Kejadian 40:1--50:26
Konteks40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer 1 to the king of Egypt and the royal baker 2 offended 3 their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, 4 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. 5
They spent some time in custody. 6 40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream 7 the same night. 8 Each man’s dream had its own meaning. 9 40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. 10 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?” 11 40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, 12 but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them 13 to me.”
40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: 14 “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 15 cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 16
40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent 17 three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you 18 and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before 19 when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me 20 when it goes well for you, and show 21 me kindness. 22 Make mention 23 of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, 24 40:15 for I really was kidnapped 25 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, 26 he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread 27 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 28 three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you 29 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” 30 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 31 so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. 32 40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him. 33
41:1 At the end of two full years 34 Pharaoh had a dream. 35 As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, 36 and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, 37 and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. 38 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 39 on one stalk, healthy 40 and good. 41:6 Then 41 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. 42
41:8 In the morning he 43 was troubled, so he called for 44 all the diviner-priests 45 of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, 46 but no one could interpret 47 them for him. 48 41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. 49 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. 50 41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant 51 of the captain of the guards, 52 was with us there. We told him our dreams, 53 and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. 54 41:13 It happened just as he had said 55 to us – Pharaoh 56 restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.” 57
41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned 58 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, 59 and there is no one who can interpret 60 it. But I have heard about you, that 61 you can interpret dreams.” 62 41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, 63 but God will speak concerning 64 the welfare of Pharaoh.” 65
41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing 66 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. 67 41:19 Then 68 seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows 69 as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven 70 fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, 71 no one would have known 72 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 73 seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then 74 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 75 to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.” 76
41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. 77 God has revealed 78 to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 79 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. 80 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 81 seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told 82 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 83 after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate 84 the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered 85 because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. 86 41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh 87 because the matter has been decreed 88 by God, and God will make it happen soon. 89
41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look 90 for a wise and discerning man 91 and give him authority 92 over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do 93 this – he should appoint 94 officials 95 throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt 96 during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food 97 during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority 98 they should store up grain so the cities will have food, 99 and they should preserve it. 100 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.” 101
41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. 102 41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, 103 one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” 104 41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning 105 as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. 106 Only I, the king, will be greater than you. 107
41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place 108 you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” 109 41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen 110 clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh 111 had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, 112 and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” 113 So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission 114 no one 115 will move his hand or his foot 116 in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. 117 He also gave him Asenath 118 daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, 119 to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of 120 all the land of Egypt.
41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old 121 when he began serving 122 Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by 123 Pharaoh and was in charge of 124 all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. 125 41:48 Joseph 126 collected all the excess food 127 in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. 128 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, 129 until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.
41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. 130 Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. 131 41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, 132 saying, 133 “Certainly 134 God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, 135 saying, 136 “Certainly 137 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, 138 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, 139 “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, 140 Joseph opened the storehouses 141 and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country 142 came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.
42:1 When Jacob heard 143 there was grain in Egypt, he 144 said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” 145 42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us 146 so that we may live 147 and not die.” 148
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, 149 for he said, 150 “What if some accident 151 happens 152 to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, 153 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. 154 Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down 155 before him with 156 their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger 157 to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, 158 “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” 159
42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered 160 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!” 161
42:10 But they exclaimed, 162 “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.” 163 42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. 164 We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, 165 and one is no longer alive.” 166
42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: 167 You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, 168 you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get 169 your brother, while 170 the rest of you remain in prison. 171 In this way your words may be tested to see if 172 you are telling the truth. 173 If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned 174 them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say 175 and you will live, 176 for I fear God. 177 42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison 178 while the rest of you go 179 and take grain back for your hungry families. 180 42:20 But you must bring 181 your youngest brother to me. Then 182 your words will be verified 183 and you will not die.” They did as he said. 184
42:21 They said to one other, 185 “Surely we’re being punished 186 because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was 187 when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress 188 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!” 189 42:23 (Now 190 they did not know that Joseph could understand them, 191 for he was speaking through an interpreter.) 192 42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, 193 he had Simeon taken 194 from them and tied up 195 before their eyes.
42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill 196 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. 197 42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. 198
42:27 When one of them 199 opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, 200 he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 201 42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; 202 they turned trembling one to another 203 and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” 204
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 205 as if we were 206 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. 207 One is no longer alive, 208 and the youngest is with our father at this time 209 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 210 for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know 211 that you are honest men and not spies. 212 Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” 213
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. 214 Simeon is gone. 215 And now you want to take 216 Benjamin! Everything is against me.”
42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may 217 put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care 218 and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob 219 replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. 220 If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair 221 in sorrow to the grave.” 222
43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 223 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 224 us, ‘You will not see my face 225 unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send 226 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 227 on me by telling 228 the man you had one more brother?”
43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us 229 thoroughly 230 about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ 231 So we answered him in this way. 232 How could we possibly know 233 that he would say, 234 ‘Bring your brother down’?”
43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. 235 Then we will live 236 and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security 237 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. 238 43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back 239 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; 240 you must take back 241 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 242 to the man. 243 43:14 May the sovereign God 244 grant you mercy before the man so that he may release 245 your other brother 246 and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” 247
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 248 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 249 brought the men into Joseph’s house. 250
43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of 251 the money that was returned in our sacks last time. 252 He wants to capture us, 253 make us slaves, and take 254 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 255 the first time 256 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 257 – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. 258 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,” 259 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. 260 I had your money.” 261 Then he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24 The servant in charge 262 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 263 at noon, for they had heard 264 that they were to have a meal 265 there.
43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, 266 and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. 267 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. 268
43:29 When Joseph looked up 269 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.” 270 43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother 271 and was at the point of tears. 272 So he went to his room and wept there.
43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, 273 “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, 274 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 275 to do so.) 276 43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. 277 The men looked at each other in astonishment. 278 43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, 279 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. 280
44:1 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 44:2 Then put 281 my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed. 282
44:3 When morning came, 283 the men and their donkeys were sent off. 284 44:4 They had not gone very far from the city 285 when Joseph said 286 to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! 287 When you overtake 288 them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 44:5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup 289 and use it for divination? 290 You have done wrong!’” 291
44:6 When the man 292 overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? 293 Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 294 44:8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 44:9 If one of us has it, 295 he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”
44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! 296 The one who has it will become my slave, 297 but the rest of 298 you will go free.” 299 44:11 So each man quickly lowered 300 his sack to the ground and opened it. 44:12 Then the man 301 searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 44:13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
44:14 So Judah and his brothers 302 came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there, 303 and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? 304 Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?” 305
44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say 306 to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? 307 God has exposed the sin of your servants! 308 We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
44:17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of 309 you may go back 310 to your father in peace.”
44:18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. 311 Please do not get angry with your servant, 312 for you are just like Pharaoh. 313 44:19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 44:20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. 314 The boy’s 315 brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, 316 and his father loves him.’
44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see 317 him.’ 318 44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father 319 will die.’ 320 44:23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 44:24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
44:25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 44:26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there. 321 If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, 322 for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’
44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons. 323 44:28 The first disappeared 324 and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take 325 this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair 326 in tragedy 327 to the grave.’ 328
44:30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us – his very life is bound up in his son’s life. 329 44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, 330 he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 44:32 Indeed, 331 your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’
44:33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 44:34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see 332 my father’s pain.” 333
45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, 334 so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained 335 with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 45:2 He wept loudly; 336 the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. 337
45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 45:4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 45:5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, 338 for God sent me 339 ahead of you to preserve life! 45:6 For these past two years there has been famine in 340 the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 45:7 God sent me 341 ahead of you to preserve you 342 on the earth and to save your lives 343 by a great deliverance. 45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser 344 to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly 345 and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 45:10 You will live 346 in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 45:11 I will provide you with food 347 there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 45:12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you. 348 45:13 So tell 349 my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!” 350
45:14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 45:15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
45:16 Now it was reported 351 in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased 352 Pharaoh and his servants. 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go 353 to the land of Canaan! 45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you 354 the best land in Egypt and you will eat 355 the best 356 of the land.’ 45:19 You are also commanded to say, 357 ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 45:20 Don’t worry 358 about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”
45:21 So the sons of Israel did as he said. 359 Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, 360 and he gave them provisions for the journey. 45:22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, 361 but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. 362 45:23 To his father he sent the following: 363 ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 45:24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.” 364
45:25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 365 45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, 366 for he did not believe them. 45:27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, 367 and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 45:28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
46:1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. 368 When he came to Beer Sheba 369 he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night 370 and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 46:3 He said, “I am God, 371 the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. 372 Joseph will close your eyes.” 373
46:5 Then Jacob started out 374 from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 46:6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt. 375 46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, 376 his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants.
