The Meaning of Genesis 44:7 Explained

Genesis 44:7

KJV: And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

YLT: and they say unto him, 'Why doth my lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word;

Darby: And they said to him, Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from thy servants to do such a thing!

ASV: And they said unto him, Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they said  unto him, Wherefore saith  my lord  these words?  God forbid  that thy servants  should do  according to this thing: 

What does Genesis 44:7 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 44:7 mean?

And they said to him why does say my lord words these Far be it from us that your servants should do a thing such
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו לָ֚מָּה יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲדֹנִ֔י כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים ؟ הָאֵ֑לֶּה חָלִ֙ילָה֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ  And  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֔יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לָ֚מָּה  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
יְדַבֵּ֣ר  does  say 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֲדֹנִ֔י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים  words 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
؟ הָאֵ֑לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
חָלִ֙ילָה֙  Far  be  it  from  us 
Parse: Interjection, third person feminine singular
Root: חָלִיל  
Sense: far be it (from me), God forbid that, let it not be.
לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ  that  your  servants 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת  should  do 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כַּדָּבָ֥ר  a  thing 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּֽה  such 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.