Genesis 42:31
in Genesis 42But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
KJV
And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
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This verse in Genesis 42
Commentary
2 notes on this verseAnd we said unto him, we are true men,.... Honest, upright men, not given to treacherous and treasonable practices, either in the country where they lived, or any other; they came to Egypt with no ill design upon the country, only to buy corn for the relief of their families in necessity: we are no spies; or never were (e): they had never been guilty of such practices, and never charged with anything of that kind; they denied the charge, and detested the character. (e) לא היינו "non fuimus", Montanus; "nunquam fuimus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.
This site's exposition
When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan
on Genesis 42:29-34
The report they give Jacob follows the meeting closely, with one thing left out and one thing added. They leave out what they said to one another in custody, that they were being punished for their brother, and John Gill notes that the trade in the land was never offered them. Jacob hears the kinder version.
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַנֹּ֥אמֶר | vanomer | and we said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלָ֖יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כֵּנִ֣ים | kenim | [are] honest | H3651 → | 771 times |
| אֲנָ֑חְנוּ | ʾanachenu | we | H587 → | 120 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָיִ֖ינוּ | hayinu | we are | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מְרַגְּלִֽים׃ | meragelim | spies | H7270 → | 25 times |
וַנֹּ֥אמֶרand we said
vanomerH559 →5305 times
אֵלָ֖יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
כֵּנִ֣ים[are] honest
kenimH3651 →771 times
אֲנָ֑חְנוּwe
ʾanachenuH587 →120 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
הָיִ֖ינוּwe are
hayinuH1961 →3559 times
מְרַגְּלִֽים׃spies
meragelimH7270 →25 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
4 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
Genesis 42:11We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”
it leads to
- Genesis 42:19
If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households.
- 2 Corinthians 6:4
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;
- John 7:18
He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood.
- Genesis 42:33–34
Then 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…
- Genesis 42:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.