The Meaning of Genesis 43:3 Explained

Genesis 43:3

KJV: And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

YLT: And Judah speaketh unto him, saying, 'The man protesting protested to us, saying, Ye do not see my face without your brother being with you;

Darby: And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did positively testify to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your brother be with you.

ASV: And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Judah  spake  unto him, saying,  The man  did solemnly  protest  unto us, saying,  Ye shall not see  my face,  except  your brother  [be] with you. 

What does Genesis 43:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 43:1-15 - The Brothers Return With Benjamin
Joseph, in giving corn to save his own brethren and the Egyptians from starvation, is a type of our Lord, who gives the bread of life to Jew and Gentile-to all that come to Him in their hopeless need. And in this return of the full money in the sacks we are reminded that salvation is without money and without price. Whatever we bring to enrich Christ He returns to us. His gifts are all of His unmerited grace and favor. Very often we move forward with dread into the unknown; but that dread is the child of ignorance. If only we realized that love is waiting for us there, which does not ask for balm and honey, for spices and myrrh, but just for ourselves, how much happier life would become! Lift up your hearts; a feast awaits you! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 43

1  Jacob is persuaded to send Benjamin
15  Joseph entertains his brothers
19  They discover their fears to the steward
26  Joseph makes them a feast

What do the individual words in Genesis 43:3 mean?

But spoke to him Judah saying solemnly warned us the man saying not you shall see my face unless your brother [is] with you
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלָ֛יו יְהוּדָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הָעֵ֣ד הֵעִד֩ בָּ֨נוּ הָאִ֤ישׁ לֵאמֹר֙ לֹֽא־ תִרְא֣וּ פָנַ֔י בִּלְתִּ֖י אֲחִיכֶ֥ם אִתְּכֶֽם

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר  But  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֛יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְהוּדָ֖ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָעֵ֣ד  solemnly 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: עוּד 
Sense: to return, repeat, go about, do again.
הֵעִד֩  warned 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּד 
Sense: to return, repeat, go about, do again.
בָּ֨נוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
הָאִ֤ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לֵאמֹר֙  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תִרְא֣וּ  you  shall  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
פָנַ֔י  my  face 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בִּלְתִּ֖י  unless 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
אֲחִיכֶ֥ם  your  brother  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
אִתְּכֶֽם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.