Genesis 43:28

Genesis 43:28, in plain English

The brothers respond respectfully, confirming that their father Jacob is alive and well, and they bow again as a sign of honor.

Why it's here

The brothers' repeated bowing and their respectful way of speaking ('Your servant our father') shows the cultural hierarchy at work. They don't know who this Egyptian official really is, but they can tell he's powerful and important, so they're showing proper respect.

Who's speaking

The brothers responding to Joseph

Where it sits in the story

Jacob is alive. This is what Joseph wanted to hear. His father has survived all these years, and now his brothers are treating this powerful Egyptian with the same respect they'd give to a great authority.

The scholarly reading

The brothers respond to Joseph's inquiry by confirming that their father is alive and well, and they once again bow before him in respect.

Language and setting

The brothers' repeated bowing (this is their second full prostration in this chapter) demonstrates both their continued deference and their assumption that Joseph remains a stranger to them—their father is simply 'our servant father' (עַבְדְּךָ אָבִינוּ, avdekha avinu), employing the language of vassalage and formal respect. Their answer is truthful but emotionally guarded; they've been trained by their father Jacob to approach power carefully.

Voice

The brothers, likely Judah as spokesman, responding to Joseph's inquiry

Significance

The emphasis on Jacob's wellbeing becomes crucial to the narrative's theological center—the patriarchal blessing and covenantal promise depend on Jacob's continued life and blessing. The brothers' confirmation that their father lives sets the stage for Joseph's eventual self-revelation and for his determination that Jacob must come to Egypt, which becomes the catalyst for the entire family's migration and preservation during the famine.

26When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

27He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

28“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

29When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

30Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.

Read all of Genesis 43 — Joseph's brothers return to Egypt with the youngest. The table is set for a reckoning — and a revelation.