Genesis 42:19

19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison. The rest of you may go and take grain back to your hungry 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 So Joseph kept all of them under guard for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph spoke to them again. He said, "Do what I say. Then you will live, because I have respect for God.

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

20 "But you must bring your youngest brother to me. That will prove that your words are true. Then you won't die." So they did what he said.

21 They said to one another, "God is certainly punishing us because of our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he begged us to let him live. But we wouldn't listen. That's why all of this trouble has come to us."