Genesis 44:31

Genesis 44:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
• New International Version (NIV)sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow.
• English Standard Version (ESV)as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.
• New King James Version (NKJV)it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

Context of Genesis 44:31

29If you take this one away from me too and anything happens to him, you’ll drive this gray-haired old man to his grave.’ 30“Our father’s life is wrapped up with the boy’s life. If I come ⌞home⌟ without the boy and he sees that the boy isn’t ⌞with me⌟, he’ll die. The grief would drive our gray-haired old father to his grave. 32“I guaranteed my father that the boy would come back. I said, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, then you can blame me the rest of my life, Father.’ 33Sir, please let me stay and be your slave in the boy’s place, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

Genesis 44:31 word by word

וְהָיָ֗ה כִּרְאוֹת֛וֹ כִּי־אֵ֥ין הַנַּ֖עַר וָמֵ֑ת וְהוֹרִ֨ידוּ עֲבָדֶ֜יךָ אֶת־שֵׂיבַ֨ת עַבְדְּךָ֥ אָבִ֛ינוּ בְּיָג֖וֹן שְׁאֹֽלָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• It shall come to pass, when he seethרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that the ladנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• that he will dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• and thy servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• shall bring downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• the gray hairsשֵׂיבָהώêybâh · hoary headH7872
• our fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• with sorrowיָגוֹןyâgôn · sorrowH3015
• to the graveשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585

Cross-references for Genesis 44:31

• 1 Samuel 4:17“Israel fled from the Philistines,” the messenger answered. “Our troops suffered heavy casualties. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, also are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
• 2 Corinthians 7:10In fact, to be distressed in a godly way causes people to change the way they think and act and leads them to be saved. No one can regret that. But the distress that the world causes brings only death.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don’t want you to grieve like other people who have no hope.
• Genesis 44:29If you take this one away from me too and anything happens to him, you’ll drive this gray-haired old man to his grave.’
• Genesis 37:26Judah asked his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother and covering up his death?
• 1 Samuel 22:22David told Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg from Edom was there that he would be certain to tell Saul. I am the one responsible for all the lives of your family.

Commentaries on Genesis 44:31

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-34Verses 1-34 - The Ten Brothers Were Tested Joseph has had the satisfaction of seeing his brother Benjamin safe and well. He has heard his brothers acknowledging their guilt concerning himself. He resolves to put their attachment to Benjamin, and the genuineness of their change of disposition, to a test that will at the same time expose Benjamin to no hazard. Genesis 44:1-5 And my cup. - Besides returning each man‘s money as before, a silver cup of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-34Verses 18-34 Had Joseph been, as Judah supposed him, an utter stranger to the family, he could not but be wrought upon by his powerful reasonings. But neither Jacob nor Benjamin need an intercessor with Joseph; for he himself loved them. Judah's faithful cleaving to Benjamin, now, in his distress, was recompensed long afterwards by the tribe of Benjamin keeping with the tribe of Judah, when the other tribes deserted it. The apostle, when discoursing of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-34Judah kept his promise to make sure Benjamin was safe (43:8–10). His lengthy plea to take Benjamin's place in prison is one of the most sincere examples of intercession in the Bible (44:33). It showed Judah's care for their father and his willingness to sacrifice everything for his brother. With this integrity, Judah proved himself a true leader, worthy of the firstborn's blessing (see John 15:13). Through him, Israel's kings would emerge (see Genesis…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-3416-34. Judah said, What shall we say?--This address needs no comment--consisting at first of short, broken sentences, as if, under the overwhelming force of the speaker's emotions, his utterance were choked, it becomes more free and copious by the effort of speaking, as he proceeds. Every word finds its way to the heart; and it may well be imagined that Benjamin, who stood there speechless like a victim about to be laid on the altar, when he heard the…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 44:31

• Children
• Hell
• Judah
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Couch
• Cruel
• Earing
• Famine
• Hell
• Joseph
• Judah
• Surety
• Antediluvian Patriarchs
• Color; Colors

Commentaries on Genesis 44

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings