Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Genesis » Chapter 42 » Verse 1-38

Genesis 42:1-38 King James Version (KJV)

1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2 And 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.

3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And 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.

7 And 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.

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

9 And 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.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13 And 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.

14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send 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.

17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

19 If 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:

20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21 And 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.

22 And 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.

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

24 And 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.

25 Then 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.

26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

27 And 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.

28 And 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?

29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And 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:

34 And 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 traffic in the land.

35 And 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.

36 And 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.

37 And 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.

38 And 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.


Genesis 42:1-38 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 Now when Jacob H3290 saw H7200 that there was H3426 corn H7668 in Egypt, H4714 Jacob H3290 said H559 unto his sons, H1121 Why do ye look H7200 one upon another?

2 And he said, H559 Behold, I have heard H8085 that there is H3426 corn H7668 in Egypt: H4714 get you down H3381 thither, and buy H7666 for us from thence; that we may live, H2421 and not die. H4191

3 And Joseph's H3130 ten H6235 brethren H251 went down H3381 to buy H7666 corn H1250 in Egypt. H4714

4 But Benjamin, H1144 Joseph's H3130 brother, H251 Jacob H3290 sent H7971 not with his brethren; H251 for he said, H559 Lest peradventure H6435 mischief H611 befall him. H7122

5 And the sons H1121 of Israel H3478 came H935 to buy H7666 corn among H8432 those that came: H935 for the famine H7458 was in the land H776 of Canaan. H3667

6 And Joseph H3130 was the governor H7989 over the land, H776 and he it was that sold H7666 to all the people H5971 of the land: H776 and Joseph's H3130 brethren H251 came, H935 and bowed down H7812 themselves before him with their faces H639 to the earth. H776

7 And Joseph H3130 saw H7200 his brethren, H251 and he knew H5234 them, but made himself strange H5234 unto them, and spake H1696 roughly H7186 unto them; and he said H559 unto them, Whence H370 come H935 ye? And they said, H559 From the land H776 of Canaan H3667 to buy H7666 food. H400

8 And Joseph H3130 knew H5234 his brethren, H251 but they knew H5234 not him.

9 And Joseph H3130 remembered H2142 the dreams H2472 which he dreamed H2492 of them, and said H559 unto them, Ye are spies; H7270 to see H7200 the nakedness H6172 of the land H776 ye are come. H935

10 And they said H559 unto him, Nay, my lord, H113 but to buy H7666 food H400 are thy servants H5650 come. H935

11 We H5168 are all one H259 man's H376 sons; H1121 we are true H3651 men, thy servants H5650 are no spies. H7270

12 And he said H559 unto them, Nay, but to see H7200 the nakedness H6172 of the land H776 ye are come. H935

13 And they said, H559 Thy servants H5650 are twelve H8147 H6240 brethren, H251 the sons H1121 of one H259 man H376 in the land H776 of Canaan; H3667 and, behold, the youngest H6996 is this day H3117 with our father, H1 and one H259 is not.

14 And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto them, That is it that I spake H1696 unto you, saying, H559 Ye are spies: H7270

15 Hereby H2063 ye shall be proved: H974 By the life H2416 of Pharaoh H6547 ye shall not go forth H3318 hence, except your youngest H6996 brother H251 come H935 hither.

16 Send H7971 one H259 of you, and let him fetch H3947 your brother, H251 and ye shall be kept in prison, H631 that your words H1697 may be proved, H974 whether there be any truth H571 in H854 you: or else H3808 by the life H2416 of Pharaoh H6547 surely ye are spies. H7270

17 And he put them all together H622 into ward H4929 three H7969 days. H3117

18 And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto them the third H7992 day, H3117 This do, H6213 and live; H2421 for I fear H3373 God: H430

19 If ye be true H3651 men, let one H259 of your brethren H251 be bound H631 in the house H1004 of your prison: H4929 go H3212 ye, carry H935 corn H7668 for the famine H7459 of your houses: H1004

20 But bring H935 your youngest H6996 brother H251 unto me; so shall your words H1697 be verified, H539 and ye shall not die. H4191 And they did H6213 so.

21 And they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 We are verily H61 guilty H818 concerning our brother, H251 in that H834 we saw H7200 the anguish H6869 of his soul, H5315 when he besought H2603 us, and we would not hear; H8085 therefore is this distress H6869 come H935 upon us.

