And Joseph saw his brethren,.... Among those that came to buy corn, and when they prostrated themselves before him:and he knew them; some of them being at man's estate, and their beards grown when they sold him, and their habits and dress now being much the same it was then, and by them he knew the younger:but made himself strange unto them; took no notice of them as his relations, but carried himself to them as he did to other foreigners, and yet more strangely:and spake roughly unto them; or hard things or words; put on a stern countenance, and spoke with a high tone and in a rough surly manner to them:and he said unto them, whence come ye?
who are ye? of what country are ye? what is your business here?and they said, from the land of Canaan to buy food; which they could not get in Canaan, the famine being there so great.