Genesis 42:8

8 Thus Joseph knew his brothers, but they did not know him.

Genesis 42:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:8

And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
] It being about twenty two years since they saw him, and then he was young, and his beard not grown, as now it was; and besides, he was clothed as a prince, and spoke the Egyptian language; and being in such great grandeur and splendour, and in such power and authority, and having such a retinue attending him, they never once thought of him, whom they supposed might be dead, having never heard of him all this time; or, however, it could not come into their minds, that he whom they sold for a slave could ever be governor of the land of Egypt.

Genesis 42:8 In-Context

6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; he it was who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came, and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.

7 Joseph saw his brothers, and knew them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

8 Thus Joseph knew his brothers, but they did not know him.

9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed of them; and he said to them, "You are spies, you have come to see the weakness of the land."

10 They said to him, "No, my lord, but to buy food have your servants come.