Genesis 39:1--45:28

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. ¹  An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, ²  purchased him from ³  the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful ⁴  and lived ⁵  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. ⁶  39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. ⁷  Potiphar appointed Joseph ⁸  overseer of his household and put him in charge ⁹  of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time ¹⁰  Potiphar ¹¹  appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed ¹²  the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both ¹³  in his house and in his fields. ¹⁴  39:6 So Potiphar ¹⁵  left ¹⁶  everything he had in Joseph’s care; ¹⁷  he gave no thought ¹⁸  to anything except the food he ate. ¹⁹ 

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. ²⁰  39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of ²¹  Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.” ²²  39:8 But he refused, saying ²³  to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought ²⁴  to his household with me here, ²⁵  and everything that he owns he has put into my care. ²⁶  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 ²⁷  such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak ²⁸  to Joseph day after day, he did not respond ²⁹  to her invitation to have sex with her. ³⁰ 

39:11 One day ³¹  he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants ³²  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 ³³  outside. ³⁴  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 ³⁵  in a Hebrew man ³⁶  to us to humiliate us. ³⁷  He tried to have sex with me, ³⁸  but I screamed loudly. ³⁹  39:15 When he heard me raise ⁴⁰  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: ⁴¹  “That Hebrew slave ⁴²  you brought to us tried to humiliate me, ⁴³  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, ⁴⁴  “This is the way ⁴⁵  your slave treated me,” ⁴⁶  he became furious. ⁴⁷  39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, ⁴⁸  the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. ⁴⁹ 

39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. ⁵⁰  He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. ⁵¹  39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. ⁵²  39:23 The warden did not concern himself ⁵³  with anything that was in Joseph’s ⁵⁴  care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.

The Cupbearer and the Baker

40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer ⁵⁵  to the king of Egypt and the royal baker ⁵⁶  offended ⁵⁷  their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, ⁵⁸  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. ⁵⁹ 

They spent some time in custody. ⁶⁰  40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream ⁶¹  the same night. ⁶²  Each man’s dream had its own meaning. ⁶³  40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. ⁶⁴  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?” ⁶⁵  40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, ⁶⁶  but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them ⁶⁷  to me.”

40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: ⁶⁸  “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 ⁶⁹  cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” ⁷⁰ 

40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent ⁷¹  three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ⁷²  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ⁷³  when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me ⁷⁴  when it goes well for you, and show ⁷⁵  me kindness. ⁷⁶  Make mention ⁷⁷  of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, ⁷⁸  40:15 for I really was kidnapped ⁷⁹  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, ⁸⁰  he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread ⁸¹  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 ⁸²  three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you ⁸³  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” ⁸⁴  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 ⁸⁵  so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. ⁸⁶  40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. ⁸⁷ 

Joseph’s Rise to Power

41:1 At the end of two full years ⁸⁸  Pharaoh had a dream. ⁸⁹  As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, ⁹⁰  and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, ⁹¹  and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. ⁹²  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 ⁹³  on one stalk, healthy ⁹⁴  and good. 41:6 Then ⁹⁵  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. ⁹⁶ 

41:8 In the morning he ⁹⁷  was troubled, so he called for ⁹⁸  all the diviner-priests ⁹⁹  of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, ¹⁰⁰  but no one could interpret ¹⁰¹  them for him. ¹⁰²  41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. ¹⁰³  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. ¹⁰⁴  41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant ¹⁰⁵  of the captain of the guards, ¹⁰⁶  was with us there. We told him our dreams, ¹⁰⁷  and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. ¹⁰⁸  41:13 It happened just as he had said ¹⁰⁹  to us – Pharaoh ¹¹⁰  restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” ¹¹¹ 

41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned ¹¹²  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, ¹¹³  and there is no one who can interpret ¹¹⁴  it. But I have heard about you, that ¹¹⁵  you can interpret dreams.” ¹¹⁶  41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, ¹¹⁷  but God will speak concerning ¹¹⁸  the welfare of Pharaoh.” ¹¹⁹ 

41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing ¹²⁰  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. ¹²¹  41:19 Then ¹²²  seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows ¹²³  as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven ¹²⁴  fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, ¹²⁵  no one would have known ¹²⁶  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 ¹²⁷  seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then ¹²⁸  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 ¹²⁹  to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” ¹³⁰ 

41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. ¹³¹  God has revealed ¹³²  to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ¹³³  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. ¹³⁴  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 ¹³⁵  seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told ¹³⁶  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 ¹³⁷  after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate ¹³⁸  the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered ¹³⁹  because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. ¹⁴⁰  41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh ¹⁴¹  because the matter has been decreed ¹⁴²  by God, and God will make it happen soon. ¹⁴³ 

41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look ¹⁴⁴  for a wise and discerning man ¹⁴⁵  and give him authority ¹⁴⁶  over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do ¹⁴⁷  this – he should appoint ¹⁴⁸  officials ¹⁴⁹  throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt ¹⁵⁰  during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food ¹⁵¹  during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority ¹⁵²  they should store up grain so the cities will have food, ¹⁵³  and they should preserve it. ¹⁵⁴  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.” ¹⁵⁵ 

