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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:10

And he said, now also let it be according unto your words ,.... Not according to the full extent of their words, but according to a part of them; that be only should be a servant that was found guilty; so moderating the punishment which they had fixed, and were willing to submit to, and therefore could not object to what he next proposes: he with whom it is found shall be my servant ; speaking in the name of Joseph, whom he represented, and who had directed him what to say: and ye... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:11

Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground ,.... To be opened and examined, and this they did in all haste, as having a clear conscience, and being confident that nothing could be found upon them, and desirous of having the affair issued as soon as possible, that the steward might have full satisfaction, and they proceed on in their journey: and opened every man his sack ; showing neither reluctance nor fear, being conscious of their innocence. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:12

And he searched ,.... To the bottom of them, not content to look into the mouth of them being opened, but rummaged them, and searched deeply into them to find the cup, which was the thing charged upon them he was solicitous to find; as for the money in the sack's mouth he took no notice of that, nor is there any mention of it: and began at the oldest ; at Reuben, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it: the steward might know their different ages in course, by the order in which they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:13

Then they rent their clothes ,.... In token of sorrow and distress, being at their wits' end, like distracted persons, not knowing what to do: this was usually done in the eastern countries when any evil befell, as did Jacob, Genesis 37:34 ; and as the Egyptians themselves did when mourning for their dead, as Diodorus Siculus F17 Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 65. relates: and laded every man his ass ; put their sacks of corn on their asses again, having tied them up: and returned to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:14

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house ,.... Judah is particularly mentioned because he was the principal spokesman, and was chiefly concerned for the safety of Benjamin, being his surety: for he was yet there ; Joseph was yet at his own house, was not as yet gone to the granaries, to look after the affairs of the corn, and the sale and distribution of it, but was waiting for the return of his brethren, which he expected quickly: and they fell before him on the ground ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:15

And Joseph said unto them, what deed is this ye have done ?.... An action so wicked, base, and ungrateful, attended with such aggravated circumstances, that it can scarcely be said how bad a one it is, and may be well wondered at, that men who had received such favours could ever be guilty of; this he said, putting on a stern countenance, and seemingly in great anger and wrath: wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine ? either that he could divine himself, though not by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:16

And Judah said, what shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak ?.... Signifying that they were nonplussed, confounded, knew not what to say; they could not acknowledge guilt, for they were not conscious of any, and yet could not deny the fact, the cup being found on one of them; and though they might have a suspicion of fraud, yet were afraid to speak out what they suspected, and therefore were at the utmost loss to express themselves: or how shall we clear ourselves ? to assert... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 44:17

And he said, God forbid that I should do so ,.... This would be doing an unjust thing, Joseph suggests, should he take them all for bondmen, for the offence of one: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant ; not die, as they had supposed, but become his servant: and as for you, get ye up in peace unto your father ; they had leave, yea, an order to return to their father in the land of Canaan, with their corn and cattle, in peace and plenty; there being no... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 44:2

Put my cup in the sack's mouth of the youngest - The stratagem of the cup seems to have been designed to bring Joseph's brethren into the highest state of perplexity and distress, that their deliverance by the discovery that Joseph was their brother might have its highest effect. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 44:5

Whereby - he divineth? - Divination by cups has been from time immemorial prevalent among the Asiatics; and for want of knowing this, commentators have spent a profusion of learned labor upon these words, in order to reduce them to that kind of meaning which would at once be consistent with the scope and design of the history, and save Joseph from the impeachment of sorcery and divination. I take the word נחש nachash here in its general acceptation of to view attentively, to inquire. Now... read more

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