Genesis

Genesis 44:1–8

¹Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack. ²Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.”

So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

³At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. ⁴They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?^a ⁵Is this not the cup^b my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”

⁶When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

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?

Footnotes

a 44:4 LXX includes Why have you stolen my silver cup?
b 44:5 Hebrew Is it not this which

Read all of Genesis 44

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 44:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Joseph instructed	וַיְצַ֞ו	way·ṣaw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
his steward	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Fill the men’s	הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙	hā·’ă·nā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
sacks	אַמְתְּחֹ֤ת	’am·tə·ḥōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H572 sack
with	מַלֵּ֞א	mal·lê	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H4390 be full, fill
as much food	אֹ֔כֶל	’ō·ḵel	Noun - masculine singular	H400 food
as	כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
they can	יוּכְל֖וּן	yū·ḵə·lūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
carry	שְׂאֵ֑ת	śə·’êṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5375 lift, take, carry
and put	וְשִׂ֥ים	wə·śîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
each one’s	אִ֖ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
silver	כֶּֽסֶף־	ke·sep̄-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3701 silver, money
in the mouth	בְּפִ֥י	bə·p̄î	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
of his sack	אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ׃	’am·taḥ·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H572 sack

Genesis 44:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Put	תָּשִׂים֙	tā·śîm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
my cup	גְּבִיעִ֞י	gə·ḇî·‘î	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1375 cup, bowl
the silver	הַכֶּ֗סֶף	hak·ke·sep̄	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3701 silver, money
one	גְּבִ֣יעַ	gə·ḇî·a‘	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1375 cup, bowl
in the mouth	בְּפִי֙	bə·p̄î	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
of the youngest one’s	הַקָּטֹ֔ן	haq·qā·ṭōn	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
sack	אַמְתַּ֣חַת	’am·ta·ḥaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H572 sack
along with the silver	כֶּ֣סֶף	ke·sep̄	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3701 silver, money
for his grain	שִׁבְר֑וֹ	šiḇ·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7668 corn, grain
So	וַיַּ֕עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
as Joseph	יוֹסֵ֖ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
had instructed	דִּבֵּֽר׃	dib·bêr	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak

Genesis 44:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
At daybreak	הַבֹּ֖קֶר	hab·bō·qer	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
the men	וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים	wə·hā·’ă·nā·šîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
were sent on their way	שֻׁלְּח֔וּ	šul·lə·ḥū	Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural	H7971 send
with their donkeys	וַחֲמֹרֵיהֶֽם׃	wa·ḥă·mō·rê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H2543 heap

Genesis 44:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They	הֵ֠ם	hêm	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
had not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
gone	יָֽצְא֣וּ	yā·ṣə·’ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3318 go or come out
far	הִרְחִיקוּ֒	hir·ḥî·qū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from the city	הָעִיר֮	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
when Joseph	וְיוֹסֵ֤ף	wə·yō·w·sêp̄	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
told	אָמַר֙	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
his steward	לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר	la·’ă·šer	Preposition-l; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Pursue	רְדֹ֖ף	rə·ḏōp̄	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7291 pursue, chase, persecute
the men	הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑ים	hā·’ă·nā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
at once	ק֥וּם	qūm	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
and when you overtake them	וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם֙	wə·hiś·śaḡ·tām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5381 reach, overtake
ask	וְאָמַרְתָּ֣	wə·’ā·mar·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Why	לָ֛מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you repaid	שִׁלַּמְתֶּ֥ם	šil·lam·tem	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H7999 be complete, sound
good	טוֹבָֽה׃	ṭō·w·ḇāh	Noun - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
with evil	רָעָ֖ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil

Genesis 44:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Is this not	הֲל֣וֹא	hă·lō·w	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
my master	אֲדֹנִי֙	’ă·ḏō·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H113 lord
drinks from	יִשְׁתֶּ֤ה	yiš·teh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8354 drink
and uses for divination	נַחֵ֥שׁ	na·ḥêš	Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H5172 hiss, whisper, prognosticate
What	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
you have done	עֲשִׂיתֶֽם׃	‘ă·śî·ṯem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H6213 do, make
is wicked	הֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם	hă·rê·‘ō·ṯem	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H7489 be evil, bad

Genesis 44:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	וַֽיַּשִּׂגֵ֑ם	way·yaś·śi·ḡêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H5381 reach, overtake
he relayed	וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר	way·ḏab·bêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
these	הָאֵֽלֶּה׃	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
words	הַדְּבָרִ֖ים	had·də·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
to them	אֲלֵהֶ֔ם	’ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H413 motion to

Genesis 44:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	לָ֚מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
does my lord	אֲדֹנִ֔י	’ă·ḏō·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H113 lord
say	יְדַבֵּ֣ר	yə·ḏab·bêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
these	הָאֵ֑לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
things	כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים	kad·də·ḇā·rîm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
they asked	וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Your servants	לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ	la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
could not possibly	חָלִ֙ילָה֙	ḥā·lî·lāh	Interjection; third person feminine singular	H2486 far be it
do	מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת	mê·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
such	הַזֶּֽה׃	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
a thing	כַּדָּבָ֥ר	kad·dā·ḇār	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word

Genesis 44:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
We even brought back	הֱשִׁיבֹ֥נוּ	hĕ·šî·ḇō·nū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural	H7725 turn back, return
to you	אֵלֶ֖יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
from the land	מֵאֶ֣רֶץ	mê·’e·reṣ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of Canaan	כְּנָ֑עַן	kə·nā·‘an	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3667 Canaan
the silver	כֶּ֗סֶף	ke·sep̄	Noun - masculine singular	H3701 silver, money
we found	מָצָ֙אנוּ֙	mā·ṣā·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H4672 attain to, find
in the mouths	בְּפִ֣י	bə·p̄î	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
of our sacks	אַמְתְּחֹתֵ֔ינוּ	’am·tə·ḥō·ṯê·nū	Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common plural	H572 sack
Why	וְאֵ֗יךְ	wə·’êḵ	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H349 How?
would we steal	נִגְנֹב֙	niḡ·nōḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H1589 steal
silver	כֶּ֖סֶף	ke·sep̄	Noun - masculine singular	H3701 silver, money
or	א֥וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
gold	זָהָֽב׃	zā·hāḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2091 gold
from your master’s	אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ	’ă·ḏō·ne·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H113 lord
house	מִבֵּ֣ית	mib·bêṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house