Genesis 42:31

31 And we said to him, We are honest; 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 And they came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father, and told him all that had befallen them, saying,

30 The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us, and treated us as spies of the land.

31 And we said to him, We are honest; we are not spies:

32 we are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, Hereby shall I know that ye are honest: leave one of your brethren with me, and take [for] the hunger of your households, and go,