Thematic Bible
Genesis 42:1 (show verse)
Now when Jacob (Israel) learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another [in bewilderment and not taking action]?”
Genesis 42:2 (show verse)
He said, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy [some] grain for us, so that we may live and not die [of starvation].”
Genesis 42:3 (show verse)
So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
Genesis 42:4 (show verse)
But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s [younger] brother, with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that some harm or injury may come to him.”
Children » Parents, duty to » Partiality toward
Commerce » Carried on by » Egyptians
Commerce » Egyptians
Egypt » History of israel in » Joseph's ten brethren arrive
Home » Parental indulgence » Partiality of parents
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Parents » Parental affection exemplified by » jacob
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Partiality » Parents
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Commerce » Egyptians
Egypt » History of israel in » Joseph's ten brethren arrive
Home » Parental indulgence » Partiality of parents
Parents » Examples of fathers' love » Partiality
Parents » Parental affection exemplified by » jacob
Parents » Partiality of » Jacob for benjamin
Partiality » Parents
Genesis 42:5 (show verse)
So the sons of Israel came [to Egypt] to buy grain along with the others who were coming, for famine was in the land of Canaan also.
Genesis 42:6 (show verse)
Now Joseph was the ruler over the land, and he was the one who sold [grain] to all the people of the land; and Joseph’s [half] brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
Genesis 42:7 (show verse)
When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but [hiding his identity] he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. He said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
Genesis 42:8 (show verse)
Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
Genesis 42:9 (show verse)
Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come [with a malicious purpose] to observe the undefended parts of our land.”
Genesis 42:10 (show verse)
But they said to him, “No, my lord, for your servants have [only] come to buy food.
Genesis 42:11 (show verse)
We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.”
Genesis 42:12 (show verse)
Yet he said to them, “No, you have come to see the undefended parts of our land.”
Genesis 42:13 (show verse)
But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers [in all], the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; please listen: the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.”
Genesis 42:14 (show verse)
Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies.
Genesis 42:15 (show verse)
In this way you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here!
Genesis 42:16 (show verse)
Send one of you [back home], and let him bring your brother [here], while [the rest of] you remain confined, so that your words may be tested, [to see] whether there is any truth in you [and your story]; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, certainly you are spies.”
Genesis 42:17 (show verse)
Then Joseph put them all in prison for three days.
Genesis 42:18 (show verse)
Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and [you may] live, for I fear God:
Genesis 42:19 (show verse)
if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your [place here in] prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine in your households,
Genesis 42:20 (show verse)
but bring your youngest brother to me, so your words will be verified and you will not die.” And they did so.
Genesis 42:21 (show verse)
And they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty regarding our brother [Joseph], because we saw the distress and anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us [to let him go], yet we would not listen [to his cry]; so this distress and anguish has come on us.”
Afflictions made beneficial » Exemplified » Joseph's brethren
Commerce » Carried on by » Egyptians
Commerce » Egyptians
Conscience » Accuses of sin
Conscience » Instances of » Of joseph's brethren
Conscience » Guilty » Joseph's brethren
Conviction » Instances of » Joseph's brother, on account of their cruelty to joseph
Examples of Afflictions » Exemplified » Joseph's brethren
Exposure » No matter how committed, sin will be exposed » Like the sin of joseph's brethren, it may be years before its discover
Guilt » Joseph's brethren
Guilty conscience » Joseph's brethren
Malice » Instances of » Joseph's brothers toward joseph
Repentance » Instances of » Joseph's brothers, of their maltreatment of joseph
Sin » Guilt of » Joseph's brethren
Sin » Will be exposed, no matter how committed » Like the sin of joseph's brethren, it may be years before its discovery
Sinners » Snared no matter how committed, sin will be exposed » Like the sin of joseph's brethren, it may be years before its discovery
The wicked » Guilt of » Joseph's brethren
Commerce » Carried on by » Egyptians
Commerce » Egyptians
Conscience » Accuses of sin
Conscience » Instances of » Of joseph's brethren
Conscience » Guilty » Joseph's brethren
Conviction » Instances of » Joseph's brother, on account of their cruelty to joseph
Examples of Afflictions » Exemplified » Joseph's brethren
Exposure » No matter how committed, sin will be exposed » Like the sin of joseph's brethren, it may be years before its discover
Guilt » Joseph's brethren
Guilty conscience » Joseph's brethren
Malice » Instances of » Joseph's brothers toward joseph
Repentance » Instances of » Joseph's brothers, of their maltreatment of joseph
Sin » Guilt of » Joseph's brethren
Sin » Will be exposed, no matter how committed » Like the sin of joseph's brethren, it may be years before its discovery
Sinners » Snared no matter how committed, sin will be exposed » Like the sin of joseph's brethren, it may be years before its discovery
The wicked » Guilt of » Joseph's brethren
Genesis 42:22 (show verse)
Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now the accounting for his blood is required [of us for we are guilty of his death].”
Genesis 42:23 (show verse)
They did not know that Joseph understood [their conversation], because he spoke to them through an interpreter.
Genesis 42:24 (show verse)
He turned away from his brothers and [left the room and] wept; then he returned and talked with them, and took Simeon from them and bound him in front of them [to be kept as a hostage in Egypt].
Genesis 42:25 (show verse)
Then Joseph gave orders [privately] that their bags be filled with grain, and that every man’s money [used to pay for the grain] be put back in his sack, and that provisions be given to them for the journey. And so this was done for them.
Genesis 42:26 (show verse)
They loaded their donkeys with grain and left from there.
Genesis 42:27 (show verse)
And at the lodging place, as one of them opened his sack to feed his donkey, he saw his money in the opening of his sack.
Genesis 42:28 (show verse)
And he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned! Here it is in my sack!” And their hearts sank, and they were afraid and turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
Genesis 42:29 (show verse)
When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him everything that had happened to them, saying,
Genesis 42:30 (show verse)
“The man who is the lord of the land spoke harshly to us, and took us for spies of the land.
Genesis 42:31 (show verse)
But we told him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.
Genesis 42:32 (show verse)
We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’
Genesis 42:33 (show verse)
And the man, the lord of the country, said to us, ‘By this [test] I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers here with me and take grain for your starving households and go.
Genesis 42:34 (show verse)
Bring your youngest brother to me; then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. Then I will return your [imprisoned] brother [back] to you, and you may trade and do business in the land.’”
Genesis 42:35 (show verse)
Now when they emptied their sacks, every man’s bundle of money [paid to buy grain] was in his sack. When they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
Genesis 42:36 (show verse)
Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me [by causing the loss] of my children. Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin [from me]. All these things are [working] against me.”
Genesis 42:37 (show verse)
Then Reuben spoke to his father, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring Benjamin back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you.”
No Themes for this verse.
Genesis 42:38 (show verse)
But Jacob said, “My son shall not go down [to Egypt] with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left [of Rachel’s children]. If any harm or accident should happen to him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol (the place of the dead) in sorrow.”
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Parents » Examples of fathers' love » jacob
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Fathers » Examples of fathers' love » jacob
Home » Examples of fathers' love » jacob
Love » Examples of fathers' love » jacob
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Love » Fathers » jacob
Mourning » Examples of grief
Parents » Parental affection exemplified by » jacob
Parents » Examples of fathers' love » jacob
Paternal love » Examples of fathers' love » jacob