Genesis 25–36

Footnotes

1. 1 Or “took.” Abraham had taken another wife. These events are not necessarily in chronological order following the events of the preceding chapter. They are listed here to summarize Abraham’s other descendants before the narrative of his death.
2. 2 Heb “And Abraham added and took.”
3. 3 The names Sheba and Dedan appear in Gen 10:7 as descendants of Ham through Cush and Raamah. Since these two names are usually interpreted to be place names, one plausible suggestion is that some of Abraham’s descendants lived in those regions and took names linked with it.
4. 4 Or “sons.”
5. 5 Heb “the sons of the concubines who [belonged] to Abraham.”
6. 6 Heb “And he sent them away from upon Isaac his son, while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.”
7. 7 Heb “and these are the days of the years of the lifetime of Abraham that he lived.” The normal genealogical formula is expanded here due to the importance of the life of Abraham.
8. 8 Heb “old and full.”
9. 9 Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
10. 10 The cave of Machpelah was the place Abraham had purchased as a burial place for his wife Sarah (Gen 23:17–18).
11. 11 See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in .
12. 12 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).
13. 13 Beer Lahai Roi. See the note on this place name in .
14. 14 This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).
15. 15 The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”
16. 16 Or “tribal chieftains.”
17. 17 Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”
18. 18 Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
19. 19 Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20. 20 Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.
21. 21 Heb “as you go.”
22. 22 The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.
23. 23 Heb “he fell.”
24. 24 Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.
25. 25 This is the account of Isaac. What follows for several chapters is not the account of Isaac, except briefly, but the account of Jacob and Esau. The next chapters tell what became of Isaac and his family.
26. 26 Heb “And Isaac was the son of forty years when he took Rebekah.”
27. 27 Some valuable information is provided here. We learn here that Isaac married thirty-five years before Abraham died, that Rebekah was barren for twenty years, and that Abraham would have lived to see Jacob and Esau begin to grow up. The death of Abraham was recorded in the first part of the chapter as a “tidying up” of one generation before beginning the account of the next.
28. 28 The Hebrew verb עָתַר (’atar), translated “prayed [to]” here, appears in the story of God’s judgment on Egypt in which Moses asked the Lord to remove the plagues. The cognate word in Arabic means “to slaughter for sacrifice,” and the word is used in Zeph 3:10 to describe worshipers who bring offerings. Perhaps some ritual accompanied Isaac’s prayer here.
29. 29 The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.
30. 30 Heb “If [it is] so, why [am] I this [way]?” Rebekah wanted to know what was happening to her, but the question itself reflects a growing despair over the struggle of the unborn children.
31. 31 Asked the Lord. In other passages (e.g., 1 Sam 9:9) this expression refers to inquiring of a prophet, but no details are provided here.
32. 32 By metonymy the two children in her womb are described as two nations of which the two children, Jacob and Esau, would become the fathers. The language suggests there would be a struggle between these nations, with one being stronger than the other. The oracle reveals that all of Jacob’s scheming was unnecessary in the final analysis. He would have become the dominant nation without using deception to steal his brother’s blessing.
33. 33 Heb “And her days were filled to give birth.”
34. 34 Heb “look!” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene as if they were actually present at the birth.
35. 35 Reddish. The Hebrew word translated “reddish” is אַדְמוֹנִי (’admoni), which forms a wordplay on the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. The writer sees in Esau’s appearance at birth a sign of what was to come. After all, the reader has already been made aware of the “nations” that were being born.
36. 36 Heb “all of him.”
37. 37 Hairy. Here is another wordplay involving the descendants of Esau. The Hebrew word translated “hairy” is שֵׂעָר (se’ar); the Edomites will later live in Mount Seir, perhaps named for its wooded nature.
38. 38 Heb “And they called his name Esau.” The name “Esau” (עֵשָׂו, ’esav) is not etymologically related to שֵׂעָר (se’ar), but it draws on some of the sounds.
39. 39 The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.
40. 40 Heb “And he called his name Jacob.” Some ancient witnesses read “they called his name Jacob” (see v. 25). In either case the subject is indefinite. The name Jacob is a play on the Hebrew word for “heel” (עָקֵב, ’aqev). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. It did not have a negative connotation until Esau redefined it. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. After receiving such an oracle, the parents would have preserved in memory almost every detail of the unusual births.
41. 41 Heb “the son of sixty years.”
42. 42 Heb “knowing.”
43. 43 The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Jacob with Esau and draws attention to the striking contrasts. In contrast to Esau, a man of the field, Jacob was civilized, as the phrase “living in tents” signifies. Whereas Esau was a skillful hunter, Jacob was calm and even-tempered (תָּם, tam), which normally has the idea of “blameless.”
