בראשית, פרק מ״ב, פסוק ל״א

Returning from Egypt, the brothers recount their encounter with the Egyptian ruler to their father. They explain how they tried to defend their innocence and completely reject the accusation that they were spies. To prove their integrity, they declared that they were honest men. This meant not only that they spoke the truth and that their outward words matched their inner thoughts [ביאור שטיינזלץ], but also that they were established individuals with families and property. This status was meant to serve as a logical defense, showing that men in their position would have no reason to risk everything by engaging in spying.

They offered another piece of evidence to support their innocence, noting that they were all sons of a single father. Yet, this argument lost some of its strength when they had to admit that one brother remained at home. The brothers felt compelled to share this entire chain of events and the specific arguments they made with their father, as the unfolding situation left them with no choice but to disclose these details [העמק דבר].