Committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners is literally “and the jailer gave into Joseph’s hands all the prisoners.” We may also translate, for example, “The jailer entrusted all the other prisoners to Joseph” or “… put Joseph in charge of….” Some translations say “… appointed Joseph to take care of….” Who were in the prison is understood and need not be translated if a term for prisoners is used.

Whatever was done there, he was the doer of it: this may also be translated, for example, “whatever had to be done in the prison, Joseph was in charge of it” or “whenever anything had to be done, it was done under Joseph’s direction.”

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 .