Genesis 44:9
in Genesis 44If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.
KJV
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 44
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Why does my lord say these things
on Genesis 44:7-9
They swear past their knowledge and offer death for the man who has the cup and slavery for the rest. Jacob had sworn the same way when Laban searched the tents for his gods, and Rachel had them, at 31:32. This search ends at Rachel's other son.
This site's exposition
the rest will become slaves of my lord
The brothers offer themselves as slaves, the fate they handed Joseph at Dothan. Their own mouths set the penalty, and the steward softens it in verse 10. Each man is certain the cup is elsewhere.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
“Indeed, this is only right. Verily it should be according to your words since you are all guilty in this matter. When there are ten men and a stolen thing is found in the possession of one of them, all of them are arrested.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | [anyone] whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִמָּצֵ֥א | yimatze' | it is found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| אִתּ֛וֹ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| מֵעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ | meavadeikha | of servants your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וָמֵ֑ת | vamet | and he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֲנַ֕חְנוּ | ʾanachnu | we | H587 → | 120 times |
| נִֽהְיֶ֥ה | nihyeh | we will be[long] | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לַֽאדֹנִ֖י | ladoni | to lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| לַעֲבָדִֽים׃ | laavadim | to slaves | H5650 → | 799 times |
אֲשֶׁ֨ר[anyone] whom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִמָּצֵ֥אit is found
yimatze'H4672 →455 times
אִתּ֛וֹwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
מֵעֲבָדֶ֖יךָof servants your
meavadeikhaH5650 →799 times
וָמֵ֑תand he will die
vametH4191 →839 times
וְגַם־and also
vegam-H1571 →769 times
אֲנַ֕חְנוּwe
ʾanachnuH587 →120 times
נִֽהְיֶ֥הwe will be[long]
nihyehH1961 →3559 times
לַֽאדֹנִ֖יto lord my
ladoniH113 →333 times
לַעֲבָדִֽים׃to slaves
laavadimH5650 →799 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
Acts 25:11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand…
it leads to
- Acts 28:19
But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation.
- Psalms 7:3–5
O LORD my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands,
- Acts 26:32
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
- Acts 28:19
Through
Genesis 31:32If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know…
it leads to
- Genesis 31:23
So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
- Genesis 31:30
Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”
- Genesis 44:9–12
If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
- Genesis 31:19
Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
- 1 Samuel 12:3–5
Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a…
- Genesis 31:23
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.