Kejadian 25:1--27:46
Konteks25:1 Abraham had taken 1 another 2 wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. 3 The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants 4 of Keturah.
25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines 5 and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac. 6
25:7 Abraham lived a total of 7 175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. 8 He joined his ancestors. 9 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah 10 near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. 11 There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed 12 his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi. 13
25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, 14 whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.
25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: 15 Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes 16 according to their clans.
25:17 Ishmael lived a total of 17 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. 18 25:18 His descendants 19 settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next 20 to Egypt all the way 21 to Asshur. 22 They settled 23 away from all their relatives. 24
25:19 This is the account of Isaac, 25 the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, 26 the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. 27
25:21 Isaac prayed to 28 the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled 29 inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” 30 So she asked the Lord, 31 25:23 and the Lord said to her,
“Two nations 32 are in your womb,
and two peoples will be separated from within you.
One people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, 33 there were 34 twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish 35 all over, 36 like a hairy 37 garment, so they named him Esau. 38 25:26 When his brother came out with 39 his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. 40 Isaac was sixty years old 41 when they were born.
25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled 42 hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 43 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, 44 but Rebekah loved 45 Jacob.
25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, 46 and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed 47 me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called 48 Edom.) 49
25:31 But Jacob replied, “First 50 sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 51 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” 52 So Esau 53 swore an oath to him and sold his birthright 54 to Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. 55 So Esau despised his birthright. 56
26:1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred 57 in the days of Abraham. 58 Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. 26:2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; 59 settle down in the land that I will point out to you. 60 26:3 Stay 61 in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, 62 for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, 63 and I will fulfill 64 the solemn promise I made 65 to your father Abraham. 26:4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them 66 all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. 67 26:5 All this will come to pass 68 because Abraham obeyed me 69 and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” 70 26:6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.
26:7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, “She is my sister.” 71 He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, 72 “The men of this place will kill me to get 73 Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”
26:8 After Isaac 74 had been there a long time, 75 Abimelech king of the Philistines happened to look out a window and observed 76 Isaac caressing 77 his wife Rebekah. 26:9 So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really 78 your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.” 79
26:10 Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? 80 One of the men 81 might easily have had sexual relations with 82 your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!” 26:11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, “Whoever touches 83 this man or his wife will surely be put to death.” 84
26:12 When Isaac planted in that land, he reaped in the same year a hundred times what he had sown, 85 because the Lord blessed him. 86 26:13 The man became wealthy. 87 His influence continued to grow 88 until he became very prominent. 26:14 He had 89 so many sheep 90 and cattle 91 and such a great household of servants that the Philistines became jealous 92 of him. 26:15 So the Philistines took dirt and filled up 93 all the wells that his father’s servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham.
26:16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave us and go elsewhere, 94 for you have become much more powerful 95 than we are.” 26:17 So Isaac left there and settled in the Gerar Valley. 96 26:18 Isaac reopened 97 the wells that had been dug 98 back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up 99 after Abraham died. Isaac 100 gave these wells 101 the same names his father had given them. 102
26:19 When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing 103 water there, 26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled 104 with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac 105 named the well 106 Esek 107 because they argued with him about it. 108 26:21 His servants 109 dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it 110 Sitnah. 111 26:22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac 112 named it 113 Rehoboth, 114 saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”
26:23 From there Isaac 115 went up to Beer Sheba. 26:24 The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 26:25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped 116 the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well. 117
26:26 Now Abimelech had come 118 to him from Gerar along with 119 Ahuzzah his friend 120 and Phicol the commander of his army. 26:27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me? You hate me 121 and sent me away from you.” 26:28 They replied, “We could plainly see 122 that the Lord is with you. So we decided there should be 123 a pact between us 124 – between us 125 and you. Allow us to make 126 a treaty with you 26:29 so that 127 you will not do us any harm, just as we have not harmed 128 you, but have always treated you well 129 before sending you away 130 in peace. Now you are blessed by the Lord.” 131
26:30 So Isaac 132 held a feast for them and they celebrated. 133 26:31 Early in the morning the men made a treaty with each other. 134 Isaac sent them off; they separated on good terms. 135
26:32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported. 136 26:33 So he named it Shibah; 137 that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba 138 to this day.
26:34 When 139 Esau was forty years old, 140 he married 141 Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, as well as Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 26:35 They caused Isaac and Rebekah great anxiety. 142
27:1 When 143 Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, 144 he called his older 145 son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau 146 replied. 27:2 Isaac 147 said, “Since 148 I am so old, I could die at any time. 149 27:3 Therefore, take your weapons – your quiver and your bow – and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game 150 for me. 27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then 151 I will eat it so that I may bless you 152 before I die.”
27:5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. 153 When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back, 154 27:6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 27:7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat 155 it and bless you 156 in the presence of the Lord 157 before I die.’ 27:8 Now then, my son, do 158 exactly what I tell you! 159 27:9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare 160 them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 27:10 Then you will take 161 it to your father. Thus he will eat it 162 and 163 bless you before he dies.”
27:11 “But Esau my brother is a hairy man,” Jacob protested to his mother Rebekah, “and I have smooth skin! 164 27:12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him 165 and I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.” 27:13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me, 166 my son! Just obey me! 167 Go and get them for me!”
27:14 So he went and got the goats 168 and brought them to his mother. She 169 prepared some tasty food, just the way his father loved it. 27:15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 27:16 She put the skins of the young goats 170 on his hands 171 and the smooth part of his neck. 27:17 Then she handed 172 the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.
27:18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac 173 replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” 174 27:19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up 175 and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” 176 27:20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world 177 did you find it so quickly, 178 my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” 179 he replied. 180 27:21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you, 181 my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.” 182 27:22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 27:23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob. 183 27:24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob 184 replied. 27:25 Isaac 185 said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son. 186 Then I will bless you.” 187 So Jacob 188 brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac 189 drank. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27:27 So Jacob 190 went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent 191 of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,
“Yes, 192 my son smells
like the scent of an open field
which the Lord has blessed.
27:28 May God give you
the dew of the sky 193
and the richness 194 of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
27:29 May peoples serve you
and nations bow down to you.
You will be 195 lord 196 over your brothers,
and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. 197
May those who curse you be cursed,
and those who bless you be blessed.”
27:30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left 198 his father’s 199 presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. 200 27:31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau 201 said to him, “My father, get up 202 and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.” 203 27:32 His father Isaac asked, 204 “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,” 205 he replied, “Esau!” 27:33 Isaac began to shake violently 206 and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him. 207 He will indeed be blessed!”
27:34 When Esau heard 208 his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly. 209 He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 27:35 But Isaac 210 replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away 211 your blessing.” 27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! 212 He has tripped me up 213 two times! He took away my birthright, and now, look, he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me?”
27:37 Isaac replied to Esau, “Look! I have made him lord over you. I have made all his relatives his servants and provided him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?” 27:38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!” 214 Then Esau wept loudly. 215
27:39 So his father Isaac said to him,
“Indeed, 216 your home will be
away from the richness 217 of the earth,
and away from the dew of the sky above.
27:40 You will live by your sword
but you will serve your brother.
When you grow restless,
you will tear off his yoke
from your neck.” 218
27:41 So Esau hated 219 Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. 220 Esau said privately, 221 “The time 222 of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill 223 my brother Jacob!”
27:42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said, 224 she quickly summoned 225 her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you. 226 27:43 Now then, my son, do what I say. 227 Run away immediately 228 to my brother Laban in Haran. 27:44 Live with him for a little while 229 until your brother’s rage subsides. 27:45 Stay there 230 until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there. 231 Why should I lose both of you in one day?” 232
27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed 233 because of these daughters of Heth. 234 If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!” 235
Kejadian 40:1--43:34
Konteks40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer 236 to the king of Egypt and the royal baker 237 offended 238 their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, 239 the cupbearer and the baker, 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. 240
They spent some time in custody. 241 40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream 242 the same night. 243 Each man’s dream had its own meaning. 244 40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. 245 40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” 246 40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, 247 but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them 248 to me.”
