Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table: Portions refers to servings of food or food that is put on a plate from a larger container. From Joseph’s table is literally “from before him.” We may need to translate in the active voice; for example, “Joseph sent them each a portion of the food the servants had placed before him,” or “Joseph ordered his servants to take each a plate of food from the food that they had served him.”

Five times as much: although most modern translations prefer five times, Anchor Bible thinks five is used here as a round number, just as ten was used in 24.10. Consequently Anchor Bible translates “several times as large,” and this is followed by Biblia Dios Habla Hoy and New Jerusalem Bible. However, it is apparent that the narrator is building up Joseph’s attention to Benjamin, and five times is more definite than “several times.” Some translations say “but the food they gave to the youngest was enough for five men.”

So they drank and were merry with him: this is literally “and they drank and became drunk with him.” At a meal or feast of this kind, wine would be drunk. Were merry translates the same verb and form as in 9.21, in which Noah drank wine and “became drunk.” All of this seems to say clearly that the brothers got intoxicated. However, in terms of the story line the narrator is preparing to contrast this joyful occasion with the shock of Benjamin being accused of stealing from Joseph’s house, a horrible breach of hospitality. Therefore it is more fitting for chapter 43 to end with the brothers celebrating and making merry than on them becoming dull with drunkenness. In this regard Good News Translation is alone among modern versions to say “until they were drunk.” The Handbook recommends, therefore, something equivalent to Revised Standard Version. We may say, for example, “They ate and drank wine with Joseph until they became very cheerful” or “They … until they were all very light-hearted.”

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 .