When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 6
1 tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.
2 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the
3 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”
4 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
5 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”
6 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”
7 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.
8 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
9 tn Heb “and she said to.”
10 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
12 tn Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.
13 sn The story of Joseph is filled with cycles and repetition: He has two dreams (chap. 37), he interprets two dreams in prison (chap. 40) and the two dreams of Pharaoh (chap. 41), his brothers make two trips to see him (chaps. 42-43), and here, for the second time (see 37:24), he is imprisoned for no good reason, with only his coat being used as evidence. For further discussion see H. Jacobsen, “A Legal Note on Potiphar’s Wife,” HTR 69 (1976): 177.