Tree of Life Version
Genesis 42:38
38But he said, “My son will not go down with you—for his brother is dead and he alone remains. And if harm should happen to him along the way you’re going, you’ll bring my grey hair down to Sheol in grief.”
Genesis 42:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
- New International Version (NIV)But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.”
Context of Genesis 42:38
36Then their father Jacob said to them, “You’ve made me childless! Joseph is no more. Now Simeon is gone, and next you’ll take Benjamin! Everything is against me!” 37Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You can put my two sons to death if I don’t bring him back to you. Put him in my hand and I—I will return him to you.” But he said, “My son will not go down with you—for his brother is dead and he alone remains. And if harm should happen to him along the way you’re going, you’ll bring my grey hair down to Sheol in grief.”
Read all of Genesis 42Genesis 42:38 word by word
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹֽא־יֵרֵ֥ד בְּנִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אָחִ֨יו מֵ֜ת וְה֧וּא לְבַדּ֣וֹ נִשְׁאָ֗ר וּקְרָאָ֤הוּ אָסוֹן֙ בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ וְהוֹרַדְתֶּ֧ם אֶת־שֵׂיבָתִ֛י בְּיָג֖וֹן שְׁאֽוֹלָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- My sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- shall not go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- with you; for his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- is deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and he is leftשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- alone: if mischiefאָסוֹן'âsôn · harmH611
- befallקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: chancedH7122
- him by the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- in the which ye goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- my gray hairsשֵׂיבָהώêybâh · hoary headH7872
- with sorrowיָגוֹןyâgôn · sorrowH3015
- to the graveשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585
Cross-references for Genesis 42:38
- Genesis 42:13But they said, “We your servants are twelve brothers, sons of one man in the land of Canaan. Look, the youngest is with our father today and the other one is no more.”
- Genesis 30:22Then God remembered Rachel and God listened to her and opened her womb.
- Genesis 35:16Then they traveled from Beth-El, and while they were still a distance from entering Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, but her labor was difficult.
- Genesis 37:33He did recognize it and said, “My son’s tunic! An evil animal has devoured him! Joseph must be torn to pieces!”
- Genesis 44:20So we said to my lord, ‘We have a father who is old, a child born to him of his old age is young. Now his brother is dead, so he is the only one of his mother’s children left, and his father loves him.’
- Genesis 42:4But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob did not send, for he said, “An accident might happen to him.”
- Genesis 44:29And if you also take this one away from before me and an accident happens to him, then you’ll bring my grey hair down to the evil of Sheol.’
- Genesis 37:35All his sons got up along with all his daughters to console him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” So his father kept weeping for him.
- 1 Kings 2:6So act according to your wisdom, and let his gray hair not go down to Sheol in shalom.
- Psalms 71:18So even until I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, till I tell of Your strong arm to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.
- Psalms 90:10The span of our years is seventy —or with strength, eighty— yet at best they are trouble and sorrow. For they are soon gone, and we fly away.
- Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the deeds done under the sun; and behold, all is meaningless and chasing after the wind.
- Ecclesiastes 2:26For to the one who pleases Him, He gives wisdom, knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating wealth to give it to one who pleases God. This also is only vapor and striving after the wind.
- Isaiah 38:10I said: “In the prime of my life, I am to enter the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the rest of my years.”
- Isaiah 46:4Even to your old age I will be the same, until you are gray I will carry you. I have done it; I will bear you; I will carry you; I will deliver you.
Commentaries on Genesis 42:38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38He is left alone - That is, Benjamin is the only remaining son of Rachel; for he supposed Joseph, who was the other son, to be dead. Shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow - Here he keeps up the idea of the oppressive burden mentioned Genesis 42:36, to which every occurrence was adding an additional weight, so that he felt it impossible to support it any longer. The following observations of Dr. Dodd on this verse are very appropriate and…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. 29-38Verses 29-38 Here is the report Jacob's sons made to their father. It troubled the good man. Even the bundles of money Joseph returned, in kindness, to his father, frightened him. He laid the fault upon his sons; knowing them, he feared they had provoked the Egyptians, and wrongfully brought home their money. Jacob plainly distrusted his sons, remembering that he never saw Joseph since he had been with them. It is bad with a family, when children behave…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38Jacob continued to show special favor to Rachel’s only remaining son. He refused to let Benjamin go to Egypt, even if it meant that Simeon, Leah’s son, would not return. Jacob’s deep grief later weighed heavily on the brothers’ conscience (44:18–34).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 42:38
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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