The Meaning of Genesis 44:17 Explained

Genesis 44:17

KJV: And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

YLT: and he saith, 'Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup hath been found, he becometh my servant; and ye, go ye up in peace unto your father.'

Darby: And he said, Far be it from me to do so! The man in whose hand the cup has been found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.

ASV: And he said, Far be it from me that I should do so: the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  God forbid  that I should do  so:  [but] the man  in whose hand  the cup  is found,  he shall be my servant;  and as for you, get you up  in peace  unto your father. 

What does Genesis 44:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 44:1-17 - Joseph's Cup In Benjamin's Sack
It is a terrible revelation when our Benjamins are found possessed of the cup. They have been so loved, so favored, so screened; they have never been guilty of the excesses of Reuben and Judah; they have given no rise to evil reports, like the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, Genesis 37:2. Now when they are convicted of sin, the surprise of their brethren is only equaled by their own remorse. This accounts for the soul agony of men like Cyprian, Augustine, Bunyan and Spurgeon. What transitions there are in life! At the close of the previous chapter the brothers were as happy as they could be, and here plunged into the deepest anguish. But the intensity of their pain and sorrow, like fire, melted and cleansed them, and prepared for the great reconciliation. [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 44:17 mean?

But he said Far be it from me that I should do this the man whose was found the cup in hand he shall be my slave and as for you go up in peace to your father -
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֔י מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת זֹ֑את הָאִ֡ישׁ אֲשֶׁר֩ נִמְצָ֨א הַגָּבִ֜יעַ בְּיָד֗וֹ ה֚וּא יִהְיֶה־ לִּ֣י עָ֔בֶד וְאַתֶּ֕ם עֲל֥וּ לְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־ אֲבִיכֶֽם פ

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  But  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
חָלִ֣ילָה  Far  be  it 
Parse: Interjection, third person feminine singular
Root: חָלִיל  
Sense: far be it (from me), God forbid that, let it not be.
לִּ֔י  from  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת  that  I  should  do 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
זֹ֑את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
הָאִ֡ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֲשֶׁר֩  whose 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נִמְצָ֨א  was  found 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
הַגָּבִ֜יעַ  the  cup 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּבִיעַ  
Sense: cup, bowl.
בְּיָד֗וֹ  in  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יִהְיֶה־  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִּ֣י  my 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
עָ֔בֶד  slave 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
וְאַתֶּ֕ם  and  as  for  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
עֲל֥וּ  go  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
לְשָׁל֖וֹם  in  peace 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
אֲבִיכֶֽם  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation