Now Abraham was old: Now translates the Hebrew waw connective and is used here as an opener or transitional. However, Now is understood by Good News Translation and others as referring to the time in Abraham’s life when the events in chapter 24 take place. This story does not build on or continue one that goes before, but opens by drawing attention to Abraham’s advanced age and God’s blessings. It is because Abraham is very old that arrangements must be made for his heir. Verse 1 serves as an introduction to the story whose story line begins with Gen 24.2.

In some languages this opening may be expressed “Well, Abraham had become a very old man,” “Some years had passed and Abraham had grown very old.” It is also possible to shift blessed Abraham to the beginning and say, for example, “The LORD had blessed Abraham in everything and he had become a very old man” or “… and so had lived to be very old.”

In languages in which words for old as a designation of a person’s age offer several meanings, it will be best to select a term that refers to the most advanced age.

Well advanced in years is literally “gone in days.” This expression serves to emphasize Abraham’s age, which may be translated “very old,” “really old.” This expression may be translated figuratively in some languages; for example, “He was old, with only one hair left.” In many other languages its sense is included in the terms that are used for “very old.”

The LORD had blessed Abraham: for blessed see discussions at 1.22; 2.3; 5.2; 9.1; and particularly 14.19.

In all things: that is, “in all situations,” “in everything he did.”

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 .