Genesis 42:37

Then Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son, he talked to his father Jacob. Reuben said, “Let me take Benjamin to Egypt country. I will look after him, and I promise that I will bring him back to you. If I don’t bring him back to you, then you can kill my 2 sons.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

In Context

36Jacob’s sons wanted to take their brother Benjamin back to Egypt country, just like Joseph told them to. That made Jacob sad. So Jacob said to his sons, “I don’t want to lose any more of my kids. My son Joseph isn’t here any more, and my son Simeon isn’t here any more. And now you want to take my son Benjamin away from me too. All those things are really sad for me.”

38But Jacob said, “No. I will not let Benjamin go with you mob to Egypt country. You know that I really loved Benjamin’s mother Rachel. We had 2 sons together, Joseph and Benjamin. Now Joseph is dead, and Benjamin is the only one left. If I let him go with you, he might get hurt, or he might die. You know, I am an old man. If you mob take Benjamin to Egypt country, and something bad happens to him, I will be so sad that I will die.”

Read all of Genesis 42

Cross References

Genesis 43:9Then Judah said to his father, “I promise that I will look after Benjamin, and I will keep him safe until we come back. I’m telling you straight, if I don’t bring Benjamin back here to you, then you can blame me and say that I am guilty, and you can keep doing that all my life.

Genesis 46:9Reuben’s sons were, – Hanok – Pallu – Hezron – Carmi

Matthew Henry on Genesis 42:30-38

The Report Made to Jacob. ( b. c. 1706.) 29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, 30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: 32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. 33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Genesis 42:37