Verses 7-9 list those groups that took part in the funeral procession to Canaan.

All the servants of Pharaoh: Westermann says that the use of all is deliberate exaggeration. However, all translators keep it in English, and it is a literary device that will be acceptable in many other languages also. This group probably refers to administrators in the government who had close dealings with Joseph.

Elders of his household: these are the highest ranking court officials, advisors to the king. They may be a different group than the previous one, but Anchor Bible defines the first group as being these same men by translating “all of Pharaoh’s officials who were senior members of his court.”

All the elders of the land of Egypt: the word elders or “old men,” used in both expressions, refers to highly placed dignitaries, important officials whose exact office or function is not stated. In some languages the elders of the tribe are referred to as “the big men,” “the old men,” or “those who sit near the chief.”

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 .