Discovery BoxGenesis 36:1--46:34
Context36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). 1
36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: 2 Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 3 of Zibeon the Hivite, 36:3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
36:4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 36:5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
36:6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from 4 Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled 5 was not able to support them because of their livestock. 36:8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir. 6
36:9 This is the account of Esau, the father 7 of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.
36:10 These were the names of Esau’s sons:
Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:11 The sons of Eliphaz were:
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
36:12 Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons 8 of Esau’s wife Adah.
36:13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons 9 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter 10 of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.
36:15 These were the chiefs 11 among the descendants 12 of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 36:16 chief Korah, 13 chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons 14 of Adah.
36:17 These were the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these were the sons 15 of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.
36:20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, 16 who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 36:21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants 17 of Seir in the land of Edom.
36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; 18 Lotan’s sister was Timna.
36:23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, 19 and Onam.
36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs 20 in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).
36:25 These were the children 21 of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:26 These were the sons of Dishon: 22 Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
36:27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
36:28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
36:29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 36:30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir.
36:31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: 23
36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
36:33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
36:34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
36:35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place; the name of his city was Avith.
36:36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
36:37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River 24 reigned in his place.
36:38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
36:39 When Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad 25 reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. 26 His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 36:41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 36:42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 36:43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements 27 in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.
37:1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, 28 in the land of Canaan. 29
37:2 This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, 30 was taking care of 31 the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster 32 working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. 33 Joseph brought back a bad report about them 34 to their father.
37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons 35 because he was a son born to him late in life, 36 and he made a special 37 tunic for him. 37:4 When Joseph’s 38 brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, 39 they hated Joseph 40 and were not able to speak to him kindly. 41
37:5 Joseph 42 had a dream, 43 and when he told his brothers about it, 44 they hated him even more. 45 37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 46 37:7 There we were, 47 binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down 48 to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” 49 They hated him even more 50 because of his dream and because of what he said. 51
37:9 Then he had another dream, 52 and told it to his brothers. “Look,” 53 he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? 54 Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” 55 37:11 His brothers were jealous 56 of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. 57
37:12 When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers 58 are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” 59 Joseph replied. 60 37:14 So Jacob 61 said to him, “Go now and check on 62 the welfare 63 of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob 64 sent him from the valley of Hebron.
37:15 When Joseph reached Shechem, 65 a man found him wandering 66 in the field, so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell 67 me where they are grazing their flocks.” 37:17 The man said, “They left this area, 68 for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
37:18 Now Joseph’s brothers 69 saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 37:19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams! 70 37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild 71 animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!” 72
37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph 73 from their hands, 74 saying, 75 “Let’s not take his life!” 76 37:22 Reuben continued, 77 “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” 78 (Reuben said this 79 so he could rescue Joseph 80 from them 81 and take him back to his father.)
37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him 82 of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore. 37:24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; 83 there was no water in it.)
37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up 84 and saw 85 a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. 86 37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, 87 for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. 88 37:28 So when the Midianite 89 merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled 90 him 91 out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites 92 then took Joseph to Egypt.
37:29 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! 93 He tore his clothes, 37:30 returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?” 37:31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a young goat, 94 and dipped the tunic in the blood. 37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father 95 and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”
37:33 He recognized it and exclaimed, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! 96 Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, 97 and mourned for his son many days. 37:35 All his sons and daughters stood by 98 him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” 99 So Joseph’s 100 father wept for him.
37:36 Now 101 in Egypt the Midianites 102 sold Joseph 103 to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. 104
38:1 At that time Judah left 105 his brothers and stayed 106 with an Adullamite man 107 named Hirah.
38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man 108 named Shua. 109 Judah acquired her as a wife 110 and had marital relations with her. 111 38:3 She became pregnant 112 and had a son. Judah named 113 him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had 114 yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. 115
38:6 Judah acquired 116 a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.
38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with 117 your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise 118 up a descendant for your brother.” 119 38:9 But Onan knew that the child 120 would not be considered his. 121 So whenever 122 he had sexual relations with 123 his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely 124 so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord 125 killed him too.
38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, 126 “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” 127 So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
38:12 After some time 128 Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with 129 his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, 130 “Look, your father-in-law is going up 131 to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because 132 she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) 133
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute 134 because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” 135 (He did not realize 136 it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” 137 38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” 138 38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. 139 She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, 140 removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.
38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah 141 the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, 142 but Hirah 143 could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, 144 “Where is the cult prostitute 145 who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things 146 for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. 147 I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”
38:24 After three months Judah was told, 148 “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, 149 and as a result she has become pregnant.” 150 Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word 151 to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” 152 Then she said, “Identify 153 the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright 154 than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her 155 again.
38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child 156 put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. 157 She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” 158 So he was named Perez. 159 38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. 160
39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. 161 An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, 162 purchased him from 163 the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful 164 and lived 165 in the household of his Egyptian master. 39:3 His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful. 166 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. 167 Potiphar appointed Joseph 168 overseer of his household and put him in charge 169 of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time 170 Potiphar 171 appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed 172 the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both 173 in his house and in his fields. 174 39:6 So Potiphar 175 left 176 everything he had in Joseph’s care; 177 he gave no thought 178 to anything except the food he ate. 179
Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. 180 39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of 181 Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.” 182 39:8 But he refused, saying 183 to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought 184 to his household with me here, 185 and everything that he owns he has put into my care. 186 39:9 There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do 187 such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak 188 to Joseph day after day, he did not respond 189 to her invitation to have sex with her. 190
39:11 One day 191 he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants 192 were there in the house. 39:12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran 193 outside. 194 39:13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, 39:14 she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought 195 in a Hebrew man 196 to us to humiliate us. 197 He tried to have sex with me, 198 but I screamed loudly. 199 39:15 When he heard me raise 200 my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”
39:16 So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. 39:17 This is what she said to him: 201 “That Hebrew slave 202 you brought to us tried to humiliate me, 203 39:18 but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”
39:19 When his master heard his wife say, 204 “This is the way 205 your slave treated me,” 206 he became furious. 207 39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, 208 the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. 209
39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. 210 He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. 211 39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. 212 39:23 The warden did not concern himself 213 with anything that was in Joseph’s 214 care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.
40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer 215 to the king of Egypt and the royal baker 216 offended 217 their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, 218 the cupbearer and the baker, 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. 219
They spent some time in custody. 220 40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream 221 the same night. 222 Each man’s dream had its own meaning. 223 40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. 224 40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” 225 40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, 226 but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them 227 to me.”
40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: 228 “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his 229 cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 230
40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent 231 three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you 232 and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before 233 when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me 234 when it goes well for you, and show 235 me kindness. 236 Make mention 237 of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, 238 40:15 for I really was kidnapped 239 from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”
40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, 240 he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread 241 on my head. 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”
40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent 242 three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you 243 and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” 244 the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position 245 so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. 246 40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. 247
41:1 At the end of two full years 248 Pharaoh had a dream. 249 As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, 250 and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, 251 and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. 252 41:4 The bad-looking, thin cows ate the seven fine-looking, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
41:5 Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing 253 on one stalk, healthy 254 and good. 41:6 Then 255 seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream. 256
41:8 In the morning he 257 was troubled, so he called for 258 all the diviner-priests 259 of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, 260 but no one could interpret 261 them for him. 262 41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. 263 41:10 Pharaoh was enraged with his servants, and he put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guards – me and the chief baker. 41:11 We each had a dream one night; each of us had a dream with its own meaning. 264 41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant 265 of the captain of the guards, 266 was with us there. We told him our dreams, 267 and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. 268 41:13 It happened just as he had said 269 to us – Pharaoh 270 restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” 271
41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned 272 Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, 273 and there is no one who can interpret 274 it. But I have heard about you, that 275 you can interpret dreams.” 276 41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, 277 but God will speak concerning 278 the welfare of Pharaoh.” 279
41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing 280 by the edge of the Nile. 41:18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 281 41:19 Then 282 seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows 283 as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven 284 fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, 285 no one would have known 286 that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 41:22 I also saw in my dream 287 seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then 288 seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this 289 to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” 290
41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. 291 God has revealed 292 to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 293 41:26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. 294 41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent 295 seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told 296 Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 41:30 But seven years of famine will occur 297 after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate 298 the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered 299 because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. 300 41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh 301 because the matter has been decreed 302 by God, and God will make it happen soon. 303
41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look 304 for a wise and discerning man 305 and give him authority 306 over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do 307 this – he should appoint 308 officials 309 throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt 310 during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food 311 during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority 312 they should store up grain so the cities will have food, 313 and they should preserve it. 314 41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.” 315
41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. 316 41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, 317 one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” 318 41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning 319 as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. 320 Only I, the king, will be greater than you. 321
41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place 322 you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” 323 41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen 324 clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh 325 had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, 326 and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” 327 So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission 328 no one 329 will move his hand or his foot 330 in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. 331 He also gave him Asenath 332 daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, 333 to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of 334 all the land of Egypt.
