Genesis 43:9

9 "I myself promise to keep him safe. You can hold me accountable for him. I'll bring him back to you. I'll set him right here in front of you. If I don't, you can put the blame on me for the rest of my life.

Genesis 43:9 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 43:9

I will be surety for him
Engage for his safe return: of my hand shall thou require him;
I will be answerable for him: if I bring him not to thee, and set him before thee:
do not return him from Egypt, and bring him to Canaan, into his father's house and presence safe, and sound: then let me bear the blame for ever;
of persuading his father to let him go with him; all this he said, to show what care he would take of him, and what confidence he had that no evil would befall him, that he would be returned with them in safety; which he might ground upon the assurance that Joseph had given, that they should not die if they brought their brother with them, ( Genesis 42:20 ) ; and perhaps Judah, as Schmidt thinks, might be under a special instinct of divine Providence, which directed him to say these things: and it may be added, that Jacob also might be under a divine impulse, which influenced him to regard what Judah said, or otherwise his suretyship was but a poor security, and of little avail.

Genesis 43:9 In-Context

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.

9 "I myself promise to keep him safe. You can hold me accountable for him. I'll bring him back to you. I'll set him right here in front of you. If I don't, you can put the blame on me for the rest of my life.

10 "As it is, we've already waited too long. We could have gone to Egypt and back twice by now."

11 Then their father Israel spoke to them. He said, "If that's the way it has to be, then do what I tell you. Put some of the best things from our land in your bags. Take them down to the man as a gift. Take some lotion and a little honey. Take some spices and myrrh. Take some pistachio nuts and almonds.