Genesis 44:16-17

44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say ¹  to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? ²  God has exposed the sin of your servants! ³  We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

44:17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of ⁴  you may go back ⁵  to your father in peace.”

[44:16]  ¹ tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.

[44:16]  ² tn The Hitpael form of the verb צָדֵק (tsadeq) here means “to prove ourselves just, to declare ourselves righteous, to prove our innocence.”

[44:16]  ³ sn God has exposed the sin of your servants. The first three questions are rhetorical; Judah is stating that there is nothing they can say to clear themselves. He therefore must conclude that they have been found guilty.

[44:17]  ⁴ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “up” (reflecting directions from their point of view – “up” to Canaan; “down” to Egypt).