40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: 249 “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his 250 cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 251
40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent 252 three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you 253 and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before 254 when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me 255 when it goes well for you, and show 256 me kindness. 257 Make mention 258 of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, 259 40:15 for I really was kidnapped 260 from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”
40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, 261 he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread 262 on my head. 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”
40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent 263 three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you 264 and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” 265 the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position 266 so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. 267 40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. 268
41:1 At the end of two full years 269 Pharaoh had a dream. 270 As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, 271 and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, 272 and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. 273 41:4 The bad-looking, thin cows ate the seven fine-looking, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
41:5 Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing 274 on one stalk, healthy 275 and good. 41:6 Then 276 seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream. 277
41:8 In the morning he 278 was troubled, so he called for 279 all the diviner-priests 280 of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, 281 but no one could interpret 282 them for him. 283 41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. 284 41:10 Pharaoh was enraged with his servants, and he put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guards – me and the chief baker. 41:11 We each had a dream one night; each of us had a dream with its own meaning. 285 41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant 286 of the captain of the guards, 287 was with us there. We told him our dreams, 288 and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. 289 41:13 It happened just as he had said 290 to us – Pharaoh 291 restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” 292
41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned 293 Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, 294 and there is no one who can interpret 295 it. But I have heard about you, that 296 you can interpret dreams.” 297 41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, 298 but God will speak concerning 299 the welfare of Pharaoh.” 300
41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing 301 by the edge of the Nile. 41:18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 302 41:19 Then 303 seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows 304 as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven 305 fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, 306 no one would have known 307 that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 41:22 I also saw in my dream 308 seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then 309 seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this 310 to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” 311
41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. 312 God has revealed 313 to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 314 41:26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. 315 41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent 316 seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told 317 Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 41:30 But seven years of famine will occur 318 after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate 319 the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered 320 because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. 321 41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh 322 because the matter has been decreed 323 by God, and God will make it happen soon. 324
41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look 325 for a wise and discerning man 326 and give him authority 327 over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do 328 this – he should appoint 329 officials 330 throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt 331 during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food 332 during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority 333 they should store up grain so the cities will have food, 334 and they should preserve it. 335 41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.” 336
41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. 337 41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, 338 one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” 339 41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning 340 as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. 341 Only I, the king, will be greater than you. 342
41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place 343 you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” 344 41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen 345 clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh 346 had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, 347 and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” 348 So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission 349 no one 350 will move his hand or his foot 351 in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. 352 He also gave him Asenath 353 daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, 354 to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of 355 all the land of Egypt.
41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old 356 when he began serving 357 Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by 358 Pharaoh and was in charge of 359 all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. 360 41:48 Joseph 361 collected all the excess food 362 in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. 363 In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it. 41:49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, 364 until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.
41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. 365 Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. 366 41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, 367 saying, 368 “Certainly 369 God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, 370 saying, 371 “Certainly 372 God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
41:53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 41:54 Then the seven years of famine began, 373 just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 41:55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, 374 “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, 375 Joseph opened the storehouses 376 and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country 377 came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.
42:1 When Jacob heard 378 there was grain in Egypt, he 379 said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” 380 42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us 381 so that we may live 382 and not die.” 383
42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 42:4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, 384 for he said, 385 “What if some accident 386 happens 387 to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, 388 for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.
42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. 389 Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down 390 before him with 391 their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger 392 to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, 393 “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” 394
42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered 395 the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!” 396
42:10 But they exclaimed, 397 “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! 42:11 We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”
42:12 “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” 398 42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. 399 We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, 400 and one is no longer alive.” 401
42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: 402 You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, 403 you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get 404 your brother, while 405 the rest of you remain in prison. 406 In this way your words may be tested to see if 407 you are telling the truth. 408 If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned 409 them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say 410 and you will live, 411 for I fear God. 412 42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison 413 while the rest of you go 414 and take grain back for your hungry families. 415 42:20 But you must bring 416 your youngest brother to me. Then 417 your words will be verified 418 and you will not die.” They did as he said. 419
42:21 They said to one other, 420 “Surely we’re being punished 421 because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was 422 when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress 423 has come on us!” 42:22 Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!” 424 42:23 (Now 425 they did not know that Joseph could understand them, 426 for he was speaking through an interpreter.) 427 42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, 428 he had Simeon taken 429 from them and tied up 430 before their eyes.
42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill 431 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. 432 42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. 433
42:27 When one of them 434 opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, 435 he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 436 42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; 437 they turned trembling one to another 438 and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” 439
42:29 They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying, 42:30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us 440 as if we were 441 spying on the land. 42:31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies! 42:32 We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father. 442 One is no longer alive, 443 and the youngest is with our father at this time 444 in the land of Canaan.’
42:33 “Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain 445 for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know 446 that you are honest men and not spies. 447 Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” 448
42:35 When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. 449 Simeon is gone. 450 And now you want to take 451 Benjamin! Everything is against me.”
42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may 452 put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care 453 and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob 454 replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. 455 If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair 456 in sorrow to the grave.” 457
43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 458 43:2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”
43:3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned 459 us, ‘You will not see my face 460 unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send 461 our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. 43:5 But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
43:6 Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble 462 on me by telling 463 the man you had one more brother?”
43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us 464 thoroughly 465 about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ 466 So we answered him in this way. 467 How could we possibly know 468 that he would say, 469 ‘Bring your brother down’?”
43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. 470 Then we will live 471 and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security 472 for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 473 43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back 474 twice by now!”
43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man – a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 43:12 Take double the money with you; 475 you must take back 476 the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks – perhaps it was an oversight. 43:13 Take your brother too, and go right away 477 to the man. 478 43:14 May the sovereign God 479 grant you mercy before the man so that he may release 480 your other brother 481 and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” 482
43:15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt 483 and stood before Joseph. 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, “Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.” 43:17 The man did just as Joseph said; he 484 brought the men into Joseph’s house. 485
43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of 486 the money that was returned in our sacks last time. 487 He wants to capture us, 488 make us slaves, and take 489 our donkeys!” 43:19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 43:20 They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down 490 the first time 491 to buy food. 43:21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money – the full amount 492 – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. 493 43:22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!”
43:23 “Everything is fine,” 494 the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. 495 I had your money.” 496 Then he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24 The servant in charge 497 brought the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 43:25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival 498 at noon, for they had heard 499 that they were to have a meal 500 there.
43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, 501 and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. 502 Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 43:28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility. 503
43:29 When Joseph looked up 504 and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 505 43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother 506 and was at the point of tears. 507 So he went to his room and wept there.
43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, 508 “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, 509 and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting 510 to do so.) 511 43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. 512 The men looked at each other in astonishment. 513 43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, 514 but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk. 515
Kejadian 6:14
Konteks6:14 Make 516 for yourself an ark of cypress 517 wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover 518 it with pitch inside and out.
Kejadian 9:16
Konteks9:16 When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will notice it and remember 519 the perpetual covenant between God and all living creatures of all kinds that are on the earth.”
Kejadian 10:19-21
Konteks10:19 and the borders of Canaan extended 520 from Sidon 521 all the way to 522 Gerar as far as Gaza, and all the way to 523 Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 10:20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.
10:21 And sons were also born 524 to Shem (the older brother of Japheth), 525 the father of all the sons of Eber.
Matius 10:25
Konteks10:25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!
Matius 16:13-16
Konteks16:13 When 526 Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, 527 he asked his disciples, 528 “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 16:14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, 529 and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16:16 Simon Peter answered, 530 “You are the Christ, 531 the Son of the living God.”
Matius 21:46
Konteks21:46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds 532 regarded him as a prophet.
Lukas 7:16
Konteks7:16 Fear 533 seized them all, and they began to glorify 534 God, saying, “A great prophet 535 has appeared 536 among us!” and “God has come to help 537 his people!”
[25:1] sn Abraham had taken another wife. These events are not necessarily in chronological order following the events of the preceding chapter. They are listed here to summarize Abraham’s other descendants before the narrative of his death.
[25:1] 2 tn Heb “And Abraham added and took.”
[25:3] 3 sn The names Sheba and Dedan appear in Gen 10:7 as descendants of Ham through Cush and Raamah. Since these two names are usually interpreted to be place names, one plausible suggestion is that some of Abraham’s descendants lived in those regions and took names linked with it.
[25:6] 5 tn Heb “the sons of the concubines who [belonged] to Abraham.”
[25:6] 6 tn Heb “And he sent them away from upon Isaac his son, while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.”
[25:7] 7 tn Heb “and these are the days of the years of the lifetime of Abraham that he lived.” The normal genealogical formula is expanded here due to the importance of the life of Abraham.
[25:8] 8 tn Heb “old and full.”
[25:8] 9 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
[25:9] 10 sn The cave of Machpelah was the place Abraham had purchased as a burial place for his wife Sarah (Gen 23:17-18).
[25:10] 11 tn See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.
[25:11] 12 sn God blessed Isaac. The Hebrew verb “bless” in this passage must include all the gifts that God granted to Isaac. But fertility was not one of them, at least not for twenty years, because Rebekah was barren as well (see v. 21).
[25:11] 13 sn Beer Lahai Roi. See the note on this place name in Gen 24:62.
[25:12] 14 sn This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).
