Genesis 42:5 kjv
And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:5 nkjv
And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:5 niv
So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also.
Genesis 42:5 esv
Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:5 nlt
So Jacob's sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine was in Canaan as well.
Genesis 42 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:10 | "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there..." | Abram's similar descent to Egypt due to famine. |
| Gen 26:1 | "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech..." | Famine a recurring test, not just in Joseph's time. |
| Gen 41:54 | "And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said..." | Joseph's prophecy of famine fulfilled. |
| Gen 42:1 | "Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?" | Jacob's motivation for sending his sons. |
| Gen 42:2 | "Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither..." | Jacob instructing his sons to go to Egypt. |
| Gen 42:3 | "And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt." | Specific number of brothers sent by Jacob. |
| Gen 45:5 | "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." | Joseph reveals God's redemptive purpose through the famine. |
| Gen 50:20 | "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." | God's sovereignty over human intentions and suffering. |
| Ex 1:1 | "Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt..." | Beginning of Israel's descent into Egypt. |
| Deut 8:3 | "And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna... that he might make thee know..." | God uses hunger and provision for divine purposes. |
| Neh 9:15 | "And gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst..." | God's provision during distress. |
| Psa 105:16 | "Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread." | God's control over natural calamities like famine. |
| Psa 105:17 | "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:" | Joseph sent ahead by divine plan. |
| Isa 55:1 | "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat..." | Invitation to divine provision in spiritual terms. |
| Hos 11:1 | "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." | Foreshadowing Israel's call out of Egypt, following this initial entry. |
| Amos 8:11 | "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water..." | Spiritual famine likened to physical famine. |
| Mt 2:13 | "The angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt..." | Fleeing to Egypt for safety from danger. |
| Jn 6:33 | "For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." | Jesus as the ultimate bread of life, transcending physical bread. |
| Acts 7:11 | "Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction..." | Stephen's sermon confirming the famine in both regions. |
| Acts 7:12 | "And when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first." | Stephen's account of Jacob sending his sons. |
| Phil 4:19 | "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." | Divine provision in all circumstances, even famine. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place... sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country..." | The patriarchs were sojourners, dependent on God's provision even in the promised land. |
Genesis 42 verses
Genesis 42 5 Meaning
Genesis 42:5 details that the sons of Jacob, later known as Israel, journeyed to Egypt to purchase grain. They were compelled to do so because a severe famine had afflicted their dwelling place, the land of Canaan, along with many other people from various lands who were also seeking provisions in Egypt. This movement marks a pivotal step in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan, setting the stage for Joseph's reunion with his family and their relocation to Egypt.
Genesis 42 5 Context
Genesis chapter 42 opens with Jacob and his family experiencing the devastating effects of the severe seven-year famine that Joseph had prophesied and for which he had prepared Egypt. News of available grain in Egypt reached Jacob in Canaan. Though dwelling in the Promised Land, they were not immune to this widespread catastrophe. Jacob observes the idleness and growing desperation of his sons (Gen 42:1-4) and commands them to go to Egypt to buy provisions. This verse (Gen 42:5) records their subsequent journey, highlighting that they were not alone but joined a multitude of others seeking relief from the widespread scarcity of food across the region, including the land of Canaan. This trip is the first step towards the providential reunion of Joseph with his brothers, setting in motion the full migration of the family into Egypt as the famine intensified.
Genesis 42 5 Word analysis
And the sons of Israel (וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ - va-yā-ḇō-’ū ḇə-nê yiś-rā-’ēl):
- וַיָּבֹאוּ (va-yā-ḇō-’ū): "And they came." The waw-conversive with the imperfect verb denotes a sequential action, emphasizing this journey as a direct result of Jacob's instruction. It signals the initiation of their long journey.
- בְנֵי (bə-nê): "Sons of." Denotes direct familial lineage.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (yiś-rā-’ēl): "Israel." Jacob's new name, bestowed upon him by God (Gen 32:28). The use of "Israel" rather than "Jacob" for his sons here elevates their identity, linking them to God's covenant with the patriarch and foreshadowing the formation of the nation of Israel from these very individuals.
came to buy corn (לִשְׁבֹּר - lish-bōr):
- לִשְׁבֹּר (lish-bōr): From the root שָׁבַר (shavar), which can mean "to break," but in this context means "to buy food supplies" or "to deal in grain." It specifically refers to buying provisions or grain. It underscores the practical, life-sustaining purpose of their trip – obtaining food. It's not a casual visit but an essential undertaking.
among those that came (בְּת֤וֹךְ הַבָּאִים֙ - bə-ṯō-wḵ hab-bā-’îm):
- בְּת֤וֹךְ (bə-ṯō-wḵ): "Among," "in the midst of." Indicates that Jacob's sons were not unique in their journey but part of a larger throng.
