Genesis 42:14
New International Version
Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!

New Living Translation
But Joseph insisted, “As I said, you are spies!

English Standard Version
But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Joseph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies!

King James Bible
And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

New King James Version
But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’

New American Standard Bible
Yet Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies;

NASB 1995
Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies;

NASB 1977
And Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies;

Legacy Standard Bible
And Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies;

Amplified Bible
Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ‘You are spies! ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ‘You are spies!’

American Standard Version
And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

Contemporary English Version
Joseph replied: It's like I said. You're spies,

English Revised Version
And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"It's just as I told you," Joseph said to them. "You're spies!

Good News Translation
"It is just as I said," Joseph answered. "You are spies.

International Standard Version
"I'm right!" Joseph insisted. "Just as I said, you're spies!

Majority Standard Bible
Then Joseph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies!

NET Bible
But Joseph told them, "It is just as I said to you: You are spies!

New Heart English Bible
But Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you, saying, 'You are spies.'

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joseph said to them, That is what I spoke to you, saying, Ye are spies:

World English Bible
Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Joseph says to them, “This [is] that which I have spoken to you, saying, You [are] spies,

Young's Literal Translation
And Joseph saith unto them, 'This is that which I have spoken unto you, saying, Ye are spies,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joseph will say to them, This which I spake to you, saying, Ye spying:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He saith: This is it that I said: You are spies.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He said: “This is just as I have said. You are scouts.

New American Bible
“It is just as I said,” Joseph persisted; “you are spies.

New Revised Standard Version
But Joseph said to them, “It is just as I have said to you; you are spies!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Joseph said to them, It is just as I said to you, you are spies:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Yoseph said to them, “It is what I said to you; you are spies!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Joseph said unto them: 'That is it that I spoke unto you, saying: Ye are spies.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joseph said to them, This is it that I spoke to you, saying, ye are spies;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph's Brothers Sent to Egypt
13But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.” 14Then Joseph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies! 15And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.…

Cross References
Genesis 37:5-11
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. / He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: / We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.” ...

Genesis 37:19-20
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. / “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”

Genesis 37:26-28
Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? / Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed. / So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Genesis 44:4-6
They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? / Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’” / When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

Genesis 44:14-17
When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. / “What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?” / “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.” ...

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 45:7-8
God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. / Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 50:19-21
But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? / As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people. / Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.

Exodus 1:10
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

1 Samuel 17:28
Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”

2 Kings 9:11
When Jehu went out to the servants of his master, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?” “You know his kind and their babble,” he replied.

Matthew 10:16-18
Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. / But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. / On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

Matthew 26:59-61
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death. / But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward / and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

Mark 14:55-59
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they did not find any. / For many bore false witness against Jesus, but their testimony was inconsistent. / Then some men stood up and testified falsely against Him: ...

Luke 22:31-34
Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. / But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” / “Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

And Joseph said to them, That is it that I spoke to you, saying, You are spies:

Genesis 42:9-11
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come…

Job 13:24
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

Job 19:11
He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.

Jump to Previous
Joseph Purpose Secret Spies
Jump to Next
Joseph Purpose Secret Spies
Genesis 42
1. Jacob sends his ten sons to buy grain in Egypt.
16. They are imprisoned by Joseph as spies.
18. They are set at liberty, on condition to bring Benjamin.
21. They have remorse for Joseph.
24. Simeon is kept for a pledge.
25. They return with grain, and their money.
29. Their relation to Jacob.
36. Jacob refuses to send Benjamin.














Then Joseph said to them
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative where Joseph, now a powerful figure in Egypt, addresses his brothers who do not recognize him. The Hebrew root for "said" is "אָמַר" (amar), which is often used in the Bible to denote not just speaking, but declaring or proclaiming with authority. Joseph's position allows him to speak with such authority, reflecting the fulfillment of his earlier dreams where he saw himself in a position of power over his brothers (Genesis 37:5-11). This moment is a testament to God's providence and the unfolding of His divine plan, as Joseph's words are not just a personal declaration but a part of a larger narrative orchestrated by God.

