Genesis 44:7

THE MESSAGE

They said, "What is my master talking about? We would never do anything like that! Why, the money we found in our bags earlier, we brought back all the way from Canaan—do you think we'd turn right around and steal it back from your master? If that chalice is found on any of us, he'll die; and the rest of us will be your master's slaves."

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

King James Version
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

Lexham English Bible
And they said to him, "Why has my lord spoken according to these words? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

New Century Version
But the brothers said to the servant, "Why do you say these things? We would not do anything like that!

New English Translation
They answered him, "Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

Amplified Bible
They said to him, "Why does my lord speak these things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

New American Standard Bible
And they said to him, "Why does my lord say such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

Geneva Bible (1587)
And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.

Contemporary English Version
But they replied, "Sir, why do you say such things? We would never do anything like that!

Complete Jewish Bible
They replied, "Why does my lord speak this way? Heaven forbid that we should do such a thing!

Darby Translation
And they said to him, Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from thy servants to do such a thing!

Easy-to-Read Version
But the brothers said to the servant, "Why does the governor say these things? We wouldn't do anything like that!

English Standard Version
They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

George Lamsa Translation
They said to him, Let not our lord speak such words. Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing;

Good News Translation
They answered him, "What do you mean, sir, by talking like this? We swear that we have done no such thing.

Christian Standard Bible®
They said to him, “Why does my lord say these things? Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.

Literal Translation
And they said to him, Why should my lord speak according to these words? Far be it from your servants to do according to this word.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They answered him: Wherfore saieth my lorde soch wordes? God forbyd, that thy seruauntes shulde do eny soch thinge?

American Standard Version
And they said unto him, Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing.

Bible in Basic English
And they said to him, Why does my lord say such words as these? far be it from your servants to do such a thing:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they aunswered him: wherfore sayeth my Lorde suche wordes? God forbid that thy seruauntes should do so.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they said unto him: 'Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing.

King James Version (1611)
And they said vnto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy seruants should doe according to this thing.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they said to him, Why does our lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word.

English Revised Version
And they said unto him, Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? God forbid that thy servants should do such a thing.

Berean Standard Bible
"Why does my lord say these things?" they asked. "Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whiche answeriden, Whi spekith oure lord so, that thi seruauntis han do so greet trespas?

Young's Literal Translation
and they say unto him, `Why doth my lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word;

Update Bible Version
And they said to him, Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your slaves that they should do such a thing.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they said to him, Why saith my lord these words? Far be it from us that thy servants should do according to this thing:

World English Bible
They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

New King James Version
And they said to him, "Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.

New Living Translation
"What are you talking about?" the brothers responded. "We are your servants and would never do such a thing!

New Life Bible
And they said to him, "Why does my lord say these things? Your servants would never do such a thing.

New Revised Standard
They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they said unto him, Wherefore should my lord speak such words as these? Far be thy servants, from doing such a thing as this!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?

Revised Standard Version
They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.

Contextual Overview

¹Joseph ordered his house steward: "Fill the men's bags with food—all they can carry—and replace each one's money at the top of the bag. Then put my chalice, my silver chalice, in the top of the bag of the youngest, along with the money for his food." He did as Joseph ordered. ³At break of day the men were sent off with their donkeys. They were barely out of the city when Joseph said to his house steward, "Run after them. When you catch up with them, say, ‘Why did you pay me back evil for good? This is the chalice my master drinks from; he also uses it for divination. This is outrageous!'" ⁶ He caught up with them and repeated all this word for word. ⁷They said, "What is my master talking about? We would never do anything like that! Why, the money we found in our bags earlier, we brought back all the way from Canaan—do you think we'd turn right around and steal it back from your master? If that chalice is found on any of us, he'll die; and the rest of us will be your master's slaves." ¹⁰ The steward said, "Very well then, but we won't go that far. Whoever is found with the chalice will be my slave; the rest of you can go free." ¹¹They outdid each other in putting their bags on the ground and opening them up for inspection. The steward searched their bags, going from oldest to youngest. The chalice showed up in Benjamin's bag. ¹³ They ripped their clothes in despair, loaded up their donkeys, and went back to the city. ¹⁴ Joseph was still at home when Judah and his brothers got back. They threw themselves down on the ground in front of him. ¹⁵ Joseph accused them: "How can you have done this? You have to know that a man in my position would have discovered this." ¹⁶ Judah as spokesman for the brothers said, "What can we say, master? What is there to say? How can we prove our innocence? God is behind this, exposing how bad we are. We stand guilty before you and ready to be your slaves—we're all in this together, the rest of us as guilty as the one with the chalice."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Genesis 34:25-31, Genesis 35:22, Genesis 37:18-32, Genesis 38:16-18, Joshua 22:22-29, 2 Samuel 20:20, 2 Kings 8:13, Proverbs 22:1, Ecclesiastes 7:1, Hebrews 13:18

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:8 - how then Joshua 22:29 - God forbid 1 Samuel 20:2 - God forbid 1 Kings 21:3 - The Lord 2 Corinthians 7:11 - clearing

Cross-References

Genesis 44:16
Judah as spokesman for the brothers said, "What can we say, master? What is there to say? How can we prove our innocence? God is behind this, exposing how bad we are. We stand guilty before you and ready to be your slaves—we're all in this together, the rest of us as guilty as the one with the chalice."

Genesis 44:18
Judah came forward. He said, "Please, master; can I say just one thing to you? Don't get angry. Don't think I'm presumptuous—you're the same as Pharaoh as far as I'm concerned. You, master, asked us, ‘Do you have a father and a brother?' And we answered honestly, ‘We have a father who is old and a younger brother who was born to him in his old age. His brother is dead and he is the only son left from that mother. And his father loves him more than anything.'

2 Samuel 20:20
Joab protested, "Believe me, you've got me all wrong. I'm not here to hurt anyone or destroy anything—not on your life! But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bicri by name, revolted against King David; hand him over, him only, and we'll get out of here." The woman told Joab, "Sounds good. His head will be tossed to you from the wall."

2 Kings 8:13
Hazael said, "Am I a mongrel dog that I'd do such a horrible thing?" " God showed me," said Elisha, "that you'll be king of Aram."

Proverbs 22:1
A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.

Ecclesiastes 7:1
A good reputation is better than a fat bank account. Your death date tells more than your birth date.

Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us. We have no doubts about what we're doing or why, but it's hard going and we need your prayers. All we care about is living well before God. Pray that we may be together soon. May God, who puts all things together, makes all things whole, Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant, Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd, up and alive from the dead, Now put you together, provide you with everything you need to please him, Make us into what gives him most pleasure, by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah. All glory to Jesus forever and always! Oh, yes, yes, yes.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they said unto him, wherefore saith my lord these words?.... One of them, in the name of the rest, perhaps Judah, made answer, as astonished at the charge laid against them, suggesting that there was not the least foundation for it, and were quite surprised to hear anything of this kind alleged against them:

God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing; expressing the utmost detestation of such a fact, as being what they could never be guilty of.

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.