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Genesis 42:33
ESV Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.
NIV Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, 'This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.
NASB But the 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 households, and go.
CSB The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go.
NLT Then the man who is governor of the land told us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take grain for your starving families and go on home.
KJV And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:

What does Genesis 42:33 mean?

During a famine, ten of Jacob's sons were sent to buy food in Egypt (Genesis 42:1–5). The governor of the land accused them of being spies (Genesis 42:12). In attempting to convince him they were honest men, they told him about their youngest brother and father back in Canaan (Genesis 42:13). The men don't realize that this governor is their lost brother, Joseph, whom they sold into slavery twenty years earlier (Genesis 37:28, 31–33).

This is a difficult conversation for the men to have with their father. Their lie about Joseph many years ago was devastating to Jacob (Genesis 37:34–35). In this case, the governor of Egypt ordered them to leave one brother behind and return with the youngest, to prove their innocence (Genesis 42:19–20). They have come back with grain, but Simeon has not returned (Genesis 42:24). In the following verse, Jacob's sons will tell him why Simeon is being held as collateral (Genesis 42:34).
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