Genesis 44:16

16 Toen zeide Juda: Wat zullen wij tot mijn heer zeggen, wat zullen wij spreken, en wat zullen wij ons rechtvaardigen? God heeft de ongerechtigheid uwer knechten gevonden; zie, wij zijn mijns heren slaven, zo wij, als hij, in wiens hand de beker gevonden is.

Genesis 44:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 44:16

And Judah said, what shall we say unto my lord? what shall we
speak?
&c.] Signifying that they were nonplussed, confounded, knew not what to say; they could not acknowledge guilt, for they were not conscious of any, and yet could not deny the fact, the cup being found on one of them; and though they might have a suspicion of fraud, yet were afraid to speak out what they suspected, and therefore were at the utmost loss to express themselves: or how shall we clear ourselves?
to assert their innocence signified nothing, here was full proof against them, at least against their brother Benjamin: God hath found the iniquity of thy servants;
brought it to their remembrance, fastened the guilt of it on their consciences, and in his providence was bringing them to just punishment for it; meaning not the iniquity of taking away the cup, which they were not conscious of, but some other iniquity of theirs they had heretofore been guilty of, and now God was contending with them for it; particularly the iniquity of selling Joseph; this was brought to their minds before, when in distress, and now again, see ( Genesis 42:21 ) : behold, we [are] my lord's servants, both we, and [he] also with whom
the cup is found;
hereby fulfilling his dream more manifestly than ever; for, by bowing down to the earth to him, they might be thought to do no other than what all did, that came to buy corn of him; but here they own themselves to be his servants, and him to be lord over them, and to have dominion over them all, and them to be his slaves and bondmen.

Genesis 44:16 In-Context

14 En Juda kwam met zijn broederen in het huis van Jozef; want hij was nog zelf aldaar; en zij vielen voor zijn aangezicht neder ter aarde.

15 En Jozef zeide tot hen: Wat daad is dit, die gij gedaan hebt? Weet gij niet, dat zulk een man als ik dat zekerlijk waarnemen zoude?

16 Toen zeide Juda: Wat zullen wij tot mijn heer zeggen, wat zullen wij spreken, en wat zullen wij ons rechtvaardigen? God heeft de ongerechtigheid uwer knechten gevonden; zie, wij zijn mijns heren slaven, zo wij, als hij, in wiens hand de beker gevonden is.

17 Maar hij zeide: Het zij verre van mij zulks te doen! de man, in wiens hand de beker gevonden is, die zal mijn slaaf zijn; doch trekt gijlieden op in vrede tot uw vader.

18 Toen naderde Juda tot hem, en zeide: Och, mijn heer! laat toch uw knecht een woord spreken voor mijns heren oren, en laat uw toorn tegen uw knecht niet ontsteken; want gij zijt even gelijk Farao!