Genesis 42:33

33 Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone.

Genesis 42:33 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:33

And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, hereby
shall I know that you [are] true [men]
This will be a proof and demonstration of it: leave one of your brethren [here] with me;
as an hostage; they do not say "bound in the prison", ( Genesis 42:19 ) , as Joseph did, because they would not grieve their father, at least would not tell him of it at once, lest it should too much affect him: and take [food for] the famine of your household, and be gone;
that is, corn for the relief of their families, being distressed with a famine.

Genesis 42:33 In-Context

31 But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies.

32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.'

33 Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone.

34 And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.' "

35 Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.