Genesis 42:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.

NIV: But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.' This they proceeded to do.

NASB: and bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified, and you will not die.' And they did so.

CSB: Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this.

NLT: But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.' To this they agreed.

KJV: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

NKJV: And bring your young est brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers (Genesis 37:28), only to rise to power as the governor of all Egypt (Genesis 41:44). During the famine predicted by Pharaoh's dreams (Genesis 41:28–32), Joseph's brothers have come to buy grain (Genesis 42:1–5). They don't recognize Joseph, who speaks harshly to them, partly to maintain the secret (Genesis 42:6–17). After holding them for three days, he has told his ten older half-brothers that he will allow them to live if they do as he says. Nine of them must travel back to Canaan with food for their families. One must stay behind as a kind of collateral (Genesis 42:18–19).

In the moment, Joseph's actions seem vindictive. Later verses, however, show the compassion he has for his family, despite their betrayal. This is a way for Joseph to test his brothers, while giving them a well-deserved rebuke, and to secure his family against starvation (Genesis 47:11–12).

Now Joseph gets to the one point on which he insists: They must return with the youngest brother to prove they have told the truth. If they come back without the boy, he will have them killed. If they never come back, it will mean abandoning their brother forever. The brothers agree to this immediately, but a difficult discussion about the plan will follow.

Genesis 42:18–28 describes a powerful Egyptian governor sending nine of Jacob's sons home with purchased grain, while keeping Simeon as collateral. He commands the others to return only if they can prove their honesty by bringing along their youngest brother. The men tell each other they must be suffering for abusing another brother, Joseph (Genesis 37:28). They don't realize the governor is Joseph himself (Genesis 42:7) and that he understands their language. After leaving, the horrified brothers find the payment for the grain is still in their bags. They do not know Joseph secretly arranged to give it back to them.

Genesis 42 describes the moment Joseph sees his brothers for the first time since they sold him into slavery over 20 years earlier. They have come to Egypt to buy grain, and they do not recognize him. He keeps his secret, speaking roughly to them and hinting they may be spies. He allows them to leave only if they promise to return with their youngest brother Benjamin. He keeps Simeon as collateral but sends them off with full sacks of grain for their family. He also secretly returns their money, something they are terrified to discover on the way home. Back in Canaan, Jacob responds to this terrible news with bitterness and vindictive blame.

Twenty years prior to the events of this chapter, Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:28). Miraculously, Joseph is now the governor of the nation of Egypt (Genesis 41:44). His brothers, who know nothing of Joseph's fate, have come to buy food during a terrible famine (Genesis 41:56–57). Joseph, probably and justifiably angry at his brothers, keeps his identity a secret, at first. Over the next several chapters, he will test, challenge, and chasten them. Yet there is no revenge involved; everything Joseph does furthers a long-term goal of rescuing the family from starvation.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.