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32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh[a] because the matter has been decreed[b] by God, and God will make it happen soon.[c]

33 “So now Pharaoh should look[d] for a wise and discerning man[e] and give him authority[f] over all the land of Egypt. 34 Pharaoh should do[g] this—he should appoint[h] officials[i] throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt[j] during the seven years of abundance.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 41:32 tn Heb “and concerning the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh two times.” The Niphal infinitive here is the object of the preposition; it is followed by the subjective genitive “of the dream.”
  2. Genesis 41:32 tn Heb “established.”
  3. Genesis 41:32 tn The clause combines a participle and an infinitive construct: God “is hurrying…to do it,” meaning he is going to do it soon.
  4. Genesis 41:33 tn Heb “let Pharaoh look.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
  5. Genesis 41:33 tn Heb “a man discerning and wise.” The order of the terms is rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  6. Genesis 41:33 tn Heb “and let him set him.”
  7. Genesis 41:34 tn The imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance here. Smr has a jussive form here, “and let [Pharaoh] do.”
  8. Genesis 41:34 tn Heb “and let him appoint.” The jussive form expresses Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh.
  9. Genesis 41:34 tn Heb “appointees.” The noun is a cognate accusative of the preceding verb. Since “appoint appointees” would be redundant in English, the term “officials” was used in the translation instead.
  10. Genesis 41:34 tn Heb “and he shall collect a fifth of the land of Egypt.” The language is figurative (metonymy); it means what the land produces, i.e., the harvest.

32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided(A) by God, and God will do it soon.(B)

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man(C) and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.(D) 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners(E) over the land to take a fifth(F) of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.(G)

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