46:8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons:
Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.
46:9 The sons of Reuben:
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar,
and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).
46:11 The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
46:12 The sons of Judah:
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah
(but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).
The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
46:13 The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, 377 Jashub, 378 and Shimron.
46:14 The sons of Zebulun:
Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
46:15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all. 379
46:16 The sons of Gad:
Zephon, 380 Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
46:17 The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.
The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.
46:18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.
46:19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob:
Joseph and Benjamin.
46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, 381 bore them to him.
46:21 The sons of Benjamin: 382
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
46:22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.
46:23 The son of Dan: Hushim. 383
46:24 The sons of Naphtali:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
46:25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.
46:26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.) 384 46:27 Counting the two sons 385 of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy. 386
46:28 Jacob 387 sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen. 388 So they came to the land of Goshen. 46:29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, 389 he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.
46:30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” 390 46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, 391 ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 46:32 The men are shepherds; 392 they take care of livestock. 393 They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 46:33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle 394 from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, 395 for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting 396 to the Egyptians.”
47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of
Canaan. They are now 397 in the land of Goshen.” 47:2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh. 398
47:3 Pharaoh said to Joseph’s 399 brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.” 400 47:4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents 401 in the land. There 402 is no pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”
47:5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 47:6 The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best region of the land. They may live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any highly capable men 403 among them, put them in charge 404 of my livestock.”
47:7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him 405 before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed 406 Pharaoh. 47:8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?” 407 47:9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All 408 the years of my travels 409 are 130. All 410 the years of my life have been few and painful; 411 the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.” 412 47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence. 413
47:11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them territory 414 in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the land, the land of Rameses, 415 just as Pharaoh had commanded. 47:12 Joseph also provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household, according to the number of their little children.
47:13 But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away 416 because of the famine. 47:14 Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment 417 for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace. 418 47:15 When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians 419 came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die 420 before your very eyes because our money has run out?”
47:16 Then Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food 421 in exchange for 422 your livestock.” 47:17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their horses, the livestock of their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. 423 He got them through that year by giving them food in exchange for livestock.
47:18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our 424 lord that the money is used up and the livestock and the animals belong to our lord. Nothing remains before our lord except our bodies and our land. 47:19 Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become 425 Pharaoh’s slaves. 426 Give us seed that we may live 427 and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.” 428
47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each 429 of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe. 430 So the land became Pharaoh’s. 47:21 Joseph 431 made all the people slaves 432 from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it. 47:22 But he did not purchase the land of the priests because the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh and they ate from their allotment that Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
47:23 Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Cultivate 433 the land. 47:24 When you gather in the crop, 434 give 435 one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and the rest 436 will be yours for seed for the fields and for you to eat, including those in your households and your little children.” 47:25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor, 437 and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 438
47:26 So Joseph made it a statute, 439 which is in effect 440 to this day throughout the land of Egypt: One-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.
47:27 Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they owned land there. They were fruitful and increased rapidly in number.
47:28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; the years 441 of Jacob’s life were 147 in all. 47:29 The time 442 for Israel to die approached, so he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh 443 and show me kindness and faithfulness. 444 Do not bury me in Egypt, 47:30 but when I rest 445 with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph 446 said, “I will do as you say.”
47:31 Jacob 447 said, “Swear to me that you will do so.” 448 So Joseph 449 gave him his word. 450 Then Israel bowed down 451 at the head of his bed. 452
48:1 After these things Joseph was told, 453 “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 48:2 When Jacob was told, 454 “Your son Joseph has just 455 come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The sovereign God 456 appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 48:4 He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful 457 and will multiply you. 458 I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants 459 as an everlasting possession.’ 460
48:5 “Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine. 461 Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 48:6 Any children that you father 462 after them will be yours; they will be listed 463 under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. 464 48:7 But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died – to my sorrow 465 – in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem). 466
48:8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the 467 sons God has given me in this place.” His father 468 said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” 469 48:10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing 470 because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph 471 brought his sons 472 near to him, and his father 473 kissed them and embraced them. 48:11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected 474 to see you 475 again, but now God has allowed me to see your children 476 too.”
48:12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees 477 and bowed down with his face to the ground. 48:13 Joseph positioned them; 478 he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. 479 48:14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger. 480 Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
48:15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked –
the God who has been my shepherd 481
all my life long to this day,
48:16 the Angel 482 who has protected me 483
from all harm –
bless these boys.
May my name be named in them, 484
and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.
May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”
48:17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him. 485 So he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 48:18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
48:19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude 486 of nations.” 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you 487 will Israel bless, 488 saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 489
48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you 490 and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 48:22 As one who is above your 491 brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, 492 which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
49:1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you 493 what will happen to you in the future. 494
49:2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.
49:3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might and the beginning of my strength,
outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.
49:4 You are destructive 495 like water and will not excel, 496
for you got on your father’s bed, 497
then you defiled it – he got on my couch! 498
49:5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,
weapons of violence are their knives! 499
49:6 O my soul, do not come into their council,
do not be united to their assembly, my heart, 500
for in their anger they have killed men,
and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen.
49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce,
and their fury, for it was cruel.
I will divide them in Jacob,
and scatter them in Israel! 501
49:8 Judah, 502 your brothers will praise you.
Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies,
your father’s sons will bow down before you.
49:9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He crouches and lies down like a lion;
like a lioness – who will rouse him?
49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, 503
until he comes to whom it belongs; 504
the nations will obey him. 505
49:11 Binding his foal to the vine,
and his colt to the choicest vine,
he will wash 506 his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
49:12 His eyes will be dark from wine,
and his teeth white from milk. 507
49:13 Zebulun will live 508 by the haven of the sea
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend to Sidon. 509
49:14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey
lying down between two saddlebags.
49:15 When he sees 510 a good resting place,
and the pleasant land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
and become a slave laborer. 511
49:16 Dan 512 will judge 513 his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
49:17 May Dan be a snake beside the road,
a viper by the path,
that bites the heels of the horse
so that its rider falls backward. 514
49:18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. 515
49:19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands,
but he will attack them at their heels. 516
49:20 Asher’s 517 food will be rich, 518
and he will provide delicacies 519 to royalty.
49:21 Naphtali is a free running doe, 520
he speaks delightful words. 521
49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, 522
a fruitful bough near a spring
whose branches 523 climb over the wall.
49:23 The archers will attack him, 524
they will shoot at him and oppose him.
49:24 But his bow will remain steady,
and his hands 525 will be skillful;
because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of 526 the Shepherd, the Rock 527 of Israel,
49:25 because of the God of your father,
who will help you, 528
because of the sovereign God, 529
who will bless you 530
with blessings from the sky above,
blessings from the deep that lies below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb. 531
49:26 The blessings of your father are greater
than 532 the blessings of the eternal mountains 533
or the desirable things of the age-old hills.
They will be on the head of Joseph
and on the brow of the prince of his brothers. 534
49:27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
in the morning devouring the prey,
and in the evening dividing the plunder.”