- הַבָּאִים֙ (hab-bā-’îm): "Those who were coming." Refers to all the people, likely from surrounding nations, who were converging on Egypt for the same reason—to buy grain. This detail emphasizes the widespread nature of the famine and highlights Egypt's unique position as a granary due to Joseph's wise preparations.
for the famine (כִּֽי הָיָ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ב - kî hā-yāh hā-rā-‘āḇ):
- כִּי (kî): "For" or "because." Introduces the reason or explanation for their journey.
- הָרָעָב (hā-rā-‘āḇ): "The famine."
Ra'avis a severe lack of food, a devastating natural disaster often seen as a divine judgment or, in this case, as an instrument of divine providence. The definite article ("the famine") implies its recognized widespread and severe nature.
was in the land of Canaan (בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן - bə-’e-reṣ kə-nā-‘an):
- בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (bə-’e-reṣ): "In the land of."
- כְּנָֽעַן (kə-nā-‘an): "Canaan." The land God promised to Abraham's descendants (Gen 12:7), yet subject to natural disasters. The irony is poignant: they must leave the Promised Land to survive due to a famine that forces them into the land where their brother Joseph holds power, unbeknownst to them. This sets the stage for a dramatic turning point.
Words-Group Analysis:
"the sons of Israel came to buy corn": This phrase introduces the central actors of the immediate narrative and their purpose. It emphasizes necessity rather than choice, highlighting the desperate situation back home in Canaan. The term "sons of Israel" is significant; it refers to the nascent family-nation that God is forming, whose survival now hangs on obtaining sustenance from an unlikely source, orchestrated by God's hidden hand.
"among those that came": This underscores the global scale of the famine and Egypt's status as a beacon of survival, established through Joseph's wisdom and divine guidance. It positions Jacob's family as participants in a much larger event, showing God's providence extending beyond just one family or nation. It also implies crowded conditions and the challenges of travel and procurement.
"for the famine was in the land of Canaan": This phrase provides the ultimate impetus for their journey. It highlights that even the land of promise was not exempt from hardship, reinforcing the idea of a universal famine (also confirmed in Egypt, Gen 41:54). It creates the direct need that God uses to unfold His plan, bringing Joseph's estranged family directly to him, fulfilling past dreams and paving the way for the eventual nation of Israel's growth in Egypt.
Genesis 42 5 Bonus section
- The famine affecting "the land of Canaan" underscores the concept that God's people are not exempt from worldly hardships, yet God uses such difficulties for deeper spiritual and redemptive purposes.
- This journey into Egypt marks the beginning of Israel's descent into Egypt, an essential precursor to their subsequent sojourn there, their miraculous exodus, and their formation as a nation. It ties directly to God's prophecy to Abraham in Gen 15:13 regarding his descendants being afflicted in a foreign land.
- The fact that they went "among those that came" implies a massive scale of migration and distress, illustrating the comprehensive impact of the famine predicted by Joseph. This would also have added to the difficulty and perceived humiliation of their journey, traveling with others who were desperate.
Genesis 42 5 Commentary
Genesis 42:5, though brief, is a rich passage detailing a crucial moment in the history of God's covenant people. It narrates the pragmatic decision of Jacob's sons to seek survival by venturing into Egypt due to the widespread and devastating famine in their homeland. This action, driven by a desperate physical need, is actually a precise fulfillment of God's overarching redemptive plan, a continuation of His hidden orchestration that began when Joseph was sold into slavery.
The verse emphasizes "the sons of Israel," drawing attention to their collective identity, not merely as Jacob's individual offspring, but as the progenitors of the nation. Their forced migration into Egypt—the same land Abram and Isaac had previously encountered during famine—reaffirms God's sovereignty over natural disasters. The famine itself, orchestrated or allowed by God, serves as a powerful divine instrument to reunite a fragmented family, humble the haughty brothers, and relocate God's chosen family to a place where they would multiply rapidly, away from Canaanite influence.
This event vividly demonstrates the principle of divine providence: God's ability to weave good from complex and often painful circumstances, even using human sin and natural calamity for His ultimate purposes. The irony of the situation, with the very brothers who betrayed Joseph now dependent on the land where he, unbeknownst to them, reigned, is profound. This descent into Egypt for sustenance lays the groundwork for the fulfillment of prophecies regarding the Abrahamic covenant, specifically the promise of becoming a great nation and dwelling in a foreign land before inheriting Canaan. It is a powerful illustration that God works all things for good for those who love Him, ensuring His promises endure through trials and tribulations.