41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old 335 when he began serving 336 Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by 337 Pharaoh and was in charge of 338 all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. 339 41:48 Joseph 340 collected all the excess food 341 in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. 342 In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it. 41:49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, 343 until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.
41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. 344 Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. 345 41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, 346 saying, 347 “Certainly 348 God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, 349 saying, 350 “Certainly 351 God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
41:53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 41:54 Then the seven years of famine began, 352 just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 41:55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, 353 “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, 354 Joseph opened the storehouses 355 and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country 356 came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.
42:1 When Jacob heard 357 there was grain in Egypt, he 358 said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” 359 42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us 360 so that we may live 361 and not die.” 362
42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 42:4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, 363 for he said, 364 “What if some accident 365 happens 366 to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, 367 for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.
42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. 368 Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down 369 before him with 370 their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger 371 to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, 372 “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” 373
42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered 374 the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!” 375
42:10 But they exclaimed, 376 “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! 42:11 We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”
42:12 “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” 377 42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. 378 We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, 379 and one is no longer alive.” 380
42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: 381 You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, 382 you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get 383 your brother, while 384 the rest of you remain in prison. 385 In this way your words may be tested to see if 386 you are telling the truth. 387 If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned 388 them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say 389 and you will live, 390 for I fear God. 391 42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison 392 while the rest of you go 393 and take grain back for your hungry families. 394 42:20 But you must bring 395 your youngest brother to me. Then 396 your words will be verified 397 and you will not die.” They did as he said. 398
42:21 They said to one other, 399 “Surely we’re being punished 400 because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was 401 when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress 402 has come on us!” 42:22 Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!” 403 42:23 (Now 404 they did not know that Joseph could understand them, 405 for he was speaking through an interpreter.) 406 42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, 407 he had Simeon taken 408 from them and tied up 409 before their eyes.
42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill 410 their bags with grain, to return each man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out. 411 42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. 412
42:27 When one of them 413 opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, 414 he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 415 42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; 416 they turned trembling one to another 417 and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” 418
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, 42:30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us 419 as if we were 420 spying on the land. 42:31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies! 42:32 We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father. 421 One is no longer alive, 422 and the youngest is with our father at this time 423 in the land of Canaan.’
42:33 “Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain 424 for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know 425 that you are honest men and not spies. 426 Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” 427
42:35 When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. 428 Simeon is gone. 429 And now you want to take 430 Benjamin! Everything is against me.”
42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may 431 put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care 432 and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob 433 replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. 434 If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair 435 in sorrow to the grave.” 436
43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 437 43:2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”
43:3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned 438 us, ‘You will not see my face 439 unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send 440 our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. 43:5 But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
43:6 Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble 441 on me by telling 442 the man you had one more brother?”
43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us 443 thoroughly 444 about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ 445 So we answered him in this way. 446 How could we possibly know 447 that he would say, 448 ‘Bring your brother down’?”
43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. 449 Then we will live 450 and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security 451 for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 452 43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back 453 twice by now!”
43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man – a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 43:12 Take double the money with you; 454 you must take back 455 the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks – perhaps it was an oversight. 43:13 Take your brother too, and go right away 456 to the man. 457 43:14 May the sovereign God 458 grant you mercy before the man so that he may release 459 your other brother 460 and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” 461
43:15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt 462 and stood before Joseph. 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, “Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.” 43:17 The man did just as Joseph said; he 463 brought the men into Joseph’s house. 464
43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of 465 the money that was returned in our sacks last time. 466 He wants to capture us, 467 make us slaves, and take 468 our donkeys!” 43:19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 43:20 They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down 469 the first time 470 to buy food. 43:21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money – the full amount 471 – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. 472 43:22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!”
43:23 “Everything is fine,” 473 the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. 474 I had your money.” 475 Then he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24 The servant in charge 476 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 477 at noon, for they had heard 478 that they were to have a meal 479 there.
43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, 480 and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. 481 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. 482
43:29 When Joseph looked up 483 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.” 484 43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother 485 and was at the point of tears. 486 So he went to his room and wept there.
43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, 487 “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, 488 and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting 489 to do so.) 490 43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. 491 The men looked at each other in astonishment. 492 43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, 493 but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk. 494
44:1 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 44:2 Then put 495 my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed. 496
44:3 When morning came, 497 the men and their donkeys were sent off. 498 44:4 They had not gone very far from the city 499 when Joseph said 500 to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! 501 When you overtake 502 them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 44:5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup 503 and use it for divination? 504 You have done wrong!’” 505
44:6 When the man 506 overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? 507 Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 508 44:8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 44:9 If one of us has it, 509 he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”
44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! 510 The one who has it will become my slave, 511 but the rest of 512 you will go free.” 513 44:11 So each man quickly lowered 514 his sack to the ground and opened it. 44:12 Then the man 515 searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 44:13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
44:14 So Judah and his brothers 516 came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there, 517 and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? 518 Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?” 519
44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say 520 to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? 521 God has exposed the sin of your servants! 522 We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
44:17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of 523 you may go back 524 to your father in peace.”
44:18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. 525 Please do not get angry with your servant, 526 for you are just like Pharaoh. 527 44:19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 44:20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. 528 The boy’s 529 brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, 530 and his father loves him.’
44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see 531 him.’ 532 44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father 533 will die.’ 534 44:23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 44:24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
44:25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 44:26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there. 535 If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, 536 for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’
44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons. 537 44:28 The first disappeared 538 and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take 539 this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair 540 in tragedy 541 to the grave.’ 542
44:30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us – his very life is bound up in his son’s life. 543 44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, 544 he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 44:32 Indeed, 545 your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’
44:33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 44:34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see 546 my father’s pain.” 547
45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, 548 so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained 549 with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 45:2 He wept loudly; 550 the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. 551
45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 45:4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 45:5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, 552 for God sent me 553 ahead of you to preserve life! 45:6 For these past two years there has been famine in 554 the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 45:7 God sent me 555 ahead of you to preserve you 556 on the earth and to save your lives 557 by a great deliverance. 45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser 558 to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly 559 and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 45:10 You will live 560 in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 45:11 I will provide you with food 561 there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 45:12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you. 562 45:13 So tell 563 my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!” 564
45:14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 45:15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
45:16 Now it was reported 565 in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased 566 Pharaoh and his servants. 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go 567 to the land of Canaan! 45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you 568 the best land in Egypt and you will eat 569 the best 570 of the land.’ 45:19 You are also commanded to say, 571 ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 45:20 Don’t worry 572 about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”
45:21 So the sons of Israel did as he said. 573 Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, 574 and he gave them provisions for the journey. 45:22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, 575 but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. 576 45:23 To his father he sent the following: 577 ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 45:24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.” 578
45:25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 579 45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, 580 for he did not believe them. 45:27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, 581 and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 45:28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
46:1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. 582 When he came to Beer Sheba 583 he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night 584 and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 46:3 He said, “I am God, 585 the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. 586 Joseph will close your eyes.” 587
46:5 Then Jacob started out 588 from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 46:6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt. 589 46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, 590 his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants.
46:8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons:
Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.
46:9 The sons of Reuben:
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar,
and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).
46:11 The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
46:12 The sons of Judah:
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah
(but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).
The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
46:13 The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, 591 Jashub, 592 and Shimron.
46:14 The sons of Zebulun:
Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
46:15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all. 593
46:16 The sons of Gad:
Zephon, 594 Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
46:17 The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.
The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.
46:18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.
46:19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob:
Joseph and Benjamin.
46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, 595 bore them to him.
46:21 The sons of Benjamin: 596
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
46:22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.
46:23 The son of Dan: Hushim. 597
46:24 The sons of Naphtali:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
46:25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.
46:26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.) 598 46:27 Counting the two sons 599 of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy. 600
46:28 Jacob 601 sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen. 602 So they came to the land of Goshen. 46:29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, 603 he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.
46:30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” 604 46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, 605 ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 46:32 The men are shepherds; 606 they take care of livestock. 607 They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 46:33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle 608 from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, 609 for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting 610 to the Egyptians.”
2 Samuel 16:5-8
Context16:5 Then King David reached 611 Bahurim. There a man from Saul’s extended family named Shimei son of Gera came out, yelling curses as he approached. 612 16:6 He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left. 16:7 As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 613 16:8 The Lord has punished you for 614 all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”
[36:1] 1 sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50,” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.
[36:2] 2 tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”
[36:2] 3 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
[36:6] 4 tn Heb “from before.”
[36:7] 5 tn Heb “land of their settlements.”
[36:8] 6 tn Traditionally “Mount Seir,” but in this case the expression בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר (bÿhar se’ir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.
[36:9] 7 sn The term father in genealogical records needs to be carefully defined. It can refer to a literal father, a grandfather, a political overlord, or a founder.
[36:12] 8 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:13] 9 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:14] 10 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
[36:15] 11 tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).
