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.
But if you won't send him with us, we will not go down to Egypt. The man told us clearly, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
The brothers are telling their father Jacob that they cannot return to Egypt to buy food unless Benjamin comes with them, because the Egyptian ruler (Joseph) has made this an absolute requirement.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during a severe famine when Jacob's family needed to buy grain from Egypt. The brothers had already made one trip to Egypt where they encountered Joseph (though they didn't recognize him), who was now the second-in-command over Egypt's food distribution. Joseph had demanded they bring their youngest brother Benjamin on their next visit as proof of their honesty.
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