41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. ¹⁵⁶  41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, ¹⁵⁷  one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” ¹⁵⁸  41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning ¹⁵⁹  as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. ¹⁶⁰  Only I, the king, will be greater than you. ¹⁶¹ 

41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place ¹⁶²  you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” ¹⁶³  41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen ¹⁶⁴  clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh ¹⁶⁵  had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, ¹⁶⁶  and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” ¹⁶⁷  So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission ¹⁶⁸  no one ¹⁶⁹  will move his hand or his foot ¹⁷⁰  in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. ¹⁷¹  He also gave him Asenath ¹⁷²  daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ¹⁷³  to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of ¹⁷⁴  all the land of Egypt.

41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old ¹⁷⁵  when he began serving ¹⁷⁶  Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by ¹⁷⁷  Pharaoh and was in charge of ¹⁷⁸  all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. ¹⁷⁹  41:48 Joseph ¹⁸⁰  collected all the excess food ¹⁸¹  in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. ¹⁸²  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, ¹⁸³  until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. ¹⁸⁴  Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. ¹⁸⁵  41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, ¹⁸⁶  saying, ¹⁸⁷  “Certainly ¹⁸⁸  God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, ¹⁸⁹  saying, ¹⁹⁰  “Certainly ¹⁹¹  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, ¹⁹²  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, ¹⁹³  “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”

41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, ¹⁹⁴  Joseph opened the storehouses ¹⁹⁵  and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country ¹⁹⁶  came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.

Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt

42:1 When Jacob heard ¹⁹⁷  there was grain in Egypt, he ¹⁹⁸  said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” ¹⁹⁹  42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us ²⁰⁰  so that we may live ²⁰¹  and not die.” ²⁰² 

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, ²⁰³  for he said, ²⁰⁴  “What if some accident ²⁰⁵  happens ²⁰⁶  to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, ²⁰⁷  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. ²⁰⁸  Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down ²⁰⁹  before him with ²¹⁰  their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger ²¹¹  to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, ²¹²  “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” ²¹³ 

42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered ²¹⁴  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!” ²¹⁵ 

42:10 But they exclaimed, ²¹⁶  “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.” ²¹⁷  42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. ²¹⁸  We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, ²¹⁹  and one is no longer alive.” ²²⁰ 

42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: ²²¹  You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, ²²²  you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get ²²³  your brother, while ²²⁴  the rest of you remain in prison. ²²⁵  In this way your words may be tested to see if ²²⁶  you are telling the truth. ²²⁷  If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned ²²⁸  them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say ²²⁹  and you will live, ²³⁰  for I fear God. ²³¹  42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison ²³²  while the rest of you go ²³³  and take grain back for your hungry families. ²³⁴  42:20 But you must bring ²³⁵  your youngest brother to me. Then ²³⁶  your words will be verified ²³⁷  and you will not die.” They did as he said. ²³⁸ 

42:21 They said to one other, ²³⁹  “Surely we’re being punished ²⁴⁰  because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was ²⁴¹  when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress ²⁴²  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!” ²⁴³  42:23 (Now ²⁴⁴  they did not know that Joseph could understand them, ²⁴⁵  for he was speaking through an interpreter.) ²⁴⁶  42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, ²⁴⁷  he had Simeon taken ²⁴⁸  from them and tied up ²⁴⁹  before their eyes.

42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill ²⁵⁰  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. ²⁵¹  42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. ²⁵² 

42:27 When one of them ²⁵³  opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, ²⁵⁴  he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. ²⁵⁵  42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; ²⁵⁶  they turned trembling one to another ²⁵⁷  and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” ²⁵⁸ 

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 ²⁵⁹  as if we were ²⁶⁰  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. ²⁶¹  One is no longer alive, ²⁶²  and the youngest is with our father at this time ²⁶³  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 ²⁶⁴  for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know ²⁶⁵  that you are honest men and not spies. ²⁶⁶  Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” ²⁶⁷ 

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. ²⁶⁸  Simeon is gone. ²⁶⁹  And now you want to take ²⁷⁰  Benjamin! Everything is against me.”

42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may ²⁷¹  put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care ²⁷²  and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob ²⁷³  replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. ²⁷⁴  If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair ²⁷⁵  in sorrow to the grave.” ²⁷⁶ 

The Second Journey to Egypt

43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. ²⁷⁷  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 ²⁷⁸  us, ‘You will not see my face ²⁷⁹  unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send ²⁸⁰  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 ²⁸¹  on me by telling ²⁸²  the man you had one more brother?”

43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us ²⁸³  thoroughly ²⁸⁴  about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ ²⁸⁵  So we answered him in this way. ²⁸⁶  How could we possibly know ²⁸⁷  that he would say, ²⁸⁸  ‘Bring your brother down’?”

