(J.) Joseph's Brethren in Egypt. The second Visit This chapter is taken from the J narrative, which the Compiler harmonizes with E in Genesis 43:14_; Genesis 43:23_. This and the following chapter form a continuous story, which falls into the following divisions: Genesis 43:1-14. The resolve to re... [ Continue Reading ]
The Return to Egypt 2. _Go again_ That Jacob seems to forget about Simeon, is due to the change from the E to the J narrative.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Judah_ Judah is prominent throughout the J narrative. Cf. Genesis 43:8; Genesis 37:26; Genesis 44:14-34; Genesis 46:28. _except your brother be with you_ Admission to Joseph's presence and permission to buy corn were to depend on Benjamin's accompanying them. The other two objects mentioned in Gen... [ Continue Reading ]
_we will not go down_ They know that corn must be got. They are forcing Jacob to give way. The J narrative is not cognisant of the Simeon incident.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Israel_ Observe the change from "Jacob" (Genesis 42:36) to "Israel" here and Genesis 43:8_; Genesis 43:11_. Jacob seems here for the first time to realize that Benjamin is a condition for the next journey to Egypt. It slowly dawns upon the old man that he must accept the conditions.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The man asked straitly_ The word "straitly" (i.e. "strictly, closely," cf. Joshua 6:1), like "solemnly" in Genesis 43:3, simply emphasizes the force of the verb in Heb. Shakespeare, _Rich. III_, i. 3: "His majesty hath _straitly_given in charge That no man shall have private conference … with hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will be surety_ i.e. I will guarantee to bring him back. In Genesis 42:37 Reuben had been ready to pledge the lives of his two sons for Benjamin's safety. Here Judah is ready to pledge his own life; see Genesis 44:32. The versions fairly reproduce the original: LXX ἐκδέχομαι αὐτόν; Lat. _suscipio... [ Continue Reading ]
_lingered_ Judah implies that, if it had not been for their father's feelings, by this time they would have gone down to Egypt, and returned.... [ Continue Reading ]
_do this_ Jacob yields, but, true to the character of a shrewd man of the world, he advises that the formidable Grand Vizier should be propitiated with a suitable present. _choice fruits_ The Hebrew word, _zimrah_, occurs only in this passage in the Pent. (cf. Amos 5:23): LXX καρποί = "fruits"; Lat... [ Continue Reading ]
_double money_ Jacob recommends a double restitution (Exodus 22:4) for the money that had been mysteriously returned, on the improbable supposition that the affair had been an "oversight." LXX ἀγνόημα = "accidental error." Cf. the sin done "unwittingly" in Leviticus 4:13; Leviticus 4:22; Numbers 22:... [ Continue Reading ]
_God Almighty_ Heb. _El Shaddai_. See note on Genesis 17:1. Unless inserted by the Compiler, this is the only occurrence of this Sacred Name in JE (see note on Genesis 49:23, which is earlier than JE). Jacob gives his parting blessing. Notice the emphasis on Benjamin's name, and the reference to Sim... [ Continue Reading ]
The Reception in Joseph's House 15. _stood before Joseph_ The story is condensed. The men on arrival in Egypt are required to present themselves for purposes of trade before Joseph.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the steward of his house_ See Genesis 43:19 and Genesis 44:1; Genesis 44:4. The steward of Joseph's house was the "major domo" of the establishment. Joseph himself had occupied that position. Cf. Genesis 39:5. _slay_ The slaying of animals indicated a banquet. It was a sign of special honour. Meat... [ Continue Reading ]
_seek occasion_ Heb. _roll himself upon us_. Cf. Job 30:14. Joseph's brethren suspect that this act of favour is part of a trap to put them off their guard, and then suddenly seize them on a false charge. Cf. LXX τοῦ συκοφαντῆσαι ἡμᾶς = "to bring false charges against us"; Lat. _ut devolvat in nos c... [ Continue Reading ]
_at the door of the house_ Before crossing the threshold they wished to explain their innocence about the money. According to the old Hebrew law, a thief who failed to make restitution might be seized and sold for a slave (Exodus 22:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
_Oh my lord_ Cf. Genesis 44:18. The expression introduces an appeal. The word for "my lord" (_adoni_) is rendered by LXX κύριε, and by the Lat. _domine_. See Numbers 12:11; Judges 6:13; 1 Samuel 1:26; 1 Kings 3:17; 1 Kings 3:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the lodging place_) Cf. Genesis 42:27 (J). _every man's money_ According to E, every man's bundle of money was found, when they emptied their sacks at their journey's end. Cf. Genesis 42:35. _in full weight_ Lit. "in its weight." The money was not in coins, but in metal, probably bars, rings, or... [ Continue Reading ]
_Peace be to you_ A formula of encouragement and reassurance, as in Jdg 6:23; 1 Samuel 20:21; Daniel 10:19. _the God of your father_ The steward reverently ascribes their good fortune to the influence of the God of their family, concerning whom he himself could have had no knowledge. Their God had... [ Continue Reading ]
_water_ Cf. Genesis 18:4. The washing of the feet, before reclining at a meal, was customary in Palestine; cf. Luke 7:44, "I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet," and 1 Timothy 5:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the present_ Cf. Genesis 43:11. _against Joseph came_ i.e. so as to be ready when Joseph arrived. For this use of "against" = "in readiness for the time when," cf. 2 Kings 16:12, "So did Urijah the priest make it against king Ahaz came from Damascus." _eat bread_ A good instance of the use of thi... [ Continue Reading ]
_bowed down themselves_ A second fulfilment of Joseph's dreams: see Genesis 42:6; Genesis 44:14; cf. Genesis 37:5-11.... [ Continue Reading ]
_of their welfare_ Lit. "as to their peace." _Is your father well_ Lit. "is there peace [to] your father." 2 Samuel 20:9, "Is it well with thee," lit. = "Art thou peace, my brother?" Psalms 120:7, "I am [for] peace." The word _shâlôm_in these passages is a substantive, i.e. "peace," "health," "welf... [ Continue Reading ]
_his mother's son_ The words are added to augment the pathos of the situation. Joseph and Benjamin are the only two children of Rachel, the favourite wife of Jacob. _God be gracious_ Joseph, in his dignified greeting of benediction, is made to use the word _Elohim_in its general sense of "the Divin... [ Continue Reading ]
_his bowels did yearn_ For this phrase denoting strong feelings cf. 1 Kings 3:26; Jeremiah 31:20. Joseph's emotion is recorded here, as in Genesis 42:24, in proof of his tenderness and sympathy. The same simplicity may be found in the description of Homeric heroes.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he refrained himself_ Joseph's effort of self-constraint broke down in Genesis 45:1. _Set on bread_ As we should say, "serve up dinner.... [ Continue Reading ]
_because the Egyptians … with the Hebrews_ Egyptian exclusiveness was proverbial. Their priests were not allowed to eat or drink anything that had come from a foreign country (Porph. iv. 7). Herodotus (ii. 41) mentions that no Egyptian would use any utensil belonging to a Greek. It is noticeable in... [ Continue Reading ]
_marvelled_ The men were mystified by their arrangement in order of birth. It suggested magic. It was one of the uncanny things that they could not account for.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he took_and sent _messes_ R.V. marg. _messes were taken_. The word "mess" is used here in the sense of "portion" of food. Cf. 2 Samuel 11:8, "and there followed him a mess _of meat_from [marg. _present from_ the king." The word "messmate" preserves the Old English use. _Mess_, food, Old Fr. _mes_(_... [ Continue Reading ]