Genesis 42:36
New International Version
Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”

New Living Translation
Jacob exclaimed, “You are robbing me of my children! Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!”

English Standard Version
And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.”

Berean Standard Bible
Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”

King James Bible
And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

New King James Version
And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.”

New American Standard Bible
And their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons: Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone, and now you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.”

NASB 1995
Their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.”

NASB 1977
And their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.”

Amplified Bible
Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me [by causing the loss] of my children. Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin [from me]. All these things are [working] against me.”

Christian Standard Bible
Their father Jacob said to them, “It’s me that you make childless. Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me!”

American Standard Version
And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

Contemporary English Version
who said, "You have already taken my sons Joseph and Simeon from me. And now you want to take away Benjamin! Everything is against me."

English Revised Version
And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Their father Jacob said to them, "You're going to make me lose all my children! Joseph is no longer with us, Simeon is no longer with us, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything's against me!"

Good News Translation
Their father said to them, "Do you want to make me lose all my children? Joseph is gone; Simeon is gone; and now you want to take away Benjamin. I am the one who suffers!"

International Standard Version
Their father Jacob told them, "You're causing me to lose my children! Joseph is gone. Now Simeon is gone, and you're planning to take Benjamin, too. Everything's going against me!"

Majority Standard Bible
Their father Jacob said to them, ?You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!?

NET Bible
Their father Jacob said to them, "You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me."

New Heart English Bible
Then their father Jacob said to them, "You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All this has come against me."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jacob their father said to them, Me have ye bereaved: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

World English Bible
Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and their father Jacob says to them, “You have bereaved me; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin you take—all these [things] have been against me.”

Young's Literal Translation
and Jacob their father saith unto them, 'Me ye have bereaved; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin ye take -- against me have been all these.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jacob their father will say to them, Me ye bereaved of children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin: all these things were against me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Their father Jacob said, “You have caused me to be without children. Joseph is not living, Simeon is held in chains, and Benjamin you would carry away. All these evils have fallen back upon me.”

New American Bible
Their father Jacob said to them: “Must you make me childless? Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin away! All these things have happened to me!”

New Revised Standard Version
And their father Jacob said to them, “I am the one you have bereaved of children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has happened to me!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Jacob their father said to them, You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is dead, and Simeon is missing, and now you will take Benjamin away; all these things are against me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Yaquuv their father said to them, “You have bereaved me; Yoseph is not, and Shemon is not, and you will take Benyamin; all these things are the end of me!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Jacob their father said unto them: 'Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away; upon me are all these things come.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And their father Jacob said to them, Ye have bereaved me. Joseph is not, Symeon is not, and will ye take Benjamin? all these things have come upon me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph's Brothers Return to Canaan
35As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed. 36Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!” 37Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”…

Cross References
Genesis 37:33-35
His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” / Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. / All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

Genesis 44:29
Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’

Genesis 43:14
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Genesis 37:20
“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 45:26-28
“Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them. / However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived. / “Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”

Genesis 44:31
sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

Genesis 43:6
“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”

Genesis 37:32
They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

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.

2 Kings 4:28
Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I say, ‘Do not deceive me?’”

Job 19:21
Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

Job 16:20
My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.

Psalm 77:2
In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted.

Psalm 88:18
You have removed my beloved and my friend; darkness is my closest companion.


Treasury of Scripture

And Jacob their father said to them, Me have you bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and you will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

Me have ye.

Genesis 37:20-35
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams…

Genesis 43:14
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

all these things are against me.

Genesis 45:28
And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Genesis 47:12
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.

1 Samuel 27:1
And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

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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.














Their father Jacob said to them
Jacob, also known as Israel, is the patriarch of the Israelite tribes. His role as a father is central to the narrative, as he is the one through whom God's covenant promises are passed. This moment reflects his deep concern and authority over his family. Jacob's leadership and decisions are pivotal in the unfolding of God's plan for Israel.