[25:13] 15 tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”
[25:16] 16 tn Or “tribal chieftains.”
[25:17] 17 tn Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”
[25:17] 18 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
[25:18] 19 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:18] 20 tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.
[25:18] 21 tn Heb “as you go.”
[25:18] 22 sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.
[25:18] 24 tn Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.
[25:19] 25 sn This is the account of Isaac. What follows for several chapters is not the account of Isaac, except briefly, but the account of Jacob and Esau. The next chapters tell what became of Isaac and his family.
[25:20] 26 tn Heb “And Isaac was the son of forty years when he took Rebekah.”
[25:20] 27 sn Some valuable information is provided here. We learn here that Isaac married thirty-five years before Abraham died, that Rebekah was barren for twenty years, and that Abraham would have lived to see Jacob and Esau begin to grow up. The death of Abraham was recorded in the first part of the chapter as a “tidying up” of one generation before beginning the account of the next.
[25:21] 28 tn The Hebrew verb עָתַר (’atar), translated “prayed [to]” here, appears in the story of God’s judgment on Egypt in which Moses asked the
[25:22] 29 tn The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.
[25:22] 30 tn Heb “If [it is] so, why [am] I this [way]?” Rebekah wanted to know what was happening to her, but the question itself reflects a growing despair over the struggle of the unborn children.
[25:22] 31 sn Asked the
[25:23] 32 sn By metonymy the two children in her womb are described as two nations of which the two children, Jacob and Esau, would become the fathers. The language suggests there would be a struggle between these nations, with one being stronger than the other. The oracle reveals that all of Jacob’s scheming was unnecessary in the final analysis. He would have become the dominant nation without using deception to steal his brother’s blessing.
[25:24] 33 tn Heb “And her days were filled to give birth.”
[25:24] 34 tn Heb “look!” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene as if they were actually present at the birth.
[25:25] 35 sn Reddish. The Hebrew word translated “reddish” is אַדְמוֹנִי (’admoni), which forms a wordplay on the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. The writer sees in Esau’s appearance at birth a sign of what was to come. After all, the reader has already been made aware of the “nations” that were being born.
[25:25] 36 tn Heb “all of him.”
[25:25] 37 sn Hairy. Here is another wordplay involving the descendants of Esau. The Hebrew word translated “hairy” is שֵׂעָר (se’ar); the Edomites will later live in Mount Seir, perhaps named for its wooded nature.
[25:25] 38 tn Heb “And they called his name Esau.” The name “Esau” (עֵשָׂו, ’esav) is not etymologically related to שֵׂעָר (se’ar), but it draws on some of the sounds.
[25:26] 39 tn The disjunctive clause describes an important circumstance accompanying the birth. Whereas Esau was passive at birth, Jacob was active.
[25:26] 40 tn Heb “And he called his name Jacob.” Some ancient witnesses read “they called his name Jacob” (see v. 25). In either case the subject is indefinite.
[25:26] sn The name Jacob is a play on the Hebrew word for “heel” (עָקֵב, ’aqev). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. It did not have a negative connotation until Esau redefined it. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. After receiving such an oracle, the parents would have preserved in memory almost every detail of the unusual births.
[25:26] 41 tn Heb “the son of sixty years.”
[25:27] 43 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Jacob with Esau and draws attention to the striking contrasts. In contrast to Esau, a man of the field, Jacob was civilized, as the phrase “living in tents” signifies. Whereas Esau was a skillful hunter, Jacob was calm and even-tempered (תָּם, tam), which normally has the idea of “blameless.”
[25:28] 44 tn Heb “the taste of game was in his mouth.” The word for “game,” “venison” is here the same Hebrew word as “hunter” in the last verse. Here it is a metonymy, referring to that which the hunter kills.
[25:28] 45 tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Rebekah with Jacob and draws attention to the contrast. The verb here is a participle, drawing attention to Rebekah’s continuing, enduring love for her son.
[25:29] 46 sn Jacob cooked some stew. There are some significant words and wordplays in this story that help clarify the points of the story. The verb “cook” is זִיד (zid), which sounds like the word for “hunter” (צַיִד, tsayid). This is deliberate, for the hunter becomes the hunted in this story. The word זִיד means “to cook, to boil,” but by the sound play with צַיִד it comes to mean “set a trap by cooking.” The usage of the word shows that it can also have the connotation of acting presumptuously (as in boiling over). This too may be a comment on the scene. For further discussion of the rhetorical devices in the Jacob narratives, see J. P. Fokkelman, Narrative Art in Genesis (SSN).
[25:30] 47 tn The rare term לָעַט (la’at), translated “feed,” is used in later Hebrew for feeding animals (see Jastrow, 714). If this nuance was attached to the word in the biblical period, then it may depict Esau in a negative light, comparing him to a hungry animal. Famished Esau comes in from the hunt, only to enter the trap. He can only point at the red stew and ask Jacob to feed him.
[25:30] 48 tn The verb has no expressed subject and so is given a passive translation.
[25:30] 49 sn Esau’s descendants would eventually be called Edom. Edom was the place where they lived, so-named probably because of the reddish nature of the hills. The writer can use the word “red” to describe the stew that Esau gasped for to convey the nature of Esau and his descendants. They were a lusty, passionate, and profane people who lived for the moment. Again, the wordplay is meant to capture the “omen in the nomen.”
[25:32] 51 tn Heb “And what is this to me, a birthright?”
[25:33] 52 tn Heb “Swear to me today.”
[25:33] 53 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:33] 54 sn And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.
[25:34] 55 sn The style here is typical of Hebrew narrative; after the tension is resolved with the dialogue, the working out of it is recorded in a rapid sequence of verbs (“gave”; “ate”; “drank”; “got up”; “went out”). See also Gen 3:1-7 for another example.
[25:34] 56 sn So Esau despised his birthright. This clause, which concludes the episode, is a summary statement which reveals the underlying significance of Esau’s actions. “To despise” means to treat something as worthless or with contempt. Esau’s willingness to sell his birthright was evidence that he considered it to be unimportant.
[26:1] 57 tn Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”
[26:1] 58 sn This account is parallel to two similar stories about Abraham (see Gen 12:10-20; 20:1-18). Many scholars do not believe there were three similar incidents, only one that got borrowed and duplicated. Many regard the account about Isaac as the original, which then was attached to the more important person, Abraham, with supernatural elements being added. For a critique of such an approach, see R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 47-62. It is more likely that the story illustrates the proverb “like father, like son” (see T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 53). In typical human fashion the son follows his father’s example of lying to avoid problems. The appearance of similar events reported in a similar way underscores the fact that the blessing has now passed to Isaac, even if he fails as his father did.
[26:2] 59 sn Do not go down to Egypt. The words echo Gen 12:10, which reports that “Abram went down to Egypt,” but state the opposite.
[26:2] 60 tn Heb “say to you.”
[26:3] 61 tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur) means “to live temporarily without ownership of land.” Abraham’s family will not actually possess the land of Canaan until the Israelite conquest hundreds of years later.
[26:3] 62 tn After the imperative “stay” the two prefixed verb forms with prefixed conjunction here indicate consequence.
[26:3] sn I will be with you and I will bless you. The promise of divine presence is a promise to intervene to protect and to bless.
[26:3] 63 tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.
[26:3] sn To you and to your descendants. The Abrahamic blessing will pass to Isaac. Everything included in that blessing will now belong to the son, and in turn will be passed on to his sons. But there is a contingency involved: If they are to enjoy the full blessings, they will have to obey the word of the
[26:3] 64 tn The Hiphil stem of the verb קוּם (qum) here means “to fulfill, to bring to realization.” For other examples of this use of this verb form, see Lev 26:9; Num 23:19; Deut 8:18; 9:5; 1 Sam 1:23; 1 Kgs 6:12; Jer 11:5.
[26:3] 65 tn Heb “the oath which I swore.”
[26:3] sn The solemn promise I made. See Gen 15:18-20; 22:16-18.
[26:4] 66 tn Heb “your descendants.”
[26:4] 67 tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 22:18). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)
[26:5] 68 tn The words “All this will come to pass” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.
[26:5] 69 tn Heb “listened to my voice.”
[26:5] 70 sn My charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. The language of this verse is clearly interpretive, for Abraham did not have all these laws. The terms are legal designations for sections of the Mosaic law and presuppose the existence of the law. Some Rabbinic views actually conclude that Abraham had fulfilled the whole law before it was given (see m. Qiddushin 4:14). Some scholars argue that this story could only have been written after the law was given (C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:424-25). But the simplest explanation is that the narrator (traditionally taken to be Moses the Lawgiver) elaborated on the simple report of Abraham’s obedience by using terms with which the Israelites were familiar. In this way he depicts Abraham as the model of obedience to God’s commands, whose example Israel should follow.
