7 And Joseph seeth his brethren, and discerneth them, and maketh himself strange unto them, and speaketh with them sharp things, and saith unto them, 'From whence have ye come?' and they say, 'From the land of Canaan—to buy food.' 8 And Joseph discerneth his brethren, but they have not discerned him, 9 and Joseph remembereth the dreams which he dreamed of them, and saith unto them, 'Ye 'are' spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye have come.' 10 And they say unto him, 'No, my lord, but thy servants have come to buy food; 11 we 'are' all of us sons of one man, we 'are' right men; thy servants have not been spies;' 12 and he saith unto them, 'No, but the nakedness of the land ye have come to see;' 13 and they say, 'Thy servants 'are' twelve brethren; we 'are' sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and lo, the young one 'is' with our father to-day, and the one is not.' 14 And Joseph saith unto them, 'This 'is' that which I have spoken unto you, saying, Ye 'are' spies, 15 by this ye are proved: Pharaoh liveth! if ye go out from this—except by your young brother coming hither; 16 send one of you, and let him bring your brother, and ye, remain ye bound, and let your words be proved, whether truth be with you: and if not—Pharaoh liveth! surely ye 'are' spies;' 17 and he removeth them unto charge three days. 18 And Joseph saith unto them on the third day, 'This do and live; God I fear! 19 if ye 'are' right men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your ward, and ye, go, carry in corn 'for' the famine of your houses, 20 and your young brother ye bring unto me, and your words are established, and ye die not;' and they do so.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 42:7-20
Commentary on Genesis 42:7-20
(Read Genesis 42:7-20)
Joseph was hard upon his brethren, not from a spirit of revenge, but to bring them to repentance. Not seeing his brother Benjamin, he suspected that they had made away with him, and he gave them occasion to speak of their father and brother. God, in his providence, sometimes seems harsh with those he loves, and speaks roughly to those for whom yet he has great mercy in store. Joseph settled at last, that one of them should be left, and the rest go home and fetch Benjamin. It was a very encouraging word he said to them, "I fear God;" as if he had said, You may be assured I will do you no wrong; I dare not, for I know there is one higher than I. With those that fear God, we may expect fair dealing.