Bible Strands
Genesis 44:14
When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes Judah and his brothers arriving at Joseph’s house at the moment Joseph remains inside. They fall face down before him upon entering.
The words — וַיָּבֹא (wa-yāḇōʾ) means “and he came,” marking the brothers’ arrival. עוֹדֶנּוּ שָׁם (ʿôḏennû šām) translates literally to “still he there,” emphasizing Joseph’s unchanged position while they approach.
The thread — The posture of falling to the ground before a superior appears in Genesis 43:26 when the brothers first enter Joseph’s house, and again in Genesis 50:18 when they bow before him after Jacob’s death.
Why it lands — The text records a physical act of submission that precedes Joseph’s confrontation about the silver cup. A reader must acknowledge the weight of approaching authority while carrying concealed guilt.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
Cross-references
- Genesis 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”
- Genesis 43:25 Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
- Genesis 50:18 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
- Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- Genesis 37:7 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.”