Genesis 42:23
“They didn’t know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.”
What does Genesis 42:23 mean?
Joseph's brothers are speaking to him in Hebrew while he addresses them through an Egyptian interpreter, so they have no idea he comprehends every word they're saying. In this moment, they unknowingly reveal their guilt and regret about what they did to him years earlier, when they sold him into slavery. Joseph hears their raw confession while they believe he can't understand them, which gives him a window into whether they've genuinely changed. It's a poignant detail that underscores how far removed Joseph has become from his family, even as he stands face to face with them.