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Genesis 42:15

in Genesis 42

And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

KJV

Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

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This verse in Genesis 42

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

By the life of Pharaoh - חי פרעה chey Pharaoh, Pharaoh liveth. As if he had said, As surely as the king of Egypt lives, so surely shall ye not go hence unless your brother come hither.

This site's exposition

Just as I said, you are spies

on Genesis 42:14-17

The test he sets has one aim, getting Benjamin down to Egypt. As surely as Pharaoh lives is the oath of the country he governs, and Adam Clarke reads it as the speech of the Egyptian they take him to be. Then he holds all ten in custody for three days. In chapter 37 they threw their brother into a pit and sat down to eat.

This site's exposition

you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here

The test is built so the only proof of their story is Benjamin in person. Joseph has no other way to learn whether they have harmed Rachel's second son as they harmed him. The demand puts their father's favourite in their hands.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Hereby ye shall be proved,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

By the life of Pharaoh--It is a very common practice in Western Asia to swear by the life of the king. Joseph spoke in the style of an Egyptian and perhaps did not think there was any evil in it.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

The words behind it

13 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • בְּזֹ֖אתby this

    bezotH2063 →603 times

  • תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּyou will be tested

    tibachenuH974 →

  • חֵ֤י[by] [the] life of

    cheiH2416 →498 times

  • פַרְעֹה֙Pharaoh

    farohH6547 →274 times

  • אִם־if

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • תֵּצְא֣וּyou will go out

    tetzeuH3318 →1067 times

  • מִזֶּ֔הfrom here

    mizehH2088 →1180 times

  • כִּ֧יthat

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • אִם־except

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • בְּב֛וֹאwhen comes

    bevo'H935 →2568 times

  • אֲחִיכֶ֥םbrother your

    ʾachikhemH251 →630 times

  • הַקָּטֹ֖ן<the> young

    hakatonH6996 →101 times

  • הֵֽנָּה׃here

    henahH2008 →49 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Genesis 44:21Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’5 works1 Samuel 17:55As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “As surely as you live, O king,” Abner replied, “I do not know.”4 worksGenesis 42:20Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.3 worksGenesis 42:33Then the man who is lord of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go.3 worksMatthew 5:33–37Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’2 worksGenesis 44:20–34And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’2 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Deuteronomy 6:13Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.2 worksGenesis 43:3But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’2 worksGenesis 42:34But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”2 worksGenesis 42:12“No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”2 worksGenesis 42:30“The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.2 worksMatthew 23:16–22Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’2 worksJeremiah 5:2Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”2 worksGenesis 42:7And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”2 works1 Samuel 20:3But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”2 worksGenesis 42:16Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”2 worksJeremiah 5:7“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery and assembled at the houses of prostitutes.2 worksJames 5:12Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Deuteronomy 6:13

    Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.

    it leads to

    • Luke 4:8

      But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

    • Deuteronomy 10:20

      You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.

    • Matthew 4:10

      “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

    • Deuteronomy 13:4

      You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.

    • Leviticus 19:12

      You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

  • Through

    Genesis 43:3

    But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

    it leads to

    • Genesis 44:23

      But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’

    • Genesis 43:5

      But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

  • Through

    1 Samuel 17:55

    As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “As surely as you live, O king,”…

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 16:21–22

      When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer.

Where this verse is studied

About Genesis

The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.
The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.
Genesis: the study guide →Read Genesis 42 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Genesis 42 →