43:24 The servant in charge 1 brought the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 43:25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival 2 at noon, for they had heard 3 that they were to have a meal 4 there.
43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, 5 and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. 6 Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 43:28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility. 7
43:29 When Joseph looked up 8 and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 9 43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother 10 and was at the point of tears. 11 So he went to his room and wept there.
1 tn Heb “the man.”
2 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.
3 tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.
4 tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).
3 tn Heb “into the house.”
4 tn Heb “concerning peace.”
5 tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.
6 tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.
7 tn Heb “for his affection boiled up concerning his brother.” The same expression is used in 1 Kgs 3:26 for the mother’s feelings for her endangered child.
8 tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”