Genesis 43:20
in Genesis 43“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and said, Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
KJV
And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
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This verse in Genesis 43
Commentary
4 notes on this verseO sir, we came indeed - to buy food - There is a frankness now in the conduct of Joseph’s brethren that did not exist before; they simply and honestly relate the whole circumstance of the money being found in their sacks on their return from their last journey. Afflictions from the hand of God, and under his direction, have a wonderful tendency to humble the soul. Did men know how gracious his designs are in sending such, no murmur would ever be heard against the dispensations of Divine Providence.
This site's exposition
the brothers were frightened
on Genesis 43:18-20
An invitation to dinner reads to them as arrest. They name the silver returned in their bags as the reason they were brought to Joseph's house. The fear they speak is that the steward will overpower them and take them as slaves with their donkeys. Adam Clarke's line on it is that a guilty conscience needs no accuser, and Ambrose of Milan noticed that they plead at the entrance before anyone accuses them.
This site's exposition
Please, sir
Please, sir renders the Hebrew bi adoni, the plea of a lesser man before a great one. Judah will open his long speech at 44:18 with the same two words. They insist first on why they came, to buy food.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And said, O sir,....
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בִּ֣י | bi | pardon us | H994 → | |
| אֲדֹנִ֑י | ʾadoni | O lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| יָרֹ֥ד | yarod | certainly <to come down> | H3381 → | 381 times |
| יָרַ֛דְנוּ | yaradnu | we came down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה | batechilah | at the beginning | H8462 → | 22 times |
| לִשְׁבָּר־ | lishbor- | to buy | H7666 → | 21 times |
| אֹֽכֶל׃ | ʾokhel | food | H400 → | 43 times |
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
בִּ֣יpardon us
biH994 →
אֲדֹנִ֑יO lord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
יָרֹ֥דcertainly <to come down>
yarodH3381 →381 times
יָרַ֛דְנוּwe came down
yaradnuH3381 →381 times
בַּתְּחִלָּ֖הat the beginning
batechilahH8462 →22 times
לִשְׁבָּר־to buy
lishbor-H7666 →21 times
אֹֽכֶל׃food
ʾokhelH400 →43 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 43:7They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that…
it leads to
- 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.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 43:3
But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
- Genesis 42:13
Through
Genesis 43:3But 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.’”
- Genesis 44:23
Through
Genesis 42:10“Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food.
it leads to
- Genesis 37:8
“Do you intend to reign over us?” his brothers asked. “Will you actually rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and his statements.
- Genesis 27:29
May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you…
- Genesis 37:8
Through
Genesis 42:27At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack.
it leads to
- Exodus 4:24
Now at a lodging place along the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.
- Genesis 44:11
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
- Exodus 4:24
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).