Bible Commentaries
Genesis 44

Verse 1

men. Hebrew, plural of ish , or 'enosh. App-14 .

Verse 2

cup. Hebrew. gebi'a, out of which wine was poured: distinguishing from the smaller cups from which it was drunk. Jeremiah 35:5 .

youngest. This was the fourth step to try them, and to prove whether they were the same brethren still, and would treat Benjamin as they had treated Joseph.

Verse 4

Wherefore. Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . Septuagint and Syriac insert "Wherefore then have ye the silver cup? "

Verse 5

divineth. This was to confirm their belief that Joseph was an Egyptian. Emphasized by Figure of speech Polyptoton . Hebrew divining he divineth.

evil. Hebrew. R'a'a. See App-44 .

Verse 7

God forbid. No word for "God" here. Hebrew = Far be it from thy servants.

Verse 9

let him die. This was the penalty in the Code of Khammurabi, with which they were acquainted in Canaan (6); death for stealing from a palace. Property more sacred than life.

Verse 16

What . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis ( App-6 ).

God hath found out. This confession was what Joseph had been labouring to procure. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

iniquity. Hebrew. 'avon. See App-44 .

Verse 18

Judah. He who proposed to sell Joseph and save his life (Genesis 37:26 , Genesis 37:27 ), now proposes to remain a bondman for Benjamin. He had already become surety for his Safety (Genesis 43:8 , Genesis 43:9 ).

Verse 28

I said. Here Joseph learned what happened after they had sold him; and how they had deceived their father (Genesis 37:31 , Genesis 37:32 ).

Verse 29

my gray hairs. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct). App-6 . = "me, in my old age".

the grave. Hebrew. Sheol. See note on Genesis 37:35 , and App-35 . The whole phrase is a Euphemism ( App-6 ) for "ye will kill me"; so Genesis 44:31 , "he will die".

Verse 30

life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. See App-13 .

Verse 31

with us. Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, and Syriac have the words in the text.

Verse 34

see. Put by Metonymy (of Cause) for the feelings produced by seeing them. Note the Ellipsis "see [and grieve over] the evil, "&c.

come. Hebrew find. Evil is thus personified, by Figure of speech Prosopopoeia.