22 And Reuben H7205 answered H6030 them, saying, H559 Spake I H559 not unto you, saying, H559 Do not sin H2398 against the child; H3206 and ye would not hear? H8085 therefore, behold, also his blood H1818 is required. H1875

23 And they knew H3045 not that Joseph H3130 understood H8085 them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. H3887

24 And he turned himself about H5437 from them, and wept; H1058 and returned to them again, H7725 and communed H1696 with them, and took H3947 from them Simeon, H8095 and bound H631 him before their eyes. H5869

25 Then Joseph H3130 commanded H6680 to fill H4390 their sacks H3627 with corn, H1250 and to restore H7725 every man's H376 money H3701 into his sack, H8242 and to give H5414 them provision H6720 for the way: H1870 and thus H3651 did he H6213 unto them.

26 And they laded H5375 their asses H2543 with the corn, H7668 and departed H3212 thence.

27 And as one H259 of them opened H6605 his sack H8242 to give H5414 his ass H2543 provender H4554 in the inn, H4411 he espied H7200 his money; H3701 for, behold, it was in his sack's H572 mouth. H6310

28 And he said H559 unto his brethren, H251 My money H3701 is restored; H7725 and, lo, H2009 it is even in my sack: H572 and their heart H3820 failed H3318 them, and they were afraid, H2729 saying H559 one H376 to another, H251 What is this that God H430 hath done H6213 unto us?

29 And they came H935 unto Jacob H3290 their father H1 unto the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 and told H5046 him all that befell H7136 unto them; saying, H559

30 The man, H376 who is the lord H113 of the land, H776 spake H1696 roughly H7186 to us, and took H5414 us for spies H7270 of the country. H776

31 And we said H559 unto him, We are true H3651 men; we are no spies: H7270

32 We be twelve H6240 H8147 brethren, H251 sons H1121 of our father; H1 one H259 is not, and the youngest H6996 is this day H3117 with our father H1 in the land H776 of Canaan. H3667

33 And the man, H376 the lord H113 of the country, H776 said H559 unto us, Hereby shall I know H3045 that ye are true H3651 men; leave H3240 one H259 of your brethren H251 here with me, and take H3947 food for the famine H7459 of your households, H1004 and be gone: H3212

34 And bring H935 your youngest H6996 brother H251 unto me: then shall I know H3045 that ye are no spies, H7270 but that ye are true H3651 men: so will I deliver H5414 you your brother, H251 and ye shall traffick H5503 in the land. H776

35 And it came to pass as they emptied H7324 their sacks, H8242 that, behold, every man's H376 bundle H6872 of money H3701 was in his sack: H8242 and when both they and their father H1 saw H7200 the bundles H6872 of money, H3701 they were afraid. H3372

36 And Jacob H3290 their father H1 said H559 unto them, Me have ye bereaved H7921 of my children: Joseph H3130 is not, and Simeon H8095 is not, and ye will take H3947 Benjamin H1144 away: all these things are against me.

37 And Reuben H7205 spake H559 unto his father, H1 saying, H559 Slay H4191 my two H8147 sons, H1121 if I bring H935 him not to thee: deliver H5414 him into my hand, H3027 and I will bring him to thee again. H7725

38 And he said, H559 My son H1121 shall not go down H3381 with you; for his brother H251 is dead, H4191 and he is left H7604 alone: if mischief H611 befall H7122 him by the way H1870 in the which ye go, H3212 then shall ye bring down H3381 my gray hairs H7872 with sorrow H3015 to the grave. H7585


Genesis 42:1-38 American Standard (ASV)

1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest Peradventure harm befall him.

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.

7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly with them; and he said unto them. Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

9 And 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.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13 And they said, We 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.

14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

15 hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live: for I fear God:

19 if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry grain for the famine of your houses:

20 and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is required.

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spake to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provisions for the way: and thus was it done unto them.

26 And they laded their asses with their grain, and departed thence.

27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging-place, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying, What is this that God hath done unto us?

29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying,

30 The man, the lord of the land, spake roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 And we said unto him, We are true men; and we are no spies:

32 we are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men: leave one of your brethren with me, and take `grain for' the famine of your houses, and go your way;

34 and 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 traffic in the land.

35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 And 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.

37 And 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.

38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left: if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.