43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. ²⁸⁹  Then we will live ²⁹⁰  and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security ²⁹¹  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. ²⁹²  43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back ²⁹³  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; ²⁹⁴  you must take back ²⁹⁵  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 ²⁹⁶  to the man. ²⁹⁷  43:14 May the sovereign God ²⁹⁸  grant you mercy before the man so that he may release ²⁹⁹  your other brother ³⁰⁰  and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” ³⁰¹ 

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 ³⁰²  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 ³⁰³  brought the men into Joseph’s house. ³⁰⁴ 

43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of ³⁰⁵  the money that was returned in our sacks last time. ³⁰⁶  He wants to capture us, ³⁰⁷  make us slaves, and take ³⁰⁸  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 ³⁰⁹  the first time ³¹⁰  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 ³¹¹  – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. ³¹²  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,” ³¹³  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. ³¹⁴  I had your money.” ³¹⁵  Then he brought Simeon out to them.

43:24 The servant in charge ³¹⁶  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 ³¹⁷  at noon, for they had heard ³¹⁸  that they were to have a meal ³¹⁹  there.

43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, ³²⁰  and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. ³²¹  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. ³²² 

43:29 When Joseph looked up ³²³  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.” ³²⁴  43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother ³²⁵  and was at the point of tears. ³²⁶  So he went to his room and wept there.

43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, ³²⁷  “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, ³²⁸  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 ³²⁹  to do so.) ³³⁰  43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. ³³¹  The men looked at each other in astonishment. ³³²  43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, ³³³  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. ³³⁴ 

The Final Test

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 ³³⁵  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. ³³⁶ 

44:3 When morning came, ³³⁷  the men and their donkeys were sent off. ³³⁸  44:4 They had not gone very far from the city ³³⁹  when Joseph said ³⁴⁰  to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! ³⁴¹  When you overtake ³⁴²  them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 44:5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup ³⁴³  and use it for divination? ³⁴⁴  You have done wrong!’” ³⁴⁵ 

44:6 When the man ³⁴⁶  overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? ³⁴⁷  Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! ³⁴⁸  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, ³⁴⁹  he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”

44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! ³⁵⁰  The one who has it will become my slave, ³⁵¹  but the rest of ³⁵²  you will go free.” ³⁵³  44:11 So each man quickly lowered ³⁵⁴  his sack to the ground and opened it. 44:12 Then the man ³⁵⁵  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 ³⁵⁶  came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there, ³⁵⁷  and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? ³⁵⁸  Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?” ³⁵⁹ 

44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say ³⁶⁰  to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? ³⁶¹  God has exposed the sin of your servants! ³⁶²  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 ³⁶³  you may go back ³⁶⁴  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. ³⁶⁵  Please do not get angry with your servant, ³⁶⁶  for you are just like Pharaoh. ³⁶⁷  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. ³⁶⁸  The boy’s ³⁶⁹  brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, ³⁷⁰  and his father loves him.’

44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see ³⁷¹  him.’ ³⁷²  44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father ³⁷³  will die.’ ³⁷⁴  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. ³⁷⁵  If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, ³⁷⁶  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. ³⁷⁷  44:28 The first disappeared ³⁷⁸  and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take ³⁷⁹  this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair ³⁸⁰  in tragedy ³⁸¹  to the grave.’ ³⁸² 

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. ³⁸³  44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, ³⁸⁴  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, ³⁸⁵  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 ³⁸⁶  my father’s pain.” ³⁸⁷ 

The Reconciliation of the Brothers

45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, ³⁸⁸  so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained ³⁸⁹  with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 45:2 He wept loudly; ³⁹⁰  the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. ³⁹¹ 

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, ³⁹²  for God sent me ³⁹³  ahead of you to preserve life! 45:6 For these past two years there has been famine in ³⁹⁴  the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 45:7 God sent me ³⁹⁵  ahead of you to preserve you ³⁹⁶  on the earth and to save your lives ³⁹⁷  by a great deliverance. 45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser ³⁹⁸  to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly ³⁹⁹  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 ⁴⁰⁰  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 ⁴⁰¹  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. ⁴⁰²  45:13 So tell ⁴⁰³  my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!” ⁴⁰⁴ 

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 ⁴⁰⁵  in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased ⁴⁰⁶  Pharaoh and his servants. 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go ⁴⁰⁷  to the land of Canaan! 45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you ⁴⁰⁸  the best land in Egypt and you will eat ⁴⁰⁹  the best ⁴¹⁰  of the land.’ 45:19 You are also commanded to say, ⁴¹¹  ‘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 ⁴¹²  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. ⁴¹³  Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, ⁴¹⁴  and he gave them provisions for the journey. 45:22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, ⁴¹⁵  but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. ⁴¹⁶  45:23 To his father he sent the following: ⁴¹⁷  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.” ⁴¹⁸ 

45:25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ⁴¹⁹  45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, ⁴²⁰  for he did not believe them. 45:27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, ⁴²¹  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.”

