Genesis 42:13

13 And they said, Thy servants [are] twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest [is] this day with our father, and one [is] not.

Genesis 42:13 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:13

And they said, thy servants [are] twelve brethren
Or rather, "were twelve", since one afterwards is said not to be: the sons of one man in the land of Canaan;
of Jacob, who dwelt there; this is said with the same view as before, to show the improbability of their being spies; and, behold, the youngest [is] this day with our father:
meaning Benjamin, whom Joseph was eager to hear of, and no doubt was glad to hear he was alive, and his father also, and that they were both together in the land of Canaan: and one [is] not;
is not in the land of the living, is dead; for so they thought Joseph was, who is the person intended, as appears from what both Reuben and Judah afterwards say, ( Genesis 42:22 ) ( 44:20 ) ; and yet he was before them, and was the person they were speaking to: this must be very striking and affecting to Joseph, who knew full well they meant himself.

Genesis 42:13 In-Context

11 We [are] all one man's sons; we [are] true [men]; thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said to them, No, but to see the nakedness of the land have ye come.

13 And they said, Thy servants [are] twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest [is] this day with our father, and one [is] not.

14 And Joseph said to them, That [is] what I spoke to you, saying, Ye [are] spies:

15 By this ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother shall come hither.