The picture of the thin cows given here is not in the first telling in Gen 41.4.

That they had eaten them: that is, “that the thin cows had eaten the fat ones.”

No one would have known that …: that is, “you could see no difference” or “by looking you could not tell that….”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

As in 40.8 Joseph does not claim for himself any special power or secret knowledge, as the king’s magicians might.

It is not in me is literally “Not I.” See Good News Translation. We may express this thought as “I am not the one” or “It is not me who does it.” One translation expresses it like this: “No, King. I can’t do this. But God….” Note that Good News Translation softens Joseph’s reply by the address “Your majesty.”

God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer: this is literally “God will answer the peace of Pharaoh.” The word for “peace” includes such meanings as well-being, prosperity, and success. Joseph makes clear in verse 28 that God is the origin of the dream, and in verse 32 that God is speaking to the king to prepare him for what is about to happen. Accordingly favorable means that the interpretation of the dream will be for the good of the king, and we may translate, for example, “God will give the king a good answer” or “God will give your majesty an explanation that will be for your good.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

There is no one who can interpret it: this is the same thought as expressed by the butler and the baker in 40.8.

I have heard it said of you … it: that is, “I have heard that you can interpret [explain the meaning of] a dream.” This is also expressed in some translations as “They [indefinite] say that you…” or “Some people have told me that you….”

When you hear a dream: that is, “when someone describes a dream to you” or “when you hear someone tell you what they have dreamed.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The king does not reply to the wine servant’s speech but immediately arranges to have Joseph brought to him.

For sent and called see Gen 41.8.

They brought him hastily out of the dungeon: Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew active construction. They does not refer back to any noun, however; and languages that cannot follow this model may need to replace they with a noun phrase such as “the king’s men,” “the king’s messengers,” or “the king’s soldiers.” For dungeon see 40.15.

When he had shaved himself and changed his clothes: he refers to Joseph, who must prepare himself to appear before the king. See the similar case of Jehoiachin in 2 Kgs 25.29. The Hebrew verb shaved means both to shave (the face) and to cut the hair (of the head). Some interpret the form of the verb to mean here “cut his hair.” See Speiser, New Jerusalem Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. However, most English versions translate as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Driver comments: “The Egyptians shaved both their heads and their faces (though they wore on important occasions artificial hair and beards): on the monuments, only foreigners, and natives of inferior rank, are represented as growing beards.” If the translator chooses “cut the hair,” it may be necessary to say “they cut his hair.”

A literal translation of changed his clothes may not carry the right sense. He had to remove his prison clothing and put on clothing that was acceptable for standing before the king.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

And as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass: that is, “Everything happened just as he said it would” or “Everything happened according to the way he interpreted our dreams.” For restored to my office see 40.13.

For baker was hanged see 40.22.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

A young Hebrew … us: in some languages a man is referred to as “a child” or “a youth” until he is married. Joseph is not yet married, although he is thirty years old according to verse 46. For captain of the guard see 40.3-4.

Each man: the wine steward refers in the third person to himself and the baker. In most languages it is better to retain the first person plural, as in Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .