Genesis 44:16

Guilt and conscience Sin Truth and honesty

¹⁴ When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

¹⁵ “What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”

“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

¹⁷ But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”

¹⁸ Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”
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.
WEB: Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”
ASV: 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 bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.
DARBY: And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak, and how justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he in whose hand the cup has been found.
BLB: And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? And how shall we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we [are] to my lord as servants, both we and also [he] with whom the cup was found.”

ÅB: Og Juda sa: Hva skal vi svare min herre? Hva skal vi si, og hva skal vi rettferdiggjøre oss med? Gud har funnet dine tjeneres misgjerning; se, vi er min herres slaver, både vi og den som begeret ble funnet hos.
OTB: Juda svarte, “Hva kan vi si til min herre? Hvordan kan vi rettferdiggjøre oss selv? Gud har avdekket dine tjeneres skyld. Vi er nå min herres slaver, både vi og den som ble funnet med begeret.”
B1930: Og Juda sa: Hvad skal vi svare min herre? Hvad skal vi si, og hvad skal vi rettferdiggjøre oss med? Gud har funnet dine tjeneres misgjerning; se, vi er min herres træler, både vi og den som begeret blev funnet hos.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 44:9
If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
Read in context
Daniel 9:7
To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You.
Read in context
Numbers 32:23
But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.
Read in context
Luke 12:2
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
Read in context
Joshua 7:18
And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
Read in context
Job 40:4
“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.
Read in context
Genesis 37:18–28
Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
Read in context
Ezra 9:15
O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.”
Read in context