Genesis 42:38

But 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.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

37Then 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.”

Read all of Genesis 42

Cross References

Genesis 30:22But Leah’s sister Rachel still wanted to have her own kids. And God was good to Rachel, and he gave her what she wanted. Before this time, Rachel didn’t have any kids, but then God let a baby start growing inside her. Rachel had a baby boy. Then Rachel said, “I used to feel shame, because I didn’t have any kids. But now, God gave me a son, so I don’t feel shame any more.”

Genesis 37:33Jacob looked at the coat, and he knew that it belonged to Joseph. So he said, “Yes, that is my son’s coat.” And Jacob saw the blood on that coat, so he said, “I know what happened. A wild animal ate Joseph. Yes, that animal tore him into little bits.”

Genesis 42:4You know, Joseph had one other brother too. His name was Benjamin. Joseph and Benjamin had the same father and mother. Their father Jacob really loved Benjamin. So Jacob didn’t want Benjamin to go to Egypt with his brothers. He thought, “Benjamin might get hurt, or he might die.” So Benjamin stayed at home with his father.

Genesis 43:13Then Jacob said to his sons, “Now get your brother Benjamin, and leave this place straight away. Go back to Egypt country, and go to that man that is in charge.

Genesis 44:22But we said, ‘Sir, we can’t take that young man away from his father. If we do that, his father will be so sad that he will die.’

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 42:38