Genesis 43:10
“for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.””
What does Genesis 43:10 mean?
Judah is speaking to his father Jacob, trying to convince him to let Benjamin go to Egypt with them. They'd already made one trip to buy grain during the famine, but the Egyptian official (Joseph, though they don't recognize him) demanded they bring their youngest brother to prove they weren't spies. Jacob has been reluctant to let Benjamin go, fearing something will happen to him. Judah's point is simple but urgent: they've already wasted time by debating this. If they'd just agreed earlier and made the journey, they'd already be back home with more food by now. It's his way of saying, "We're losing precious days while our family goes hungry. The delay itself is the problem." Sometimes when we're afraid or grieving (as Jacob was, having lost Joseph years before), overthinking and hesitation can actually create more danger than the difficult thing we're trying to avoid. Judah is gently pushing Jacob toward trust, even in an impossible situation.