18 August 2022 draft-bible
4. and kissed him. Hebrew wayyiššaqehu, written with a dot above each letter of the word. According to Emanuel Tov, this phenomenon appears in fifteen places in the Hebrew Bible, and originally indicated that some editor believed that marked word should be deleted (Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, 2nd ed., 2001, pp. 55-57).
5. graced. Hebrew ḥanan, a single word.
8. he said … he said. In the Hebrew text, Esau and Jacob’s name are not explicitly given.
9. that is brought. Hebrew hubat, a passive verb.
13. And he said. The name ‘Jacob’ does not appear in the Hebrew text of this verse, but is added in by WEB.
14. livestock. Hebrew mᵉlakah, an unusual term for livestock. In any case, there is nothing to indicate the term refers specifically to bovines.
18. And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem. KJV, “And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem”. According to Driver, both readings are grammatically possible, and Driver notes the existing of a village called Salim “on the low hills forming the N. border of the plain E. of Shechem, 4 miles E. of the city, and directly facing it”.
19. one hundred pieces of money. Translating the Hebrew qᵉśiṭah as ‘piece of money’. This is likely not a perfect translation, but the exact value of a qᵉ’śitah is lost to history.
20. erected. Hebrew hṣyb, “make to stand”. Driver says of the verb that is is “used of a ‘standing-stone,’ or pillar (xxxv. 14, 20, al.), but never elsewhere of an altar. Very possibly ‘altar’ (מזבח) is a correction of an original ‘standing-stone’ (מצבה).”
20. El Elohe Israel. Meaning, “El, the god of Israel”.
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