Genesis 42:31

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

Genesis 42:31 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:31

And we said unto him, we [are] true [men]
Honest, upright men, not given to treacherous and treasonable practices, either in the country where they lived, or any other; they came to Egypt with no ill design upon the country, only to buy corn for the relief of their families in necessity: we are no spies;
or never were ^F5: they had never been guilty of such practices, and never charged with anything of that kind; they denied the charge, and detested the character.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (wnyyh al) "non fuimus", Montanus; "nunquam fuimus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.

Genesis 42:31 In-Context

29 When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had befallen them, saying,

30 "The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the land.

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 this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'

33 Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.