King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Look," he said, "I've heard that there's grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us from there, so that we can stay alive and not die!"
Berean Standard Bible:
“Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”
American Standard Version:
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And he said{H559}, Behold, I have heard{H8085} that there is{H3426} corn{H7668} in Egypt{H4714}: get you down{H3381} thither, and buy{H7666} for us from thence; that we may live{H2421}, and not die{H4191}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 43:8
- And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, [and] also our little ones.
Matthew 4:4
- But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Genesis 45:9
- Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:
Genesis 43:4
- If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
Isaiah 38:1
- ¶ In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
Psalms 118:17
- I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Genesis 43:2
- And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 42:2
Genesis 42:2 is a part of the narrative concerning the patriarch Joseph and his estranged family during a time of severe famine. The historical context is set in the ancient Near East, during the period when the Hebrews (Israelites) were living in the land of Canaan. The verse is part of the account of Joseph's brothers going to Egypt to buy grain, as famine has struck both Canaan and Egypt, but Egypt has prepared for the crisis due to Joseph's God-given wisdom to store grain during the seven years of abundance.
The themes present in this verse include God's providence, as the events unfold according to a divine plan that will ultimately lead to the preservation of the Israelite family and their migration to Egypt. It also touches on the theme of human response to scarcity and the importance of resource management, as seen in Joseph's administrative actions in Egypt. The verse reflects the necessity of seeking help in times of need, as well as the idea of divine guidance in human affairs, since Joseph's presence in Egypt is a result of his brothers' earlier betrayal, which was part of God's plan to save many lives.
The specific text of Genesis 42:2 has Jacob (Israel), Joseph's father, instructing his sons to go to Egypt to buy grain as he has heard there is corn available. This directive is a pivotal moment in the narrative, as it sets the stage for the eventual reunion and reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers, which is central to the unfolding story of the Israelites' journey from a family to a nation. The verse underscores the urgency of the situation with the phrase "that we may live, and not die," highlighting the life-threatening nature of the famine and the gravity of the decision to seek aid in a foreign land.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H3426
There are 129 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יֵשׁ
Transliteration: yêsh
Pronunciation: yaysh
Description: perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist; entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive verb (הָיָה); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection); (there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest. - Strong's Number: H7668
There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֶׁבֶר
Transliteration: sheber
Pronunciation: sheh'-ber
Description: the same as שֶׁבֶר; grain (as if broken into kernels); corn, victuals. - Strong's Number: H4714
There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִצְרַיִם
Transliteration: Mitsrayim
Pronunciation: mits-rah'-yim
Description: dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim. - Strong's Number: H3381
There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָרַד
Transliteration: yârad
Pronunciation: yaw-rad'
Description: a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications); [idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down. - Strong's Number: H7666
There are 20 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁבַר
Transliteration: shâbar
Pronunciation: shaw-bar'
Description: denominative from שֶׁבֶר; to deal in grain; buy, sell. - Strong's Number: H2421
There are 235 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָיָה
Transliteration: châyâh
Pronunciation: khaw-yaw'
Description: a primitive root (compare חָוָה, חָיָה); to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole. - Strong's Number: H4191
There are 694 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מוּת
Transliteration: mûwth
Pronunciation: mooth
Description: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise.