Genesis 44:26

26 then we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother [is] with us, then we shall go down. For we will not be able to see the face of the man unless our youngest brother [is] with us.'

Genesis 44:26 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 44:26

And we said, we cannot go down
With any safety to their persons, which would be in danger, or with any profit to their families, since their end in going down to buy corn would not be answered: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down;
let it be agreed to, that Benjamin go along with us, to Egypt, and then no difficulty will be made of it: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother [be]
with us;
the face of the great man, the governor of Egypt; for that this phrase, "the man", is not used diminutively, but as expressive of grandeur, is clear, or otherwise it would never have been made use of in his presence, and in such a submissive and polite speech as this of Judah's.

Genesis 44:26 In-Context

24 And it happened [that] we went up to your servant, my father, and told him the words of my lord.

25 And when our father said, 'Buy a little food for us,'

26 then we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother [is] with us, then we shall go down. For we will not be able to see the face of the man unless our youngest brother [is] with us.'

27 Then your servant, my father, said to us, 'You yourselves know that my wife bore two sons to me.

28 One went out from me, and I said, "Surely he must have been torn to pieces," and I have never seen him since.