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Genesis 43:18

in Genesis 43

But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

KJV

And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

This verse in Genesis 43

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

And the men were afraid - A guilty conscience needs no accuser. Every thing alarms them; they now feel that God is exacting retribution, and they know not what the degrees shall be, nor where it shall stop. Fall upon us - התגלל עלינו hithgolel alainu, roll himself upon us. A metaphor taken from wrestlers; when a man has overthrown his antagonist, he rolls himself upon him, in order to keep him down.

This site's exposition

the brothers were frightened

on Genesis 43:18-20

An invitation to dinner reads to them as arrest. They name the silver returned in their bags as the reason they were brought to Joseph's house. The fear they speak is that the steward will overpower them and take them as slaves with their donkeys. Adam Clarke's line on it is that a guilty conscience needs no accuser, and Ambrose of Milan noticed that they plead at the entrance before anyone accuses them.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Ephrem the Syrian

COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 37:4 · Written before 373.

proposed

But when the [brothers] saw Joseph's servants hurrying to unburden their beasts and to bring in their baggage, they said to themselves, grieving, "We have bereaved our father of Benjamin, and we shall never again see the face of our father.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The just challenges of their own consciences, and Joseph's violent suspicions of them, forbade them to expect any favour, and suggested to them that this was done with a bad design upon them. Note, Those that are guilty and timorous are apt to make the worst of every thing.

The words behind it

24 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּֽירְא֣וּand they were afraid

    vaiyireuH3372 →315 times

  • הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֗יםthe men

    haanashimH582 →566 times

  • כִּ֣יthat

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • הֽוּבְאוּ֮they were brought

    huveuH935 →2568 times

  • בֵּ֣ית[the] house of

    beitH1004 →2046 times

  • יוֹסֵף֒Joseph

    yosefH3130 →213 times

  • וַיֹּאמְר֗וּand they said

    vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • דְּבַ֤ר[the] matter of

    devarH1697 →1440 times

  • הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙the silver

    hakesefH3701 →403 times

  • הַשָּׁ֤בwhich returned

    hashavH7725 →1056 times

  • בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙in sacks our

    beamtechoteinuH572 →15 times

  • בַּתְּחִלָּ֔הat the beginning

    batechilahH8462 →22 times

  • אֲנַ֖חְנוּwe

    ʾanachnuH587 →120 times

  • מֽוּבָאִ֑ים[are] being brought

    muvaimH935 →2568 times

  • לְהִתְגֹּלֵ֤לto roll himself

    lehitgolelH1556 →18 times

  • עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙on us

    ʾaleinuH5921 →5755 times

  • וּלְהִתְנַפֵּ֣לand to throw himself

    ulehitnapelH5307 →435 times

  • עָלֵ֔ינוּon us

    ʾaleinuH5921 →5755 times

  • וְלָקַ֧חַתand to take

    velakachatH3947 →966 times

  • אֹתָ֛נוּ<obj.> us

    ʾotanuH853 →10935 times

  • לַעֲבָדִ֖יםto slaves

    laavadimH5650 →799 times

  • וְאֶת־and <obj.>

    veetH853 →10935 times

  • חֲמֹרֵֽינוּ׃donkeys our

    chamoreinuH2543 →96 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Romans 7:8

    But sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the law, sin is dead.

    it leads to

    • Romans 7:11

      For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through the commandment put me to death.

    • 1 Corinthians 15:56

      The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

    • Romans 4:15

      because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.

    • James 1:14–15

      But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.

    • Romans 7:13

      Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But in order that sin might be exposed as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through…

  • Through

    Job 15:21

    Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.

    it leads to

    • Job 18:11

      Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.

    • 1 Thessalonians 5:3

      While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

    • Leviticus 26:36

      As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to…

About Genesis

The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.
The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 37:4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.