Genesis 44:16

KJV1611 – Modern English

And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and also he with whom the cup is found.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֗ה מַה־נֹּאמַר֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י מַה־נְּדַבֵּ֖ר וּמַה־נִּצְטַדָּ֑ק הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים מָצָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ הִנֶּ֤נּוּ עֲבָדִים֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י גַּם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ גַּ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֥א הַגָּבִ֖יעַ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer yəhûdâ what mah-shall we say nnōʾmar to my lord laʾdōnî what mah-shall we speak nnədabbēr and what ûmah-shall we justify ourselves nniṣṭaddāq the hāʾĕlōhîm has found māṣāʾ ʾet-ʿăwōn your ʿăbādeykā behold us hinnennû ʿăbādîm to my lord laʾdōnî also gam-we ʾănaḥnû also gam he in whose ʾăšer-nimṣāʾ the haggābîaʿ in bəyādô

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: waw-consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - and he said
• *yəhûdâ*: proper noun - Judah
• *mah*: interrogative - what
• *nnōʾmar*: Qal imperfect, 1st person common plural - we will say
• *laʾdōnî*: preposition + masculine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix - to my lord
• *nnədabbēr*: Piel imperfect, 1st person common plural - we will speak
• *ûmah*: waw-conjunction + interrogative - and what
• *nniṣṭaddāq*: Hitpael imperfect, 1st person common plural - we will justify ourselves
• *hāʾĕlōhîm*: definite article + masculine plural noun - God
• *māṣāʾ*: Qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - has found
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *ʿăwōn*: masculine singular construct - iniquity of
• *ʿăbādeykā*: masculine plural noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your servants
• *hinnennû*: interjection with 1st person common plural suffix - behold us
• *ʿăbādîm*: masculine plural noun - servants/slaves
• *gam*: adverb - also
• *ʾănaḥnû*: 1st person common plural pronoun - we
• *ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - who/that
• *nimṣāʾ*: Niphal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - was found
• *haggābîaʿ*: definite article + masculine singular noun - the cup
• *bəyādô*: preposition + feminine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - in his hand

Word Meanings

• *nnōʾmar*: shall we say/can we say/what can we say
• *nnədabbēr*: shall we speak/can we speak/what can we speak
• *nniṣṭaddāq*: shall we justify ourselves/how can we prove our innocence/how can we clear ourselves
• *hāʾĕlōhîm*: God/the God
• *māṣāʾ*: has found/has discovered/has uncovered
• *ʿăwōn*: iniquity/guilt/punishment for iniquity
• *hinnennû*: behold us/here we are
• *ʿăbādîm*: servants/slaves/bondmen
• *nimṣāʾ*: was found/was discovered
• *bəyādô*: in his hand/in his possession

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Judah replied, "What can we say to my lord? How can we speak or justify ourselves? God has uncovered the guilt of your servants. Here we are, my lord's slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found."

• King James Version 1769 (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 servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Judah{H3063} said,{H559} What shall we say{H559} unto my lord?{H113} what shall we speak?{H1696} or how shall we clear ourselves?{H6663} God{H430} hath found out{H4672} the iniquity{H5771} of thy servants:{H5650} behold, we are my lord's{H113} bondmen,{H5650} both we, and he also{H1571} in whose{H834} hand the cup{H1375} is found.{H4672}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Judah{H3063} said{H559}{(H8799)}, What shall we say{H559}{(H8799)} unto my lord{H113}? what shall we speak{H1696}{(H8762)}? or how shall we clear ourselves{H6663}{(H8691)}? God{H430} hath found out{H4672}{(H8804)} the iniquity{H5771} of thy servants{H5650}: behold, we are my lord's{H113} servants{H5650}, both we, and he also{H1571} with whom{H834}{H3027} the cup{H1375} is found{H4672}{(H8738)}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Then sayde Iuda: what shall we saye vnto my LORde what shall we speake or what excuse can we make? God hath founde out ye wekednesse of thy seruauntes. Beholde both we and he with whom the cuppe is founde are thy seruauntes.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Iuda sayde: What shall we saye vnto my lorde? or how shal we speake? and what excuse shal we make? God hath founde out ye wickednesse of thy seruauntes. Beholde, we and he, by whom the cuppe is founde, are my lordes seruauntes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then sayd Iudah, What shall we say vnto my lord? what shall we speake? and howe can we iustifie our selues? God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants: beholde, we are seruants to my Lorde, both wee, and he, with whome the cuppe is founde.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then saide Iuda: what shall we say vnto my lorde? What shall we speake? or howe shall we cleare our selues? God hath founde out the wickednes of thy seruauntes: beholde, we are my lordes seruauntes, both we, yea, and he also with whom the cup is founde.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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;'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Judah said, What are we to say to my lord? how may we put ourselves right in his eyes? God has made clear the sin of your servants: now we are in your hands, we and the man in whose bag your cup was seen.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Judah replied,“What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has exposed the sin of your servants! We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 44:9 : 9 Whichever of your servants it is found with, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves.
• Dan 9:7 : 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us belongs confusion of face, as it is this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those near and those far off, through all the countries where You have driven them, because of their trespass which they have trespassed against You.
• Num 32:23 : 23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.
• Deut 25:1 : 1 If there is a dispute between men, and they come to judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
• Josh 7:1 : 1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding 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.
• Josh 7:18 : 18 And 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.
• Judg 1:7 : 7 And Adonibezek said, Seventy kings, having their thumbs and big toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
• Ezra 9:10 : 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments,
• Ezra 9:15 : 15 O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we remain yet as escaped, as it is this day. Behold, we are before You in our trespasses, for we cannot stand before You because of this.
• Job 40:4 : 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer you? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
• Prov 17:15 : 15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them are an abomination to the LORD.
• Prov 28:17 : 17 A person who does violence to the blood of anyone shall flee to the pit; let no one stop him.
• Isa 5:3 : 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard.
• Isa 27:9 : 9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he makes all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten apart, the groves and images shall not stand up.
• Matt 7:2 : 2 For with the same judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you again.
• Luke 12:2 : 2 For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor hidden that shall not be known.
• Acts 2:37 : 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?'
• Gen 37:7 : 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood around, and bowed to my sheaf.
• Gen 37:9 : 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed to me.
• Gen 37:18-28 : 18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes. 20 Come now therefore, and let us kill him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. 21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 22 And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. 23 And it came to pass, when Joseph came to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said to his brothers, What profit is it if we kill our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers were content. 28 Then Midianite merchants passed by; and they drew and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
• Gen 42:21-22 : 21 And they said one to another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he begged us, and we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us. 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and you would not listen? therefore, behold, his blood is now required.
• Gen 43:8-9 : 8 And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, you, and also our little ones. 9 I will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him: if I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever:
• Gen 44:32 : 32 For your servant became a guarantee for the lad to my father, saying, If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever.