1 And the famine H7458 was sore H3515 in the land. H776
2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up H3615 H398 the corn H7668 which they had brought out H935 of Egypt, H4714 their father H1 said H559 unto them, Go again, H7725 buy H7666 us a little H4592 food. H400
3 And Judah H3063 spake H559 unto him, saying, H559 The man H376 did solemnly H5749 protest H5749 unto us, saying, H559 Ye shall not see H7200 my face, H6440 except H1115 your brother H251 be with you.
4 If thou wilt H3426 send H7971 our brother H251 with us, we will go down H3381 and buy H7666 thee food: H400
5 But if thou wilt not send H7971 him, we will not go down: H3381 for the man H376 said H559 unto us, Ye shall not see H7200 my face, H6440 except your brother H251 be with you.
6 And Israel H3478 said, H559 Wherefore dealt ye so ill H7489 with me, as to tell H5046 the man H376 whether ye had yet a brother? H251
7 And they said, H559 The man H376 asked H7592 us straitly H7592 of our state, and of our kindred, H4138 saying, H559 Is your father H1 yet alive? H2416 have ye H3426 another brother? H251 and we told H5046 him according H5921 to the tenor H6310 of these words: H1697 could we certainly H3045 know H3045 that he would say, H559 Bring H3381 your brother H251 down? H3381
8 And Judah H3063 said H559 unto Israel H3478 his father, H1 Send H7971 the lad H5288 with me, and we will arise H6965 and go; H3212 that we may live, H2421 and not die, H4191 both we, and thou, and also our little ones. H2945
9 I will be surety H6148 for him; of my hand H3027 shalt thou require H1245 him: if H518 I bring H935 him not H518 unto thee, and set H3322 him before thee, H6440 then let me bear the blame H2398 for ever: H3117
10 For except H3884 we had lingered, H4102 surely now we had returned H7725 this second time. H6471
11 And their father H1 Israel H3478 said H559 unto them, If it must be so now, H645 do H6213 this; take H3947 of the best fruits H2173 in the land H776 in your vessels, H3627 and carry down H3381 the man H376 a present, H4503 a little H4592 balm, H6875 and a little H4592 honey, H1706 spices, H5219 and myrrh, H3910 nuts, H992 and almonds: H8247
12 And take H3947 double H4932 money H3701 in your hand; H3027 and the money H3701 that was brought again H7725 in the mouth H6310 of your sacks, H572 carry it again H7725 in your hand; H3027 peradventure it was an oversight: H4870
13 Take H3947 also your brother, H251 and arise, H6965 go again H7725 unto the man: H376
14 And God H410 Almighty H7706 give H5414 you mercy H7356 before H6440 the man, H376 that he may send away H7971 your other H312 brother, H251 and Benjamin. H1144 If H834 I be bereaved H7921 of my children, I am bereaved. H7921
15 And the men H582 took H3947 that H2063 present, H4503 and they took H3947 double H4932 money H3701 in their hand, H3027 and Benjamin; H1144 and rose up, H6965 and went down H3381 to Egypt, H4714 and stood H5975 before H6440 Joseph. H3130
16 And when Joseph H3130 saw H7200 Benjamin H1144 with H854 them, he said H559 to the ruler of his house, H1004 Bring H935 these men H582 home, H1004 and slay, H2873 H2874 and make ready; H3559 for these men H582 shall dine H398 with me at noon. H6672
17 And the man H376 did H6213 as Joseph H3130 bade; H559 and the man H376 brought H935 the men H582 into Joseph's H3130 house. H1004
18 And the men H582 were afraid, H3372 because they were brought H935 into Joseph's H3130 house; H1004 and they said, H559 Because H1697 of the money H3701 that was returned H7725 in our sacks H572 at the first time H8462 are we brought in; H935 that he may seek occasion H1556 against us, and fall H5307 upon us, and take H3947 us for bondmen, H5650 and our asses. H2543
19 And they came near H5066 to the steward H376 of Joseph's H3130 house, H1004 and they communed H1696 with him at the door H6607 of the house, H1004
20 And said, H559 O H994 sir, H113 we came indeed H3381 down H3381 at the first time H8462 to buy H7666 food: H400
21 And it came to pass, when we came H935 to the inn, H4411 that we opened H6605 our sacks, H572 and, behold, every man's H376 money H3701 was in the mouth H6310 of his sack, H572 our money H3701 in full weight: H4948 and we have brought it again H7725 in our hand. H3027
22 And other H312 money H3701 have we brought down H3381 in our hands H3027 to buy H7666 food: H400 we cannot tell H3045 who put H7760 our money H3701 in our sacks. H572
23 And he said, H559 Peace H7965 be to you, fear H3372 not: your God, H430 and the God H430 of your father, H1 hath given H5414 you treasure H4301 in your sacks: H572 I had H935 your money. H3701 And he brought H3318 Simeon H8095 out unto them.
24 And the man H376 brought H935 the men H582 into Joseph's H3130 house, H1004 and gave H5414 them water, H4325 and they washed H7364 their feet; H7272 and he gave H5414 their asses H2543 provender. H4554
25 And they made ready H3559 the present H4503 against H5704 Joseph H3130 came H935 at noon: H6672 for they heard H8085 that they should eat H398 bread H3899 there.
