Genesis 24:12

24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. ¹  Be faithful ²  to my master Abraham.

Genesis 27:4

27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then ³  I will eat it so that I may bless you ⁴  before I die.”

Genesis 37:3

37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons ⁵  because he was a son born to him late in life, ⁶  and he made a special ⁷  tunic for him.

[24:12]  ¹ tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).

[24:12]  ² tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”

[27:4]  ³ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

[27:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The use of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as the subject emphasizes that the blessing will be made with all Isaac’s desire and vitality. The conjunction “so that” closely relates the meal to the blessing, suggesting that this will be a ritual meal in conjunction with the giving of a formal blessing.

[37:3]  ⁵ tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information vital to the story. It explains in part the brothers’ animosity toward Joseph.

[37:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “a son of old age was he to him.” This expression means “a son born to him when he [i.e., Jacob] was old.”

[37:3]  ⁷ tn It is not clear what this tunic was like, because the meaning of the Hebrew word that describes it is uncertain. The idea that it was a coat of many colors comes from the Greek translation of the OT. An examination of cognate terms in Semitic suggests it was either a coat or tunic with long sleeves (cf. NEB, NRSV), or a tunic that was richly embroidered (cf. NIV). It set Joseph apart as the favored one.