Genesis 44:19
New International Version
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

New Living Translation
“My lord, previously you asked us, your servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

English Standard Version
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

Berean Standard Bible
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

King James Bible
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

New King James Version
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’

New American Standard Bible
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’

NASB 1995
“My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’

NASB 1977
“My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’

Legacy Standard Bible
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’

Amplified Bible
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’

Christian Standard Bible
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother? ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?

American Standard Version
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

Contemporary English Version
You asked us if our father was still alive and if we had any more brothers.

English Revised Version
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Sir, you asked us, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

Good News Translation
Sir, you asked us, 'Do you have a father or another brother?'

International Standard Version
Your Excellency asked his servants, 'Do you have a father or brother?'

Majority Standard Bible
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

NET Bible
My lord asked his servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

New Heart English Bible
My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

Webster's Bible Translation
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

World English Bible
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
My lord has asked his servants, saying, Do you have a father or brother?

Young's Literal Translation
My lord hath asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father or brother?

Smith's Literal Translation
My lord didst ask thy servants, saying, Is there a father to you, or a brother?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother?

Catholic Public Domain Version
My lord, you questioned your servants before: ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

New American Bible
My lord asked his servants, ‘Have you a father, or another brother?’

New Revised Standard Version
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
My Lord asked his Servants and said, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?.’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
My lord asked his servants, saying: Have ye a father, or a brother?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Sir, thou askedst thy servants, saying, Have ye a father or a brother?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah Pleads for Benjamin
18Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’…

Cross References
Genesis 42:7-9
And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.” / Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. / Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

Genesis 43:3-5
But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ / If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. / But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

Genesis 37:5-11
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. / He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: / We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.” ...

Genesis 42:13
But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

Genesis 42:20
Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.

Genesis 43:7
They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

Genesis 37:19-20
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. / “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”

Genesis 42:21-22
Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” / And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

Genesis 45:1-3
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. / But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it. / Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.

Genesis 50:15-21
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.” / So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, / ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. ...

Acts 7:9-10
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him / and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

Acts 7:13-14
On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh. / Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.

Hebrews 11:21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

Hebrews 11:22
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.

Matthew 1:2
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.


Treasury of Scripture

My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother?

Genesis 42:7-10
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food…

Genesis 43:7,29
And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? …

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Have Servants
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.














My lord
This phrase is a respectful address used by Joseph's brothers when speaking to him, who is the governor of Egypt. The Hebrew word "אֲדֹנִי" (adonai) is often used to denote authority and respect. In the context of ancient Near Eastern culture, addressing someone of higher status with such deference was customary. This reflects the brothers' recognition of Joseph's power and their own vulnerable position.

asked
The Hebrew root "שָׁאַל" (sha'al) means to inquire or request information. This word indicates a formal questioning, suggesting that Joseph's inquiry was not casual but rather a deliberate and significant part of his interaction with his brothers. It underscores the gravity of the situation, as Joseph's questions were pivotal in testing his brothers' integrity and intentions.

his servants
The term "servants" here is translated from the Hebrew "עֲבָדִים" (avadim), which can mean servants, slaves, or subjects. In this context, it reflects the brothers' subservient position before Joseph, who holds authority over them. This dynamic is crucial in understanding the power imbalance and the brothers' need to demonstrate humility and honesty.

Do you have a father or a brother?
This question is central to Joseph's strategy to discern his brothers' character and intentions. The inquiry about their family is not merely about gathering information but is deeply personal and probing. It connects to the broader narrative of Joseph's relationship with his family, particularly his father Jacob and his brother Benjamin. The question is laden with emotional and historical significance, as it touches on the brothers' past actions and the familial bonds that have been strained by betrayal and separation.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
My lord
אֲדֹנִ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

asked
שָׁאַ֔ל (šā·’al)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

his servants,
עֲבָדָ֖יו (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

‘Do you have
הֲיֵשׁ־ (hă·yêš-)
Adverb
Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is

a father
אָ֖ב (’āḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

or
אוֹ־ (’ōw-)
Conjunction
Strong's 176: Desire, if

a brother?’
אָֽח׃ (’āḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )


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OT Law: Genesis 44:19 My lord asked his servants saying 'Have (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 44:18
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