Genesis 44:34

32 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.’

33 Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.

For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”

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
For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”
KJV
For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.
WEB
For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”
ASV
For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? lest I see the evil that shall come on my father.
DARBY
for how should I go up to my father if the lad were not with me? lest I see the evil that would come on my father.
BLB
For how shall I go up to my father, and the boy [is] not with me? Lest I see the evil that will find my father.”
ÅB
For hvordan skulle jeg dra hjem til min far uten at gutten var med meg? Jeg kunne ikke se på den sorg som ville komme over min far.
OTB
Hvordan kan jeg vende tilbake til min far hvis gutten ikke er med meg? Jeg frykter å se den elendighet som ville ramme min far.”
B1930
For hvorledes skulde jeg dra hjem til min far uten at gutten var med mig? Jeg kunde ikke se på den sorg som vilde komme over min far.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Esther 8:6

    For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

    Read in context
  • Exodus 18:8

    Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

    Read in context
  • Job 31:29

    If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—

    Read in context
  • Psalms 116:3

    The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 119:143

    Trouble and distress have found me, but Your commandments are my delight.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 2:33–34

    And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 34:28

    ‘Now I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.’” So they brought her answer back to the king.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 52:10–11

    There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the officials of Judah.

    Read in context