Genesis 42:24
in Genesis 42And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spake to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
KJV
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
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This verse in Genesis 42
Commentary
8 notes on this verseTook - Simeon and bound him before their eyes - This was retaliation, if, as the rabbins suppose, it was Simeon who bound Joseph, and put him into the pit. A recollection of this circumstance must exceedingly deepen the sense he had of his guilt.
This site's exposition
They did not realize that Joseph understood them
on Genesis 42:23-24
The interpreter between them is the wall Joseph keeps up while he listens to a confession meant for no Egyptian. He turns away from them and weeps, the first of the times he weeps over these men. Then he takes Simeon and has him bound before their eyes. Adam Clarke reports the old rabbinic reading that Simeon was the brother who bound Joseph.
This site's exposition
he took Simeon from them and had him bound
Joseph passes over Reuben the firstborn, whom he has just heard argue for his life, and takes Simeon, the second son. Simeon and Levi had shown their violence at Shechem in chapter 34. The other nine carry the sight of his chains home.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
See how Joseph takes every means of putting fear into them so that, on seeing Simeon's bonds, they may reveal whether they manifested any sympathy for their brother. You see, everything he does is to test their attitude out of his wish to discover if they had been like that in dealing with Benjamin. Hence Joseph also had Simeon bound in front of them to test them carefully and see if they showed any signs of affection for him. That is to say, concern for Simeon led them to hasten Benjamin's arrival, which he was anxious for, so as to gain assurance from his brother's arrival.
A commentator
QuodvultdeusBOOK OF PROMISES AND PREDICTIONS OF GOD 1.30.42 · Written before 450.
proposed
Hearing people talk about his brother, Joseph longed for him and said, "I will prove in this manner that you are not spies, if your younger brother comes along with you."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Though his reason directed that he should still carry himself as a stranger to them, because they were not as yet humbled enough, yet natural affection could not but work, for he was a man of a tender spirit. This represents the tender mercies of our God towards repenting sinners. 20 , Since I spoke against him I do earnestly remember him still.
And he turned himself about from them, and wept,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
put them . . . into ward three days--Their confinement had been designed to bring them to salutary reflection. And this object was attained, for they looked upon the retributive justice of God as now pursuing them in that foreign land. The drift of their conversation is one of the most striking instances on record of the power of conscience [Ge 42:21, 22].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּסֹּ֥ב | vaiyiso | and he turned away | H5437 → | 161 times |
| מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם | mealeihem | from with <the> them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ | vaiyevek | and he wept | H1058 → | 114 times |
| וַיָּ֤שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֲלֵהֶם֙ | ʾalehem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֲלֵהֶ֔ם | ʾalehem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וַיִּקַּ֤ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מֵֽאִתָּם֙ | meitam | from with <the> them | H854 → | 929 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שִׁמְע֔וֹן | shimon | Simeon | H8095 → | 44 times |
| וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ר | vaiyeesor | and he bound | H631 → | 72 times |
| אֹת֖וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃ | leeineihem | to eyes their | H5869 → | 887 times |
וַיִּסֹּ֥בand he turned away
vaiyisoH5437 →161 times
מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֖םfrom with <the> them
mealeihemH5921 →5755 times
וַיֵּ֑בְךְּand he wept
vaiyevekH1058 →114 times
וַיָּ֤שָׁבand he returned
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
אֲלֵהֶם֙to them
ʾalehemH413 →5510 times
וַיְדַבֵּ֣רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
אֲלֵהֶ֔םto them
ʾalehemH413 →5510 times
וַיִּקַּ֤חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
מֵֽאִתָּם֙from with <the> them
meitamH854 →929 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שִׁמְע֔וֹןSimeon
shimonH8095 →44 times
וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥רand he bound
vaiyeesorH631 →72 times
אֹת֖וֹ<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃to eyes their
leeineihemH5869 →887 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Luke 19:41As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
it leads to
- Luke 13:34–35
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you…
- Psalms 119:136
My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
- John 11:35
Jesus wept.
- Jeremiah 17:16
But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence.
- Jeremiah 13:17
But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
- Luke 13:34–35
Through
Genesis 43:14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
it leads to
- Esther 4:16
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast…
- Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
- Acts 21:14
When he would not be dissuaded, we fell silent and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
- Esther 4:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 64.11; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Quodvultdeus, BOOK OF PROMISES AND PREDICTIONS OF GOD 1.30.42.