Discovery BoxGenesis 20:6-7 
Context20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. 1 That is why I have kept you 2 from sinning against me and why 3 I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed 4 he is a prophet 5 and he will pray for you; thus you will live. 6 But if you don’t give her back, 7 know that you will surely die 8 along with all who belong to you.”
Genesis 24:14
Context24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ 9 In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 10
Genesis 43:7
Context43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us 11 thoroughly 12 about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ 13 So we answered him in this way. 14 How could we possibly know 15 that he would say, 16 ‘Bring your brother down’?”
Genesis 47:6
Context47:6 The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best region of the land. They may live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any highly capable men 17 among them, put them in charge 18 of my livestock.”
1 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”
2 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”
3 tn Heb “therefore.”
4 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.
5 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.
6 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.
sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.
7 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.
8 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.
9 sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.
10 tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”
11 tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
12 tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.
13 sn The report given here concerning Joseph’s interrogation does not exactly match the previous account where they supplied the information to clear themselves (see 42:13). This section may reflect how they remembered the impact of his interrogation, whether he asked the specific questions or not. That may be twisting the truth to protect themselves, not wanting to admit that they volunteered the information. (They admitted as much in 42:31, but now they seem to be qualifying that comment.) On the other hand, when speaking to Joseph later (see 44:19), Judah claims that Joseph asked for the information about their family, making it possible that 42:13 leaves out some of the details of their first encounter.
14 tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”
15 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the imperfect verbal form, which here is a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of a past time).
16 tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).
17 tn Heb “men of skill.”
18 tn Heb “make them rulers.”
sn Put them in charge of my livestock. Pharaoh is, in effect, offering Joseph’s brothers jobs as royal keepers of livestock, a position mentioned often in Egyptian inscriptions, because the Pharaohs owned huge herds of cattle.