49:28 These 535 are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing. 536
49:29 Then he instructed them, 537 “I am about to go 538 to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 49:30 It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 49:31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah. 49:32 The field and the cave in it were acquired from the sons of Heth.” 539
49:33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went 540 to his people.
50:1 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face. 541 He wept over him and kissed him. 50:2 Joseph instructed the physicians in his service 542 to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 50:3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming. 543 The Egyptians mourned 544 for him seventy days. 545
50:4 When the days of mourning 546 had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s royal court, 547 “If I have found favor in your sight, please say to Pharaoh, 548 50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, 549 “I am about to die. Bury me 550 in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’” 50:6 So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father, just as he made you swear to do.” 551
50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; all Pharaoh’s officials went with him – the senior courtiers 552 of his household, all the senior officials of the land of Egypt, 50:8 all Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. But they left their little children and their flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. 50:9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him, so it was a very large entourage. 553
50:10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad 554 on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there with very great and bitter sorrow. 555 There Joseph observed a seven day period of mourning for his father. 50:11 When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very sad occasion 556 for the Egyptians.” That is why its name was called 557 Abel Mizraim, 558 which is beyond the Jordan.
50:12 So the sons of Jacob did for him just as he had instructed them. 50:13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the field Abraham purchased as a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 50:14 After he buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, along with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to bury his father.
50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay 559 us in full 560 for all the harm 561 we did to him?” 50:16 So they sent word 562 to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave these instructions before he died: 50:17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept. 563 50:18 Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.” 50:19 But Joseph answered them, “Don’t be afraid. Am 564 I in the place of God? 50:20 As for you, you meant to harm me, 565 but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. 566 50:21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly 567 to them.
50:22 Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s family. 568 Joseph lived 110 years. 50:23 Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. 569 He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph. 570
50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you 571 and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give 572 to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 50:25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.” 50:26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. 573 After they embalmed him, his body 574 was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
[40:1] 1 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] 2 sn The baker may be the Egyptian retehti, the head of the bakers, who had privileges in the royal court.
[40:1] 3 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] 4 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] 5 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] 6 tn Heb “they were days in custody.”
[40:5] 7 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[40:5] 8 tn Heb “a man his dream in one night.”
[40:5] 9 tn Heb “a man according to the interpretation of his dream.”
[40:6] 10 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] 11 tn Heb “why are your faces sad today?”
[40:8] 12 tn Heb “a dream we dreamed.”
[40:8] 13 tn The word “them” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:9] 14 tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to him.” This has not been translated because it is redundant in English.
[40:11] 15 tn Heb “the cup of Pharaoh.” The pronoun “his” has been used here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[40:11] 16 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] 17 tn Heb “the three branches [are].”
[40:13] 18 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] 19 tn Heb “according to the former custom.”
[40:14] 20 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] 21 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] 22 tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”
[40:14] 23 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] 24 tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.
[40:15] 25 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] 26 tn Heb “that [the] interpretation [was] good.” The words “the first dream” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[40:16] 27 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] 28 tn Heb “the three baskets [are].”
[40:19] 29 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] 30 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] 31 tn Heb “his cupbearing.”
[40:22] 32 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] 33 tn The wayyiqtol verbal form here has a reiterative or emphasizing function.
[41:1] 34 tn Heb “two years, days.”
[41:1] 35 tn Heb “was dreaming.”
[41:2] 36 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] 37 tn Heb “And look, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, bad of appearance and thin of flesh.”
[41:3] 38 tn Heb “the Nile.” This has been replaced by “the river” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:7] 42 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] 43 tn Heb “his spirit.”
[41:8] 44 tn Heb “he sent and called,” which indicates an official summons.
[41:8] 45 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] 46 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] 47 tn “there was no interpreter.”
[41:8] 48 tn Heb “for Pharaoh.” The pronoun “him” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:9] 49 tn Heb “sins, offenses.” He probably refers here to the offenses that landed him in prison (see 40:1).
[41:11] 50 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] 52 tn Heb “a servant to the captain of the guards.” On this construction see GKC 419-20 §129.c.
[41:12] 53 tn The words “our dreams” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:12] 54 tn Heb “and he interpreted for us our dreams, each according to his dream he interpreted.”
[41:13] 55 tn Heb “interpreted.”
[41:13] 56 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:13] 57 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the baker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:14] 58 tn Heb “and Pharaoh sent and called,” indicating a summons to the royal court.
[41:15] 59 tn Heb “dreamed a dream.”
[41:15] 60 tn Heb “there is no one interpreting.”
[41:15] 62 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] 63 tn Heb “not within me.”
[41:16] 64 tn Heb “God will answer.”
[41:16] 65 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] 66 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] 67 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] 69 tn The word “cows” is supplied here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:20] 70 tn Heb “the seven first fat cows.”
[41:21] 71 tn Heb “when they went inside them.”
[41:21] 72 tn Heb “it was not known.”
[41:22] 73 tn Heb “and I saw in my dream and look.”
[41:24] 75 tn The words “all this” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:24] 76 tn Heb “and there was no one telling me.”
[41:25] 77 tn Heb “the dream of Pharaoh is one.”
[41:25] 79 tn The active participle here indicates what is imminent.
[41:26] 80 tn Heb “one dream it is.”
[41:27] 81 tn Heb “are.” Another option is to translate, “There will be seven years of famine.”
[41:28] 82 tn Heb “it is the word that I spoke.”
[41:30] 83 tn The perfect with the vav consecutive continues the time frame of the preceding participle, which has an imminent future nuance here.
[41:30] 84 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] 87 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] 88 tn Heb “established.”
[41:32] 89 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] 90 tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
[41:33] 91 tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:33] 92 tn Heb “and let him set him.”
[41:34] 93 tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. The Samaritan Pentateuch has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”
[41:34] 94 tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
[41:34] 95 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] 96 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] 97 tn Heb “all the food.”
[41:35] 98 tn Heb “under the hand of Pharaoh.”
[41:35] 99 tn Heb “[for] food in the cities.” The noun translated “food” is an adverbial accusative in the sentence.
[41:35] 100 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the sequence of jussives before it.
[41:36] 101 tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”
[41:37] 102 tn Heb “and the matter was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.”
[41:38] 103 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] 104 tn The rhetorical question expects the answer “No, of course not!”
[41:39] 105 tn Heb “as discerning and wise.” The order has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:40] 106 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] 107 tn Heb “only the throne, I will be greater than you.”
[41:41] 108 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] 109 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] 110 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] 111 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Pharaoh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:43] 112 tn Heb “and he caused him to ride in the second chariot which was his.”
[41:43] 113 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] 114 tn Heb “apart from you.”
[41:44] 115 tn Heb “no man,” but here “man” is generic, referring to people in general.
[41:44] 116 tn The idiom “lift up hand or foot” means “take any action” here.
[41:45] 117 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] 118 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] 119 sn On (also in v. 50) is another name for the city of Heliopolis.
[41:45] 120 tn Heb “and he passed through.”
[41:46] 121 tn Heb “a son of thirty years.”
[41:46] 122 tn Heb “when he stood before.”
[41:46] 123 tn Heb “went out from before.”
[41:46] 124 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] 125 tn Heb “brought forth by handfuls.”
[41:48] 126 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[41:48] 127 tn Heb “all the food.”
[41:48] 128 tn Heb “of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and placed food in the cities.”
[41:49] 129 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] 130 tn Heb “before the year of the famine came.”
[41:50] 131 tn Heb “gave birth for him.”
[41:51] 132 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] 133 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:52] 135 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] 136 tn The word “saying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[41:54] 138 tn Heb “began to arrive.”
[41:55] 139 tn Heb “to all Egypt.” The name of the country is used by metonymy for the inhabitants.
[41:56] 140 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] 141 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] 142 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] 144 tn Heb “Jacob.” Here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:1] 145 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] 146 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] 147 tn Following the imperatives, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav expresses purpose of result.