[26:7] 71 sn Rebekah, unlike Sarah, was not actually her husband’s sister.
[26:7] 72 tn Heb “lest.” The words “for he thought to himself” are supplied because the next clause is written with a first person pronoun, showing that Isaac was saying or thinking this.
[26:7] 73 tn Heb “kill me on account of.”
[26:8] 74 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:8] 75 tn Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”
[26:8] 76 tn Heb “look, Isaac.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene through Abimelech’s eyes.
[26:8] sn The Hebrew word מְצַחֵק (mÿtsakheq), from the root צָחַק (tsakhaq, “laugh”), forms a sound play with the name “Isaac” right before it. Here it depicts an action, probably caressing or fondling, that indicated immediately that Rebekah was Isaac’s wife, not his sister. Isaac’s deception made a mockery of God’s covenantal promise. Ignoring God’s promise to protect and bless him, Isaac lied to protect himself and acted in bad faith to the men of Gerar.
[26:9] 78 tn Heb “Surely, look!” See N. H. Snaith, “The meaning of Hebrew ‘ak,” VT 14 (1964): 221-25.
[26:9] 79 tn Heb “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’” Since the verb “said” probably means “said to myself” (i.e., “thought”) here, the direct discourse in the Hebrew statement has been converted to indirect discourse in the translation. In addition the simple prepositional phrase “on account of her” has been clarified in the translation as “to get her” (cf. v. 7).
[26:10] 80 tn Heb “What is this you have done to us?” The Hebrew demonstrative pronoun “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to us?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).
[26:10] 82 tn The Hebrew verb means “to lie down.” Here the expression “lie with” or “sleep with” is euphemistic for “have sexual relations with.”
[26:11] 83 tn Heb “strikes.” Here the verb has the nuance “to harm in any way.” It would include assaulting the woman or killing the man.
[26:11] 84 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the imperfect makes the construction emphatic.
[26:12] 85 tn Heb “a hundredfold.”
[26:12] 86 tn This final clause explains why Isaac had such a bountiful harvest.
[26:13] 87 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Isaac’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are included.
[26:13] 88 tn Heb “and he went, going and becoming great.” The construction stresses that his growth in possessions and power continued steadily.
[26:14] 89 tn Heb “and there was to him.”
[26:14] 90 tn Heb “possessions of sheep.”
[26:14] 91 tn Heb “possessions of cattle.”
[26:14] 92 tn The Hebrew verb translated “became jealous” refers here to intense jealousy or envy that leads to hostile action (see v. 15).
[26:15] 93 tn Heb “and the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with dirt.”
[26:16] 94 tn Heb “Go away from us.”
[26:16] 95 sn You have become much more powerful. This explanation for the expulsion of Isaac from Philistine territory foreshadows the words used later by the Egyptians to justify their oppression of Israel (see Exod 1:9).
[26:17] 96 tn Heb “and he camped in the valley of Gerar and he lived there.”
[26:17] sn This valley was actually a wadi (a dry river bed where the water would flow in the rainy season, but this would have been rare in the Negev). The water table under it would have been higher than in the desert because of water soaking in during the torrents, making it easier to find water when digging wells. However, this does not minimize the blessing of the
[26:18] 97 tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”
[26:18] 98 tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.
[26:18] 99 tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.
[26:18] 100 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:18] 101 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:18] 102 tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”
[26:19] 103 tn Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).
[26:20] 104 tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.
[26:20] 105 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:20] 106 tn Heb “and he called the name of the well.”
[26:20] 107 sn The name Esek means “argument” in Hebrew. The following causal clause explains that Isaac gave the well this name as a reminder of the conflict its discovery had created. In the Hebrew text there is a wordplay, for the name is derived from the verb translated “argued.”
[26:20] 108 tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[26:21] 109 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:21] 110 tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:21] 111 sn The name Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה, sitnah) is derived from a Hebrew verbal root meaning “to oppose; to be an adversary” (cf. Job 1:6). The name was a reminder that the digging of this well caused “opposition” from the Philistines.
[26:22] 112 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:22] 113 tn Heb “and he called its name.”
[26:22] 114 sn The name Rehoboth (רְהֹבוֹת, rehovot) is derived from a verbal root meaning “to make room.” The name was a reminder that God had made room for them. The story shows Isaac’s patience with the opposition; it also shows how God’s blessing outdistanced the men of Gerar. They could not stop it or seize it any longer.
[26:23] 115 tn Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:25] 116 tn Heb “called in the name of.” The expression refers to worshiping the
[26:25] 117 tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”
[26:26] 118 tn The disjunctive clause supplies pertinent supplemental information. The past perfect is used because the following narrative records the treaty at Beer Sheba. Prior to this we are told that Isaac settled in Beer Sheba; presumably this treaty would have allowed him to do that. However, it may be that he settled there and then made the treaty by which he renamed the place Beer Sheba. In this case one may translate “Now Abimelech came to him.”
[26:26] 120 tn Many modern translations render the Hebrew term מֵרֵעַ (merea’) as “councillor” or “adviser,” but the term may not designate an official position but simply a close personal friend.
[26:27] 121 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.
[26:28] 122 tn The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.
[26:28] 123 tn Heb “And we said, ‘Let there be.’” The direct discourse in the Hebrew text has been rendered as indirect discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[26:28] 124 tn The pronoun “us” here is inclusive – it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.
[26:28] 125 tn The pronoun “us” here is exclusive – it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).
[26:28] 126 tn The translation assumes that the cohortative expresses their request. Another option is to understand the cohortative as indicating resolve: “We want to make.’”
[26:29] 127 tn The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”
[26:29] 129 tn Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”
[26:29] 130 tn Heb “and we sent you away.”
[26:29] 131 tn The Philistine leaders are making an observation, not pronouncing a blessing, so the translation reads “you are blessed” rather than “may you be blessed” (cf. NAB).
[26:30] 132 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:30] 133 tn Heb “and they ate and drank.”
[26:31] 134 tn Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”
[26:31] 135 tn Heb “and they went from him in peace.”
[26:32] 136 tn Heb “and they said to him, ‘We have found water.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[26:33] 137 sn The name Shibah (שִׁבְעָה, shiv’ah) means (or at least sounds like) the word meaning “oath.” The name was a reminder of the oath sworn by Isaac and the Philistines to solidify their treaty.
[26:33] 138 sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of an oath” or “well of seven.” According to Gen 21:31 Abraham gave Beer Sheba its name when he made a treaty with the Philistines. Because of the parallels between this earlier story and the account in 26:26-33, some scholars see chaps. 21 and 26 as two versions (or doublets) of one original story. However, if one takes the text as it stands, it appears that Isaac made a later treaty agreement with the people of the land that was similar to his father’s. Abraham dug a well at the site and named the place Beer Sheba; Isaac dug another well there and named the well Shibah. Later generations then associated the name Beer Sheba with Isaac, even though Abraham gave the place its name at an earlier time.
[26:34] 139 tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.
[26:34] 140 tn Heb “the son of forty years.”
[26:34] 141 tn Heb “took as a wife.”
[26:35] 142 tn Heb “And they were [a source of ] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”
[27:1] 143 tn The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.
[27:1] 144 tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”
[27:1] 145 tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).
[27:1] 146 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:2] 147 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:2] 148 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.
[27:2] 149 tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”
[27:3] 150 tn The Hebrew word is to be spelled either צַיִד (tsayid) following the marginal reading (Qere), or צֵידָה (tsedah) following the consonantal text (Kethib). Either way it is from the same root as the imperative צוּדָה (tsudah, “hunt down”).
[27:4] 151 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
[27:4] 152 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.
[27:5] 153 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a conjunction with the subject, followed by the predicate) here introduces a new scene in the story.
[27:5] 154 tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.
[27:7] 155 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
[27:7] 156 tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.
[27:7] 157 tn In her report to Jacob, Rebekah plays down Isaac’s strong desire to bless Esau by leaving out נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”), but by adding the phrase “in the presence of the
[27:8] 158 tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”
[27:8] 159 tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”
[27:9] 160 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
[27:10] 161 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive. It carries forward the tone of instruction initiated by the command to “go…and get” in the preceding verse.
[27:10] 162 tn The form is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; it carries the future nuance of the preceding verbs of instruction, but by switching the subject to Jacob, indicates the expected result of the subterfuge.
[27:10] 163 tn Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[27:11] 164 tn Heb “And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, but I am a smooth [skinned] man.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[27:12] 165 tn Heb “Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes like a mocker.” The Hebrew expression “I will be in his eyes like” means “I would appear to him as.”
[27:13] 166 tn Heb “upon me your curse.”
