Genesis 42:13
And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Their statement that "one is not" is a subtle, almost casual, acknowledgment of death that reveals how deeply entrenched their lie about Joseph's fate had become, even in their own minds. It underscores how the passage of time and their lack of news had solidified the belief that Joseph was gone, making their deception feel like a stated fact rather than a fabrication.
In a famine, Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt to buy food and encounter Joseph, whom they don't recognize, acting as the land's governor. Joseph speaks harshly to them, accusing them of spying, and they explain they are twelve brothers from Canaan, with the youngest still at home with their father, and one (Joseph) is presumed dead. Joseph then devises a plan to test their repentance and ensure Benjamin's safety, holding one brother captive while sending the others back for their youngest sibling.
Why did Joseph's brothers mention they were twelve brothers, yet only eleven were present? This wasn't just a casual remark; it was a deliberate, strategic piece of information.
When Joseph's brothers first encountered him as the powerful governor of Egypt, they were put on edge. He accused them of being spies, a serious charge. To defend themselves, they laid out their family situation: they were twelve brothers from one father in Canaan. However, they then said, 'the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.' This phrase, 'one is not,' is a crucial omission. It implies that one brother is dead, and they present this information to establish their credibility and their reason for being in Egypt – not to spy, but to buy food because of the famine. This strategic vagueness about Joseph's absence, while highlighting Benjamin's presence, was a calculated move to appear as simple, honest men under duress, rather than a unified group with a hidden agenda. It served to deflect suspicion and emphasize their current plight.
Later, when their money is found in their sacks, they interpret it as God's judgment for their sin against their brother Joseph, whom they believed to be dead. Their confession, 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother... therefore is this distress come upon us,' reveals the true weight of their unspoken 'one is not.' It wasn't merely a factual statement about Joseph's perceived death; it was a loaded phrase carrying the burden of their guilt.
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Joseph held all the power, yet he didn't immediately reveal himself. Why the disguise, the harsh words, and the imprisonment?
Joseph, now a powerful figure in Egypt, recognizes his brothers but chooses to conceal his identity. His rough treatment and the accusation of spying are not driven by a desire for revenge, but by a deep spiritual discernment and a desire for genuine repentance and reconciliation. He wants to see if his brothers have truly changed since they sold him into slavery years ago.
The imprisonment of the brothers serves as a critical test. It strips away their usual confidence and forces them to confront their past actions. Their confession, 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother,' is a direct result of this pressure. Joseph is looking for more than just acknowledgment; he's testing their character under duress. He needs to know if they have grown, if their hearts have softened, and if they can demonstrate brotherly love, particularly concerning Benjamin, their youngest brother and their father's favorite. His actions, though seemingly harsh, are a divinely orchestrated method to bring about true remorse and prepare them for reconciliation.
Understand the original words
Kena'an · Hebrew Noun
The promised land given by God to Abraham and his descendants as an everlasting possession; central to the covenantal narrative of the Pentateuch.
The brothers' statement about their family structure and the missing brother is a strategic plea for mercy, made under duress in a foreign land during a devastating famine. It highlights their desperation and attempts to establish their credibility as simple family men, not spies, while subtly revealing the profound grief over Joseph's presumed death.
c. 1700s-1600s BC
Hyksos Rule in Egypt
This period saw the rule of the Hyksos, foreign rulers from Western Asia, in parts of Egypt. Joseph's rise to power as governor would have occurred within this dynamic political landscape.
c. 1700s-1600s BC— this verse
Joseph's Rise to Power
After interpreting Pharaoh's dreams and advising on famine preparation, Joseph is appointed governor of Egypt, overseeing the grain supply during a severe, multi-year famine.
c. 1700s-1600s BC
Famine Grips Canaan
The severe famine that Joseph predicted devastates the land of Canaan, forcing Jacob and his sons to seek food from the only source available: Egypt.
c. 1700s-1600s BC
Brothers Arrive in Egypt
Ten of Jacob's sons arrive in Egypt to buy grain. They appear before Joseph, who recognizes them but conceals his identity, speaking harshly and accusing them of being spies.
c. 1700s-1600s BC
Imprisonment and Demand
Joseph imprisons his brothers for three days and then demands that, to prove their honesty, one must remain behind while the others return to Canaan to bring their youngest brother, Benjamin.
This verse directly echoes the sentiment of 'one is not,' as Jacob laments Joseph's presumed death, highlighting the recurring theme of loss and grief within the family.
Genesis 44:20Here, Judah makes a similar statement to Joseph about their father's sorrow over the missing 'one,' reinforcing the emotional weight and familial tragedy connected to the absence of Joseph and later, Benjamin.
Matthew 2:17-18This passage describes Herod's massacre of the innocents in Bethlehem, mirroring the 'one is not' theme through the lamentation of Rachel for her lost children, connecting familial grief across different narratives.
Luke 15:24The parable of the prodigal son describes a father saying of his lost son, 'he was dead, and is alive again,' which parallels the 'one is not' situation, emphasizing the joy and relief when what was lost is found.
Genesis 42:21The brothers' confession of guilt regarding Joseph, prompted by their current distress, shows how past actions and the absence of a loved one can lead to deep introspection and acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
clarkeGenesis 42:13: "And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not."
One is not - An elliptical sentence, One is not alive.
calvinGenesis 42:1-38: "Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?"
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.
Et vidit Joseph fratres suos, et agnovit eos, et alienum se ostendit eis: locutusque est cum eis dura, et dixit eis, Unde venistis? Et dixerunt, De terra Chenaan…
Their statement that "one is not" is a subtle, almost casual, acknowledgment of death that reveals how deeply entrenched their lie about Joseph's fate had become, even in their own minds. It underscores how the passage of time and their lack of news had solidified the belief that Joseph was gone, making their deception feel like a stated fact rather than a fabrication.
In a famine, Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt to buy food and encounter Joseph, whom they don't recognize, acting as the land's governor. Joseph speaks harshly to them, accusing them of spying, and they explain they are twelve brothers from Canaan, with the youngest still at home with their father, and one (Joseph) is presumed dead. Joseph then devises a plan to test their repentance and ensure Benjamin's safety, holding one brother captive while sending the others back for their youngest sibling.
In a famine, Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt to buy food and encounter Joseph, whom they don't recognize, acting as the land's governor. Joseph speaks harshly to them, accusing them of spying, and they explain they are twelve brothers from Canaan, with the youngest still at home with their father, and one (Joseph) is presumed dead. Joseph then devises a plan to test their repentance and ensure Benjamin's safety, holding one brother captive while sending the others back for their youngest sibling.
"And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.”" — Their statement that "one is not" is a subtle, almost casual, acknowledgment of death that reveals how deeply entrenched their lie about Joseph's fate had become, even in their own minds. It undersco…
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