Genesis 43:8

The lad. — Benjamin was now between twenty and thirty years of age. The term “lad” in Judah’s mouth is one of affection, but even in itself it suits very well to a youth of this age. Rebekah (in Genesis 24:16) is called in the Hebrew a lad (see Note there), and so is Shechem in Genesis 34:19. The assertion, therefore, that Benjamin is here represented as a mere boy, is disproved by the use of the word in the Hebrew.

Our little ones. — Heb., our “tafs” that is, our households. (See Note on Genesis 34:29.)