Tafsiran Kejadian 42:22: Rashi, Chizkuni, Kli Yakar & Sforno

וגם דמו ALSO HIS BLOOD [IS REQUIRED] — the particles את and גם extend the scope of the clause; here it implies “his blood and also the blood of his old father” (Genesis Rabbah 91:8).

ויען ראובן, “Reuven replied to them;” originally Joseph had intended to keep Reuven, who was the oldest, as hostage pending Binyamin’s coming to Egypt. It is customary that when a number of people are guilty of a crime that the senior member of the group is punished first. When Joseph overheard their conversation and found out for the first time that it had been Reuven who had tried to save him, he changed his mind and kept Shimon as a hostage instead, as he was the second oldest.

“And his blood is now also being demanded.” The word also/gam appears to be explained as follows: The brothers thought that Joseph deserved the death penalty according to law, because evil speech kills three [people] and Joseph brought evil reports about them, similar to as if he had killed them. Furthermore, he came to spy on them when he came to Dothan. Therefore, they sought religious pretexts according to the Torah to kill him before he would approach and kill them, based on the principle “if someone comes to kill you, arise early to kill him first.” If so, from the perspective of their seeking to kill him, they have no guilt according to their reasoning. However, the main guilt lies in the cruelty they displayed by not listening to his pleading, as they said Indeed we are guilty concerning our brother, as we saw his soul’s distress when he pleaded with us and we did not listen; therefore this trouble has come upon us. They did not mention that they sought to kill him, because they thought that from the perspective of seeking to kill him, or selling him, or throwing him in the pit, they bore no guilt. Reuben answered them: Did I not tell you not to sin against the child? Since he was like a child and not yet punishable in the heavenly court, he therefore did not deserve the death penalty. Thus you have committed two transgressions, for the Holy One Blessed be He demands [an accounting] from you for your cruelty — which is why this ruler and master does not listen to our pleading, as we all speak supplications but he responds harshly. And in addition to this, his blood is now being demanded — for the ruler said your words will be verified and you shall not die, which implies that if our brother does not come, we are indeed worthy of death. And who knows if at such a time our youngest brother will reach him, for perhaps something will happen that prevents him from coming to him, and we will be sentenced to death. And truly we are innocent of his accusation — this is only because his blood is now being demanded, in addition to the demanding of [an accounting for] our cruelty from us.