Genesis 42:7

5 So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”
KJV
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
WEB
Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
ASV
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly with them; and he said unto them. Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
DARBY
And Joseph saw his brethren, and knew them; but he made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them, and said to them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan, to buy food.
BLB
And Joseph saw his brothers and he recognized them, and he made himself strange to them, and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “From where have you⁺ come?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
ÅB
Da Josef så sine brødre, kjente han dem igjen; men han lot som om de var fremmede for ham, og talte hårdt til dem og sa til dem: Hvor kommer dere fra? De sa: Fra Kana'ans land for å kjøpe korn.
OTB
Da Josef så brødrene sine, kjente han dem igjen, men han forkledde seg og talte hardt til dem. "Hvor kommer dere fra?" spurte han. "Fra Kanaans land," svarte de, "for å kjøpe mat."
B1930
Da Josef så sine brødre, kjente han dem igjen; men han lot som om de var fremmede for ham, og talte hårdt til dem og sa til dem: Hvor kommer I fra? De sa: Fra Kana'ans land for å kjøpe korn.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

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