Genesis 42:31

But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The brothers speak to Joseph’s steward in Egypt after being detained for alleged spying. They make this declaration in direct response to the steward’s harsh accusations and before detailing their family composition.

The words — כֵּנִים (ke.Nim) means “honest” or “truthful,” while מְרַגְּלִים (me.ra.ge.Lim) means “spies” or “scouts.” The brothers juxtapose these terms to explicitly deny the charge leveled against them.

The thread — The same denial appears in Genesis 42:11 when the brothers first address the steward. This repetition anchors their consistent claim of innocence throughout the initial encounter.

Why it lands — The text records a defensive assertion of integrity without confirming its factual accuracy. A reader must evaluate the claim against the narrative’s unfolding tests of character and truth.

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

וַנֹּ֥אמֶרva./No.merand/ we said אֵלָ֖יו'e.La/vto/ him כֵּנִ֣יםke.Nim[are] honest אֲנָ֑חְנוּ'a.Na.che.nuwe לֹ֥אlo'not הָיִ֖ינוּha.Yi.nuwe are מְרַגְּלִֽים׃me.ra.ge.Limspies

King James Version

And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

Cross-references

Genesis 42:11 We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”