[36:16] 13 tc The Samaritan Pentateuch omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).
[36:16] 14 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:17] 15 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
[36:20] 16 sn The same pattern of sons, grandsons, and chiefs is now listed for Seir the Horite. “Seir” is both the name of the place and the name of the ancestor of these tribes. The name “Horite” is probably not to be identified with “Hurrian.” The clan of Esau settled in this area, intermarried with these Horites and eventually dispossessed them, so that they all became known as Edomites (Deut 2:12 telescopes the whole development).
[36:22] 18 tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”
[36:23] 19 tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.
[36:24] 20 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”
[36:25] 21 tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”
[36:26] 22 tn Heb “Dishan,” but this must be either a scribal error or variant spelling, since “Dishan” is mentioned in v. 28 (see also v. 21).
[36:31] 23 tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”
[36:37] 24 tn Typically the Hebrew expression “the River” refers to the Euphrates River, but it is not certain whether that is the case here. Among the modern English versions which take this as a reference to the Euphrates are NASB, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT. Cf. NAB, TEV “Rehoboth-on-the-River.”
[36:39] 25 tc Most
[36:39] 26 tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.
[36:43] 27 tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”
[37:1] 28 tn Heb “the land of the sojournings of his father.”
[37:1] 29 sn The next section begins with the heading This is the account of Jacob in Gen 37:2, so this verse actually forms part of the preceding section as a concluding contrast with Esau and his people. In contrast to all the settled and expanded population of Esau, Jacob was still moving about in the land without a permanent residence and without kings. Even if the Edomite king list was added later (as the reference to kings in Israel suggests), its placement here in contrast to Jacob and his descendants is important. Certainly the text deals with Esau before dealing with Jacob – that is the pattern. But the detail is so great in chap. 36 that the contrast cannot be missed.
[37:2] 30 tn Heb “a son of seventeen years.” The word “son” is in apposition to the name “Joseph.”
[37:2] 31 tn Or “tending”; Heb “shepherding” or “feeding.”
[37:2] 32 tn Or perhaps “a helper.” The significance of this statement is unclear. It may mean “now the lad was with,” or it may suggest Joseph was like a servant to them.
[37:2] 33 tn Heb “and he [was] a young man with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father.”
[37:2] 34 tn Heb “their bad report.” The pronoun is an objective genitive, specifying that the bad or damaging report was about the brothers.
[37:3] 35 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information vital to the story. It explains in part the brothers’ animosity toward Joseph.
[37:3] 36 tn Heb “a son of old age was he to him.” This expression means “a son born to him when he [i.e., Jacob] was old.”
[37:3] 37 tn It is not clear what this tunic was like, because the meaning of the Hebrew word that describes it is uncertain. The idea that it was a coat of many colors comes from the Greek translation of the OT. An examination of cognate terms in Semitic suggests it was either a coat or tunic with long sleeves (cf. NEB, NRSV), or a tunic that was richly embroidered (cf. NIV). It set Joseph apart as the favored one.
[37:4] 38 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:4] 39 tn Heb “of his brothers.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “them.”
[37:4] 40 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:4] 41 tn Heb “speak to him for peace.”
[37:5] 42 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:5] 43 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[37:5] 44 sn Some interpreters see Joseph as gloating over his brothers, but the text simply says he told his brothers about it (i.e., the dream). The text gives no warrant for interpreting his manner as arrogant or condescending. It seems normal that he would share a dream with the family.
[37:5] 45 tn The construction uses a hendiadys, “they added to hate,” meaning they hated him even more.
[37:6] 46 tn Heb “hear this dream which I dreamed.”
[37:7] 47 tn All three clauses in this dream report begin with וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), which lends vividness to the report. This is represented in the translation by the expression “there we were.”
[37:7] 48 tn The verb means “to bow down to the ground.” It is used to describe worship and obeisance to masters.
[37:8] 49 tn Heb “Ruling, will you rule over us, or reigning, will you reign over us?” The statement has a poetic style, with the two questions being in synonymous parallelism. Both verbs in this statement are preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Joseph’s brothers said, “You don’t really think you will rule over us, do you? You don’t really think you will have dominion over us, do you?”
[37:8] 50 tn This construction is identical to the one in Gen 37:5.
[37:8] 51 sn The response of Joseph’s brothers is understandable, given what has already been going on in the family. But here there is a hint of uneasiness – they hated him because of his dream and because of his words. The dream bothered them, as well as his telling them. And their words in the rhetorical question are ironic, for this is exactly what would happen. The dream was God’s way of revealing it.
[37:9] 52 tn Heb “And he dreamed yet another dream.”
[37:9] 53 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Look.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons. Both clauses of the dream report begin with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which lends vividness to the report.
[37:10] 54 sn The question What is this dream that you had? expresses Jacob’s dismay at what he perceives to be Joseph’s audacity.
[37:10] 55 tn Heb “Coming, will we come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down to you to the ground?” The verb “come” is preceded by the infinitive absolute, which lends emphasis. It is as if Jacob said, “You don’t really think we will come…to bow down…do you?”
[37:11] 56 sn Joseph’s brothers were already jealous of him, but this made it even worse. Such jealousy easily leads to action, as the next episode in the story shows. Yet dreams were considered a form of revelation, and their jealousy was not only of the favoritism of their father, but of the dreams. This is why Jacob kept the matter in mind.
[37:11] 57 tn Heb “kept the word.” The referent of the Hebrew term “word” has been specified as “what Joseph said” in the translation for clarity, and the words “in mind” have been supplied for stylistic reasons.
[37:13] 58 tn The text uses an interrogative clause: “Are not your brothers,” which means “your brothers are.”
[37:13] 59 sn With these words Joseph is depicted here as an obedient son who is ready to do what his father commands.
[37:13] 60 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Here I am.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
[37:14] 61 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:14] 64 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:15] 65 tn Heb “and he [i.e., Joseph] went to Shechem.” The referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:15] 66 tn Heb “and a man found him and look, he was wandering in the field.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the action through this unnamed man’s eyes.
[37:16] 67 tn The imperative in this sentence has more of the nuance of a request than a command.
[37:17] 68 tn Heb “they traveled from this place.”
[37:18] 69 tn Heb “and they”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:19] 70 tn Heb “Look, this master of dreams is coming.” The brothers’ words have a sarcastic note and indicate that they resent his dreams.
[37:20] 71 tn The Hebrew word can sometimes carry the nuance “evil,” but when used of an animal it refers to a dangerous wild animal.
[37:20] 72 tn Heb “what his dreams will be.”
[37:21] 73 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:21] 74 sn From their hands. The instigators of this plot may have been the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah (see v. 2).
[37:21] 75 tn Heb “and he said.”
[37:21] 76 tn Heb “we must not strike him down [with respect to] life.”
[37:22] 77 tn Heb “and Reuben said to them.”
[37:22] 78 sn The verbs translated shed, throw, and lay sound alike in Hebrew; the repetition of similar sounds draws attention to Reuben’s words.
[37:22] 79 tn The words “Reuben said this” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[37:22] 80 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:22] 81 tn Heb “from their hands” (cf. v. 21). This expression has been translated as “them” here for stylistic reasons.
[37:23] 82 tn Heb “Joseph”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[37:24] 83 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that helps the reader or hearer to picture what happened.
[37:25] 84 tn Heb “lifted up their eyes.”
[37:25] 85 tn Heb “and they saw and look.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the event through the eyes of the brothers.
[37:25] 86 tn Heb “and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh, going to go down to Egypt.”
[37:27] 87 tn Heb “let not our hand be upon him.”
[37:28] 89 sn On the close relationship between Ishmaelites (v. 25) and Midianites, see Judg 8:24.
[37:28] 90 tn Heb “they drew and they lifted up.” The referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity; otherwise the reader might assume the Midianites had pulled Joseph from the cistern (but cf. NAB).
[37:28] 91 tn Heb “Joseph” (both here and in the following clause); the proper name has been replaced both times by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[37:28] 92 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ishmaelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:29] 93 tn Heb “and look, Joseph was not in the cistern.” By the use of וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and look”), the narrator invites the reader to see the situation through Reuben’s eyes.
[37:31] 94 sn It was with two young goats that Jacob deceived his father (Gen 27:9); now with a young goat his sons continue the deception that dominates this family.
[37:32] 95 tn Heb “and they sent the special tunic and they brought [it] to their father.” The text as it stands is problematic. It sounds as if they sent the tunic on ahead and then came and brought it to their father. Some emend the second verb to a Qal form and read “and they came.” In this case, they sent the tunic on ahead.
[37:33] 96 sn A wild animal has eaten him. Jacob draws this conclusion on his own without his sons actually having to lie with their words (see v. 20). Dipping the tunic in the goat’s blood was the only deception needed.
[37:34] 97 tn Heb “and put sackcloth on his loins.”
[37:35] 98 tn Heb “arose, stood”; which here suggests that they stood by him in his time of grief.
