Genesis 42:1-11

1 Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, so he said to his sons, "Why are you just sitting here looking at one another?

2 I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us to eat, so that we will live and not die."

3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with them, because he was afraid that something terrible might happen to him.

5 Along with many other people, the sons of Israeln went to Egypt to buy grain, because the people in the land of Canaan were also hungry.

6 Now Joseph was governor over Egypt. He was the one who sold the grain to people who came to buy it. So Joseph's brothers came to him and bowed facedown on the ground before him.

7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he knew who they were, but he acted as if he didn't know them. He asked unkindly, "Where do you come from?" They answered, "We have come from the land of Canaan to buy food."

8 Joseph knew they were his brothers, but they did not know who he was.

9 And Joseph remembered his dreams about his brothers bowing to him. He said to them, "You are spies! You came to learn where the nation is weak!"

10 But his brothers said to him, "No, my master. We come as your servants just to buy food.

11 We are all sons of the same father. We are honest men, not spies."

Genesis 42:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 42

This chapter relates how that Jacob having heard there was corn in Egypt, sent all his sons but Benjamin thither to buy corn, Ge 42:1-5; and coming before Joseph, they bowed to him, and he knowing them, though they knew not him, spoke roughly to them, and charged them with being spies, Ge 42:6-9; they in their defence urged that they were the sons of one man in Canaan, with whom their youngest brother was left, on which Joseph ordered them to send for him, to prove them true men, Ge 42:10-16; and put them all into prison for three days, and then released them, and sent them away to fetch their brother, Ge 42:17-20; this brought to mind their treatment of Joseph, and they confessed their guilt to each other, which Joseph heard, and greatly affected him, they supposing he understood them not, and before he dismissed them bound Simeon before their eyes, whom he retained till they returned, Ge 42:21-24; then he ordered his servants to fill their sacks with corn, and put each man's money in his sack, which one of them on the road found, opening his sack for provender, filled them all with great surprise and fear, Ge 42:25-28; upon their return to Jacob they related all that had befallen them, and particularly that the governor insisted on having Benjamin brought to him, Ge 42:29-34; their sacks being opened, all their money was found in them, which greatly distressed them and Jacob also, who was very unwilling to let Benjamin go, though Reuben offered his two sons as pledges for him, and himself to be a surety, Ge 42:35-38.