ea] 43 Now then, my son, do what I say.[eb] Run away immediately[ec] to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Live with him for a little while[ed] until your brother’s rage subsides. 45 Stay there[ee] until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there.[ef] Why should I lose both of you in one day?”[eg]

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed[eh] because of the daughters of Heth.[ei] If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!”[ej]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:17 tn Heb “and he camped in the Valley of Gerar and he lived there.”sn This valley was actually a wadi (a dry river bed where the water would flow in the rainy season, but this would have been rare in the Negev). The water table under it would have been higher than in the desert because of water soaking in during the torrents, making it easier to find water when digging wells. However, this does not minimize the blessing of the Lord, for the men of the region knew this too, but did not have the same results.
  2. Genesis 26:18 tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”
  3. Genesis 26:18 tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.
  4. Genesis 26:18 tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.
  5. Genesis 26:18 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  6. Genesis 26:18 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  7. Genesis 26:18 tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”
  8. Genesis 26:19 tn Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).
  9. Genesis 26:20 tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.
  10. Genesis 26:20 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  11. Genesis 26:20 sn The name Esek means “argument” in Hebrew. The following causal clause explains that Isaac gave the well this name as a reminder of the conflict its discovery had created. In the Hebrew text there is a wordplay, for the name is derived from the verb translated “argued.”
  12. Genesis 26:20 tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  13. Genesis 26:21 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  14. Genesis 26:21 tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  15. Genesis 26:21 sn The name Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה, sitnah) is derived from a Hebrew verbal root meaning “to oppose; to be an adversary” (cf. Job 1:6). The name was a reminder that the digging of this well caused “opposition” from the Philistines.
  16. Genesis 26:22 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  17. Genesis 26:22 tn Heb “and he called its name.”
  18. Genesis 26:22 sn The name Rehoboth (רְהֹבוֹת, rehovot) is derived from a verbal root meaning “to make room.” The name was a reminder that God had made room for them. The story shows Isaac’s patience with the opposition; it also shows how God’s blessing outdistanced the men of Gerar. They could not stop it or seize it any longer.
  19. Genesis 26:23 tn Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  20. Genesis 26:25 tn Heb “called in the name of.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 21:33). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116.
  21. Genesis 26:25 tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”
  22. Genesis 26:26 tn The disjunctive clause supplies pertinent supplemental information. The past perfect is used because the following narrative records the treaty at Beer Sheba. Prior to this we are told that Isaac settled in Beer Sheba; presumably this treaty would have allowed him to do that. However, it may be that he settled there and then made the treaty by which he renamed the place Beer Sheba. In this case one may translate “Now Abimelech came to him.”
  23. Genesis 26:26 tn Heb “and.”
  24. Genesis 26:26 tn Many modern translations render the Hebrew term מֵרֵעַ (mereaʾ) as “councillor” or “adviser,” but the term may not designate an official position but simply a close personal friend.
  25. Genesis 26:27 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.
  26. Genesis 26:28 tn The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.
  27. Genesis 26:28 tn Heb “And we said, ‘Let there be.’” The direct discourse in the Hebrew text has been rendered as indirect discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  28. Genesis 26:28 tn The pronoun “us” here is inclusive—it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.
  29. Genesis 26:28 tn The pronoun “us” here is exclusive—it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).
  30. Genesis 26:28 tn The translation assumes that the cohortative expresses their request. Another option is to understand the cohortative as indicating resolve: “We want to make.’”
  31. Genesis 26:29 tn The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”
  32. Genesis 26:29 tn Heb “touched.”
  33. Genesis 26:29 tn Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”
  34. Genesis 26:29 tn Heb “and we sent you away.”
  35. Genesis 26:29 tn The Philistine leaders are making an observation, not pronouncing a blessing, so the translation reads “you are blessed” rather than “may you be blessed” (cf. NAB).
  36. Genesis 26:30 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  37. Genesis 26:30 tn Heb “and they ate and drank.”
  38. Genesis 26:31 tn Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”
  39. Genesis 26:31 tn Heb “and they went from him in peace.”
  40. Genesis 26:32 tn Heb “and they said to him, ‘We have found water.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  41. Genesis 26:33 sn The name Shibah (שִׁבְעָה, shivʿah) means (or at least sounds like) the word meaning “oath.” The name was a reminder of the oath sworn by Isaac and the Philistines to solidify their treaty.
