Genesis 42:34

34 'But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may ¹trade in the land.' "

Genesis 42:34 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:34

And, bring your youngest brother unto me
Their brother Benjamin: then shall I know that you [are] no spies, but [that] you [are] true
[men];
he knew they were no spies now, but true, honest, upright men, with respect to any designs upon the country; but then he should own and acknowledge them to be such, having such plain proof that what they said was true: [so] will I deliver your brother;
their brother Simeon, who was left bound; though this circumstance they also here studiously conceal from their father: and ye shall traffic in the land;
not only for corn, but for any other commodity Egypt furnished its neighbours with.

Genesis 42:34 In-Context

32 'We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.'

33 "The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go.

34 'But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.' "

35 Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me."

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 34:10

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "you are honest"