Genesis 13:2

13:2 (Now Abram was very wealthy ⁴²²  in livestock, silver, and gold.) ⁴²³ 

Genesis 13:1

Abram’s Solution to the Strife

13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. ⁴²⁴  He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. ⁴²⁵ 

Genesis 18:1-4

Three Special Visitors

18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham ⁴²⁶  by the oaks ⁴²⁷  of Mamre while ⁴²⁸  he was sitting at the entrance ⁴²⁹  to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham ⁴³⁰  looked up ⁴³¹  and saw ⁴³²  three men standing across ⁴³³  from him. When he saw them ⁴³⁴  he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low ⁴³⁵  to the ground. ⁴³⁶ 

18:3 He said, “My lord, ⁴³⁷  if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. ⁴³⁸  18:4 Let a little water be brought so that ⁴³⁹  you may all ⁴⁴⁰  wash your feet and rest under the tree.

Genesis 18:2

18:2 Abraham ⁴⁴¹  looked up ⁴⁴²  and saw ⁴⁴³  three men standing across ⁴⁴⁴  from him. When he saw them ⁴⁴⁵  he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low ⁴⁴⁶  to the ground. ⁴⁴⁷ 

Genesis 1:4-5

1:4 God saw ⁴⁴⁸  that the light was good, ⁴⁴⁹  so God separated ⁴⁵⁰  the light from the darkness. 1:5 God called ⁴⁵¹  the light “day” and the darkness ⁴⁵²  “night.” There was evening, and there was morning, marking the first day. ⁴⁵³ 

Genesis 1:25-26

1:25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the cattle according to their kinds, and all the creatures that creep along the ground according to their kinds. God saw that it was good.

1:26 Then God said, “Let us make ⁴⁵⁴ 

humankind ⁴⁵⁵  in our image, after our likeness, ⁴⁵⁶  so they may rule ⁴⁵⁷  over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, ⁴⁵⁸  and over all the creatures that move ⁴⁵⁹  on the earth.”

[39:1]  ¹ 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]  ² sn Captain of the guard. See the note on this phrase in Gen 37:36.

[39:1]  ³ tn Heb “from the hand of.”

[39:2]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he was.”

[39:3]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text adds “in his hand,” a phrase not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:4]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “put into his hand.”

[39:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and it was from then.”

[39:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:5]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:5]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:6]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:6]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “did not know.”

[39:6]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.

[39:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.

[39:7]  ²² tn Heb “lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:8]  ²³ tn Heb “and he said.”

[39:8]  ²⁴ tn Heb “know.”

[39:8]  ²⁵ tn The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:8]  ²⁶ tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:9]  ²⁷ tn The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.

[39:10]  ²⁸ 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]  ²⁹ tn Heb “listen to.”

[39:10]  ³⁰ tn Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:11]  ³¹ tn Heb “and it was about this day.”

[39:11]  ³² tn Heb “the men of the house.”

[39:12]  ³³ tn Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.

[39:12]  ³⁴ sn For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” VT 2 (1952): 85-87.

[39:14]  ³⁵ 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]  ³⁶ sn A Hebrew man. Potiphar’s wife raises the ethnic issue when talking to her servants about what their boss had done.

[39:14]  ³⁷ 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]  ³⁸ tn Heb “he came to me to lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[39:14]  ³⁹ tn Heb “and I cried out with a loud voice.”

[39:15]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “that I raised.”

[39:17]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and she spoke to him according to these words, saying.”

[39:17]  ⁴² 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]  ⁴³ 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]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “and when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying.”

[39:19]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “according to these words.”

[39:19]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “did to me.”

[39:19]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “his anger burned.”

[39:20]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.

[39:20]  ⁴⁹ 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]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”

[39:21]  ⁵¹ tn Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).

[39:22]  ⁵² 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]  ⁵³ tn Heb “was not looking at anything.”

[39:23]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[40:1]  ⁵⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶ sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.

[40:1]  ⁵⁷ 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]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ 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]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “they were days in custody.”

[40:5]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[40:5]  ⁶² tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”

[40:5]  ⁶³ tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”

[40:6]  ⁶⁴ 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]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”

[40:8]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”

[40:8]  ⁶⁷ tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:9]  ⁶⁸ tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.

[40:11]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[40:11]  ⁷⁰ 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]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “the three branches [are].”

[40:13]  ⁷² 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]  ⁷³ tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[40:14]  ⁷⁴ 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]  ⁷⁵ 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]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”

[40:14]  ⁷⁷ 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]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.

[40:15]  ⁷⁹ 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]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[40:16]  ⁸¹ 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]  ⁸² tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”

[40:19]  ⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁴ 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]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “his cupbearing.”

[40:22]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “had interpreted for them.”

[40:23]  ⁸⁷ tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.

[41:1]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “two years, days.”

[41:1]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “was dreaming.”

[41:2]  ⁹⁰ 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]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”

[41:3]  ⁹² tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:5]  ⁹³ tn Heb “coming up.”

[41:5]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “fat.”

[41:6]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:7]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “And look, a dream.”

[41:8]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “his spirit.”

[41:8]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.

[41:8]  ⁹⁹ 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]  ¹⁰⁰ 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]  ¹⁰¹ tn “there was no interpreter.”

[41:8]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:9]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).

