Wandering in the fields: although not translated by Revised Standard Version, the Hebrew text says “A man found him and behold he was wandering….” The use of hinneh “behold” here probably suggests the man’s surprise at Joseph’s apparent straying about through the countryside. Fields refers to the open countryside where animals graze. Wandering translates the same verb used of Hagar wandering about in the wilderness in 21.14. See there for comments. Joseph, searching for his brothers, appears to be drifting about, not knowing where he is going.

In some languages it will be more natural to change the order of the two clauses, a man found him and wandering in the fields. Two examples are “Joseph arrived in Shechem and was wandering around there. Then a man saw him and asked…” and “When he arrived at Shechem he was walking about in the countryside round the town, and a man found him and asked him, ‘Whom are you looking for?’ ”

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 .