Tree of Life Version
Genesis 44:16
16Then Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we as well as the one in whose hand the cup was found.”
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 entered Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell to the ground before him. 15“What’s this deed you’ve done?” Joseph said to them, “Didn’t you know that a man like me can discern by divination?” Then Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we as well as the one in whose hand the cup was found.” 17But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The one in whose hand the cup was found—he will be my slave. But you, go up to your father in peace.” 18Then Judah approached him and said, “I beg your pardon, my lord. Please let your servant say a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t be angry with your servant, since you are like Pharaoh.
Read all of Genesis 44Genesis 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- what shall we speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- or how shall we clear ourselvesצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- hath found outמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- the iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: guiltH5771
- of thy servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- alsoגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- with whomיָדyâd · handH3027
- with whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- the cupגָּבִיעַgebîya‛ · cupH1375
Cross-references for Genesis 44:16
- Genesis 44:32For your servant became pledge for the boy with my father saying, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before my father all my days.’
- Genesis 43:8Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Please, send the boy with me and we’ll get up and go, so that we’ll live and not die—we and you, and our children.
- Deuteronomy 25:1“Suppose there is a dispute between people and they approach the court, the judges hear their case, and declare one righteous and the other guilty.
- Ezra 9:10“So now, our God, what should we say after this? For we have forsaken Your mitzvot
- Job 40:4“Indeed, I am unworthy— what can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth.
- Proverbs 17:15Acquitting the wicked and condemning the righteous: both are an abomination to Adonai.
- Isaiah 5:3So now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, please judge between me and my vineyard.
- Daniel 9:7“‘You Lord are righteousness, but shame covers our face to this day—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries where you have banished them—because they behaved unfaithfully toward you.
- Acts 2:37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the emissaries, “Fellow brethren, what shall we do?”
- Genesis 37:18Now they saw him from a distance. Before he was close to them they plotted together against him in order to kill him.
- Genesis 42:21Then each man said to his brother, “We’re truly guilty for our brother. We saw the distress of his soul when he begged us for mercy, but we didn’t listen. That’s why this distress has come to us.”
- Numbers 32:23“But if you don’t do this, behold, you sin against Adonai! Be assured! Your sin will find you out!
- Joshua 7:1But Bnei-Yisrael unfaithfully violated the ban. Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the banned things. So Adonai’s anger burned against Bnei-Yisrael.
- Judges 1:7So Adoni-bezek said, “70 kings, having their thumbs and big toes cut off, used to pick up scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me.” They brought him to Jerusalem and he died there.
- Proverbs 28:17A man tormented by the guilt of murder flees to the Pit—let no one support him.
- Matthew 7:2For with the judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, 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
In the dictionaries
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
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