New American Standard Bible 1995

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Genesis

42

:

13

But they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive."

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
But they said, to utter, say Verb H559 וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ vai·yo·me·ru
"Your servants slave, servant Noun H5650 עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ a·va·dei·cha
are twelve two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁנֵ֣ים she·neim
Analysis:

Twelve: People, the people of God

Naturally, when the number twelve is mentioned, two thoughts enter into one's mind.  The first thought is the twelve tribes of Israel and the second is the twelve disciples. Both groups represent the people of God. Hence, when the number twelve appears in the Scriptures, the reader ought to think of the people of God in some unique or specific manner.  

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

brothers a brother Noun H251 אַחִ֧ים a·chim
[in all], the sons son Noun H1121 בְּנֵ֥י be·nei
of one one Adjective H259 אֶחָ֖ד e·chad
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

man man Noun H376 אִישׁ־ ish-
in the land earth, land Noun H776 בְּאֶ֣רֶץ be·'e·retz
of Canaan; a son of Ham, also his desc. and their land W. of the Jordan Noun H3667 כְּנָ֑עַן ke·na·'an;
Analysis:
Read more about: Canaan
and behold, lo! behold! Particle H2009 וְהִנֵּ֨ה ve·hin·neh
the youngest small, insignificant Adjective H6996 הַקָּטֹ֤ן hak·ka·ton
is with our father father Noun H1 אָבִ֙ינוּ֙ a·vi·nu
today, day Noun H3117 הַיֹּ֔ום hai·yo·vm,
and one one Adjective H259 וְהָאֶחָ֖ד ve·ha·'e·chad
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

is no longer nothing, nought Particle H369 אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ ei·nen·nu.
alive."      

Locations

Canaan

CANAAN; CANAANITESka'-nan, ka'-nan-its (kena`an; Chanaan): 1. Geography 2. Meaning of the Name 3. The Results of Recent Excavations 4. History(1) Stone Age(2) Bronze Age(3) A Babylonian Province(4) Jerusalem Founded(5) The Hyksos(6) Egyptian Conquest(7) Tell el-Amarna Tablets 5. The Israelitsh Invasion 6. Culture 7. Art 8. Commerce 9. Art of WritingLITERATUR... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 But they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive."
King James Bible But And they said, "Your Thy servants are twelve brothers in all, brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father today, father, and one is no longer alive."not.
Hebrew Greek English But they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive."