Genesis 42:19

19 If you are honest men, you will let one of your brothers stay here in prison. The rest of you will go and take grain back to your starving families.

Genesis 42:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:19

If ye [be] true [men]
As you say you are: let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison;
agree among yourselves which of you (for one of you must) remain in prison where you are: and the rest being set at liberty, go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses;
Joseph, though he dealt with them after this manner to get what knowledge he could of his family, and to get sight of his brother, yet was concerned for the good of them and theirs, lest they should be in extreme want through the famine, and that they might have a speedy supply of corn, was not willing to detain them any longer.

Genesis 42:19 In-Context

17 Then he put them in jail for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this, and you will live. I, too, fear God.

19 If you are honest men, you will let one of your brothers stay here in prison. The rest of you will go and take grain back to your starving families.

20 But you must bring me your youngest brother. This will show that you've been telling the truth. Then you won't die." So they agreed.

21 They said to each other, "We're surely being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he pleaded with us for mercy, but we wouldn't listen. That's why we're in trouble now."