Genesis 42:21

Translations

Modern

Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

Traditional

And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

Literal

And they said each man to his brother, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we did not listen. Upon thus, this distress has come upon us.”

Latin

…et locuti sunt ad invicem: Merito hæc patimur, quia peccavimus in fratrem nostrum, videntes angustiam animæ illius, dum deprecaretur nos, et non audivimus: idcirco venit super nos ista tribulatio.

Original

Hebrew

English

Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

Notes

Genesis 42:21–23

Surely we are being punished: The brothers believed that God was punishing them. They thought this because they now had to bring Benjamin to Egypt, even though their father did not want this. They connected this trouble with their past sin of selling Joseph to traders.

They began to see this as divine punishment (God judging wrong actions). The fear of divine punishment began to cause feelings of guilt that Joseph's cries for mercy and their father's tears had failed to produce (37:34–35).

Genesis 42:1–44:34

Joseph did several unusual things to his brothers when they came looking for grain. The last time Joseph had been with them, they were filled with jealousy, hatred, and anger; they attempted to destroy their brother, and they deceived their father. Joseph put them through various tests, similar to the trying situations they had put him through, to see if they had changed.

Theme notes and profiles

Egypt Joseph Symbolic Numbers

Events

7 years of faminec. 1708 BC
Joseph's brothers go to Egyptc. 1707 BC

Related verses

Hosea 5:15
Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
Job 36:8–9
And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
Genesis 37:23–28
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing—
Mark 9:43–45
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.
James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
1 Kings 17:18
“O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”
Proverbs 28:17
A man burdened by bloodguilt will flee into the Pit; let no one support him.
Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
Mark 9:48
…where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’
Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Proverbs 24:11–12
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Genesis 41:9
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures.

Glossary

Benjamin (Person) Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Famine Genesis, Book of Jacob Patriarchs, Period of the Wheat

Topics

Afflictions and Adversities: Benefits of, Illustrated Afflictions and Adversities: Joseph's Brethren Afflictions Made Beneficial: Joseph's Brethren Commerce: Carried on by Egyptians Commerce: Egyptians Conscience of Joseph's Brethren Conscience: Accuses of Sin Conviction: Joseph's Brother, on Account of Their Cruelty to Joseph Malice: Joseph's Brothers Toward Joseph Repentance: Joseph's Brothers, of Their Maltreatment of Joseph

Genesis 42:21

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