Genesis 44:30

30 "Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since ¹his life is bound up in the lad's life,

Genesis 44:30 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 44:30

Now therefore, when I come to thy servant my father
That is, should he return to him in the land of Canaan with the rest of his brethren: and the lad [be] not with us;
his brother Benjamin, so called here, and in the following verses, though thirty years of age and upwards, see ( Genesis 43:8 ) ; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
he is as closely united to him in affection, and is as dear to him as his own soul; quite wrapped up in him, and cannot live without him; should he die, he must die too; see ( 1 Samuel 18:1 ) ; so it follows:

Genesis 44:30 In-Context

28 and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces," and I have not seen him since .

29 'If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.'

30 "Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life,

31 when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

32 "For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever .'

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 18:1

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "his soul is bound with his soul"