Kejadian 43:32

43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, ¹  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 ²  to do so.) ³ 

Kejadian 43:18

43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of ⁴  the money that was returned in our sacks last time. ⁵  He wants to capture us, ⁶  make us slaves, and take ⁷  our donkeys!”

[43:32]  ¹ tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:32]  ² 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]  ³ 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.

[43:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[43:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.

[43:18]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.