Kejadian 40:13-14

40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ¹  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ²  when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me ³  when it goes well for you, and show ⁴  me kindness. ⁵  Make mention ⁶  of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, ⁷ 

Kejadian 42:18

42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say ⁸  and you will live, ⁹  for I fear God. ¹⁰ 

Kejadian 42:24

42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, ¹¹  he had Simeon taken ¹²  from them and tied up ¹³  before their eyes.

[40:13]  ¹ 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]  ² tn Heb “according to the former custom.”

[40:14]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Heb “deal with me [in] kindness.”

[40:14]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn Heb “house.” The word “prison” has been substituted in the translation for clarity.

[42:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “Do this.”

[42:18]  ⁹ tn After the preceding imperative, the imperative with vav (ו) can, as here, indicate logical sequence.

[42:18]  ¹⁰ 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.

[42:24]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and he turned to them and spoke to them.”

[42:24]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ tn Heb “and he bound him.” See the note on the preceding verb “taken.”