Just as I said
This phrase underscores Joseph's earlier accusation against his brothers. The repetition serves to emphasize the seriousness of the charge and Joseph's intent to test his brothers. In Hebrew, repetition is a common literary device used to stress a point or to highlight the importance of a statement. Joseph's insistence on this accusation is part of a larger strategy to discern the true character of his brothers and to see if they have changed since the time they sold him into slavery. It reflects a deeper narrative of testing and redemption, themes that are prevalent throughout the Bible.

you are spies
The accusation of being "spies" is significant in the historical and cultural context of ancient Egypt. During times of famine, nations were particularly vulnerable to espionage and threats from neighboring regions. The Hebrew word for "spies" is "מְרַגְּלִים" (meraglim), which is used in other parts of the Bible to describe those sent to gather information covertly (e.g., Numbers 13:2). Joseph's accusation is not just a test but also a reflection of the political realities of the time. This charge forces his brothers into a position where they must prove their integrity and honesty, setting the stage for their eventual reconciliation. It is a reminder of the importance of truth and integrity, values that are central to the Biblical narrative and to the life of faith.

(14) That is it . . . --Joseph persists in his charge, because, besides the information which he gained, he also wished to get Benjamin into his power, that he might have him with him. As for his brethren, he had probably as yet no settled purpose, but naturally he would feel great indignation at the treatment he had experienced at their hands, and might not be unwilling to give them some degree of punishment.

Verses 14-16. - And Joseph said unto them (betraying his excitement in his language), That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies. But Joseph knew by this time that they were not spies. Hence his persistent accusation of them, which to the brothers must have seemed despotic and tyrannical, and which cannot be referred to malevolence or revenge, must be explained by a desire on the part of Joseph to bring his brothers to a right state of mind. Hereby (or in this) ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh - literally, life of Pharaoh An Egyptian oath (LXX., Gesenius, Rosenmüller, Kalisch, Lange), in using which Joseph was not without blame, aliquid esse fateor quod merito culpetur (Calvin) though by some (Ainsworth, Wordsworth, Murphy, 'Speaker's Commentary') the expression is regarded simply as a strong asseveration (cf. 1 Samuel 1:26; 1 Samuel 17:55) - ye shall not go forth hence (literally, life of Pharaoh! if ye go from this. The language is elliptical, meaning either, May Pharaoh perish if ye escape from punishment as spies, unless, etc.; or, As surely as Pharaoh lives, may retribution fall on me if ye go from this place) except your youngest brother come hither. The condition, which must have appeared extremely frivolous to Joseph's brethren, was clearly designed to ascertain the truth about Benjamin. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye (i.e. the rest of you) shall be kept in prison (literally, shall be put in bonds), that your words may be proved (literally, and your words shall be proved), whether there be any truth in you; or else (literally, and if not) by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies - literally (sc. I swear), that ye are spies.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Joseph
יוֹסֵ֑ף (yō·w·sêp̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

said
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to them,
אֲלֵהֶ֖ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Just as I said,
דִּבַּ֧רְתִּי (dib·bar·tî)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

you
אַתֶּֽם׃ (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are spies!
מְרַגְּלִ֥ים (mə·rag·gə·lîm)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7270: To walk along, to reconnoiter, to be a, tale-bearer, to lead about


Links
Genesis 42:14 NIV
Genesis 42:14 NLT
Genesis 42:14 ESV
Genesis 42:14 NASB
Genesis 42:14 KJV

Genesis 42:14 BibleApps.com
Genesis 42:14 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 42:14 Chinese Bible
Genesis 42:14 French Bible
Genesis 42:14 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 42:14 Joseph said to them It is like (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 42:13
Top of Page
Top of Page