[37:35] 99 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Indeed I will go down to my son mourning to Sheol.’” Sheol was viewed as the place where departed spirits went after death.
[37:35] 100 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:36] 101 tn The disjunctive clause formally signals closure for this episode of Joseph’s story, which will be resumed in Gen 39.
[37:36] 102 tc The MT spells the name of the merchants as מְדָנִים (mÿdanim, “Medanites”) rather than מִדְיָנִים (midyanim, “Midianites”) as in v. 28. It is likely that the MT is corrupt at this point, with the letter yod (י) being accidentally omitted. The LXX, Vulgate, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac read “Midianites” here. Some prefer to read “Medanites” both here and in v. 28, but Judg 8:24, which identifies the Midianites and Ishmaelites, favors the reading “Midianites.”
[37:36] 103 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[37:36] 104 sn The expression captain of the guard might indicate that Potiphar was the chief executioner.
[38:1] 105 tn Heb “went down from.”
[38:1] 106 tn Heb “and he turned aside unto.”
[38:1] 107 tn Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”
[38:2] 108 tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”
[38:2] 109 tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”
[38:2] 110 tn Heb “and he took her.”
[38:2] 111 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:3] 112 tn Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).
[38:3] 113 tc Some
[38:5] 114 tn Heb “and she added again and she gave birth.” The first verb and the adverb emphasize that she gave birth once more.
[38:5] 115 tn Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”
[38:6] 116 tn Heb “and Judah took.”
[38:8] 117 tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:8] 118 tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
[38:8] 119 sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.
[38:9] 120 tn Heb “offspring.”
[38:9] 121 tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.
[38:9] 122 tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.
[38:9] 123 tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:9] 124 tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.
[38:10] 125 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[38:11] 127 tn Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.”
[38:12] 128 sn After some time. There is not enough information in the narrative to know how long this was. The text says “the days increased.” It was long enough for Shelah to mature and for Tamar to realize she would not have him.
[38:12] 129 tn Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”
[38:13] 130 tn Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”
[38:13] 131 tn The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.
[38:14] 132 tn The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.
[38:14] 133 tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”
[38:15] 134 tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.
[38:16] 135 tn Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:16] 136 tn Heb “for he did not know that.”
[38:16] 137 tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:17] 138 tn Heb “until you send.”
[38:18] 139 tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:19] 140 tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.
[38:20] 141 tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.
[38:20] 142 tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”
[38:20] 143 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[38:21] 144 tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.
[38:21] 145 sn The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (AOAT), 213-23.
[38:23] 146 tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:23] 147 tn Heb “we will become contemptible.” The Hebrew word בּוּז (buz) describes the contempt that a respectable person would have for someone who is worthless, foolish, or disreputable.
[38:24] 148 tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”
[38:24] 149 tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.
[38:24] 150 tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”
[38:25] 151 tn Heb “she was being brought out and she sent.” The juxtaposition of two clauses, both of which place the subject before the predicate, indicates synchronic action.
[38:25] 152 tn Heb “who these to him.”
[38:25] 153 tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”
[38:26] 154 tn Traditionally “more righteous”; cf. NCV, NRSV, NLT “more in the right.”
[38:26] 155 tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[38:28] 156 tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:29] 157 tn Heb “Look, his brother came out.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through the midwife’s eyes. The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[38:29] 158 tn Heb “How you have made a breach for yourself!” The Hebrew verb translated “make a breach” frequently occurs, as here, with a cognate accusative. The event provided the meaningful name Perez, “he who breaks through.”
[38:29] 159 sn The name Perez means “he who breaks through,” referring to Perez reaching out his hand at birth before his brother was born. The naming signified the completion of Tamar’s struggle and also depicted the destiny of the tribe of Perez who later became dominant (Gen 46:12 and Num 26:20). Judah and his brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they could thwart God’s plan that the elder brothers should serve the younger. God demonstrated that principle through these births in Judah’s own family, affirming that the elder will serve the younger, and that Joseph’s leadership could not so easily be set aside. See J. Goldin, “The Youngest Son; or, Where Does Genesis 38 Belong?” JBL 96 (1977): 27-44.
[38:30] 160 sn Perhaps the child was named Zerah because of the scarlet thread. Though the Hebrew word used for “scarlet thread” in v. 28 is not related to the name Zerah, there is a related root in Babylonian and western Aramaic that means “scarlet” or “scarlet thread.” In Hebrew the name appears to be derived from a root meaning “to shine.” The name could have originally meant something like “shining one” or “God has shined.” Zerah became the head of a tribe (Num 26:20) from whom Achan descended (Josh 7:1).
[39:1] 161 tn The disjunctive clause resumes the earlier narrative pertaining to Joseph by recapitulating the event described in 37:36. The perfect verbal form is given a past perfect translation to restore the sequence of the narrative for the reader.
[39:1] 162 sn Captain of the guard. See the note on this phrase in Gen 37:36.
[39:1] 163 tn Heb “from the hand of.”
[39:2] 164 tn Heb “and he was a prosperous man.” This does not mean that Joseph became wealthy, but that he was successful in what he was doing, or making progress in his situation (see 24:21).
[39:2] 165 tn Heb “and he was.”
[39:3] 166 tn The Hebrew text adds “in his hand,” a phrase not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[39:4] 167 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.
[39:4] 168 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[39:4] 169 tn Heb “put into his hand.”
[39:5] 170 tn Heb “and it was from then.”
[39:5] 171 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[39:5] 172 sn The Hebrew word translated blessed carries the idea of enrichment, prosperity, success. It is the way believers describe success at the hand of God. The text illustrates the promise made to Abraham that whoever blesses his descendants will be blessed (Gen 12:1-3).
[39:5] 173 tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[39:5] 174 sn The passage gives us a good picture of Joseph as a young man who was responsible and faithful, both to his master and to his God. This happened within a very short time of his being sold into Egypt. It undermines the view that Joseph was a liar, a tattletale, and an arrogant adolescent.
[39:6] 175 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[39:6] 176 sn The Hebrew verb translated left indicates he relinquished the care of it to Joseph. This is stronger than what was said earlier. Apparently Potiphar had come to trust Joseph so much that he knew it was in better care with Joseph than with anyone else.
[39:6] 177 tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
[39:6] 178 tn Heb “did not know.”
[39:6] 179 sn The expression except the food he ate probably refers to Potiphar’s private affairs and should not be limited literally to what he ate.
[39:6] 180 tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.
[39:7] 181 tn Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.
[39:7] 182 tn Heb “lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[39:8] 183 tn Heb “and he said.”
[39:8] 185 tn The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[39:8] 186 tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
[39:9] 187 tn The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.
[39:10] 188 tn The verse begins with the temporal indicator, followed by the infinitive construct with the preposition כְּ (kÿ). This clause could therefore be taken as temporal.
[39:10] 189 tn Heb “listen to.”
[39:10] 190 tn Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[39:11] 191 tn Heb “and it was about this day.”
[39:11] 192 tn Heb “the men of the house.”
[39:12] 193 tn Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.
[39:12] 194 sn For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” VT 2 (1952): 85-87.
[39:14] 195 tn The verb has no expressed subject, and so it could be treated as a passive (“a Hebrew man was brought in”; cf. NIV). But it is clear from the context that her husband brought Joseph into the household, so Potiphar is the apparent referent here. Thus the translation supplies “my husband” as the referent of the unspecified pronominal subject of the verb (cf. NEB, NRSV).
[39:14] 196 sn A Hebrew man. Potiphar’s wife raises the ethnic issue when talking to her servants about what their boss had done.
[39:14] 197 tn Heb “to make fun of us.” The verb translated “to humiliate us” here means to hold something up for ridicule, or to toy with something harmfully. Attempted rape would be such an activity, for it would hold the victim in contempt.
[39:14] 198 tn Heb “he came to me to lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
[39:14] 199 tn Heb “and I cried out with a loud voice.”
[39:15] 200 tn Heb “that I raised.”
[39:17] 201 tn Heb “and she spoke to him according to these words, saying.”
[39:17] 202 sn That Hebrew slave. Now, when speaking to her husband, Potiphar’s wife refers to Joseph as a Hebrew slave, a very demeaning description.
[39:17] 203 tn Heb “came to me to make fun of me.” The statement needs no explanation because of the connotations of “came to me” and “to make fun of me.” See the note on the expression “humiliate us” in v. 14.
[39:19] 204 tn Heb “and when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying.”
[39:19] 205 tn Heb “according to these words.”
[39:19] 206 tn Heb “did to me.”
[39:19] 207 tn Heb “his anger burned.”
[39:20] 208 tn Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.
[39:20] 209 sn The story of Joseph is filled with cycles and repetition: He has two dreams (chap. 37), he interprets two dreams in prison (chap. 40) and the two dreams of Pharaoh (chap. 41), his brothers make two trips to see him (chaps. 42-43), and here, for the second time (see 37:24), he is imprisoned for no good reason, with only his coat being used as evidence. For further discussion see H. Jacobsen, “A Legal Note on Potiphar’s Wife,” HTR 69 (1976): 177.
