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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Genesis 43:3

But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jacob;   Judah;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Salutation;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Judah, son of jacob;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Jews, Judaism;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Judah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Tribes of Israel, the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Face;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Judah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ju'dah;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Joseph;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Joseph;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jacob (1);   Judah (2);   Solemn;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Precedence;   Tanḥuma B. Abba;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Yehudah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'
King James Version
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Lexham English Bible
Then Judah said to him, "The man solemnly admonished us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
New Century Version
But Judah said to Jacob, "The governor of that country strongly warned us, ‘If you don't bring your brother back with you, you will not be allowed to see me.'
New English Translation
But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
Amplified Bible
But Judah said to him, "The man [representing Pharaoh] solemnly and sternly warned us, saying, 'You will not see my face [again] unless your brother is with you.'
New American Standard Bible
Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "The man sternly warned us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Iudah answered him, saying, The man charged vs by an othe, saying, Neuer see my face, except your brother be with you.
Legacy Standard Bible
Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
Contemporary English Version
Judah replied, "The governor strictly warned us that we would not be allowed to see him unless we brought our youngest brother with us. If you let us take Benjamin along, we will go and buy grain. But we won't go without him!"
Complete Jewish Bible
Y'hudah said to him, "The man expressly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
Darby Translation
And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did positively testify to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your brother be with you.
Easy-to-Read Version
But Judah said to Jacob, "But the governor of that country warned us. He said, ‘If you don't bring your brother back to me, I will refuse to talk to you.'
English Standard Version
But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
George Lamsa Translation
And Judah said to him, The man did solemnly charge us, saying, You shall not see my face except your brother is with you.
Good News Translation
Judah said to him, "The man sternly warned us that we would not be admitted to his presence unless we had our brother with us.
Christian Standard Bible®
But Judah said to him, “The man specifically warned us: ‘You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.’
Literal Translation
And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man fiercely protested, saying to us, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The Iuda answered him, and sayde: The man sware vnto vs, and sayde: ye shal not se my face, excepte youre brother be with you.
American Standard Version
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Bible in Basic English
And Judah said to him, The man said to us with an oath, You are not to come before me again without your brother.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iuda aunswered him, and sayd, The man did solemply protest vnto vs saying: ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Judah spoke unto him, saying: 'The man did earnestly forewarn us, saying: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
King James Version (1611)
And Iudah spake vnto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest vnto vs, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
English Revised Version
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Berean Standard Bible
But Judah replied, "The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Judas answeride, The ilke man denounside to vs vndir witnessyng of an ooth, and seide, Ye schulen not se my face, if ye schulen not brynge with you youre leeste brother;
Young's Literal Translation
And Judah speaketh unto him, saying, `The man protesting protested to us, saying, Ye do not see my face without your brother [being] with you;
Update Bible Version
And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother [be] with you.
World English Bible
Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'
New King James Version
But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, "You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
New Living Translation
But Judah said, "The man was serious when he warned us, ‘You won't see my face again unless your brother is with you.'
New Life Bible
But Judah told him, "The man said to us with sharp words, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
New Revised Standard
But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then spake Judah unto him saying, - The man, did protest, to us saying - Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.
THE MESSAGE
But Judah said, "The man warned us most emphatically, ‘You won't so much as see my face if you don't have your brother with you.' If you're ready to release our brother to go with us, we'll go down and get you food. But if you're not ready, we aren't going. What would be the use? The man told us, ‘You won't so much as see my face if you don't have your brother with you.'"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

Contextual Overview

1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And when they had eaten the grain which they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little food." 3 But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food; 5 but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'" 6 Israel said, "Why did you treat me so ill as to tell the man that you had another brother?" 7 They replied, "The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' What we told him was in answer to these questions; could we in any way know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?" 8 And Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will be surety for him; of my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever; 10 for if we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

man: Genesis 42:15-20, Genesis 42:33, Genesis 42:34, Genesis 44:23

did solemnly protest: Heb. protesting, protested, Acts 7:34

see my face: Genesis 43:5, 2 Samuel 3:13, 2 Samuel 14:24, 2 Samuel 14:28, 2 Samuel 14:32, Acts 20:25, Acts 20:38

