Genesis 44:23

23 and thou sayest unto thy servants, If your young brother come not down with you, ye add not to see my face.

Genesis 44:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 44:23

And thou saidst unto thy servants
In answer to the representation of things made by them, and notwithstanding that: except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face
no more;
which though not before related in the discourse, which passed between Joseph and his brethren, in express terms, yet might be justly inferred from what he said; nay, might be expressed in so many words, though not recorded, and as it seems plainly it was, as appears from ( Genesis 43:3 ) .

Genesis 44:23 In-Context

21 `And thou sayest unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, and I set mine eye upon him;
22 and we say unto my lord, The youth is not able to leave his father, when he hath left his father, then he hath died;
23 and thou sayest unto thy servants, If your young brother come not down with you, ye add not to see my face.
24 `And it cometh to pass, that we have come up unto thy servant my father, that we declare to him the words of my lord;
25 and our father saith, Turn back, buy for us a little food,
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.