Genesis 42:38

WEB

He said, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol."

KJV

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.

Commentary

And he said, my son shall not go down with you,.... He gives a peremptory denial; this was his then present resolution and determination: for his brother is dead; meaning Joseph, Benjamin's own brother by father and mother's side; him he supposed t o be dead, such circumstances being related and produced, which made it highly probable, and he had not heard anything of him for twenty two years: and he is left alone; Benjamin being the only surviving child of his dearly beloved Rachel, as he thought: if mischief befall him by the way in which ye go; that is, to Egypt, whether by thieves and robbers, or by the fatigue of the journey, or by any means whatever, so that he loses his life. All the Targums interpret this mischief of death: then shall ye bring down my gray heirs with sorrow to the grave; the sense is, should this be the case he should never lift up his head, or have any more comfort in this world, but should pass his time with continual sorrow until his gray head was laid in the grave, or till he came to the state of the dead. Next: Genesis Chapter 43 Sacred Texts | Bible « Previous: John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible: Genesis: Gene... Index Next: John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible: Genesis: Gene... »