  42. Genesis 26:33 sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, beʾer shavaʿ) means “well of an oath” or “well of seven.” According to Gen 21:31 Abraham gave Beer Sheba its name when he made a treaty with the Philistines. Because of the parallels between this earlier story and the account in 26:26-33, some scholars see chaps. 21 and 26 as two versions (or doublets) of one original story. However, if one takes the text as it stands, it appears that Isaac made a later treaty agreement with the people of the land that was similar to his father’s. Abraham dug a well at the site and named the place Beer Sheba; Isaac dug another well there and named the well Shibah. Later generations then associated the name Beer Sheba with Isaac, even though Abraham gave the place its name at an earlier time.
  43. Genesis 26:34 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.
  44. Genesis 26:34 tn Heb “the son of forty years.”
  45. Genesis 26:34 tn Heb “took as a wife.”
  46. Genesis 26:35 tn Heb “And they were [a source of ] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”
  47. Genesis 27:1 tn The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.
  48. Genesis 27:1 tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”
  49. Genesis 27:1 tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).
  50. Genesis 27:1 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.
  51. Genesis 27:2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.
  52. Genesis 27:2 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.
  53. Genesis 27:2 tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”
  54. Genesis 27:3 tn The Hebrew word is to be spelled either צַיִד (tsayid) following the marginal reading (Qere), or צֵידָה (tsedah) following the consonantal text (Kethib). Either way it is from the same root as the imperative צוּדָה (tsudah, “hunt down”).
  55. Genesis 27:4 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
  56. Genesis 27:4 tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The use of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as the subject emphasizes that the blessing will be made with all Isaac’s desire and vitality. The conjunction “so that” closely relates the meal to the blessing, suggesting that this will be a ritual meal in conjunction with the giving of a formal blessing.
  57. Genesis 27:5 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a conjunction with the subject, followed by the predicate) here introduces a new scene in the story.
  58. Genesis 27:5 tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.
  59. Genesis 27:7 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
  60. Genesis 27:7 tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.
  61. Genesis 27:7 tn In her report to Jacob, Rebekah plays down Isaac’s strong desire to bless Esau by leaving out נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”), but by adding the phrase “in the presence of the Lord,” she stresses how serious this matter is.
  62. Genesis 27:8 tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”
  63. Genesis 27:8 tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”
  64. Genesis 27:9 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
  65. Genesis 27:10 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive. It carries forward the tone of instruction initiated by the command to “go…and get” in the preceding verse.
  66. Genesis 27:10 tn The form is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; it carries the future nuance of the preceding verbs of instruction, but by switching the subject to Jacob, indicates the expected result of the subterfuge.
  67. Genesis 27:10 tn Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.
  68. Genesis 27:11 tn Heb “And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, but I am a smooth [skinned] man.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  69. Genesis 27:12 tn Heb “Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes like a mocker.” The Hebrew expression “I will be in his eyes like” means “I would appear to him as.”
  70. Genesis 27:13 tn Heb “upon me your curse.”
  71. Genesis 27:13 tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”
  72. Genesis 27:14 tn The words “the goats” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  73. Genesis 27:14 tn Heb “his mother.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “she” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  74. Genesis 27:16 tn In the Hebrew text the object (“the skins of the young goats”) precedes the verb. The disjunctive clause draws attention to this key element in the subterfuge.
  75. Genesis 27:16 tn The word “hands” probably includes the forearms here. How the skins were attached is not specified in the Hebrew text; cf. NLT “she made him a pair of gloves.”
  76. Genesis 27:17 tn Heb “gave…into the hand of her . . . .”
  77. Genesis 27:18 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  78. Genesis 27:18 sn Which are you, my son? Isaac’s first question shows that the deception is going to require more subterfuge than Rebekah had anticipated. Jacob will have to pull off the deceit.
  79. Genesis 27:19 tn Heb “get up and sit.” This may mean simply “sit up,” or it may indicate that he was to get up from his couch and sit at a table.
  80. Genesis 27:19 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.” These words, though not reported by Rebekah to Jacob (see v. 7) accurately reflect what Isaac actually said to Esau (see v. 4). Perhaps Jacob knew more than Rebekah realized, but it is more likely that this was an idiom for sincere blessing with which Jacob was familiar. At any rate, his use of the precise wording was a nice, convincing touch.
