Genesis 42:21

Genesis 42:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
• New International Version (NIV)They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.”

Context of Genesis 42:21

19If you are honest men, you will let one of your brothers stay here in prison. The rest of you will go and take grain back to your starving families. 20But you must bring me your youngest brother. This will show that you’ve been telling the truth. Then you won’t die.” So they agreed. They said to each other, “We’re surely being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he pleaded with us for mercy, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in trouble now.” 22Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must pay for this bloodshed.” 23They didn’t know that Joseph could understand them, because he was speaking through an interpreter.

Genesis 42:21 word by word

וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֗יו אֲבָל֮ אֲשֵׁמִ֣ים׀ אֲנַחְנוּ֮ עַל־אָחִינוּ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר רָאִ֜ינוּ צָרַ֥ת נַפְשׁ֛וֹ בְּהִתְחַֽנְנ֥וֹ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ עַל־כֵּן֙ בָּ֣אָה אֵלֵ֔ינוּ הַצָּרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• to anotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• verilyאֲבָל'ăbâl · trulyH61
• guiltyאָשֵׁם'âshêm · guiltyH818
• concerning our brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• in thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• we sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the anguishצָרָהtsârâh · distressH6869
• of his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• when he besoughtחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
• us, and we would not hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935

Cross-references for Genesis 42:21

• Genesis 41:9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, “I remember a promise I failed to keep.
• Numbers 32:23“If you don’t do all these things, you will be sinning against the Lord. You can be sure that you will be punished for your sin.
• 2 Samuel 12:13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.
• 1 Kings 17:18The woman asked Elijah, “What do you and I have in common, man of God? Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
• Job 33:27Each one sings in front of other people and says, ‘I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right, and it did me no good.
• Job 34:31“But suppose such a person says to God, ‘I am guilty, I will stop my immoral behavior.
• Job 36:8However, if righteous people are bound in chains and tangled in ropes of misery,
• Hosea 5:15I will go back to my place until they admit that they are guilty. Then they will search for me. In their distress they will eagerly look for me.”
• Matthew 27:3Then Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders.
• Luke 16:28I have five brothers. He can warn them so that they won’t end up in this place of torture.’
• Acts 19:18Many believers openly admitted their involvement with magical spells and told all the details.
• Genesis 37:23So when Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his special robe with long sleeves.
• Judges 1:7Adoni Bezek said, “Seventy kings who had their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up food under my table. God has paid me back for what I did to them.” Judah’s troops brought Adoni Bezek to Jerusalem, where he died.
• Proverbs 21:13Whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will call and not be answered.
• Proverbs 24:11Rescue captives condemned to death, and spare those staggering toward their slaughter.

Commentaries on Genesis 42:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21We are verily guilty - How finely are the office and influence of conscience exemplified in these words! It was about twenty-two years since they had sold their brother, and probably their conscience had been lulled asleep to the present hour. God combines and brings about those favorable circumstances which produce attention and reflection, and give weight to the expostulations of conscience. How necessary to hear its voice in time, for here it may be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-38Verses 1-38 - Joseph and Ten of His Brethren 1. שׁבר sheber “fragment, crumb, hence, grain.” בר bar “pure,” “winnowed,” hence, “corn” (grain). 6. שׁליט shallı̂yṭ “ruler, governor, hence,” Sultan. Not elsewhere found in the Pentateuch. 25. כלי kelı̂y “vessel,” here any portable article in which grain may be conveyed. שׂק śaq “sack,” the very word which remains in our language to this day. אמתחת 'amtachath “bag.” Twenty years, the period of Joseph‘s long…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-24Verses 21-24 The office of conscience is to bring to mind things long since said and done. When the guilt of this sin of Joseph's brethren was fresh, they made light of it, and sat down to eat bread; but now, long afterward, their consciences accused them of it. See the good of afflictions; they often prove the happy means of awakening conscience, and bringing sin to our remembrance. Also, the evil of guilt as to our brethren. Conscience now reproached…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-23Surely we are being punished: The brothers believed that God was punishing them. They thought this because they now had to bring Benjamin to Egypt, even though their father did not want this. They connected this trouble with their past sin of selling Joseph to traders. They began to see this as divine punishment (God judging wrong actions). The fear of divine punishment began to cause feelings of guilt that Joseph's cries for mercy and their father's…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2417-24. 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].Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 42:21

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Commerce
• Conscience
• Conviction
• Malice
• Repentance

In the dictionaries

• Bereave
• Espy
• Famine
• Fear
• Joseph
• Lade
• Lord
• Nakedness
• Sack
• Traffick

Commentaries on Genesis 42

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings