The One Year Bible TLB (272 page)

1:1
When God began creating,
or “In the beginning God created.”

1:2
the earth was,
or “the earth became.”
a shapeless, chaotic mass,
or “shapeless and void.”
over the dark vapors,
or “over the cloud of darkness,” or “over the darkness and waters,” or “over the dark gaseous mass.” There is not one correct way to translate these words.

1:4-5
Together they formed the first day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, one day (or ‘period of time’).”

1:6
Let the vapors separate,
literally, “Let there be a dome to divide the waters.”

1:7-8
This all happened on the second day,
literally, “There was evening and there was morning, a second day (or ‘period of time’).”

1:13
This all occurred on the third day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a third day (or ‘period of time’).”

1:19
This all happened on the fourth day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day (or ‘period of time’).”

1:23
That ended the fifth day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day (or ‘period of time’).”

1:26
a man,
literally, “men.”
someone like ourselves,
literally, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”

1:31
This ended the sixth day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day (or ‘period of time’).”

2:7
from the dust of the ground,
or “from a lump of soil,” or “from clods in the soil,” or “from a clod of clay.”

2:11-12
the land of Havilah,
located along the border of Babylonia.

2:24
become one person,
literally, “become one flesh.”

1:17
These are fourteen,
literally, “So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen.”

1:19
her fiancé,
literally, “her husband.”
a man of stern principle,
literally, “a just man.”

1:20
As he lay awake,
implied in remainder of verse.

2:3
and all Jerusalem was filled with rumors,
literally, “and all Jerusalem with him.”

2:5
Micah,
implied; see Micah 5:2.

2:9
appeared to them again, standing over Bethlehem,
literally, “went before them until it came and stood over where the baby lay.”

3:9
Why are you hiding?
or “Where are you?”

3:20
Eve (meaning “The life-giving one”).
Many Hebrew names are based on puns. In this instance the Hebrew word for
Eve
sounds similar to a Hebrew word that means “life-giving.”

4:18
Enoch was the father of,
or “the ancestor of,” and so also in the remainder of the verse.

4:21
the inventor of the harp and flute,
literally, “the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.”

4:22
He opened the first foundry,
literally, “He was the father of all metal workers in bronze and iron.”

4:26
It was during . . . “the Lord’s people,”
literally, “This man was the first to invoke the name of Jehovah.”

2:14
same,
implied.

2:15
Compare Hosea 11:1.

2:18
Ramah,
or “the region of Ramah.”

3:1
While they were living in Nazareth,
literally, “In those days.”

3:2
is coming soon,
or “has arrived”; literally, “is at hand.”

3:3
I hear,
implied. See Isaiah 40:3.

2:1
What fools . . . to rage,
literally, “Why do the heathen rage?”
try to outwit God,
literally, “meditate a vain thing.”

2:2
his Messiah, Christ the King,
literally, “his anointed.”

2:6
For the Lord declares,
implied.
in Jerusalem, my holy city,
literally, “upon Zion, my holy mountain.”

2:7
His chosen one replies,
implied.
This is your Coronation Day,
literally, “This day have I begotten you.”

2:12
Fall down before his Son and kiss his feet,
implied.

1:7-9
many honors,
literally, “a fair garland and adornment.”

5:1
Here is a list of some of the descendants of Adam,
literally, “This is the roll of Adam’s descendants.”
the man who was like God,
literally, “in the likeness of God.”

5:3-5
when his son Seth was born,
or by Hebrew usage, “when his son, the ancestor (of Seth) was born.” So also in vv. 6, 9, 15, 18, 21, 25, 28, 32.
the very image of his father in every way,
literally, “in his own likeness, after his image.”
After Seth was born,
or by Hebrew usage, “After this ancestor of Seth was born.”

6:1-2
beings from the spirit world,
literally, “sons of God,” used here in the sense of his created, supernatural beings, but no longer godly in character (v. 3). Some commentators believe that the expression “sons of God” refers to the “godly line” of Seth, and “daughters of men” to women from the line of Cain.

7:3
seven pairs,
literally, “the male and female.”

7:16
the Lord God,
literally, “Jehovah.”

3:7
Pharisees,
Jewish religious leaders who strictly followed the letter of the law but often violated its intent.
Sadducees,
Jewish political leaders.

3:9
God can change these stones here into Jews,
literally, “God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

3:11
With water . . . with the Holy Spirit,
or “In water . . . in the Holy Spirit.”

