Genesis 42:23
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spoke to them by an interpreter.
Treasury of Scripture

he spake unto them by a interpreter. Heb. an interpreter was between them. The {mailitz} does not seem to have been an interpreter in our sense of the term; as we have many evidences in this book that the Egyptians, Hebrews, Canaanites, and Syrians, could understand each other in a general way; and it appears from several passages in this very chapter, (particularly ver.

Genesis 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon...

,) that Joseph and his brethren understood each others' language, as his brethren and Joseph's steward also did (ch.

Genesis 43:19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

, etc; compare ch.

39;

49.) It seems to denote an officer who is called in Abyssinia, according to Mr. Bruce, {Kal Hatz?,} the voice or word of the king, who always stands at the side of a lattice window of a balcony, within which the king sits; who is never seen, but who speaks through a hole in the side of it, covered in the inside with a curtain, to this officer, by whom he speaks to the persons present.

John 16:13,14 However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself...

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be you reconciled to God.



Context
Joseph's Brothers Sent to Egypt

1Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, Why do you look one on another? 2And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from there; that we may live, and not die. 3And Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy corn in Egypt. 4But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brothers; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. 5And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brothers came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. 7And Joseph saw his brothers, and he knew them, but made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them; and he said to them, From where come you? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. 8And Joseph knew his brothers, but they knew not him. 9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said to them, You are spies; to see the nakedness of the land you are come. 10And they said to him, No, my lord, but to buy food are your servants come. 11We are all one man's sons; we are true men, your servants are no spies. 12And he said to them, No, but to see the nakedness of the land you are come. 13And they said, Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. 14And Joseph said to them, That is it that I spoke to you, saying, You are spies: 15Hereby you shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh you shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come here. 16Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies. 17And he put them all together into ward three days. 18And Joseph said to them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: 19If you be true men, let one of your brothers be bound in the house of your prison: go you, carry corn for the famine of your houses: 20But bring your youngest brother to me; so shall your words be verified, and you shall not die. And they did so. 21And they said one to another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he sought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come on us. 22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spoke I not to you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and you would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. 23And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spoke to them by an interpreter. 24And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
Parallel Verses
American Standard Version
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.


Douay-Rheims Bible
And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter.


Darby Bible Translation
And they did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter was between them.


King James Bible
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.


Young's Literal Translation
And they have not known that Joseph understandeth, for the interpreter is between them;


Genesis 42:22
Top of Page
Top of Page




Bible Apps.com