After this: the Hebrew says “And it happened after these things,” as in 15.1; 22.1; and 40.1. This expression serves as a transition to a new episode or series of events. However, we must be aware that Joseph is in the capital city and Jacob is in Goshen. Therefore in languages that must account for movements, it may be necessary to have in this opening expression more than a time transition. For example, “Some time later, when Joseph was in the city, he was told that his father in Goshen was ill. So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim and went to Goshen.”

Joseph was told may need to be expressed actively as in the Hebrew: “someone told Joseph,” “they told Joseph,” “Joseph found out,” “Joseph received news,” or “Joseph got word that….”

Behold, your father is ill: Behold, which is not represented by Good News Translation, may suggest that the news is a surprise to Joseph; or it may signal a significant development in the narrative. Note that Revised Standard Version translates this as direct speech, while Good News Translation uses indirect.

So he took with him: see the suggested model above. Note that Good News Translation recognizes that Joseph has to get to where Jacob is. In some languages this is expressed as “he took his two sons … and the three of them went to see him.”

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 .