Don't Mess with Abraham!

[David Koberstein]

Genesis 12:3 is a very well-known verse: "And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse."
That sounds clear, but a very important nuance is lost in translation.

The Hebrew verb meaning "to bless" is לְבַרֵךְ (levarekh), from the root בָּ-רַ-ךְ (B-R-Kh). This root is connected to the concept
of a "knee," and thus implies rendering service to someone (i.e., bending the knee). Hence, one possible meaning of the
divine statement could be, "I will serve those who serve you!" To serve implies doing good for someone, bringing benefit
to a recipient --- thus "blessing."

In the second part of the verse God promised Abraham that "the one who curses you" מְקַלֶּלְך (mekalelkha) will in turn
"be cursed" אָאֹר (aor). Notice that this promise (or threat!) uses two different words that are both translated as "to curse."
The first of these, מְקַלֶּלְך (mekalelkha) comes from a root connected to the idea of "lightness" (as opposed to "heaviness).
The second word, אָאֹר (aor), derives from a completely different root that means something like "to utterly destroy."

Taking these Hebrew insights into consideration, an alternative possible translation of this famous verse might be as
follows: "I will do good to those who do good to you, and the one who makes light of you I will utterly destroy."

Shalom

by Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg

 

[Deacon]

Genesis 12:1-3 The Torah: The Five Books of Moses. The New JPS Translation (1962)
The LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your native land and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.
I will make of you a great nation,
And I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
And you shall be a blessing. (a)
I will bless those who bless you
And curse him that curses you;
And all the families of the earth
Shall bless themselves by you."

footnote: (a) I.e. a standard by which blessing is involved; cf. v. 3 end.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Genesis12:1-3 The Anchor Bible: Genesis. E.A. Speiser (1987)
Yahweh said to Abram,
...."Go forth from your native land
.....And from your father's home
.....To a land that I will show you.
.....I will make of you a great nation,
.....Bless you, and make great your name,
.....That it may be a blessing.
.....I will bless those who bless you,
.....And curse those who curse you;
.....And through you shall bless themselves
.....All the communities on earth."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Genesis 12:1-3 Everett Fox (1995)
YHWH said to Avram:
Go-you-forth
from your land,
from you kindred,
from your father's house,
to the land that I will let you see.
I will make a great nation of you
and will give-you-blessing
and will make your name great.
I will bless those who bless you,
he who curses you, I will damn.
All the clans of the soil will find blessing through you!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Genesis 12:1-3 Robert Alter (2004)
And the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your land and your birthplace and your father's house to the land I will show you. And I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and those who damn you, I will curse, and all the clans of the earth through you shall be blessed."

footnote: 2. you shall be a blessing. The verb here as vocalized in the Masoretic Text literally means "Be you a blessing," which makes the Hebrew syntax somewhat problematic. A change in vocalization would yield, "and it [your name] will be a blessing." The Israeli biblical scholar Moshe Weinfeld has aptly noted that after the string of curses that begins with Adam and Eve human history reaches a turning point with Abraham, as blessings instead of curses are emphatically promised.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Genesis 12:1–3 (ESV 2016)
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Genesis 12:1-3 The JPS TANAKH: Gender-sensitive edition (2023)
The GOD said to Abram, "Go forth from your native land and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.
I will make of you a great nation,
And I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
And you shall be a blessing. (a)
I will bless those who bless you
And curse the one who curses you;
And all the families of the earth
Shall bless themselves by you."

footnote: (a) a blessing I.e. a standard by which blessing is involved; cf. v. 3 end.

 

[Van]

Genesis 12:3 is a very well-known verse: "And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse."
That sounds clear, but a very important nuance is lost in translation.

The Hebrew verb meaning "to bless" is לְבַרֵךְ (levarekh), from the root בָּ-רַ-ךְ (B-R-Kh). This root is connected to the concept
of a "knee," and thus implies rendering service to someone (i.e., bending the knee). Hence, one possible meaning of the
divine statement could be, "I will serve those who serve you!" To serve implies doing good for someone, bringing benefit
to a recipient --- thus "blessing."

In the second part of the verse God promised Abraham that "the one who curses you" מְקַלֶּלְך (mekalelkha) will in turn
"be cursed" אָאֹר (aor). Notice that this promise (or threat!) uses two different words that are both translated as "to curse."
The first of these, מְקַלֶּלְך (mekalelkha) comes from a root connected to the idea of "lightness" (as opposed to "heaviness).
The second word, אָאֹר (aor), derives from a completely different root that means something like "to utterly destroy."

Taking these Hebrew insights into consideration, an alternative possible translation of this famous verse might be as
follows: "I will do good to those who do good to you, and the one who makes light of you I will utterly destroy."

Shalom

by Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg

Your post brought a smile to my lips, for I also post the product of my bible study, hoping for edification.

I think your benefit or serve is spot on, so "I will benefit those who benefit you" is a fine rendering in my book.
I know nothing of Hebrew, but I am not sure "make light" is the meaning intended. If the verb (the word translated curse) is Piel, then the shade of meaning would be more negative, rather than slight a person (i.e. they are not as wise as they think) the action would be "they are more despicable than they know."

All this to offer the alternate interpretation:
I will benefit those who benefit you, and I will bring wrath upon those who dishonor you.

Bottom line, bible study brings rewards with appropirate application.

 

[David Koberstein]

Your post brought a smile to my lips, for I also post the product of my bible study, hoping for edification.

I think your benefit or serve is spot on, so "I will benefit those who benefit you" is a fine rendering in my book.
I know nothing of Hebrew, but I am not sure "make light" is the meaning intended. If the verb (the word translated curse) is Piel, then the shade of meaning would be more negative, rather than slight a person (i.e. they are not as wise as they think) the action would be "they are more despicable than they know."

All this to offer the alternate interpretation:
I will benefit those who benefit you, and I will bring wrath upon those who dishonor you.

Bottom line, bible study brings rewards with appropirate application.

Bless you in our Messiah
Shalom

 

[David Koberstein]

Bless you in our Messiah
Shalom

In think the Hebrew rendering is if you slightly offend a Jew Adonai's curse or wrath will be upon you.

 

[David Koberstein]

Bless you in our Messiah
Shalom

Donald Trump understands this biblical principal working in New York with Jewish people in his real estate business. Unfortunately some Christians don't. He has Jews in his cabinet and the highest levels of the Federal government.
Lee Zeldin secretary of the EPA
Howard Lutnick secretary of Commerce
David Sachs crypto currency czar.
Stephen Miller Chief of staff and of policy.
Steve Witcoff Chief foreign negotiator and diplomat.
Emil Bove acting U.S. deputy Attorney General.
Alina Habba Counselor to President Trump
I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
Shalom

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I think the Hebrew rendering is if you slightly offend a Jew Adonai's curse or wrath will be upon you.

This begs the question, who is a Jew?
Romans 2:28-29. 'For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that is outward, in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from me but from God.'
Galatians 3:7. 'Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sone of Abraham.
Galatians 3:26-28. 'For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither salave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.'
Philippians 3:3. 'For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.'

See also, of course, Ephesians 2:11-18.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Thread closed. OP gone.