The Meaning of Genesis 42:5 Explained

Genesis 42:5

KJV: And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

YLT: And the sons of Israel come to buy in the midst of those coming, for the famine hath been in the land of Canaan,

Darby: So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those that came; for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

ASV: And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the sons  of Israel  came  to buy  [corn] among  those that came:  for the famine  was in the land  of Canaan. 

What does Genesis 42:5 Mean?

Study Notes

famine
See note, .
A famine was often a disciplinary testing of God's people in the land. (Cf) Genesis 26:1 ; Genesis 42:5 ; Ruth 1:1 ; 2 Samuel 24:13 ; Psalms 105:16 .
The resort to Egypt (the world) is typical of the tendency to substitute for lost spiritual power the fleshly resources of the world, instead of seeking, through confession and amendment, the restoration of God's presence and favour.

Context Summary

Genesis 42:1-17 - Joseph Sees His Ten Brothers
The true interpretation of Joseph's treatment of his brethren is to be found in the supposition that he repeated toward them, as nearly as possible, the behavior that they had shown to himself at the pit's mouth, and this with no thought of retaliation, but that their consciences might be awakened, and that he might discover if they would deal differently with Benjamin than they had dealt with him. He needed to be sure of their repentance before he could trust himself to them again. His purpose therefore was in part secured when he heard them saying to each other in the dear old home-tongue, which they never expected him to understand, "We are verily guilty because of our brother." So God deals with us. The east wind blows bitterly in our faces, the famine is behind and the harsh governor before. All these things are hard to bear; but behind them is the tenderest love, which struggles with its tears and is only eager to get us right before entrusting itself to us. [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 42:5 mean?

And went the sons of Israel to buy grain among those who journeyed for was the famine in the land of Canaan
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּאִ֑ים כִּֽי־ הָיָ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן

וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙  And  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר  to  buy  grain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁבַר  
Sense: to buy or purchase grain.
הַבָּאִ֑ים  those  who  journeyed 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הָרָעָ֖ב  the  famine 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
כְּנָֽעַן  of  Canaan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנַעַן 
Sense: the 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 42:5?

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