  81. Genesis 27:20 tn Heb “What is this?” The enclitic pronoun “this” adds emphasis to the question, which is comparable to the English rhetorical question, “How in the world?”
  82. Genesis 27:20 tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.
  83. Genesis 27:20 tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”
  84. Genesis 27:20 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Because the Lord your God….’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  85. Genesis 27:21 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
  86. Genesis 27:21 tn Heb “Are you this one, Esau, my son, or not?” On the use of the interrogative particle here, see BDB 210 s.v. הֲ.
  87. Genesis 27:23 tn Heb “and he blessed him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” (Isaac) and “him” (Jacob) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  88. Genesis 27:24 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  89. Genesis 27:25 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  90. Genesis 27:25 tn Heb “Bring near to me and I will eat of the wild game, my son.” Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
  91. Genesis 27:25 tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The presence of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as subject emphasizes Isaac’s heartfelt desire to do this. The conjunction indicates that the ritual meal must be first eaten before the formal blessing may be given.
  92. Genesis 27:25 tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  93. Genesis 27:25 tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  94. Genesis 27:27 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  95. Genesis 27:27 tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  96. Genesis 27:27 tn Heb “see.”
  97. Genesis 27:28 tn Heb “and from the dew of the sky.”
  98. Genesis 27:28 tn Heb “and from the fatness.”
  99. Genesis 27:29 tn Heb “and be.” The verb is an imperative, which is used rhetorically in this oracle of blessing. It is an invitation to exercise authority over his brothers and indicates that he is granted such authority by the patriarch of the family. Furthermore, the blessing enables the recipient to accomplish this.
  100. Genesis 27:29 tn The Hebrew word is גְבִיר (gevir, “lord, mighty one”). The one being blessed will be stronger and therefore more powerful than his brother. See Gen 25:23. The feminine form of this rare noun means “mistress” or “queen-mother.”
  101. Genesis 27:29 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (which is either an imperfect or a jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
  102. Genesis 27:30 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.
  103. Genesis 27:30 tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was replaced by the referent (“his father’s…”) for stylistic reasons.
  104. Genesis 27:30 tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”
  105. Genesis 27:31 tn Heb “and he said to his father”; the referent of “he” (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity, while the words “his father” have been replaced by the pronoun “him” for stylistic reasons.
  106. Genesis 27:31 tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).
  107. Genesis 27:31 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”
  108. Genesis 27:32 tn Heb “said.”
  109. Genesis 27:32 tn Heb “and he said, ‘I [am] your son, your firstborn.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
  110. Genesis 27:33 tn Heb “and Isaac trembled with a great trembling to excess.” The verb “trembled” is joined with a cognate accusative, which is modified by an adjective “great,” and a prepositional phrase “to excess.” All of this is emphatic, showing the violence of Isaac’s reaction to the news.
  111. Genesis 27:33 tn Heb “Who then is he who hunted game and brought [it] to me so that I ate from all before you arrived and blessed him?”
  112. Genesis 27:34 tn The temporal clause is introduced with the temporal indicator and has the infinitive as its verb.
  113. Genesis 27:34 tn Heb “and he yelled [with] a great and bitter yell to excess.”
  114. Genesis 27:35 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  115. Genesis 27:35 tn Or “took”; “received.”
  116. Genesis 27:36 tn Heb “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” The rhetorical question, since it expects a positive reply, has been translated as a declarative statement.
  117. Genesis 27:36 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.”
  118. Genesis 27:38 tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  119. Genesis 27:38 tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”
  120. Genesis 27:39 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) calls for someone’s attention.
  121. Genesis 27:39 tn Or “next to.” The preposition מִן (min) generally indicates the source of something or separation from something, and so is often rendered “from.” Older translations (KJV, ASV, Douay-Rheims, Young’s, JPS) took the preposition as indicating source: “of the fatness of the earth.” More recent translations (NASB, NIV, ESV, NLV) take it as separative: “away from the fatness.” In Jacob’s blessing the preposition works with the verb “give” and indicates source. In Esau’s blessing the preposition functions in a nominal clause and modifies “your dwelling.” HALOT says that מִן can point “to the place… where something can be found” and thus means “in” in Gen 2:8; Lev 14:41; 2 Sam 5:13; Ezra 1:4; Job 30:30; Isa 5:26; 23:7 (HALOT 597, s.v.). In combination with the verb “to dwell,” the preposition מִן means “by,” “next to,” or “across from” (Ruth 2:14; 1 Sam 20:25; Ezek 16:46; Jonah 4:5). The closest parallel for the noun “dwelling” is Gen 10:30 where מִן as “away from” is not possible (rather “at” or “beginning at.”) sn In contrast to Jacob, to whom God will give some of earth’s fatness and heaven’s dew, Esau will dwell next to these. Esau himself continues to dwell with Isaac in Canaan, so perhaps he dwells “at” or “in” the richness of the land. But the land of his descendants, Edom, is more arid and might be considered “next to” or “across from” Canaan. The main contrast seems to be that God will give Jacob something, while Esau will have access to two of the same things. “Grain” and “wine” are not repeated for Esau, which may also reflect different conditions in Edom and Canaan.
  122. Genesis 27:39 tn Heb “from the fatness.”
  123. Genesis 27:40 sn You will tear off his yoke from your neck. It may be that this prophetic blessing found its fulfillment when Jerusalem fell and Edom got its revenge. The oracle makes Edom subservient to Israel and suggests the Edomites would live away from the best land and be forced to sustain themselves by violent measures.
  124. Genesis 27:41 tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.
  125. Genesis 27:41 tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”
  126. Genesis 27:41 tn Heb “said in his heart.” The expression may mean “said to himself.” Even if this is the case, v. 42 makes it clear that he must have shared his intentions with someone, because the news reached Rebekah.
  127. Genesis 27:41 tn Heb “days.”
  128. Genesis 27:41 tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.
  129. Genesis 27:42 tn Heb “and the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.”
  130. Genesis 27:42 tn Heb “she sent and called for.”
  131. Genesis 27:42 tn Heb “is consoling himself with respect to you to kill you.” The only way Esau had of dealing with his anger at the moment was to plan to kill his brother after the death of Isaac.
  132. Genesis 27:43 tn Heb “listen to my voice.”
  133. Genesis 27:43 tn Heb “arise, flee.”
  134. Genesis 27:44 tn Heb “a few days.” Rebekah probably downplays the length of time Jacob will be gone, perhaps to encourage him and assure him that things will settle down soon. She probably expects Esau’s anger to die down quickly. However, Jacob ends up being gone 20 years and he never sees Rebekah again.
  135. Genesis 27:45 tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  136. Genesis 27:45 tn Heb “and I will send and I will take you from there.” The verb “send” has no object in the Hebrew text; one must be supplied in the translation. Either “someone” or “a message” could be supplied, but since in those times a message would require a messenger, “someone” has been used.
  137. Genesis 27:45 tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.
  138. Genesis 27:46 tn Heb “loathe my life.” The Hebrew verb translated “loathe” refers to strong disgust (see Lev 20:23).
  139. Genesis 27:46 tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (see also Gen 23:3), 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.
  140. Genesis 27:46 tn Heb “If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, why to me life?”
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Genesis 25
Genesis 28
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Matthew 9:1-17
New English Translation

Healing and Forgiving a Paralytic

9 After getting into a boat[a] he crossed to the other side and came to his own town.[b] 2 Just then[c] some people[d] brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.[e] When Jesus saw their[f] faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.”[g] 3 Then[h] some of the experts in the law[i] said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”[j] 4 When Jesus perceived their thoughts he said, “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier,[k] to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know[l] that the Son of Man[m] has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then he said to the paralytic[n]—“Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”[o] 7 So[p] he stood up and went home.[q] 8 When[r] the crowd saw this, they were afraid[s] and honored God who had given such authority to men.[t]

The Call of Matthew; Eating with Sinners

9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth.[u] “Follow me,” he said to him. So[v] he got up and followed him. 10 As[w] Jesus[x] was having a meal[y] in Matthew’s[z] house, many tax collectors[aa] and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees[ab] saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”[ac] 12 When[ad] Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.[ae] 13 Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’[af] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Superiority of the New

14 Then John’s[ag] disciples came to Jesus[ah] and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees[ai] fast often,[aj] but your disciples don’t fast?” 15 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests[ak] cannot mourn while the bridegroom[al] is with them, can they? But the days[am] are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them,[an] and then they will fast. 16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, because the patch will pull away from the garment and the tear will be worse.[ao] 17 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins;[ap] otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins[aq] and both are preserved.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:1 sn See the note at Matt 4:21 for a description of the first-century fishing boat discovered in 1986 near Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  2. Matthew 9:1 sn His own town refers to Capernaum. Capernaum was a town located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It existed since Hasmonean times and was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region. The population in the first century is estimated to be around 1,500. Capernaum became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry (Matt 4:13; Mark 2:1). For more information, see the note at Matt 8:5.