[41:11]  ¹⁰⁴ 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]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or “slave.”

[41:12]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.

[41:12]  ¹⁰⁷ tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:12]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”

[41:13]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “interpreted.”

[41:13]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:13]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:14]  ¹¹² tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.

[41:15]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”

[41:15]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”

[41:15]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “saying.”

[41:15]  ¹¹⁶ 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]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “not within me.”

[41:16]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “God will answer.”

[41:16]  ¹¹⁹ 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]  ¹²⁰ 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]  ¹²¹ 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]  ¹²² tn Heb “And look.”

[41:19]  ¹²³ tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:20]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”

[41:21]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “when they went inside them.”

[41:21]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “it was not known.”

[41:22]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”

[41:23]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “And look.”

[41:24]  ¹²⁹ tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:24]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”

[41:25]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”

[41:25]  ¹³² tn Heb “declared.”

[41:25]  ¹³³ tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.

[41:26]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “one dream it is.”

[41:27]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”

[41:28]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”

[41:30]  ¹³⁷ tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.

[41:30]  ¹³⁸ 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.

[41:31]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “known.”

[41:31]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Or “heavy.”

[41:32]  ¹⁴¹ 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]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “established.”

[41:32]  ¹⁴³ 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]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:33]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:33]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “and let him set him.”

[41:34]  ¹⁴⁷ tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”

[41:34]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.

[41:34]  ¹⁴⁹ 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]  ¹⁵⁰ 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]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:35]  ¹⁵² tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”

[41:35]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.

[41:35]  ¹⁵⁴ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.

[41:36]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”

[41:37]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”

[41:38]  ¹⁵⁷ 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]  ¹⁵⁸ tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”

[41:39]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:40]  ¹⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”

[41:41]  ¹⁶² 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]  ¹⁶³ 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]  ¹⁶⁴ 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]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:43]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”

[41:43]  ¹⁶⁷ 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]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “apart from you.”

[41:44]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.

[41:44]  ¹⁷⁰ tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.

[41:45]  ¹⁷¹ 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]  ¹⁷² 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]  ¹⁷³ sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[41:45]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “and he passed through.”

[41:46]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”

[41:46]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Heb “when he stood before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “went out from before.”

[41:46]  ¹⁷⁸ 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]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”

[41:48]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[41:48]  ¹⁸¹ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:48]  ¹⁸² tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”

[41:49]  ¹⁸³ 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]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”

[41:50]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “gave birth for him.”

[41:51]  ¹⁸⁶ 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]  ¹⁸⁷ tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:51]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Or “for.”

[41:52]  ¹⁸⁹ 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]  ¹⁹⁰ tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[41:52]  ¹⁹¹ tn Or “for.”

[41:54]  ¹⁹² tn Heb “began to arrive.”

[41:55]  ¹⁹³ tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.

[41:56]  ¹⁹⁴ 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]  ¹⁹⁵ 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]  ¹⁹⁶ 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]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “saw.”

[42:1]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:1]  ¹⁹⁹ 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]  ²⁰⁰ 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]  ²⁰¹ tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.

[42:2]  ²⁰² tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.

[42:4]  ²⁰³ 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]  ²⁰⁴ 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]  ²⁰⁵ 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]  ²⁰⁶ tn Heb “encounters.”

[42:5]  ²⁰⁷ tn Heb “in the midst of the coming ones.”

[42:6]  ²⁰⁸ 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]  ²⁰⁹ 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]  ²¹⁰ tn The word “faces” is an adverbial accusative, so the preposition has been supplied in the translation.

[42:7]  ²¹¹ 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]  ²¹² tn Heb “said.”

[42:7]  ²¹³ 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]  ²¹⁴ sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.

[42:9]  ²¹⁵ tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”

[42:10]  ²¹⁶ tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.

[42:12]  ²¹⁷ 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]  ²¹⁸ tn Heb “twelve [were] your servants, brothers [are] we.”

[42:13]  ²¹⁹ tn Heb “today.”

[42:13]  ²²⁰ tn Heb “and the one is not.”

[42:14]  ²²¹ tn Heb “to you, saying.”

[42:15]  ²²² tn Heb “[By] the life of Pharaoh.”

[42:16]  ²²³ 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]  ²²⁴ tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.

[42:16]  ²²⁵ tn Heb “bound.”

[42:16]  ²²⁶ tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:16]  ²²⁷ tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”

[42:17]  ²²⁸ 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]  ²²⁹ tn Heb “Do this.”

[42:18]  ²³⁰ tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.

[42:18]  ²³¹ 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]  ²³² tn Heb “bound in the house of your prison.”

[42:19]  ²³³ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal.

[42:19]  ²³⁴ tn Heb “[for] the hunger of your households.”

[42:20]  ²³⁵ tn The imperfect here has an injunctive force.

[42:20]  ²³⁶ tn After the injunctive imperfect, this imperfect with vav indicates purpose or result.

[42:20]  ²³⁷ 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]  ²³⁸ tn Heb “and they did so.”