3:15
do all that is right,
literally, “fulfill all righteousness.”

3:3
now bowed in shame,
implied.

3:4
from his Temple in Jerusalem,
literally, “from his holy mountain.”

3:7
insulting them and breaking off their teeth,
implied.

1:19
all who live by violence and murder,
literally, “all who are greedy of gain.”

8:5
Three months later,
literally, “On the first day of the tenth month.”

8:7
a raven that flew back and forth.
Apparently lighting from time to time upon carcasses of dead animals floating on the water. The dove that Noah next dispatched would not alight on such floating carrion and was thus a good indication of the water level.

8:13
Twenty-nine days after that,
literally, “In the 601st year, in the first month, the first day of the month.”

8:20
some of the animals and birds God had designated,
literally, “clean,” i.e., ritually approved by God.

8:21
And Jehovah was pleased with the sacrifice,
literally, “And Jehovah smelled the delicious odor.”

9:9-11
you and your children,
literally, “your seed.”

9:18
Ham is the ancestor of the Canaanites.
Ham was not the ancestor of the Negro, as was once erroneously supposed.

9:24-25
he cursed Ham’s descendants,
literally, “cursed be Canaan.” The Canaanites were Ham’s descendants.

9:26-27
God bless Shem, and may Canaan be his slave,
or “Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem, and may the Canaanites be Shem’s slaves.”

10:2
sons,
or “descendants.”

10:8
One of the descendants,
or “The son.”

10:9
a mighty hunter, blessed of God,
or “a mighty hunter against the Lord.”

10:13-14
ancestor,
or “father.”

10:23
sons,
or “descendants.”

10:26-30
father,
or “ancestor.”

4:12-13
returned home,
implied.

4:15-16
broke through upon them,
see Isaiah 9:1-2.

4:17
is near,
or “is at hand,” or “has arrived.”

4:18
out in a boat,
implied.

4:1
O God, you have declared me perfect in your eyes,
literally, “God of my righteousness.”

4:4
Stand before the Lord in awe,
literally, “Be angry.”

4:6
Prove them wrong,
implied.

11:6
Language is the basis on which science feeds upon itself and grows. This was the beginning of an explosion of knowledge, nipped in the bud because of wrong motives and wrong use of the knowledge gained. Similarity with today’s world is significant.

11:12-13
his son Shelah was born,
or by Hebrew usage, “there was born to him the ancestor of Shelah.” So also throughout the remainder of the chapter.

11:29
half sister,
implied; see 20:12.
orphaned niece, Milcah,
implied.

11:32
age of 205,
implied. The Samaritan Pentateuch says that Terah died when he was 145 years old, so that his death occurred in the year of Abraham’s departure from Haran. This is more consistent with 11:26 and 12:4. See also Acts 7:4.

12:2
you will be a blessing to many others,
or “I will make your name so famous that it will be used to pronounce blessings on others.”

12:3
the entire world will be blessed because of you,
or “the nations will bless themselves because of you.”

12:8
traveled southward,
implied.

12:15
into his harem,
literally, “into the household of Pharaoh.”

5:18
until its purpose is achieved,
literally, “until all things be accomplished.”

5:20
goodness,
literally, “righteousness.”

5:22
But I have added to that rule and tell you,
literally, “But I say.”
even in your own home,
literally, “with your brother.” 
the fires of hell,
literally, “the hell of fire.”

13:5
many servants,
implied; literally, “many tents.”

13:7
despite the danger they all faced,
implied.

13:10
Garden of Eden,
literally, “Garden of Jehovah.”

14:8-9
unsuccessfully,
implied.

14:11
the victors plundered,
implied.

14:12
Abram’s nephew,
literally, “Abram’s brother’s son.”

15:2-3
some other member of my household
was Eliezer of Damascus.

15:16
Amorite nations living here now,
implied.

15:18
Wadi-el-Arish,
literally, “River of Egypt,” at the southern border of Judah.

5:29
your best eye,
literally, “your right eye.”

5:38
pay with his own eye . . . knock out the tooth,
literally, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”

6:5
For if I die, I cannot give you glory by praising you before my friends,
literally, “In the grave, who shall give you thanks?” Isaiah 57:1-2 may indicate that Old Testament saints believed in a conscious and pleasant hereafter for those who love God.