Genesis 16:6

16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your ¹  servant is under your authority, ²  do to her whatever you think best.” ³  Then Sarai treated Hagar ⁴  harshly, ⁵  so she ran away from Sarai. ⁶ 

Genesis 39:6

39:6 So Potiphar ⁷  left ⁸  everything he had in Joseph’s care; ⁹  he gave no thought ¹⁰  to anything except the food he ate. ¹¹ 

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. ¹² 

[16:6]  ¹ tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”

[16:6]  ² tn Heb “in your hand.”

[16:6]  ³ tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”

[16:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:6]  ⁵ tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”

[16:6]  ⁶ tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:6]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “did not know.”

[39:6]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.