Genesis 42:3

42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

Genesis 41:35

41:35 They should gather all the excess food ¹  during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority ²  they should store up grain so the cities will have food, ³  and they should preserve it. ⁴ 

Genesis 41:49

41:49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, ⁵  until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

Genesis 42:25

42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill ⁶  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. ⁷ 

Genesis 45:23

45:23 To his father he sent the following: ⁸  ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey.

[41:35]  ¹ tn Heb “all the food.”

[41:35]  ² tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”

[41:35]  ³ tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.

[41:35]  ⁴ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.

[41:49]  ¹ 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.

[42:25]  ¹ 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]  ² 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).

[45:23]  ¹ tn Heb “according to this.”