  3. Matthew 9:2 tn Grk “And behold, they were bringing.” Here καὶ ἰδού (kai idou) has been translated as “just then” to indicate the somewhat sudden appearance of the people carrying the paralytic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1), especially in conjunction with the suddenness of the stretcher-bearers’ appearance.
  4. Matthew 9:2 tn Grk “they”; the referent (some unnamed people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  5. Matthew 9:2 tn Traditionally, “on a bed,” but this could be confusing to the modern reader who might envision a large piece of furniture. In various contexts, κλίνη (klinē) may be translated “bed, couch, cot, stretcher, or bier” (in the case of a corpse). See L&N 6.106.
  6. Matthew 9:2 sn The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man.
  7. Matthew 9:2 sn The passive voice here is a divine passive (ExSyn 437). It is clear that God does the forgiving.
  8. Matthew 9:3 tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the narrative.
  9. Matthew 9:3 tn Or “some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
  10. Matthew 9:3 sn Blaspheming in the NT has a somewhat broader meaning than mere utterances. It could mean to say something that dishonored God, but it could also involve claims to divine prerogatives (in this case, to forgive sins on God’s behalf). Such claims were viewed as usurping God’s majesty or honor. The remark here raised directly the issue of the nature of Jesus’ ministry, and even more importantly, the identity of Jesus himself as God’s representative.
  11. Matthew 9:5 sn Which is easier is a reflective kind of question. On the one hand to declare that sins are forgiven is easier, since the forgiveness is unseen, unlike telling a paralyzed person to walk. On the other hand, to declare sins forgiven is harder, because for it to be true one must possess the authority to forgive the sin. Jesus is implicitly claiming that authority here.
  12. Matthew 9:6 sn Now Jesus put the two actions together. The walking of the man would be proof (so that you may know) that his sins were forgiven and that God had worked through Jesus (i.e., the Son of Man).
  13. Matthew 9:6 sn The term Son of Man, which is a title in Greek, comes from a pictorial description in Dan 7:13 of one “like a son of man” (i.e., a human being). It is Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. Jesus did not reveal the background of the term here, which mixes human and divine imagery as the man in Daniel rides a cloud, something only God does. He just used it. It also could be an idiom in Aramaic meaning either “some person” or “me.” So there is a little ambiguity in its use here, since its origin is not clear at this point. However, the action makes it clear that Jesus used it to refer to himself here.
  14. Matthew 9:6 sn Jesus did not finish his sentence with words but with action, that is, healing the paralytic with an accompanying pronouncement to him directly.
  15. Matthew 9:6 tn Grk “to your house.”
  16. Matthew 9:7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the narrative.
  17. Matthew 9:7 tn Grk “to his house.”
  18. Matthew 9:8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  19. Matthew 9:8 tc Most witnesses (C L N Γ Θ 0233 ƒ13 565 579 700 M) have ἐθαύμασαν (ethaumasan; “marveled, were amazed”) instead of ἐφοβήθησαν (ephobēthēsan) here, effectively turning the fearful reaction into one of veneration. But the harder reading is well supported by א B D W 0281 ƒ1 33 892 1424 lat co and thus is surely authentic.
  20. Matthew 9:8 tn Grk “people.” The plural of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) usually indicates people in general, but the singular is used in the expression “Son of Man.” There is thus an ironic allusion to Jesus’ statement in v. 6: His self-designation as “Son of Man” is meant to be unique, but the crowd regards it simply as meaning “human, person.” To maintain this connection for the English reader the plural ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) has been translated here as “men” rather than as the more generic “people.”
