Genesis 42:7

7 and he had known them, he spake harder to them, as to aliens, and asked them, From whence came ye? Which answered, From the land of Canaan, that we buy necessaries to our lifelode. (and he knew them, he spoke harshly to them, as to strangers, and asked them, Where did you come from? And they answered, From the land of Canaan, so that we can buy necessities to live.)

Genesis 42:7 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:7

And Joseph saw his brethren
Among those that came to buy corn, and when they prostrated themselves before him: and he knew them;
some of them being at man's estate, and their beards grown when they sold him, and their habits and dress now being much the same it was then, and by them he knew the younger: but made himself strange unto them;
took no notice of them as his relations, but carried himself to them as he did to other foreigners, and yet more strangely: and spake roughly unto them;
or hard ^F26 things or words; put on a stern countenance, and spoke with a high tone and in a rough surly manner to them: and he said unto them, whence come ye?
who are ye? of what country are ye? what is your business here? and they said, from the land of Canaan to buy food;
which they could not get in Canaan, the famine being there so great.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 (twvq) "dura", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Piscator, Schmidt.

Genesis 42:7 In-Context

5 Soothly they entered into the land of Egypt, with other men that went thither to buy corn; forsooth hunger was in the land of Canaan. (And they entered into the land of Egypt, with others who went there to buy corn, or grain; for the famine was now in the land of Canaan.)

6 And Joseph was the prince of Egypt, and at his will wheats were sold to [the] peoples. And when his brethren had worshipped him, (And Joseph was the prince, or the ruler, of Egypt, and at his will corn, or grain, was sold to people from all the lands. And so when his brothers had bowed before him,)

7 and he had known them, he spake harder to them, as to aliens, and asked them, From whence came ye? Which answered, From the land of Canaan, that we buy necessaries to our lifelode. (and he knew them, he spoke harshly to them, as to strangers, and asked them, Where did you come from? And they answered, From the land of Canaan, so that we can buy necessities to live.)

8 And nevertheless he knew his brethren, and he was not known of them, (And though he knew his brothers, he was not known by them,)

9 and he bethought on the dreams which he saw sometime. And he said to them, Ye be spyers, ye came to see the feebler things of the land (And he said to them, Ye be spies, and ye came here to spy out our weaknesses).