OET interlinear GEN 39:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-background

וְ⁠יוֹסֵ֖ף הוּרַ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָ⁠ה

and,Joseph taken_down towards=Miʦrayim/(Egypt)

Chapter 39 picks up where 37:36 left off and repeats some events (that happened in chapter 37) to remind readers of what happened before chapter 38 interrupted the narrative. Make sure your translation does not sound like Joseph was taken to Egypt twice or sold to Potiphar twice. Alternate translation: [Now as you know, Ishmaelite merchants had brought Joseph down to the country of Egypt] or [Returning now to Joseph: Remember that he had been taken down to the country of Egypt by Ishmaelite traders]

פּוֹטִיפַר֩ סְרִ֨יס פַּרְעֹ֜ה שַׂ֤ר הַ⁠טַּבָּחִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י

Pōţīfar officer_of (Some words not found in UHB: and,Joseph taken_down towards=Miʦrayim/(Egypt) and,he,bought_him Pōţīfar officer_of Parˊoh chief of,the_bodyguards (a)_man from_Miʦrayim/(Miʦrayim/(Egypt)) from,the_hand_of of,the_Ishmaelites which/who they,had_brought_him_down to,(to) )

See how you translated an official of Pharaoh, the chief of the guards in Genesis 37:36.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

וַ⁠יִּקְנֵ֡⁠הוּ & מִ⁠יַּד֙ הַ⁠יִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹרִדֻ֖⁠הוּ שָֽׁמָּ⁠ה

(Some words not found in UHB: and,Joseph taken_down towards=Miʦrayim/(Egypt) and,he,bought_him Pōţīfar officer_of Parˊoh chief of,the_bodyguards (a)_man from_Miʦrayim/(Miʦrayim/(Egypt)) from,the_hand_of of,the_Ishmaelites which/who they,had_brought_him_down to,(to) )

For some languages it is clearer and more natural to change the order of clauses in this verse and say, “Now as you know, some Ishmaelite traders had taken/brought Joseph down to the country of Egypt, and an Egyptian named Potiphar had bought him as a slave/servant from them. Potiphar was one of Pharaoh’s officials/officers, the captain over the king’s personal guards.” See how you translated Ishmaelites in Genesis 37:25, 27–28. Alternate translation: [had bought him as a slave from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there]