Genesis 42:19

19 Yf ye meane no hurte let one of youre brethern be bounde in the preason and goo ye and brynge the necessarie foode vnto youre housholdes

Genesis 42:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:19

If ye [be] true [men]
As you say you are: let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison;
agree among yourselves which of you (for one of you must) remain in prison where you are: and the rest being set at liberty, go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses;
Joseph, though he dealt with them after this manner to get what knowledge he could of his family, and to get sight of his brother, yet was concerned for the good of them and theirs, lest they should be in extreme want through the famine, and that they might have a speedy supply of corn, was not willing to detain them any longer.

Genesis 42:19 In-Context

17 And he put them in warde thre dayes.
18 And Ioseph sayde vnto the the thryd daye: This doo and lyue for I feare Gode
19 Yf ye meane no hurte let one of youre brethern be bounde in the preason and goo ye and brynge the necessarie foode vnto youre housholdes
20 and brynge youre yongest brother vnto me: that youre wordes maye be beleved ad that ye dye not And they did so.
21 Than they sayde one to a nother: we haue verely synned agaynst oure brother in that we sawe the anguysh of his soull when he besought us and wold not heare him: therfore is this troubyll come apon us.
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