Genesis 42:1-38 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Jacob seeth that there is corn in Egypt, and Jacob saith to his sons, `Why do you look at each other?'

2 he saith also, `Lo, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, go down thither, and buy for us from thence, and we live and do not die;'

3 and the ten brethren of Joseph go down to buy corn in Egypt,

4 and Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob hath not sent with his brethren, for he said, `Lest mischief meet him.'

5 And the sons of Israel come to buy in the midst of those coming, for the famine hath been in the land of Canaan,

6 and Joseph is the ruler over the land, he who is selling to all the people of the land, and Joseph's brethren come and bow themselves to him -- face to the earth.

7 And Joseph seeth his brethren, and discerneth them, and maketh himself strange unto them, and speaketh with them sharp things, and saith unto them, `From whence have ye come?' and they say, `From the land of Canaan -- to buy food.'

8 And Joseph discerneth his brethren, but they have not discerned him,

9 and Joseph remembereth the dreams which he dreamed of them, and saith unto them, `Ye `are' spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye have come.'

10 And they say unto him, `No, my lord, but thy servants have come to buy food;

11 we `are' all of us sons of one man, we `are' right men; thy servants have not been spies;'

12 and he saith unto them, `No, but the nakedness of the land ye have come to see;'

13 and they say, `Thy servants `are' twelve brethren; we `are' sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and lo, the young one `is' with our father to-day, and the one is not.'

14 And Joseph saith unto them, `This `is' that which I have spoken unto you, saying, Ye `are' spies,

15 by this ye are proved: Pharaoh liveth! if ye go out from this -- except by your young brother coming hither;

16 send one of you, and let him bring your brother, and ye, remain ye bound, and let your words be proved, whether truth be with you: and if not -- Pharaoh liveth! surely ye `are' spies;'

17 and he removeth them unto charge three days.

18 And Joseph saith unto them on the third day, `This do and live; God I fear!

19 if ye `are' right men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your ward, and ye, go, carry in corn `for' the famine of your houses,

20 and your young brother ye bring unto me, and your words are established, and ye die not;' and they do so.

21 And they say one unto another, `Verily we `are' guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul, in his making supplication unto us, and we did not hearken: therefore hath this distress come upon us.'

22 And Reuben answereth them, saying, `Spake I not unto you, saying, Sin not against the lad? and ye hearkened not; and his blood also, lo, it is required.'

23 And they have not known that Joseph understandeth, for the interpreter `is' between them;

24 and he turneth round from them, and weepeth, and turneth back unto them, and speaketh unto them, and taketh from them Simeon, and bindeth him before their eyes.

25 And Joseph commandeth, and they fill their vessels `with' corn, also to put back the money of each unto his sack, and to give to them provision for the way; and one doth to them so.

26 And they lift up their corn upon their asses, and go from thence,

27 and the one openeth his sack to give provender to his ass at a lodging-place, and he seeth his money, and lo, it `is' in the mouth of his bag,

28 and he saith unto his brethren, `My money hath been put back, and also, lo, in my bag:' and their heart goeth out, and they tremble, one to another saying, `What `is' this God hath done to us!'

29 And they come in unto Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and they declare to him all the things meeting them, saying,

30 `The man, the lord of the land, hath spoken with us sharp things, and maketh us as spies of the land;

31 and we say unto him, We `are' right men, we have not been spies,

32 we `are' twelve brethren, sons of our father, the one is not, and the young one `is' to-day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 `And the man, the lord of the land, saith unto us, By this I know that ye `are' right men -- one of your brethren leave with me, and `for' the famine of your houses take ye and go,

34 and bring your young brother unto me, and I know that ye `are' not spies, but ye `are' right men; your brother I give to you, and ye trade with the land.'

35 And it cometh to pass, they are emptying their sacks, and lo, the bundle of each man's silver `is' in his sack, and they see their bundles of silver, they and their father, and are afraid;

36 and Jacob their father saith unto them, `Me ye have bereaved; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin ye take -- against me have been all these.'

37 And Reuben speaketh unto his father, saying, `My two sons thou dost put to death, if I bring him not in unto thee; give him into my hand, and I -- I bring him back unto thee;'

38 and he saith, `My son doth not go down with you, for his brother `is' dead, and he by himself is left; when mischief hath met him in the way in which ye go, then ye have brought down my grey hairs in sorrow to sheol.'


