John Gill Commentary Genesis 44:22

"And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die." — Genesis 44:22 (ASV)

And we said to my lord, the lad cannot leave his father ,
&c.] That is, his father will not be willing to part with him: for if he should leave his father, his father would die ;
with grief and trouble, fearing some evil had befallen him, and he should see him no more.