KJV ORIGINAL
For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
If we hadn't delayed and wasted time, we could have already made this trip to Egypt twice by now.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The speaker is expressing regret about how their hesitation and delay cost them valuable time.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, during a severe famine in Canaan, Jacob's sons had to travel to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, whom they did not recognize as their long-lost brother. On their first trip, Joseph tested them by demanding they bring their youngest brother Benjamin next time to prove their honesty. Judah is now urging Jacob not to delay sending Benjamin, arguing that if they hadn't hesitated earlier, they would have already completed this second journey.
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