26 And when Joseph H3130 came H935 home, H1004 they brought H935 him the present H4503 which was in their hand H3027 into the house, H1004 and bowed H7812 themselves to him to the earth. H776
27 And he asked H7592 them of their welfare, H7965 and said, H559 Is your father H1 well, H7965 the old man H2205 of whom ye spake? H559 Is he yet alive? H2416
28 And they answered, H559 Thy servant H5650 our father H1 is in good health, H7965 he is yet alive. H2416 And they bowed down their heads, H6915 and made obeisance. H7812
29 And he lifted up H5375 his eyes, H5869 and saw H7200 his brother H251 Benjamin, H1144 his mother's H517 son, H1121 and said, H559 Is this your younger H6996 brother, H251 of whom ye spake H559 unto me? And he said, H559 God H430 be gracious H2603 unto thee, my son. H1121
30 And Joseph H3130 made haste; H4116 for his bowels H7356 did yearn H3648 upon his brother: H251 and he sought H1245 where to weep; H1058 and he entered H935 into his chamber, H2315 and wept H1058 there.
31 And he washed H7364 his face, H6440 and went out, H3318 and refrained H662 himself, and said, H559 Set on H7760 bread. H3899
32 And they set on H7760 for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, H4713 which did eat H398 with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians H4713 might H3201 not eat H398 bread H3899 with the Hebrews; H5680 for that is an abomination H8441 unto the Egyptians. H4714
33 And they sat H3427 before him, H6440 the firstborn H1060 according to his birthright, H1062 and the youngest H6810 according to his youth: H6812 and the men H582 marvelled H8539 one H376 at another. H7453
34 And he took H5375 and sent messes H4864 unto them from before him: H6440 but Benjamin's H1144 mess H4864 was five H2568 times H3027 so much as H7235 any of theirs. And they drank, H8354 and were merry H7937 with him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 43
Commentary on Genesis 43 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 43
Ge 43:1-14. Preparations for a Second Journey to Egypt.
2. their father said, … Go again, buy us a little food—It was no easy matter to bring Jacob to agree to the only conditions on which his sons could return to Egypt (Ge 42:15). The necessity of immediately procuring fresh supplies for the maintenance of themselves and their families overcame every other consideration and extorted his consent to Benjamin joining in a journey, which his sons entered on with mingled feelings of hope and anxiety—of hope, because having now complied with the governor's demand to bring down their youngest brother, they flattered themselves that the alleged ground of suspecting them would be removed; and of apprehension that some ill designs were meditated against them.
11. take of the best fruits … a present—It is an Oriental practice never to approach a man of power without a present, and Jacob might remember how he pacified his brother (Pr 21:14)—balm, spices, and myrrh (see on Ge 37:25),
honey—which some think was dibs, a syrup made from ripe dates [Bochart]; but others, the honey of Hebron, which is still valued as far superior to that of Egypt;
nuts—pistachio nuts, of which Syria grows the best in the world;
almonds—which were most abundant in Palestine.
12. take double money—the first sum to be returned, and another sum for a new supply. The restored money in the sacks' mouth was a perplexing circumstance. But it might have been done inadvertently by one of the servants—so Jacob persuaded himself—and happy it was for his own peace and the encouragement of the travellers that he took this view. Besides the duty of restoring it, honesty in their case was clearly the best, the safest policy.
14. God Almighty give you mercy before the man—Jacob is here committing them all to the care of God and, resigned to what appears a heavy trial, prays that it may be overruled for good.
Ge 43:15-30. Arrival in Egypt.
15. stood before Joseph—We may easily imagine the delight with which, amid the crowd of other applicants, the eye of Joseph would fix on his brethren and Benjamin. But occupied with his public duties, he consigned them to the care of a confidential servant till he should have finished the business of the day.
16. ruler of his house—In the houses of wealthy Egyptians one upper man servant was intrusted with the management of the house (compare Ge 39:5).
slay, and make ready—Hebrew, "kill a killing"—implying preparations for a grand entertainment (compare Ge 31:54; 1Sa 25:11; Pr 9:2; Mt 22:4). The animals have to be killed as well as prepared at home. The heat of the climate requires that the cook should take the joints directly from the hands of the flesher, and the Oriental taste is, from habit, fond of newly killed meat. A great profusion of viands, with an inexhaustible supply of vegetables, was provided for the repasts, to which strangers were invited, the pride of Egyptian people consisting rather in the quantity and variety than in the choice or delicacy of the dishes at their table.
dine … at noon—The hour of dinner was at midday.
18. the men were afraid—Their feelings of awe on entering the stately mansion, unaccustomed as they were to houses at all, their anxiety at the reasons of their being taken there, their solicitude about the restored money, their honest simplicity in communicating their distress to the steward and his assurances of having received their money in "full weight," the offering of their fruit present, which would, as usual, be done with some parade, and the Oriental salutations that passed between their host and them—are all described in a graphic and animated manner.
Ge 43:31-34. The Dinner.
31. Joseph said, Set on bread—equivalent to having dinner served, "bread" being a term inclusive of all victuals. The table was a small stool, most probably the usual round form, "since persons might even then be seated according to their rank or seniority, and the modern Egyptian table is not without its post of honor and a fixed gradation of place" [Wilkinson]. Two or at most three persons were seated at one table. But the host being the highest in rank of the company had a table to himself; while it was so arranged that an Egyptian was not placed nor obliged to eat from the same dish as a Hebrew.
32. Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination—The prejudice probably arose from the detestation in which, from the oppressions of the shepherd-kings, the nation held all of that occupation.
34. took and sent messes … Benjamin's mess was five times—In Egypt, as in other Oriental countries, there were, and are, two modes of paying attention to a guest whom the host wishes to honor—either by giving a choice piece from his own hand, or ordering it to be taken to the stranger. The degree of respect shown consists in the quantity, and while the ordinary rule of distinction is a double mess, it must have appeared a very distinguished mark of favor bestowed on Benjamin to have no less than five times any of his brethren.
they drank, and were merry with him—Hebrew, "drank freely" (same as So 5:1; Joh 2:10). In all these cases the idea of intemperance is excluded. The painful anxieties and cares of Joseph's brethren were dispelled, and they were at ease.