Genesis 44:26

26 we told him flatly, 'We can't. The only way we can go back is if our youngest brother is with us. We aren't allowed to even see the man if our youngest brother doesn't come 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 "When we returned to our father, we told him everything you said to us.
25 So when our father said, 'Go back and buy some more food,'
26 we told him flatly, 'We can't. The only way we can go back is if our youngest brother is with us. We aren't allowed to even see the man if our youngest brother doesn't come with us.'
27 "Your servant, my father, told us, 'You know very well that my wife gave me two sons.
28 One turned up missing. I concluded that he'd been ripped to pieces. I've never seen him since.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.