Genesis 42:1-38 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down thither and buy [grain] for us from thence, in order that we may live, and not die.

3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy [grain] out of Egypt.

4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest mischief may befall him.

5 So the sons of Israel came to buy [grain] among those that came; for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And Joseph, he was the governor over the land -- he it was that sold [the corn] to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came and bowed down to him, the face to the earth.

7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and knew them; but he made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them, and said to them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan, to buy food.

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they did not know him.

9 And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamt of them; and he said to them, Ye are spies: to see the exposed places of the land ye are come.

10 And they said to him, No, my lord; but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are honest: thy servants are not spies.

12 And he said to them, No; but to see the exposed places of the land are ye come.

13 And they said, Thy servants were twelve brethren, sons of one man, in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

14 And Joseph said to them, That is it that I have spoken to you, saying, Ye are spies.

15 By this ye shall be put to the proof: as Pharaoh lives, ye shall not go forth hence, unless your youngest brother come hither!

16 Send one of you, that he may fetch your brother, but ye shall be imprisoned, and your words shall be put to the proof, whether the truth is in you; and if not, as Pharaoh lives, ye are spies.

17 And he put them in custody three days.

18 And Joseph said to them the third day, This do, that ye may live: I fear God.

19 If ye are honest, let one of your brethren remain bound in the house of your prison, but go ye, carry grain for the hunger of your households;

20 and bring your youngest brother to me, in order that your words be verified, and that ye may not die. And they did so.

21 Then they said one to another, We are indeed guilty concerning our brother, whose anguish of soul we saw when he besought us, and we did not hearken; therefore this distress is come upon us.

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the lad? But ye did not hearken; and now behold, his blood also is required.

23 And they did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter was between them.

24 And he turned away from them, and wept. And he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their vessels with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way. And thus did they to them.

26 And they loaded their asses with their grain, and departed thence.

27 And one of them opened his sack to give his ass food in the inn, and saw his money, and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28 And he said to his brethren, My money is returned [to me], and behold, it is even in my sack. And their heart failed [them], and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this [that] God has done to us?

29 And they came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father, and told him all that had befallen them, saying,

30 The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us, and treated us as spies of the land.

31 And we said to him, We are honest; we are not spies:

32 we are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, Hereby shall I know that ye are honest: leave one of your brethren with me, and take [for] the hunger of your households, and go,

34 and bring your youngest brother to me, and I shall know that ye are not spies, but are honest. Your brother will I give up to you; and ye may trade in the land.

35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that behold, every man had his bundle of money in his sack; and they saw their bundles of money, they and their father, and were afraid.

36 And Jacob their father said to them, Ye have bereaved me of children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin! All these things are against me.

37 And Reuben spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons if I bring him not back to thee: give him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38 But he said, My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left; and if mischief should befall him by the way in which ye go, then would ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.


Genesis 42:1-38 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"

2 He said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die."

3 Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 But Jacob didn't send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers; for he said, "Lest perhaps harm happen to him."

5 The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph's brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.

7 Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, "Where did you come from?" They said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."

8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.

9 Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land."

10 They said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies."

12 He said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land."

13 They said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more."

14 Joseph said to them, "It is like I told you, saying, 'You are spies.'

15 Hereby you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh you shall not go forth from here, unless your youngest brother come here.

16 Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies."

17 He put them all together into custody three days.

18 Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this, and live, for I fear God.

19 If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison-house; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.

20 Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won't die." They did so.

21 They said one to another, "We are most assuredly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn't listen. Therefore this distress has come on us."

22 Reuben answered them, saying, "Didn't I tell you, saying, 'Don't sin against the child,' and you wouldn't listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required."

23 They didn't know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

24 He turned himself about from them, and wept, and he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their bags with grain, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it done to them.

26 They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.

27 As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging-place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28 He said to his brothers, "My money is restored! Behold, it is even in my sack." Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29 They came to Jacob their father to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying,

30 "The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 We said to him, 'We are honest men. We are no spies.

32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'

33 The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'Hereby will I know that you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way.

34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.'"

35 It happened as they emptied their sacks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 Jacob, their father, said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me."

37 Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Kill my two sons, if I don't bring him to you. Deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to you again."

38 He said, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him by the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol."