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:10 - I have seen Genesis 43:7 - asked us straitly Genesis 43:20 - we came indeed down 1 Corinthians 15:31 - protest

Cross-References

Genesis 43:5
but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"
Genesis 43:15
So the men took the present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
Genesis 43:20
and said, "Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food;
Genesis 43:33
And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another in amazement.
Genesis 43:34
Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Genesis 44:23
Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.'
2 Samuel 3:13
And he said, "Good; I will make a covenant with you; but one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."
2 Samuel 14:24
And the king said, "Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence." So Ab'salom dwelt apart in his own house, and did not come into the king's presence.
2 Samuel 14:28
So Ab'salom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king's presence.
2 Samuel 14:32
Ab'salom answered Jo'ab, "Behold, I sent word to you, 'Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still." Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king; and if there is guilt in me, let him kill me.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Judah spake unto him,.... Reuben the eldest son had met with a repulse already, Genesis 42:36; Simeon the next was now in Egypt,

Genesis 42:24, and Levi, perhaps on account of the affair of Shechem,

Genesis 34:25, did not yet stand well in his father's favour and affection; wherefore Judah being next, with the consent of his brethren, undertakes to manage the affair with him, who had doubtless an interest in him, as well as authority among his brethren, and was a prudent man, and could speak well:

saying, the man did solemnly protest unto us; meaning Joseph, though he then knew not that it was he; whom he calls "the man", not by way of contempt, or as thinking and speaking meanly of him, but the reverse, the great man, the honourable man, the governor of Egypt; and so the Septuagint version adds, "the man, the lord of the land"; he in the strongest terms, and in the most solemn manner, protested by the life of Pharaoh:

saying, ye shall not see my face; with acceptance, should not be admitted to come near him, or treat with him, and purchase any corn of him:

except your brother [be] with you; their youngest brother Benjamin.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph and His Eleven Brethren

11. דבשׁ debash, “honey,” from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים bôṭen, “pistachio nuts.” שׁקד shâqêd, “almond tree;” related: “awake.” The tree is also called לוּז lûz. Some refer the former to the fruit, the latter to the tree.

The eleven brothers are now to bow down before Joseph.

Genesis 43:1-10

The famine was severe. The pressure began to be felt more and more. The twelve households had at length consumed all the corn they had purchased, and the famine still pressed heavily upon them. Jacob directs them to return. “And Judah said.” Reuben had offended, and could not come forward. Simon and Levi had also grieved their father by the treacherous slaughter of the Shekemites. Judah therefore, speaks. “Is your father yet alive?” “Have ye a brother?” These questions do not come out in the previous narrative, on account of its brevity. But how pointed they are, and how true to Joseph’s yearnings! They explain how it was that these particulars came out in the replies of the brothers to Joseph. For the charge of being spies did not call for them in exculpation. Judah now uses all the arguments the case would admit of, to persuade his father to allow Benjamin to go with them. He closes with the emphatic sentence, If I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me have sinned against thee all my days; that is, let me bear the blame, and of course the penalty of having sinned against thee in so tender a point. Both Judah and his father knew that this was a matter that touched the interest of the former very deeply. Reuben was bearing the blame of a grievous sin, and had no hope of the birthright. Simon and Levi were also bearing blame, and, besides, had not the natural right, which belonged only to Reuben. Judah came next, and a failure in securing the safe return of Benjamin might set him also aside. He undertakes to run this risk.

