Genesis 42:7-9

42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger ¹  to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, ²  “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” ³ 

42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered ⁴  the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!” ⁵ 

[42:7]  ¹ sn But pretended to be a stranger. Joseph intends to test his brothers to see if they have changed and have the integrity to be patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He will do this by putting them in the same situations that they and he were in before. The first test will be to awaken their conscience.

[42:7]  ² tn Heb “said.”

[42:7]  ³ tn The verb is denominative, meaning “to buy grain”; the word “food” could simply be the direct object, but may also be an adverbial accusative.

[42:9]  ⁴ sn You are spies. Joseph wanted to see how his brothers would react if they were accused of spying.

[42:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “to see the nakedness of the land you have come.”