Genesis 42:1 kjv

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

Genesis 42:1 nkjv

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"

Genesis 42:1 niv

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?"

Genesis 42:1 esv

When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"

Genesis 42:1 nlt

When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why are you standing around looking at one another?

Genesis 42 verses

Genesis 42 1 Meaning

This verse portrays Jacob's realization of the dire famine's impact in Canaan, contrasting it with the knowledge that sustenance, specifically grain, was available in Egypt. His direct question to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?" is a paternal rebuke, expressing his bewilderment and frustration at their idleness, indecision, or paralysis in the face of the deepening crisis, urging them to action rather than passive observation of their shared predicament. It marks a pivotal moment where divine providence begins to converge the path of Jacob's family with Joseph's established position in Egypt.

Genesis 42 1 Context

Genesis chapter 42 opens during the widespread famine predicted and prepared for by Joseph in Egypt. Seven years of abundant harvests have passed, followed by the commencement of the seven years of severe famine that afflicts "all the face of the earth" (Gen 41:56). While Egypt, under Joseph's wise administration, has meticulously stored grain and is now selling it to other nations, Jacob and his family in Canaan are facing the harsh reality of starvation. This period also marks a significant gap of twenty-two years since Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Gen 37). Jacob, still deeply grieving Joseph's supposed death, has confined himself and remained relatively passive. The historical context reflects a time when inter-regional travel for food was common during famines, with Egypt often serving as a reliable granary due to its Nile-fed agriculture. Culturally, the patriarchal father, Jacob, held authority, but his sons had often shown independent, sometimes rash, initiative (e.g., Dinah, Joseph's sale). The famine becomes God's providential means to bring the family to Egypt, setting the stage for reconciliation, the growth of a nation, and the eventual Exodus, all fulfilling Abrahamic covenant promises.

Genesis 42 1 Word analysis

• Now when Jacob saw (וַיַּ֤רְא יַעֲקֹב֙ - vaiyar' Ya'akov):

  • וַיַּ֤רְא (vaiyar'): From the root ra'ah (רָאָה), meaning "to see," but often used in the Hebrew Bible to denote more than mere physical sight. It implies perceiving, understanding, realizing, or recognizing a situation. Here, Jacob isn't just seeing with his eyes, but comprehending the gravity of the famine and the necessity of action. His "seeing" sparks his eventual command.
  • יַעֲקֹב (Ya'akov): Jacob, meaning "supplanter" or "he grasps the heel." This moment highlights his role as the patriarch responsible for his large household.

• that there was grain (שֶׁ֤בֶר֙ - shever):

  • שֶׁ֤בֶר (shever): This noun specifically refers to "grain," "food," or "provision," particularly food that is bought and sold (from a root meaning "to buy"). It signifies the concrete, life-sustaining commodity that is urgently needed. Its presence in Egypt is vital news amidst global famine.

• in Egypt (בְּמִצְרָֽיִם - b'mitzrayim):

  • בְּמִצְרָֽיִם (b'mitzrayim): "In Egypt." Egypt, Mizraim in Hebrew, means "two straits" or "two lands," referring to Upper and Lower Egypt. It was known as the "breadbasket" of the ancient world due to the Nile's predictable floods and fertile land, making it a natural refuge during regional famines, despite later becoming a place of enslavement.

• Jacob said to his sons (וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶל־בָּנָֽיו - vaiyo'mer Ya'akov el-banav):

  • וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (vaiyo'mer): "And he said." A common Hebrew narrative conjunction, introducing direct speech. It marks the transition from Jacob's internal perception to his external communication and directive.
  • אֶל־בָּנָֽיו (el-banav): "To his sons." This refers to his ten older sons present with him in Canaan, excluding Benjamin, and of course, Joseph who he believes is dead. These are the same sons who previously acted without his full knowledge, especially in selling Joseph.

• "Why do you look at one another?" (לָמָּה֙ תִּתְרָא֔וּ - lamah titra'u):

  • לָמָּה֙ (lamah): "Why?" A question conveying frustration, bewilderment, or exasperation. Jacob is perplexed by his sons' passivity.
  • תִּתְרָא֔וּ (titra'u): This is a reflexive-reciprocal form (Hithpael imperfect) of the verb ra'ah (רָאָה), meaning "to see." The Hithpael form often indicates mutual or repeated action. Here, it means "to look at one another," "to stare at yourselves," or "to gaze idly at each other." It implies a state of inaction, indecision, fear, or a sense of helplessness when decisive action is required. They are not acting, but rather engaging in non-productive, perhaps fearful, silent communication among themselves. Jacob’s question is a sharp reproof against their inertia in a crisis.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Now when Jacob saw...Why do you look at one another?": This entire phrase encapsulates Jacob's sudden awakening to the severity of their situation and his paternal exasperation at his sons' apparent paralysis. It highlights the contrast between Joseph's foresight and proactive preparation (Gen 41) and the reactive, somewhat delayed, response of Jacob and his household. It sets the stage for a critical move dictated by necessity rather than foresight on their part. The "seeing" implies Jacob's dawning realization that they are running out of options and that desperate measures are now necessary for survival.

Genesis 42 1 Bonus section

This verse subtly introduces the theme of dependence on Egypt for sustenance, which ironically foreshadows Israel's later subjugation in that same land. The necessity to go "down to Egypt" for survival will eventually lead to the need for God's miraculous "raising out of Egypt" during the Exodus. It highlights that even necessary journeys can lead to unforeseen challenges. The sons' stunned silence or indecision ("looking at one another") contrasts sharply with the proactivity of their brother Joseph, whose wisdom in a foreign land directly provided for their future, unbeknownst to them. This immediate crisis forces a physical journey that will ultimately lead to spiritual and familial restoration.

Genesis 42 1 Commentary

Genesis 42:1 acts as a crucial hinge in the Joseph narrative, bridging the Egyptian preparations for famine with the patriarch Jacob's awareness of its severe impact on his family in Canaan. Jacob, typically slow to act after the assumed loss of Joseph, is jolted into realism by the immediate threat of starvation. His perception ("saw") signifies a profound realization rather than mere observation. The existence of grain "in Egypt" – ironically, where Joseph now wields authority – becomes the critical piece of information. Jacob's rebuke to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?", exposes their collective inertia, a mixture of fear, despair, or perhaps simply a lack of initiative in the face of an overwhelming crisis. This parental intervention highlights the necessity for decisive action when physical survival is at stake. The verse powerfully demonstrates God's sovereign hand guiding human events. The famine, a devastating natural occurrence, becomes the divinely appointed catalyst for Jacob's family to descend to Egypt, setting the stage for the dramatic reunion with Joseph and the ultimate preservation of the Abrahamic lineage, unknowingly fulfilling God's intricate plan and Joseph's long-forgotten dreams. It underlines that even through human slowness and desperation, God orchestrates His redemptive purposes.