And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
Joseph charged his brothers with coming to see the exposed and defenseless places of the land as spies, rather than coming to buy food. He pressed that charge again after they protested that their only errand in Egypt was to buy food. He did not believe they were spies, but made the accusation to test them and learn whether they still carried the same haughty spirit they had shown when he was with them. By that testing charge he also drew out of them information about their family, especially about his father and Benjamin.
Under that suspicion they stood humbled by adversity, showing grief rather than anger. The accusation brought their confinement, and with it the fear that they might be put to death or made slaves.
Joseph charged his brothers with coming to see the exposed and defenseless places of the land as spies, rather than coming to buy food. He pressed that charge again after they protested that their only errand in Egypt was to buy food. He did not believe they were spies, but made the accusation to test them and learn whether they still carried the same haughty spirit they had shown when he was with them. By that testing charge he also drew out of them information about their family, especially about his father and Benjamin.
Under that suspicion they stood humbled by adversity, showing grief rather than anger. The accusation brought their confinement, and with it the fear that they might be put to death or made slaves.