[27:13] 167 tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”
[27:14] 168 tn The words “the goats” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[27:14] 169 tn Heb “his mother.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “she” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[27:16] 170 tn In the Hebrew text the object (“the skins of the young goats”) precedes the verb. The disjunctive clause draws attention to this key element in the subterfuge.
[27:16] 171 tn The word “hands” probably includes the forearms here. How the skins were attached is not specified in the Hebrew text; cf. NLT “she made him a pair of gloves.”
[27:17] 172 tn Heb “gave…into the hand of.”
[27:18] 173 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:18] 174 sn Which are you, my son? Isaac’s first question shows that the deception is going to require more subterfuge than Rebekah had anticipated. Jacob will have to pull off the deceit.
[27:19] 175 tn Heb “get up and sit.” This may mean simply “sit up,” or it may indicate that he was to get up from his couch and sit at a table.
[27:19] 176 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.” These words, though not reported by Rebekah to Jacob (see v. 7) accurately reflect what Isaac actually said to Esau (see v. 4). Perhaps Jacob knew more than Rebekah realized, but it is more likely that this was an idiom for sincere blessing with which Jacob was familiar. At any rate, his use of the precise wording was a nice, convincing touch.
[27:20] 177 tn Heb “What is this?” The enclitic pronoun “this” adds emphasis to the question, which is comparable to the English rhetorical question, “How in the world?”
[27:20] 178 tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.
[27:20] 179 tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”
[27:20] 180 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Because the
[27:21] 181 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
[27:21] 182 tn Heb “Are you this one, Esau, my son, or not?” On the use of the interrogative particle here, see BDB 210 s.v. הֲ.
[27:23] 183 tn Heb “and he blessed him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” (Isaac) and “him” (Jacob) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:24] 184 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:25] 185 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:25] 186 tn Heb “Bring near to me and I will eat of the wild game, my son.” Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[27:25] 187 tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The presence of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as subject emphasizes Isaac’s heartfelt desire to do this. The conjunction indicates that the ritual meal must be first eaten before the formal blessing may be given.
[27:25] 188 tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:25] 189 tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:27] 190 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:27] 191 tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:28] 193 tn Heb “and from the dew of the sky.”
[27:28] 194 tn Heb “and from the fatness.”
[27:29] 195 tn Heb “and be.” The verb is an imperative, which is used rhetorically in this oracle of blessing. It is an invitation to exercise authority his brothers and indicates that he is granted such authority by the patriarch of the family. Furthermore, the blessing enables the recipient to accomplish this.
[27:29] 196 tn The Hebrew word is גְבִיר (gevir, “lord, mighty one”). The one being blessed will be stronger and therefore more powerful than his brother. See Gen 25:23. The feminine form of this rare noun means “mistress” or “queen-mother.”
[27:29] 197 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (which is either an imperfect or a jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
[27:30] 198 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.
[27:30] 199 tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was
[27:30] 200 tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”
[27:31] 201 tn Heb “and he said to his father”; the referent of “he” (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity, while the words “his father” have been replaced by the pronoun “him” for stylistic reasons.
[27:31] 202 tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).
[27:31] 203 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”
[27:32] 205 tn Heb “and he said, ‘I [am] your son, your firstborn.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
[27:33] 206 tn Heb “and Isaac trembled with a great trembling to excess.” The verb “trembled” is joined with a cognate accusative, which is modified by an adjective “great,” and a prepositional phrase “to excess.” All of this is emphatic, showing the violence of Isaac’s reaction to the news.
[27:33] 207 tn Heb “Who then is he who hunted game and brought [it] to me so that I ate from all before you arrived and blessed him?”
[27:34] 208 tn The temporal clause is introduced with the temporal indicator and has the infinitive as its verb.
[27:34] 209 tn Heb “and he yelled [with] a great and bitter yell to excess.”
[27:35] 210 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:35] 211 tn Or “took”; “received.”
[27:36] 212 tn Heb “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” The rhetorical question, since it expects a positive reply, has been translated as a declarative statement.
[27:36] 213 sn He has tripped me up. When originally given, the name Jacob was a play on the word “heel” (see Gen 25:26). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. Esau gives the name “Jacob” a negative connotation here, the meaning “to trip up; to supplant.”
[27:38] 214 tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[27:38] 215 tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”
[27:39] 217 tn Heb “from the fatness.”
[27:40] 218 sn You will tear off his yoke from your neck. It may be that this prophetic blessing found its fulfillment when Jerusalem fell and Edom got its revenge. The oracle makes Edom subservient to Israel and suggests the Edomites would live away from the best land and be forced to sustain themselves by violent measures.
[27:41] 219 tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.
[27:41] 220 tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”
[27:41] 221 tn Heb “said in his heart.” The expression may mean “said to himself.” Even if this is the case, v. 42 makes it clear that he must have shared his intentions with someone, because the news reached Rebekah.
[27:41] 223 tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.
[27:42] 224 tn Heb “and the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.”
[27:42] 225 tn Heb “she sent and called for.”
[27:42] 226 tn Heb “is consoling himself with respect to you to kill you.” The only way Esau had of dealing with his anger at the moment was to plan to kill his brother after the death of Isaac.
[27:43] 227 tn Heb “listen to my voice.”
[27:43] 228 tn Heb “arise, flee.”
[27:44] 229 tn Heb “a few days.” Rebekah probably downplays the length of time Jacob will be gone, perhaps to encourage him and assure him that things will settle down soon. She probably expects Esau’s anger to die down quickly. However, Jacob ends up being gone twenty years and he never sees Rebekah again.
[27:45] 230 tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[27:45] 231 tn Heb “and I will send and I will take you from there.” The verb “send” has no object in the Hebrew text; one must be supplied in the translation. Either “someone” or “a message” could be supplied, but since in those times a message would require a messenger, “someone” has been used.
[27:45] 232 tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.
[27:46] 233 tn Heb “loathe my life.” The Hebrew verb translated “loathe” refers to strong disgust (see Lev 20:23).
[27:46] 234 tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (see also Gen 23:3), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.
[27:46] 235 tn Heb “If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, why to me life?”
[40:1] 236 sn The Hebrew term cupbearer corresponds to the Egyptian wb’, an official (frequently a foreigner) who often became a confidant of the king and wielded political power (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 248). Nehemiah held this post in Persia.
[40:1] 237 sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.
[40:1] 238 sn The Hebrew verb translated offended here is the same one translated “sin” in 39:9. Perhaps there is an intended contrast between these officials, who deserve to be imprisoned, and Joseph, who refused to sin against God, but was thrown into prison in spite of his innocence.
[40:2] 239 tn The Hebrew word סָרִיס (saris), used here of these two men and of Potiphar (see 39:1), normally means “eunuch.” But evidence from Akkadian texts shows that in early times the title was used of a court official in general. Only later did it become more specialized in its use.
[40:4] 240 sn He served them. This is the same Hebrew verb, meaning “to serve as a personal attendant,” that was translated “became [his] servant” in 39:4.
[40:4] 241 tn Heb “they were days in custody.”
[40:5] 242 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[40:5] 243 tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”
[40:5] 244 tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”
[40:6] 245 tn The verb זָעַף (za’af) only occurs here and Dan 1:10. It means “to be sick, to be emaciated,” probably in this case because of depression.
[40:7] 246 tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”
[40:8] 247 tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”
[40:8] 248 tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:9] 249 tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.
[40:11] 250 tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:11] 251 sn The cupbearer’s dream is dominated by sets of three: three branches, three stages of growth, and three actions of the cupbearer.
[40:12] 252 tn Heb “the three branches [are].”
[40:13] 253 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] 254 tn Heb “according to the former custom.”
[40:14] 255 tn Heb “but you have remembered me with you.” The perfect verbal form may be used rhetorically here to emphasize Joseph’s desire to be remembered. He speaks of the action as already being accomplished in order to make it clear that he expects it to be done. The form can be translated as volitional, expressing a plea or a request.
[40:14] 256 tn This perfect verbal form with the prefixed conjunction (and the two that immediately follow) carry the same force as the preceding perfect.
[40:14] 257 tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”
[40:14] 258 tn The verb זָכַר (zakhar) in the Hiphil stem means “to cause to remember, to make mention, to boast.” The implication is that Joseph would be pleased for them to tell his story and give him the credit due him so that Pharaoh would release him. Since Pharaoh had never met Joseph, the simple translation of “cause him to remember me” would mean little.
[40:14] 259 tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.
[40:15] 260 tn The verb גָּנַב (ganav) means “to steal,” but in the Piel/Pual stem “to steal away.” The idea of “kidnap” would be closer to the sense, meaning he was stolen and carried off. The preceding infinitive absolute underscores the point Joseph is making.
