Genesis 44:17
in Genesis 44But 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said, Far be it from me that I should do so: the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
KJV
And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
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This verse in Genesis 44
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
God has exposed the iniquity of your servants
on Genesis 44:16-17
Judah says nothing about the cup. What he confesses is the iniquity God has exposed, and Ephrem the Syrian read that as the pit and the sale. Joseph sets the terms, the man with the cup stays as his slave, and the rest may return to their father in peace.
This site's exposition
Far be it from me to do this
Far be it from me renders chalilah, the protest Abraham raised before the LORD at 18:25 over judging the righteous with the wicked. Joseph uses it to claim justice for himself, punishing the guilty man alone. The offer leaves ten brothers free to abandon Benjamin.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he said, God forbid that I should do so,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Joseph's behavior must not be viewed from any single point, or in separate parts, but as a whole--a well-thought, deep-laid, closely connected plan; and though some features of it do certainly exhibit an appearance of harshness, yet the pervading principle of his conduct was real, genuine, brotherly kindness.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| חָלִ֣ילָה | chalilah | far be it | H2486 → | 21 times |
| לִּ֔י | li | to me | ||
| מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת | measot | from doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| זֹ֑את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| הָאִ֡ישׁ | haish | the man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִמְצָ֨א | nimtza' | it was found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| הַגָּבִ֜יעַ | hagavia' | the cup | H1375 → | 14 times |
| בְּיָד֗וֹ | beyado | in hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| ה֚וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יִהְיֶה־ | yihyeh- | he will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִּ֣י | li | of me | ||
| עָ֔בֶד | ʾaved | slave | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וְאַתֶּ֕ם | veatem | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| עֲל֥וּ | ʾalu | go up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| לְשָׁל֖וֹם | leshalom | to peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֲבִיכֶֽם׃ פ | ʾavikhem | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
חָלִ֣ילָהfar be it
chalilahH2486 →21 times
לִּ֔יto me
li
מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹתfrom doing
measotH6213 →2628 times
זֹ֑אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
הָאִ֡ישׁthe man
haishH376 →1663 times
אֲשֶׁר֩whom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נִמְצָ֨אit was found
nimtza'H4672 →455 times
הַגָּבִ֜יעַthe cup
hagavia'H1375 →14 times
בְּיָד֗וֹin hand his
beyadoH3027 →1618 times
ה֚וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יִהְיֶה־he will be
yihyeh-H1961 →3559 times
לִּ֣יof me
li
עָ֔בֶדslave
ʾavedH5650 →799 times
וְאַתֶּ֕םand you
veatemH859 →1094 times
עֲל֥וּgo up
ʾaluH5927 →890 times
לְשָׁל֖וֹםto peace
leshalomH7965 →236 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֲבִיכֶֽם׃ פfather your
ʾavikhemH1 →1212 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
Proverbs 17:15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:7
Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent or the just, for I will not acquit the guilty.
- Isaiah 5:23
who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.
- Proverbs 18:5
Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.
- Proverbs 24:23–24
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
- Exodus 23:7
Through
2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
- Deuteronomy 32:4
Through
Psalms 75:2“When I choose a time, I will judge fairly.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 3:17
I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”
- Acts 17:31
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
- Ecclesiastes 3:17
Through
Genesis 26:29that you will not harm us, just as we have not harmed you but have done only good to you, sending you on your way in peace. And now you are blessed by the…
it leads to
- Genesis 24:31
“Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
- Genesis 24:31
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Ephrem the Syrian, Commentary on Genesis; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.