Genesis 44:20

18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.

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
And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
KJV
And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
WEB
We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.’
ASV
And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loveth him.
DARBY
And we said to my lord, We have an aged father, and a child born to him in his old age, [yet] young; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.
BLB
And we said to my lord, ‘We have to us a father, an old man, and a son of [his] old age, [who is] young. And his brother died, and he alone is left to his mother, and his father loves him.’
ÅB
Da sa vi til min herre: Vi har en gammel far, og han har en ung sønn, som er født i hans alderdom; hans bror er død, og han er alene igjen etter sin mor, og hans far har ham så kjær.
OTB
Vi svarte, ‘Vi har en gammel far og en ung sønn født til ham i hans alderdom. Hans bror er død, og han er den eneste igjen av sin mors barn, og hans far elsker ham.’
B1930
Da sa vi til min herre: Vi har en gammel far, og han har en ung sønn, som er født i hans alderdom; hans bror er død, og han er alene igjen efter sin mor, og hans far har ham så kjær.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Genesis 37:3

    Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 42:38

    And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 44:27–30

    And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:

    Read in context
  • Luke 7:12

    Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 46:21

    And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 49:8

    Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 42:36

    And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 37:33–35

    And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

    Read in context