  21. Matthew 9:9 tn While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telōnion, so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings.sn The tax booth was a booth located at a port or on the edge of a city or town to collect taxes for trade. These taxes were a form of customs duty or toll applied to the movement of goods and produce brought into an area for sale. As such these tolls were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices (L&N 57.183). The system as a whole is sometimes referred to as “tax farming” because a contract to collect these taxes for an entire district would be sold to the highest bidder, who would pay up front, hire employees to do the work of collection, and then recoup the investment and overhead by charging commissions on top of the taxes. Although rates and commissions were regulated by law, there was plenty of room for abuse in the system through the subjective valuation of goods by the tax collectors, and even through outright bribery. Tax overseers and their employees were obviously not well liked. There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean. It was here that Jesus met Matthew (also named Levi [see Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27]) who, although indirectly employed by the Romans, was probably more directly responsible to Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee appointed by Rome. It was Matthew’s job to collect customs duties for Rome and he was thus despised by his fellow Jews, many of whom would have regarded him as a traitor.
  22. Matthew 9:9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the narrative.
  23. Matthew 9:10 tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  24. Matthew 9:10 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  25. Matthew 9:10 tn Grk “was reclining at table.”sn As Jesus was having a meal. First century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
  26. Matthew 9:10 tn Grk “in the house.” The Greek article is used here in a context that implies possession, and the referent of the implied possessive pronoun (Matthew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  27. Matthew 9:10 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
  28. Matthew 9:11 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
  29. Matthew 9:11 sn The issue here is inappropriate associations (on the status of tax collectors see the note at 5:46; the phrase often occurs in the NT in collocation with sinners). Jews were very careful about personal associations and contact as a matter of ritual cleanliness. Their question borders on an accusation that Jesus is ritually unclean because of who he associates with.
  30. Matthew 9:12 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  31. Matthew 9:12 sn Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. People who are healthy (or who think mistakenly that they are) will not seek treatment.
  32. Matthew 9:13 sn A quotation from Hos 6:6 (see also Matt 12:7). The statement both in the Hebrew text of Hosea and the Greek text of Matthew creates an apparent antithesis between mercy and sacrifice. Even among the church fathers, some understood this to be an absolute rejection of sacrifice by Jesus, and to signal the end of the sacrificial cult with the arrival of the new covenant. This interpretation is unlikely, however, both for Hosea and for Matthew. The LXX renders the Hebrew text of Hos 6:6 as comparative: “I want mercy more than sacrifice,” and this is probably closer to Hosea’s meaning (see the note at Hos 6:6). Such an understanding is also consistent with Jesus’ teaching elsewhere in Matthew (e.g. 5:18-24; 23:23-28). Obedience to the law is important, but even more important is to show mercy to those who are in dire need, as demonstrated by Jesus himself in his ministry of healing (alluded to in Matt 9:12 with the imagery of the physician, and in Matt 9:1-8 by the healing of the paralytic).
  33. Matthew 9:14 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
  34. Matthew 9:14 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  35. Matthew 9:14 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
  36. Matthew 9:14 sn John’s disciples and the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29-34; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). The zealous fasted twice a week (cf. Luke 18:12) on Monday and Thursday (Didache 8:1).
  37. Matthew 9:15 tn Grk “sons of the wedding hall,” an idiom referring to wedding guests, or more specifically friends of the bridegroom present at the wedding celebration (L&N 11.7).
  38. Matthew 9:15 sn The expression while the bridegroom is with them is an allusion to messianic times (John 3:29; Isa 54:5-6; 62:4-5).
  39. Matthew 9:15 tn Grk “days.”
  40. Matthew 9:15 sn The statement the bridegroom will be taken from them is a veiled allusion by Jesus to his death, which he did not make explicit until the incident at Caesarea Philippi in 16:13ff. For Matthew it is unlikely this statement is meant to refer to fasting in the early church following Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation, since Matthew presents the post-resurrection period as a time of Jesus’ presence rather than his absence (18:20; 28:20). Nevertheless, this passage is frequently cited as a justification of the fasting practices of the early church (such a practice may be reflected in Didache 8:1).
  41. Matthew 9:16 sn The point of the saying is the incompatibility of the old and the new, with Jesus and his disciples representing what is new. In the context this explains why Jesus and his disciples do not fast like the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist (v. 14).
  42. Matthew 9:17 sn Wineskins were bags made of skin or leather, used for storing wine in NT times. As the new wine fermented and expanded, it would stretch the new wineskins. Putting new (unfermented) wine in old wineskins, which had already been stretched, would result in the bursting of the wineskins.
