Genesis 42:20

Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The speaker addresses Jacob’s sons after outlining conditions for their release, and they agree to the terms.

The words — וְ/יֵאָמְנ֥וּ (ve./ye.'a.me.Nu) translates literally as "so that they may be verified," referring to the brothers' claims. אֲחִי/כֶ֤ם (a.chi./Khem) means "your brother," specifically identifying the youngest sibling as the required proof.

The thread — The demand to bring the youngest brother appears again in Genesis 42:34, Genesis 43:5, and Genesis 44:23 as a repeated condition for proving the brothers' honesty.

Why it lands — The text demands concrete proof before granting safety, shifting the brothers from suspicion to compliance. It places the burden of verification on their actions rather than their claims.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>אֲחִיכֶ֤ם'a.chi./Khembrother/ your הַקָּטֹן֙ha./ka.Ton<the>/ young תָּבִ֣יאוּta.Vi.'uyou will bring אֵלַ֔י'e.La/ito/ me וְיֵאָמְנ֥וּve./ye.'a.me.Nuso/ they may be verified דִבְרֵיכֶ֖םdiv.rei./Khemwords/ your וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not תָמ֑וּתוּta.Mu.tuyou will die וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־va/i.ya.'a.su-and/ they did כֵֽן׃Khenso

King James Version

But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

Cross-references

Genesis 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”
Genesis 43:5 But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
Genesis 44:23 But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
Genesis 42:15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
Genesis 6:22 So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.
Genesis 42:26 and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.
Genesis 43:19 So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”