Discovery BoxGenesis 26:4 
Context26:4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them 1 all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. 2
Genesis 28:14
Context28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, 3 and you will spread out 4 to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another 5 using your name and that of your descendants. 6
Genesis 43:7
Context43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us 7 thoroughly 8 about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ 9 So we answered him in this way. 10 How could we possibly know 11 that he would say, 12 ‘Bring your brother down’?”
Genesis 43:32
Context43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, 13 and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting 14 to do so.) 15
1 tn Heb “your descendants.”
2 tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 22:18). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)
3 tn This is the same Hebrew word translated “ground” in the preceding verse.
4 tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew; Jacob is addressed as the representative of his descendants.
5 tn Theoretically the Niphal stem can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Jacob were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in other formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless (i.e., pronounce blessings upon) themselves/one another.” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 28:14 predicts that Jacob will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae (see Gen 12:2 and 18:18 as well, where Abram/Abraham receives this promise). For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.
6 tn Heb “and they will pronounce blessings by you, all the families of the earth, and by your offspring.”
7 tn The word “us” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
8 tn The infinitive absolute with the perfect verbal form emphasizes that Joseph questioned them thoroughly.
9 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.
10 tn Heb “and we told to him according to these words.”
11 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).
12 tn Once again the imperfect verbal form is used as a historic future (that is, future from the perspective of past time).
13 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s brothers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tn Or “disgraceful.” The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “abomination”) describes something that is loathsome or off-limits. For other practices the Egyptians considered disgusting, see Gen 46:34 and Exod 8:22.
15 tn Heb “and they set for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, for the Egyptians are not able to eat food with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination for the Egyptians.” The imperfect verbal form in the explanatory clause is taken as habitual in force, indicating a practice that was still in effect in the narrator’s time.
sn That the Egyptians found eating with foreigners disgusting is well-attested in extra-biblical literature by writers like Herodotus, Diodorus, and Strabo.
