Genesis 42:37 kjv

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.

Genesis 42:37 nkjv

Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you."

Genesis 42:37 niv

Then Reuben said to his father, "You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back."

Genesis 42:37 esv

Then Reuben said to his father, "Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you."

Genesis 42:37 nlt

Then Reuben said to his father, "You may kill my two sons if I don't bring Benjamin back to you. I'll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back."

Genesis 42 verses

Genesis 42 37 Meaning

Genesis 42:37 depicts Reuben's desperate and impulsive pledge to his father, Jacob, to ensure the safe return of Benjamin from Egypt. In an attempt to convince Jacob to allow Benjamin to go, Reuben offers an extreme and morally questionable surety: that Jacob may put Reuben's two sons to death if he fails to bring Benjamin back. This oath highlights the dire situation and Reuben's eagerness, though perhaps misguided, to gain his father's trust and solve the family's pressing need for grain.

Genesis 42 37 Context

Genesis 42 opens with Jacob's sons going to Egypt to buy grain due to a severe famine across the land, including Canaan. There, they unknowingly encounter their brother Joseph, who, as the governor, accuses them of being spies and demands that they bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, to prove their honesty. Simeon is kept as a hostage. Upon returning to Canaan, Jacob's sons recount the events to their distraught father. Jacob is deeply grieved by the thought of losing Benjamin, his youngest son by Rachel, especially after the perceived loss of Joseph. His declaration, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left" (Gen 42:38), sets the stage for Reuben's desperate offer, illustrating the intense emotional tension and Jacob's profound reluctance to risk another child, particularly Benjamin. The famine, however, is ongoing and forcing their hand.

Genesis 42 37 Word analysis

• Then Reuben spoke: Reuben, as the firstborn, consistently attempts to assert leadership, often with mixed results or ill-advised actions (cf. Gen 35:22, Gen 37:21). His intervention here underscores the desperate family situation.
• to his father: Directly addressing Jacob, highlighting the deep familial bonds and the paternal authority being challenged by necessity.
• saying: Introduces direct speech, emphasizing the solemnity and directness of his offer.
• You may put my two sons to death: (Hebrew: tetammet et-sheney banai - תְּמִת אֶת-שְׁנֵי בָנַי). The verb tammat (to die, put to death) here is a strong expression, signifying a complete surrender to Jacob's power and a desperate pledge. This is a hyperbolic and ethically shocking proposal, reflecting an ancient practice of extreme surety, but here applied to one's own children. It foreshadows the later strong prohibition of child sacrifice in Mosaic Law (Lev 18:21, Deut 18:10), showing Jacob's implied rejection as being in alignment with God's ultimate moral standard.
• if I do not bring him back to you: This establishes the precise condition of the oath. Reuben is staking his sons' lives on the successful return of Benjamin.
• entrust him to my care: (Hebrew: tenahu al-yadi - תְּנֵהוּ עַל־יָדִי). Literally "give him into my hand." This expresses a desire for full responsibility and control. Reuben is asking for complete charge over Benjamin.
• and I will bring him back to you: A resolute declaration of intent and promise. The repetition of the bringing back underscores the commitment, however hollow, given Reuben's prior actions.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying...": This phrase signals a moment of significant interaction and an attempt by Reuben to influence Jacob, acting in his nominal role as the firstborn. It also sets up the dramatic and emotionally charged proposal that follows.
• "You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you": This forms a single, cohesive, conditional oath of extreme measure. The offering of his own sons as collateral for Benjamin’s safety demonstrates the gravity of the famine crisis and Reuben’s desperate attempt to earn his father's trust, though such a promise is morally abhorrent and highlights the societal or familial context of extreme, if not valid, pledges. This reflects a time when words carried immense weight and promises, however rash, were seriously conceived, even if rejected.
• "entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back to you": This two-part phrase states the direct request and the resulting promise. "Entrust him to my care" is the prerequisite action from Jacob, while "and I will bring him back to you" is Reuben’s core pledge, aiming to reassure Jacob of Benjamin’s safety. The parallel structure emphasizes Reuben's self-assured, albeit ultimately unconvincing, guarantee.

Genesis 42 37 Bonus section

• Jacob's Rejection (Implicit): Jacob's response in Gen 42:38, immediately after Reuben's offer, "My son shall not go down with you," serves as an implicit rejection of Reuben's proposition. Jacob does not even address the barbaric terms of the oath, indicating its unacceptability or simply its irrelevance in the face of his overwhelming fear for Benjamin's safety.
• Contrasting Character: Reuben’s offer highlights his emotional, impulsive, and somewhat unconvincing nature. This episode serves as a character study, distinguishing him from his younger brother Judah, who later provides a more effective and responsible solution to Jacob's fears regarding Benjamin (Gen 43:8-9), which Jacob eventually accepts. This foreshadows the shift in primogeniture from Reuben to Judah (Gen 49:3-4, 8-10).
• Oath Validity and Interpretation: From a later Mosaic perspective, an oath involving the lives of innocent third parties (especially children) would be void and condemned. However, in the immediate cultural context of ancient Near Eastern promises and the pre-Mosaic period, such an extreme, though horrific, vow could be intended to convey ultimate sincerity. The narrative, however, strongly implies its moral repugnance through Jacob's immediate refusal to consider it.
• Prophetic Parallel: While not a direct fulfillment, the act of one family member offering surety for another in dire straits echoes themes of sacrifice and redemption, ultimately pointing to Christ's perfect and righteous act of becoming our ultimate Surety (Heb 7:22) by offering Himself, not innocents, to redeem us.

Genesis 42 37 Commentary

Reuben’s offer in Genesis 42:37 is a profoundly dramatic and ethically challenging moment, revealing his complex character and the desperate straits of Jacob’s family. As the firstborn, Reuben attempts to assume responsibility and leadership, yet his rash proposal—to sacrifice his own children as collateral for Benjamin—is morally reprehensible and a sign of his impetuous nature (foreshadowed by his transgression with Bilhah in Gen 35:22 and his general lack of reliable leadership). Jacob wisely does not accept this horrific pledge; it stands in stark contrast to God's covenant with Abraham, which values life and ultimately forbids child sacrifice. This episode subtly prepares the reader for Judah's later, more prudent, and acceptable offer of himself as surety for Benjamin in Gen 43:8-9, highlighting Judah’s emergent leadership and more commendable character, ultimately paving the way for the lineage of the Messiah to pass through him rather than Reuben. Reuben's desperation underscores the famine's severity and Joseph's firm demands.