Genesis 42:1-38 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Now Jacob, hearing that there was grain in Egypt, said to his sons, Why are you looking at one another?

2 And he said, I have had news that there is grain in Egypt: go down there and get grain for us, so that life and not death may be ours.

3 So Joseph's ten brothers went down to get grain from Egypt.

4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with them, for fear, as he said, that some evil might come to him.

5 And the sons of Israel came with all the others to get grain: for they were very short of food in the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was ruler over all the land, and it was he who gave out the grain to all the people of the land; and Joseph's brothers came before him and went down on their faces to the earth.

7 And when Joseph saw his brothers, it was clear to him who they were, but he made himself strange to them, and talking roughly to them, said, Where do you come from? And they said, From the land of Canaan, to get food.

8 Now though Joseph saw that these were his brothers, they had no idea who he was.

9 Then the memory of his dreams about them came back to Joseph, and he said to them, You have come secretly to see how poor the land is.

10 And they said to him, Not so, my lord: your servants have come with money to get food.

11 We are all one man's sons, we are true men; we have not come with any secret purpose.

12 And he said to them, No, but you have come to see how poor the land is.

13 Then they said, We your servants are twelve brothers, sons of one man in the land of Canaan; the youngest of us is now with our father, and one is dead.

14 And Joseph said, It is as I said; you have come with some secret purpose;

15 But in this way will you be put to the test: by the life of Pharaoh, you will not go away from this place till your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of your number to get your brother, and the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are true; if not, by the life of Pharaoh, your purpose is certainly secret.

17 So he put them in prison for three days.

18 And on the third day Joseph said to them, Do this, if you would keep your lives: for I am a god-fearing man:

19 If you are true men, let one of you be kept in prison, while you go and take grain for the needs of your families;

20 And come back to me with your youngest brother, so that your words may be seen to be true, and you will not be put to death. This is what you are to do.

21 And they said to one another, Truly, we did wrong to our brother, for we saw his grief of mind, and we did not give ear to his prayers; that is why this trouble has come on us.

22 And Reuben said to them, Did I not say to you, Do the child no wrong? but you gave no attention; so now, punishment has come on us for his blood.

23 They were not conscious that the sense of their words was clear to Joseph, for he had been talking to them through one who had knowledge of their language.

24 And turning away from them, he was overcome with weeping; then he went on talking to them again and took Simeon and put chains on him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph gave orders for their bags to be made full of grain, and for every man's money to be put back into his bag, and for food to be given them for the journey: which was done.

26 Then they put the bags of grain on their asses and went away.

27 Now at their night's resting-place one of them, opening his bag to give his ass some food, saw his money in the mouth of the bag.

28 And he said to his brothers, My money has been given back: it is in my bag; then their hearts became full of fear, and turning to one another they said, What is this which God has done to us?

29 So when they came to Jacob their father, in the land of Canaan, they gave him an account of all their experiences, saying,

30 The man who is the ruler of the country was rough with us and put us in prison, saying that we had come with a secret evil purpose.

31 And we said to him, We are true men, we have no evil designs;

32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is dead, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the ruler of the land said, In this way I may be certain that you are true men; let one of you be kept here with me, while you go and take grain for the needs of your families;

34 And come back to me with your youngest brother: then I will be certain that you are true men, and I will give your brother back to you and let you do trade in the land.

35 And when they took the grain out of their bags, it was seen that every man's parcel of money was in his bag; and when they and their father saw the money, they were full of fear.

36 And Jacob their father said to them, You have taken my children from me: Joseph is gone and Simeon is gone, and now you would take Benjamin away; all these things have come on me.

37 And Reuben said, Put my two sons to death if I do not come back to you with him; let him be in my care and I will give him safely back to you.

38 And he said, I will not let my son go down with you; for his brother is dead and he is all I have: if evil overtakes him on the journey, then through you will my grey head go down to the underworld in sorrow.

Commentary on Genesis 42 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 42

Ge 42:1-38. Journey into Egypt.

1. Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt—learned from common rumor. It is evident from Jacob's language that his own and his sons' families had suffered greatly from the scarcity; and through the increasing severity of the scourge, those men, who had formerly shown both activity and spirit, were sinking into despondency. God would not interpose miraculously when natural means of preservation were within reach.

