Genesis 42

Genesis · Chapter 42

Genesis 42:20

1Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?2And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.3And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.4But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.5And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.7And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.8And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.10And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.11We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.12And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.13And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.14And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:15Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.16Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.17And he put them all together into ward three days.18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:19If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:20But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.21And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.23And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.24And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.25Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.26And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.27And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.28And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?29And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,30The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.31And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:32We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.33And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:34And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.35And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.36And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.37And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.38And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
brother yourאֲחִיכֶ֤ם'a-chi-KHEMH0251G
brother: male-sibling

אָח (ach) : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance

the youngהַקָּטֹן֙ha-ka-TONH6996HNo entry
you will bringתָּבִ֣יאוּta-VI-'uH0935P
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

to meאֵלַ֔י'e-LAIH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

so they may be verifiedוְיֵאָמְנ֥וּve-ye-'a-me-NUH0539
be faithful

אָמַן (a.man) 1) to support, confirm, be faithful 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish 1a1a) foster-father (subst.) 1a1b) foster-mother, nurse 1a1c) pillars, supporters of the door 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm 1b1a) to be carried by a nurse 1b1b) made firm, sure, lasting 1b1c) confirmed, established, sure 1b1d) verified, confirmed 1b1e) reliable, faithful, trusty 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in 1c1a) stand firm 1c1b) trust, believe Aramaic equivalent: a.man (אֲמַן "to trust" H0540)

words yourדִבְרֵיכֶ֖םdiv-rei-KHEMH1697G
word

דָּבָר (da.var) : word/speech/command 1) speech, word, speaking, thing 1a) speech 1b) saying, utterance 1c) word, words 1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

and notוְלֹ֣אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

you will dieתָמ֑וּתוּta-MU-tuH4191
to die

מוּת (mut) 1) to die, kill, have one executed 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to die 1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death 1a3) to die, perish (of a nation) 1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct) 1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch 1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be killed, be put to death 1d1a) to die prematurely

and they didוַיַּעֲשׂוּ־vai-ya-'a-su-H6213A
to make: do

עָשָׂה (a.sah) : do/perform 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made

soכֵֽן׃KhenH3651C
right

כֵּן (ken) adv adj 1) right, just, honest, true, veritable 1a) right, just, honest 1b) correct 1c) true, veritable

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.