Genesis 42:6
in Genesis 42Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.
KJV
And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
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This verse in Genesis 42
Commentary
7 notes on this verseJoseph was the governor - שליט shallit, an intendant, a protector, from שלט skalat, to be over as a protector; hence שלטים shelatim, shields, or arms for protection and defense, 2Sa 8:7; and שלטון shilton, power and authority, Ecc 8:4, Ecc 8:8; and hence the Arabic sultan, a lord, prince, or king, from salata, he obtained and exercised dominion, he ruled. Was it not from this very circumstance, Joseph being shallit, that all the Mohammedan governors of Egypt, etc., took the title of sultan?
This site's exposition
Joseph was the ruler of the land
on Genesis 42:6-8
His brothers bow to the ground in front of him, and the sheaves of his first dream are standing up. He recognized them, he spoke harshly to them, and he treated them as strangers. Jacob had fooled a blind father with his brother's clothing, these men had fooled Jacob with a coat and goat's blood, and now the brother they sold speaks to them through an Egyptian face. Spurgeon read the harsh speech as kindness at work.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
They did all this out of ignorance for the time being. You see, it was a long time since they had last seen Joseph, and so they no longer recognized their brother's appearance. After all, it was likely that some change had occurred in him now that he had reached maturity. Still, I'm inclined to think that it all happened as a result of the dispensation of the God of all so that they would fail to recognize their brother either from conversing with him or by sight. After all, how on earth would they have formed such an idea? I mean, they were under the impression that he had become a slave of the Ishmaelites and by now was enduring slavery under the barbarians. Whereas they were in no position to conceive any other idea and so recognize Joseph, he recognized them as soon as he saw them and took every care to conceal his identity, wishing to deal with them as with foreigners.
The Reformation1 voice
Let it be, moreover, understood, that the corn was sold by Joseph, not as if he measured it out with his own hands, or himself received the money for it, seeing that it was set to sale in many parts of the kingdom, and he could scarcely have attended to one single storehouse: but that the whole of the stores were under his power.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
And Joseph was the governor over the land,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him--His prophetic dreams [Ge 37:5-11] were in the course of being fulfilled, and the atrocious barbarity of his brethren had been the means of bringing about the very issue they had planned to prevent (Isa 60:14; Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, . . . but they knew not him--This is not strange.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיוֹסֵ֗ף | veyosef | and Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| ה֚וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַשַּׁלִּ֣יט | hashalit | [was] the ruler | H7989 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| ה֥וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַמַּשְׁבִּ֖יר | hamashbir | [was] the [one who] sold grain | H7666 → | 21 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עַ֣ם | ʾam | [the] people of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָאָ֑רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ | vaiyavou | and they came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֲחֵ֣י | ʾachei | [the] brothers of | H251 → | 630 times |
| יוֹסֵ֔ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ | vaiyishtachavu- | and they bowed down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| אַפַּ֖יִם | ʾapayim | face | H639 → | 276 times |
| אָֽרְצָה׃ | ʾaretzah | [the] ground towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
וְיוֹסֵ֗ףand Joseph
veyosefH3130 →213 times
ה֚וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הַשַּׁלִּ֣יט[was] the ruler
hashalitH7989 →
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
ה֥וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הַמַּשְׁבִּ֖יר[was] the [one who] sold grain
hamashbirH7666 →21 times
לְכָל־to all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
עַ֣ם[the] people of
ʾamH5971 →1873 times
הָאָ֑רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙and they came
vaiyavouH935 →2568 times
אֲחֵ֣י[the] brothers of
ʾacheiH251 →630 times
יוֹסֵ֔ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־and they bowed down
vaiyishtachavu-H7812 →172 times
ל֥וֹto <the> him
lo
אַפַּ֖יִםface
ʾapayimH639 →276 times
אָֽרְצָה׃[the] ground towards
ʾaretzahH776 →2504 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 18:2And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
- Genesis 18:22
And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
- Judges 13:3
The angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are barren and have no children; but you will conceive and give birth to a son.
- Hebrews 13:2
Through
Acts 7:10and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:4
Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
- 2 Timothy 4:18
And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
- Genesis 48:16
the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow…
- Psalms 22:24
For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.
- Proverbs 3:4
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; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, sermon 'Rough, But Friendly'; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 64.5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.