5. the famine was in the land of Canaan—The tropical rains, which annually falling swell the Nile, are those of Palestine also; and their failure would produce the same disastrous effects in Canaan as in Egypt. Numerous caravans of its people, therefore, poured over the sandy desert of Suez, with their beasts of burden, for the purchase of corn; and among others, "the sons of Israel" were compelled to undertake a journey from which painful associations made them strongly averse.

6. Joseph was the governor—in the zenith of his power and influence.

he it was that sold—that is, directed the sales; for it is impossible that he could give attendance in every place. It is probable, however, that he may have personally superintended the storehouses near the border of Canaan, both because that was the most exposed part of the country and because he must have anticipated the arrival of some messengers from his father's house.

Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him—His prophetic dreams [Ge 37:5-11] were in the course of being fulfilled, and the atrocious barbarity of his brethren had been the means of bringing about the very issue they had planned to prevent (Isa 60:14; Re 3:9, last clause).

7, 8. Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, … but they knew not him—This is not strange. They were full-grown men—he was but a lad at parting. They were in their usual garb—he was in his official robes. They never dreamt of him as governor of Egypt, while he had been expecting them. They had but one face; he had ten persons to judge by.

made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly—It would be an injustice to Joseph's character to suppose that this stern manner was prompted by any vindictive feelings—he never indulged any resentment against others who had injured him. But he spoke in the authoritative tone of the governor in order to elicit some much-longed-for information respecting the state of his father's family, as well as to bring his brethren, by their own humiliation and distress, to a sense of the evils they had done to him.

9-14. Ye are spies—This is a suspicion entertained regarding strangers in all Eastern countries down to the present day. Joseph, however, who was well aware that his brethren were not spies, has been charged with cruel dissimulation, with a deliberate violation of what he knew to be the truth, in imputing to them such a character. But it must be remembered that he was sustaining the part of a ruler; and, in fact, acting on the very principle sanctioned by many of the sacred writers, and our Lord Himself, who spoke parables (fictitious stories) to promote a good end.

15. By the life of Pharaoh—It is a very common practice in Western Asia to swear by the life of the king. Joseph spoke in the style of an Egyptian and perhaps did not think there was any evil in it. But we are taught to regard all such expressions in the light of an oath (Mt 5:34; Jas 5:12).

17-24. put them … into ward three days—Their confinement had been designed to bring them to salutary reflection. And this object was attained, for they looked upon the retributive justice of God as now pursuing them in that foreign land. The drift of their conversation is one of the most striking instances on record of the power of conscience [Ge 42:21, 22].

24. took … Simeon, and bound him—He had probably been the chief instigator—the most violent actor in the outrage upon Joseph; and if so, his selection to be the imprisoned and fettered hostage for their return would, in the present course of their reflections, have a painful significance.

25-28. Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money—This private generosity was not an infringement of his duty—a defrauding of the revenue. He would have a discretionary power—he was daily enriching the king's exchequer—and he might have paid the sum from his own purse.

27. inn—a mere station for baiting beasts of burden.

he espied his money—The discovery threw them into greater perplexity than ever. If they had been congratulating themselves on escaping from the ruthless governor, they perceived that now he would have a handle against them; and it is observable that they looked upon this as a judgment of heaven. Thus one leading design of Joseph was gained in their consciences being roused to a sense of guilt.

35. as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's … money was in his sack—It appears that they had been silent about the money discovery at the resting-place, as their father might have blamed them for not instantly returning. However innocent they knew themselves to be, it was universally felt to be an unhappy circumstance, which might bring them into new and greater perils.

36. Me have ye bereaved—This exclamation indicates a painfully excited state of feeling, and it shows how difficult it is for even a good man to yield implicit submission to the course of Providence. The language does not imply that his missing sons had got foul play from the hands of the rest, but he looks upon Simeon as lost, as well as Joseph, and he insinuates it was by some imprudent statements of theirs that he was exposed to the risk of losing Benjamin also.

37. Reuben spake, … Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee—This was a thoughtless and unwarrantable condition—one that he never seriously expected his father would accept. It was designed only to give assurance of the greatest care being taken of Benjamin. But unforeseen circumstances might arise to render it impossible for all of them to preserve that young lad (Jas 4:13), and Jacob was much pained by the prospect. Little did he know that God was dealing with him severely, but in kindness (Heb 12:7, 8), and that all those things he thought against Him were working together for his good.