44. 44 Heb “the taste of game was in his mouth.” The word for “game,” “venison” is here the same Hebrew word as “hunter” in the last verse. Here it is a metonymy, referring to that which the hunter kills.
45. 45 The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Rebekah with Jacob and draws attention to the contrast. The verb here is a participle, drawing attention to Rebekah’s continuing, enduring love for her son.
46. 46 Jacob cooked some stew. There are some significant words and wordplays in this story that help clarify the points of the story. The verb “cook” is זִיד (zid), which sounds like the word for “hunter” (צַיִד, tsayid). This is deliberate, for the hunter becomes the hunted in this story. The word זִיד means “to cook, to boil,” but by the sound play with צַיִד it comes to mean “set a trap by cooking.” The usage of the word shows that it can also have the connotation of acting presumptuously (as in boiling over). This too may be a comment on the scene. For further discussion of the rhetorical devices in the Jacob narratives, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis ().
47. 47 The rare term לָעַט (la’at), translated “feed,” is used in later Hebrew for feeding animals (see , 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.
48. 48 The verb has no expressed subject and so is given a passive translation.
49. 49 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.”
50. 50 Heb “today.”
51. 51 Heb “And what is this to me, a birthright?”
52. 52 Heb “Swear to me today.”
53. 53 Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
54. 54 And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.
55. 55 The style here is typical of Hebrew narrative; after the tension is resolved with the dialogue, the working out of it is recorded in a rapid sequence of verbs (“gave”; “ate”; “drank”; “got up”; “went out”). See also Gen 3:1–7 for another example.
56. 56 So Esau despised his birthright. This clause, which concludes the episode, is a summary statement which reveals the underlying significance of Esau’s actions. “To despise” means to treat something as worthless or with contempt. Esau’s willingness to sell his birthright was evidence that he considered it to be unimportant.
57. 1 Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”
58. 2 This account is parallel to two similar stories about Abraham (see Gen 12:10–20; 20:1–18). Many scholars do not believe there were three similar incidents, only one that got borrowed and duplicated. Many regard the account about Isaac as the original, which then was attached to the more important person, Abraham, with supernatural elements being added. For a critique of such an approach, see R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 47–62. It is more likely that the story illustrates the proverb “like father, like son” (see T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 53). In typical human fashion the son follows his father’s example of lying to avoid problems. The appearance of similar events reported in a similar way underscores the fact that the blessing has now passed to Isaac, even if he fails as his father did.
59. 3 Do not go down to Egypt. The words echo Gen 12:10, which reports that “Abram went down to Egypt,” but state the opposite.
60. 4 Heb “say to you.”
61. 5 The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur) means “to live temporarily without ownership of land.” Abraham’s family will not actually possess the land of Canaan until the Israelite conquest hundreds of years later.
62. 6 After the imperative “stay” the two prefixed verb forms with prefixed conjunction here indicate consequence. I will be with you and I will bless you. The promise of divine presence is a promise to intervene to protect and to bless.
63. 7 The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context. To you and to your descendants. The Abrahamic blessing will pass to Isaac. Everything included in that blessing will now belong to the son, and in turn will be passed on to his sons. But there is a contingency involved: If they are to enjoy the full blessings, they will have to obey the word of the Lord. And so obedience is enjoined here with the example of how well Abraham obeyed.
64. 8 The Hiphil stem of the verb קוּם (qum) here means “to fulfill, to bring to realization.” For other examples of this use of this verb form, see Lev 26:9; Num 23:19; Deut 8:18; 9:5; 1 Sam 1:23; 1 Kgs 6:12; Jer 11:5.
65. 9 Heb “the oath which I swore.” The solemn promise I made. See Gen 15:18–20; 22:16–18.
66. 10 Heb “your descendants.”
67. 11 Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 22:18). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)
68. 12 The words “All this will come to pass” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.
69. 13 Heb “listened to my voice.”
70. 14 My charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. The language of this verse is clearly interpretive, for Abraham did not have all these laws. The terms are legal designations for sections of the Mosaic law and presuppose the existence of the law. Some Rabbinic views actually conclude that Abraham had fulfilled the whole law before it was given (see Qiddushin 4:14). Some scholars argue that this story could only have been written after the law was given (C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:). But the simplest explanation is that the narrator (traditionally taken to be Moses the Lawgiver) elaborated on the simple report of Abraham’s obedience by using terms with which the Israelites were familiar. In this way he depicts Abraham as the model of obedience to God’s commands, whose example Israel should follow.
71. 15 Rebekah, unlike Sarah, was not actually her husband’s sister.
72. 16 Heb “lest.” The words “for he thought to himself” are supplied because the next clause is written with a first person pronoun, showing that Isaac was saying or thinking this.
