inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Gen 42:21)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

complete verse (Genesis 42:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 42:21:

  • Kankanaey: “and they said conversing-together, ‘Here-now we are-being-hardshipped today because of what we did to our younger-sibling in the past. Because we saw (relevant reason particle) his hardship/suffering and his sorrow/hurt feelings when-he-pleaded- to us -for-mercy but we turned-a-deaf-ear-to-him (lit. deafed-him) anyway. That’s probably the reason that we have been-overtaken by this hardship.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then they talked with one another — ‘We have to bear trouble like this because of what we did to our younger brother. When he was in trouble, even though he begged for help we had no concern. So now trouble has come to us like this.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Before they left, they said to one another, ‘We (are) now being-punished of what we (incl.) did to our (incl.) sibling/(brother). We (incl.) saw his suffering when he begged us (incl.), but we (incl.) did- not at-all -pity him. That is the reason why this difficulty has-come to us (incl.).'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They said to each other, ‘It is surely because of what we did to our younger brother that we are being punished/God is punishing us! We saw that he was very distressed when he pleaded with us not to harm him. But we did not pay any attention to him, and that is why we are having this trouble!'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 42:21

While the conversation between the brothers continues in verses 21-22, Joseph overhears what they are saying to each other, but does not let them know that he understands them.

Then they said to one another is literally “and they said each to his brother.” It is made clear in the comment of verse 23 that Joseph spoke to his brothers through an interpreter, which was the reason why they did not realize that he could understand them. Some translations express here what that comment assumes but does not say directly: “they said to each other in their own language….”

In truth we are guilty … brother: the brothers now feel that the wrong they did to Joseph has caught up with them, and that they are suffering for the evil they did to him years earlier. They have not been able to free themselves of the guilt brought on them by abandoning Joseph and lying to their father. See Good News Translation. We may also translate, for example, “It is true that what we did to our brother was wrong.” Bible en français courant says “Oh! We are certainly being punished because of our brother.”

In that we saw the distress of his soul: this refers to when they threw Joseph into a pit in 37.23-24. Distress of his soul may be rendered, for example, “how distressed he was,” “his anguished look,” or “his pleading eyes.”

When he besought us and we would not listen: that is, “when he begged us for mercy and we paid no attention to him.”

Therefore is this distress come upon us: that is, “that is the reason why we are suffering now.”

We may translate verse 21, for example:

• They all began talking to each other and saying, “We are being punished now for what we did to our brother when we saw how troubled he was and how he begged us for mercy. But we paid no attention to him. That is why we are in this trouble now.”

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 .