Genesis 18:7

Genesis 18:7

And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

a. NLT: Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it.

b. NIV: Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.

c. YLT: and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it;

d. Amplified Bible: And Abraham ran to the herd and brought a calf tender and good and gave it to the young man [to butcher]; then he [Abraham] hastened to prepare it.

e. Septuagint: And Abraam ran to the kine, and took a young calf, tender and good, and gave it to his servant, and he hasted to dress it.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: Then Abraham ran to the cattle, took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the youth who hurried to prepare it.

1. “And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good…”

a. Abraham [85 * ‘Abraham] [Strong: contracted from 1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram:--Abraham.]

b. ran [7323 * ruwts] [Strong: a primitive root; to run (for whatever reason, especially to rush):--break down, divide speedily, footman, guard, bring hastily, (make) run (away, through), post.]

c. to the herd [1241 * baqar] [Strong: from 1239; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:-- beeve, bull (+ -ock), + calf, + cow, great (cattle), + heifer, herd, kine, ox.]

d. and fetcht [3947 * laqach] [Strong: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.]

e. a calf [1121 * ben] [Strong: from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

f. calf [1241 * baqar] See “to the herd” above.

g. tender [7390 * rak] [Strong: from 7401; tender (literally or figuratively); by implication, weak:--faint((-hearted), soft, tender ((-hearted), one), weak.]

h. good [2896 * towb] [Strong:  from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).]

2. “…and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.”

a.  gave it [5414 * nathan] [Strong: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.

b. a young man [5288 * na’ar] [Strong: from 5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age):--babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).]

c. and he hasted [4116 * mahar] [Strong:  a primitive root; properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e. (by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly:--be carried headlong, fearful, (cause to make, in, make) haste(-n, -ily), (be) hasty, (fetch, make ready) X quickly, rash, X shortly, (be so) X soon, make speed, X speedily, X straightway, X suddenly, swift.]

d. to dress it [6213 * ‘asah] [Strong: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

1). Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary: Animal food is never provided, except for visitors of a superior rank when a kid or lamb is killed. A calf is still a higher stretch of hospitality, and it would probably be cooked as is usually done when haste is required--either by roasting it whole or by cutting it up into small pieces and broiling them on skewers over the fire. It is always eaten along with boiled corn swimming in butter or melted fat, into which every morsel of meat, laid upon a piece of bread, is dipped, before being conveyed by the fingers to the mouth.