THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
These statements deeply affected Joseph, revealing to him the respect his siblings held for their father as well as the affection they had for him as their brother.
Genesis 44:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.
כִּי־אֵיךְ֙ אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה אֶל־אָבִ֔י וְהַנַּ֖עַר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ אִתִּ֑י פֶּ֚ן אֶרְאֶ֣ה בָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְצָ֖א אֶת־אָבִֽי׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Ephraem the Syrian
But now, as you have instructed, we have brought our brother, and as your servants, we find ourselves in a grave predicament. I implore you, allow me to take this boy's place as your servant; just permit him to return to his brothers and their father, for I have carried him in my arms, and I cannot go back to my father without him, or I will witness my father's anguish.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Esth 8:6For how can I endure the murdering and slaughter of my people?
- 2 Chr 34:28For now I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be brought to thy tomb in peace: and thy eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and the inhabitants thereof. They therefore reported to the king all that she had said.
- Ps 119 (118):143
- Job 31:29If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.
- Jer 52:10And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Sedecias before his eyes: and he slew all the princes of Juda in Reblatha.
- Jer 52:11And he put out the eyes of Sedecias, and bound him with fetters, and the king of Babylon brought him into Babylon, and he put him in prison till the day of his death.
- Ex 18:8Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and the Egyptians in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them.
- 1 Sam 2:33However, I will not altogether take away a man of thee from my altar: but that thy eyes may faint, and thy soul be spent: and a great part of thy house shall die, when they come to man's estate.