Genesis 43:6

Revised Standard Version

Israel said, "Why did you treat me so ill as to tell the man that you had another brother?"

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Yisra'el said, "Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?"

King James Version
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

Lexham English Bible
Then Israel said, "Why did you bring trouble to me by telling the man you still had a brother?"

New Century Version
Israel said, "Why did you tell the man you had another brother? You have caused me a lot of trouble."

New English Translation
Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had one more brother?"

Amplified Bible
And Israel (Jacob) said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man that you had another brother?"

New American Standard Bible
Then Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly, by telling the man whether you still had another brother?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Israel sayd, Wherefore delt ye so euill with me, as to tell the man, whether ye had yet a brother or no?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?"

Contemporary English Version
Jacob asked, "Why did you cause me so much trouble by telling the governor you had another brother?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Isra'el said, "Why did you bring such trouble my way by telling the man you had another brother?"

Darby Translation
And Israel said, Why did ye deal [so] ill with me [as] to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

Easy-to-Read Version
Israel said, "Why did you tell him you had another brother? Why did you do such a bad thing to me?"

English Standard Version
Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?"

George Lamsa Translation
Then their father Israel said to them, Why did you cause me this displeasure, as to tell the man whether you had another brother?

Good News Translation
Jacob said, "Why did you cause me so much trouble by telling the man that you had another brother?"

Christian Standard Bible®
“Why have you caused me so much trouble?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?”

Literal Translation
And Israel said, Why did you do evil to me to tell the man you still had a brother?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Israel sayde: Wherfore haue ye done this euell vnto me, to tell ye man, that ye had yet a brother?

American Standard Version
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

Bible in Basic English
And Israel said, Why were you so cruel to me as to say to him that you had a brother?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Israel sayd: wherefore dealt ye so cruelly with me, as to tell the man that ye had yet a brother?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Israel said: 'Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?'

King James Version (1611)
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Israel said, Why did ye harm me, inasmuch as ye told the man that ye had a brother?

English Revised Version
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

Berean Standard Bible
"Why did you bring this trouble upon me?" Israel asked. "Why did you tell the man you had another brother?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Israel seide to hem, Ye diden this in to my wretchidnesse, that ye schewiden to hym, that ye hadden also another brother.

Young's Literal Translation
And Israel saith, `Why did ye evil to me, by declaring to the man that ye had yet a brother?'

Update Bible Version
And Israel said, Why did you deal so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Israel said, Why dealt ye [so] ill with me, [as] to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

World English Bible
Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?"

New King James Version
And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?"

New Living Translation
"Why were you so cruel to me?" Jacob moaned. "Why did you tell him you had another brother?"

New Life Bible
Israel said, "Why did you do me such a wrong by telling the man that you had another brother?"

New Revised Standard
Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Israel said, Wherefore did ye ill to me, - to tell the man, there yet remained to you a brother?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery, in that you told him you had also another brother.

THE MESSAGE
Israel said, "Why are you making my life so difficult! Why did you ever tell the man you had another brother?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?"

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

Reciprocal: Exodus 14:11 - wherefore

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Israel said,.... In answer to the speech of Judah:

wherefore dealt ye [so] ill with me; had done that which brought so much evil upon him, gave him so much grief and trouble, and threw him into such perplexity and distress, that he knew not what to do, or course to take:

[as] to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? which he thought was done imprudently and unadvisedly, and that there was no need of it; which, had it not been done, would have prevented this anxiety of mind he was now in, and the mischief he feared would follow.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph and His Eleven Brethren

11. דבשׁ d^ebash, “honey,” from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים bôṭ^en, “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.