Genesis 37:32

37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father ¹  and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”

Genesis 42:37

42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may ²  put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care ³  and I will bring him back to you.”

Genesis 43:9

43:9 I myself pledge security ⁴  for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. ⁵ 

Genesis 45:10-11

45:10 You will live ⁶  in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 45:11 I will provide you with food ⁷  there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’

Genesis 45:13

45:13 So tell ⁸  my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!” ⁹ 

¹ tn Heb “and they sent the special tunic and they brought [it] to their father.” The text as it stands is problematic. It sounds as if they sent the tunic on ahead and then came and brought it to their father. Some emend the second verb to a Qal form and read “and they came.” In this case, they sent the tunic on ahead.

² tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is permissive here.

³ tn Heb “my hand.”

³ tn The pronoun before the first person verbal form draws attention to the subject and emphasizes Judah’s willingness to be personally responsible for the boy.

⁴ sn I will bear the blame before you all my life. It is not clear how this would work out if Benjamin did not come back. But Judah is offering his life for Benjamin’s if Benjamin does not return.

⁴ tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

⁵ tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.”

⁶ tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.

⁷ tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”