Genesis 43:3-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 43:1-10

Here, 1. Jacob urges his sons to go and buy more corn in Egypt, Gen. 43:1, 2. The famine continued; and the corn they had bought was all spent, for it is meat that perisheth. Jacob, as a good master of a family, is in care to provide for those of his own house food convenient; and shall not God provide for his children, for the household of faith? Jacob bids them go again and buy a little food; now, in time of scarcity, a little must suffice, for nature is content with a little. 2. Judah urges... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:3

And Judah spake unto him ,.... Reuben the eldest son had met with a repulse already, Genesis 42:36 ; Simeon the next was now in Egypt, Genesis 42:24 , and Levi, perhaps on account of the affair of Shechem, Genesis 34:25 , did not yet stand well in his father's favour and affection; wherefore Judah being next, with the consent of his brethren, undertakes to manage the affair with him, who had doubtless an interest in him, as well as authority among his brethren, and was a prudent man,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:4

If thou wilt send our brother with us ,.... Give orders for his going with us, and put him under our care: we will go down and buy thee food ; signifying, on the above condition, that they were ready and willing to take a journey into Egypt, and buy provisions for him and his family, otherwise not. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:5

But if thou wilt not send him , we will not go down ,.... This they said not as undutiful, and from a spirit of rebellion and disobedience to their father, or of stubbornness and obstinacy, but because they durst not go down, nor could they with any safety; they might expect to be taken up as spies, and put to death as they were threatened; and besides, it would be in vain, and to no purpose, since there was no likelihood of succeeding, or of getting any provision: for the man said unto... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 43:3

Verse 3 3.And Judah spake unto him, saying. Judah seems to feign something, for the purpose of extorting from his father what he knew he would not freely grant; but it is probable that many discourses had been held on both sides, which Moses, according to his custom, has not related. And since Joseph so ardently desired the sight of his brother Benjamin, it is not surprising that he should have labored, in every possible way, to obtain it. It may also have happened that he had caused some... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 43:1-34

The second visit of Joseph's brethren to Egypt. I. The. SCENE IN JACOB 'S HOUSE AT HEBRON ( Genesis 43:1-15 ). 1. The second journey proposed . " Go again, buy us a little food." It was necessitated by the long continuance of the famine, and the complete consumption of the corn they had brought from Egypt on the previous occasion. 2. The second journey agreed on . 3. The second journey prepared for ( Genesis 43:11-13 ). Since it was inevitable... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 43:1-34

Lessons of life. I. The chief lesson of this chapter is the MINGLING TOGETHER OF THE PROVIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT OF GOD WITH HIS PURPOSE OF GRACE . It was part of the Divine plan that Jacob and his family should be settled for a long period in Egypt. It could only be brought about by the transference in some way of the point of attraction to Jacob's heart from Canaan to the strange land. Hence c, Jacob" is now "Israel," reminding us how the future is involved in all the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 43:3

And Judah spake unto him, saying, —Judah now becomes the spokesman, either because Reuben's entreaty had been rejected, and Levi, who followed Reuben and Simeon in respect of age, had forfeited his father's confidence though his treachery to the Shechemites (Keil, Murphy); or because he could speak to his father with greater freedom, having a freer conscience than the rest (Lange); or because he was a man possessed of greater prudence and ability than the rest (Lawson), if indeed the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 43:4-5

If thou wilt send —literally, if thou art sending, i.e. if thou art agreeable to send (cf. Genesis 24:42 , Genesis 24:49 ; 6:36 )— our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but (literally, and) if thou wilt not send him (a similar form of expression to the above, the two words יֵשׁ , being, and אַיִן , not being, including the substantive verb, and being conjoined with a participle for the finite verb), we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 43:1-34

- Joseph and His Eleven Brethren11. דבשׁ debash, “honey,” from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים bôṭen, “pistachio nuts.” שׁקד shâqêd, “almond tree;” related: “awake.” The tree is also called לוּז lûz. Some refer the former to the fruit, the latter to the tree.The eleven brothers are now to bow down before Joseph.Genesis 43:1-10The famine was severe. The pressure began to be felt more and more. The twelve households had at length consumed all the corn they had purchased,... read more

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