39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. 3 He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. 4
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 “and he extended to him loyal love.”
4 tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).
5 tn Heb “but you have remembered me with you.” The perfect verbal form may be used rhetorically here to emphasize Joseph’s desire to be remembered. He speaks of the action as already being accomplished in order to make it clear that he expects it to be done. The form can be translated as volitional, expressing a plea or a request.
6 tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.
7 tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”
8 tn The verb זָכַר (zakhar) in the Hiphil stem means “to cause to remember, to make mention, to boast.” The implication is that Joseph would be pleased for them to tell his story and give him the credit due him so that Pharaoh would release him. Since Pharaoh had never met Joseph, the simple translation of “cause him to remember me” would mean little.
9 tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.
7 tn The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.
8 tn Heb “in your eyes.”
9 tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”
10 sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.
11 tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.
12 tn Heb “lest.”
13 tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.
14 tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.
9 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”
10 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”
11 tn Heb “And now swear to me by God here.”
12 tn Heb “my offspring and my descendants.”
13 tn The word “land” refers by metonymy to the people in the land.
14 tn The Hebrew verb means “to stay, to live, to sojourn” as a temporary resident without ownership rights.
15 tn Or “kindness.”
16 tn Heb “According to the loyalty which I have done with you, do with me and with the land in which you are staying.”
13 sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.
14 tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”
15 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”
16 tn Heb “As for me – in the way the
17 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.
18 tn Heb “brothers.”
17 tn Heb “and I will turn to the right or to the left.” The expression apparently means that Abraham’s servant will know where he should go if there is no further business here.
19 tn Heb “the loving deeds and faithfulness” (see 24:27, 49).
20 tn Heb “you have done with.”
21 tn Heb “for with my staff.” The Hebrew word מַקֵל (maqel), traditionally translated “staff,” has been rendered as “walking stick” because a “staff” in contemporary English refers typically to the support personnel in an organization.
22 tn Heb “this Jordan.”
21 tn Heb “days.”
22 sn On the expression put your hand under my thigh see Gen 24:2.
23 tn Or “deal with me in faithful love.”