Genesis 43:6

6 Israel asked, "Why did you bring this trouble to me? Why did you tell the man you had another brother?"

Genesis 43:6 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 43:6

And Israel said
In answer to the speech of Judah: wherefore dealt ye [so] ill with me;
had done that which brought so much evil upon him, gave him so much grief and trouble, and threw him into such perplexity and distress, that he knew not what to do, or course to take: [as] to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
which he thought was done imprudently and unadvisedly, and that there was no need of it; which, had it not been done, would have prevented this anxiety of mind he was now in, and the mischief he feared would follow.

Genesis 43:6 In-Context

4 So send our brother along with us. Then we'll go down and buy food for you.

5 "If you won't send him, we won't go down. The man said to us, 'You won't see my face again unless your brother comes with you.' "

6 Israel asked, "Why did you bring this trouble to me? Why did you tell the man you had another brother?"

7 They replied, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. 'Is your father still living?' he asked us. 'Do you have another brother?' "We just answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"

8 Judah spoke to Israel his father. "Send the boy along with me," he said. "We'll go at once. Then we and you and our children will live and not die.