New American Standard Bible 1995

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Genesis

19

:

8

"Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof."

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"Now I (we) pray, now Interjection H4994 נָ֨א na
behold, lo! behold! Particle H2009 הִנֵּה־ hin·neh-
I have two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁתֵּ֣י she·tei
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

daughters daughter Noun H1323 בָנֹ֗ות va·no·vt
who who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֤ר a·sher
have not had relations to know Verb H3045 יָדְעוּ֙ ya·de·'u
with man; man Noun H376 אִ֔ישׁ ish,
please I (we) pray, now Interjection H4994 נָּ֤א na
let me bring to go or come out Verb H3318 אֹוצִֽיאָה־ o·v·tzi·'ah-
them out to you, and do do, make Verb H6213 וַעֲשׂ֣וּ va·'a·su
to them whatever pleasant, agreeable, good Adjective H2896 כַּטֹּ֖וב kat·to·vv
you like; pleasant, agreeable, good Adjective H2896    
only thin, only, altogether, surely H7534    
do do, make Verb H6213 תַּעֲשׂ֣וּ ta·'a·su
nothing not (a subjective neg.) Adverb H408 אַל־ al-
to these these Pronoun H411 הָאֵל֙ ha·'el
men, man Noun H376 לָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים la·'a·na·shim
inasmuch that, for, when Conjunction H3588 כִּֽי־ ki-
as they have come to come in, come, go in, go Verb H935 בָּ֖אוּ ba·'u
under the shelter a shadow Noun H6738 בְּצֵ֥ל be·tzel
of my roof." a rafter, beam Noun H6982 קֹרָתִֽי׃ ko·ra·ti.

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof."
King James Bible "Now behold, Behold now, I have two daughters who which have not had relations with known man; please let me me, I pray you, bring them out to unto you, and do ye to them whatever you like; as is good in your eyes: only do nothing to unto these men, inasmuch as men do nothing; for therefore came they have come under the shelter shadow of my roof."
Hebrew Greek English "Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof."