Blessed be the LORD: Blessed is used here in the sense of praising or thanking. For the translation of Blessed be the LORD, see the discussion at 9.26; and see the similar expression in 14.20. For God of my master Abraham, see verse 12. In many languages what the servant said is addressed to the LORD in the second person as a prayer: “LORD, God of my master Abraham, I praise your name. You have….”

Has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness: there are two problems in this expression. The first is the negative statement, which must often be expressed as a positive. Although some translations retain the negative statement (New International Version “who has not abandoned,” New English Bible “who has not failed to keep”), more often modern translations employ a positive expression like Good News Translation “who has faithfully kept.”

The second problem is the double expression steadfast love and faithfulness. For steadfast love (Hebrew chesed) see discussion of verse 12. Faithfulness translates a noun meaning “truth,” “permanence,” “firmness.” The combined phrase is an idiomatic construction in Hebrew called hendiadys (“one by means of two”), in which loyalty or kindness is characterized by truth or permanence. The expression does not yield “steadfast grace and truth” (King James Version) but rather “steadfast loyalty,” “true kindness.” Good News Translation rearranges this as a clause, “who has faithfully kept his promise to my master.” This is a good translation model.

As for me, the LORD has led me in the way is a very literal rendering of the Hebrew. The sense is “the LORD has led me straight to….” New English Bible has “I have been guided by the LORD to….”

House of my master’s kinsmen: Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew text, which has kinsmen (plural). See Good News Translation “relatives.” The plural form is supported by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, although with a {B} rating. Note, however, in verse 48 the word is “kinsman” (singular). Most of the ancient versions have the singular form here as do many modern translations. Translators are free to make their own choice.

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 .