Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “The man sternly warned us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’
Parallel translations
- WEB Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
- KJV And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
- BSB But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
- NKJV But Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’
- NLT But Judah said, “The man was serious when he warned us, ‘You won’t see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
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
Judah reminds his father that they cannot return without Benjamin. He insists on facing the reality Jacob wishes to avoid.
Overview
Judah speaks plainly about the lord's solemn warning, refusing to make a futile trip. His emerging leadership contrasts with Reuben's earlier failed appeal. Judah, ancestor of David and ultimately of Christ, begins here to take responsibility, a role that will culminate in his offer to stand surety for Benjamin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 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.’”
- 2 Sam 14:28Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and he didn’t see the king’s face.
- 2 Sam 14:32Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”’”
- Acts 20:25“Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more.
- Acts 20:38sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
- Acts 7:34I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’
- Gen 42:33–34The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way.
- 2 Sam 14:24The king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face.
- Gen 42:15–20By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here.
- 2 Sam 3:13He said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”
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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 43:3 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.