Genesis 44:9-10

44:9 If one of us has it, ¹  he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”

44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! ²  The one who has it will become my slave, ³  but the rest of ⁴  you will go free.” ⁵ 

Genesis 44:34

44:34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see ⁶  my father’s pain.” ⁷ 

[44:9]  ¹ tn Heb “The one with whom it is found from your servants.” Here “your servants” (a deferential way of referring to the brothers themselves) has been translated by the pronoun “us” to avoid confusion with Joseph’s servants.

[44:10]  ² tn Heb “Also now, according to your words, so it is.” As the next statement indicates, this does mean that he will do exactly as they say. He does agree with them the culprit should be punished, but not as harshly as they suggest. Furthermore, the innocent parties will not be punished.

[44:10]  ³ tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”

[44:10]  ⁴ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[44:10]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew word נָקִי (naqi) means “acquitted,” that is, free of guilt and the responsibility for it.

[44:34]  ³ tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”

[44:34]  ⁴ tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”