Genesis 42:4
in Genesis 42But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure harm befall him.
KJV
But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 42
Commentary
4 notes on this verseNor does everyone undertake this business matter, but only the sons of Jacob and only those sons of more mature age. Thus ten sons go, whereas the youngest son does not go. The father did not send him; else "infirmity may befall him." Benjamin, the youngest, was still subject to infirmity. Granted, [in] the name Benjamin the patriarch is read, but Paul, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, was being prefigured. Jacob was right to hesitate over his infirmity. Indeed, he was made infirm so that he could be healed.
This site's exposition
ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain
on Genesis 42:3-5
Ten of Joseph's brothers go down for grain, and the text counts them by the brother they sold. John Gill notes that they go to Egypt for bread from the man they had sold into it. Jacob holds Benjamin back, afraid that harm might befall him. The famine had spread to Canaan, so the sons of Israel travelled with the crowds who came to buy.
This site's exposition
I am afraid that harm might befall him
Benjamin is the one son of Rachel left at home, and Jacob keeps him back as he once sent Joseph out alone at 37:13. Harm is ason in Hebrew. The word returns in Jacob's refusal at 42:38 and in Judah's plea at 44:29.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren,....
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בִּנְיָמִין֙ | binyamin | Benjamin | H1144 → | 166 times |
| אֲחִ֣י | ʾachi | [the] brother of | H251 → | 630 times |
| יוֹסֵ֔ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁלַ֥ח | shalach | he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֖ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| אֶחָ֑יו | ʾechav | brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָמַ֔ר | ʾamar | he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| פֶּן־ | pen- | lest | H6435 → | 133 times |
| יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּ | yikraenu | it should happen to him | H7122 → | 139 times |
| אָסֽוֹן׃ | ʾason | harm | H611 → | 5 times |
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בִּנְיָמִין֙Benjamin
binyaminH1144 →166 times
אֲחִ֣י[the] brother of
ʾachiH251 →630 times
יוֹסֵ֔ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁלַ֥חhe sent
shalachH7971 →845 times
יַעֲקֹ֖בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
אֶחָ֑יוbrothers his
ʾechavH251 →630 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אָמַ֔רhe said
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
פֶּן־lest
pen-H6435 →133 times
יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּit should happen to him
yikraenuH7122 →139 times
אָסֽוֹן׃harm
ʾasonH611 →5 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
Genesis 11:4“Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 1:28
Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw…
- John 5:44
How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- Luke 1:51
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
- Daniel 4:30
the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”
- Deuteronomy 9:1
Hear, O Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens.
- Deuteronomy 1:28
Through
Genesis 42:38But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring…
it leads to
- Genesis 37:35
All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
- Genesis 37:33
His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”
- Genesis 42:13
But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”
- Genesis 37:35
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 Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; Chuck Missler, The Book of Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.