The Meaning of Genesis 42:33 Explained

Genesis 42:33

KJV: And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:

YLT: And the man, the lord of the land, saith unto us, By this I know that ye are right men -- one of your brethren leave with me, and for the famine of your houses take ye and go,

Darby: And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, Hereby shall I know that ye are honest: leave one of your brethren with me, and take for the hunger of your households, and go,

ASV: And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men: leave one of your brethren with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the man,  the lord  of the country,  said  unto us, Hereby shall I know  that ye [are] true  [men]; leave  one  of your brethren  [here] with me, and take  [food for] the famine  of your households,  and be gone: 

What does Genesis 42:33 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 42:33 mean?

And said to us the man lord of the country by this I will know that honest you [are] of your brothers one leave [here] with me and [food for] the famine of your households take and be gone
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֵ֗ינוּ הָאִישׁ֙ אֲדֹנֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּזֹ֣את אֵדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כֵנִ֖ים : אַתֶּ֑ם אֲחִיכֶ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ הַנִּ֣יחוּ אִתִּ֔י וְאֶת־ רַעֲב֥וֹן בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם קְח֥וּ וָלֵֽכוּ

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלֵ֗ינוּ  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָאִישׁ֙  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֲדֹנֵ֣י  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  of  the  country 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בְּזֹ֣את  by  this 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
אֵדַ֔ע  I  will  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
כֵנִ֖ים  honest 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
: אַתֶּ֑ם  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
אֲחִיכֶ֤ם  of  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הָֽאֶחָד֙  one 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
הַנִּ֣יחוּ  leave  [here] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: מֻנָּח  
Sense: to rest.
אִתִּ֔י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
רַעֲב֥וֹן  [food  for]  the  famine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רְעָבֹון  
Sense: hunger, lack of food, famine.
בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם  of  your  households 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
קְח֥וּ  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וָלֵֽכוּ  and  be  gone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 42:33?

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