{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/kjv/genesis/42","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-30T08:49:58.468Z"},"reference":{"translation":"KJV","book":"Genesis","bookSlug":"genesis","chapter":42,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":41,"nextChapter":43,"totalChapters":50,"totalVerses":38},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him."},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"And the sons of Israel came to buy <i>corn</i> among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"And Joseph <i>was</i> the governor over the land, <i>and</i> he <i>it was</i> that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him <i>with</i> their faces to the earth."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye <i>are</i> spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"We <i>are</i> all one man's sons; we <i>are</i> true <i>men</i>, thy servants are no spies."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"And they said, Thy servants <i>are</i> twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest <i>is</i> this day with our father, and one <i>is</i> not."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"And Joseph said unto them, That <i>is it</i> that I spake unto you, saying, Ye <i>are</i> spies:"},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether <i>there be any</i> truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye <i>are</i> spies."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"And he put them all together into ward three days."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; <i>for</i> I fear God:"},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"If ye <i>be</i> true <i>men</i>, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:"},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so."},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"And they said one to another, We <i>are</i> verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required."},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"And they knew not that Joseph understood <i>them</i>; for he spake unto them by an interpreter."},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes."},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them."},{"verseNumber":26,"text":"And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence."},{"verseNumber":27,"text":"And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it <i>was</i> in his sack's mouth."},{"verseNumber":28,"text":"And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, <i>it is</i> even in my sack: and their heart failed <i>them</i>, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What <i>is</i> this <i>that</i> God hath done unto us?"},{"verseNumber":29,"text":"And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,"},{"verseNumber":30,"text":"The man, <i>who is</i> the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country."},{"verseNumber":31,"text":"And we said unto him, We <i>are</i> true <i>men</i>; we are no spies:"},{"verseNumber":32,"text":"We <i>be</i> twelve brethren, sons of our father; one <i>is</i> not, and the youngest <i>is</i> this day with our father in the land of Canaan."},{"verseNumber":33,"text":"And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye <i>are</i> true <i>men</i>; leave one of your brethren <i>here</i> with me, and take <i>food for</i> the famine of your households, and be gone:"},{"verseNumber":34,"text":"And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye <i>are</i> no spies, but <i>that</i> ye <i>are</i> true <i>men: so</i> will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land."},{"verseNumber":35,"text":"And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money <i>was</i> in his sack: and when <i>both</i> they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid."},{"verseNumber":36,"text":"And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved <i>of my children</i>: Joseph <i>is</i> not, and Simeon <i>is</i> not, and ye will take Benjamin <i>away</i>: all these things are against me."},{"verseNumber":37,"text":"And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again."},{"verseNumber":38,"text":"And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."}],"citation":{"inline":"Genesis 42 (KJV)","markdown":"[Genesis 42](https://primebible.com/kjv/genesis/42)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* KJV. https://primebible.com/kjv/genesis/42 (accessed 2026-05-30)."}}