Genesis 8:21

8:21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma ¹  and said ²  to himself, ³  “I will never again curse ⁴  the ground because of humankind, even though ⁵  the inclination of their minds ⁶  is evil from childhood on. ⁷  I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done.

Genesis 43:18

43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of ⁸  the money that was returned in our sacks last time. ⁹  He wants to capture us, ¹⁰  make us slaves, and take ¹¹  our donkeys!”

Genesis 50:17

50:17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept. ¹² 

[8:21]  ¹ tn The Lord “smelled” (וַיָּרַח, vayyarakh) a “soothing smell” (רֵיחַ הַנִּיהֹחַ, reakh hannihoakh). The object forms a cognate accusative with the verb. The language is anthropomorphic. The offering had a sweet aroma that pleased or soothed. The expression in Lev 1 signifies that God accepts the offering with pleasure, and in accepting the offering he accepts the worshiper.

[8:21]  ² tn Heb “and the Lord said.”

[8:21]  ³ tn Heb “in his heart.”

[8:21]  ⁴ tn Here the Hebrew word translated “curse” is קָלָל (qalal), used in the Piel verbal stem.

[8:21]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) can be used in a concessive sense (see BDB 473 s.v. כִּי), which makes good sense in this context. Its normal causal sense (“for”) does not fit the context here very well.

[8:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “the inclination of the heart of humankind.”

[8:21]  ⁷ tn Heb “from his youth.”

[43:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[43:18]  ⁹ tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.

[43:18]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “to roll himself upon us and to cause himself to fall upon us.” The infinitives here indicate the purpose (as viewed by the brothers) for their being brought to Joseph’s house.

[43:18]  ¹¹ tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[50:17]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”