Genesis 43:9

Faithfulness and loyalty Integrity Parents and children

⁷ They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

⁸ And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.

I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

¹⁰ If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

¹¹ Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
KJV: I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
WEB: I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;
ASV: I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
DARBY: I will be surety for him: of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and set him before thy face, then shall I be guilty toward thee for ever.
BLB: I myself will guarantee him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him [back] to you and set him before you, then I shall bear the blame to you all the days.

ÅB: for dersom vi ikke hadde drøyet så lenge, da kunne vi nå to ganger vært her igjen.
OTB: Jeg vil personlig garantere for hans sikkerhet; du kan holde meg ansvarlig. Hvis jeg ikke bringer ham tilbake og presenterer ham for deg, vil jeg bære skylden for alltid.
B1930: for dersom vi ikke hadde dryget så lenge, da kunde vi nu to ganger vært her igjen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 42:37
Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”
Read in context
Hebrews 7:22
Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
Read in context
Philemon 1:18–19
But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
Read in context
Genesis 44:32–33
Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’
Read in context
Genesis 31:39
I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.
Read in context
Psalms 119:122
Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me.
Read in context
Genesis 9:5
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
Read in context
Ezekiel 3:18
If I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him or speak out to warn him from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and I will hold you responsible for his blood.
Read in context