Genesis 12:12

12:12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive. ¹ 

Genesis 18:13

18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why ²  did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really ³  have a child when I am old?’

Genesis 24:33

24:33 When food was served, ⁴  he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” ⁵  “Tell us,” Laban said. ⁶ 

Genesis 32:4

32:4 He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant ⁷  Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now.

Genesis 32:18

32:18 then you must say, ⁸  ‘They belong ⁹  to your servant Jacob. ¹⁰  They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. ¹¹  In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’” ¹² 

Genesis 44:7

44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? ¹³  Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! ¹⁴ 

Genesis 47:30

47:30 but when I rest ¹⁵  with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph ¹⁶  said, “I will do as you say.”

Genesis 50:4

50:4 When the days of mourning ¹⁷  had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s royal court, ¹⁸  “If I have found favor in your sight, please say to Pharaoh, ¹⁹ 

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¹ tn The Piel of the verb חָיָה (khayah, “to live”) means “to keep alive, to preserve alive,” and in some places “to make alive.” See D. Marcus, “The Verb ‘to Live’ in Ugaritic,” JSS 17 (1972): 76-82.

² tn Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the Lord’s amazement: “Why on earth did Sarah laugh?”

³ tn The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”

⁴ tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”

⁵ tn Heb “my words.”

⁶ tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”

tn Heb “and he said, ‘Speak.’” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷ sn Your servant. The narrative recounts Jacob’s groveling in fear before Esau as he calls his brother his “lord,” as if to minimize what had been done twenty years ago.

⁸ tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it has the nuance of an imperfect of instruction.

⁹ tn The words “they belong” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹⁰ tn Heb “to your servant, to Jacob.”

¹¹ tn Heb “to my lord, to Esau.”

¹² tn Heb “and look, also he [is] behind us.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹³ tn Heb “Why does my lord speak according to these words?”

¹⁴ tn Heb “according to this thing.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “lie down.” Here the expression “lie down” refers to death.

¹⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁷ tn Heb “weeping.”

¹⁸ tn Heb “the house of Pharaoh.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “in the ears of Pharaoh.”