Genesis 42:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Joseph's brothers clarify to him what he sought to learn from their father and Benjamin. They explain, "Your servants have arrived to purchase provisions; we are all the offspring of a single man; we are trustworthy individuals; your servants are not spies." Focused solely on their own safety and filled with apprehension, they do not completely reveal the information Joseph wished to uncover.

The brothers respond, stating: "We are unfamiliar with the Egyptian tongue, which prevents us from establishing trust with the Egyptians and discerning their intentions. We reside in the land of Canaan, as evidenced by the items we have brought. There are twelve of us, siblings (Genesis 42:13), and it is unlikely that we all share a malicious intent to act as spies. We have come to you willingly, and this itself serves as proof of our integrity. Given our lack of knowledge of the Egyptian language and our non-Egyptian attire, it is clear that we are not spies."