And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel: the connecting word in this context suggests a subsequent event that may be rendered in English as “After that,” “Then,” “Later.” From the Negeb as far as Bethel is the reverse direction of Abram’s journey in 12.8-9. For journeyed on see comments on 12.9. Abram is moving, as Good News Translation says, “from place to place” as he migrates northward, or as Speiser says, “he went by stages.” In some languages it may be necessary to expand the translation of this term, to avoid the impression that it was a single continuous journey, and to give the picture of traveling by stages. One translation says simply “They camped and traveled, until they came….” Another says “His many journeys began there in the southern region and continued to Bethel….” A fuller translation, in the manner of narrative in many languages around the world, has “They traveled, stayed a short time in one place, packed up, traveled, stayed a short time in another place, packed up, traveled again. In this way they traveled toward Bethel… They traveled slowly like this until they came to….”

To the place where his tent had been at the beginning: that is, “to the place where he had camped on his first trip.”

Between Bethel and Ai: see 12.8.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .