The Meaning of Genesis 42:28 Explained

Genesis 42:28

KJV: And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?

YLT: and he saith unto his brethren, 'My money hath been put back, and also, lo, in my bag:' and their heart goeth out, and they tremble, one to another saying, 'What is this God hath done to us!'

Darby: And he said to his brethren, My money is returned to me, and behold, it is even in my sack. And their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God has done to us?

ASV: And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying, What is this that God hath done unto us?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said  unto his brethren,  My money  is restored;  and, lo,  [it is] even in my sack:  and their heart  failed  [them], and they were afraid,  saying  one  to another,  What [is] this [that] God  hath done  unto us? 

What does Genesis 42:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 42:18-38 - Simeon Held The Others Sent Home
The behavior of this great Egyptian official-for so the brethren deemed him-must have seemed very hard and tyrannical to the trembling shepherds from the far land of Canaan. They had no idea that he understood what they said, and turned away to weep. But we can read his inner meaning. He must secure their return, so he kept Simeon bound. He wanted to see the beloved Benjamin, and to test their behavior to him, so he threatened that they should not see his face unless their youngest brother accompanied them. He gave to them of his kindly care in the gift of provisions and the return of their money. It was natural that the old father heard their story with failing-heart-"All these things are against me." Nay, in all these things was the life of the Spirit, and in all these things we are more than conquerors. See Romans 8:37.
"Judge not the Lord with feeble sense,
But trust him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face." [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 42

1  Jacob sends his ten sons to buy grain in Egypt
16  They are imprisoned by Joseph as spies
18  They are set at liberty, on condition to bring Benjamin
21  They have remorse for Joseph
24  Simeon is kept for a pledge
25  They return with grain, and their money
29  Their relation to Jacob
36  Jacob refuses to send Benjamin

What do the individual words in Genesis 42:28 mean?

So he said to his brothers has been restored my silver and there it is in my sack And failed [them] their hearts and they were afraid one another saying what [is] this [that] has done God to us
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־ אֶחָיו֙ הוּשַׁ֣ב כַּסְפִּ֔י וְגַ֖ם הִנֵּ֣ה בְאַמְתַּחְתִּ֑י וַיֵּצֵ֣א לִבָּ֗ם וַיֶּֽחֶרְד֞וּ אִ֤ישׁ אָחִיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מַה־ זֹּ֛את עָשָׂ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים לָֽנוּ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  So  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֶחָיו֙  his  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הוּשַׁ֣ב  has  been  restored 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
כַּסְפִּ֔י  my  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
הִנֵּ֣ה  there  it  is 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
בְאַמְתַּחְתִּ֑י  in  my  sack 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אַמְתַּחַת  
Sense: sack, flexible container (for grain).
וַיֵּצֵ֣א  And  failed  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
לִבָּ֗ם  their  hearts 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
וַיֶּֽחֶרְד֞וּ  and  they  were  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָרַד  
Sense: to tremble, quake, move about, be afraid, be startled, be terrified.
אִ֤ישׁ  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אָחִיו֙  another 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מַה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
זֹּ֛את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
עָשָׂ֥ה  [that]  has  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לָֽנוּ  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural