Let the waters’ current not sweep me away and let not the deep swallow me and let the Pit not close its mouth on me. Psalm 69:16 [Hebrew Bible] Robert Alter The Pit – Think of Beersheba. The well of seven. bĕʾēr, the Hebrew word for well or pit, is used in Genesis 16:14 in…
“Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.” Genesis 44:5 NASB Divination – The Hebrew word translated as “divination” in this verse is naḥaš. In the context of Joseph’s trickery, this word is quite important. Furthermore, it has some unsettling…
But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? Genesis 50:19 NASB In God’s place – Genesis is a book of emotional distance. It begins with expulsion, continues through isolation (Noah), betrayal (Sarah), discrimination (Esau and Jacob) and ends with alienation (Joseph). Through all of these lives, God seeks…
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” Genesis 41:51 NASB God has made me forget– One of the peculiarities of the Joseph account is how infrequently God is mentioned. Joseph doesn’t pray to God before interpreting visions. He doesn’t mention God during his captivity. He…
But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. Genesis 42:8 NASB Recognized– Moshe Luzzatto points out self-awareness is a function of our interaction with others. We, in fact, owe others for our very existence as psychological selves. According to Luzzatto, this is an infinite debt. After all, it constitutes what we know as life…
He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?” Genesis 37:30 NASB Is not there – The translation reads the way we expectit to read, but that isn’t what the verse actually says. In Hebrew it reads, einenu, that is “he is not.” Of course,…
and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not.” Genesis 37:32 NASB Please Examine– I think we should create a new Bible board game. We could call it CLUE. We would provide various verses on cards and little…
It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. Genesis 35:18 NASB Benjamin – No surprise here. Jacob renames his last son Ben-jamin rather than Ben-oni. To understand why, let’s put it in Hebrew transliteration. Ya’aqov names the boy, Ben-yamin rather than…
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. Genesis 45:3 NASB My father – In his splendid book, The Exodus You Almost Passed Over,[1] Rabbi David Fohrman demonstrates that Joseph likely suffered severe emotional trauma…
“I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.” 2 Kings 20:6 NASB Add – “Just give me a little more time, Lord.”…
