Part of the Abrahamic covenant was that Yahweh would bless those who bless Abraham's descendants. Since Pharaoh cared for the Hebrew people, Yahweh blessed the Egyptians while the Hebrew people lived in Egypt. The Hebrew people also multiplied greatly as this covenant promised. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#covenant and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#bless and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#promise)
In the ancient Near east, a person was typically buried in their hometown. Since Egypt was not the Israelites' home, Jacob did not wish to be buried in Egypt. This was a lesson to the Israelites that Canaan was their true home, the promised land. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#promisedland)
It is not clear whether Joseph went with his father and family from Canaan to Goshen and then alone from Goshen to see the Pharaoh, back to Goshen for his five brothers, and then back to Pharaoh, as the ULB implies, or whether he brought the five brothers with him the first time he went from Goshen to Pharaoh, as the UDB states. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-events)
It is not clear whether Joseph went with his father and family from Canaan to Goshen and then alone from Goshen to see the Pharaoh, back to Goshen for his five brothers, and then back to Pharaoh, as the ULB implies, or whether he brought the five brothers with him the first time he went from Goshen to Pharaoh, as the UDB states. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-events)
"Your servants shepherd flocks"
Joseph's brothers refer to themselves as "your servants." This is a formal way of speaking to someone with more authority. This can be stated in first person. Alternate translation: "We, your servants" or "We" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-123person)
"both we and our forefathers" or "both we and our ancestors"
"We have come to stay for a while in Egypt"
"There is no grass to eat"
This does not mean "at this moment," but is used to draw attention to the important point that follows.
This page has intentionally been left blank.
"The land of Egypt is open to you" or "All of the land of Egypt is available to you"
"Settle your father and your brothers in the land of Goshen, which is the best region"
It is implied that they are capable of taking care of animals. Alternate translation: "If you know of any men among them who have great skill taking care of animals" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)
Here "blessed" means to express a desire for positive and beneficial things to happen to that person.
"How old are you?"
The phrase "years of my travels" refers to how long he has lived on the earth traveling from one place to another. Alternate translation: "I have traveled on the earth for 130 years" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)
Jacob means his life is short compared to the lives of Abraham and Isaac.
Jacob has experienced much pain and trouble during his life.
This page has intentionally been left blank.
"Then Joseph took care of his father and his brothers and helped them establish where they would live"
This is another name for the land of Goshen. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)
Here, the word "dependents" means the small children in the family. Alternate translation: "according to how many small children were in their families"
This word is used here to mark a stop in the main story. Here the author starts to tell a new part of the story.
This refers to the people living in these lands. Alternate translation: "The people of Egypt and the people of Canaan" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
"became thin and weak"
"The people of Egypt and Canaan spent all of their money buying grain from Joseph"
Most likely Joseph ordered his servants to gather and bring the money. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
Here "lands" stands for the people who live in the lands. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "When the people of Egypt and Canaan used up all their money" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan"
The people used a question to emphasize how desperate they are to buy food. This question can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "Please, do not let us die because we have used up all of our money!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
This page has intentionally been left blank.
Here "bread" stands for food in general. Alternate translation: "He gave them food" or "He provided them with food" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)
"the people came to Joseph"
The people refer to Joseph as "my master." This is a formal way of speaking to someone with greater authority. It can be stated in second person. Alternate translation: "We will not hide from you, our master" or "We will not hide from you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-123person)
This double negative emphasizes that the speakers' bodies and land were the only things they had left. Alternate translation: "The only things we have left in the sight of my master is our bodies and our land" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublenegatives)
Here "sight" stands for Joseph himself. Alternate translation: "We have nothing left to give you, our master" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)
The word "eyes" refers to Joseph's sight. The people use a question to emphasize how desperate they are to buy food. This question can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "Please do not just watch as we die and our land is ruined!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)
The land becomes useless and ruined because there is no seed to plant; thus it is spoken of as if the land would die. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
"So the land became Pharaoh's"
This page has intentionally been left blank.
"But he did not buy the land of the priests"
An "allowance" is an amount of money or food that someone regularly gives to another person. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Pharaoh gave the priests a certain amount of food each day" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)
"They ate from what Pharaoh gave them"
"that you might sow"
The word "fifth" is a fraction. Alternate translation: "At harvest time you will divide the crops into five parts. You will give one part back to Pharaoh for payment and the four parts are for your own" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-fraction)
You can state clearly the understood information. Alternate translation: "for food for your households and for food for your children" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-ellipsis)
The phrase "find favor" is an idiom which means to be approved of by someone. Also, the eyes represent seeing, and seeing represents thoughts or judgment. Alternate translation: "May you be pleased with us" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
"over the land of Egypt" or "throughout the land of Egypt"
This means to the time that the author was writing this.
See how you translated "a fifth" in Genesis 47:24.
The word "multiplied" explains how they were "fruitful." Alternate translation: "They had very many children" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet)
Here "fruitful" means to prosper or to have children. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)
"17 years" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)
"so Jacob lived to be 147 years old" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)
This speaks about time as if it travels and comes to a place. Alternate translation: "When it was almost time for Israel to die" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
Here "eyes" is a metonym for sight, and "sight" stands for thoughts or opinions. Alternate translation: "If I have found favor with you" or "If I have pleased you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)
This does not mean "at this moment," but is used to draw attention to the important point that follows.
This means that someone is approved of by someone else. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)
This act is a sign of making a serious promise. See how you translated this in Genesis 24:2. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-symaction)
The abstract nouns "faithfulness" and "trustworthiness" can be translated as adjectives. Alternate translation: "treat me in a faithful and trustworthy manner" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)
The word "please" adds emphasis to this request.
This is a polite way of saying that he will die. Alternate translation: "When I die and join my family members who died before me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)
"Promise me" or "Make an oath to me"
"promised him" or "made an oath to him"