Genesis 43:8

8 And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and thou, and our store.

Genesis 43:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 43:8

And Judah said unto Israel his father, send the lad with me,
and we will arise and go
Directly to Egypt for corn; Judah calls Benjamin a lad, because the youngest brother, and tenderly brought up by his father, who had an affectionate fondness for him as if he had been a child; otherwise he must be thirty two years of age, for he was seven years younger than Joseph, who was now thirty nine years of age; yea, Benjamin must have children of his own, who went with him and his father into Egypt, ( Genesis 46:21 ) ; for the computation of Benjamin's age, see ( Genesis 30:22 ) ( 31:41 ) ( 35:18 ) ( 37:2 ) ( Genesis 41:40 Genesis 41:53 Genesis 41:54 ) ( 45:6 ) ; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, [and] also our
little ones;
he argues, that if they with Benjamin went down to Egypt for corn, there was a possibility, yea, a probability that they would all live, even Benjamin also; but if not, they must all in course die, and Benjamin likewise; and therefore it was most prudent and advisable, for the sake of all their lives, of them and theirs, and for the sake of Benjamin among the rest, for whom Jacob was so particularly concerned, to let him go with them to Egypt for corn, since he must die if they did not go, and he could but die if he did go; and there was great likelihood, if not a certainty, he would not; at least Judah was confident he would not, as appears by what follows.

Genesis 43:8 In-Context

6 And Israel said, Why did ye harm me, inasmuch as ye told the man that ye had a brother?
7 And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have ye a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?
8 And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and thou, and our store.
9 And I engage for him; at my hand do thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty toward thee for ever.
10 For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.