Welcome to my Hebrew reading & language series.

Genesis 44:9-16

We left off last week with the steward searching the brothers' bags of grain and trying to find the gold cup they had 'stolen'. If it were me, I would not claim to be responsible for any of it since none of them had been part of the process of loading up the animals with the sacks of grain. Instead though, the brothers told them that they could kill the one found to have stolen it, and the rest will be your servants! (not slaves)

In those days, it was common practice to become a servant to a lender if you did not pay your debts on time. One would then work off the debt or one's family could raise the money and pay the debt to get the servant released. I am not aware of any Hebrew people who practiced slavery, but other cultures may have. Most of what I have read talks of masters and servants.

The five marked words in the today's passage down below are abadecha (your servants), leabadim (for servants), abed (servant), and the first two repeat below those. It is sad that the English translators turned that word into "slave" which sparks many connotations in our culture that did not necessarily exist back then, not in Hebrew culture at least. Even when they sold their brother so as not to kill him, they only said the word sell (nothing about slavery in their intent).

^{a passage from months ago when they sold Joseph}

Here, there is no mention of slavery either.

Back to our story...

The steward was merciful, stating that only the one who steals will be a servant. The rest will be able to leave.

They had to pack up the beasts and return to the city. They get back and Joseph scolded them. They explain that they would never steal from "a powerful ruler like you." And they resigned themselves to being servants.

The next few weeks will be the retelling of what was done and said in the entire maddening process. As in Genesis, the creation story, Hebrew lends itself to double narratives so that more detail can be covered in the second one. That is just the way things are done when walking through the history of things. Prophecy is less so.

Today's reading

English

Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord's servants." He said, "Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent." Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?" And Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found."

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Hebrew

Next week Benjamin is told to stay as a servant...

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Info on each letter starting at the beginning

If you are just starting, my lessons are all here starting at Alef, adding vowels (the dots and lines) as we go. I explain the meaning of each letter and its numerical value. Just go to my blog and scroll to the bottom or click here

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Thanks for reading.

Shabbat Shalom

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