The Meaning of Genesis 42:36 Explained

Genesis 42:36

KJV: And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

YLT: and Jacob their father saith unto them, 'Me ye have bereaved; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin ye take -- against me have been all these.'

Darby: And Jacob their father said to them, Ye have bereaved me of children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin! All these things are against me.

ASV: And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jacob  their father  said  unto them, Me have ye bereaved  [of my children]: Joseph  [is] not, and Simeon  [is] not, and ye will take  Benjamin  [away]: all these things are against me. 

What does Genesis 42:36 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 42:18-38 - Simeon Held The Others Sent Home
The behavior of this great Egyptian official-for so the brethren deemed him-must have seemed very hard and tyrannical to the trembling shepherds from the far land of Canaan. They had no idea that he understood what they said, and turned away to weep. But we can read his inner meaning. He must secure their return, so he kept Simeon bound. He wanted to see the beloved Benjamin, and to test their behavior to him, so he threatened that they should not see his face unless their youngest brother accompanied them. He gave to them of his kindly care in the gift of provisions and the return of their money. It was natural that the old father heard their story with failing-heart-"All these things are against me." Nay, in all these things was the life of the Spirit, and in all these things we are more than conquerors. See Romans 8:37.
"Judge not the Lord with feeble sense,
But trust him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face." [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 42:36 mean?

And said to them Jacob their father me You have bereaved Joseph is no [more] and Simeon is no [more] and Benjamin you want to take Against me are all these things
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יַעֲקֹ֣ב אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֹתִ֖י שִׁכַּלְתֶּ֑ם יוֹסֵ֤ף אֵינֶ֙נּוּ֙ וְשִׁמְע֣וֹן אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וְאֶת־ בִּנְיָמִ֣ן תִּקָּ֔חוּ עָלַ֖י הָי֥וּ ! כֻלָּֽנָה

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶם֙  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יַעֲקֹ֣ב  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
אֲבִיהֶ֔ם  their  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אֹתִ֖י  me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שִׁכַּלְתֶּ֑ם  You  have  bereaved 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מְשַׁכֶּלֶת 
Sense: to be bereaved, make childless, miscarry.
יוֹסֵ֤ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
אֵינֶ֙נּוּ֙  is  no  [more] 
Parse: Adverb, third person masculine singular
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
וְשִׁמְע֣וֹן  and  Simeon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְעֹון  
Sense: the 2nd son of Jacob by his wife Leah and progenitor of the tribe of Simeon.
אֵינֶ֔נּוּ  is  no  [more] 
Parse: Adverb, third person masculine singular
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
בִּנְיָמִ֣ן  Benjamin 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּנְיָמִין 
Sense: Jacob’s and Rachel’s youngest son, Joseph’s full brother.
תִּקָּ֔חוּ  you  want  to  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
עָלַ֖י  Against  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
! כֻלָּֽנָה  all  these  things 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.