Genesis 43:8

8 Judah said to his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones.

Genesis 43:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 43:8

And Judah said unto Israel his father, send the lad with me,
and we will arise and go
Directly to Egypt for corn; Judah calls Benjamin a lad, because the youngest brother, and tenderly brought up by his father, who had an affectionate fondness for him as if he had been a child; otherwise he must be thirty two years of age, for he was seven years younger than Joseph, who was now thirty nine years of age; yea, Benjamin must have children of his own, who went with him and his father into Egypt, ( Genesis 46:21 ) ; for the computation of Benjamin's age, see ( Genesis 30:22 ) ( 31:41 ) ( 35:18 ) ( 37:2 ) ( Genesis 41:40 Genesis 41:53 Genesis 41:54 ) ( 45:6 ) ; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, [and] also our
little ones;
he argues, that if they with Benjamin went down to Egypt for corn, there was a possibility, yea, a probability that they would all live, even Benjamin also; but if not, they must all in course die, and Benjamin likewise; and therefore it was most prudent and advisable, for the sake of all their lives, of them and theirs, and for the sake of Benjamin among the rest, for whom Jacob was so particularly concerned, to let him go with them to Egypt for corn, since he must die if they did not go, and he could but die if he did go; and there was great likelihood, if not a certainty, he would not; at least Judah was confident he would not, as appears by what follows.

Genesis 43:8 In-Context

6 “Why were you so cruel to me?” Jacob moaned. “Why did you tell him you had another brother?”

7 “The man kept asking us questions about our family,” they replied. “He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

8 Judah said to his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones.

9 I personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever.

10 If we hadn’t wasted all this time, we could have gone and returned twice by now.”