39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. 4 He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. 5
1 sn The Hebrew verb translated became his personal attendant refers to higher domestic service, usually along the lines of a personal attendant. Here Joseph is made the household steward, a position well-attested in Egyptian literature.
2 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Heb “put into his hand.”
4 tn Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”
5 tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).
6 tn Or “appointed.” See Gen 41:41-43.
7 tn Or “exposed” (see v. 19).
8 tn Grk “Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself.” According to BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω, “The pap. exx. involve exposed children taken up and reared as slaves…The rendering ‘adopt’ lacks philological precision and can be used only in a loose sense (as NRSV), esp. when Gr-Rom. terminology relating to adoption procedures is taken into account.” In this instance both the immediate context and the OT account (Exod 2:3-10) do support the normal sense of the English word “adopt,” although it should not be understood to refer to a technical, legal event.
9 tn Or “and reared him” (BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b).