VERSE STUDY • KJV

Genesis 44:16

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.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James 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 servants, both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found.

BSB 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.”

WEB World English Bible

Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? Or how will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s bondservants, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”

ASV 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.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

And Judah saith, ‘What do we say to my lord? what do we speak? and what—do we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; lo, we are servants to my lord, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath been found;’

Surrounding context — Genesis 44

13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

16 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.

17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: [but] the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou [art] even as Pharaoh.

19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

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Topics connected to this verse

Original-language word links

These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559 · a.marto say יְהוּדָ֗הH3063 · ye.hu.dahJudah מַה־H4100 · mahwhat?נֹּאמַר֙H559 · a.marto say לַֽאדֹנִ֔יH113 · a.donlord מַה־H4100 · mahwhat?נְּדַבֵּ֖רH1696 · da.varto speak: speak וּמַה־H4100 · mahwhat?נִּצְטַדָּ֑קH6663 · tsa.daqto justify הָאֱלֹהִ֗יםH430 · e.lo.himGod מָצָא֙H4672 · ma.tsato find אֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]עֲוֹ֣ןH5771 · a.vaniniquity: crime עֲבָדֶ֔יךָH5650 · e.vedservant/slave הִנֶּנּ֤וּH2005 · henlook!עֲבָדִים֙H5650 · e.vedservant/slave לַֽאדֹנִ֔יH113 · a.donlord גַּם־H1571 · gamalso אֲנַ֕חְנוּH587 · a.nach.nuwe גַּ֛םH1571 · gamalso אֲשֶׁר־H834 · a.sherwhich נִמְצָ֥אH4672 · ma.tsato find הַגָּבִ֖יעַH1375 · ge.vi.acup בְּיָדֽוֹ׃H3027 · yadhand

Cross-references

Genesis 44:9With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.Daniel 9:7O Lord, righteousness [belongeth] unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, [that are] near, and [that are] far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.Numbers 32:23But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.Luke 12:2For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.Genesis 37:18-28And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.Genesis 37:7For, behold, we [were] binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.Joshua 7:1But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.Isaiah 27:9By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this [is] all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.Ezra 9:15O LORD God of Israel, thou [art] righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as [it is] this day: behold, we [are] before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.Proverbs 28:17A man that doeth violence to the blood of [any] person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.Ezra 9:10And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,Proverbs 17:15He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both [are] abomination to the LORD.Acts 2:37Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?Joshua 7:18And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.Matthew 7:2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.Genesis 37:9And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.Isaiah 5:3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.Job 40:4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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