Genesis 44:16

BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

““What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.””

What this verse means

A short, plain-language explanation of Genesis 44:16 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.

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BSBPD

““What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.””

Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)
KJVPD

“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.”

King James Version · Public Domain
ASVPD

“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 · Public Domain
YLTPD

“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 <FI>are<Fi> servants to my lord, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath been found;'”

Young's Literal Translation · Public Domain
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Cross references

Other passages that echo Genesis 44:16 — 24 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  1. Genesis 37:7We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
  2. Genesis 37:9Then Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
  3. Genesis 37:18Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
  4. Genesis 42:21Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”
  5. Genesis 43:8And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.
  6. Genesis 44:9If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
  7. Genesis 44:32Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’
  8. Numbers 32:23But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.
  9. Deuteronomy 25:1If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court to be judged, so that the innocent may be acquitted and the guilty condemned.
  10. Joshua 7:1The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.
  11. Joshua 7:18And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
  12. Judges 1:7Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.
  13. 1 Kings 17:18“O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”
  14. Ezra 9:10And now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commandments
  15. Ezra 9:15O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.”
  16. Job 40:4“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.
  17. Proverbs 17:15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
  18. Proverbs 28:17A man burdened by bloodguilt will flee into the Pit; let no one support him.
  19. Isaiah 5:3“And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard.
  20. Isaiah 27:9Therefore Jacob’s guilt will be atoned for, and the full fruit of the removal of his sin will be this: When he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.
  21. Daniel 9:7To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You.
  22. Matthew 7:2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
  23. Luke 12:2There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
  24. Acts 2:37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

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