Genesis 42 · Verse 37

Genesis 42:37

And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
Genesis 42:37, King James Version

Genesis 42:37 in other translations

BSBThen Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”
WEBReuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him to you again.”
ASVAnd Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
YLTAnd Reuben speaketh unto his father, saying, ‘My two sons thou dost put to death, if I bring him not in unto thee; give him into my hand, and I--I bring him back unto thee;'
DARBYAnd Reuben spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons if I bring him not back to thee: give him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
BBEAnd Reuben said, Put my two sons to death if I do not come back to you with him; let him be in my care and I will give him safely back to you.
WebsterAnd Reuben spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

What does Genesis 42:37 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
37. Reuben spake, ... Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee--This was a thoughtless and unwarrantable condition--one that he never seriously expected his father would accept. It was designed only to give assurance of the greatest care being taken of Benjamin. But unforeseen circumstances might arise to render it impossible for all of them to preserve that young lad (Jas 4:13), and Jacob was much pained by the prospect. Little did he know that God was dealing with him severely, but in kindness (He 12:7, 8), and that all those things he thought against Him were working together for his good.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 37 Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee - What a strange proposal made by a son to his father, concerning his grandchildren! But they show the honesty and affection of Reuben's heart; he felt deeply for his father's distress, and was determined to risk and hazard every thing in order to relieve and comfort him. There is scarcely a transaction in which Reuben is concerned that does not serve to set his character in an amiable point of view, except the single instance mentioned Gen 35:22 (note), and which for the sake of decency and piety we should wish to understand as the Targumists have explained it. See the notes.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 42:29-38

Here is the report Jacob's sons made to their father. It troubled the good man. Even the bundles of money Joseph returned, in kindness, to his father, frightened him. He laid the fault upon his sons; knowing them, he feared they had provoked the Egyptians, and wrongfully brought home their money. Jacob plainly distrusted his sons, remembering that he never saw Joseph since he had been with them. It is bad with a…

Read the full comment on Genesis 42:29-38 →

Genesis 42:37 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
רְאוּבֵן֙re.'u.VenReubenH7205
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אָבִ֣יו'a.Vivfather hisH1
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
שְׁנֵ֤יshe.Neitwo ofH8147
בָנַי֙va.Naisons myH1121
תָּמִ֔יתta.Mityou will killH4191
אִם\־'im-ifH518
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
אֲבִיאֶ֖נּוּ'a.vi.'E.nuI will bring himH935
אֵלֶ֑יךָ'e.Lei.khato youH413
תְּנָ֤הte.Nahput !H5414
אֹתוֹ֙'o.To<obj.> himH853
עַל\־'al-onH5921
יָדִ֔יya.Dihand myH3027
וַאֲנִ֖יva.'a.Niand IH589
אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ'a.shi.Ve.nuI will bring back himH7725
אֵלֶֽיךָ\׃'e.Lei.khato youH413

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 42:37

  • Genesis 46:9

    And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.

  • Micah 6:7

    Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

  • Genesis 43:9

    I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

  • Genesis 44:32-34

    For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Slay my.
43:9; 44:32-34; 46:9; Mic 6:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 42:36

    And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

  • Genesis 42:37

    And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

  • Genesis 42:38

    And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

Read all of Genesis 42

Genesis 42:37 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Rubén habló á su padre, diciendo: Harás morir á mis dos hijos, si no te lo volviere; entrégalo en mi mano, que yo lo volveré á ti.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Ruben parla à son père, disant: Tu feras mourir mes deux fils si je ne te le ramène; remets-le entre mes mains, et je te le ramènerai.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Ruben sprach zu seinem Vater und sagte: Meine beiden Söhne darfst du töten, wenn ich ihn nicht zu dir zurückbringe. Gib ihn in meine Hand, und ich werde ihn zu dir zurückbringen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cui respondit Ruben: Duos filios meos interfice, si non reduxero illum tibi: trade illum in manu mea, et ego eum tibi restituam.