complete verse (Genesis 44:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 44:1:

  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, Jose ordered the slave who was in-charge-of his house and he said, ‘Fill their sacks with food and put-on-top the money of each one in his sack.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Joseph gave an order to the chief of the workers in his house — ‘In all their sacks put as much grain as they can take, then in the mouths of all [their] sacks put their silver.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, Jose commanded the steward of his house. He said, ‘Fill with food the sacks of the siblings/(brothers) according-to (what) they can-carry, and put the money which they paid in their sacks.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When his brothers were ready to return home, Joseph said to the man who was in charge of things in his house, ‘Fill the sacks of those men with as much grain as they can carry on their donkeys. And put in the top of each man’s sack the silver that he paid for the grain.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 44:1

The action in this chapter flows directly from the close of chapter 43. Verse 3 makes clear that the brothers left for Canaan in the early morning, which we may assume is the morning following the feasting and drinking at Joseph’s house. We may also open this chapter by saying, for example, “After the feasting was over,” “Before dawn the next day,” “When the eating and drinking were finished.”

Then he commanded the steward of his house: translators may prefer to say “Then Joseph commanded….” Steward is literally “the one over his house,” as in 43.16. See there for comments.

Fill the men’s sacks with food: food here refers to grain.

As much as they can carry: Joseph is as concerned for Jacob’s hungry family as he was in 42.19. The loaded sacks will be carried by donkeys. Joseph says this not to limit the amount to what a man can carry but rather to express the maximum amount that can be put into a sack. Accordingly Moffatt translates “with as much grain as they can hold,” which is a good model.

And put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack: see 42.25. It is significant that, when the sacks are inspected by the steward in verses 11-12, nothing is said about the silver in the sacks. This leads some interpreters to think that this information has been inserted later from 42.25.

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 .