Genesis 42:35

35 As they were emptying their food sacks, each man came on his purse of money. On seeing their money, they and their father were upset.

Genesis 42:35 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:35

And it came to pass, as they emptied their sacks
Both those in which were the corn they had bought, and those in which were their provender for their cattle, and provision for themselves: that, behold, every man's bundle of money [was] in his sack;
the same purse, and the same pieces of money, gold or silver, they had paid to the steward: and when [both] they and their father saw the bundles of money, they
were afraid;
the Targum of Jonathan adds,

``because of Simeon, whom they had left there;''
fearing that they should he charged with theft or fraud, and that Simeon would be put to death; they had opened their sacks before, and found their money in them, but put it up again as it was, in order to open them in their father's presence, from whom they thought proper to conceal this circumstance, lest he should blame them for not returning to the governor with their money upon the first notice of it, when they had travelled but one day's journey; wherefore they make no mention of it in the account of things that befell them, and express their surprise and fear upon finding it when they opened their sacks, as if they had known, nothing of it before; though it may be their fears were renewed and increased by what Jacob might observe to them, as the consequence of it, which they had not so thoroughly considered before.

Genesis 42:35 In-Context

33 "But the master of the country said, 'Leave one of your brothers with me, take food for your starving families, and go.
34 Bring your youngest brother back to me, proving that you're honest men and not spies. And then I'll give your brother back to you and you'll be free to come and go in this country.'"
35 As they were emptying their food sacks, each man came on his purse of money. On seeing their money, they and their father were upset.
36 Their father said to them, "You're taking everything I've got! Joseph's gone, Simeon's gone, and now you want to take Benjamin. If you have your way, I'll be left with nothing."
37 Reuben spoke up: "I'll put my two sons in your hands as hostages. If I don't bring Benjamin back, you can kill them. Trust me with Benjamin; I'll bring him back."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.