New Living Translation
Genesis 42:1
1When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another?
Genesis 42:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
- New International Version (NIV)When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
Context of Genesis 42:1
When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? 2I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.” 3So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain.
Read all of Genesis 42Genesis 42:1 word by word
וַיַּ֣רְא יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ לְבָנָ֔יו לָ֖מָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 42:1
- Genesis 41:54Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food.
- Acts 7:12Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his sons—our ancestors—to buy some.
- Exodus 5:19The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.”
- Exodus 20:18When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.
- 1 Kings 19:3Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.
- Hosea 5:13“When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were, Israel turned to Assyria— to the great king there— but he could neither help nor cure them.
- Galatians 2:7Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews.
- Joshua 7:10But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this?
- 2 Kings 8:3After the famine ended she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land.
- Ezra 10:4Get up, for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action.”
- Jeremiah 8:14“Then the people will say, ‘Why should we wait here to die? Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there. For the Lord our God has decreed our destruction and has given us a cup of poison to drink because we sinned against the Lord.
Commentaries on Genesis 42:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Jacob saw that there was corn - That is, Jacob heard from the report of others that there was plenty in Egypt. The operations of one sense, in Hebrew, are often put for those of another. Before agriculture was properly known and practiced, famines were frequent; Canaan seems to have been peculiarly vexed by them. There was one in this land in the time of Abraham, Genesis 12:10; another in the days of Isaac, Genesis 26:1; and now a third in the time of…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. 1Jacob sends ten sons to buy corn. (1-6) Joseph's treatment of his brethren. (7-20) Their remorse, Simeon detained. (21-24) The rest return with corn. (25-28) Jacob refuses to send Benjamin to Egypt. (29-38) Verses 1-6 Jacob saw the corn his neighbours had bought in Egypt, and brought home. It is a spur to exertion to see others supplied. Shall others get food for their souls, and shall we starve while it is to be had? Having discovered where help is to be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2God used the famine to bring Israel to Egypt under Joseph’s rule, thus fulfilling two prophecies (15:13; 37:7–11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-381. Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt--learned from common rumor. It is evident from Jacob's language that his own and his sons' families had suffered greatly from the scarcity; and through the increasing severity of the scourge, those men, who had formerly shown both activity and spirit, were sinking into despondency. God would not interpose miraculously when natural means of preservation were within reach.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 42:1
In the dictionaries
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
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