  43. Matthew 9:17 sn The meaning of the saying new wine into new wineskins is that the presence and teaching of Jesus was something new and signaled the passing of the old. It could not be confined within the old religion of Judaism, but involved the inauguration and consummation of the kingdom of God.
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Matthew 8
Matthew 10
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Psalm 10:16-18
New English Translation

16 The Lord rules forever![a]
The nations are driven out of his land.[b]
17 Lord, you have heard[c] the request[d] of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.[e]
18 You defend[f] the fatherless and oppressed,[g]
so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 10:16 tn Heb “the Lord is king forever and ever.”
  2. Psalm 10:16 tn Or “the nations perish from his land.” The perfect verb form may express what is typical or it may express rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude that God’s deliverance is “as good as done.”sn The nations may be the underlying reality behind the psalmist’s references to the “wicked” in the earlier verses. This reference to the nations may have motivated the combining of Ps 10 with Ps 9 (see Ps 9:5, 15, 19).
  3. Psalm 10:17 sn You have heard. The psalmist is confident that God has responded positively to his earlier petitions for divine intervention. The psalmist apparently prayed the words of vv. 16-18 after the reception of an oracle of deliverance (given in response to the confident petition of vv. 12-15) or after the Lord actually delivered him from his enemies.
  4. Psalm 10:17 tn Heb “desire.”
  5. Psalm 10:17 tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”
  6. Psalm 10:18 tn Heb “to judge (on behalf of),” or “by judging (on behalf of).”
  7. Psalm 10:18 tn Heb “crushed.” See v. 10.
  8. Psalm 10:18 tn Heb “he will not add again [i.e., “he will no longer”] to terrify, man from the earth.” The Hebrew term אֱנוֹשׁ (ʾenosh, “man”) refers here to the wicked nations (v. 16). By describing them as “from the earth,” the psalmist emphasizes their weakness before the sovereign, eternal king.
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Psalm 9
Psalm 11
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Proverbs 3:9-10
New English Translation

9 Honor[a] the Lord from your wealth
and from the firstfruits of all your crops;[b]
10 then your barns will be filled completely,[c]
and your vats[d] will overflow[e] with new wine.[f]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:9 tn The imperative כַּבֵּד (kabbed, “honor”) functions as a command, instruction, counsel or exhortation. To honor God means to give him the rightful place of authority by rendering to him gifts of tribute. One way to acknowledge God in one’s ways (v. 6) is to honor him with one’s wealth (v. 9).
  2. Proverbs 3:9 tn Heb “produce.” The noun תְּבוּאָה (tevuʾah) has a two-fold range of meaning: (1) “product; yield” of the earth (= crops; harvest) and (2) “income; revenue” in general (BDB 100 s.v.). The imagery in vv. 9-10 is agricultural; however, all Israelites—not just farmers—were expected to give the best portion (= firstfruits) of their income to the Lord.
  3. Proverbs 3:10 tn Heb “with plenty” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NIV “to overflowing.” The noun שָׂבָע (savaʿ, “plenty; satiety”) functions as an adverbial accusative of manner or contents: “completely.”tc The LXX reads “grain,” implying שֶׁבֶר (shever, “grain) instead of שָׂבָע (savaʿ, “plenty”), but the ideas are similar.
  4. Proverbs 3:10 sn This pictures the process of pressing grapes in which the upper receptacle is filled with grapes and the lower one catches the juice. The harvest of grapes will be so plentiful that the lower vat will overflow with grape juice. The pictures in v. 10 are metonymies of effect for cause (= the great harvest that God will provide when they honor him).
  5. Proverbs 3:10 tn Heb “burst open.” The verb פָּרַץ (parats, “to burst open”) functions as hyperbole here to emphasize the fullness of the wine vats (BDB 829 s.v. 9).
  6. Proverbs 3:10 tn The word תִּרוֹשׁ (tirosh) appears to be a loanword that refers to unfermented grape juice or sometimes to fresh wine (HALOT 1727-28).sn Most of the economy of ancient Israel was agricultural. The Lord commanded that Israel give the firstfruits of the land (e.g. Deut 26:1-3) and promised to bless Israel with the produce of the land when she would obey God (e.g. Deut 28:1-13).
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Proverbs 2
Proverbs 4
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