And they laded their asses with the corn ,.... Cattle very fit to carry burdens, and no doubt they had each of them one at least: and departed thence ; from the place where Joseph was, and from the land of Egypt. read more
And as one of them opened his sack ,.... According to the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi, this was Levi; but Aben Ezra thinks it is more likely to be Reuben the firstborn, who was one, that is, the first of them: to give his ass provender in the inn ; at which they lay very probably the first night of their journey; a good man regards the life of his beast, and takes care of that as well as of himself, and generally in the first place: he espied his money ; the money which he paid for... read more
They laded their asses - Amounting, no doubt, to several scores, if not hundreds, else they could not have brought a sufficiency of corn for the support of so large a family as that of Jacob. read more
One of them opened his sack - From Genesis 42:35 ; we learn that each of the ten brethren on emptying his sack when he returned found his money in it; can we suppose that this was not discovered by them all before? It seems not; and the reason was probably this: the money was put in the mouth of the sack of one only, in the sacks of the others it was placed at or near to the bottom; hence only one discovered it on the road, the rest found it when they came to empty their sacks at their... read more
Verse 27 27.And as one of them opened his sack. With what intention Joseph had commanded the price paid for the corn to be secretly deposited in the sacks of his brethren, may easily be conjectured; for he feared lest his father being already impoverished, would not be able again to buy provisions. The brethren, having found their money, knew not where to seek the cause; except that, being terrified, they perceived that the hand of God was against them. That they were greatly astonished appears... read more
The first visit of Joseph's brethren to Egypt. I. THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT ( Genesis 42:1-5 ). 1. The famishing household . Although Canaan was the land of promise, and the family of Jacob the Church of God, yet neither was the one nor the other exempted from the pressure of that heavy famine which had fallen on all surrounding lands and peoples. It is not God's intention that his people should escape participating in the ills of life. Besides enabling them, collectively and... read more
God's trials of his people. The trial of Joseph is over. Now comes the trial of his brethren and of Jacob. The Spirit of God is at work in all their hearts. True men they were and yet sinful men. Before they can be made partakers of the blessing of Joseph they must pass through the fire. He who is appointed minister of grace to them is the instrument of their trials. Notice— I. The trial is one of CONSCIENCE . "We are verily guilty concerning our brother. "His blood is required."... read more
And they laded their asses with the corn (literally, put their grain upon their asses ) , and departed (or went) thence . read more
And as one of them opened his sack —literally, and the one opened his sack, i.e. they did not all open their sacks on the homeward journey, although afterwards, in reporting the circumstance to Joseph, they represent themselves as having done so ( Genesis 43:21 ); but only one at the wayside inn, and the rest on reaching home ( Genesis 42:35 ; vide infra, Genesis 43:21 )— to give his ass provender in the inn (the מָלוֹן , from לוּן morf , an inn to pass the night, was not... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 42:21-28
Here is, I. The penitent reflection Joseph's brethren made upon the wrong they had formerly done to him, Gen. 42:21. They talked the matter over in the Hebrew tongue, not suspecting that Joseph, whom they took for a native of Egypt, understood them, much less that he was the person they spoke of. 1. They remembered with regret the barbarous cruelty wherewith they persecuted him: We are verily guilty concerning our brother. We do not read that they said this during their three days?... read more