"Do not just sit here!"
It was common to speak of going from Canaan to Egypt as going "down."
"from those selling grain in Egypt"
Benjamin and Joseph had the same father and mother; their mother was different from the mothers of the other brothers. Jacob did not want to risk sending Rachel's last son.
"The sons of Israel went to by grain along with other people who went to Egypt"
"all the people of all the nations that came to buy grain"
This is a way of showing respect.
"he acted like he was not their brother" or "he did not let them know that he was their brother"
This was not a rhetorical question even though Joseph knew the answer. It was part of his choice to keep his identity from his brothers.
Spies are people who secretly try to get information about a country to help another country.
"You have come to find out where we are not guarding our land so that you can attack us"
This is a way to refer to someone to honor them.
"We, your servants, have" or "We have"
"Joseph said to his brothers"
"right now our youngest brother is with our father"
"like I already said, you are spies."
"This is how I will test you"
"I swear by the life of Pharaoh"
"Choose one of you to go get your brother"
"The rest of you will remain in prison"
"so that I may find out if you are telling the truth"
"in prison"
"If you will do what I say, I will let you live"
This refers to deeply respecting God and showing that respect by obeying him.
"leave one of your brothers here in prison"
"but the rest of you go"
"carry grain home to help your family during this famine"
"so I may know what you say is true"
This implies that Joseph would have his soldiers execute the brothers if he finds out they are spies.
"because we saw how distressed Joseph was" or "because we saw that Joseph was suffering"
"That is why we are suffering like this now"
"Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy, but" or "I told you not to harm the boy, but"
"we are getting what we deserve for his death" or "we are suffering for having killed him"
This changes from the main story to background information that explains why the brothers thought Joseph could not understand them.
An "interpreter" is someone who translates what one person says into another language. Joseph placed an interpreter between himself and his brothers to make it seem like he did not speak their language.
It is implied that Joseph wept because he was emotional after hearing what his brothers said.
Joseph was still speaking a different language and using the interpreter to speak to his brothers.
"bound him in their sight" or "bound him as they watched"
"to give them the supplies they needed"
"The servants did for them everything that Joseph commanded"
"When they stopped at a place for the night, one of the brothers opened his sack to get food for his donkey. In the sack he saw his money!"
"Someone has put my money back"
"Look in my sack!"
"They became very afraid"
"the lord of Egypt"
"spoke harshly"
"One brother is no longer alive"
"the youngest brother is with our father right now"
"take grain to help your family during the famine"
"go home" or "leave"
"I will allow you to buy and sell in this land"
"you have deprived me of my children" or "you have caused me to lose two of my children"
"all these things hurt me"
"Put me in charge of him" or "Let me take care of him"
"My son, Benjamin, will not go with you to Egypt"
Here "you" is plural and refers to Jacob's older sons.
"For my wife, Rachel, only had two children. Joseph is dead and Benjamin is the only one left"
"while you a traveling to Egypt and back" or "while you are away." Here "road" stands for traveling.
"then you will cause me, an old man, to die of sorrow"