[42:21]  ²³⁹ tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”

[42:21]  ²⁴⁰ 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]  ²⁴¹ tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”

[42:21]  ²⁴² 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]  ²⁴³ 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]  ²⁴⁴ tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story.

[42:23]  ²⁴⁵ 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]  ²⁴⁶ 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]  ²⁴⁷ tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”

[42:24]  ²⁴⁸ 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]  ²⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”

[42:25]  ²⁵⁰ 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]  ²⁵¹ 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]  ²⁵² tn Heb “and they went from there.”

[42:27]  ²⁵³ 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]  ²⁵⁴ tn Heb “at the lodging place.”

[42:27]  ²⁵⁵ 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]  ²⁵⁶ 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]  ²⁵⁷ tn Heb “and they trembled, a man to his neighbor.”

[42:28]  ²⁵⁸ tn Heb “What is this God has done to us?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question.

[42:30]  ²⁵⁹ tn Heb “made us.”

[42:30]  ²⁶⁰ tn The words “if we were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:32]  ²⁶¹ tn Heb “twelve [were] we, brothers, sons of our father [are] we.”

[42:32]  ²⁶² tn Heb “the one is not.”

[42:32]  ²⁶³ tn Heb “today.”

[42:33]  ²⁶⁴ tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[42:34]  ²⁶⁵ tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.

[42:34]  ²⁶⁶ tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”

[42:34]  ²⁶⁷ 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]  ²⁶⁸ tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36]  ²⁶⁹ tn Heb “is not.”

[42:36]  ²⁷⁰ tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.

[42:37]  ²⁷¹ tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.

[42:37]  ²⁷² tn Heb “my hand.”

[42:38]  ²⁷³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[42:38]  ²⁷⁴ 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]  ²⁷⁵ 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]  ²⁷⁶ tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[43:1]  ²⁷⁷ tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.

[43:3]  ²⁷⁸ 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]  ²⁷⁹ tn The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”

[43:4]  ²⁸⁰ tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”

[43:6]  ²⁸¹ tn The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”

[43:6]  ²⁸² tn The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.

[43:7]  ²⁸³ tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:7]  ²⁸⁴ tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.

[43:7]  ²⁸⁵ 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]  ²⁸⁶ tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”

[43:7]  ²⁸⁷ 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]  ²⁸⁸ tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).

[43:8]  ²⁸⁹ 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]  ²⁹⁰ tn After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.

[43:9]  ²⁹¹ 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]  ²⁹² 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]  ²⁹³ tn Heb “we could have returned.”

[43:12]  ²⁹⁴ tn Heb “in your hand.”

[43:12]  ²⁹⁵ 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]  ²⁹⁶ tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”

[43:13]  ²⁹⁷ 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]  ²⁹⁸ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[43:14]  ²⁹⁹ 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]  ³⁰⁰ 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]  ³⁰¹ 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]  ³⁰² 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]  ³⁰³ tn Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.

[43:17]  ³⁰⁴ sn This verse is a summary statement. The next verses delineate intermediate steps (see v. 24) in the process.

[43:18]  ³⁰⁵ tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[43:18]  ³⁰⁶ tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.

[43:18]  ³⁰⁷ 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]  ³⁰⁸ tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[43:20]  ³⁰⁹ tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.

[43:20]  ³¹⁰ tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).

[43:21]  ³¹¹ tn Heb “in its weight.”

[43:21]  ³¹² tn Heb “brought it back in our hand.”

[43:23]  ³¹³ 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]  ³¹⁴ 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]  ³¹⁵ tn Heb “your money came to me.”

[43:24]  ³¹⁶ tn Heb “the man.”

[43:25]  ³¹⁷ tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.

[43:25]  ³¹⁸ tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.

[43:25]  ³¹⁹ tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).

[43:26]  ³²⁰ tn Heb “into the house.”

[43:27]  ³²¹ tn Heb “concerning peace.”

[43:28]  ³²² tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.

[43:29]  ³²³ tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:29]  ³²⁴ sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.

[43:30]  ³²⁵ 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]  ³²⁶ tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”

[43:31]  ³²⁷ tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”

[43:32]  ³²⁸ tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:32]  ³²⁹ 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]  ³³⁰ 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]  ³³¹ tn Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”

[43:33]  ³³² 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]  ³³³ tn Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”

[43:34]  ³³⁴ 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]  ³³⁵ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.

[44:2]  ³³⁶ tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”

[44:3]  ³³⁷ tn Heb “the morning was light.”

[44:3]  ³³⁸ 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]  ³³⁹ tn Heb “they left the city, they were not far,” meaning “they had not gone very far.”

[44:4]  ³⁴⁰ 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]  ³⁴¹ tn Heb “arise, chase after the men.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.

[44:4]  ³⁴² 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]  ³⁴³ 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]  ³⁴⁴ tn Heb “and he, divining, divines with it.” The infinitive absolute is emphatic, stressing the importance of the cup to Joseph.

[44:5]  ³⁴⁵ tn Heb “you have caused to be evil what you have done.”

[44:6]  ³⁴⁶ 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]  ³⁴⁷ tn Heb “Why does my lord speak according to these words?”