[42:2] 148 tn The imperfect tense continues the nuance of the verb before it.
[42:4] 149 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] 150 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] 151 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] 152 tn Heb “encounters.”
[42:5] 153 tn Heb “in the midst of the coming ones.”
[42:6] 154 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] 155 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] 156 tn The word “faces” is an adverbial accusative, so the preposition has been supplied in the translation.
[42:7] 157 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] 159 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] 160 sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.
[42:9] 161 tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”
[42:10] 162 tn Heb “and they said to him.” In context this is best understood as an exclamation.
[42:12] 163 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] 164 tn Heb “twelve [were] your servants, brothers [are] we.”
[42:13] 166 tn Heb “and the one is not.”
[42:14] 167 tn Heb “to you, saying.”
[42:15] 168 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] 169 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] 170 tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.
[42:16] 172 tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:16] 173 tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”
[42:17] 174 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] 176 tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.
[42:18] 177 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] 178 tn Heb “bound in the house of your prison.”
[42:19] 179 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-temporal.
[42:19] 180 tn Heb “[for] the hunger of your households.”
[42:20] 181 tn The imperfect here has an injunctive force.
[42:20] 182 tn After the injunctive imperfect, this imperfect with vav indicates purpose or result.
[42:20] 183 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] 184 tn Heb “and they did so.”
[42:21] 185 tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”
[42:21] 186 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] 187 tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”
[42:21] 188 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] 189 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] 190 tn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story.
[42:23] 191 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] 192 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] 193 tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”
[42:24] 194 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] 195 tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”
[42:25] 196 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] 197 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] 198 tn Heb “and they went from there.”
[42:27] 199 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] 200 tn Heb “at the lodging place.”
[42:27] 201 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] 202 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] 203 tn Heb “and they trembled, a man to his neighbor.”
[42:28] 204 tn Heb “What is this God has done to us?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question.
[42:30] 206 tn The words “if we were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:32] 207 tn Heb “twelve [were] we, brothers, sons of our father [are] we.”
[42:32] 208 tn Heb “the one is not.”
[42:33] 210 tn The word “grain” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[42:34] 211 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav indicates purpose/result.
[42:34] 212 tn Heb “that you are not spies, that you are honest men.”
[42:34] 213 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] 216 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.
[42:37] 217 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.
[42:38] 219 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[42:38] 220 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] 221 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] 222 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.
[43:1] 223 tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.
[43:3] 224 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] 225 tn The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”
[43:4] 226 tn Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”
[43:6] 227 tn The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”
[43:6] 228 tn The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.
[43:7] 229 tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[43:7] 230 tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.
[43:7] 231 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] 232 tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”
[43:7] 233 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] 234 tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).
[43:8] 235 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] 236 tn After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.
[43:9] 237 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] 238 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] 239 tn Heb “we could have returned.”
[43:12] 240 tn Heb “in your hand.”
[43:12] 241 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] 242 tn Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”
[43:13] 243 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] 244 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.
[43:14] 245 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] 246 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] 247 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] 248 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] 249 tn Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.
[43:17] 250 sn This verse is a summary statement. The next verses delineate intermediate steps (see v. 24) in the process.
[43:18] 251 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
[43:18] 252 tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.
[43:18] 253 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] 254 tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[43:20] 255 tn The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.
[43:20] 256 tn Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18).
[43:21] 257 tn Heb “in its weight.”
[43:21] 258 tn Heb “brought it back in our hand.”
[43:23] 259 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] 260 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] 261 tn Heb “your money came to me.”
[43:25] 263 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.
[43:25] 264 tn The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.
[43:25] 265 tn Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).
[43:26] 266 tn Heb “into the house.”
[43:27] 267 tn Heb “concerning peace.”
[43:28] 268 tn Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.
[43:29] 269 tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[43:29] 270 sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.
[43:30] 271 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] 272 tn Heb “and he sought to weep.”
[43:31] 273 tn Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”
[43:32] 274 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[43:32] 275 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] 276 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] 277 tn Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”
[43:33] 278 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] 279 tn Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”
[43:34] 280 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.
[44:2] 281 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.
[44:2] 282 tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”
[44:3] 283 tn Heb “the morning was light.”
[44:3] 284 tn Heb “and the men were sent off, they and their donkeys.” This clause, like the preceding one, has the subject before the verb, indicating synchronic action.
[44:4] 285 tn Heb “they left the city, they were not far,” meaning “they had not gone very far.”
[44:4] 286 tn Heb “and Joseph said.” This clause, like the first one in the verse, has the subject before the verb, indicating synchronic action.
[44:4] 287 tn Heb “arise, chase after the men.” The first imperative gives the command a sense of urgency.
[44:4] 288 tn After the imperative this perfect verbal form with vav consecutive has the same nuance of instruction. In the translation it is subordinated to the verbal form that follows (also a perfect with vav consecutive): “and overtake them and say,” becomes “when you overtake them, say.”
[44:5] 289 tn Heb “Is this not what my master drinks from.” The word “cup” is not in the Hebrew text, but is obviously the referent of “this,” and so has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[44:5] 290 tn Heb “and he, divining, divines with it.” The infinitive absolute is emphatic, stressing the importance of the cup to Joseph.
[44:5] 291 tn Heb “you have caused to be evil what you have done.”
[44:6] 292 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:7] 293 tn Heb “Why does my lord speak according to these words?”
[44:7] 294 tn Heb “according to this thing.”
[44:9] 295 tn Heb “The one with whom it is found from your servants.” Here “your servants” (a deferential way of referring to the brothers themselves) has been translated by the pronoun “us” to avoid confusion with Joseph’s servants.
[44:10] 296 tn Heb “Also now, according to your words, so it is.” As the next statement indicates, this does mean that he will do exactly as they say. He does agree with them the culprit should be punished, but not as harshly as they suggest. Furthermore, the innocent parties will not be punished.
[44:10] 297 tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”
[44:10] 298 tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[44:10] 299 tn The Hebrew word נָקִי (naqi) means “acquitted,” that is, free of guilt and the responsibility for it.
[44:10] sn The rest of you will be free. Joseph’s purpose was to single out Benjamin to see if the brothers would abandon him as they had abandoned Joseph. He wanted to see if they had changed.
[44:11] 300 tn Heb “and they hurried and they lowered.” Their speed in doing this shows their presumption of innocence.
[44:12] 301 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:14] 302 sn Judah and his brothers. The narrative is already beginning to bring Judah to the forefront.
[44:14] 303 tn The disjunctive clause here provides supplemental information.
[44:15] 304 tn Heb “What is this deed you have done?” The demonstrative pronoun (“this”) adds emphasis to the question. A literal translation seems to contradict the following statement, in which Joseph affirms that he is able to divine such matters. Thus here the emotive force of the question has been reflected in the translation, “What did you think you were doing?”
[44:15] 305 tn Heb “[is] fully able to divine,” meaning that he can find things out by divination. The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis, stressing his ability to do this.
[44:16] 306 tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.
[44:16] 307 tn The Hitpael form of the verb צָדֵק (tsadeq) here means “to prove ourselves just, to declare ourselves righteous, to prove our innocence.”
[44:16] 308 sn God has exposed the sin of your servants. The first three questions are rhetorical; Judah is stating that there is nothing they can say to clear themselves. He therefore must conclude that they have been found guilty.
[44:17] 309 tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[44:17] 310 tn Heb “up” (reflecting directions from their point of view – “up” to Canaan; “down” to Egypt).
[44:18] 311 tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”
[44:18] 312 tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”
[44:18] 313 sn You are just like Pharaoh. Judah’s speech begins with the fear and trembling of one who stands condemned. Joseph has as much power as Pharaoh, either to condemn or to pardon. Judah will make his appeal, wording his speech in such a way as to appeal to Joseph’s compassion for the father, whom he mentions no less than fourteen times in the speech.
[44:20] 314 tn Heb “and a small boy of old age,” meaning that he was born when his father was elderly.
