And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, 'Kill my two sons if I don't bring Benjamin back to you. Put him in my care, and I promise I will bring him back to you safely.'
Reuben is making a desperate promise to his father Jacob, offering his own sons' lives as collateral to guarantee Benjamin's safe return from Egypt.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, during a severe famine in Canaan, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy grain, unaware that his son Joseph, whom they had sold into slavery years earlier, is now the governor there. Reuben, as the eldest brother, speaks to Jacob to assure him of Benjamin's safe return by offering his own sons' lives as a pledge, reflecting the family's ongoing guilt and desperation. This event is part of the larger narrative of God's providence in preserving the family line through trials and reconciliation.
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