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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 42:7-20

We may well wonder that Joseph, during the twenty years that he had now been in Egypt, especially during the last seven years that he had been in power there, never sent to his father to acquaint him with his circumstances; nay, it is strange that he who so often went throughout all the land of Egypt (Gen. 41:45, 46) never made an excursion to Canaan, to visit his aged father, when he was in the borders of Egypt, that lay next to Canaan. Perhaps it would not have been above three or four days?... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:7

And Joseph saw his brethren ,.... Among those that came to buy corn, and when they prostrated themselves before him: and he knew them ; some of them being at man's estate, and their beards grown when they sold him, and their habits and dress now being much the same it was then, and by them he knew the younger: but made himself strange unto them ; took no notice of them as his relations, but carried himself to them as he did to other foreigners, and yet more strangely: and spake... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:8

And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. It being about twenty two years since they saw him, and then he was young, and his beard not grown, as now it was; and besides, he was clothed as a prince, and spoke the Egyptian language; and being in such great grandeur and splendour, and in such power and authority, and having such a retinue attending him, they never once thought of him, whom they supposed might be dead, having never heard of him all this time; or, however, it could not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:9

And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them ,.... Their bowing and prostrating themselves before him brought to his remembrance his dreams of their sheaves making obeisance to his, and of the sun, moon, and eleven stars, doing the same to him, Genesis 37:7 , and said unto them, ye are spies ; not believing they were, nor absolutely asserting that they were such; but this he said to try them, and what they would say for themselves, and in order to lead on to further... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:10

And they said unto him, nay, my lord ,.... One in the name of the rest, or each in his turn, denying that they were spies, and addressing him with the greatest reverence and submission, calling him their lord, and thus further accomplishing his dreams: but to buy food are thy servants come ; that and no other was the errand they came upon. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:11

We are all one man's sons ,.... Therefore not likely to be spies; it could hardly be thought that a single family should engage in such an affair; or that one man would, send his sons as spies, and especially all of them, it being a dangerous affair, and they being liable to be taken up and put to death; and as more families than one must be concerned in such an enterprise, it is reasonable to suppose, that if they had been spies they would have been of different families, and also not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:12

And he said unto them, nay ,.... This argument will not do, I am not to be put off with such words as these; if you can produce no better proof of your being honest men than this, or give no better account of yourselves, I must abide by it, that: to see the nakedness of the land ye are come ; this he urged in order to get a further account from them of their family and the state of it, which he was anxious to know. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:13

And they said, thy servants are twelve brethren ,.... Or rather, "were twelve", since one afterwards is said not to be: the sons of one man in the land of Canaan ; of Jacob, who dwelt there; this is said with the same view as before, to show the improbability of their being spies: and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father : meaning Benjamin, whom Joseph was eager to hear of, and no doubt was glad to hear he was alive, and his father also, and that they were both... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:14

And Joseph said unto them, that is it that I spake unto you, saying, ye are spies. This proves it, at least gives strong suspicion of it; since at first they seemed to speak of themselves, as if they were the only sons of one man and there were no more, now they speak of twelve, and make mention of one being at home with his father; but seeing he sent so many of them, why not all? why should one only be left at home? read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:15

Hereby ye shall be proved ,.... Whether spies, or not, namely, by producing their youngest brother, said to be at home with his father: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither : the phrase, "by the life of Pharaoh", seems to be the form of an oath, as it was common with many nations, especially with the Scythians, who used to swear by the royal throne F1 Herodot. Melpomene, sive, l. 4. c. 68. , and the Romans, in later times, by... read more

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