Genesis 43:11-15

Jacob at length reluctantly sends Benjamin with them. He employs all means, as is usual with him, of securing a favorable result. “The best of the land” - the sung or celebrated products of the land. “A little honey.” Palestine abounded with bee honey. A sirup obtained by boiling down the juice of the grape was also called by the same name, and formed an article of commerce. “Nuts.” These are supposed to be pistachio nuts, from the pistacia vera, a tree resembling the terebinth, a native of Anatolia, Syria, and Palestine. “Almonds.” The almond tree buds or flowers earlier in the spring than other trees. It is a native of Palestine, Syria, and Persia. For the other products see Genesis 37:25. “Other silver;” not double silver, but a second sum for the new purchase. “God Almighty” - the Great Spirit, who can dispose the hearts of men as he pleases. Jacob looks up to heaven for a blessing, while he uses the means. “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” This is the expression of acquiescence in whatever may be the will of Providence. “Double silver,” - what was returned and what was to pay for a second supply of corn.

Genesis 43:16-18

The invitation into Joseph’s house fills the brothers with alarm. “Saw with them Benjamin.” This was an unspeakable relief to Joseph, who was afraid that his full brother, also the favorite of his father, might have incurred the envy and persecution of the brothers. “Brought the men to Joseph’s house.” This he eventually did, but not until after the conference between him and them took place. The men were afraid of a plot to rob them of their liberty and property.

Genesis 43:19-25

They are encouraged by the steward of Joseph’s house to lay aside their fears, and prepare their present. “Spake to him at the door of the house.” This was, of course, before they entered. “When we came to the inn.” The relater is prone to lump matters in the narration, for the sake of brevity. They began to “open their bags” at the first lodging-place, and finished the process at the last when they got home. Other silver. This explains the phrase “second silver” in Genesis 43:12. “Peace be to you.” Be at rest. All is well. Your God. The steward of Joseph expresses himself as one who fears and trusts God, the God of the Hebrews, who had displayed his omniscience and omnipotence in Egypt. “He brought out unto them Simon.” While they still linger at the entrance, the considerate steward bethought himself of bringing out Simon to them, which reassured their hearts, and induced them to enter willingly. He now succeeds therefore, in bringing them in, and then bestows upon them the usual attentions of Eastern hospitality. They now “make ready their present.”

Genesis 43:26-34

They are now entertained by Joseph. They brought the present, and made a lowly obeisance before him. “They bent the head.” See Genesis 24:26. “God be gracious unto thee, my son.” His kind treatment of Benjamin, on whose presence he had so much insisted, was calculated to reassure the brothers. The latter was born in his thirteenth year, and therefore, he was entitled to assume the paternal style in regard to him. Joseph still appeals with a natural and unconstrained reverence to his own God. “And Joseph hastened away.” The little touch of tenderness he had involuntarily thrown into his address to Benjamin, is too much for his feelings, which yearn toward his brother, and he is obliged to retreat to his chamber to conceal his tears and compose his countenance. “They set for him by himself.” As the governor, or as connected by affinity with the priestly caste, Joseph does not eat with the other Egyptians. The Egyptians cannot eat with the Hebrews. “That is an abomination to the Mizrites.” For the Hebrews partook of the flesh of kine, both male and female.

But Herodotus informs us (ii. 41), that “male kine, if clean, are used by the Egyptians, but the females they are not allowed to sacrifice, since they are sacred to Isis.” And he adds that “a native of Egypt will not kiss a Greek, use his knife, his spit, or his cauldron, or taste the flesh cut with a Greek knife.” They considered all foreigners unclean, and therefore, refused to eat with them (see Rawlinson’s Herodotus on p. q.). They sat in his presence; arranged according to the order of their birth, to their great amazement. Egypt was to them a land of wonders, and Egypt’s sultan a man of wonder. “Benjamin’s mess.” The honored guest was distinguished by a larger or daintier portion of the fare (1 Samuel 9:23-24; Homer, ii. 7,321). A double portion was assigned to the Spartan kings. The fivefold division was prominent in Egyptian affairs Genesis 41:34; Genesis 45:22; Genesis 47:2, Genesis 47:24, Genesis 47:26. “And were merry.” They drank freely, so as to be exhilarated, because their cares were dissipated by the kindness they were receiving, the presence of Simon, and the attention paid to Benjamin.


 
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