Genesis 43:18
in Genesis 43But 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.
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This verse in Genesis 43
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd 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
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,....
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 wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּֽירְא֣וּ | vaiyireu | and they were afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֗ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הֽוּבְאוּ֮ | huveu | they were brought | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יוֹסֵף֒ | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| דְּבַ֤ר | devar | [the] matter of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ | hakesef | the silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| הַשָּׁ֤ב | hashav | which returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ | beamtechoteinu | in sacks our | H572 → | 15 times |
| בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה | batechilah | at the beginning | H8462 → | 22 times |
| אֲנַ֖חְנוּ | ʾanachnu | we | H587 → | 120 times |
| מֽוּבָאִ֑ים | muvaim | [are] being brought | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לְהִתְגֹּלֵ֤ל | lehitgolel | to roll himself | H1556 → | 18 times |
| עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ | ʾaleinu | on us | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וּלְהִתְנַפֵּ֣ל | ulehitnapel | and to throw himself | H5307 → | 435 times |
| עָלֵ֔ינוּ | ʾaleinu | on us | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וְלָקַ֧חַת | velakachat | and to take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֹתָ֛נוּ | ʾotanu | <obj.> us | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לַעֲבָדִ֖ים | laavadim | to slaves | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֲמֹרֵֽינוּ׃ | chamoreinu | donkeys our | H2543 → | 96 times |
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 stopsEach 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 7:8But 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…
- Romans 7:11
Through
Job 15:21Sounds 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…
- Job 18:11
About Genesis

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.
