Genesis 44:18

44:18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. ¹  Please do not get angry with your servant, ²  for you are just like Pharaoh. ³ 

Genesis 44:2

44:2 Then put ⁴  my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed. ⁵ 

Genesis 14:12

14:12 They also took Abram’s nephew ⁶  Lot and his possessions when ⁷  they left, for Lot ⁸  was living in Sodom. ⁹ 

¹ tn Heb “Please my lord, let your servant speak a word into the ears of my lord.”

² tn Heb “and let not your anger burn against your servant.”

³ sn You are just like Pharaoh. Judah’s speech begins with the fear and trembling of one who stands condemned. Joseph has as much power as Pharaoh, either to condemn or to pardon. Judah will make his appeal, wording his speech in such a way as to appeal to Joseph’s compassion for the father, whom he mentions no less than fourteen times in the speech.

⁴ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express Joseph’s instructions.

⁵ tn Heb “and he did according to the word of Joseph which he spoke.”

⁶ tn Heb “Lot the son of his brother.”

⁷ tn Heb “and.”

⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁹ tn This disjunctive clause is circumstantial/causal, explaining that Lot was captured because he was living in Sodom at the time.