“Yes, 13 my son smells
like the scent of an open field
which the Lord has blessed.
31:33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. 14 Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 15
41:8 In the morning he 16 was troubled, so he called for 17 all the diviner-priests 18 of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, 19 but no one could interpret 20 them for him. 21
45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, 22 so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained 23 with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
1 tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.
2 tn Heb “a piece of bread.” The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lekhem) can refer either to bread specifically or to food in general. Based on Abraham’s directions to Sarah in v. 6, bread was certainly involved, but v. 7 indicates that Abraham had a more elaborate meal in mind.
3 tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.
4 tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”
5 tn Heb “and she said to.”
6 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
9 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Heb “and he called its name.”
11 sn The name Rehoboth (רְהֹבוֹת, rehovot) is derived from a verbal root meaning “to make room.” The name was a reminder that God had made room for them. The story shows Isaac’s patience with the opposition; it also shows how God’s blessing outdistanced the men of Gerar. They could not stop it or seize it any longer.
13 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15 tn Heb “see.”
17 tn No direct object is specified for the verb “find” in the Hebrew text. The words “the idols” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.
18 tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”
21 tn Heb “his spirit.”
22 tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.
23 tn The Hebrew term חַרְטֹם (khartom) is an Egyptian loanword (hyr-tp) that describes a class of priests who were skilled in such interpretations.
24 tn The Hebrew text has the singular (though the Samaritan Pentateuch reads the plural). If retained, the singular must be collective for the set of dreams. Note the plural pronoun “them,” referring to the dreams, in the next clause. However, note that in v. 15 Pharaoh uses the singular to refer to the two dreams. In vv. 17-24 Pharaoh seems to treat the dreams as two parts of one dream (see especially v. 22).
25 tn “there was no interpreter.”
26 tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
25 tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”
26 tn Heb “stood.”