Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Genesis 43:3 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 3. 3And 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.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Judah firmly reminds Jacob that the ruler prohibited another audience unless Benjamin accompanies them.
Famine overrules the refusal
This verse is one part of that explanation in Genesis 43:1–14. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Genesis 43:1–14
Read verses 3–5 with 42:15–20 and 42:33–34. The earlier terms explain Judah's emphatic warning, and the paired options show its practical effect.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Judah immediately supplies the missing condition in Jacob's command, preventing the family from treating the second journey as a simple repeat of the first.
Read Genesis 43:1–5 together
Why these verses belong together: Severe famine and exhausted grain require a return, while Judah states the two alternatives created by the ruler's demand for Benjamin.
Verse 1. 1 And the famine was sore in the land.
Verse 2. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
Verse 3. 3 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.
Verse 4. 4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
Verse 5. 5 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.
What Remains True
Responsible counsel states a controlling condition plainly, even when the listener does not want to face it.
How It Can Shape Life
- When a decision depends on a nonnegotiable condition, identify it before discussing preferences or promises.
Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Genesis 43:1–14 — Judah Persuades Jacob to Send BenjaminSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? very strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed text, famine, dialogue, surety, gift, money, El Shaddai, bereavement, and narrative connections.
Exact location: Genesis 43:1–14 with 42:2, 42:29–38, 43:15–34, 44:18–34, 28:3, 35:11, and 37:25 in the pinned standardized 1769 KJV
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Infinitive absolutes, survival sequence, surety, guilt, mercy, El Shaddai, and repeated bereavement wording.
Exact location: WLC Genesis 43:1–14, especially vv. 3, 7–10, and 14
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Lexical, supplied-word, gift-item, money, surety, and divine-title translation clarification.
Exact location: NET Genesis 43 notes for vv. 1–14, especially vv. 3, 7, 9, 11–12, and 14
Open NET Genesis 43 ↗