Genesis 44:30
New International Version
“So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life,

New Living Translation
“And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father’s life is bound up in the boy’s life.

English Standard Version
“Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life,

Berean Standard Bible
So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,

King James Bible
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

New King James Version
“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,

New American Standard Bible
So now, when I come to your servant, my father, and the boy is not with us—since our father’s life is so attached to the boy’s life—

NASB 1995
“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,

NASB 1977
“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,

Legacy Standard Bible
So now, when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us—and his life is bound up in the boy’s life—

Amplified Bible
Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the young man is not with us, since his life is bound up in the young man’s life,

Christian Standard Bible
“So if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us—his life is wrapped up with the boy’s life—

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us—his life is wrapped up with the boy’s life—

American Standard Version
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

Contemporary English Version
That's why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much

English Revised Version
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Our father's life is wrapped up with the boy's life. If I come [home] without the boy

International Standard Version
"So when I go back to your servant, my father, and the young man isn't with us, since he's constantly living life focused on his son,

Majority Standard Bible
So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy?s life,

NET Bible
"So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us--his very life is bound up in his son's life.

New Heart English Bible
So now, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, since his life is bound up in the boy?s life,

Webster's Bible Translation
Now therefore, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; (seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life)

World English Bible
Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And now, at my coming to your servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),

Young's Literal Translation
'And now, at my coming in unto thy servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),

Smith's Literal Translation
And now if I came to thy servant my father, and the youth not with us, for his soul is bound upon his soul,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
30Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him,)

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, if I would have gone to your servant, our father, with the boy not present, (though his life depends upon the life of him)

New American Bible
“So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, whose very life is bound up with his, he will die as soon as he sees that the boy is missing;

New Revised Standard Version
Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now therefore when we come to your servant our father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is dear to him like his own life;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And now when we go to your Servant, our father, and the boy is not with us, and his soul is beloved to him as himself;
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad's soul;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Now then, if I should go in to they servant, and our father, and the boy should not be with us, (and his life depends on this lad's life)

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah Pleads for Benjamin
29Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ 30So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life, 31sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.…

Cross References
Genesis 37:33-35
His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” / Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. / All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

Genesis 42:36-38
Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!” / Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.” / But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

Genesis 43:8-9
And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children. / I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

Genesis 45:28
“Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”

Genesis 46:29-30
Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely. / Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”

Genesis 37:3-4
Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors. / When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Genesis 37:23-24
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing— / and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.

Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

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 42:21-22
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 42:32
We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’

Genesis 43:14
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

Genesis 44:20
And 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.’

Genesis 44:31-34
sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. / Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’ / Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. ...

1 Samuel 18:1-3
After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself. / And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. / Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.


Treasury of Scripture

Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

When I.

Genesis 44:17,31,34
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…

his life

1 Samuel 18:1
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

1 Samuel 25:29
Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

2 Samuel 18:33
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

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Bound Boy Boy's Closely Life Servant Soul
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Bound Boy Boy's Closely Life Servant Soul
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.














So if I come
This phrase indicates a future action, a return to a previous state or place. In the context of the narrative, Judah is speaking to Joseph, expressing the anticipated return to his father, Jacob. The Hebrew root here is "בּוֹא" (bo), meaning to come or go. This reflects the journey motif prevalent in Genesis, where physical journeys often parallel spiritual or emotional journeys. Judah's return is not just physical but also a return to familial responsibility and integrity.

to your servant my father
Judah refers to Jacob as "your servant," showing humility and respect towards Joseph, whom he perceives as a powerful Egyptian official. The term "servant" (Hebrew: "עֶבֶד" - eved) is significant in the biblical context, often denoting a position of submission and duty. This reflects the patriarchal structure and the deep respect for authority and hierarchy within the family and society. Judah's acknowledgment of his father's servitude underscores the gravity of the situation and the respect for Joseph's authority.

and the boy is not with us
The "boy" refers to Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob and the only remaining son of Rachel. The Hebrew word for "boy" is "נַעַר" (na'ar), which can mean a young man or servant, indicating Benjamin's youth and vulnerability. This phrase highlights the central tension of the narrative: the potential loss of Benjamin and its devastating impact on Jacob. The absence of Benjamin would symbolize a failure to protect the family lineage and fulfill the covenant promises.

his life is wrapped up
The phrase "wrapped up" (Hebrew: "קָשַׁר" - qashar) suggests a binding or intertwining, indicating the deep emotional connection between Jacob and Benjamin. This word conveys the idea of being bound or tied together, emphasizing the inseparable bond between father and son. In the broader biblical context, it reflects the theme of covenantal relationships, where lives are intertwined through promises and commitments.

in the boy’s life
This final phrase underscores the dependency and emotional investment Jacob has in Benjamin. The Hebrew word for "life" is "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh), often translated as soul or being, indicating the depth of Jacob's attachment. This reflects the biblical understanding of life as a holistic concept, encompassing physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. The verse poignantly captures the essence of familial love and the potential for profound grief, resonating with the broader biblical themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the enduring nature of God's promises to His people.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So
וְעַתָּ֗ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

if the boy
וְהַנַּ֖עַר (wə·han·na·‘ar)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

is not
אֵינֶ֣נּוּ (’ê·nen·nū)
Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

with us
אִתָּ֑נוּ (’it·tā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

when I return
כְּבֹאִי֙ (kə·ḇō·’î)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

your servant,
עַבְדְּךָ֣ (‘aḇ·də·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

my father—
אָבִ֔י (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

his life
וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ (wə·nap̄·šōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

is wrapped up
קְשׁוּרָ֥ה (qə·šū·rāh)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Strong's 7194: To tie, gird, confine, compact, in love, league

in the boy’s life—
בְנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (ḇə·nap̄·šōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion


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OT Law: Genesis 44:30 Now therefore when I come to your (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 44:29
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