Genesis 43:5 — Meaning and Application

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother {be} with you. {did...: Heb. protesting protested}

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

But if thou wilt not send {him}, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother {be} with you.

And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye {so} ill with me, {as} to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, {Is} your father yet alive? have ye {another} brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? {asked...: Heb. asking asked us} {tenor: Heb. mouth} {could...: Heb. knowing could we know}