42:21 They said to one other, 4 “Surely we’re being punished 5 because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was 6 when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress 7 has come on us!”
1 tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
2 tn Heb “and I will send and I will take you from there.” The verb “send” has no object in the Hebrew text; one must be supplied in the translation. Either “someone” or “a message” could be supplied, but since in those times a message would require a messenger, “someone” has been used.
3 tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.
4 tn Heb “a man to his neighbor.”
5 tn Or “we are guilty”; the Hebrew word can also refer to the effect of being guilty, i.e., “we are being punished for guilt.”
6 tn Heb “the distress of his soul.”
7 sn The repetition of the Hebrew noun translated distress draws attention to the fact that they regard their present distress as appropriate punishment for their refusal to ignore their brother when he was in distress.
8 tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates consequence.
9 sn Pharaoh’s slaves. The idea of slavery is not attractive to the modern mind, but in the ancient world it was the primary way of dealing with the poor and destitute. If the people became slaves of Pharaoh, it was Pharaoh’s responsibility to feed them and care for them. It was the best way for them to survive the famine.
10 tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates purpose or result.
11 tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + negated verb) highlights the statement and brings their argument to a conclusion.
12 tn Heb “this is heavy mourning for Egypt.”
13 tn The verb has no expressed subject and so it may be translated as passive.
14 sn The name Abel Mizraim means “the mourning of Egypt.”