Genesis 44:7
Genesis 44:7 in Multiple Translations
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
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.
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:
“My lord, what are you saying?” they replied. “We your servants wouldn't do anything like that!
And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.
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;
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!
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:
And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?
But one of them replied to him, “Sir, why do you say such things? We are your servants, and we would never do anything like that!
But those men said to him, “Sir, we don’t know why you said those things. We didn’t steal your boss’s cup. We respect you and your boss, and we don’t want to do bad things to you. No way.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 44:7
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Genesis 44:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 44:7
Study Notes — Genesis 44:7
Context — Benjamin and the Silver Cup
7“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
8We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 38:16–18 | Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired. “I will send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah answered. But she replied, “Only if you leave me something as a pledge until you send it.” “What pledge should I give you?” he asked. She answered, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. |
| 2 | Genesis 37:18–32 | Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!” When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said. “Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it. And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed. So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes, returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?” Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.” |
| 3 | 2 Kings 8:13 | “But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael. And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.” |
| 4 | Ecclesiastes 7:1 | A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth. |
| 5 | Hebrews 13:18 | Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. |
| 6 | Genesis 35:22 | While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: |
| 7 | 2 Samuel 20:20 | “Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! |
| 8 | Proverbs 22:1 | A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold. |
| 9 | Joshua 22:22–29 | “The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today. If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable. But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the LORD!’ So your descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD. That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices. Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’ Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’ Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.” |
| 10 | Genesis 34:25–31 | Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons (Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away. Jacob’s other sons came upon the slaughter and looted the city, because their sister had been defiled. They took their flocks and herds and donkeys, and everything else in the city or in the field. They carried off all their possessions and women and children, and they plundered everything in their houses. Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.” But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?” |
Genesis 44:7 Summary
[In Genesis 44:7, the brothers of Joseph are saying that they would never steal from their master, and they are shocked by the accusation. They know they didn't do it, and they are willing to accept punishment if one of them is found to be guilty. This shows that they are trying to be honest and do the right thing, just like we should strive to do in our own lives (see Proverbs 10:9). By trusting in God's goodness and justice, we can have confidence in His plan, even when things seem uncertain or difficult (see Romans 8:28).]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the context of Genesis 44:7?
In Genesis 44:7, the brothers of Joseph are responding to the accusation of the steward that they have stolen the cup of their master, which is a serious offense, as seen in Genesis 44:5. They are denying any wrongdoing and expressing their innocence.
Why do the brothers seem so confident in their denial?
The brothers are confident in their denial because they know they did not steal the cup, and they have a history of being honest, as seen when they returned the silver they found in their sacks in Genesis 42:25-28. They are also willing to accept severe punishment if one of them is found to be guilty, as stated in Genesis 44:9.
What does this verse reveal about the character of the brothers?
This verse reveals that the brothers are still struggling with the guilt of their past actions, such as selling Joseph into slavery, as seen in Genesis 37:23-35. However, it also shows that they are trying to do the right thing and are willing to accept responsibility for their actions.
How does this verse relate to the overall story of Joseph?
This verse is part of the larger story of Joseph, where God is working out His plan to bring Joseph to a position of power and to bless his family, as seen in Genesis 37:5-11 and Genesis 45:4-8. The brothers' denial and the subsequent events will ultimately lead to the revelation of Joseph's identity and the reconciliation of the family.
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in my life when I have been falsely accused, and how did I respond?
- How can I, like the brothers, demonstrate my integrity and honesty in my daily life?
- What are some areas in my life where I need to accept responsibility for my actions, and how can I take steps to make things right?
- How can I trust God's plan, even when circumstances seem uncertain or unjust, just like Joseph did in Genesis 50:20?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 44:7
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 44:7
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 44:7
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 44:7
Sermons on Genesis 44:7
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Genesis) Genesis 37:7-12 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the dreams of Joseph from the book of Genesis. Joseph had two dreams where his family members, including his parents and brothers, bowed dow |
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(Genesis) Genesis 37 Introduction by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the 37th chapter of the book of Genesis, which introduces the story of Joseph. The preacher explains that there is more emphasis on Joseph t |
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(Genesis) 53 - Joseph - Beloved, Hated and Sold by S. Lewis Johnson | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the story of Joseph from the Bible. He begins by pointing out the common use of the phrase "you know" in modern language, comparing it to the |
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Lessons in Leadership - Part 3 by K.P. Yohannan | In this sermon, K.P.O. Hannon focuses on the character of a worker or servant of God, using 2 Timothy 1 as a reference. He emphasizes that despite setbacks and suffering, God will |
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A Small Step by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes the perilous journey from doubting a father's love to taking control of our lives, which can lead to a cascade of evil actions. He illustrates this throu |
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Joshua Miktarian Funeral - Part 1 by Jason Robinson | This sermon reflects on the life of a dear friend, Joshua, highlighting his dedication to football, coaching, and his interest in matters of life after death. It emphasizes the imp |
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The Christian Pilgrim (Or the True Christian's Life a Journey Toward Heaven) by Jonathan Edwards | Jonathan Edwards preaches about the Christian life as a journey towards heaven, emphasizing the need to prioritize heavenly happiness over worldly enjoyments and to seek a heavenly |






