Genesis 42:10
New International Version
“No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.

New Living Translation
“No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food.

English Standard Version
They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.

Berean Standard Bible
“Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food.

King James Bible
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

New King James Version
And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

New American Standard Bible
And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

NASB 1995
Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

NASB 1977
Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

Amplified Bible
But they said to him, “No, my lord, for your servants have [only] come to buy food.

Christian Standard Bible
“No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. “

American Standard Version
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

Contemporary English Version
"No sir," they replied. "We're your servants, and we have only come to buy grain.

English Revised Version
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"No, sir!" they answered him. "We've come to buy food.

Good News Translation
"No, sir," they answered. "We have come as your slaves, to buy food.

International Standard Version
"No, your majesty," they replied. "Your servants have come here to buy food.

Majority Standard Bible
?Not so, my lord,? they replied. ?Your servants have come to buy food.

NET Bible
But they exclaimed, "No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food!

New Heart English Bible
But they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they said to him, No, my lord, but to buy food have thy servants come.

World English Bible
They said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they say to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food;

Young's Literal Translation
And they say unto him, 'No, my lord, but thy servants have come to buy food;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will say to him, Nay my lord, and thy servants came to buy food.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are come to buy food.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they said: “It is not so, my lord. But your servants have arrived in order to buy food.

New American Bible
“No, my lord,” they replied. “On the contrary, your servants have come to buy food.

New Revised Standard Version
They said to him, “No, my lord; your servants have come to buy food.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they said to him, No, our lord, but to buy grain your servants have come.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they said, “No, our Lord, your Servants have come to buy grain.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they said unto him: 'Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But they said, Nay, Sir, we thy servants are come to buy food;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph's Brothers Sent to Egypt
9Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” 10“Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food. 11We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”…

Cross References
Genesis 37:5-8
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. / He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: / We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.” ...

Genesis 37:19-20
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. / “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”

Genesis 45:3-5
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence. / Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt! / And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.

Genesis 50:15-21
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.” / So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, / ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. ...

Acts 7:9-10
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him / and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

Genesis 43:3-5
But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ / If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. / But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

Genesis 44:18-34
Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself. / My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ / And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’ ...

Genesis 45:7-8
God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. / Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 50:20
As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

Genesis 41:55-57
When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” / When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. / And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Genesis 46:29-30
Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely. / Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”

Genesis 47:12
Joseph also provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food for their families.

Genesis 47:25
“You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor in our lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,


Treasury of Scripture

And they said to him, No, my lord, but to buy food are your servants come.

Genesis 27:29,37
Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee…

Genesis 37:8
And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

Genesis 44:9
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

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Buy Food Money Servants
Genesis 42
1. Jacob sends his ten sons to buy grain in Egypt.
16. They are imprisoned by Joseph as spies.
18. They are set at liberty, on condition to bring Benjamin.
21. They have remorse for Joseph.
24. Simeon is kept for a pledge.
25. They return with grain, and their money.
29. Their relation to Jacob.
36. Jacob refuses to send Benjamin.














"Not so, my lord," they replied.
In this phrase, the brothers of Joseph are responding to his accusation that they are spies. The term "my lord" reflects the respect and submission they show to Joseph, who is the governor of Egypt, though they do not recognize him as their brother. This interaction highlights the fulfillment of Joseph's earlier dreams (Genesis 37:5-11) where his brothers would bow to him. The use of "my lord" is significant in the cultural context of ancient Egypt, where titles and respect for authority were paramount. This phrase also sets the stage for the unfolding of God's providential plan, as Joseph's position allows him to test his brothers' character and repentance.

"Your servants have come to buy food."
This statement underscores the dire situation in Canaan due to the widespread famine, which had driven Joseph's brothers to Egypt. The term "servants" indicates their humility and desperation, acknowledging their dependence on the Egyptian authority for survival. This moment is pivotal in the narrative, as it brings the brothers into direct contact with Joseph, whom they sold into slavery years earlier. The famine, a recurring theme in biblical history, often serves as a catalyst for God's people to move and fulfill His purposes, as seen in the stories of Abraham (Genesis 12:10) and later, the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. This phrase also foreshadows the eventual reconciliation and preservation of Jacob's family, which is crucial for the continuation of the Abrahamic covenant.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Joseph's Brothers
The sons of Jacob who traveled to Egypt to buy grain during a severe famine. They are unaware that the Egyptian official they are speaking to is their brother Joseph, whom they sold into slavery years earlier.

2. Joseph
The governor of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. He is in charge of distributing grain during the famine. Joseph recognizes his brothers, but they do not recognize him.

3. Egypt
The land where Joseph has risen to power and where his brothers have come to buy food due to the widespread famine.

4. Famine
A severe shortage of food affecting the entire region, prompting Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to purchase grain.

5. Jacob (Israel)
The father of Joseph and his brothers, who remains in Canaan and sends his sons to Egypt to buy food.
Teaching Points
Providence and Sovereignty of God
God's hand is evident in Joseph's journey from slavery to leadership. This reminds us that God can use difficult circumstances for His purposes and our good.

Repentance and Reconciliation
Joseph's brothers are confronted with their past actions. This passage encourages us to seek reconciliation and forgiveness in our relationships.

Trust in God's Timing
Joseph's account teaches us to trust in God's timing, even when we do not understand our current circumstances.

Integrity and Faithfulness
Joseph's integrity and faithfulness to God, even in adversity, serve as a model for us to remain steadfast in our faith.

God's Provision
The famine and Joseph's role in providing food illustrate God's provision for His people, encouraging us to rely on Him in times of need.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Not so,
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

my lord,”
אֲדֹנִ֑י (’ă·ḏō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

they replied.
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Your servants
וַעֲבָדֶ֥יךָ (wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

have come
בָּ֖אוּ (bā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to buy
לִשְׁבָּר־ (liš·bār-)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7666: To deal in grain

food.
אֹֽכֶל׃ (’ō·ḵel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 400: Food


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OT Law: Genesis 42:10 They said to him No my lord (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 42:9
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