43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of 1 the money that was returned in our sacks last time. 2 He wants to capture us, 3 make us slaves, and take 4 our donkeys!”
43:23 “Everything is fine,” 5 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. 6 I had your money.” 7 Then he brought Simeon out to them.
47:18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our 8 lord that the money is used up and the livestock and the animals belong to our lord. Nothing remains before our lord except our bodies and our land.
1 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
2 tn Heb “in the beginning,” that is, at the end of their first visit.
3 tn Heb “to roll himself upon us and to cause himself to fall upon us.” The infinitives here indicate the purpose (as viewed by the brothers) for their being brought to Joseph’s house.
4 tn The word “take” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
5 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.
6 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.
7 tn Heb “your money came to me.”
8 tn Heb “my.” The expression “my lord” occurs twice more in this verse.