Keraia
Genesis 42

Genesis 42:7

Joseph’s Brothers Sent to Egypt · Genesis 42:1–24
Read Genesis 42

Translations

Modern
And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”
Traditional
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Literal
And Joseph saw his brothers and he recognized them, and he made himself strange to them, and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “From where have you come?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
Latin
…et agnovisset eos, quasi ad alienos durius loquebatur, interrogans eos: Unde venistis? Qui responderunt: De terra Chanaan, ut emamus victui necessaria.

Original

Hebrew
English
And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

Notes

Genesis 42:6–7

Joseph's first dream (37:5–11) was partially fulfilled when his brothers bowed down to him without recognizing him (see also 43:26; 44:14). It was totally fulfilled in 50:18. Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, but he could not reveal himself because he did not yet trust them to be the honest men they claimed to be (42:10).

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

People

Joseph: Son of Jacob, ruler in Egypt

Places

Canaan: Ancient region; descendants of Ham; promised to Abraham's descendants

Glossary

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

Topics

Commerce: Carried on by Egyptians Commerce: Egyptians Dissembling: Joseph Egypt: Israel in Joseph Recognizes his Brethren