And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

GENESIS 42:29KJV
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Genesis 42:29 (KJV)

What does Genesis 42:29 mean?

Genesis 42:29 describes how Joseph’s brothers returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and reported everything that had happened to them in Egypt. The verse sets the scene for their explanation, showing the moment they begin to recount their experiences.

The brothers had just come back from Egypt, where they had gone to buy grain during a famine. They are now standing before Jacob, ready to tell him about their encounter with the Egyptian official (who was actually their brother Joseph, though they did not know it). This verse marks the transition from their journey back home to the crucial conversation with their father about what took place.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 42:29

  • The word "came" (בּוֹא, bo’) is often used for arriving or entering, and here it emphasizes the brothers’ return home after a tense and uncertain journey.
  • "Told" (נָגַד, nagad) means to make something known or to report, highlighting that the brothers are not just chatting but giving a detailed account of significant events.
  • "Befell" (קָרָה, qarah) carries the sense of things that happened or occurred, suggesting that what they are about to share was unexpected or out of their control.

Why Genesis 42:29 matters

  • This verse marks a turning point in the story, as the brothers must now face their father and reveal what happened in Egypt, setting up the emotional and dramatic developments that follow.
  • The careful choice of words in the original Hebrew underscores the seriousness and weight of the news the brothers are about to deliver.
  • By showing the brothers reporting everything that "befell" them, the verse hints at both their anxiety and the gravity of the situation, preparing the reader for the difficult truths that will soon come to light.

Where else these words appear

“befell” Hebrew H7136 · used in 27 verses

  • Genesis 24:12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
  • Numbers 23:16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
  • Nehemiah 3:6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

“Canaan” Hebrew H3667 · used in 91 verses

  • Genesis 9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
  • Genesis 45:25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,
  • Numbers 35:14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.