42:29 They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying,
1 tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).
2 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”
3 tn Heb “What is this?” The enclitic pronoun “this” adds emphasis to the question, which is comparable to the English rhetorical question, “How in the world?”
4 tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.
5 tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”
6 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Because the
5 tn The construction uses a perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive to introduce the conditional clause and then another perfect verbal form with a vav consecutive to complete the sentence: “if you take…then you will bring down.”
6 sn The expression bring down my gray hair is figurative, using a part for the whole – they would put Jacob in the grave. But the gray head signifies a long life of worry and trouble. See Gen 42:38.
7 tn Heb “evil/calamity.” The term is different than the one used in the otherwise identical statement recorded in v. 31 (see also 42:38).
8 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.