When they had eaten the grain which they had brought from Egypt: the first they refers to all Jacob’s family; the second they refers to the brothers.

Go again, buy us a little food: Go again means “Go back to Egypt.” Us is inclusive, referring to Jacob and those he is addressing. Little may refer to a small amount or few in number, but in a little food Jacob is using this limiting expression as a contrast with “a great amount.” He does not mean that they should buy an insufficient amount but rather “buy some food.” Revised English Bible says “buy some more grain,” which New English Bible has revised as “buy a little more corn.” This use of “little” in the sense of “enough” is typical colloquial speech in many languages in relation to food.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .