Genesis Chapter 43 verse 1 Holy Bible
And the famine was sore in the land.
read chapter 43 in ASV
And when the grain which they had got in Egypt was all used up, their father said to them, Go again and get us a little food.
read chapter 43 in BBE
And the famine was grievous in the land.
read chapter 43 in DARBY
And the famine was sore in the land.
read chapter 43 in KJV
And it came to pass, when they had consumed the corn which they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, Go again, buy us a little food.
read chapter 43 in WBT
The famine was severe in the land.
read chapter 43 in WEB
And the famine `is' severe in the land;
read chapter 43 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 1, 2. - And the famine was sore (literally, was heavy) in the land (sc. of Canaan). And it came to pass (how long after the return of Joseph's brethren cannot be determined, as the quantity of grain they brought or the number that partook of it cannot possibly be estimated; but it may be reasonably inferred that several months had elapsed since their arrival at Hebron), when they had eaten up - literally, had finished to eat up, i.e. not nearly (Mercerus, Bush), but entirely consumed - the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, - it is probable that only Jacob's family partook of the Egyptian corn, the slaves supporting themselves on roots, vegetables, and milk (Calvin, Rosenmüller, Gerlach) - their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. What they could buy would be little in proportion to their needs.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersXLIII.THE SECOND VISIT TO EGYPT.(7) The man asked us straitly.--In Genesis 42:13 they appear rather as volunteering a statement of their family relations than as having it wrung from them by cross-examination. But really this history must be taken as explaining and supplementing the former. Accused of being spies, they would naturally give an account of themselves, and Joseph, anxious to know about his father and brother, would certainly put numerous questions to them concerning their home and family. And they would answer them fully and frankly, little suspecting who was the questioner, and what was his real reason for exacting Benjamin's presence in proof of their trustworthiness:Of our state and of our kindred.--Heb., concerning ourselves and our birthplace (see Genesis 12:1; Genesis 24:4; Genesis 24:7; Genesis 31:3), that is, our home. Questions about ourselves would be such as those given: "Is your father yet alive? Have ye a brother?" And besides these, Joseph would interrogate them closely concerning the place whence they came, and the state of things there. . . .
