9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves."
9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
9 Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord's servants."
9 If that chalice is found on any of us, he'll die; and the rest of us will be your master's slaves."
9 With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."
9 If you find his cup with any one of us, let that man die. And all the rest of us, my lord, will be your slaves."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 44:9
Commentary on Genesis 44:1-17
(Read Genesis 44:1-17)
Joseph tried how his brethren felt towards Benjamin. Had they envied and hated the other son of Rachel as they had hated him, and if they had the same want of feeling towards their father Jacob as heretofore, they would now have shown it. When the cup was found upon Benjamin, they would have a pretext for leaving him to be a slave. But we cannot judge what men are now, by what they have been formerly; nor what they will do, by what they have done. The steward charged them with being ungrateful, rewarding evil for good; with folly, in taking away the cup of daily use, which would soon be missed, and diligent search made for it; for so it may be read, Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, as having a particular fondness for it, and for which he would search thoroughly? Or, By which, leaving it carelessly at your table, he would make trial whether you were honest men or not? They throw themselves upon Joseph's mercy, and acknowledge the righteousness of God, perhaps thinking of the injury they had formerly done to Joseph, for which they thought God was now reckoning with them. Even in afflictions wherein we believe ourselves wronged by men, we must own that God is righteous, and finds out our sin.