And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him.
- BSB Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
- NKJV So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
- NASB But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him.
- NLT Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him.
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
Joseph knew his brothers at once, but they failed to recognize the powerful Egyptian official before them. This sets up the dramatic irony that drives the whole reunion.
Overview
Years, an Egyptian appearance, and the brothers' assumption that Joseph was dead all kept them from recognizing him, while his memory of their faces was sharp. The reversal of who knows whom places all the power in Joseph's hands. God's hidden providence is at work, bringing about the very dreams the brothers tried to destroy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Luke 24:16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
- Gen 37:2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
- John 20:14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
- John 21:4But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 42:8 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.