Genesis 42:15

15 Here's how you can prove you're not lying: as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave here unless your youngest brother comes here.

Genesis 42:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:15

Hereby ye shall be proved
Whether spies, or not, namely, by producing their youngest brother, said to be at home with his father: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your
youngest brother come hither:
the phrase, "by the life of Pharaoh", seems to be the form of an oath, as it was common with many nations, especially with the Scythians, who used to swear by the royal throne {a}, and the Romans, in later times, by the life, health, and genius of their emperor; and this custom of swearing by the life of their king, or by his head, continued with the Egyptians, as Aben Ezra says, unto his times; though some take this to be a wish or prayer for the life of Pharaoh, and render it, "may Pharaoh live" ^F2, or, at most, but a strong asseveration, that as dear as the life of Pharaoh was to him, so surely they should not stir from the place where they were, unless their youngest brother Benjamin was brought thither.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Herodot. Melpomene, sive, l. 4. c. 68.
F2 (herp yx) "vivat Parhoh", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; so Ainsworth and Lightfoot.

Genesis 42:15 In-Context

13 They said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Kena'an; the youngest stayed with our father, and another one is gone."

14 "Just as I said,"replied Yosef, "you're spies!

15 Here's how you can prove you're not lying: as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave here unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother. Meanwhile, you will be kept in custody. This will prove whether there is any truth in what you say. Otherwise, as Pharaoh lives, you are certainly spies."

17 Then he put all of them together in prison for three days.