Genesis 1:30

1:30 And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground – everything that has the breath of life in it – I give ¹  every green plant for food.” It was so.

Genesis 6:7

6:7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – everything from humankind to animals, ²  including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.”

Genesis 8:21

8:21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma ³  and said ⁴  to himself, ⁵  “I will never again curse ⁶  the ground because of humankind, even though ⁷  the inclination of their minds ⁸  is evil from childhood on. ⁹  I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done.

Genesis 39:5

39:5 From the time ¹⁰  Potiphar ¹¹  appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed ¹²  the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both ¹³  in his house and in his fields. ¹⁴ 

Genesis 43:23

43:23 “Everything is fine,” ¹⁵  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. ¹⁶  I had your money.” ¹⁷  Then he brought Simeon out to them.

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¹ tn The phrase “I give” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

² tn The text simply has “from man to beast, to creatures, and to birds of the air.” The use of the prepositions עַד…מִן (min...’ad) stresses the extent of the judgment in creation.

³ tn The Lord “smelled” (וַיָּרַח, vayyarakh) a “soothing smell” (רֵיחַ הַנִּיהֹחַ, reakh hannihoakh). The object forms a cognate accusative with the verb. The language is anthropomorphic. The offering had a sweet aroma that pleased or soothed. The expression in Lev 1 signifies that God accepts the offering with pleasure, and in accepting the offering he accepts the worshiper.

⁴ tn Heb “and the Lord said.”

⁵ tn Heb “in his heart.”

⁶ tn Here the Hebrew word translated “curse” is קָלָל (qalal), used in the Piel verbal stem.

⁷ tn The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) can be used in a concessive sense (see BDB 473 s.v. כִּי), which makes good sense in this context. Its normal causal sense (“for”) does not fit the context here very well.

⁸ tn Heb “the inclination of the heart of humankind.”

⁹ tn Heb “from his youth.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “and it was from then.”

¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹² sn The Hebrew word translated blessed carries the idea of enrichment, prosperity, success. It is the way believers describe success at the hand of God. The text illustrates the promise made to Abraham that whoever blesses his descendants will be blessed (Gen 12:1-3).

¹³ tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹⁴ sn The passage gives us a good picture of Joseph as a young man who was responsible and faithful, both to his master and to his God. This happened within a very short time of his being sold into Egypt. It undermines the view that Joseph was a liar, a tattletale, and an arrogant adolescent.

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ tn Heb “your money came to me.”