[39:21] 210 tn Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”
[39:21] 211 tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).
[39:22] 212 tn Heb “all which they were doing there, he was doing.” This probably means that Joseph was in charge of everything that went on in the prison.
[39:23] 213 tn Heb “was not looking at anything.”
[39:23] 214 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[40:1] 215 sn The Hebrew term cupbearer corresponds to the Egyptian wb’, an official (frequently a foreigner) who often became a confidant of the king and wielded political power (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 248). Nehemiah held this post in Persia.
[40:1] 216 sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.
[40:1] 217 sn The Hebrew verb translated offended here is the same one translated “sin” in 39:9. Perhaps there is an intended contrast between these officials, who deserve to be imprisoned, and Joseph, who refused to sin against God, but was thrown into prison in spite of his innocence.
[40:2] 218 tn The Hebrew word סָרִיס (saris), used here of these two men and of Potiphar (see 39:1), normally means “eunuch.” But evidence from Akkadian texts shows that in early times the title was used of a court official in general. Only later did it become more specialized in its use.
[40:4] 219 sn He served them. This is the same Hebrew verb, meaning “to serve as a personal attendant,” that was translated “became [his] servant” in 39:4.
[40:4] 220 tn Heb “they were days in custody.”
[40:5] 221 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[40:5] 222 tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”
[40:5] 223 tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”
[40:6] 224 tn The verb זָעַף (za’af) only occurs here and Dan 1:10. It means “to be sick, to be emaciated,” probably in this case because of depression.
[40:7] 225 tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”
[40:8] 226 tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”
[40:8] 227 tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:9] 228 tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.
[40:11] 229 tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:11] 230 sn The cupbearer’s dream is dominated by sets of three: three branches, three stages of growth, and three actions of the cupbearer.
[40:12] 231 tn Heb “the three branches [are].”
[40:13] 232 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head.” This Hebrew idiom usually refers to restoring dignity, office, or power. It is comparable to the modern saying “someone can hold his head up high.”
[40:13] 233 tn Heb “according to the former custom.”
[40:14] 234 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.
[40:14] 235 tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.
[40:14] 236 tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”
[40:14] 237 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.
[40:14] 238 tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.
[40:15] 239 tn The verb גָּנַב (ganav) means “to steal,” but in the Piel/Pual stem “to steal away.” The idea of “kidnap” would be closer to the sense, meaning he was stolen and carried off. The preceding infinitive absolute underscores the point Joseph is making.
[40:16] 240 tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[40:16] 241 tn Or “three wicker baskets.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun חֹרִי (khori, “white bread, cake”) is uncertain; some have suggested the meaning “wicker” instead. Comparison with texts from Ebla suggests the meaning “pastries made with white flour” (M. Dahood, “Eblaite h¬a-rí and Genesis 40,16 h£o„rî,” BN 13 [1980]: 14-16).
[40:18] 242 tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”
[40:19] 243 tn Heb “Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you.” Joseph repeats the same expression from the first interpretation (see v. 13), but with the added words “from upon you,” which allow the statement to have a more literal and ominous meaning – the baker will be decapitated.
[40:20] 244 tn The translation puts the verb in quotation marks because it is used rhetorically here and has a double meaning. With respect to the cup bearer it means “reinstate” (see v. 13), but with respect to the baker it means “decapitate” (see v. 19).
[40:21] 245 tn Heb “his cupbearing.”
[40:22] 246 tn Heb “had interpreted for them.”
[40:23] 247 tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.
[41:1] 248 tn Heb “two years, days.”
[41:1] 249 tn Heb “was dreaming.”
[41:2] 250 tn Heb “And look, he was standing by the Nile, and look, from the Nile were coming up seven cows, attractive of appearance and fat of flesh.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to see the dream through Pharaoh’s eyes.
[41:3] 251 tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”
[41:3] 252 tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:5] 253 tn Heb “coming up.”
[41:7] 256 tn Heb “And look, a dream.”
[41:8] 257 tn Heb “his spirit.”
[41:8] 258 tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.
[41:8] 259 tn The Hebrew term חַרְטֹם (khartom) is an Egyptian loanword (hyr-tp) that describes a class of priests who were skilled in such interpretations.
[41:8] 260 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).
[41:8] 261 tn “there was no interpreter.”
[41:8] 262 tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:9] 263 tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).
[41:11] 264 tn Heb “and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he, each according to the interpretation of his dream we dreamed.”
[41:12] 266 tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.
[41:12] 267 tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:12] 268 tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”
[41:13] 269 tn Heb “interpreted.”
[41:13] 270 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:13] 271 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:14] 272 tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.
[41:15] 273 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[41:15] 274 tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”
[41:15] 276 tn Heb “you hear a dream to interpret it,” which may mean, “you only have to hear a dream to be able to interpret it.”
[41:16] 277 tn Heb “not within me.”
[41:16] 278 tn Heb “God will answer.”
[41:16] 279 tn The expression שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה (shÿlom par’oh) is here rendered “the welfare of Pharaoh” because the dream will be about life in his land. Some interpret it to mean an answer of “peace” – one that will calm his heart, or give him the answer that he desires (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[41:17] 280 tn Heb “In my dream look, I was standing.” The use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here (and also in vv. 18, 19, 22, 23) invites the hearer (within the context of the narrative, Joseph; but in the broader sense the reader or hearer of the Book of Genesis) to observe the scene through Pharaoh’s eyes.
[41:18] 281 tn Heb “and look, from the Nile seven cows were coming up, fat of flesh and attractive of appearance, and they grazed in the reeds.”
[41:19] 282 tn Heb “And look.”
[41:19] 283 tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:20] 284 tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”
[41:21] 285 tn Heb “when they went inside them.”
[41:21] 286 tn Heb “it was not known.”
[41:22] 287 tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”
[41:23] 288 tn Heb “And look.”
[41:24] 289 tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:24] 290 tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”
[41:25] 291 tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”
[41:25] 292 tn Heb “declared.”
[41:25] 293 tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.
[41:26] 294 tn Heb “one dream it is.”
[41:27] 295 tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”
[41:28] 296 tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”
[41:30] 297 tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.
[41:30] 298 tn The Hebrew verb כָּלָה (kalah) in the Piel stem means “to finish, to destroy, to bring an end to.” The severity of the famine will ruin the land of Egypt.
[41:32] 301 tn Heb “and concerning the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh two times.” The Niphal infinitive here is the object of the preposition; it is followed by the subjective genitive “of the dream.”
[41:32] 302 tn Heb “established.”
[41:32] 303 tn The clause combines a participle and an infinitive construct: God “is hurrying…to do it,” meaning he is going to do it soon.
[41:33] 304 tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
[41:33] 305 tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:33] 306 tn Heb “and let him set him.”
[41:34] 307 tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”
[41:34] 308 tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
[41:34] 309 tn Heb “appointees.” The noun is a cognate accusative of the preceding verb. Since “appoint appointees” would be redundant in English, the term “officials” was used in the translation instead.
[41:34] 310 tn Heb “and he shall collect a fifth of the land of Egypt.” The language is figurative (metonymy); it means what the land produces, i.e., the harvest.
[41:35] 311 tn Heb “all the food.”
[41:35] 312 tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”
[41:35] 313 tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.
[41:35] 314 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.
[41:36] 315 tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”
[41:37] 316 tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”
[41:38] 317 tn Heb “like this,” but the referent could be misunderstood to be a man like that described by Joseph in v. 33, rather than Joseph himself. For this reason the proper name “Joseph” has been supplied in the translation.
[41:38] 318 tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”
[41:39] 319 tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:40] 320 tn Heb “and at your mouth (i.e., instructions) all my people will kiss.” G. J. Wenham translates this “shall kowtow to your instruction” (Genesis [WBC], 2:395). Although there is some textual support for reading “will be judged, ruled by you,” this is probably an attempt to capture the significance of this word. Wenham lists a number of references where individuals have tried to make connections with other words or expressions – such as a root meaning “order themselves” lying behind “kiss,” or an idiomatic idea of “kiss” meaning “seal the mouth,” and so “be silent and submit to.” See K. A. Kitchen, “The Term Nsq in Genesis 41:40,” ExpTim 69 (1957): 30; D. S. Sperling, “Genesis 41:40: A New Interpretation,” JANESCU 10 (1978): 113-19.
[41:40] 321 tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”
[41:41] 322 tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is descriptive of a present action. Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, in which case Pharaoh describes a still future action as if it had already occurred in order to emphasize its certainty. In this case one could translate “I have placed” or “I will place.” The verb נָתַן (natan) is translated here as “to place in authority [over].”
[41:41] 323 sn Joseph became the grand vizier of the land of Egypt. See W. A. Ward, “The Egyptian Office of Joseph,” JSS 5 (1960): 144-50; and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 129-31.
[41:42] 324 tn The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ (shesh) is an Egyptian loanword that describes the fine linen robes that Egyptian royalty wore. The clothing signified Joseph’s rank.
[41:43] 325 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:43] 326 tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”
[41:43] 327 tn The verb form appears to be a causative imperative from a verbal root meaning “to kneel.” It is a homonym of the word “bless” (identical in root letters but not related etymologically).
[41:44] 328 tn Heb “apart from you.”
[41:44] 329 tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.
[41:44] 330 tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.
[41:45] 331 sn The meaning of Joseph’s Egyptian name, Zaphenath-Paneah, is uncertain. Many recent commentators have followed the proposal of G. Steindorff that it means “the god has said, ‘he will live’” (“Der Name Josephs Saphenat-Pa‘neach,” ZÄS 31 [1889]: 41-42); others have suggested “the god speaks and lives” (see BDB 861 s.v. צָפְנָת פַּעְנֵחַ); “the man he knows” (J. Vergote, Joseph en Égypte, 145); or “Joseph [who is called] áIp-àankh” (K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 1262).
[41:45] 332 sn The name Asenath may mean “she belongs to the goddess Neit” (see HALOT 74 s.v. אָֽסְנַת). A novel was written at the beginning of the first century entitled Joseph and Asenath, which included a legendary account of the conversion of Asenath to Joseph’s faith in Yahweh. However, all that can be determined from this chapter is that their children received Hebrew names. See also V. Aptowitzer, “Asenath, the Wife of Joseph – a Haggadic Literary-Historical Study,” HUCA 1 (1924): 239-306.
[41:45] 333 sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.
[41:45] 334 tn Heb “and he passed through.”
[41:46] 335 tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”
[41:46] 336 tn Heb “when he stood before.”
[41:46] 337 tn Heb “went out from before.”
[41:46] 338 tn Heb “and he passed through all the land of Egypt”; this phrase is interpreted by JPS to mean that Joseph “emerged in charge of the whole land.”
[41:47] 339 tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”
[41:48] 340 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:48] 341 tn Heb “all the food.”
[41:48] 342 tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”
[41:49] 343 tn Heb “and Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, multiplying much.” To emphasize the vast amount of grain he stored up, the Hebrew text modifies the verb “gathered” with an infinitive absolute and an adverb.
[41:50] 344 tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”
[41:50] 345 tn Heb “gave birth for him.”
[41:51] 346 sn The name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, mÿnasheh) describes God’s activity on behalf of Joseph, explaining in general the significance of his change of fortune. The name is a Piel participle, suggesting the meaning “he who brings about forgetfulness.” The Hebrew verb נַשַּׁנִי (nashani) may have been used instead of the normal נִשַּׁנִי (nishani) to provide a closer sound play with the name. The giving of this Hebrew name to his son shows that Joseph retained his heritage and faith; and it shows that a brighter future was in store for him.
[41:51] 347 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:52] 349 sn The name Ephraim (אֶפְרַיִם, ’efrayim), a form of the Hebrew verb פָּרָה (parah), means “to bear fruit.” The theme of fruitfulness is connected with this line of the family from Rachel (30:2) on down (see Gen 49:22, Deut 33:13-17, and Hos 13:15). But there is some difficulty with the name “Ephraim” itself. It appears to be a dual, for which F. Delitzsch simply said it meant “double fruitfulness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:305). G. J. Spurrell suggested it was a diphthongal pronunciation of a name ending in -an or -am, often thought to be dual suffixes (Notes on the text of the book of Genesis, 334). Many, however, simply connect the name to the territory of Ephraim and interpret it to be “fertile land” (C. Fontinoy, “Les noms de lieux en -ayim dans la Bible,” UF 3 [1971]: 33-40). The dual would then be an old locative ending. There is no doubt that the name became attached to the land in which the tribe settled, and it is possible that is where the dual ending came from, but in this story it refers to Joseph’s God-given fruitfulness.
[41:52] 350 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:54] 352 tn Heb “began to arrive.”
[41:55] 353 tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.
[41:56] 354 tn Or “over the entire land”; Heb “over all the face of the earth.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal to the next clause.
[41:56] 355 tc The MT reads “he opened all that was in [or “among”] them.” The translation follows the reading of the LXX and Syriac versions.
[41:57] 356 tn Heb “all the earth,” which refers here (by metonymy) to the people of the earth. Note that the following verb is plural in form, indicating that the inhabitants of the earth are in view.
[42:1] 358 tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:1] 359 sn Why are you looking at each other? The point of Jacob’s question is that his sons should be going to get grain rather than sitting around doing nothing. Jacob, as the patriarch, still makes the decisions for the whole clan.
[42:2] 360 tn Heb “and buy for us from there.” The word “grain,” the direct object of “buy,” has been supplied for clarity, and the words “from there” have been omitted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:2] 361 tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.
[42:2] 362 tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.
[42:4] 363 tn Heb “But Benjamin, the brother of Joseph, Jacob did not send with his brothers.” The disjunctive clause highlights the contrast between Benjamin and the other ten.
[42:4] 364 tn The Hebrew verb אָמַר (’amar, “to say”) could also be translated “thought” (i.e., “he said to himself”) here, giving Jacob’s reasoning rather than spoken words.
[42:4] 365 tn The Hebrew noun אָסוֹן (’ason) is a rare word meaning “accident, harm.” Apart from its use in these passages it occurs in Exodus 21:22-23 of an accident to a pregnant woman. The term is a rather general one, but Jacob was no doubt thinking of his loss of Joseph.
[42:4] 366 tn Heb “encounters.”
[42:5] 367 tn Heb “in the midst of the coming ones.”
[42:6] 368 tn The disjunctive clause either introduces a new episode in the unfolding drama or provides the reader with supplemental information necessary to understanding the story.
[42:6] 369 sn Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him. Here is the beginning of the fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams (see Gen 37). But it is not the complete fulfillment, since all his brothers and his parents must come. The point of the dream, of course, was not simply to get the family to bow to Joseph, but that Joseph would be placed in a position of rule and authority to save the family and the world (41:57).
[42:6] 370 tn The word “faces” is an adverbial accusative, so the preposition has been supplied in the translation.
[42:7] 371 sn But pretended to be a stranger. Joseph intends to test his brothers to see if they have changed and have the integrity to be patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He will do this by putting them in the same situations that they and he were in before. The first test will be to awaken their conscience.
[42:7] 373 tn The verb is denominative, meaning “to buy grain”; the word “food” could simply be the direct object, but may also be an adverbial accusative.
[42:9] 374 sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.
[42:9] 375 tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”
[42:10] 376 tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.
[42:12] 377 tn Heb “and he said, ‘No, for the nakedness of the land you have come to see.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for clarity.
[42:13] 378 tn Heb “twelve [were] your servants, brothers [are] we.”
[42:13] 380 tn Heb “and the one is not.”
[42:14] 381 tn Heb “to you, saying.”
[42:15] 382 tn Heb “[By] the life of Pharaoh.”
[42:16] 383 tn Heb “send from you one and let him take.” After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose.
[42:16] 384 tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.
[42:16] 386 tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:16] 387 tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”
[42:17] 388 sn The same Hebrew word is used for Joseph’s imprisonment in 40:3, 4, 7. There is some mirroring going on in the narrative. The Hebrew word used here (אָסַף, ’asaf, “to gather”) is not normally used in a context like this (for placing someone in prison), but it forms a wordplay on the name Joseph (יוֹסֵף, yosoef) and keeps the comparison working.
[42:18] 390 tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.
[42:18] 391 sn For I fear God. Joseph brings God into the picture to awaken his brothers’ consciences. The godly person cares about the welfare of people, whether they live or die. So he will send grain back, but keep one of them in Egypt. This action contrasts with their crime of selling their brother into slavery.
[42:19] 392 tn Heb “bound in the house of your prison.”
[42:19] 393 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal.
[42:19] 394 tn Heb “[for] the hunger of your households.”
[42:20] 395 tn The imperfect here has an injunctive force.
[42:20] 396 tn After the injunctive imperfect, this imperfect with vav indicates purpose or result.
[42:20] 397 tn The Niphal form of the verb has the sense of “to be faithful; to be sure; to be reliable.” Joseph will test his brothers to see if their words are true.
[42:20] 398 tn Heb “and they did so.”
[42:21] 399 tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”
[42:21] 400 tn Or “we are guilty”; the Hebrew word can also refer to the effect of being guilty, i.e., “we are being punished for guilt.”
[42:21] 401 tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”
[42:21] 402 sn The repetition of the Hebrew noun translated distress draws attention to the fact that they regard their present distress as appropriate punishment for their refusal to ignore their brother when he was in distress.
[42:22] 403 tn Heb “and also his blood, look, it is required.” God requires compensation, as it were, from those who shed innocent blood (see Gen 9:6). In other words, God exacts punishment for the crime of murder.
[42:23] 404 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story.
[42:23] 405 tn “was listening.” The brothers were not aware that Joseph could understand them as they spoke the preceding words in their native language.
