Bereshis 44:19

19 Adoni asked his avadim, saying, Have ye an av, or an ach?

Bereshis 44:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 44:19

My lord asked his servants
The first time they came down to Egypt to buy corn; he puts him in mind of what passed between them at that time: saying, have ye a father or a brother?
which question followed upon their saying that they were the sons of one man, ( Genesis 42:11 ) ( 43:7 ) .

Bereshis 44:19 In-Context

17 And he [Yosef] said, Chalilah that I should do so; but the ish in whose yad the gevi’a is found, he shall be to me eved; and as for you, go back in shalom unto avichem.

18 Then Yehudah came near unto him, and said, Oh, adoni, let thy eved speak now a davar in oznei adoni, and let not thine anger burn against thy eved; for thou art even like Pharaoh.

19 Adoni asked his avadim, saying, Have ye an av, or an ach?

20 And we said unto adoni, We have an av, a zaken, and a yeled zekunim katan (child of his old age, a little one); and achiv is dead, and he alone is left of immo, and aviv loveth him.

21 And thou saidst unto thy avadim, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.