Genesis 44
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
2And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
5Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
6And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
7And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
9With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
10And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
11Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
12And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
14And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
15And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
16And 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.
17And 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.
18Then 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.
19My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
20And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
21And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
22And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
23And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
24And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
26And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
27And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:
28And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
29And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
30Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
31It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
32For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
33Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
34For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- אָמַרʼâmarH55920× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- עֶבֶדʻebedH565020× in this chapter
a servant
- אֵתʼêthH85317× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- אֵלʼêlH41316× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- אָבʼâbH115× in this chapter
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH83414× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- אָדוֹןʼâdôwnH11313× in this chapter
sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)
- לֹאlôʼH380810× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- כִּיkîyH35888× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- מָצָאmâtsâʼH46728× in this chapter
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
- אֵתʼêthH8548× in this chapter
properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.
- דָּבָרdâbârH16977× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- אָחʼâchH2517× in this chapter
a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))
- יָרַדyâradH33817× in this chapter
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
- אִישׁʼîyshH3767× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- נַעַרnaʻarH52887× in this chapter
(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)
- אַמְתַּחַתʼamtachathH5727× in this chapter
properly, something expansive, i.e. a bag
- הָיָהhâyâhH19616× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- מָהmâhH41006× in this chapter
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
- קָטָןqâṭânH69966× in this chapter
abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)
- גְּבִיעַgᵉbîyaʻH13755× in this chapter
a goblet; by analogy, the calyx of aflower
- גַּםgamH15715× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- דָבַרdâbarH16965× in this chapter
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
- הוּאhûwʼH19315× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- כֶּסֶףkeçephH37015× in this chapter
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62135× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72005× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- בַּיִתbayithH10044× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- זֶהzehH20884× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- יוֹסֵףYôwçêphH31304× in this chapter
Joseph, the name of seven Israelites
- יָכֹלyâkôlH32014× in this chapter
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
- אַיִןʼayinH3694× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- מוּתmûwthH41914× in this chapter
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
- נָחַשׁnâchashH51724× in this chapter
properly, to hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic) spell; generally, to prognosticate
- עַלʻalH59214× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- עָלָהʻâlâhH59274× in this chapter
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64404× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- יְהוּדָהYᵉhûwdâhH30633× in this chapter
Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
- יֵשׁyêshH34263× in this chapter
there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
- אִםʼimH5183× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not