[42:23] 406 tn Heb “for [there was] an interpreter between them.” On the meaning of the word here translated “interpreter” see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ and M. A. Canney, “The Hebrew melis (Prov IX 12; Gen XLII 2-3),” AJSL 40 (1923/24): 135-37.
[42:24] 407 tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”
[42:24] 408 tn Heb “took Simeon.” This was probably done at Joseph’s command, however; the grand vizier of Egypt would not have personally seized a prisoner.
[42:24] 409 tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”
[42:25] 410 tn Heb “and they filled.” The clause appears to be elliptical; one expects “Joseph gave orders to fill…and they filled.” See GKC 386 §120.f.
[42:25] 411 tn Heb “and he did for them so.” Joseph would appear to be the subject of the singular verb. If the text is retained, the statement seems to be a summary of the preceding, more detailed statement. However, some read the verb as plural, “and they did for them so.” In this case the statement indicates that Joseph’s subordinates carried out his orders. Another alternative is to read the singular verb as passive (with unspecified subject), “and this was done for them so” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[42:26] 412 tn Heb “and they went from there.”
[42:27] 413 tn Heb “and the one.” The article indicates that the individual is vivid in the mind of the narrator, yet it is not important to identify him by name.
[42:27] 414 tn Heb “at the lodging place.”
[42:27] 415 tn Heb “and look, it [was] in the mouth of his sack.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to look through the eyes of the character and thereby draws attention to the money.
[42:28] 416 tn Heb “and their heart went out.” Since this expression is used only here, the exact meaning is unclear. The following statement suggests that it may refer to a sudden loss of emotional strength, so “They were dismayed” adequately conveys the meaning (cf. NRSV); NIV has “Their hearts sank.”
[42:28] 417 tn Heb “and they trembled, a man to his neighbor.”
[42:28] 418 tn Heb “What is this God has done to us?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question.
[42:30] 420 tn The words “if we were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:32] 421 tn Heb “twelve [were] we, brothers, sons of our father [are] we.”
[42:32] 422 tn Heb “the one is not.”
[42:33] 424 tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:34] 425 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.
[42:34] 426 tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”
[42:34] 427 sn Joseph’s brothers soften the news considerably, making it sound like Simeon was a guest of Joseph (Leave one of your brothers with me) instead of being bound in prison. They do not mention the threat of death and do not at this time speak of the money in the one sack.
[42:36] 430 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.
[42:37] 431 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.
[42:38] 433 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[42:38] 434 sn The expression he alone is left meant that (so far as Jacob knew) Benjamin was the only surviving child of his mother Rachel.
[42:38] 435 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.
[42:38] 436 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.
[43:1] 437 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.
[43:3] 438 tn The infinitive absolute with the finite verb stresses the point. The primary meaning of the verb is “to witness; to testify.” It alludes to Joseph’s oath, which was tantamount to a threat or warning.
[43:3] 439 tn The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”
[43:4] 440 tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”
[43:6] 441 tn The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”
[43:6] 442 tn The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.
[43:7] 443 tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[43:7] 444 tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.
[43:7] 445 sn The report given here concerning Joseph’s interrogation does not exactly match the previous account where they supplied the information to clear themselves (see 42:13). This section may reflect how they remembered the impact of his interrogation, whether he asked the specific questions or not. That may be twisting the truth to protect themselves, not wanting to admit that they volunteered the information. (They admitted as much in 42:31, but now they seem to be qualifying that comment.) On the other hand, when speaking to Joseph later (see 44:19), Judah claims that Joseph asked for the information about their family, making it possible that 42:13 leaves out some of the details of their first encounter.
[43:7] 446 tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”
[43:7] 447 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the imperfect verbal form, which here is a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of a past time).
[43:7] 448 tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).
[43:8] 449 tn Heb “and we will rise up and we will go.” The first verb is adverbial and gives the expression the sense of “we will go immediately.”
[43:8] 450 tn After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.
[43:9] 451 tn The pronoun before the first person verbal form draws attention to the subject and emphasizes Judah’s willingness to be personally responsible for the boy.
[43:9] 452 sn I will bear the blame before you all my life. It is not clear how this would work out if Benjamin did not come back. But Judah is offering his life for Benjamin’s if Benjamin does not return.
[43:10] 453 tn Heb “we could have returned.”
[43:12] 454 tn Heb “in your hand.”
[43:12] 455 tn Heb “take back in your hand.” The imperfect verbal form probably has an injunctive or obligatory force here, since Jacob is instructing his sons.
[43:13] 456 tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”
[43:13] 457 sn The man refers to the Egyptian official, whom the reader or hearer of the narrative knows is Joseph. In this context both the sons and Jacob refer to him simply as “the man” (see vv. 3-7).
[43:14] 458 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.
[43:14] 459 tn Heb “release to you.” After the jussive this perfect verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) probably indicates logical consequence, as well as temporal sequence.
[43:14] 460 sn Several Jewish commentators suggest that the expression your other brother refers to Joseph. This would mean that Jacob prophesied unwittingly. However, it is much more likely that Simeon is the referent of the phrase “your other brother” (see Gen 42:24).
[43:14] 461 tn Heb “if I am bereaved I am bereaved.” With this fatalistic sounding statement Jacob resolves himself to the possibility of losing both Benjamin and Simeon.
[43:15] 462 tn Heb “they arose and went down to Egypt.” The first verb has an adverbial function and emphasizes that they departed right away.
[43:17] 463 tn Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.
[43:17] 464 sn This verse is a summary statement. The next verses delineate intermediate steps (see v. 24) in the process.
[43:18] 465 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
[43:18] 466 tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.
[43:18] 467 tn Heb “to roll himself upon us and to cause himself to fall upon us.” The infinitives here indicate the purpose (as viewed by the brothers) for their being brought to Joseph’s house.
[43:18] 468 tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[43:20] 469 tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.
[43:20] 470 tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).
[43:21] 471 tn Heb “in its weight.”
[43:21] 472 tn Heb “brought it back in our hand.”
[43:23] 473 tn Heb “and he said, ‘peace to you.’” Here the statement has the force of “everything is fine,” or perhaps even “calm down.” The referent of “he” (the man in charge of Joseph’ household) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
[43:23] 474 sn Your God and the God of your father…This is the first clear reference in the story to the theme of divine providence – that God works through the human actions to do his will.
[43:23] 475 tn Heb “your money came to me.”
[43:25] 477 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.
[43:25] 478 tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.
[43:25] 479 tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).
[43:26] 480 tn Heb “into the house.”
[43:27] 481 tn Heb “concerning peace.”
[43:28] 482 tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.
[43:29] 483 tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[43:29] 484 sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.
[43:30] 485 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.
[43:30] 486 tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”
[43:31] 487 tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”
[43:32] 488 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[43:32] 489 tn Or “disgraceful.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 46:34 and Exod 8:22.
[43:32] 490 tn Heb “and they set for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, for the Egyptians are not able to eat food with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination for the Egyptians.” The imperfect verbal form in the explanatory clause is taken as habitual in force, indicating a practice that was still in effect in the narrator’s time.
[43:33] 491 tn Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”
[43:33] 492 sn The brothers’ astonishment indicates that Joseph arranged them in this way. They were astonished because there was no way, as far as they were concerned, that Joseph could have known the order of their birth.
[43:34] 493 tn Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”
[43:34] 494 tn Heb “and they drank and were intoxicated with him” (cf. NIV “drank freely with him”; NEB “grew merry”; NRSV “were merry”). The brothers were apparently relaxed and set at ease, despite Joseph’s obvious favoritism toward Benjamin.
[44:2] 495 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.
[44:2] 496 tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”
[44:3] 497 tn Heb “the morning was light.”
[44:3] 498 tn Heb “and the men were sent off, they and their donkeys.” This clause, like the preceding one, has the subject before the verb, indicating synchronic action.
[44:4] 499 tn Heb “they left the city, they were not far,” meaning “they had not gone very far.”
[44:4] 500 tn Heb “and Joseph said.” This clause, like the first one in the verse, has the subject before the verb, indicating synchronic action.
[44:4] 501 tn Heb “arise, chase after the men.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.
[44:4] 502 tn After the imperative this perfect verbal form with vav consecutive has the same nuance of instruction. In the translation it is subordinated to the verbal form that follows (also a perfect with vav consecutive): “and overtake them and say,” becomes “when you overtake them, say.”
[44:5] 503 tn Heb “Is this not what my master drinks from.” The word “cup” is not in the Hebrew text, but is obviously the referent of “this,” and so has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[44:5] 504 tn Heb “and he, divining, divines with it.” The infinitive absolute is emphatic, stressing the importance of the cup to Joseph.
[44:5] 505 tn Heb “you have caused to be evil what you have done.”
[44:6] 506 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:7] 507 tn Heb “Why does my lord speak according to these words?”
[44:7] 508 tn Heb “according to this thing.”
[44:9] 509 tn Heb “The one with whom it is found from your servants.” Here “your servants” (a deferential way of referring to the brothers themselves) has been translated by the pronoun “us” to avoid confusion with Joseph’s servants.
