translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: GEN

label: NET translator note

text: The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.


text: 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.


text: The idiom “see my face” means “have an audience with me.”


text: Heb “if there is you sending,” that is, “if you send.”


text: The verb may even have a moral connotation here, “Why did you do evil to me?”


text: The infinitive construct here explains how they brought trouble on Jacob.


text: The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.


text: Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”


text: The infinitive absolute emphasizes the imperfect verbal form, which here is a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of a past time).


text: Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).


text: 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.”


text: After the preceding cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form (either imperfect or cohortative) with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose or result.


text: 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.


text: Heb “we could have returned.”


text: Heb “in your hand.”


text: Heb “take back in your hand.” The imperfect verbal form probably has an injunctive or obligatory force here, since Jacob is instructing his sons.


text: Heb “arise, return,” meaning “get up and go back,” or “go back immediately.”


text: Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1 .


text: Heb “release to you.” After the jussive this perfect verbal form with prefixed vav ( ו ) probably indicates logical consequence, as well as temporal sequence.


text: 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.


text: Heb “they arose and went down to Egypt.” The first verb has an adverbial function and emphasizes that they departed right away.


text: Heb “the man.” This has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “over the matter of.”


text: Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.


text: 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.


text: The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the finite verbal form.


text: Heb “in the beginning” (see the note on the phrase “last time” in v. 18 ).


text: Heb “in its weight.”


text: Heb “brought it back in our hand.”


text: 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.


text: Heb “your money came to me.”


text: Heb “the man.”


text: The construction uses the infinitive construct after the preposition, followed by the subjective genitive.


text: The action precedes the action of preparing the gift, and so must be translated as past perfect.


text: Heb “eat bread.” The imperfect verbal form is used here as a historic future (future from the perspective of the past).


text: Heb “into the house.”


text: Heb “concerning peace.”


text: Heb “and they bowed low and they bowed down.” The use of synonyms here emphasizes the brothers’ humility.


text: Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: 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.


text: Heb “and he sought to weep.”


text: Heb “and he controlled himself and said.”


text: Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: 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 .


text: 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. sn That the Egyptians found eating with foreigners disgusting is well-attested in extra-biblical literature by writers like Herodotus, Diodorus, and Strabo.


text: Heb “the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth.”


text: Heb “and he lifted up portions from before his face to them.”


text: 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.