Genesis 43:14-27

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 43:11-14

Observe here, I. Jacob's persuasibleness. He would be ruled by reason, though they were his inferiors that urged it. He saw the necessity of the case; and, since there was no remedy, he consented to yield to the necessity (Gen. 43:11): ?If it must be so now, take your brother. If no corn can be had but upon those terms, we may as well expose him to the perils of the journey as suffer ourselves and families, and Benjamin amongst the rest, to perish for want of bread.? Skin for skin, and all... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 43:15-25

Jacob's sons, having got leave to take Benjamin with them, were observant of the orders their father had given them, and went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn. If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual food as they did for corporal food. Now here we have an account of what passed between them and Joseph's steward, who, some conjecture, was in the secret, and knew them to be Joseph's brethren, and helped to humour... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 43:26-34

Here is, I. The great respect that Joseph's brethren paid to him. When they brought him the present, they bowed themselves before him (Gen. 43:26); and again, when they gave him an account of their father's health, they made obeisance, and called him, Thy servant our father, Gen. 43:28. Thus were Joseph's dreams fulfilled more and more: and even the father, by the sons, bowed before him, according to the dream, Gen. 37:10. Probably Jacob had directed them, if they had occasion to speak of him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:14

And God Almighty give you mercy before the man ,.... Who has the hearts of all men in his hands, kings, princes, governors, even those who are the most cruel and hardhearted, rough and severe in their tempers and dispositions, and such an one they had represented this man to be; one that had spoke roughly to them, and used them roughly: Jacob therefore sent him a present to soften his mind, and now he puts up a prayer to God, and dismisses his sons with his good wishes for them, that God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:15

And the men took the present ,.... Their father directed them to: and they took double money in their hand ; besides what they found in their sacks mouths, which they also carried with them: and Benjamin ; they took him likewise with their father's leave: and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph ; presented themselves to him, and their petitions for more corn, as well as to answer to any questions that should be asked them. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:16

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them ,.... Whom he knew, though he had not seen him twenty two years, and though he must be very much altered, being but about ten years of age when Joseph was said into Egypt, yet being with the rest of his brethren, whom he knew very well, concluded it must be him: he said to the ruler of his house ; his steward, as be is after called, not his son Manasseh, as the Targum of Jonathan: bring these men home ; to his own house, for Joseph was now at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:17

And the man did as Joseph bade: and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. Showed them the way to it, and introduced them into it, and led them into some apartment in it, and ordered every thing to be got ready for dinner as his master had bid him, being a diligent and faithful servant: at old Cair is shown to travellers F25 Radzivil, Thevenot, Le Brun & Lucas apud Jablonski de Terra Goshen, Dissert. 5. sect. 6. the house of Joseph in the tower, and a very surprising well,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:18

And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house ,.... It not being usual, as Jarchi observes, for those that came to buy corn to lodge there, but at an inn in the city: and they said, because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in ; to examine and inquire of them how they came to go away without paying for their corn, take up their money again after they had laid it down, and take it away with them, and so were guilty of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:19

And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house ,.... The same person before called the ruler of his house, under whose direction they were; just before they came to the house, as it seems by what follows, they made up to him as having something to say to him: and they communed with him at the door of the house ; before they went into it, being uneasy and eager to know what should be the meaning of their being brought thither, which was unusual. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:20

And said, O sir ,.... Or, "on me, my lord" F1 בי אדני "in me Domine mi", Montanus. , one said in the name of the rest, perhaps Judah, on me let the blame lie, if guilty of rudeness in making our address to thee; or as the Vulgate Latin version, "we pray, sir, that thou wouldest hear us"; and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra say the phrase is expressive of beseeching, entreating, and supplicating: we came indeed down at the first time to buy food ; not to spy the land but to buy corn,... read more

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