Genesis 42:38
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.””
A short, plain-language explanation of Genesis 42:38 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.””
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.”
King James Version · Public Domain“And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left: if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“and he saith, `My son doth not go down with you, for his brother <FI>is<Fi> dead, and he by himself is left; when mischief hath met him in the way in which ye go, then ye have brought down my grey hairs in sorrow to sheol.'”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Genesis 42:38 — 18 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 30:22Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb,
- Genesis 35:16Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
- Genesis 37:33His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”
- Genesis 37:35All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
- Genesis 42:4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”
- Genesis 42:13But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”
- Genesis 43:13Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.
- Genesis 44:20And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
- Genesis 44:22So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
- Genesis 44:27And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
- 1 Kings 2:6So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.
- Job 41:32He leaves a glistening wake behind him; one would think the deep had white hair!
- Psalms 71:18Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.
- Psalms 90:10The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
- Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.
- Ecclesiastes 2:26To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- Isaiah 38:10I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.”
- Isaiah 46:4Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).