Genesis 42:33

33 Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you [are] honest. Leave one [brother] with me, and take [food for] the famine in your households and go.

Genesis 42:33 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:33

And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, hereby
shall I know that you [are] true [men]
This will be a proof and demonstration of it: leave one of your brethren [here] with me;
as an hostage; they do not say "bound in the prison", ( Genesis 42:19 ) , as Joseph did, because they would not grieve their father, at least would not tell him of it at once, lest it should too much affect him: and take [food for] the famine of your household, and be gone;
that is, corn for the relief of their families, being distressed with a famine.

Genesis 42:33 In-Context

31 But we said to him, 'We [are] honest; we are not spies.

32 We [are] twelve brothers, the sons of our father. One is no more and the youngest [is] with our father now in the land of Canaan.'

33 Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you [are] honest. Leave one [brother] with me, and take [food for] the famine in your households and go.

34 And bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you [are] not spies but you [are] honest. And I will give your brother [back] to you, and you will trade in the land.'"

35 And it happened [that when] they emptied their sacks, behold, each one's pouch of money [was] in his sack. And when they and their father saw the pouches of their money, they were greatly distressed.