Genesis 42:21

42:21 They said to one other, ¹  “Surely we’re being punished ²  because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was ³  when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress ⁴  has come on us!”

Genesis 35:3

35:3 Let us go up at once ⁵  to Bethel. Then I will make ⁶  an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress ⁷  and has been with me wherever I went.” ⁸ 

[42:21]  ¹ tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”

[42:21]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”

[42:21]  ⁴ 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.

[35:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “let us arise and let us go up.” The first cohortative gives the statement a sense of urgency.

[35:3]  ⁶ tn The cohortative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or consequence.

[35:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “day of distress.” See Ps 20:1 which utilizes similar language.

[35:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “in the way in which I went.” Jacob alludes here to God’s promise to be with him (see Gen 28:20).