[44:20] 315 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the boy just mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:20] 316 tn Heb “he, only he, to his mother is left.”
[44:21] 317 tn The cohortative after the imperative indicates purpose here.
[44:21] 318 tn Heb “that I may set my eyes upon him.”
[44:22] 319 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the boy’s father, i.e., Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[44:22] 320 tn The last two verbs are perfect tenses with vav consecutive. The first is subordinated to the second as a conditional clause.
[44:26] 321 tn The direct object is not specified in the Hebrew text, but is implied; “there” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[44:27] 323 tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”
[44:28] 324 tn Heb “went forth from me.”
[44:29] 325 tn The construction uses a perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive to introduce the conditional clause and then another perfect verbal form with a vav consecutive to complete the sentence: “if you take…then you will bring down.”
[44:29] 326 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. See Gen 42:38.
[44:29] 327 tn Heb “evil/calamity.” The term is different than the one used in the otherwise identical statement recorded in v. 31 (see also 42:38).
[44:29] 328 tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.
[44:30] 329 tn Heb “his life is bound up in his life.”
[44:31] 330 tn Heb “when he sees that there is no boy.”
[44:34] 332 tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”
[44:34] 333 tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”
[45:1] 334 tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”
[45:2] 336 tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud.
[45:2] 337 tn Heb “and the Egyptians heard and the household of Pharaoh heard.” Presumably in the latter case this was by means of a report.
[45:5] 338 tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.”
[45:5] 339 sn You sold me here, for God sent me. The tension remains as to how the brothers’ wickedness and God’s intentions work together. Clearly God is able to transform the actions of wickedness to bring about some gracious end. But this is saying more than that; it is saying that from the beginning it was God who sent Joseph here. Although harmonization of these ideas remains humanly impossible, the divine intention is what should be the focus. Only that will enable reconciliation.
[45:6] 340 tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.”
[45:7] 341 sn God sent me. The repetition of this theme that God sent Joseph is reminiscent of commission narratives in which the leader could announce that God sent him (e.g., Exod 3:15).
[45:7] 342 tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.”
[45:7] 343 tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action.
[45:8] 344 tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.
[45:9] 345 tn Heb “hurry and go up.”
[45:10] 346 tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.
[45:11] 347 tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.”
[45:12] 348 tn Heb “And, look, your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth is the one speaking to you.”
[45:13] 349 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.
[45:13] 350 tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”
[45:16] 351 tn Heb “and the sound was heard.”
[45:16] 352 tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.”
[45:17] 353 tn Heb “and go! Enter!”
[45:18] 354 tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.
[45:18] 355 tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.
[45:19] 357 tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[45:20] 358 tn Heb “let not your eye regard.”
[45:21] 359 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.”
[45:21] 360 tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.”
[45:22] 361 tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.”
[45:22] 362 tn Heb “changes of outer garments.”
[45:23] 363 tn Heb “according to this.”
[45:24] 364 tn Heb “do not be stirred up in the way.” The verb means “stir up.” Some understand the Hebrew verb רָגָז (ragaz, “to stir up”) as a reference to quarreling (see Prov 29:9, where it has this connotation), but in Exod 15:14 and other passages it means “to fear.” This might refer to a fear of robbers, but more likely it is an assuring word that they need not be fearful about returning to Egypt. They might have thought that once Jacob was in Egypt, Joseph would take his revenge on them.
[45:25] 365 tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.”
[45:26] 366 tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.
[45:27] 367 tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.”
[46:1] 368 tn Heb “and Israel journeyed, and all that was his.”
[46:1] 369 sn Beer Sheba. See Gen 21:31; 28:10.
[46:2] 370 tn Heb “in visions of the night.” The plural form has the singular meaning, probably as a plural of intensity.
[46:4] 372 tn Heb “and I, I will bring you up, also bringing up.” The independent personal pronoun before the first person imperfect verbal form draws attention to the speaker/subject, while the infinitive absolute after the imperfect strongly emphasizes the statement: “I myself will certainly bring you up.”
[46:4] 373 tn Heb “and Joseph will put his hand upon your eyes.” This is a promise of peaceful death in Egypt with Joseph present to close his eyes.
[46:6] 375 tn Heb “and they took their livestock and their possessions which they had acquired in the land of Canaan and they went to Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[46:7] 376 tn The Hebrew text adds “with him” here. This is omitted in the translation because it is redundant in English style (note the same phrase earlier in the verse).
[46:13] 377 tc The MT reads “Puvah” (cf. Num 26:23); the Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac read “Puah” (cf. 1 Chr 7:1).
[46:13] 378 tc The MT reads “Iob,” but the Samaritan Pentateuch and some LXX
[46:15] 379 tn Heb “all the lives of his sons and his daughters, thirty-three.”
[46:16] 380 tc The MT reads “Ziphion,” but see Num 26:15, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX, all of which read “Zephon.”
[46:20] 381 sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis.
[46:21] 382 sn The sons of Benjamin. It is questionable whether youthful Benjamin had ten sons by the time he went into Egypt, but it is not impossible. If Benjamin was born when Joseph was six or seven, he was ten when Joseph was sold into Egypt, and would have been thirty-two at this point. Some suggest that the list originally served another purpose and included the names of all who were in the immediate family of the sons, whether born in Canaan or later in Egypt.
[46:23] 383 tn This name appears as “Shuham” in Num 26:42. The LXX reads “Hashum” here.
[46:26] 384 tn Heb “All the people who went with Jacob to Egypt, the ones who came out of his body, apart from the wives of the sons of Jacob, all the people were sixty-six.”
[46:26] sn The number sixty-six includes the seventy-one descendants (including Dinah) listed in vv. 8-25 minus Er and Onan (deceased), and Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim (already in Egypt).
[46:27] 385 tn The LXX reads “nine sons,” probably counting the grandsons of Joseph born to Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. 1 Chr 7:14-20).
[46:27] 386 tn Heb “And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two people; all the people belonging to the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.”
[46:27] sn The number seventy includes Jacob himself and the seventy-one descendants (including Dinah, Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim) listed in vv. 8-25, minus Er and Onan (deceased). The LXX gives the number as “seventy-five” (cf. Acts 7:14).
[46:28] 387 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[46:28] 388 tn Heb “to direct before him to Goshen.”
[46:29] 389 tn Heb “and he appeared to him.”
[46:30] 390 tn Heb “after my seeing your face that you are still alive.”
[46:31] 391 tn Heb “tell Pharaoh and say to him.”
[46:32] 392 tn Heb “feeders of sheep.”
[46:32] 393 tn Heb “for men of livestock they are.”
[46:34] 394 tn Heb “your servants are men of cattle.”
[46:34] 395 sn So that you may live in the land of Goshen. Joseph is apparently trying to stress to Pharaoh that his family is self-sufficient, that they will not be a drain on the economy of Egypt. But they will need land for their animals and so Goshen, located on the edge of Egypt, would be a suitable place for them to live. The settled Egyptians were uneasy with nomadic people, but if Jacob and his family settled in Goshen they would represent no threat.
[46:34] 396 tn Heb “is an abomination.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 43:32 and Exod 8:22.
[47:1] 397 tn Heb “Look they [are] in the land of Goshen.” Joseph draws attention to the fact of their presence in Goshen.
[47:2] 398 tn Heb “and from the whole of his brothers he took five men and presented them before Pharaoh.”
[47:3] 399 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[47:3] 400 tn Heb “both we and our fathers.”
[47:4] 401 tn Heb “to sojourn.”
[47:4] 402 tn Heb “for there.” The Hebrew uses a causal particle to connect what follows with what precedes. The translation divides the statement into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
[47:6] 403 tn Heb “men of skill.”
[47:6] 404 tn Heb “make them rulers.”
[47:6] sn Put them in charge of my livestock. Pharaoh is, in effect, offering Joseph’s brothers jobs as royal keepers of livestock, a position mentioned often in Egyptian inscriptions, because the Pharaohs owned huge herds of cattle.
