Genesis 44:16

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we [are] my lord's servants, both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Y'hudah said, "There's nothing we can say to my lord! How can we speak? There's no way we can clear ourselves! God has revealed your servants' guilt; so here we are, my lord's slaves - both we and also the one in whose possession the cup was found."

Berean Standard Bible:

“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

American Standard Version:

And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Judah^{H3063} said^{H559}, What shall we say^{H559} unto my lord^{H113}? what shall we speak^{H1696}? or how shall we clear ourselves^{H6663}? God^{H430} hath found out^{H4672} the iniquity^{H5771} of thy servants^{H5650}: behold, we are my lord's^{H113} servants^{H5650}, both we, and he also^{H1571} with whom^{{H834}{H3027}} the cup^{H1375} is found^{H4672}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Genesis 44:16

**Themes:**
Genesis 44:16 is part of the Joseph narrative, which explores themes of betrayal, reconciliation, and divine providence. In this verse, Judah acknowledges guilt, recognizes God's sovereignty in revealing wrongdoing, and accepts the consequences of their actions. The themes include:

1. **Acknowledgment of Sin:** Judah admits the wrongdoing of himself and his brothers, recognizing that their current predicament is due to their own moral failings.
2. **Divine Justice:** The reference to God finding out their iniquity suggests a belief in divine omniscience and justice, where wrongdoings will eventually be exposed.
3. **Submission and Responsibility:** Judah's acceptance of servitude for himself and his brothers, including Benjamin, demonstrates a willingness to take responsibility for their actions and submit to authority.
4. **Redemptive Suffering:** This moment sets the stage for a larger redemptive arc, where suffering and trials lead to transformation and reconciliation.

**Historical Context:**
The verse is set in the context of a famine that has led Joseph's brothers to travel to Egypt to buy grain. Unbeknownst to them, the Egyptian official they interact with is their brother Joseph, whom they had sold into slavery years earlier. In an attempt to test his brothers and see if they have changed, Joseph accuses them of theft, hiding a silver cup in Benjamin's sack. Judah, who had previously suggested selling Joseph and who had guaranteed Benjamin's safety to their father, now steps forward to plead for Benjamin's release, offering himself in place of his younger brother.

This event occurs in the larger context of the patriarchal narratives, which describe the early history of the Israelites and their relationships with God and with other peoples. The story of Joseph serves as a bridge between the stories of the patriarchs and the eventual enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt, culminating in the Exodus. It reflects the dynamics of a family in crisis and the broader political and economic circumstances of the time, as well as the developing identity and moral framework of the Israelite people.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3063
   There are 754 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהוּדָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhûwdâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-hoo-daw'
   Description: from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah.
   
2. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
3. Strong's Number: H113
   There are 337 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָדוֹן
   Transliteration: ʼâdôwn
   Pronunciation: aw-done'
   Description: or (shortened) אָדֹן; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine); lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'.
   
4. Strong's Number: H1696
   There are 1050 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָבַר
   Transliteration: dâbar
   Pronunciation: daw-bar'
   Description: a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue; answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.
   
5. Strong's Number: H6663
   There are 40 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: צָדַק
   Transliteration: tsâdaq
   Pronunciation: tsaw-dak'
   Description: a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense); cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).
   
6. Strong's Number: H430
   There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
   Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
   Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
   Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.
   
7. Strong's Number: H4672
   There are 425 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָצָא
   Transliteration: mâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: maw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
   
8. Strong's Number: H5771
   There are 213 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָוֺן
   Transliteration: ʻâvôn
   Pronunciation: aw-vone'
   Description: or עָווֹן; (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 (אֲבַד)), from עָוָה; perversity, i.e. (moral) evil; fault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.
   
9. Strong's Number: H5650
   There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עֶבֶד
   Transliteration: ʻebed
   Pronunciation: eh'-bed
   Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.
   
10. Strong's Number: H1571
    There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גַּם
    Transliteration: gam
    Pronunciation: gam
    Description: by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather; properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and; again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.
    
11. Strong's Number: H834
    There are 220 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֲשֶׁר
    Transliteration: ʼăsher
    Pronunciation: ash-er'
    Description: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.; [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
    
12. Strong's Number: H3027
    There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָד
    Transliteration: yâd
    Pronunciation: yawd
    Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
    
13. Strong's Number: H1375
    There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גְּבִיעַ
    Transliteration: gᵉbîyaʻ
    Pronunciation: gheb-ee'-ah
    Description: from an unused root (meaning to be convex); a goblet; by analogy, the calyx of aflower; house, cup, pot.