Genesis 42:8 kjv

And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

Genesis 42:8 nkjv

So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Genesis 42:8 niv

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

Genesis 42:8 esv

And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Genesis 42:8 nlt

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn't recognize him.

Genesis 42 verses

Genesis 42 8 Meaning

This verse describes a crucial turning point in the narrative: Joseph, now the powerful vizier of Egypt, immediately recognized his ten elder brothers, who had come to buy grain during the severe famine. However, despite their interaction and Joseph's familiar face (albeit older and in Egyptian attire), his brothers did not recognize him, perceiving him only as an unknown, powerful Egyptian official. This asymmetry of recognition is fundamental to Joseph's subsequent actions, allowing him to orchestrate a series of tests to ascertain the brothers' character and bring about reconciliation and the preservation of his family.

Genesis 42 8 Context

Genesis chapter 42 opens with Jacob sending his sons to Egypt to buy grain, as a severe famine grips the land, affecting Canaan as well. They arrive in Egypt and are directed to Joseph, who, as the overseer of the grain supply, holds immense power. When the brothers come before him, they bow down with their faces to the ground, an act that precisely fulfills the dreams Joseph had had as a young man (Gen 37:5-10). This verse, Gen 42:8, immediately follows their obeisance, establishing the pivotal dynamic: Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. This sets the stage for Joseph's deliberate decision not to reveal himself immediately. Instead, he decides to test his brothers, leading to a complex series of events in chapters 42-45 aimed at discerning their true character, especially in contrast to their past cruelties and their potential treatment of Benjamin. The historical context is a widespread ancient Near Eastern famine, compelling movement for sustenance, making their journey to Egypt logical. Culturally, high officials often adopted foreign attire and language, making recognition difficult.

Genesis 42 8 Word analysis

• And (וַיַּכֵּר - vayyakkēr): A narrative conjunction, connecting this crucial statement to the brothers' bowing down in the preceding verse. It signals a shift from their action to Joseph's perception.
• Joseph (יוֹסֵף - yôsēp̱): The specific son of Jacob, now highly exalted. His identity as Joseph remains, despite his dramatic change in status and appearance, emphasizing the continuity of the person.
• knew (הִכִּיר - hikkīr): This is the Hifil perfect of the root נכר (nakar), meaning "to recognize," "to perceive," or "to discern." The Hifil stem implies an active recognition or causing to know. Joseph actively identified them; it wasn't a casual observation but a deep, immediate recognition based on family ties and past memories. His years in Egypt did not erase the vivid impression of his brothers.
• his brothers (אֶחָיו - ēchāyw): A direct and specific reference to his blood relatives, the very individuals who had betrayed him. The relational term emphasizes the personal nature of Joseph's recognition.
• but (וְהֵם - vehēm): This conjunction introduces a sharp contrast between Joseph's perception and his brothers' lack thereof. It highlights the asymmetrical recognition.
• they (הֵם - hēm): Refers collectively to the ten sons of Jacob. Their unity in ignorance contrasts with Joseph's singular insight.
• knew not him (לֹא הִכִּרֻהוּ - lōʾ hikkīrūhû): The same Hifil verb "to know/recognize" (nakar) but in the negative. This signifies their failure to identify Joseph. Several factors likely contributed to this: Joseph's drastically altered appearance (Egyptian attire, shaven, mature, and a different air of authority), the use of an interpreter, his elevated status (unimaginable for them), and potentially their own guilt blinding them or simply their lack of expectation that their enslaved brother could ever hold such a position.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And Joseph knew his brothers": This phrase underlines Joseph's keen discernment and complete grasp of the situation. It establishes him as the one with insight and control, seeing past the disguise of years and circumstances to identify his true kin. This is significant, as it shows he has not forgotten his identity or family. His ability to recognize them suggests a powerful emotional memory and the intactness of his true self beneath the Egyptian veneer.
• "but they knew not him": This contrasting clause emphasizes the profound irony and the brothers' spiritual and situational blindness. Their failure to recognize Joseph demonstrates how much he had changed in appearance and status. More importantly, it shows their lack of discernment regarding God's hand in their lives and in Joseph's life. This allows Joseph to remain in disguise and execute his plan to test and ultimately reconcile with them, without their immediate resistance or fear. This ignorance is crucial for the dramatic tension and the unfolding of God's redemptive purpose through Joseph.

Genesis 42 8 Bonus section

• The dramatic irony established in this verse is profound. The reader is privy to Joseph's identity, which creates suspense as we watch the brothers stumble through the encounter, unaware they are speaking to the very brother they wronged.
• Joseph's knew (recognized) implies a complete and unwavering certainty. The brothers' knew not implies a complete and fundamental failure of perception, both literal and metaphorical.
• This verse contains a deep theological foreshadowing. Just as Joseph was despised, sold, but then exalted to a place of saving power, only to be unrecognized by his own kin (the physical sons of Israel) for a time, so too was the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He came to His own (Israel), but His own did not receive or recognize Him in His true nature and saving purpose, at least initially (Jn 1:11). This partial blindness ultimately served God's greater plan of salvation for all mankind, just as the brothers' initial blindness served to advance God's plan for Jacob's family and the nation of Israel.
• Joseph's disguise (or changed appearance) prevents premature confrontation. Had the brothers recognized him immediately, their reactions might have been purely out of fear, preventing a true change of heart or revealing their genuine repentance. The lack of recognition allowed Joseph to be the agent of a carefully orchestrated divine test and redemption.

Genesis 42 8 Commentary

Genesis 42:8 is a pivotal verse that masterfully sets the stage for the dramatic unfolding of the Joseph narrative. Joseph's instant recognition of his brothers highlights his unbroken connection to his past and his family, despite two decades of separation, immense suffering, and astonishing exaltation. This moment would have been charged with overwhelming emotions for Joseph – perhaps vindication for past wrongs, grief for lost time, and a renewed desire to ensure his family's welfare, especially Benjamin and Jacob. His clear perception underscores his retained identity and purpose within God's plan.

Conversely, the brothers' inability to recognize Joseph is multifaceted. On a practical level, Joseph's Egyptian attire, high official position, mature appearance (from 17 to around 39), and use of an interpreter would naturally obscure his identity. On a deeper level, their spiritual blindness, perhaps clouded by guilt from their past actions against Joseph, may have prevented them from truly seeing God's providential hand at work, right before their very eyes. They saw only an intimidating Egyptian lord, not their brother.

This asymmetry of recognition empowers Joseph to initiate his elaborate tests. It enables him to probe his brothers' character, to see if they had changed from the jealous, deceitful men who had thrown him into a pit and sold him into slavery. His plan unfolds over subsequent chapters, forcing them to confront their past sins (Gen 42:21) and revealing Judah's profound transformation (Gen 44:33). The verse, therefore, is not merely a statement of fact but a narrative device that underpins the entire reconciliation arc, demonstrating God's sovereign hand guiding circumstances to bring about the ultimate good for His chosen people (Gen 50:20). It mirrors a broader biblical theme: the failure to recognize God's messengers or even God Himself in an unexpected form, often a precursor to later revelation or judgment.