Genesis 43:20
New International Version
“We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.

New Living Translation
“Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food.

English Standard Version
and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.

Berean Standard Bible
“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.

King James Bible
And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

New King James Version
and said, “O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food;

New American Standard Bible
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

NASB 1995
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

NASB 1977
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

Legacy Standard Bible
and they said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

Amplified Bible
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down here the first time to buy food;

Christian Standard Bible
They said, “My lord, we really did come down here the first time only to buy food.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They said, “Sir, we really did come down here the first time only to buy food.

American Standard Version
and said, Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

Contemporary English Version
"Sir, we came to Egypt once before to buy grain.

English Revised Version
and said, Oh my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Please, sir," they said, "we came here to buy food once before.

Good News Translation
"If you please, sir, we came here once before to buy food.

International Standard Version
"Your Excellency," they said, "The first time we came here to buy food,

Majority Standard Bible
?Please, sir,? they said, ?we really did come down here the first time to buy food.

NET Bible
They said, "My lord, we did indeed come down the first time to buy food.

New Heart English Bible
and said, "My lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

Webster's Bible Translation
And said, O sir, we came down indeed at the first time to buy food:

World English Bible
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and say, “O my lord, we really come down at the commencement to buy food;

Young's Literal Translation
and say, 'O, my lord, we really come down at the commencement to buy food;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will say, With leave my lord, coming down, we came down at the beginning to buy food.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:

Catholic Public Domain Version
they said: “We beg you, lord, to hear us. We came down once before to buy food.

New American Bible
“If you please, sir,” they said, “we came down here once before to buy food.

New Revised Standard Version
They said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And said, We beseech you, O our lord, we truly came down at the first time to buy grain;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they said to him, “We beg our Lord, truly we went down at the first to buy grain:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and said: 'Oh my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
saying, We pray thee, Sir; we came down at first to buy food.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph's Hospitality to His Brothers
19So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food. 21But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.…

Cross References
Genesis 42:10-11
“Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food. / We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

Genesis 44:18-19
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?’

Genesis 42:21-22
Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” / And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

Genesis 44:7-9
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing. / We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? / If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

Genesis 42:27-28
At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack. / “My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.” Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

Genesis 44:16-17
“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.” / But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”

Genesis 42:35-36
As 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. / 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!”

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 44:30-34
So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life, / 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. / Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’ ...

Genesis 50:15-18
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 32:22-24
“Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil. / They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’ / So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, let him take it off,’ and they gave it to me. And when I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!”

Numbers 32:23
But if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.

1 Samuel 12:3-5
Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.” / “You have not cheated us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.” / Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

2 Samuel 14:19-20
So the king asked, “Is the hand of Joab behind all this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders; he told your maidservant exactly what to say. / Joab your servant has done this to bring about this change of affairs, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that happens in the land.”

2 Kings 8:12-13
“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.” / “But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael. And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”


Treasury of Scripture

And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

we came indeed down.

Genesis 43:3,7
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you…

Genesis 42:3,10,27,35
And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt…

Jump to Previous
Ah Buy Commencement First Food Indeed Please Really Sir Time
Jump to Next
Ah Buy Commencement First Food Indeed Please Really Sir Time
Genesis 43
1. Jacob is persuaded to send Benjamin.
15. Joseph entertains his brothers.
19. They discover their fears to the steward.
26. Joseph makes them a feast.














and said
This phrase introduces the speech of Joseph's brothers as they address the steward of Joseph's house. The act of speaking here is significant, as it reflects the brothers' attempt to communicate and clarify their intentions. In the Hebrew context, the word for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) often implies a declaration or assertion, indicating the seriousness and sincerity of their plea. This moment is pivotal as it sets the stage for reconciliation and understanding.

Please, my lord
The use of "Please" (בִּי, bi) is a polite entreaty, showing respect and humility. Addressing the steward as "my lord" (אֲדֹנִי, adoni) reflects the social hierarchy and the brothers' recognition of their vulnerable position. This phrase underscores the cultural norms of the time, where showing deference to authority was crucial, especially in foreign lands. It also highlights the brothers' desperation and their need for favor in a land where they are strangers.

we really did come down here
The phrase "we really did come down" emphasizes the truthfulness and earnestness of their mission. The Hebrew verb for "come down" (יָרַד, yarad) is often used in the context of descending from a higher place to a lower one, both geographically and metaphorically. This descent can symbolize humility and submission, as the brothers leave their homeland to seek sustenance in Egypt. It also foreshadows the eventual descent of the entire family of Israel into Egypt, setting the stage for future events in the biblical narrative.

the first time
This reference to "the first time" indicates the brothers' previous journey to Egypt. It serves as a reminder of their initial encounter with Joseph, though they were unaware of his identity at the time. The mention of "the first time" also highlights the continuity of the narrative and the unfolding of God's providential plan. It is a subtle reminder of the past actions and decisions that have led to the current situation, inviting reflection on the themes of repentance and redemption.

to buy food
The purpose of their journey, "to buy food," is straightforward yet deeply significant. The Hebrew word for "buy" (שָׁבַר, shabar) can also mean to break or to purchase, indicating the transactional nature of their mission. The need for food underscores the severity of the famine and the brothers' dependence on Egypt for survival. This phrase encapsulates the physical and spiritual hunger present in the narrative, as the brothers seek not only sustenance but also reconciliation and restoration within their family. The act of buying food becomes a catalyst for the unfolding of God's redemptive plan for Israel.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Please,
בִּ֣י (bî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 994: Oh that!, with leave, if it please

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

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

“we really did come down
יָרֹ֥ד (yā·rōḏ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

here the first time
בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה (bat·tə·ḥil·lāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8462: A commencement, rel, original

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


Links
Genesis 43:20 NIV
Genesis 43:20 NLT
Genesis 43:20 ESV
Genesis 43:20 NASB
Genesis 43:20 KJV

Genesis 43:20 BibleApps.com
Genesis 43:20 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 43:20 Chinese Bible
Genesis 43:20 French Bible
Genesis 43:20 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 43:20 And said Oh my lord we indeed (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 43:19
Top of Page
Top of Page