[40:16] 261 tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[40:16] 262 tn Or “three wicker baskets.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun חֹרִי (khori, “white bread, cake”) is uncertain; some have suggested the meaning “wicker” instead. Comparison with texts from Ebla suggests the meaning “pastries made with white flour” (M. Dahood, “Eblaite h¬a-rí and Genesis 40,16 h£o„rî,” BN 13 [1980]: 14-16).
[40:18] 263 tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”
[40:19] 264 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.
[40:20] 265 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).
[40:21] 266 tn Heb “his cupbearing.”
[40:22] 267 tn Heb “had interpreted for them.”
[40:22] sn The dreams were fulfilled exactly as Joseph had predicted, down to the very detail. Here was confirmation that Joseph could interpret dreams and that his own dreams were still valid. It would have been a tremendous encouragement to his faith, but it would also have been a great disappointment to spend two more years in jail.
[40:23] 268 tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.
[41:1] 269 tn Heb “two years, days.”
[41:1] 270 tn Heb “was dreaming.”
[41:2] 271 tn Heb “And look, he was standing by the Nile, and look, from the Nile were coming up seven cows, attractive of appearance and fat of flesh.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to see the dream through Pharaoh’s eyes.
[41:3] 272 tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”
[41:3] 273 tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:5] 274 tn Heb “coming up.”
[41:7] 277 tn Heb “And look, a dream.”
[41:7] sn Pharaoh’s two dreams, as explained in the following verses, pertained to the economy of Egypt. Because of the Nile River, the land of Egypt weathered all kinds of famines – there was usually grain in Egypt, and if there was grain and water the livestock would flourish. These two dreams, however, indicated that poverty would overtake plenty and that the blessing of the herd and the field would cease.
[41:8] 278 tn Heb “his spirit.”
[41:8] 279 tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.
[41:8] 280 tn The Hebrew term חַרְטֹם (khartom) is an Egyptian loanword (hyr-tp) that describes a class of priests who were skilled in such interpretations.
[41:8] 281 tn The Hebrew text has the singular (though the Samaritan Pentateuch reads the plural). If retained, the singular must be collective for the set of dreams. Note the plural pronoun “them,” referring to the dreams, in the next clause. However, note that in v. 15 Pharaoh uses the singular to refer to the two dreams. In vv. 17-24 Pharaoh seems to treat the dreams as two parts of one dream (see especially v. 22).
[41:8] 282 tn “there was no interpreter.”
[41:8] 283 tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:9] 284 tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).
[41:11] 285 tn Heb “and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he, each according to the interpretation of his dream we dreamed.”
[41:12] 287 tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.
[41:12] 288 tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:12] 289 tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”
[41:13] 290 tn Heb “interpreted.”
[41:13] 291 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:13] 292 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:14] 293 tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.
[41:15] 294 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[41:15] 295 tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”
[41:15] 297 tn Heb “you hear a dream to interpret it,” which may mean, “you only have to hear a dream to be able to interpret it.”
[41:16] 298 tn Heb “not within me.”
[41:16] 299 tn Heb “God will answer.”
[41:16] 300 tn The expression שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה (shÿlom par’oh) is here rendered “the welfare of Pharaoh” because the dream will be about life in his land. Some interpret it to mean an answer of “peace” – one that will calm his heart, or give him the answer that he desires (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[41:17] 301 tn Heb “In my dream look, I was standing.” The use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here (and also in vv. 18, 19, 22, 23) invites the hearer (within the context of the narrative, Joseph; but in the broader sense the reader or hearer of the Book of Genesis) to observe the scene through Pharaoh’s eyes.
[41:18] 302 tn Heb “and look, from the Nile seven cows were coming up, fat of flesh and attractive of appearance, and they grazed in the reeds.”
[41:19] 303 tn Heb “And look.”
[41:19] 304 tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:20] 305 tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”
[41:21] 306 tn Heb “when they went inside them.”
[41:21] 307 tn Heb “it was not known.”
[41:22] 308 tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”
[41:23] 309 tn Heb “And look.”
[41:24] 310 tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:24] 311 tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”
[41:25] 312 tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”
[41:25] 313 tn Heb “declared.”
[41:25] 314 tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.
[41:26] 315 tn Heb “one dream it is.”
[41:27] 316 tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”
[41:28] 317 tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”
[41:30] 318 tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.
[41:30] 319 tn The Hebrew verb כָּלָה (kalah) in the Piel stem means “to finish, to destroy, to bring an end to.” The severity of the famine will ruin the land of Egypt.
[41:32] 322 tn Heb “and concerning the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh two times.” The Niphal infinitive here is the object of the preposition; it is followed by the subjective genitive “of the dream.”
[41:32] 323 tn Heb “established.”
[41:32] 324 tn The clause combines a participle and an infinitive construct: God “is hurrying…to do it,” meaning he is going to do it soon.
[41:33] 325 tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
[41:33] 326 tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:33] 327 tn Heb “and let him set him.”
[41:34] 328 tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”
[41:34] 329 tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
[41:34] 330 tn Heb “appointees.” The noun is a cognate accusative of the preceding verb. Since “appoint appointees” would be redundant in English, the term “officials” was used in the translation instead.
[41:34] 331 tn Heb “and he shall collect a fifth of the land of Egypt.” The language is figurative (metonymy); it means what the land produces, i.e., the harvest.
[41:35] 332 tn Heb “all the food.”
[41:35] 333 tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”
[41:35] 334 tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.
[41:35] 335 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.
[41:36] 336 tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”
[41:37] 337 tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”
[41:38] 338 tn Heb “like this,” but the referent could be misunderstood to be a man like that described by Joseph in v. 33, rather than Joseph himself. For this reason the proper name “Joseph” has been supplied in the translation.
[41:38] 339 tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”
[41:39] 340 tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:40] 341 tn Heb “and at your mouth (i.e., instructions) all my people will kiss.” G. J. Wenham translates this “shall kowtow to your instruction” (Genesis [WBC], 2:395). Although there is some textual support for reading “will be judged, ruled by you,” this is probably an attempt to capture the significance of this word. Wenham lists a number of references where individuals have tried to make connections with other words or expressions – such as a root meaning “order themselves” lying behind “kiss,” or an idiomatic idea of “kiss” meaning “seal the mouth,” and so “be silent and submit to.” See K. A. Kitchen, “The Term Nsq in Genesis 41:40,” ExpTim 69 (1957): 30; D. S. Sperling, “Genesis 41:40: A New Interpretation,” JANESCU 10 (1978): 113-19.
[41:40] 342 tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”
[41:41] 343 tn The translation assumes that the perfect verbal form is descriptive of a present action. Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, in which case Pharaoh describes a still future action as if it had already occurred in order to emphasize its certainty. In this case one could translate “I have placed” or “I will place.” The verb נָתַן (natan) is translated here as “to place in authority [over].”
[41:41] 344 sn Joseph became the grand vizier of the land of Egypt. See W. A. Ward, “The Egyptian Office of Joseph,” JSS 5 (1960): 144-50; and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 129-31.
[41:42] 345 tn The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ (shesh) is an Egyptian loanword that describes the fine linen robes that Egyptian royalty wore. The clothing signified Joseph’s rank.
[41:43] 346 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:43] 347 tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”
[41:43] 348 tn The verb form appears to be a causative imperative from a verbal root meaning “to kneel.” It is a homonym of the word “bless” (identical in root letters but not related etymologically).
[41:44] 349 tn Heb “apart from you.”
[41:44] 350 tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.
[41:44] 351 tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.
[41:45] 352 sn The meaning of Joseph’s Egyptian name, Zaphenath-Paneah, is uncertain. Many recent commentators have followed the proposal of G. Steindorff that it means “the god has said, ‘he will live’” (“Der Name Josephs Saphenat-Pa‘neach,” ZÄS 31 [1889]: 41-42); others have suggested “the god speaks and lives” (see BDB 861 s.v. צָפְנָת פַּעְנֵחַ); “the man he knows” (J. Vergote, Joseph en Égypte, 145); or “Joseph [who is called] áIp-àankh” (K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 1262).
[41:45] 353 sn The name Asenath may mean “she belongs to the goddess Neit” (see HALOT 74 s.v. אָֽסְנַת). A novel was written at the beginning of the first century entitled Joseph and Asenath, which included a legendary account of the conversion of Asenath to Joseph’s faith in Yahweh. However, all that can be determined from this chapter is that their children received Hebrew names. See also V. Aptowitzer, “Asenath, the Wife of Joseph – a Haggadic Literary-Historical Study,” HUCA 1 (1924): 239-306.
[41:45] 354 sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.
[41:45] 355 tn Heb “and he passed through.”
