Apparently this famine extended beyond Egypt and encompassed the land of Canaan too. Because of Egypt's size and power, it would not have been unusual for people to go there in times of need. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Joseph tests his brothers to see if they are good. They treat their brother Benjamin better than they treated Joseph and tried to protect him.
The word "Now" marks a new part of the story. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-newevent)
Jacob uses a question to scold his sons for not doing anything about the grain. Alternate translation: "Do not just sit here!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
It was common to speak of going from Canaan to Egypt as going "down."
It was common to speak of going from Canaan to Egypt as going "down."
Here "Egypt" refers to the people selling grain. Alternate translation: "from those selling grain in Egypt" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
Benjamin and Joseph had the same father and mother; their mother was different from the mothers of the other brothers. Jacob did not want to risk sending Rachel's last son. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
The word "came" can be translated as "went." Also, the words "grain" and "Egypt" are understood. Alternate translation: "The sons of Israel went to by grain along with other people who went to Egypt" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
"Now" marks a change from the story to background information about Joseph. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)
Here "land" refers to Egypt. Alternate translation: "over Egypt" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here "land" includes Egypt and other surrounding countries. Alternate translation: "all the people of all the nations that came to buy grain" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here "came" can be translated as "went." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-go)
This is a way of showing respect. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-symaction)
"When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them"
"he acted like he was not their brother" or "he did not let them know that he was their brother"
This was not a rhetorical question even though Joseph knew the answer. It was part of his choice to keep his identity from his brothers.
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Spies are people who secretly try to get information about a country to help another country.
The full meaning can be stated explicitly. Alternate translation: "You have come to find out where we are not guarding our land so that you can attack us" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
This is a way to refer to someone to honor them.
The brothers refer to themselves as "your servants." This is a formal way of speaking to someone with greater authority. Alternate translation: "We, your servants, have" or "We have" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-123person)
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"Joseph said to his brothers"
The full meaning can be stated explicitly. Alternate translation: "No, you have come to find out where we are not guarding our land so that you can attack us" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
"12 brothers" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)
"Listen to us, the youngest." The word "See" is used to emphasize what they say next.
"right now our youngest brother is with our father"
"like I already said, you are spies." See how you translated "spies" in Genesis 42:9.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "This is how I will test you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
This phrase indicates a solemn oath. Alternate translation: "I swear by the life of Pharaoh"
"Choose one of you to go get your brother"
"The rest of you will remain in prison"
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "so that I may find out if you are telling the truth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"in prison"
The word "third" is an ordinal number. Alternate translation: "after the second day" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-ordinal)
"If you will do what I say, I will let you live"
This refers to deeply respecting God and showing that respect by obeying him.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "leave one of your brothers here in prison" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
Here "you" is plural and refers to all the brothers that will not stay in prison. Alternate translation: "but the rest of you go" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-you)
Here "houses" stands for families. Alternate translation: "carry grain home to help your family during this famine" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "so I may know what you say is true" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
This implies that Joseph would have his soldiers execute the brothers if he finds out they are spies. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
The word "soul" stands for Joseph. Alternate translation: "because we saw how distressed Joseph was" or "because we saw that Joseph was suffering" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)
The abstract noun "distress" can be stated as the verb "suffering." Alternate translation: "That is why we are suffering like this now" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
Reuben uses a question to scold his brothers. Alternate translation: "I told you not to hurt the boy, but you would not listen!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
This has a quotation within a quotation. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. Alternate translation: "Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy, but" or "I told you not to harm the boy, but" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotesinquotes and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotations)
Here "Now" does not mean "at this moment," but both "Now" and "see" are used to draw attention to the important point that follows.
Here "blood" stands for Joseph's death. His brothers thought Joseph was dead. The phrase "is required of us" means they must be punished for what they did. Alternate translation: "we are getting what we deserve for his death" or "we are suffering for having killed him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)
This changes from the main story to background information that explains why the brothers thought Joseph could not understand them. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)
An "interpreter" is someone who translates what one person says into another language. Joseph placed an interpreter between himself and his brothers to make it seem like he did not speak their language.
It is implied that Joseph wept because he was emotional after hearing what his brothers said. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Joseph was still speaking a different language and using the interpreter to speak to his brothers. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here the people are represented by their "eyes" to emphasize what they see. Alternate translation: "bound him in their sight" or "bound him as they watched" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)
"to give them the supplies they needed"
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "The servants did for them everything that Joseph commanded" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
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"When they stopped at a place for the night, one of the brothers opened his sack to get food for his donkey. In the sack he saw his money!"
The word "behold" here alerts us to pay attention to the surprising information that follows.
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Someone has put my money back" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"Look in my sack!"
To become afraid is spoken of as if their heart were sinking. Here "hearts" stands for courage. Alternate translation: "They became very afraid" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
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"the lord of Egypt"
"spoke harshly"
Spies are people who secretly try to get information about a country to help another country. See how you translated "spies" in Genesis 42:9.
This has a quotation within a quotation. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. "We told him that we are honest men and not spies." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotesinquotes and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotations)
The quotation within a quotation that began with the words "We said to him, 'We are honest men ... not spies. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. "We told him that we are honest men ... not spies. We said that we are twelve brothers, sons of our father, and that one brother is no longer alive ... land of Canaan" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotesinquotes and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotations)
The word "brother" is understood. Alternate translation: "One brother is no longer alive" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-ellipsis)
The word "brother" is understood. Alternate translation: "the youngest brother is with our father right now" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-ellipsis)
"The lord of Egypt"
Here "houses" stands for "family." Alternate translation: "take grain to help your family during the famine" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
"go home" or "leave"
"I will allow you to buy and sell in this land"
This phrase is used here to mark an important event in the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here.
"they were surprised because every"
"you have deprived me of my children" or "you have caused me to lose two of my children"
"all these things hurt me"
This is a request for Reuben to take Joseph with him and to care for him on the journey. Alternate translation: "Put me in charge of him" or "Let me take care of him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
It was common to use the phrase "go down" when speaking of traveling from Canaan to Egypt. Alternate translation: "My son, Benjamin, will not go with you to Egypt"
Here "you" is plural and refers to Jacob's older sons. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-you)
The full meaning can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "For my wife, Rachel, only had two children. Joseph is dead and Benjamin is the only one left" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
"while you a traveling to Egypt and back" or "while you are away." Here "road" stands for traveling.
To "bring down ... to Sheol" is way of saying they will cause him to die and go to Sheol. He uses the word "down" because it was commonly believed sheol is somewhere underground. Alternate translation: "then you will cause me, an old man, to die of sorrow" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)
This stands for Jacob and emphasizes his old age. Alternate translation: "me, an old man" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)