73. 17 Heb “kill me on account of.”
74. 18 Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
75. 19 Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”
76. 20 Heb “look, Isaac.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene through Abimelech’s eyes.
77. 21 Or “fondling.” The Hebrew word מְצַחֵק (métsakheq), from the root צָחַק (tsakhaq, “laugh”), forms a sound play with the name “Isaac” right before it. Here it depicts an action, probably caressing or fondling, that indicated immediately that Rebekah was Isaac’s wife, not his sister. Isaac’s deception made a mockery of God’s covenantal promise. Ignoring God’s promise to protect and bless him, Isaac lied to protect himself and acted in bad faith to the men of Gerar.
78. 22 Heb “Surely, look!” See N. H. Snaith, “The meaning of Hebrew ‘ak,” 14 (1964): 221–25.
79. 23 Heb “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’ ” Since the verb “said” probably means “said to myself” (i.e., “thought”) here, the direct discourse in the Hebrew statement has been converted to indirect discourse in the translation. In addition the simple prepositional phrase “on account of her” has been clarified in the translation as “to get her” (cf. v. 7).
80. 24 Heb “What is this you have done to us?” The Hebrew demonstrative pronoun “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to us?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).
81. 25 Heb “people.”
82. 26 The Hebrew verb means “to lie down.” Here the expression “lie with” or “sleep with” is euphemistic for “have sexual relations with.”
83. 27 Heb “strikes.” Here the verb has the nuance “to harm in any way.” It would include assaulting the woman or killing the man.
84. 28 The use of the infinitive absolute before the imperfect makes the construction emphatic.
85. 29 Heb “a hundredfold.”
86. 30 This final clause explains why Isaac had such a bountiful harvest.
87. 31 Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Isaac’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are included.
88. 32 Heb “and he went, going and becoming great.” The construction stresses that his growth in possessions and power continued steadily.
89. 33 Heb “and there was to him.”
90. 34 Heb “possessions of sheep.”
91. 35 Heb “possessions of cattle.”
92. 36 The Hebrew verb translated “became jealous” refers here to intense jealousy or envy that leads to hostile action (see v. 15).
93. 37 Heb “and the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with dirt.”
94. 38 Heb “Go away from us.”
95. 39 You have become much more powerful. This explanation for the expulsion of Isaac from Philistine territory foreshadows the words used later by the Egyptians to justify their oppression of Israel (see Exod 1:9).
96. 40 Heb “and he camped in the valley of Gerar and he lived there.” 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.
97. 41 Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”
98. 42 Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.
99. 43 Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.
100. 44 Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
101. 45 Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
102. 46 Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”
103. 47 Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).
104. 48 The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.
105. 49 Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
106. 50 Heb “and he called the name of the well.”
107. 51 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.”
108. 52 The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
109. 53 Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
110. 54 Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
111. 55 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.
112. 56 Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
113. 57 Heb “and he called its name.”
114. 58 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.
115. 59 Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
116. 60 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 (), 1:.
117. 61 Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”
118. 62 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.”
119. 63 Heb “and.”
120. 64 Many modern translations render the Hebrew term מֵרֵעַ (merea’) as “councillor” or “adviser,” but the term may not designate an official position but simply a close personal friend.
121. 65 The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.
122. 66 The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.
123. 67 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.
124. 68 The pronoun “us” here is inclusive—it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.
125. 69 The pronoun “us” here is exclusive—it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).
126. 70 The translation assumes that the cohortative expresses their request. Another option is to understand the cohortative as indicating resolve: “We want to make.’ ”
127. 71 The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”
128. 72 Heb “touched.”
129. 73 Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”
130. 74 Heb “and we sent you away.”
131. 75 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. ).
132. 76 Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
133. 77 Heb “and they ate and drank.”
134. 78 Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”
135. 79 Heb “and they went from him in peace.”
136. 80 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.
137. 81 The name Shibah (שִׁבְעָה, shiv’ah) 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.
138. 82 The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bé’er shava’) 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.
139. 83 The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.
140. 84 Heb “the son of forty years.”
141. 85 Heb “took as a wife.”
142. 86 Heb “And they were [a source of] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”
143. 1 The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.
144. 2 Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”
145. 3 Heb “greater” (in terms of age).
146. 4 Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.
147. 5 Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.
148. 6 The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.
149. 7 Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”
150. 8 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”).
151. 9 Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
152. 10 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.
153. 11 The disjunctive clause (introduced by a conjunction with the subject, followed by the predicate) here introduces a new scene in the story.
154. 12 The adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the .
155. 13 Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
156. 14 The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.
157. 15 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.
158. 16 Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”
159. 17 Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”
160. 18 Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
161. 19 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.
162. 20 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.
163. 21 Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.