The Meaning of Genesis 42:15 Explained

Genesis 42:15

KJV: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

YLT: by this ye are proved: Pharaoh liveth! if ye go out from this -- except by your young brother coming hither;

Darby: By this ye shall be put to the proof: as Pharaoh lives, ye shall not go forth hence, unless your youngest brother come hither!

ASV: hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Hereby  ye shall be proved:  By the life  of Pharaoh  ye shall not go forth  hence, except your youngest  brother  come  hither. 

What does Genesis 42:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 42:1-17 - Joseph Sees His Ten Brothers
The true interpretation of Joseph's treatment of his brethren is to be found in the supposition that he repeated toward them, as nearly as possible, the behavior that they had shown to himself at the pit's mouth, and this with no thought of retaliation, but that their consciences might be awakened, and that he might discover if they would deal differently with Benjamin than they had dealt with him. He needed to be sure of their repentance before he could trust himself to them again. His purpose therefore was in part secured when he heard them saying to each other in the dear old home-tongue, which they never expected him to understand, "We are verily guilty because of our brother." So God deals with us. The east wind blows bitterly in our faces, the famine is behind and the harsh governor before. All these things are hard to bear; but behind them is the tenderest love, which struggles with its tears and is only eager to get us right before entrusting itself to us. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 42

1  Jacob sends his ten sons to buy grain in Egypt
16  They are imprisoned by Joseph as spies
18  They are set at liberty, on condition to bring Benjamin
21  They have remorse for Joseph
24  Simeon is kept for a pledge
25  They return with grain, and their money
29  Their relation to Jacob
36  Jacob refuses to send Benjamin

What do the individual words in Genesis 42:15 mean?

in this [manner] you shall be tested by the life of Pharaoh not you shall go forth by this except if comes your brother youngest here
בְּזֹ֖את : תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּ חֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ אִם־ תֵּצְא֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֧י אִם־ בְּב֛וֹא אֲחִיכֶ֥ם הַקָּטֹ֖ן הֵֽנָּה

בְּזֹ֖את  in  this  [manner] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
: תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּ  you  shall  be  tested 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: בָּחַן  
Sense: to examine, try, prove.
חֵ֤י  by  the  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
פַרְעֹה֙  of  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
תֵּצְא֣וּ  you  shall  go  forth 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מִזֶּ֔ה  by  this 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
כִּ֧י  except 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בְּב֛וֹא  comes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֲחִיכֶ֥ם  your  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הַקָּטֹ֖ן  youngest 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָטָן 
Sense: young, small, insignificant, unimportant.
הֵֽנָּה  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: הֵנָּה  
Sense: here, there, now, hither.