Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

创世记 44:32

因為僕人曾經向父親擔保這孩子的安全,說:‘如果我不把他帶回來交還給你,我就在父親面前終生承擔這罪。’

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Judah;   Readings, Select;   Surety (Guarantee);  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Surety;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Judah, son of jacob;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Judah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Surety;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Judah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Suretyship;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Joseph;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Surety;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Joseph;   Judah;  

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
因 为 仆 人 曾 向 我 父 亲 为 这 童 子 作 保 , 说 : 我 若 不 带 他 回 来 交 给 父 亲 , 我 便 在 父 亲 面 前 永 远 担 罪 。

Contextual Overview

18 Then Judah went to Joseph and said, "Master, please let me speak plainly to you, and please don't be angry with me. I know that you are as powerful as the king of Egypt himself. 19 When we were here before, you asked us, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?' 20 And we answered you, ‘We have an old father. And we have a younger brother, who was born when our father was old. This youngest son's brother is dead, so he is the only one of his mother's children left alive, and our father loves him very much.' 21 Then you said to us, ‘Bring that brother to me. I want to see him.' 22 And we said to you, ‘That young boy cannot leave his father, because if he leaves him, his father would die.' 23 But you said to us, ‘If you don't bring your youngest brother, you will not be allowed to see me again.' 24 So we went back to our father and told him what you had said. 25 "Later, our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little more food.' 26 We said to our father, ‘We cannot go without our youngest brother. Without our youngest brother, we will not be allowed to see the governor.' 27 Then my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife Rachel gave me two sons.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Genesis 43:8, Genesis 43:9, Genesis 43:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:37 - Slay my Genesis 44:16 - Judah Job 17:3 - put me Proverbs 6:1 - if thou be Hebrews 7:22 - a surety

Cross-References

Genesis 43:16
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant in charge of his house, "Bring those men into my house. Kill an animal and prepare a meal. Those men will eat with me today at noon."
Genesis 44:8
We brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found in our sacks. So surely we would not steal silver or gold from your master's house.
Genesis 44:9
If you find that silver cup in the sack of one of us, then let him die, and we will be your slaves."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father,.... Which is another argument used for the release of Benjamin, though he should be detained for him, which he offers to be:

saying, if I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame unto my father for ever; :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- The Ten Brothers Were Tested

Joseph has had the satisfaction of seeing his brother Benjamin safe and well. He has heard his brothers acknowledging their guilt concerning himself. He resolves to put their attachment to Benjamin, and the genuineness of their change of disposition, to a test that will at the same time expose Benjamin to no hazard.

Genesis 44:1-5

And my cup. - Besides returning each man’s money as before, a silver cup of Joseph’s is put in Benjamin’s bag, after which, when daylight comes, they are dismissed. They are scarcely out of the town when Joseph’s steward is ordered to overtake them, and charge them with stealing the cup. “And whereby indeed he divineth.” Divining by cups, we learn from this, was a common custom in Egypt (Herodotus ii. 83). It is here mentioned to enhance the value of the cup. Whether Joseph really practised any sort of divination cannot be determined from this passage.

Genesis 44:6-12

The cup is found in Benjamin’s bag. “Spake unto them these words.” The words of Joseph, supplying of course the mention of the cup which is expressed in the text only by the pronoun this. “We brought back to thee.” Silver that we might have retained, and to which you made no claim when we tendered it, we brought back. How or why should we therefore, steal silver? “Now also according to your words let it be.” He adopts their terms with a mitigation. He with whom the cup is found shall become a slave for life, and the rest be acquitted. The steward searches from the oldest to the youngest. The cup is found where it was put.

Genesis 44:13-17

“They rent their garments;” the natural token of a sorrow that knows no remedy. “And Judah went.” He had pledged himself for the safety of Benjamin to his father. And he was yet there; awaiting no doubt the result which he anticipated. “They fell before him on the earth.” It is no longer a bending of the head or bowing of the body, but the posture of deepest humiliation. How deeply that early dream penetrated into the stern reality! “Wot ye not that such a man as I doth certainly divine?” Joseph keeps up the show of resentment for a little longer, and brings out from Judah the most pathetic plea of its kind that ever was uttered. “The God,” the great and only God, “hath found out the iniquity of thy servants;” in our dark and treacherous dealing with our brother. “Behold, we are servants to my lord.” He resigns himself and all to perpetual bondage, as the doom of a just God upon their still-remembered crime. “He shall be my servant; and ye, go up in peace to your father.” Now is the test applied with the nicest adjustment. Now is the moment of agony and suspense to Joseph. Will my brothers prove true? says he within himself. Will Judah prove adequate to the occasion? say we. His pleading with his father augured well.

Verse 18-34

“And Judah came near unto him.” He is going to surrender himself as a slave for life, that Benjamin may go home with his brothers, who are permitted to depart. “Let thy servant now speak a word in the ears of my lord.” There is nothing here but respectful calmness of demeanor. “And let not thine anger burn against thy servant.” He intuitively feels that the grand vizier is a man of like feelings with himself. He will surmount the distinction of rank, and stand with him on the ground of a common humanity. “For so art thou as Pharaoh.” Thou hast power to grant or withhold my request. This forms, the exordium of the speech. Then follows the plea. This consists in a simple statement of the facts, which Judah expects to have its native effect upon a rightly-constituted heart. We will not touch this statement, except to explain two or three expressions. A young lad - a comparative youth. “Let me set mine eyes upon him” - regard him with favor and kindness. “He shall leave his father and he shall die.” If he were to leave his father, his father would die. Such is the natural interpretation of these words, as the paternal affection is generally stronger than the filial. “And now let thy servant now abide instead of the lad a servant to my lord.” Such is the humble and earnest petition of Judah. He calmly and firmly sacrifices home, family, and birthright, rather than see an aged father die of a broken heart.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile