Genesis 44:16

Genesis 44:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
• New International Version (NIV)“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”

Context of Genesis 44:16

14When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. 15Joseph said to them, “What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?” So Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found.” 17But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.” 18Then Judah approached him, and said, “Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh.

Genesis 44:16 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֗ה מַה־נֹּאמַר֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י מַה־נְּדַבֵּ֖ר וּמַה־נִּצְטַדָּ֑ק הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים מָצָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֹ֣ן עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ הִנֶּנּ֤וּ עֲבָדִים֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י גַּם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ גַּ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֥א הַגָּבִ֖יעַ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

• So Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• to my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• can we speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• can we justifyצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
• ourselves? Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• has foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• out the iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: guiltH5771
• of your servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• bothגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• we and the one in whoseאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• possessionיָדyâd · handH3027
• the cupגָּבִיעַgebîya‛ · cupH1375

Cross-references for Genesis 44:16

• Genesis 44:32For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.’
• Genesis 43:8Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones.
• Deuteronomy 25:1“If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,
• Ezra 9:10“Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments,
• Job 40:4“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth.
• Proverbs 17:15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
• Isaiah 5:3“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge between Me and My vineyard.
• Daniel 9:7“Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day--to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You.
• Acts 2:37Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
• Genesis 37:18When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.
• Genesis 42:21Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.”
• Numbers 32:23But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.
• Joshua 7:1But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.
• Judges 1:7Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to gather up scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” So they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there.
• Proverbs 28:17A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.
• Matthew 7:2For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

Commentaries on Genesis 44:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16What shall we say, etc. - No words can more strongly mark confusion and perturbation of mind. They, no doubt, all thought that Benjamin had actually stolen the cup; and the probability of this guilt might be heightened by the circumstance of his having that very cup to drink out of at dinner; for as he had the most honorable mess, so it is likely he had the most honorable cup to drink out of at the entertainment.Read the comment
• 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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Judah again spoke for the group. God has exposed the iniquity of your servants: God was completing the work of repentance in their hearts. Judah again proposed that they all be punished. Benjamin was seemingly guilty of this theft, but all of the others were guilty of sin against Joseph. They preferred not returning to Jacob at all versus seeing his grief at the loss of Benjamin (44:34).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 44:16

• Conscience
• Conviction
• Integrity
• Judah

In the dictionaries

• God
• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bowl
• Couch
• Cruel
• Cup
• Earing

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