[44:7]  ³⁴⁸ tn Heb “according to this thing.”

[44:9]  ³⁴⁹ 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]  ³⁵⁰ 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]  ³⁵¹ tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”

[44:10]  ³⁵² tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:10]  ³⁵³ tn The Hebrew word נָקִי (naqi) means “acquitted,” that is, free of guilt and the responsibility for it.

[44:11]  ³⁵⁴ tn Heb “and they hurried and they lowered.” Their speed in doing this shows their presumption of innocence.

[44:12]  ³⁵⁵ 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]  ³⁵⁶ sn Judah and his brothers. The narrative is already beginning to bring Judah to the forefront.

[44:14]  ³⁵⁷ tn The disjunctive clause here provides supplemental information.

[44:15]  ³⁵⁸ 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]  ³⁵⁹ 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]  ³⁶⁰ tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.

[44:16]  ³⁶¹ 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]  ³⁶² 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]  ³⁶³ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:17]  ³⁶⁴ tn Heb “up” (reflecting directions from their point of view – “up” to Canaan; “down” to Egypt).

[44:18]  ³⁶⁵ tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”

[44:18]  ³⁶⁶ tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”

[44:18]  ³⁶⁷ 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]  ³⁶⁸ tn Heb “and a small boy of old age,” meaning that he was born when his father was elderly.

[44:20]  ³⁶⁹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (the boy just mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:20]  ³⁷⁰ tn Heb “he, only he, to his mother is left.”

[44:21]  ³⁷¹ tn The cohortative after the imperative indicates purpose here.

[44:21]  ³⁷² tn Heb “that I may set my eyes upon him.”

[44:22]  ³⁷³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the boy’s father, i.e., Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:22]  ³⁷⁴ tn The last two verbs are perfect tenses with vav consecutive. The first is subordinated to the second as a conditional clause.

[44:26]  ³⁷⁵ tn The direct object is not specified in the Hebrew text, but is implied; “there” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[44:26]  ³⁷⁶ tn Heb “go down.”

[44:27]  ³⁷⁷ tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”

[44:28]  ³⁷⁸ tn Heb “went forth from me.”

[44:29]  ³⁷⁹ 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]  ³⁸⁰ 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]  ³⁸¹ 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]  ³⁸² tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[44:30]  ³⁸³ tn Heb “his life is bound up in his life.”

[44:31]  ³⁸⁴ tn Heb “when he sees that there is no boy.”

[44:32]  ³⁸⁵ tn Or “for.”

[44:34]  ³⁸⁶ tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”

[44:34]  ³⁸⁷ tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”

[45:1]  ³⁸⁸ tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”

[45:1]  ³⁸⁹ tn Heb “stood.”

[45:2]  ³⁹⁰ tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud.

[45:2]  ³⁹¹ 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]  ³⁹² tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.”

[45:5]  ³⁹³ 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]  ³⁹⁴ tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.”

[45:7]  ³⁹⁵ 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]  ³⁹⁶ tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.”

[45:7]  ³⁹⁷ tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action.

[45:8]  ³⁹⁸ tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.

[45:9]  ³⁹⁹ tn Heb “hurry and go up.”

[45:10]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:11]  ⁴⁰¹ 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]  ⁴⁰² 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]  ⁴⁰³ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

[45:13]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”

[45:16]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Heb “and the sound was heard.”

[45:16]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.”

[45:17]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “and go! Enter!”

[45:18]  ⁴⁰⁸ tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.

[45:18]  ⁴⁰⁹ tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.

[45:18]  ⁴¹⁰ tn Heb “fat.”

[45:19]  ⁴¹¹ tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[45:20]  ⁴¹² tn Heb “let not your eye regard.”

[45:21]  ⁴¹³ tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.”

[45:21]  ⁴¹⁴ tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.”

[45:22]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.”

[45:22]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Heb “changes of outer garments.”

[45:23]  ⁴¹⁷ tn Heb “according to this.”

[45:24]  ⁴¹⁸ 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]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.”

[45:26]  ⁴²⁰ tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.

[45:27]  ⁴²¹ tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.”

[13:2]  ⁴²² tn Heb “heavy.”

[13:2]  ⁴²³ tn This parenthetical clause, introduced by the vav (ו) disjunctive (translated “now”), provides information necessary to the point of the story.

[13:1]  ⁴²⁴ tn Or “the South [country]” (also in v. 3).

[13:1]  ⁴²⁵ tn Heb “And Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all which was his, and Lot with him, to the Negev.”

[18:1]  ⁴²⁶ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ⁴²⁷ tn Or “terebinths.”

[18:1]  ⁴²⁸ tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.

[18:1]  ⁴²⁹ tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.

[18:2]  ⁴³⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:2]  ⁴³¹ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[18:2]  ⁴³² tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.

[18:2]  ⁴³³ tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.

[18:2]  ⁴³⁴ tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:2]  ⁴³⁵ tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).

