Genesis 44:21
New International Version
“Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’

New Living Translation
“And you said to us, ‘Bring him here so I can see him with my own eyes.’

English Standard Version
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

Berean Standard Bible
Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’

King James Bible
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

New King James Version
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

New American Standard Bible
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I may set my eyes on him.’

NASB 1995
“Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me that I may set my eyes on him.’

NASB 1977
“Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

Legacy Standard Bible
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me that I may set my eyes on him.’

Amplified Bible
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me that I may actually see him.’

Christian Standard Bible
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me so that I can see him.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me so that I can see him.’

American Standard Version
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

Contemporary English Version
You ordered us to bring him here, so you could see him for yourself.

English Revised Version
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Then you said to us, 'Bring him here to me so that I can see him myself.'

Good News Translation
Sir, you told us to bring him here, so that you could see him,

International Standard Version
"But then you ordered your servants, 'Bring him here to me so I can see him for myself.'

Majority Standard Bible
Then you told your servants, ?Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.?

NET Bible
"Then you told your servants, 'Bring him down to me so I can see him.'

New Heart English Bible
Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, so that I can see him myself.'

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou saidst to thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.

World English Bible
You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you say to your servants, Bring him down to me, and I set my eye on him;

Young's Literal Translation
'And thou sayest unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, and I set mine eye upon him;

Smith's Literal Translation
And thou wilt say to thy servants, Bring him down to me, and I shall set mine eyes upon him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, and I will set my eyes on him.’

New American Bible
Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me that I might see him.’

New Revised Standard Version
Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, so that I may set my eyes on him.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you said to your Servants, ‘Bring him down to me and I shall set my eyes upon him.’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou saidst unto thy servants: Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou saidst to they servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah Pleads for Benjamin
20And 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.’ 21Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’ 22So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’…

Cross References
Genesis 42:15-20
And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. / Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” / So Joseph imprisoned them for three days, ...

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 43:8-9
And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children. / I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

Genesis 46:28-30
Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Jacob’s family arrived in the land of Goshen, / 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 37:3-4
Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors. / When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Genesis 37:23-24
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing— / and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.

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 45:1-2
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. / But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it.

Genesis 45:14-15
Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced. / Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.

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. ...

Exodus 1:6-8
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, / but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. / Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

Acts 7:9-14
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. / Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food. ...

Acts 7:18-19
Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt. / He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

Hebrews 11:21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

Hebrews 11:22
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.


Treasury of Scripture

And you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.

Bring.

Genesis 42:15,20
Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither…

Genesis 43:29
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

that I may.

Jeremiah 24:6
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

Jeremiah 50:4
In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.

Amos 9:4
And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

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Eye Eyes Servants
Genesis 44
1. Joseph's policy to stay his brothers.
6. The silver cup is found in Benjamin's sack.
14. They are brought before Joseph.
18. Judah's humble supplication to Joseph.














Then you told your servants
This phrase indicates a direct command from a person of authority, in this case, Joseph, who is speaking to his brothers. The Hebrew root for "told" is "אָמַר" (amar), which often conveys not just speaking but commanding or declaring. This reflects Joseph's authoritative position in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. Historically, this command underscores the power dynamics at play, as Joseph, once sold into slavery by his brothers, now holds a position of power over them.

Bring him down to me
The phrase "bring him down" is significant in its geographical and emotional context. The Hebrew word "יָרַד" (yarad) means to descend or go down. Geographically, this refers to the journey from Canaan to Egypt, which is a literal descent. Emotionally, it signifies the humbling of Joseph's brothers, who must comply with Joseph's demands. This descent is also symbolic of the brothers' journey towards repentance and reconciliation.

so that I can see him for myself
The desire "to see him for myself" highlights Joseph's personal interest and emotional investment in seeing his brother Benjamin. The Hebrew root "רָאָה" (ra'ah) means to see, perceive, or understand. This is not merely a physical seeing but an encounter that carries deep personal significance. In the broader scriptural context, this reflects Joseph's longing for family connection and the fulfillment of his dreams, where his family would come to him in Egypt. It also foreshadows the eventual revelation of Joseph's identity to his brothers, a pivotal moment of forgiveness and restoration.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then you told
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

your servants,
עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

‘Bring him down
הוֹרִדֻ֖הוּ (hō·w·ri·ḏu·hū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

to me
אֵלָ֑י (’ê·lāy)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

so that I can see
וְאָשִׂ֥ימָה (wə·’ā·śî·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

him
עָלָֽיו׃ (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

for myself.’
עֵינִ֖י (‘ê·nî)
Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain


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OT Law: Genesis 44:21 You said to your servants 'Bring him (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 44:20
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