[41:46] 356 tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”
[41:46] 357 tn Heb “when he stood before.”
[41:46] 358 tn Heb “went out from before.”
[41:46] 359 tn Heb “and he passed through all the land of Egypt”; this phrase is interpreted by JPS to mean that Joseph “emerged in charge of the whole land.”
[41:47] 360 tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”
[41:48] 361 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:48] 362 tn Heb “all the food.”
[41:48] 363 tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”
[41:49] 364 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.
[41:50] 365 tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”
[41:50] 366 tn Heb “gave birth for him.”
[41:51] 367 sn The name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, mÿnasheh) describes God’s activity on behalf of Joseph, explaining in general the significance of his change of fortune. The name is a Piel participle, suggesting the meaning “he who brings about forgetfulness.” The Hebrew verb נַשַּׁנִי (nashani) may have been used instead of the normal נִשַּׁנִי (nishani) to provide a closer sound play with the name. The giving of this Hebrew name to his son shows that Joseph retained his heritage and faith; and it shows that a brighter future was in store for him.
[41:51] 368 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:52] 370 sn The name Ephraim (אֶפְרַיִם, ’efrayim), a form of the Hebrew verb פָּרָה (parah), means “to bear fruit.” The theme of fruitfulness is connected with this line of the family from Rachel (30:2) on down (see Gen 49:22, Deut 33:13-17, and Hos 13:15). But there is some difficulty with the name “Ephraim” itself. It appears to be a dual, for which F. Delitzsch simply said it meant “double fruitfulness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:305). G. J. Spurrell suggested it was a diphthongal pronunciation of a name ending in -an or -am, often thought to be dual suffixes (Notes on the text of the book of Genesis, 334). Many, however, simply connect the name to the territory of Ephraim and interpret it to be “fertile land” (C. Fontinoy, “Les noms de lieux en -ayim dans la Bible,” UF 3 [1971]: 33-40). The dual would then be an old locative ending. There is no doubt that the name became attached to the land in which the tribe settled, and it is possible that is where the dual ending came from, but in this story it refers to Joseph’s God-given fruitfulness.
[41:52] 371 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:54] 373 tn Heb “began to arrive.”
[41:55] 374 tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.
[41:56] 375 tn Or “over the entire land”; Heb “over all the face of the earth.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal to the next clause.
[41:56] 376 tc The MT reads “he opened all that was in [or “among”] them.” The translation follows the reading of the LXX and Syriac versions.
[41:57] 377 tn Heb “all the earth,” which refers here (by metonymy) to the people of the earth. Note that the following verb is plural in form, indicating that the inhabitants of the earth are in view.
[42:1] 379 tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:1] 380 sn Why are you looking at each other? The point of Jacob’s question is that his sons should be going to get grain rather than sitting around doing nothing. Jacob, as the patriarch, still makes the decisions for the whole clan.
[42:2] 381 tn Heb “and buy for us from there.” The word “grain,” the direct object of “buy,” has been supplied for clarity, and the words “from there” have been omitted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:2] 382 tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.
[42:2] 383 tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.
[42:4] 384 tn Heb “But Benjamin, the brother of Joseph, Jacob did not send with his brothers.” The disjunctive clause highlights the contrast between Benjamin and the other ten.
[42:4] 385 tn The Hebrew verb אָמַר (’amar, “to say”) could also be translated “thought” (i.e., “he said to himself”) here, giving Jacob’s reasoning rather than spoken words.
[42:4] 386 tn The Hebrew noun אָסוֹן (’ason) is a rare word meaning “accident, harm.” Apart from its use in these passages it occurs in Exodus 21:22-23 of an accident to a pregnant woman. The term is a rather general one, but Jacob was no doubt thinking of his loss of Joseph.
[42:4] 387 tn Heb “encounters.”
[42:5] 388 tn Heb “in the midst of the coming ones.”
[42:6] 389 tn The disjunctive clause either introduces a new episode in the unfolding drama or provides the reader with supplemental information necessary to understanding the story.
[42:6] 390 sn Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him. Here is the beginning of the fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams (see Gen 37). But it is not the complete fulfillment, since all his brothers and his parents must come. The point of the dream, of course, was not simply to get the family to bow to Joseph, but that Joseph would be placed in a position of rule and authority to save the family and the world (41:57).
[42:6] 391 tn The word “faces” is an adverbial accusative, so the preposition has been supplied in the translation.
[42:7] 392 sn But pretended to be a stranger. Joseph intends to test his brothers to see if they have changed and have the integrity to be patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He will do this by putting them in the same situations that they and he were in before. The first test will be to awaken their conscience.
[42:7] 394 tn The verb is denominative, meaning “to buy grain”; the word “food” could simply be the direct object, but may also be an adverbial accusative.
[42:9] 395 sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.
[42:9] 396 tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”
[42:10] 397 tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.
[42:12] 398 tn Heb “and he said, ‘No, for the nakedness of the land you have come to see.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for clarity.
[42:13] 399 tn Heb “twelve [were] your servants, brothers [are] we.”
[42:13] 401 tn Heb “and the one is not.”
[42:14] 402 tn Heb “to you, saying.”
[42:15] 403 tn Heb “[By] the life of Pharaoh.”
[42:15] sn As surely as Pharaoh lives. Joseph uses an oath formula to let the brothers know the certainty of what he said. There is some discussion in the commentaries on swearing by the life of Pharaoh, but since the formulation here reflects the Hebrew practice, it would be hard to connect the ideas exactly to Egyptian practices. Joseph did this to make the point in a way that his Hebrew brothers would understand. See M. R. Lehmann, “Biblical Oaths,” ZAW 81 (1969): 74-92.
[42:16] 404 tn Heb “send from you one and let him take.” After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose.
[42:16] 405 tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.
[42:16] 407 tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:16] 408 tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”
[42:17] 409 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.
[42:18] 411 tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.
[42:18] 412 sn For I fear God. Joseph brings God into the picture to awaken his brothers’ consciences. The godly person cares about the welfare of people, whether they live or die. So he will send grain back, but keep one of them in Egypt. This action contrasts with their crime of selling their brother into slavery.
[42:19] 413 tn Heb “bound in the house of your prison.”
[42:19] 414 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal.
[42:19] 415 tn Heb “[for] the hunger of your households.”
[42:20] 416 tn The imperfect here has an injunctive force.
[42:20] 417 tn After the injunctive imperfect, this imperfect with vav indicates purpose or result.
[42:20] 418 tn The Niphal form of the verb has the sense of “to be faithful; to be sure; to be reliable.” Joseph will test his brothers to see if their words are true.
[42:20] 419 tn Heb “and they did so.”
[42:21] 420 tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”
[42:21] 421 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] 422 tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”
[42:21] 423 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.
[42:22] 424 tn Heb “and also his blood, look, it is required.” God requires compensation, as it were, from those who shed innocent blood (see Gen 9:6). In other words, God exacts punishment for the crime of murder.
[42:23] 425 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story.
[42:23] 426 tn “was listening.” The brothers were not aware that Joseph could understand them as they spoke the preceding words in their native language.
[42:23] 427 tn Heb “for [there was] an interpreter between them.” On the meaning of the word here translated “interpreter” see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ and M. A. Canney, “The Hebrew melis (Prov IX 12; Gen XLII 2-3),” AJSL 40 (1923/24): 135-37.
[42:24] 428 tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”
[42:24] 429 tn Heb “took Simeon.” This was probably done at Joseph’s command, however; the grand vizier of Egypt would not have personally seized a prisoner.
[42:24] 430 tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”
[42:25] 431 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] 432 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).
[42:26] 433 tn Heb “and they went from there.”
[42:27] 434 tn Heb “and the one.” The article indicates that the individual is vivid in the mind of the narrator, yet it is not important to identify him by name.
[42:27] 435 tn Heb “at the lodging place.”
[42:27] 436 tn Heb “and look, it [was] in the mouth of his sack.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to look through the eyes of the character and thereby draws attention to the money.
[42:28] 437 tn Heb “and their heart went out.” Since this expression is used only here, the exact meaning is unclear. The following statement suggests that it may refer to a sudden loss of emotional strength, so “They were dismayed” adequately conveys the meaning (cf. NRSV); NIV has “Their hearts sank.”
[42:28] 438 tn Heb “and they trembled, a man to his neighbor.”
[42:28] 439 tn Heb “What is this God has done to us?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question.
[42:30] 441 tn The words “if we were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:32] 442 tn Heb “twelve [were] we, brothers, sons of our father [are] we.”
[42:32] 443 tn Heb “the one is not.”
[42:33] 445 tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:34] 446 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.
