The Meaning of Genesis 44:30 Explained

Genesis 44:30

KJV: Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

YLT: 'And now, at my coming in unto thy servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),

Darby: And now, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us, seeing that his life is bound up with his life,

ASV: Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now therefore when I come  to thy servant  my father,  and the lad  [be] not with us; seeing that his life  is bound up  in the lad's life; 

What does Genesis 44:30 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 44:18-34 - Judah Pleads For Benjamin
No portion in Genesis could be more suitable for Good Friday. Judah's proposal to give himself instead of Benjamin reminds us of Him who freely gave Himself up for us all. It was with such love, but of infinite intensity, that Christ loved us. In Judah's words we find the loftiest type of pleading which man has ever put forth for man. It is extraordinary to get this glimpse of the strong and noble emotions that slumber in hearts where we should least expect them! But these words are poor and cold compared with those that Jesus utters on our behalf. It must have required extraordinary self-command on Joseph's part to make his brethren suffer thus. But he dared to enforce it, because he knew the goal they were approaching. Christ often turns aside to hide His sorrow at our griefs, which are the necessary pathway to where all tears are wiped away. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 44

1  Joseph's policy to stay his brothers
6  The silver cup is found in Benjamin's sack
14  They are brought before Joseph
18  Judah's humble supplication to Joseph

What do the individual words in Genesis 44:30 mean?

And therefore when I come to your servant my father and the boy [is] not with us since his life is bound up in the lad's life
וְעַתָּ֗ה כְּבֹאִי֙ אֶל־ עַבְדְּךָ֣ אָבִ֔י וְהַנַּ֖עַר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ קְשׁוּרָ֥ה בְנַפְשֽׁוֹ

וְעַתָּ֗ה  And  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
כְּבֹאִי֙  when  I  come 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עַבְדְּךָ֣  your  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
אָבִ֔י  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְהַנַּ֖עַר  and  the  boy  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
אִתָּ֑נוּ  with  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ  since  his  life 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
קְשׁוּרָ֥ה  is  bound  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: קָשַׁר  
Sense: to bind, tie, bind together, league together, conspire.
בְנַפְשֽׁוֹ  in  the  lad's  life 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.