Genesis 42:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They conversed amongst themselves, believing that Joseph was unaware of their discussion. As if he were oblivious to their language, he employed an interpreter to facilitate communication, conveying his messages to them and relaying their responses back to him. Joseph listened attentively, yet they remained unaware, for an interpreter was present between them.

Joseph communicated with his brothers through an interpreter. Although he had not completely released them, he was preoccupied with the other buyers, prompting the sons of Jacob to speak quietly amongst themselves in Hebrew. Could they have thought that this powerful Egyptian lord would understand their words? Yet, he listened with great care and attention; his heart, filled with divine love and guided by holy, redemptive wisdom, grasped every word of their exchange. “Indeed,” the sons of Jacob said to one another, “we are being tormented for the wrong we did to our brother!

An interpreter was present among them. While Hebrew and Egyptian are derived from a common root, it is not unexpected that the Egyptians required someone to convey messages to the Jews, similar to how the commoners of Judah could not comprehend the Chaldeans in the time of the kings (4 Kings 18:26). From this scenario, some deduce that the language spoken in Jacob's household was Canaanite instead of Hebrew, reasoning that the absence of a Hebrew interpreter in Egypt raises questions. However, it is not unusual, considering that several large and thriving tribes, including those of Ishmael, Hittite, and Esau, were already using the Hebrew language in territories close to Egypt. If it is true that Jacob's descendants spoke Canaanite while in Egypt, does that necessarily indicate the absence of the Hebrew language in their dwelling?