Genesis 43:18

Genesis 43:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
• New International Version (NIV)Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.”

Context of Genesis 43:18

16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the man in charge of his house, “Take these men to my house. Butcher an animal, and prepare a meal, because they are going to eat with me at noon.” 17So the man did as Joseph said and took them to Joseph’s house. The men were frightened, because they had been brought to Joseph’s house. They thought, “We’ve been brought here because of the money that was put back into our sacks the first time. They’re going to attack us, overpower us, take our donkeys, and make us slaves.” 19So they came to the man in charge of Joseph’s house and spoke to him at the door. 20“Please, sir,” they said, “we came here to buy food once before.

Genesis 43:18 word by word

וַיִּֽירְא֣וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֗ים כִּ֣י הֽוּבְאוּ֮ בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵף֒ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ עַל־דְּבַ֤ר הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ הַשָּׁ֤ב בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה אֲנַ֖חְנוּ מֽוּבָאִ֑ים לְהִתְגֹּלֵ֤ל עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּלְהִתְנַפֵּ֣ל עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְלָקַ֧חַת אֹתָ֛נוּ לַעֲבָדִ֖ים וְאֶת־חֲמֹרֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• were afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• because they were broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• into Joseph’sיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• and they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Becauseדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697
• of the moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• that was returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• in our sacksאַמְתַּ֫חַת'amtachath · sackH572
• at the first timeתְּחִלָּהtechillâh · beginningH8462
• that he may seek occasionגָּלַלgâlal · to rollH1556
• against us, and fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• upon us, and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• us for bondmenעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and our assesחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543

Cross-references for Genesis 43:18

• Genesis 42:21They said to each other, “We’re surely being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he pleaded with us for mercy, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in trouble now.”
• Judges 13:22So Manoah said to his wife, “We will certainly die because we have seen God.”
• Job 15:21Terrifying sounds are in his ears. While he enjoys peace, the destroyer comes to him.
• Psalms 53:5There they are—panic-stricken— ⌞but⌟ there was no reason to panic, because God has scattered the bones of those who set up camp against you. You put them to shame. After all, God has rejected them.
• Psalms 73:16But when I tried to understand this, it was too difficult for me.
• Isaiah 7:2When word reached David’s family that the Arameans had made an alliance with Ephraim, the hearts of the king and his people were shaken as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.
• Matthew 14:26When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and began to scream because they were afraid.
• Matthew 14:27Immediately, Jesus said, “Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!”
• Mark 6:16But when Herod heard about it, he said, “I had John’s head cut off, and he has come back to life!”
• Deuteronomy 22:14Then he might make up charges against her and ruin her reputation by saying, “I married this woman. But when I slept with her, I found out she wasn’t a virgin.”
• Judges 14:4His father and mother didn’t know that the Lord was behind this. The Lord was looking for an opportunity to do something to the Philistines. (At that time the Philistines were ruling Israel.)
• Job 30:14They come through a wide hole ⌞in the wall⌟. They crawl through the ruins.
• Romans 7:8But sin took the opportunity provided by this commandment and made me have all kinds of wrong desires. Clearly, without laws sin is dead.

Commentaries on Genesis 43:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18And the men were afraid - A guilty conscience needs no accuser. Every thing alarms them; they now feel that God is exacting retribution, and they know not what the degrees shall be, nor where it shall stop. Fall upon us - עלינו התגלל hithgolel alainu, roll himself upon us. A metaphor taken from wrestlers; when a man has overthrown his antagonist, he rolls himself upon him, in order to keep him down. And our asses - Which they probably had in great number…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-34Verses 1-34 - Joseph and His Eleven Brethren 11. דבשׁ debash “honey,” from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים bôṭen “pistachio nuts.” שׁקד shâqêd “almond tree;” related: “awake.” The tree is also called לוּז lûz Some refer the former to the fruit, the latter to the tree. The eleven brothers are now to bow down before Joseph. Genesis 43:1-10 The famine was severe. The pressure began to be felt more and more. The twelve households had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 Jacob's sons went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn. If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual food, as they did for bodily food. Joseph's steward had orders from his master to take them to his house. Even this frightened them. Those that are guilty make the worst of every thing. But the steward encouraged them. It appears, from what he said, that by his good…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18the brothers were frightened: Compare 32:6–12. Their guilt stopped them from seeing that something good might happen.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. the men were afraid--Their feelings of awe on entering the stately mansion, unaccustomed as they were to houses at all, their anxiety at the reasons of their being taken there, their solicitude about the restored money, their honest simplicity in communicating their distress to the steward and his assurances of having received their money in "full weight," the offering of their fruit present, which would, as usual, be done with some parade, and the…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 43:18

• Integrity
• Money
• Servant
• Treasure

In the dictionaries

• Blame
• Chamber
• Famine
• Joseph
• Merry
• Yearn
• Antediluvian Patriarchs
• Bondman
• Genesis
• Jacob (1)

Commentaries on Genesis 43

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings