Genesis 42:21
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
The words were spoken in bitter sorrow during the three days of confinement in Egypt, after the agreement on the third day that one brother would remain bound while the rest would go to bring Benjamin to prove their words. As they reflected on their past wrong course, especially their cruelty to Joseph, the brothers accused themselves and one another and confessed their guilt. They remembered seeing the anguish of his soul when he besought and pleaded with them, and that they would not hear but refused to listen.
They understood their present distress of facing death or slavery as accused spies as having come upon them for that sin. They believed God had seen their sins and was visiting them for their wrongs, even fearing He designed to punish them by letting them become slaves themselves because they had sold Joseph as a slave. They had little hope that any effort would move their father to let Benjamin go from him and return with them, especially after the cruel death Joseph was thought to have suffered.
Their words convinced Joseph that they had repented of their cruel treatment of him and would in no case treat Benjamin as they had treated him. At the same time Joseph remained concerned that his father and the brothers' families might be suffering for food. When they later learned Joseph was alive, they humbly confessed the wrongs committed against him and entreated his forgiveness. Knowing they were not guilty of his blood, their troubled minds were relieved and they greatly rejoiced.