“You have deprived me of my sons.
Jacob's statement reflects his grief and sense of loss. He believes that his sons are responsible for the disappearance of Joseph, whom he presumes dead. This accusation highlights the tension and mistrust within the family, a recurring theme in Genesis. The loss of sons is particularly significant in the ancient Near Eastern context, where sons were seen as a continuation of one's lineage and legacy.

Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more.
Joseph's absence is a result of his brothers selling him into slavery, a secret they have kept from Jacob. Simeon is currently detained in Egypt as a guarantee for the return of Benjamin. This situation underscores the consequences of the brothers' earlier actions and the unfolding of God's providential plan, as Joseph's journey to Egypt is part of God's design to preserve the family during famine.

Now you want to take Benjamin.
Benjamin is the youngest son and the only remaining child of Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel. Jacob's reluctance to let Benjamin go reflects his fear of losing another son and his protective nature over Rachel's children. This request by the brothers is necessary for their return to Egypt to buy more grain, as Joseph, now the governor, has demanded Benjamin's presence.

Everything is going against me!”
Jacob's lament reveals his despair and feeling of helplessness. This expression of sorrow is a common human response to overwhelming circumstances. However, unbeknownst to Jacob, God is working behind the scenes to fulfill His promises. This moment foreshadows the eventual reconciliation and restoration of Jacob's family, illustrating the theme of God's sovereignty and faithfulness throughout the biblical narrative.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jacob
Also known as Israel, he is the patriarch of the Israelite tribes. In this verse, he expresses deep sorrow and despair over the perceived loss of his sons.

2. Joseph
Jacob's beloved son, presumed dead by Jacob, but actually alive in Egypt, serving as a high-ranking official.

3. Simeon
Another son of Jacob, who is being held in Egypt as a guarantee for the return of Benjamin.

4. Benjamin
The youngest son of Jacob, whom the brothers are asked to bring to Egypt to prove their honesty.

5. Egypt
The land where Joseph has risen to power and where the brothers have gone to buy grain during a famine.
Teaching Points
Trust in God's Sovereignty
Jacob's lament reflects a lack of trust in God's overarching plan. Believers are encouraged to trust that God is in control, even when circumstances seem dire.

The Burden of Despair
Jacob's statement, "Everything is against me," highlights the human tendency to focus on immediate troubles rather than God's promises. Christians are called to shift their focus from despair to hope in God's faithfulness.

Family Dynamics and Faith
The account underscores the complexities of family relationships and the need for faith and forgiveness within familial contexts.

God's Hidden Purposes
While Jacob sees only loss, God is orchestrating a greater plan for the preservation of his family. This teaches believers to trust in God's hidden purposes, even when they are not immediately visible.(36) All these things are against me.--Heb., are upon me, are burdens which I have to bear.

Verse 36. - And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved (or are ye bereaving) of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not (Jacob appears to suspect that in some way or another his sons had been responsible for Joseph's disappearance as well as Simeon's), and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me - literally, upon me, as an heavy burden, which I must bear alone.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Their father
אֲבִיהֶ֔ם (’ă·ḇî·hem)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1: Father

Jacob
יַעֲקֹ֣ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to them,
אֲלֵהֶם֙ (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“You have deprived me of my sons.
שִׁכַּלְתֶּ֑ם (šik·kal·tem)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7921: To miscarry, suffer abortion, to bereave

Joseph
יוֹסֵ֤ף (yō·w·sêp̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

is gone
אֵינֶ֙נּוּ֙ (’ê·nen·nū)
Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

and Simeon
וְשִׁמְע֣וֹן (wə·šim·‘ō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8095: Simeon -- a son of Jacob, also his tribe, also an Israelite with a foreign wife

is no more.
אֵינֶ֔נּוּ (’ê·nen·nū)
Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

Now you want to take
תִּקָּ֔חוּ (tiq·qā·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

Benjamin.
בִּנְיָמִ֣ן (bin·yā·min)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites

Everything
כֻלָּֽנָה׃ (ḵul·lā·nāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

is happening
הָי֥וּ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

against me!”
עָלַ֖י (‘ā·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT Law: Genesis 42:36 Jacob their father said to them You (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 42:35
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