and bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so.
Parallel translations
- WEB Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so.
- KJV But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
- BSB Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.
- NKJV And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.
- NLT But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.” To this they agreed.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Bringing Benjamin will verify their words and spare their lives; they agree. The condition binds them to return and face Joseph again.
Overview
Joseph ties their survival to producing Benjamin, ensuring the family will be reunited before him. The brothers' compliance sets the stage for Jacob's anguish and Judah's eventual pledge. Through these terms God draws the scattered family toward the restoration that will preserve the line of promise.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Gen 44:23You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’
- Gen 43:5but if you’ll not send him, we’ll not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
- Gen 42:34Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”
- Gen 42:15By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here.
- John 2:5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”
- Gen 6:22Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him.
- Gen 42:26They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.
- Gen 43:19They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 42:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.