Genesis 42:2
WEB
He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.”
BSB
“Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”
KJV
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H559
v — say
Derivation: a primitive root;
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.
vb — utter
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
1. Say
2. Say in the heart (= think)
3. Promise
4. Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
H2009
dp — lo!
Derivation: prolongation for 2005;
lo!
KJV: behold, lo, see.
H8085
v — hear, tell
Derivation: a primitive root;
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
KJV: × attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
vb — hear
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
1. subj. pers. hum.
2. י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42
1. be heard, of voice, sound
2. be heard of
3. be regarded, obeyed
4. = (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
1. of man
2. י׳ subj.
H3588
conj — relative conjunction
Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
conj — that
כִּי conj. that, for, when
1. that
2.
a. Of time, when, of the past
b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
3. Because, since
relative conjunction
כִּי אם־
1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
a. that if
b. for if
2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
a. limiting the prec. clause, except
b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
c. after an oath, surely
forasmuch as
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
H3426
prt — is, are, be
Derivation: perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist; entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive verb (1961);
there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
KJV: (there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.
subst — being
יֵשׁ 137 subst. being, substance, existence
1. substance
2. elsewhere (prop. as a subst. in in the st. c.), it asserts existence, and so corresponds to the verb substantive, is (are, was, were, will be), lit. the being, presence of …
H7668
n-m — grain
Derivation: the same as 7667;
grain (as if broken into kernels)
KJV: corn, victuals.
n.[m.] — corn
שֶׁ֫בֶר n.[m.] corn, grain, as food stuff
H4714
n-pr — Mitsrajim
Derivation: dual of 4693;
Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
KJV: Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.
n.pr.terr — Egypt
מִצְרַ֫יִם 681 n.pr.terr. et gent. Egypt, Egyptians
1.
a. of land, Egypt
b. combinations
2. of people:
a. in table of nations, personif. as second son of Ham
b. = Egypt (as a people), Egyptians
H3381
v — descend, go downwards, fall, bring down
Derivation: a primitive root;
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
KJV: × abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, × indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.
vb — come down
יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend
Qal 306
1.
a. come or go down
b. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
c. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
d. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
e. from Jerusalem
f. from altar
g. go down
h. = sink, in water
i. go down to She’ôl
j. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
k. = be prostrated
2. of divine manifestations: descend
3. of inanimate things
Hiph.
1. cause to come or go down
a. bring down
b. send down rain = cause to flow down
c. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
d. bring down to She’ôl
2. take down (from cart)
3. let down
Hoph.
1. be brought down
2. be taken down
H8033
adv — there, then, thither, thence
Derivation: a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
KJV: in it, thence, there (-in, of, out), thither, whither.
adv — there
שָׁם adv. there, thither
H7666
v — deal
Derivation: denominative from 7668;
to deal in grain
KJV: buy, sell.
vb. denom — buy grain
[שָׁבַר] vb. denom. buy grain
Qal buy grain for food
Hiph. sell grain (prop. cause to buy grain)
H2421
v — live, revive
Derivation: a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421);
to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive
KJV: keep (leave, make) alive, × certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (× God) save (alive, life, lives), × surely, be whole.
vb — live
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
1. live
2. be quickened, revive
Pi.
1. preserve alive, let live
2. give life
3. quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
1. preserve alive, let live
2. quicken, revive
H3808
adv — not, no
Derivation: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
KJV: × before, or else, ere, except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, surely, as truly as, of a truth, verily, for want, whether, without.
adv — not
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
H4191
v — die, kill
Derivation: a primitive root;
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
KJV: × at all, × crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), × must needs, slay, × surely, × very suddenly, × in (no) wise.
vb — die
מוּת vb. die
Qal
1. die, of natural or other causes
2. die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
1. abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
2. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
3. of animals killing men
4. bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
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Verses 1–6
Genesis 42:1–6
Though Jacob's sons were all married, and had families of their own, yet, it should seem, they were still incorporated in one society, under the conduct and presidency of their father Jacob. We have here,
I. The orders he gave them to go and buy corn in Egypt, Gen 42:1, Gen 42:2. Observe, 1. The famine was grievous in the land of Canaan. It is observable that all the three patriarches, to whom Canaan was the land of promise, met with famine in that land, which was not only to try their faith, whether they could trust God though he should slay them, though he should starve them, but to teach them to seek the better country, that is, the heavenly, Heb 11:14-16. We have need of something to wean us from this world, and make us long for a better. 2. Still, when there was famine in Canaan, there was corn in Egypt. Thus Providence orders it, that one place should be a succour and supply to another; for we are all brethren. The Egyptians, the seed of accursed Ham, have plenty, when God's blessed Israel want: Thus God, in dispensing common favours, often crosses hands. Yet observe, The plenty Egypt now had was owing, under God, to Joseph's prudence and care: if his brethren had not sold him into Egypt, but respected him according to his merits, who knows but he might have done the same thing for Jacob's family which now he had done for Pharaoh, and the Egyptians might then have come to them to buy corn? but those who drive away from among them wise and good men know not what they do. 3. Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt; he saw the corn that his neighbours had bought there and brought home. It is a spur to exertion to see where supplies are to be had, and to see others supplied. Shall others get food for their souls, and shall we starve while it is to be had? 4. He reproved his sons for delaying to provide corn for their families. Why do you look one upon another? Note, When we are in trouble and want, it is folly for us to stand looking upon one another, that is, to stand desponding and despairing, as if there were no hope, no help, - to stand disputing either which shall have the honour of going first or which shall have the safety of coming last, - to stand deliberating and debating what we shall do, and doing nothing, - to stand dreaming under a spirit of slumber, as if we had nothing to do, and to stand delaying, as if we had time at command. Let it never be said, "We left that to be done tomorrow which we could a well have done today." 5. He quickened them to go to Egypt: Get you down thither. Masters of families must not only pray for daily bread for their families, and food convenient, but must lay out themselves with care and industry to provide it.
II. Their obedience to these orders, Gen 42:3. They went down to buy corn; they did not send their servants, but very prudently went themselves, to lay out their own money. Let none think themselves too great nor too good to take pains. Masters of families should see with their own eyes, and take heed of leaving too much to servants. Only Benjamin went not with them, for he was his father's darling. To Egypt they came, among others, and, having a considerable cargo of corn to buy, they were brought before Joseph himself, who probably expected they would come; and, according to the laws of courtesy, they bowed down themselves before him, Gen 42:6. Now their empty sheaves did obeisance to his full one. Compare this with Isa 60:14 and Rev 3:9.
Cross-references: Gen 42:1 · Gen 42:2 · Heb 11:14 · Gen 42:3 · Gen 42:6 · Isa 60:14 · Rev 3:9