[42:34] 447 tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”
[42:34] 448 sn Joseph’s brothers soften the news considerably, making it sound like Simeon was a guest of Joseph (Leave one of your brothers with me) instead of being bound in prison. They do not mention the threat of death and do not at this time speak of the money in the one sack.
[42:36] 451 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.
[42:37] 452 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.
[42:38] 454 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[42:38] 455 sn The expression he alone is left meant that (so far as Jacob knew) Benjamin was the only surviving child of his mother Rachel.
[42:38] 456 sn The expression bring down my gray hair is figurative, using a part for the whole – they would put Jacob in the grave. But the gray head signifies a long life of worry and trouble.
[42:38] 457 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.
[43:1] 458 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.
[43:3] 459 tn The infinitive absolute with the finite verb stresses the point. The primary meaning of the verb is “to witness; to testify.” It alludes to Joseph’s oath, which was tantamount to a threat or warning.
[43:3] 460 tn The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”
[43:4] 461 tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”
[43:6] 462 tn The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”
[43:6] 463 tn The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.
[43:7] 464 tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[43:7] 465 tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.
[43:7] 466 sn The report given here concerning Joseph’s interrogation does not exactly match the previous account where they supplied the information to clear themselves (see 42:13). This section may reflect how they remembered the impact of his interrogation, whether he asked the specific questions or not. That may be twisting the truth to protect themselves, not wanting to admit that they volunteered the information. (They admitted as much in 42:31, but now they seem to be qualifying that comment.) On the other hand, when speaking to Joseph later (see 44:19), Judah claims that Joseph asked for the information about their family, making it possible that 42:13 leaves out some of the details of their first encounter.
[43:7] 467 tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”
[43:7] 468 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the imperfect verbal form, which here is a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of a past time).
[43:7] 469 tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).
[43:8] 470 tn Heb “and we will rise up and we will go.” The first verb is adverbial and gives the expression the sense of “we will go immediately.”
[43:8] 471 tn After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.
[43:9] 472 tn The pronoun before the first person verbal form draws attention to the subject and emphasizes Judah’s willingness to be personally responsible for the boy.
[43:9] 473 sn I will bear the blame before you all my life. It is not clear how this would work out if Benjamin did not come back. But Judah is offering his life for Benjamin’s if Benjamin does not return.
[43:10] 474 tn Heb “we could have returned.”
[43:12] 475 tn Heb “in your hand.”
[43:12] 476 tn Heb “take back in your hand.” The imperfect verbal form probably has an injunctive or obligatory force here, since Jacob is instructing his sons.
[43:13] 477 tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”
[43:13] 478 sn The man refers to the Egyptian official, whom the reader or hearer of the narrative knows is Joseph. In this context both the sons and Jacob refer to him simply as “the man” (see vv. 3-7).
[43:14] 479 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.
[43:14] 480 tn Heb “release to you.” After the jussive this perfect verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) probably indicates logical consequence, as well as temporal sequence.
[43:14] 481 sn Several Jewish commentators suggest that the expression your other brother refers to Joseph. This would mean that Jacob prophesied unwittingly. However, it is much more likely that Simeon is the referent of the phrase “your other brother” (see Gen 42:24).
[43:14] 482 tn Heb “if I am bereaved I am bereaved.” With this fatalistic sounding statement Jacob resolves himself to the possibility of losing both Benjamin and Simeon.
[43:15] 483 tn Heb “they arose and went down to Egypt.” The first verb has an adverbial function and emphasizes that they departed right away.
[43:17] 484 tn Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.
[43:17] 485 sn This verse is a summary statement. The next verses delineate intermediate steps (see v. 24) in the process.
[43:18] 486 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
[43:18] 487 tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.
[43:18] 488 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] 489 tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[43:20] 490 tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.
[43:20] 491 tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).
[43:21] 492 tn Heb “in its weight.”
[43:21] 493 tn Heb “brought it back in our hand.”
[43:23] 494 tn Heb “and he said, ‘peace to you.’” Here the statement has the force of “everything is fine,” or perhaps even “calm down.” The referent of “he” (the man in charge of Joseph’ household) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
[43:23] 495 sn Your God and the God of your father…This is the first clear reference in the story to the theme of divine providence – that God works through the human actions to do his will.
[43:23] 496 tn Heb “your money came to me.”
[43:25] 498 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.
[43:25] 499 tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.
[43:25] 500 tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).
[43:26] 501 tn Heb “into the house.”
[43:27] 502 tn Heb “concerning peace.”
[43:28] 503 tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.
[43:29] 504 tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[43:29] 505 sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.
[43:30] 506 tn Heb “for his affection boiled up concerning his brother.” The same expression is used in 1 Kgs 3:26 for the mother’s feelings for her endangered child.
[43:30] 507 tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”
[43:31] 508 tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”
[43:32] 509 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[43:32] 510 tn Or “disgraceful.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 46:34 and Exod 8:22.
[43:32] 511 tn Heb “and they set for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, for the Egyptians are not able to eat food with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination for the Egyptians.” The imperfect verbal form in the explanatory clause is taken as habitual in force, indicating a practice that was still in effect in the narrator’s time.
[43:32] sn That the Egyptians found eating with foreigners disgusting is well-attested in extra-biblical literature by writers like Herodotus, Diodorus, and Strabo.
[43:33] 512 tn Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”
[43:33] 513 sn The brothers’ astonishment indicates that Joseph arranged them in this way. They were astonished because there was no way, as far as they were concerned, that Joseph could have known the order of their birth.
[43:34] 514 tn Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”
[43:34] 515 tn Heb “and they drank and were intoxicated with him” (cf. NIV “drank freely with him”; NEB “grew merry”; NRSV “were merry”). The brothers were apparently relaxed and set at ease, despite Joseph’s obvious favoritism toward Benjamin.
[6:14] 516 sn The Hebrew verb is an imperative. A motif of this section is that Noah did as the
[6:14] 517 tn A transliteration of the Hebrew term yields “gopher (גֹּפֶר, gofer) wood” (so KJV, NAB, NASB). While the exact nature of the wood involved is uncertain (cf. NLT “resinous wood”), many modern translations render the Hebrew term as “cypress” (so NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[6:14] 518 tn The Hebrew term כָּפָר (kafar, “to cover, to smear” [= to caulk]) appears here in the Qal stem with its primary, nonmetaphorical meaning. The Piel form כִּפֶּר (kipper), which has the metaphorical meaning “to atone, to expiate, to pacify,” is used in Levitical texts (see HALOT 493-94 s.v. כפר). Some authorities regard the form in v. 14 as a homonym of the much more common Levitical term (see BDB 498 s.v. כָּפָר).
[9:16] 519 tn The translation assumes that the infinitive לִזְכֹּר (lizkor, “to remember”) here expresses the result of seeing the rainbow. Another option is to understand it as indicating purpose, in which case it could be translated, “I will look at it so that I may remember.”
[10:19] 521 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[10:19] 522 tn Heb “as you go.”
[10:19] 523 tn Heb “as you go.”
[10:21] 524 tn Heb “And to Shem was born.”
[10:21] 525 tn Or “whose older brother was Japheth.” Some translations render Japheth as the older brother, understanding the adjective הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol, “older”) as modifying Japheth. However, in Hebrew when a masculine singular definite attributive adjective follows the sequence masculine singular construct noun + proper name, the adjective invariably modifies the noun in construct, not the proper name. Such is the case here. See Deut 11:7; Judg 1:13; 2:7; 3:9; 9:5; 2 Kgs 15:35; 2 Chr 27:3; Neh 3:30; Jer 13:9; 36:10; Ezek 10:19; 11:1.
[16:13] 526 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[16:13] 527 map For location see Map1 C1; Map2 F4.
[16:13] 528 tn Grk “he asked his disciples, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has been left untranslated.
[16:14] 529 sn The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come. According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.
[16:16] 530 tn Grk “And answering, Simon Peter said.”
[16:16] 531 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[16:16] sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
[21:46] 532 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowds) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Both previous occurrences of “they” in this verse refer to the chief priests and the Pharisees.
[7:16] 533 tn Or “Awe.” Grk “fear,” but the context and the following remark show that it is mixed with wonder; see L&N 53.59. This is a reaction to God’s work; see Luke 5:9.
[7:16] 534 tn This imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[7:16] 535 sn That Jesus was a great prophet was a natural conclusion for the crowd to make, given the healing; but Jesus is more than this. See Luke 9:8, 19-20.
[7:16] 537 tn Grk “visited,” but this conveys a different impression to a modern reader. L&N 85.11 renders the verb, “to be present, with the implication of concern – ‘to be present to help, to be on hand to aid.’ … ‘God has come to help his people’ Lk 7:16.” The language recalls Luke 1:68, 78.