[47:7] 405 tn Heb “caused him to stand.”
[47:7] 406 sn The precise meaning of the Hebrew verb translated “blessed” is difficult in this passage, because the content of Jacob’s blessing is not given. The expression could simply mean that he greeted Pharaoh, but that seems insufficient in this setting. Jacob probably praised Pharaoh, for the verb is used this way for praising God. It is also possible that he pronounced a formal prayer of blessing, asking God to reward Pharaoh for his kindness.
[47:8] 407 tn Heb “How many are the days of the years of your life?”
[47:9] 408 tn Heb “the days of.”
[47:9] 409 tn Heb “sojournings.” Jacob uses a term that depicts him as one who has lived an unsettled life, temporarily residing in many different places.
[47:9] 410 tn Heb “the days of.”
[47:9] 411 tn The Hebrew word רַע (ra’) can sometimes mean “evil,” but that would give the wrong connotation here, where it refers to pain, difficulty, and sorrow. Jacob is thinking back through all the troubles he had to endure to get to this point.
[47:9] 412 tn Heb “and they have not reached the days of the years of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.”
[47:10] 413 tn Heb “from before Pharaoh.”
[47:11] 414 tn Heb “a possession,” or “a holding.” Joseph gave them a plot of land with rights of ownership in the land of Goshen.
[47:11] 415 sn The land of Rameses is another designation for the region of Goshen. It is named Rameses because of a city in that region (Exod 1:11; 12:37). The use of this name may represent a modernization of the text for the understanding of the intended readers, substituting a later name for an earlier one. Alternatively, there may have been an earlier Rameses for which the region was named.
[47:13] 416 tn The verb לַהַה (lahah, = לָאָה, la’ah) means “to faint, to languish”; it figuratively describes the land as wasting away, drooping, being worn out.
[47:14] 417 tn Or “in exchange.” On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.
[47:15] 419 tn Heb “all Egypt.” The expression is a metonymy and refers to all the people of Egypt.
[47:15] 420 tn The imperfect verbal form has a deliberative force here.
[47:16] 421 tn The word “food” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[47:16] 422 tn On the use of the preposition here see BDB 90 s.v. בְּ.
[47:17] 423 tn The definite article is translated here as a possessive pronoun.
[47:18] 424 tn Heb “my.” The expression “my lord” occurs twice more in this verse.
[47:19] 425 tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates consequence.
[47:19] 426 sn Pharaoh’s slaves. The idea of slavery is not attractive to the modern mind, but in the ancient world it was the primary way of dealing with the poor and destitute. If the people became slaves of Pharaoh, it was Pharaoh’s responsibility to feed them and care for them. It was the best way for them to survive the famine.
[47:19] 427 tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates purpose or result.
[47:19] 428 tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + negated verb) highlights the statement and brings their argument to a conclusion.
[47:20] 429 tn The Hebrew text connects this clause with the preceding one with a causal particle (כִּי, ki). The translation divides the clauses into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
[47:20] 430 tn The Hebrew text adds “upon them.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[47:21] 431 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[47:21] 432 tc The MT reads “and the people he removed to the cities,” which does not make a lot of sense in this context. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the LXX read “he enslaved them as slaves.”
[47:23] 433 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive is equivalent to a command here.
[47:24] 434 tn The words “the crop” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[47:24] 435 tn The perfect form with the vav (ו) consecutive is equivalent to an imperfect of instruction here.
[47:24] 436 tn Heb “four parts.”
[47:25] 437 tn Heb “we find favor in the eyes of my lord.” Some interpret this as a request, “may we find favor in the eyes of my lord.”
[47:25] 438 sn Slaves. See the note on this word in v. 21.
[47:26] 439 tn On the term translated “statute” see P. Victor, “A Note on Hoq in the Old Testament,” VT 16 (1966): 358-61.
[47:26] 440 tn The words “which is in effect” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[47:28] 441 tn Heb “the days of the years.”
[47:29] 443 sn On the expression put your hand under my thigh see Gen 24:2.
[47:29] 444 tn Or “deal with me in faithful love.”
[47:30] 445 tn Heb “lie down.” Here the expression “lie down” refers to death.
[47:30] 446 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[47:31] 447 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[47:31] 448 tn Heb “swear on oath to me.” The words “that you will do so” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[47:31] 449 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[47:31] 450 tn Heb “swore on oath to him.”
[47:31] 451 sn The Hebrew verb normally means “bow down,” especially in worship or prayer. Here it might simply mean “bend low,” perhaps from weakness or approaching death. The narrative is ambiguous at this point and remains open to all these interpretations.
[47:31] 452 tc The MT reads מִטָּה (mittah, “bed, couch”). The LXX reads the word as מַטֶּה (matteh, “staff, rod”) and interprets this to mean that Jacob bowed down in worship while leaning on the top of his staff. The LXX reading was used in turn by the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 11:21).
[48:1] 453 tn Heb “and one said.” With no expressed subject in the Hebrew text, the verb can be translated with the passive voice.
[48:2] 454 tn Heb “and one told and said.” The verbs have no expressed subject and can be translated with the passive voice.
[48:2] 455 tn Heb “Look, your son Joseph.”
[48:3] 456 tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.
[48:4] 457 tn Heb “Look, I am making you fruitful.” The participle following הִנֵּה (hinneh) has the nuance of a certain and often imminent future.
[48:4] 458 tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the certain future idea.
[48:4] 459 tn The Hebrew text adds “after you,” which has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[48:4] 460 tn The Hebrew word אֲחֻזָּה (’akhuzzah), translated “possession,” describes a permanent holding in the land. It is the noun form of the same verb (אָחַז, ’akhaz) that was used for the land given to them in Goshen (Gen 47:27).
[48:5] 461 sn They will be mine. Jacob is here adopting his two grandsons Manasseh and Ephraim as his sons, and so they will have equal share with the other brothers. They will be in the place of Joseph and Levi (who will become a priestly tribe) in the settlement of the land. See I. Mendelsohn, “A Ugaritic Parallel to the Adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh,” IEJ (1959): 180-83.
[48:6] 462 tn Or “you fathered.”
[48:6] 463 tn Heb “called” or “named.”
[48:6] 464 sn Listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. This means that any subsequent children of Joseph will be incorporated into the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
[48:7] 465 tn Heb “upon me, against me,” which might mean something like “to my sorrow.”
[48:7] 466 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[48:9] 468 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[48:9] 469 tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the imperative.
[48:10] sn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story. The weakness of Israel’s sight is one of several connections between this chapter and Gen 27. Here there are two sons, and it appears that the younger is being blessed over the older by a blind old man. While it was by Jacob’s deception in chap. 27, here it is with Jacob’s full knowledge.
[48:10] 471 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[48:10] 472 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[48:10] 473 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[48:11] 474 tn On the meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּלַל (palal) here, see E. A. Speiser, “The Stem pll in Hebrew,” JBL 82 (1963): 301-6. Speiser argues that this verb means “to estimate” as in Exod 21:22.
[48:11] 475 tn Heb “your face.”
[48:11] 476 tn Heb “offspring.”
[48:12] 477 tn Heb “and Joseph brought them out from with his knees.” The two boys had probably been standing by Israel’s knees when being adopted and blessed. The referent of the pronoun “his” (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[48:13] 478 tn Heb “and Joseph took the two of them.”
[48:13] 479 tn Heb “and he brought near to him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” and “him” (Joseph and his father respectively) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[48:14] 480 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-concessive here.
[48:15] 481 tn Heb “shepherded me.” The verb has been translated as an English noun for stylistic reasons.
