Genesis 44:19

19 Thou askedest first thy servants (Thou first askedest thy servants), Have ye a father, or a brother?

Genesis 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 ) .

Genesis 44:19 In-Context

17 Joseph answered, Far be it from me, that I do so; he be my servant that stole the cup; forsooth go ye free to your father. (Joseph answered, Far be it from me, that I would do such a thing; nay, only he who stole the cup shall be my slave; the rest of you be free to go back to your father.)

18 Soothly Judah nighed near, and said trustily (and plaintively said), My lord, I pray thee, (let) thy servant speak a word in thine ears, and be thou not wroth to thy servant; for after Pharaoh thou art my lord.

19 Thou askedest first thy servants (Thou first askedest thy servants), Have ye a father, or a brother?

20 And we answered to my lord, An eld father is to us, and a little child that was born in his eld (age), whose brother of the same womb is dead, and his mother hath him alone; forsooth his father loveth him tenderly. (And we answered to my lord, We have an old father, and he hath a young son who was born in his old age, whose brother from the same womb is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children; and his father tenderly loveth him.)

21 And thou saidest to thy servants, Bring ye him (down) to me, and I shall set mine eyes on him.