New International Version
Genesis 43:18
18Now 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. “It’s because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”
Context of Genesis 43:18
16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.” 17The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. 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.” 19So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20“We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.
Read all of Genesis 43Genesis 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 one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”
- Judges 13:22“We are doomed to die!” he said to his wife. “We have seen God!”
- Job 15:21Terrifying sounds fill his ears; when all seems well, marauders attack him.
- Psalms 53:5But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them.
- Psalms 73:16When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply
- Isaiah 7:2Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz 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 lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
- Matthew 14:27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
- Mark 6:16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
- Deuteronomy 22:14and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,”
- Judges 14:4(His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)
- Job 30:14They advance as through a gaping breach; amid the ruins they come rolling in.
- Romans 7:8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was 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
In the dictionaries
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
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