[48:16] 482 sn The Samaritan Pentateuch reads “king” here, but the traditional reading (“angel”) may be maintained. Jacob closely associates God with an angelic protective presence. This does not mean that Jacob viewed his God as a mere angel, but it does suggest that he was aware of an angelic presence sent by God to protect him. Here he so closely associates the two that they become virtually indistinguishable. In this culture messengers typically carried the authority of the one who sent them and could even be addressed as such. Perhaps Jacob thought that the divine blessing would be mediated through this angelic messenger.
[48:16] 483 tn The verb גָּאַל (ga’al) has the basic idea of “protect” as a near relative might do. It is used for buying someone out of bondage, marrying a deceased brother’s widow, paying off debts, avenging the family, and the like. The meanings of “deliver, protect, avenge” are most fitting when God is the subject (see A. R. Johnson, “The Primary Meaning of √גאל,” Congress Volume: Copenhagen, 1953 [VTSup], 67-77).
[48:16] 484 tn Or “be recalled through them.”
[48:17] 485 tn Heb “it was bad in his eyes.”
[48:19] 486 tn Heb “fullness.”
[48:20] 487 tn The pronoun is singular in the Hebrew text, apparently elevating Ephraim as the more prominent of the two. Note, however, that both are named in the blessing formula that follows.
[48:20] 488 tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”
[48:20] 489 sn On the elevation of Ephraim over Manasseh see E. C. Kingsbury, “He Set Ephraim Before Manasseh,” HUCA 38 (1967): 129-36; H. Mowvley, “The Concept and Content of ‘Blessing’ in the Old Testament,” BT 16 (1965): 74-80; and I. Mendelsohn, “On the Preferential Status of the Eldest Son,” BASOR 156 (1959): 38-40.
[48:21] 490 tn The pronouns translated “you,” “you,” and “your” in this verse are plural in the Hebrew text.
[48:22] 491 tn The pronouns translated “your” and “you” in this verse are singular in the Hebrew text.
[48:22] 492 tn The Hebrew word שְׁכֶם (shÿkhem) could be translated either as “mountain slope” or “shoulder, portion,” or even taken as the proper name “Shechem.” Jacob was giving Joseph either (1) one portion above his brothers, or (2) the mountain ridge he took from the Amorites, or (3) Shechem. The ambiguity actually allows for all three to be the referent. He could be referring to the land in Shechem he bought in Gen 33:18-19, but he mentions here that it was acquired by warfare, suggesting that the events of 34:25-29 are in view (even though at the time he denounced it, 34:30). Joseph was later buried in Shechem (Josh 24:32).
[49:1] 493 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.
[49:1] 494 tn The expression “in the future” (אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, ’akharit hayyamim, “in the end of days”) is found most frequently in prophetic passages; it may refer to the end of the age, the eschaton, or to the distant future. The contents of some of the sayings in this chapter stretch from the immediate circumstances to the time of the settlement in the land to the coming of Messiah. There is a great deal of literature on this chapter, including among others C. Armerding, “The Last Words of Jacob: Genesis 49,” BSac 112 (1955): 320-28; H. Pehlke, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Genesis 49:1-28” (Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985); and B. Vawter, “The Canaanite Background of Genesis 49,” CBQ 17 (1955): 1-18.
[49:4] 495 tn The Hebrew noun פַּחַז (pakhaz) only occurs here in the OT. A related verb occurs twice in the prophets (Jer 23:32; Zeph 3:4) for false prophets inventing their messages, and once in Judges for unscrupulous men bribed to murder (Judg 9:4). It would describe Reuben as being “frothy, boiling, turbulent” as water. The LXX has “run riot,” the Vulgate has “poured out,” and Tg. Onq. has “you followed your own direction.” It is a reference to Reuben’s misconduct in Gen 35, but the simile and the rare word invite some speculation. H. Pehlke suggests “destructive like water,” for Reuben acted with pride and presumption; see his “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Genesis 49:1-28” (Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985).
[49:4] 496 tn Heb “Do not excel!” The Hiphil of the verb יָתַר (yatar) has this meaning only here. The negated jussive is rhetorical here. Rather than being a command, it anticipates what will transpire. The prophecy says that because of the character of the ancestor, the tribe of Reuben would not have the character to lead (see 1 Chr 5:1).
[49:4] 497 sn This is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse with Jacob’s wives (see Gen 35:22).
[49:4] 498 tn The last verb is third masculine singular, as if for the first time Jacob told the brothers, or let them know that he knew. For a discussion of this passage see S. Gevirtz, “The Reprimand of Reuben,” JNES 30 (1971): 87-98.
[49:5] 499 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word מְכֵרָה (mÿkherah) is uncertain. It has been rendered (1) “habitations”; (2) “merchandise”; (3) “counsels”; (4) “swords”; (5) “wedding feasts.” If it is from the verb כָּרַת (karat) and formed after noun patterns for instruments and tools (maqtil, miqtil form), then it would refer to “knives.” Since the verb is used in Exod 4:25 for circumcision, the idea would be “their circumcision knives,” an allusion to the events of Gen 34 (see M. J. Dahood, “‘MKRTYHM’ in Genesis 49,5,” CBQ 23 [1961]: 54-56). Another explanation also connects the word to the events of Gen 34 as a reference to the intended “wedding feast” for Dinah which could take place only after the men of Shechem were circumcised (see D. W. Young, “A Ghost Word in the Testament of Jacob (Gen 49:5)?” JBL 100 [1981]: 335-422).
[49:6] 500 tn The Hebrew text reads “my glory,” but it is preferable to repoint the form and read “my liver.” The liver was sometimes viewed as the seat of the emotions and will (see HALOT 456 s.v. II כָּבֵד) for which the heart is the modern equivalent.
[49:7] 501 sn Divide…scatter. What is predicted here is a division of their tribes. Most commentators see here an anticipation of Levi being in every area but not their own. That may be part of it, but not entirely what the curse intended. These tribes for their ruthless cruelty would be eliminated from the power and prestige of leadership.
[49:8] 502 sn There is a wordplay here; the name Judah (יְהוּדָה, yÿhudah) sounds in Hebrew like the verb translated praise (יוֹדוּךָ, yodukha). The wordplay serves to draw attention to the statement as having special significance.
[49:10] 503 tn Or perhaps “from his descendants,” taking the expression “from between his feet” as a euphemism referring to the genitals. In this case the phrase refers by metonymy to those who come forth from his genitals, i.e., his descendants.
[49:10] 504 tn The Hebrew form שִׁילֹה (shiloh) is a major interpretive problem. There are at least four major options (with many variations and less likely alternatives): (1) Some prefer to leave the text as it is, reading “Shiloh” and understanding it as the place where the ark rested for a while in the time of the Judges. (2) By repointing the text others arrive at the translation “until the [or “his”] ruler comes,” a reference to a Davidic ruler or the Messiah. (3) Another possibility that does not require emendation of the consonantal text, but only repointing, is “until tribute is brought to him” (so NEB, JPS, NRSV), which has the advantage of providing good parallelism with the following line, “the nations will obey him.” (4) The interpretation followed in the present translation, “to whom it [belongs]” (so RSV, NIV, REB), is based on the ancient versions. Again, this would refer to the Davidic dynasty or, ultimately, to the Messiah.
[49:10] 505 tn “and to him [will be] the obedience of the nations.” For discussion of this verse see J. Blenkinsopp, “The Oracle of Judah and the Messianic Entry,” JBL 80 (1961): 55-64; and E. M. Good, “The ‘Blessing’ on Judah,” JBL 82 (1963): 427-32.
[49:11] 506 tn The perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, describing coming events as though they have already taken place.
[49:12] 507 tn Some translate these as comparatives, “darker than wine…whiter than milk,” and so a reference to his appearance (so NEB, NIV, NRSV). But if it is in the age of abundance, symbolized by wine and milk, then the dark (i.e., red or perhaps dull) eyes would be from drinking wine, and the white teeth from drinking milk.
[49:13] 508 tn The verb שָׁכַן (shakhan) means “to settle,” but not necessarily as a permanent dwelling place. The tribal settlements by the sea would have been temporary and not the tribe’s territory.
[49:13] 509 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[49:15] 510 tn The verb forms in this verse (“sees,” “will bend,” and “[will] become”) are preterite; they is used in a rhetorical manner, describing the future as if it had already transpired.
[49:15] 511 sn The oracle shows that the tribe of Issachar will be willing to trade liberty for the material things of life. Issachar would work (become a slave laborer) for the Canaanites, a reversal of the oracle on Canaan. See C. M. Carmichael, “Some Sayings in Genesis 49,” JBL 88 (1969): 435-44; and S. Gevirtz, “The Issachar Oracle in the Testament of Jacob,” ErIsr 12 (1975): 104-12.
[49:16] 512 sn The name Dan (דָּן, dan) means “judge” and forms a wordplay with the following verb.
[49:17] 514 sn The comparison of the tribe of Dan to a venomous serpent is meant to say that Dan, though small, would be potent, gaining victory through its skill and shrewdness. Jewish commentators have linked the image in part with Samson. That link at least illustrates the point: Though a minority tribe, Dan would gain the upper hand over others.
[49:18] 515 sn I wait for your deliverance, O
[49:19] 516 tc Heb “heel.” The MT has suffered from misdivision at this point. The initial mem on the first word in the next verse should probably be taken as a plural ending on the word “heel.”
[49:19] sn In Hebrew the name Gad (גָּד, gad ) sounds like the words translated “raided” (יְגוּדֶנּוּ, yÿgudennu) and “marauding bands” (גְּדוּד, gÿdud).
[49:20] 517 tc Heb “from Asher,” but the initial mem (מ) of the MT should probably be moved to the end of the preceding verse and taken as a plural ending on “heel.”
[49:20] 518 tn The Hebrew word translated “rich,” when applied to products of the ground, means abundant in quantity and quality.
[49:20] 519 tn The word translated “delicacies” refers to foods that were delightful, the kind fit for a king.
[49:21] 520 tn Heb “a doe set free.”
[49:21] 521 tn Heb “the one who gives words of beauty.” The deer imagery probably does not continue into this line; Naphtali is the likely antecedent of the substantival participle, which is masculine, not feminine, in form. If the animal imagery is retained from the preceding line, the image of a talking deer is preposterous. For this reason some read the second line “the one who bears beautiful fawns,” interpreting אִמְרֵי (’imre) as a reference to young animals, not words (see HALOT 67 s.v. *אִמֵּר).
[49:21] sn Almost every word in the verse is difficult. Some take the imagery to mean that Naphtali will be swift and agile (like a doe), and be used to take good messages (reading “words of beauty”). Others argue that the tribe was free-spirited (free running), but then settled down with young children.
[49:22] 522 tn The Hebrew text appears to mean “[is] a son of fruitfulness.” The second word is an active participle, feminine singular, from the verb פָּרָה (parah, “to be fruitful”). The translation “bough” is employed for בֵּן (ben, elsewhere typically “son”) because Joseph is pictured as a healthy and fruitful vine growing by the wall. But there are difficulties with this interpretation. The word “son” nowhere else refers to a plant and the noun translated “branches” (Heb “daughters”) in the third line is a plural form whereas its verb is singular. In the other oracles of Gen 49 an animal is used for comparison and not a plant, leading some to translate the opening phrase בֵּן פָּרָה (ben parah, “fruitful bough”) as “wild donkey” (JPS, NAB). Various other interpretations involving more radical emendation of the text have also been offered.
[49:22] 523 tn Heb “daughters.”
[49:23] 524 tn The verb forms in vv. 23-24 are used in a rhetorical manner, describing future events as if they had already taken place.
[49:24] 525 tn Heb “the arms of his hands.”
[49:24] 526 tn Heb “from there,” but the phrase should be revocalized and read “from [i.e., because of] the name of.”
[49:25] 528 tn Heb “and he will help you.”
[49:25] 529 tn Heb “Shaddai.” See the note on the title “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1. The preposition אֵת (’et) in the Hebrew text should probably be emended to אֵל (’el, “God”).
[49:25] 530 tn Heb “and he will bless you.”
[49:25] 531 sn Jacob envisions God imparting both agricultural (blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that lies below) and human fertility (blessings of the breasts and womb) to Joseph and his family.
[49:26] 532 tn Heb “have prevailed over.”
[49:26] 533 tn One could interpret the phrase הוֹרַי (horay) to mean “my progenitors” (literally, “the ones who conceived me”), but the masculine form argues against this. It is better to emend the text to הַרֲרֵי (harare, “mountains of”) because it forms a better parallel with the next clause. In this case the final yod (י) on the form is a construct plural marker, not a pronominal suffix.
[49:26] 534 tn For further discussion of this passage, see I. Sonne, “Genesis 49:24-26,” JBL 65 (1946): 303-6.
[49:28] 535 tn Heb “All these.”
[49:28] 536 tn Heb “and he blessed them, each of whom according to his blessing, he blessed them.”
[49:29] 537 tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to them,” which is not included in the translation because it is redundant in English.
[49:29] 538 tn Heb “I am about to be gathered” The participle is used here to describe what is imminent.
[49:32] 539 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.
[49:33] 540 tn Heb “was gathered.”
[50:1] 541 tn Heb “fell on.” The expression describes Joseph’s unrestrained sorrow over Jacob’s death; he probably threw himself across the body and embraced his father.
[50:2] 542 tn Heb “his servants the physicians.”
[50:3] 543 tn Heb “and forty days were fulfilled for him, for thus are fulfilled the days of embalming.”
[50:3] 545 sn Seventy days. This probably refers to a time of national mourning.
[50:4] 547 tn Heb “the house of Pharaoh.”
[50:4] 548 tn Heb “in the ears of Pharaoh.”
[50:5] 550 tn The imperfect verbal form here has the force of a command.
[50:6] 551 tn Heb “he made you swear on oath.”
[50:7] 552 tn Or “dignitaries”; Heb “elders.”
[50:10] 554 sn The location of the threshing floor of Atad is not certain. The expression the other side of the Jordan could refer to the eastern or western bank, depending on one’s perspective. However, it is commonly used in the OT for Transjordan. This would suggest that the entourage came up the Jordan Valley and crossed into the land at Jericho, just as the Israelites would in the time of Joshua.
[50:10] 555 tn Heb “and they mourned there [with] very great and heavy mourning.” The cognate accusative, as well as the two adjectives and the adverb, emphasize the degree of their sorrow.
[50:11] 556 tn Heb “this is heavy mourning for Egypt.”
[50:11] 557 tn The verb has no expressed subject and so it may be translated as passive.
[50:11] 558 sn The name Abel Mizraim means “the mourning of Egypt.”
[50:15] 559 tn The imperfect tense could be a simple future; it could also have a desiderative nuance.
[50:15] 560 tn The infinitive absolute makes the statement emphatic, “repay in full.”
[50:16] 562 tn The verb means “command,” but they would hardly be commanding him. It probably means they sent their father’s instructions to Joseph.
[50:17] 563 tn Heb “and Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”
[50:19] 564 tn Heb “For am I.”
[50:20] 565 tn Heb “you devised against me evil.”
[50:20] 566 tn Heb “God devised it for good in order to do, like this day, to preserve alive a great nation.”
[50:21] 567 tn Heb “spoke to their heart.”
[50:22] 568 tn Heb “he and the house of his father.”
[50:23] 569 tn Heb “saw Ephraim, the children of the third.”
[50:23] 570 tn Heb “they were born on the knees of Joseph.” This expression implies their adoption by Joseph, which meant that they received an inheritance from him.
[50:24] 571 tn The verb פָּקַד (paqad) means “to visit,” i.e., to intervene for blessing or cursing; here Joseph announces that God would come to fulfill the promises by delivering them from Egypt. The statement is emphasized by the use of the infinitive absolute with the verb: “God will surely visit you.”
[50:24] 572 tn The words “to give” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
