וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂר֩ עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ אַחִ֧ים׀אֲנַ֛חְנוּ בְּנֵ֥י אִישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַקָּטֹ֤ן אֶת־אָבִ֙ינוּ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְהָאֶחָ֖ד אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃
And they said, “We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.”
Exact Source: Bereishis Rabbah 91:7
וְאָמַר לָהֶם: וְהֵיכָן הַשְּׁנַיִם? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: הַקָּטָן אֶת אָבִינוּ הַיּוֹם, וְהָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ.
English of Source Text: In the Midrash's continuation of the exchange, Yosef asks where the other two brothers are. They answer that the youngest is with their father and that the other one is no more.
On the passuk: The answer sets out the brothers' explanation for their family situation while Yosef continues to test them.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: Even while claiming to be “true men,” the brothers still speak only partial truth about the missing brother; the full accounting remains for later.