Genesis 42:8-28 NIV

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:18

Genesis 42:18. For I fear God— As much as to say, I am influenced by a religious principle, though you might not expect it, in my place and station; and, as so influenced, cannot be guilty either of injustice or cruelty; on which account I will treat you with as much lenity as the suspicions I have urged will admit, detaining only one of you, and suffering the rest to carry corn for your house, and to verify your own account of yourselves. REFLECTIONS.—Little thought the sons of Jacob who this... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:21

Genesis 42:21. They said one to another— Nothing can more strongly or beautifully picture to us the power of conscience, and the utility of affliction to awaken that power, than this conversation, and these mutual reproaches. We see, in their representation, the little innocent Joseph stretching out his tender hands, and pleading to them for mercy, while they, full of sarcastic envy and savage barbarity, consign him to destruction; we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:23

Genesis 42:23. Spake unto them by an interpreter— Not only to keep up an air of majesty, and to strike an awe upon his brethren, but to prevent his being discovered. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:24

Genesis 42:24. Turned himself about from them, and wept— If the conduct of Joseph's brethren presents us with a striking proof of the power of conscience, Joseph himself affords us as striking a proof of the power of nature: affected at their confusion and distress, all the tenderness of the brother filled his heart, and drew tears from his eyes. Severe as he seemed to them in outward behaviour, his soul and his affections were full of kindness towards them. His looks, his mien, his voice, his... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:26

Genesis 42:26. They laded their asses— Some have inferred from this and the following verse, that they had only ten asses with them, an ass to each man: but the expression would lead one as much to believe, that they had only ten sacks, a sack on each ass, which would have been so small a quantity as would not have supplied their asses with provender during their journey into Canaan. It is most likely they had several other beasts of burden as well as servants in their train; and that they were... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:28

Genesis 42:28. Their heart failed them— In the strong Hebrew idiom, their heart went out, or left their body: strong conscience was at work; they were afraid where no fear was: What is this that God hath done unto us? say they. It is the nature of awakened guilt to be particularly full of apprehensions of God's justice and vengeance: they expected nothing less, than that the providence of God was about to make this extraordinary event a means of that punishment, which they were conscious that... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:9

9-14. Ye are spies—This is a suspicion entertained regarding strangers in all Eastern countries down to the present day. Joseph, however, who was well aware that his brethren were not spies, has been charged with cruel dissimulation, with a deliberate violation of what he knew to be the truth, in imputing to them such a character. But it must be remembered that he was sustaining the part of a ruler; and, in fact, acting on the very principle sanctioned by many of the sacred writers, and our... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:15

15. By the life of Pharaoh—It is a very common practice in Western Asia to swear by the life of the king. Joseph spoke in the style of an Egyptian and perhaps did not think there was any evil in it. But we are taught to regard all such expressions in the light of an oath (Matthew 5:34; James 5:12). read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:17

17-24. put them . . . into ward three days—Their confinement had been designed to bring them to salutary reflection. And this object was attained, for they looked upon the retributive justice of God as now pursuing them in that foreign land. The drift of their conversation is one of the most striking instances on record of the power of conscience [Genesis 42:21; Genesis 42:22]. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:24

24. took . . . Simeon, and bound him—He had probably been the chief instigator—the most violent actor in the outrage upon Joseph; and if so, his selection to be the imprisoned and fettered hostage for their return would, in the present course of their reflections, have a painful significance. read more

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:18

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:21

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:23

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:24

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:26

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 42:28

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:9

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:15

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:17

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 42:24

Group of Brands