Genesis 42:19

19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison *; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households,

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 So he put them all together in prison for three days.

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

19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison ; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households,

20 and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die." And they did so.

21 Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us."

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "the house of your prison"