Genesis 44:11
in Genesis 44So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then they hasted, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
KJV
Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
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This verse in Genesis 44
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave
on Genesis 44:10-11
The steward softens the terms, one man a slave and the rest free of blame. The softened terms leave eleven brothers free without the twelfth, which is the shape of the test. John Calvin notes the moderation in the steward, who asks less than the brothers had offered.
This site's exposition
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground
Quickly marks their confidence, men eager to prove the steward's charge false. Every sack lies open on the ground. The search runs from the oldest to the youngest, and their haste makes the finding of the cup in verse 12 fall harder.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground,.... To be opened and examined, and this they did in all haste, as having a clear conscience, and being confident that nothing could be found upon them, and desirous of having the affair issued as soon as possible, that the steward might have full satisfaction, and they proceed on in their journey: and opened every man his sack; showing neither reluctance nor fear, being conscious of their innocence.
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
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְמַהֲר֗וּ | vaymaharu | and they hurried | H4116 → | 68 times |
| וַיּוֹרִ֛דוּ | vaiyoridu | and they brought down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| אִ֥ישׁ | ʾish | each man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַמְתַּחְתּ֖וֹ | ʾamtachto | sack his | H572 → | 15 times |
| אָ֑רְצָה | ʾaretzah | [the] ground towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַֽיִּפְתְּח֖וּ | vaiyiftechu | and they opened | H6605 → | 144 times |
| אִ֥ישׁ | ʾish | each man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ׃ | ʾamtachto | sack his | H572 → | 15 times |
וַֽיְמַהֲר֗וּand they hurried
vaymaharuH4116 →68 times
וַיּוֹרִ֛דוּand they brought down
vaiyoriduH3381 →381 times
אִ֥ישׁeach man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אַמְתַּחְתּ֖וֹsack his
ʾamtachtoH572 →15 times
אָ֑רְצָה[the] ground towards
ʾaretzahH776 →2504 times
וַֽיִּפְתְּח֖וּand they opened
vaiyiftechuH6605 →144 times
אִ֥ישׁeach man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ׃sack his
ʾamtachtoH572 →15 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.