You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’
Parallel Translations
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You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’
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And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
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And thou saidst unto thy servants: Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Genesis 44:23 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 43:3 Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
- Genesis 43:5 but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ ”
- Genesis 42:15-20 By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.” He put them all together into custody for three days. Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God. If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses. Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (3 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
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Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Why would Joseph expose his father to the hazard…
Quest.
Why would Joseph expose his father to the hazard of his life, in parting with his dear child?
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Answ. Joseph supposed that to be but a pretence, and might fear lest his brethren had disposed of Benjamin as they did of him, and therefore could not bring him forth. And as for his father, the experience which he had of his continuance in life and health after the supposed untimely death of Joseph, gave him good assurance that his parting with Benjamin for a season, and that under the care and charge of his brethren, was not likely to make any dangerous impression upon him.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And thou saidst unto thy servants,.... In answer to…
And thou saidst unto thy servants,.... In answer to the representation of things made by them, and notwithstanding that:
except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face no more; which though not before related in the discourse, which passed between Joseph and his brethren, in express terms, yet might be justly inferred from what he said; nay, might be expressed in so many words, though not recorded, and as it seems plainly it was, as appears from Gen 43:3.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Judah continues his story to Joseph
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Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'
This is a quotation within a quotation. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. AT: "Then you said to your servants that unless our youngest brother comes with us, we would not see you again." (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)
Then you said to your servants
Judah refers to himself and his brothers as "your servants." This is a formal way of speaking to someone with greater authority. AT: "Then you said to us, your servants" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)
comes down ... go down
It was common to use the word "down" when speaking of traveling from Canaan to Egypt.
you will not see my face again
Here "face" stands for the whole person. AT: "you will not see me again" (See: Synecdoche)
Then it came about
This phrase is used here to mark the beginning of a new part of the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here. (See: Introduction of a New Event)
we went up to your servant my father
It was common to use the phrase "went up" when speaking of traveling from Egypt to Canaan.
we told him the words of my master
Judah refers to Joseph as "my master." AT: "we told him what you said, my master" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)
Our father said, 'Go again, buy us some food.'
This is a quotation within a quotation. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. AT: "Our father told us to go again to Egypt to buy food for us and our families." (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)
Then we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother ... is with us.'
This is a quotation within a quotation. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. AT: "Then we said to him that we cannot go down to Egypt. We told him that if our youngest brother is with us ... is with us" (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)
to see the man's face
Here "face" stands for the whole person. AT: "to see the man" (See: Synecdoche)
translationWords
servant
word
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.