[18:2]  ⁴³⁶ sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

[18:3]  ⁴³⁷ tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the Lord, may have put the proper pointing with the word instead of the more common אֲדֹנִי (’adoni, “my master”).

[18:3]  ⁴³⁸ tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”

[18:4]  ⁴³⁹ tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.

[18:4]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn The word “all” has been supplied in the translation because the Hebrew verb translated “wash” and the pronominal suffix on the word “feet” are plural, referring to all three of the visitors.

[18:2]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:2]  ⁴⁴² tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[18:2]  ⁴⁴³ tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.

[18:2]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.

[18:2]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:2]  ⁴⁴⁶ tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).

[18:2]  ⁴⁴⁷ sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

[1:4]  ⁴⁴⁸ tn Heb “And God saw the light, that it was good.” The verb “saw” in this passage carries the meaning “reflected on,” “surveyed,” “concluded,” “noted.” It is a description of reflection of the mind – it is God’s opinion.

[1:4]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) in this context signifies whatever enhances, promotes, produces, or is conducive for life. It is the light that God considers “good,” not the darkness. Whatever is conducive to life in God’s creation is good, for God himself is good, and that goodness is reflected in all of his works.

[1:4]  ⁴⁵⁰ tn The verb “separate, divide” here explains how God used the light to dispel the darkness. It did not do away with the darkness completely, but made a separation. The light came alongside the darkness, but they are mutually exclusive – a theme that will be developed in the Gospel of John (cf. John 1:5).

[1:5]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Heb “he called to,” meaning “he named.”

[1:5]  ⁴⁵² tn Heb “and the darkness he called night.” The words “he called” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:5]  ⁴⁵³ tn Another option is to translate, “Evening came, and then morning came.” This formula closes the six days of creation. It seems to follow the Jewish order of reckoning time: from evening to morning. Day one started with the dark, continued through the creation of light, and ended with nightfall. Another alternative would be to translate, “There was night and then there was day, one day.”

[1:26]  ⁴⁵⁴ sn The plural form of the verb has been the subject of much discussion through the years, and not surprisingly several suggestions have been put forward. Many Christian theologians interpret it as an early hint of plurality within the Godhead, but this view imposes later trinitarian concepts on the ancient text. Some have suggested the plural verb indicates majesty, but the plural of majesty is not used with verbs. C. Westermann (Genesis, 1:145) argues for a plural of “deliberation” here, but his proposed examples of this use (2 Sam 24:14; Isa 6:8) do not actually support his theory. In 2 Sam 24:14 David uses the plural as representative of all Israel, and in Isa 6:8 the Lord speaks on behalf of his heavenly court. In its ancient Israelite context the plural is most naturally understood as referring to God and his heavenly court (see 1 Kgs 22:19-22; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; Isa 6:1-8). (The most well-known members of this court are God’s messengers, or angels. In Gen 3:5 the serpent may refer to this group as “gods/divine beings.” See the note on the word “evil” in 3:5.) If this is the case, God invites the heavenly court to participate in the creation of humankind (perhaps in the role of offering praise, see Job 38:7), but he himself is the one who does the actual creative work (v. 27). Of course, this view does assume that the members of the heavenly court possess the divine “image” in some way. Since the image is closely associated with rulership, perhaps they share the divine image in that they, together with God and under his royal authority, are the executive authority over the world.

[1:26]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn The Hebrew word is אָדָם (’adam), which can sometimes refer to man, as opposed to woman. The term refers here to humankind, comprised of male and female. The singular is clearly collective (see the plural verb, “[that] they may rule” in v. 26b) and the referent is defined specifically as “male and female” in v. 27. Usage elsewhere in Gen 1-11 supports this as well. In 5:2 we read: “Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and called their name ‘humankind’ (אָדָם).” The noun also refers to humankind in 6:1, 5-7 and in 9:5-6.

[1:26]  ⁴⁵⁶ tn The two prepositions translated “in” and “according to” have overlapping fields of meaning and in this context seem to be virtually equivalent. In 5:3 they are reversed with the two words. The word צֶלֶם (tselem, “image”) is used frequently of statues, models, and images – replicas (see D. J. A. Clines, “The Etymology of Hebrew selem,” JNSL 3 [1974]: 19-25). The word דְּמוּת (dÿmut, “likeness”) is an abstract noun; its verbal root means “to be like; to resemble.” In the Book of Genesis the two terms describe human beings who in some way reflect the form and the function of the creator. The form is more likely stressing the spiritual rather than the physical. The “image of God” would be the God-given mental and spiritual capacities that enable people to relate to God and to serve him by ruling over the created order as his earthly vice-regents.

[1:26]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Following the cohortative (“let us make”), the prefixed verb form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result (see Gen 19:20; 34:23; 2 Sam 3:21). God’s purpose in giving humankind his image is that they might rule the created order on behalf of the heavenly king and his royal court. So the divine image, however it is defined, gives humankind the capacity and/or authority to rule over creation.

[1:26]  ⁴⁵⁸ tc The MT reads “earth”; the Syriac reads “wild animals” (cf. NRSV).

[1:26]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn Heb “creep” (also in v. 28).