Genesis 44:4
in Genesis 44They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
KJV
And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
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This verse in Genesis 44
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAnd when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off,.... Which perhaps was Tanis, the Zoan of the Scriptures; see Eze 30:14, margin: Joseph said unto his steward, up, follow after the men; who no doubt was ready provided with men and horses, to go out and pursue when Joseph should give the orders, he being privy to Joseph's intentions, and with whom the scheme was concerted, and the secret was.
This site's exposition
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way
on Genesis 44:3-4
They are sent off at daybreak and overtaken before they are clear of the city. The charge Joseph puts in his steward's mouth is repaying good with evil. That is what these men did at Dothan to the brother their father had sent to find them. None of them hears it.
This site's exposition
They had not gone far from the city
The pursuit starts while the city is still in sight, so the return is short and the whole scene plays out that morning. Joseph gives the steward his exact words to say. The good they received was the feast and the returned silver of 43:23.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
When they were gone out of the city . . . Joseph said unto his steward--They were brought to a sudden halt by the stunning intelligence that an article of rare value was missing from the governor's house. It was a silver cup; so strong suspicions were entertained against them that a special messenger was despatched to search them.
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֵ֠ם | hem | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| יָֽצְא֣וּ | yatzeu | they came out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעִיר֮ | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִרְחִיקוּ֒ | hirchiku | they had gone far | H7368 → | |
| וְיוֹסֵ֤ף | veyosef | and Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| אָמַר֙ | ʾamar | he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר | laasher | to [the one] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בֵּית֔וֹ | beito | household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| ק֥וּם | kum | arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| רְדֹ֖ף | redof | pursue | H7291 → | 143 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֣י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם֙ | vehisagtam | and you will overtake them | H5381 → | 50 times |
| וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ | veamarta | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲלֵהֶ֔ם | ʾalehem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לָ֛מָּה | lamah | <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| שִׁלַּמְתֶּ֥ם | shilamtem | have you repaid | H7999 → | |
| רָעָ֖ה | raah | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| תַּ֥חַת | tachat | for | H8478 → | 505 times |
| טוֹבָֽה׃ | tovah | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
הֵ֠םthey
hemH1992 →553 times
יָֽצְא֣וּthey came out
yatzeuH3318 →1067 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעִיר֮the city
hairH5892 →1090 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
הִרְחִיקוּ֒they had gone far
hirchikuH7368 →
וְיוֹסֵ֤ףand Joseph
veyosefH3130 →213 times
אָמַר֙he said
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣רto [the one] who
laasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[was] over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בֵּית֔וֹhousehold his
beitoH1004 →2046 times
ק֥וּםarise
kumH6965 →628 times
רְדֹ֖ףpursue
redofH7291 →143 times
אַחֲרֵ֣יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם֙and you will overtake them
vehisagtamH5381 →50 times
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣and you will say
veamartaH559 →5305 times
אֲלֵהֶ֔םto them
ʾalehemH413 →5510 times
לָ֛מָּה<to> why?
lamahH4100 →752 times
שִׁלַּמְתֶּ֥םhave you repaid
shilamtemH7999 →
רָעָ֖הevil
raahH7451 →662 times
תַּ֥חַתfor
tachatH8478 →505 times
טוֹבָֽה׃good
tovahH2896 →538 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
Psalms 35:12They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
it leads to
- Psalms 38:20
Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 17:13
If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 10:32
But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
- Jeremiah 18:20
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
- Luke 23:21–23
but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
- Psalms 38:20
Through
1 Samuel 24:17and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- 1 Samuel 26:21
Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave…
- Genesis 38:26
Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.
- Matthew 5:44
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.