[44:10] 510 tn Heb “Also now, according to your words, so it is.” As the next statement indicates, this does mean that he will do exactly as they say. He does agree with them the culprit should be punished, but not as harshly as they suggest. Furthermore, the innocent parties will not be punished.
[44:10] 511 tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”
[44:10] 512 tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[44:10] 513 tn The Hebrew word נָקִי (naqi) means “acquitted,” that is, free of guilt and the responsibility for it.
[44:11] 514 tn Heb “and they hurried and they lowered.” Their speed in doing this shows their presumption of innocence.
[44:12] 515 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:14] 516 sn Judah and his brothers. The narrative is already beginning to bring Judah to the forefront.
[44:14] 517 tn The disjunctive clause here provides supplemental information.
[44:15] 518 tn Heb “What is this deed you have done?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question. A literal translation seems to contradict the following statement, in which Joseph affirms that he is able to divine such matters. Thus here the emotive force of the question has been reflected in the translation, “What did you think you were doing?”
[44:15] 519 tn Heb “[is] fully able to divine,” meaning that he can find things out by divination. The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis, stressing his ability to do this.
[44:16] 520 tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.
[44:16] 521 tn The Hitpael form of the verb צָדֵק (tsadeq) here means “to prove ourselves just, to declare ourselves righteous, to prove our innocence.”
[44:16] 522 sn God has exposed the sin of your servants. The first three questions are rhetorical; Judah is stating that there is nothing they can say to clear themselves. He therefore must conclude that they have been found guilty.
[44:17] 523 tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[44:17] 524 tn Heb “up” (reflecting directions from their point of view – “up” to Canaan; “down” to Egypt).
[44:18] 525 tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”
[44:18] 526 tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”
[44:18] 527 sn You are just like Pharaoh. Judah’s speech begins with the fear and trembling of one who stands condemned. Joseph has as much power as Pharaoh, either to condemn or to pardon. Judah will make his appeal, wording his speech in such a way as to appeal to Joseph’s compassion for the father, whom he mentions no less than fourteen times in the speech.
[44:20] 528 tn Heb “and a small boy of old age,” meaning that he was born when his father was elderly.
[44:20] 529 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the boy just mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:20] 530 tn Heb “he, only he, to his mother is left.”
[44:21] 531 tn The cohortative after the imperative indicates purpose here.
[44:21] 532 tn Heb “that I may set my eyes upon him.”
[44:22] 533 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the boy’s father, i.e., Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:22] 534 tn The last two verbs are perfect tenses with vav consecutive. The first is subordinated to the second as a conditional clause.
[44:26] 535 tn The direct object is not specified in the Hebrew text, but is implied; “there” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[44:27] 537 tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”
[44:28] 538 tn Heb “went forth from me.”
[44:29] 539 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.”
[44:29] 540 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.
[44:29] 541 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).
[44:29] 542 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.
[44:30] 543 tn Heb “his life is bound up in his life.”
[44:31] 544 tn Heb “when he sees that there is no boy.”
[44:34] 546 tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”
[44:34] 547 tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”
[45:1] 548 tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”
[45:2] 550 tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud.
[45:2] 551 tn Heb “and the Egyptians heard and the household of Pharaoh heard.” Presumably in the latter case this was by means of a report.
[45:5] 552 tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.”
[45:5] 553 sn You sold me here, for God sent me. The tension remains as to how the brothers’ wickedness and God’s intentions work together. Clearly God is able to transform the actions of wickedness to bring about some gracious end. But this is saying more than that; it is saying that from the beginning it was God who sent Joseph here. Although harmonization of these ideas remains humanly impossible, the divine intention is what should be the focus. Only that will enable reconciliation.
[45:6] 554 tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.”
[45:7] 555 sn God sent me. The repetition of this theme that God sent Joseph is reminiscent of commission narratives in which the leader could announce that God sent him (e.g., Exod 3:15).
[45:7] 556 tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.”
[45:7] 557 tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action.
[45:8] 558 tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.
[45:9] 559 tn Heb “hurry and go up.”
[45:10] 560 tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.
[45:11] 561 tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.”
[45:12] 562 tn Heb “And, look, your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth is the one speaking to you.”
[45:13] 563 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.
[45:13] 564 tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”
[45:16] 565 tn Heb “and the sound was heard.”
[45:16] 566 tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.”
[45:17] 567 tn Heb “and go! Enter!”
[45:18] 568 tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.
[45:18] 569 tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.
[45:19] 571 tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[45:20] 572 tn Heb “let not your eye regard.”
[45:21] 573 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.”
[45:21] 574 tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.”
[45:22] 575 tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.”
[45:22] 576 tn Heb “changes of outer garments.”
[45:23] 577 tn Heb “according to this.”
[45:24] 578 tn Heb “do not be stirred up in the way.” The verb means “stir up.” Some understand the Hebrew verb רָגָז (ragaz, “to stir up”) as a reference to quarreling (see Prov 29:9, where it has this connotation), but in Exod 15:14 and other passages it means “to fear.” This might refer to a fear of robbers, but more likely it is an assuring word that they need not be fearful about returning to Egypt. They might have thought that once Jacob was in Egypt, Joseph would take his revenge on them.
[45:25] 579 tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.”
[45:26] 580 tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.
[45:27] 581 tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.”
[46:1] 582 tn Heb “and Israel journeyed, and all that was his.”
[46:1] 583 sn Beer Sheba. See Gen 21:31; 28:10.
[46:2] 584 tn Heb “in visions of the night.” The plural form has the singular meaning, probably as a plural of intensity.
[46:4] 586 tn Heb “and I, I will bring you up, also bringing up.” The independent personal pronoun before the first person imperfect verbal form draws attention to the speaker/subject, while the infinitive absolute after the imperfect strongly emphasizes the statement: “I myself will certainly bring you up.”
[46:4] 587 tn Heb “and Joseph will put his hand upon your eyes.” This is a promise of peaceful death in Egypt with Joseph present to close his eyes.
[46:6] 589 tn Heb “and they took their livestock and their possessions which they had acquired in the land of Canaan and they went to Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[46:7] 590 tn The Hebrew text adds “with him” here. This is omitted in the translation because it is redundant in English style (note the same phrase earlier in the verse).
[46:13] 591 tc The MT reads “Puvah” (cf. Num 26:23); the Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac read “Puah” (cf. 1 Chr 7:1).
[46:13] 592 tc The MT reads “Iob,” but the Samaritan Pentateuch and some LXX
[46:15] 593 tn Heb “all the lives of his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.”
[46:16] 594 tc The MT reads “Ziphion,” but see Num 26:15, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, all of which read “Zephon.”
[46:20] 595 sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis.
[46:21] 596 sn The sons of Benjamin. It is questionable whether youthful Benjamin had ten sons by the time he went into Egypt, but it is not impossible. If Benjamin was born when Joseph was six or seven, he was ten when Joseph was sold into Egypt, and would have been thirty-two at this point. Some suggest that the list originally served another purpose and included the names of all who were in the immediate family of the sons, whether born in Canaan or later in Egypt.
[46:23] 597 tn This name appears as “Shuham” in Num 26:42. The LXX reads “Hashum” here.
[46:26] 598 tn Heb “All the people who went with Jacob to Egypt, the ones who came out of his body, apart from the wives of the sons of Jacob, all the people were sixty-six.”
[46:27] 599 tn The LXX reads “nine sons,” probably counting the grandsons of Joseph born to Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. 1 Chr 7:14-20).
[46:27] 600 tn Heb “And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two people; all the people belonging to the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.”
[46:28] 601 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[46:28] 602 tn Heb “to direct before him to Goshen.”
[46:29] 603 tn Heb “and he appeared to him.”
[46:30] 604 tn Heb “after my seeing your face that you are still alive.”
[46:31] 605 tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”
[46:32] 606 tn Heb “feeders of sheep.”
[46:32] 607 tn Heb “for men of livestock they are.”
[46:34] 608 tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”
[46:34] 609 sn So that you may live in the land of Goshen. Joseph is apparently trying to stress to Pharaoh that his family is self-sufficient, that they will not be a drain on the economy of Egypt. But they will need land for their animals and so Goshen, located on the edge of Egypt, would be a suitable place for them to live. The settled Egyptians were uneasy with nomadic people, but if Jacob and his family settled in Goshen they would represent no threat.
[46:34] 610 tn Heb “is an abomination.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 43:32 and Exod 8:22.
[16:5] 611 tn Heb “came to.” The form of the verb in the MT is odd. Some prefer to read וַיַּבֹא (vayyavo’), preterite with vav consecutive) rather than וּבָא (uva’), apparently perfect with vav), but this is probably an instance where the narrative offline vÿqatal construction introduces a new scene.
[16:5] 612 tn Heb “And look, from there a man was coming out from the clan of the house of Saul and his name was Shimei son of Gera, continually going out and cursing.”
