Genesis 44:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

NIV: And we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.'

NASB: But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

CSB: But we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.'

NLT: But we said to you, ‘My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.’

KJV: And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.

NKJV: And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

This is part of an impassioned plea from Judah (Genesis 44:18–21). He is begging a powerful Egyptian governor not to keep his youngest brother, Benjamin, as a slave (Genesis 44:15–17). That governor is yet another son of Jacob: Joseph, sold by Judah and the other ten oldest brothers twenty years earlier (Genesis 37:24–28). Joseph has maintained his secret to test his brothers (Genesis 42:7–8).

Judah reminds Joseph that he had demanded that the brothers bring Benjamin to him so that he could look at him. At the time, the brothers resisted. They told Joseph that they could not bring Benjamin because it would literally kill their father to lose the boy (Genesis 42:38). Jacob was never afraid to show blatant favoritism (Genesis 37:3–4), and Benjamin has become his preferred child (Genesis 43:14–15).

Genesis 44:14–34 explains how Joseph's brothers reacted to another test of character. The youngest, Benjamin, was discovered to have Joseph's own silver cup in his bags. This was secretly put there on Joseph's orders—and the brothers still do not know his identity. Joseph's intent seems to be a test of his brothers' growth: are they still as cruel and selfish as when they sold Joseph, himself, into Egyptian slavery? Benjamin's sentence is to become Joseph's slave while the rest are free to go. Instead, Judah offers to take Benjamin's place in order save his youngest brother and their old father, who will surely die of grief if Benjamin is lost.

Eleven of Jacob's sons enjoyed a meal as honored guests of an Egyptian governor. They are sent off the next morning with full sacks of grain. All seems well until the governor's house steward overtakes them on the road and accuses them of stealing the ruler's personal and valuable silver cup. The brothers don't know this governor is Joseph, their long-lost brother. Nor do they know he ordered the steward to place the cup in Benjamin's sack. This is part of Joseph's final test of his brothers and their moral growth. Seeking to rescue Benjamin from slavery, Judah makes a powerful speech to Joseph, offering to take Benjamin's place as a slave to save the boy and avoid grieving their father, Jacob.

Joseph maintained his hidden identity when his estranged brothers first arrived in Egypt (Genesis 42). When they returned a second time, he continued to test them and treated them to a fine meal (Genesis 43). Genesis 44 describes Joseph's final scheme to test the character of his brothers. Will they once again abandon a sibling into slavery? After a successful scheme by Joseph, Benjamin seems doomed to become a slave in Egypt. Judah boldly begs Joseph to keep him, instead. He offers himself in Benjamin's place. This finally overwhelms Joseph, who will break down and reveal himself in the next chapter.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 4/28/2024 1:03:33 AM