Génesis 42:1-7

1 Viendo Jacob que había alimento en Egipto, dijo a sus hijos: ¿Por qué os estáis mirando?

2 Y dijo: He aquí, he oído que hay alimento en Egipto; descended allá, y comprad de allí un poco para nosotros, para que vivamos y no muramos.

3 Entonces diez hermanos de José descendieron para comprar grano en Egipto.

4 Pero a Benjamín, hermano de José, Jacob no lo envió con sus hermanos, porque dijo: No sea que le suceda algo malo.

5 Y fueron los hijos de Israel con los que iban a comprar grano, pues también había hambre en la tierra de Canaán.

6 Y José era el que mandaba en aquella tierra; él era quien vendía a todo el pueblo de la tierra. Y llegaron los hermanos de José y se postraron ante él rostro en tierra.

7 Cuando José vio a sus hermanos, los reconoció, pero fingió no conocerlos y les habló duramente. Y les dijo: ¿De dónde habéis venido? Y ellos dijeron: De la tierra de Canaán para comprar alimentos.

Génesis 42:1-7 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.