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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 42:29-38

Here is, 1. The report which Jacob's sons made to their father of the great distress they had been in in Egypt; how they had been suspected, and threatened, and obliged to leave Simeon a prisoner there, till they should bring Benjamin with them thither. Who would have thought of this when they left home? When we go abroad we should consider how many sad accidents, that we little think of, may befal us before we return home. We know not what a day may bring forth; we ought therefore to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:35

And it came to pass, as they emptied their sacks ,.... Both those in which were the corn they had bought, and those in which were their provender for their cattle, and provision for themselves: that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack ; the same purse, and the same pieces of money, gold or silver, they had paid to the steward: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid ; the Targum of Jonathan adds,"because of Simeon, whom they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:36

And Jacob their father said unto them, me have ye bereaved of my children ,.... Which looks as if Jacob suspected that they had either sold or slain Joseph, and had done one or the other by Simeon: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not : neither of them were with him, and both were given up by him as dead, or, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,"of Joseph ye have said an evil beast hath devoured him; and Simeon, ye say, the king of the country hath bound him;'as for Joseph he knew... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:37

And Reuben spoke unto his father ,.... Being the eldest son, it most property lay upon him to make answer to his father in the name of his brethren, and to offer a word of comfort to him: saying, slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee ; meaning not Simeon, who was in Egypt, but Benjamin, whom it was proposed to take thither, and whom Jacob was very loath to part with; and to persuade him to it Reuben offers to him, and gives him leave to slay his two sons, or rather two of his sons... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 42:38

And he said, my son shall not go down with you ,.... He gives a peremptory denial; this was his then present resolution and determination: for his brother is dead ; meaning Joseph, Benjamin's own brother by father and mother's side; him he supposed to be dead, such circumstances being related and produced, which made it highly probable, and he had not heard anything of him for twenty two years: and he is left alone ; Benjamin being the only surviving child of his dearly beloved... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 42:35

As they emptied their sacks - See Clarke on Genesis 42:27 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 42:36

All these things are against me - כלנה היו עלי alai hayu cullanah ; literally, All these things are upon me. Not badly translated by the Vulgate, In me haec omnia mala reciderunt , "All these evils fall back upon me." They lie upon me as heavy loads, hastening my death; they are more than I can bear. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 42:37

Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee - What a strange proposal made by a son to his father, concerning his grandchildren! But they show the honesty and affection of Reuben's heart; he felt deeply for his father's distress, and was determined to risk and hazard every thing in order to relieve and comfort him. There is scarcely a transaction in which Reuben is concerned that does not serve to set his character in an amiable point of view, except the single instance mentioned Genesis... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 42:38

He is left alone - That is, Benjamin is the only remaining son of Rachel; for he supposed Joseph, who was the other son, to be dead. Shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow - Here he keeps up the idea of the oppressive burden mentioned Genesis 42:36 , to which every occurrence was adding an additional weight, so that he felt it impossible to support it any longer. The following observations of Dr. Dodd on this verse are very appropriate and judicious: "Nothing can be more... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 42:35

Verse 35 35.As they emptied their sacks. Here, again, it appears how greatly they had been alarmed in their journey, seeing that each had not at least examined his sack, after money had been found in one. But these things are written to show that, as soon as men are smitten with fear, they have no particle of wisdom and of soundness of mind, until God tranquilizes them. Moreover, Joseph did not act with sufficient consideration, in that he occasioned very great grief to his father, whose... read more

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