Genesis 42:17

42:17 He imprisoned ¹  them all for three days.

Genesis 40:12

40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent ²  three days.

Genesis 40:18-19

40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent ³  three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you ⁴  and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

Genesis 30:36

30:36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey, ⁵  while ⁶  Jacob was taking care of the rest of Laban’s flocks.

Genesis 40:13

40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ⁷  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ⁸  when you were cupbearer.

Genesis 31:22

31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. ⁹ 

Genesis 34:25

34:25 In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword ¹⁰  and went to the unsuspecting city ¹¹  and slaughtered every male.

Genesis 40:20

40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” ¹²  the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants.

[42:17]  ¹ 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.

[40:12]  ² tn Heb “the three branches [are].”

[40:18]  ³ tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”

[40:19]  ⁴ 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.

[30:36]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he put a journey of three days between himself and Jacob.”

[30:36]  ⁶ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the vav with subject) is circumstantial/temporal; Laban removed the animals while Jacob was taking care of the rest.

[40:13]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[31:22]  ⁷ tn Heb “and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.”

[34:25]  ⁸ tn Heb “a man his sword.”

[34:25]  ⁹ tn Heb “and they came upon the city, [which was] secure.” In this case “secure” means the city was caught unprepared and at peace, not expecting an attack.

[40:20]  ⁹ 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).