The Meaning of Genesis 43:2 Explained

Genesis 43:2

KJV: And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

YLT: and it cometh to pass, when they have finished eating the corn which they brought from Egypt, that their father saith unto them, 'Turn back, buy for us a little food.'

Darby: And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again, buy us a little food.

ASV: And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, when they had eaten up  the corn  which they had brought out  of Egypt,  their father  said  unto them, Go again,  buy  us a little  food. 

What does Genesis 43:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 43:1-15 - The Brothers Return With Benjamin
Joseph, in giving corn to save his own brethren and the Egyptians from starvation, is a type of our Lord, who gives the bread of life to Jew and Gentile-to all that come to Him in their hopeless need. And in this return of the full money in the sacks we are reminded that salvation is without money and without price. Whatever we bring to enrich Christ He returns to us. His gifts are all of His unmerited grace and favor. Very often we move forward with dread into the unknown; but that dread is the child of ignorance. If only we realized that love is waiting for us there, which does not ask for balm and honey, for spices and myrrh, but just for ourselves, how much happier life would become! Lift up your hearts; a feast awaits you! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 43

1  Jacob is persuaded to send Benjamin
15  Joseph entertains his brothers
19  They discover their fears to the steward
26  Joseph makes them a feast

What do the individual words in Genesis 43:2 mean?

And it came to pass when they had finished eating - the grain which they had brought from Egypt that said to them their father go back buy us a little food
וַיְהִ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר כִּלּוּ֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת־ הַשֶּׁ֔בֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵבִ֖יאוּ מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם שֻׁ֖בוּ שִׁבְרוּ־ לָ֥נוּ מְעַט־ אֹֽכֶל

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּלּוּ֙  they  had  finished 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
לֶאֱכֹ֣ל  eating 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַשֶּׁ֔בֶר  the  grain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבֶר  
Sense: grain, corn (as foodstuff).
הֵבִ֖יאוּ  they  had  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם  from  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  that  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶם֙  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֲבִיהֶ֔ם  their  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
שֻׁ֖בוּ  go  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
שִׁבְרוּ־  buy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַר  
Sense: to buy or purchase grain.
לָ֥נוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
מְעַט־  a  little 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.
אֹֽכֶל  food 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹכֶל  
Sense: food.