Genesis 40:20

40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” ¹  the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants.

Genesis 42:16

42:16 One of you must go and get ²  your brother, while ³  the rest of you remain in prison. ⁴  In this way your words may be tested to see if ⁵  you are telling the truth. ⁶  If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

Genesis 47:4

47:4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents ⁷  in the land. There ⁸  is no pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”

Genesis 47:19

47:19 Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become ⁹  Pharaoh’s slaves. ¹⁰  Give us seed that we may live ¹¹  and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.” ¹² 

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¹ tn The translation puts the verb in quotation marks because it is used rhetorically here and has a double meaning. With respect to the cup bearer it means “reinstate” (see v. 13), but with respect to the baker it means “decapitate” (see v. 19).

² tn Heb “send from you one and let him take.” After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose.

³ tn The disjunctive clause is here circumstantial-temporal.

⁴ tn Heb “bound.”

⁵ tn The words “to see” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁶ tn Heb “the truth [is] with you.”

⁷ tn Heb “to sojourn.”

⁸ tn Heb “for there.” The Hebrew uses a causal particle to connect what follows with what precedes. The translation divides the statement into two sentences for stylistic reasons.

⁹ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates consequence.

¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav here indicates purpose or result.

¹² tn The disjunctive clause structure (vav [ו] + subject + negated verb) highlights the statement and brings their argument to a conclusion.