Genesis 42:7 kjv

And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

Genesis 42:7 nkjv

Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."

Genesis 42:7 niv

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food."

Genesis 42:7 esv

Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

Genesis 42:7 nlt

Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where are you from?" he demanded. "From the land of Canaan," they replied. "We have come to buy food."

Genesis 42 verses

Genesis 42 7 Meaning

Genesis 42:7 depicts Joseph, now the powerful vizier of Egypt, recognizing his brothers who have come to buy grain during a severe famine. Despite his immediate recognition, he intentionally disguises his identity and adopts a stern demeanor, speaking harshly to them. He then probes their origin, and they respond that they are from Canaan, having come to acquire food. This act initiates a series of events orchestrated by Joseph to test his brothers and facilitate their transformation and a eventual family reconciliation under God's sovereign plan.

Genesis 42 7 Context

Genesis chapter 42 opens with Jacob dispatching his sons (excluding Benjamin) from Canaan to Egypt to buy grain, as famine gripped the entire region. The earlier chapters of Joseph's narrative (Gen 37-41) detail his betrayal by his brothers, his enslavement, his unjust imprisonment, and ultimately his meteoric rise to second-in-command of Egypt, directly responsible for managing the kingdom's vast grain stores. The brothers' arrival in Egypt, unknowingly standing before their long-lost sibling, fulfills Joseph's prophetic dreams of their bowing before him (Gen 37:7-10). Verse 7 serves as the pivotal moment where Joseph's secret plan for reconciliation and testing of his brothers begins, rooted in his memory of their past cruelty and his divinely ordained role. Culturally, high officials in Egypt often dealt sternly with foreign supplicants, and disguise or testing was not uncommon in ancient narratives where identity was key.

Genesis 42 7 Word analysis

• And Joseph: וַיּוֹסֵף (vayyoseph). Joseph's name (יוֹסֵף, Yosef) means "He adds" or "He increases." This moment marks the beginning of God's 'adding' to Joseph's family and reconciling them, demonstrating God's faithfulness despite human sin.

• saw: וַיַּרְא (vayyar’). The verb רָאָה (ra'ah) means "to see," but here implies immediate, definitive visual recognition, going beyond mere sight.

• his brothers: אֶחָיו (eḥayw). A simple yet potent term signifying deep familial connection, highlighting the tragic betrayal that preceded this encounter and the enduring bond, however fractured.

• and he recognized them: וַיַּכֵּרֵם (vayakkireim). From the verb נָכַר (nakar), "to discern," "to recognize." This emphasizes Joseph's active process of discerning their identity, knowing them intimately even after years and great personal change. Their appearance had evidently not changed to a degree that prevented Joseph from identifying them immediately, yet he himself had transformed significantly due to his time in Egypt (new clothes, language, authority, wisdom).

• but he made himself strange to them: וַיִּתְנַכֵּר (vayyitnakker). The Hithpael (reflexive-reciprocal) stem of נָכַר. This is a crucial linguistic detail, indicating a deliberate and self-conscious act. Joseph intentionally put on an alien persona, adopting an attitude or appearance of an unknown foreigner or official stranger. It signifies a calculated disguise and pretense. This isn't merely being unrecognizable due to appearance, but a deliberate act of making himself unrecognized.

• and spoke roughly to them: וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת (vaydabbēr ittām qashot). קָשׁוֹת (qashot) means "harshly," "severely," "roughly." It denotes a stern, uncompromising tone and demeanor. This was a deliberate display of authority and possibly intended to invoke fear, mirroring the fear they once inflicted on him (Gen 37:18-20) and setting up a test of their conscience. This was not uncontrolled anger, but a strategic posture.

• And he asked them, "Where do you come from?": מֵאַיִן בָּאתֶם (me’ayin batem). A direct and immediate interrogation. This initial question, while seemingly innocuous for officials, sets the tone for an investigation into their identity and purpose. It starts the probing.

• And they said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food.": לִשְׁבָּר אֹכֶל (lishbor okhel). This is a simple, factual response that confirms their identity (from Canaan) and their desperate need for grain (food). Their necessity for "food" brings them literally and symbolically under Joseph's control and authority.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them": This highlights Joseph's keen and immediate awareness. His memory of their past, his dreams, and his current position all converged in this moment of recognition. This internal reality stands in stark contrast to his external actions.
  • "but he made himself strange to them and spoke roughly to them": This phrase details Joseph's calculated strategy. It was a conscious decision to conceal his true identity and to present himself as an intimidating, foreign authority figure. This serves multiple purposes: preventing immediate emotional outburst, forcing his brothers to humility, and setting the stage for their testing without revealing his hand. His "rough speaking" tests their reactions and initiates the process of convicting them of past wrongs.

Genesis 42 7 Bonus section

• Joseph's disguised interaction serves as a type of legal process or "ordeal," common in the ancient Near East, designed to extract truth and observe character under duress. His strategy forced his brothers into an unexpected trial of their integrity and a recollection of their past injustices.
• The fact that his brothers did not recognize Joseph (despite his immediate recognition of them) underscores the significant transformation Joseph had undergone – not just in status and appearance, but also psychologically. His long separation and profound experiences in Egypt had altered him beyond their easy recognition, emphasizing his "Egyptianization."
• Joseph's seemingly harsh actions ultimately served as "faithful wounds" (Prov 27:6) for his brothers, necessary for their spiritual healing and the family's ultimate restoration. Without this initial tension and the subsequent tests, true repentance might not have occurred, nor would their demonstration of brotherly love for Benjamin have been as powerful.

Genesis 42 7 Commentary

Genesis 42:7 is a critical turning point in the Joseph narrative, initiating the protracted process of his brothers' transformation and family reconciliation. Joseph's actions are not those of simple vindictiveness, but a divinely inspired, strategic test. His "making himself strange" and "speaking roughly" were purposeful deceptions, born out of profound wisdom and foresight rather than unbridled emotion. He was likely observing their demeanor, evaluating if they had matured, regretted their past sin against him, and if they now possessed genuine compassion and integrity. This intense and initially frightening interaction was necessary to break through their facade, compel them to confront their past actions (which Joseph would skillfully provoke through subsequent events), and foster true repentance. The asymmetry of knowledge – Joseph knows them, they do not know him – allowed him to orchestrate events in a way that revealed their true character and ultimately brought God's sovereign plan for their family to fruition, preserving a remnant in the midst of famine. This foreshadows a pattern of divine dealing where challenging circumstances, orchestrated or permitted by God, serve to test and refine character for greater redemptive purposes.