Genesis 43:18

_AND THE MEN WERE AFRAID, BECAUSE THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO JOSEPH'S HOUSE; AND THEY SAID, BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THAT WAS RETURNED IN OUR SACKS AT THE FIRST TIME ARE WE BROUGHT IN; THAT HE MAY SEEK OCCASION AGAINST US, AND FALL UPON US, AND TAKE US FOR BONDMEN, AND OUR ASSES._ The men were afraid. Their feelings of awe on entering the stately mansion, unaccustomed as they were to houses at all-their anxiety at the reasons of their being taken there-their solicitude about the restored money-their honest simplicity in communicating their distress to the steward, and his assurance of having received their money in "full weight" - the offering of their fruit present, which would, as usual, be done with some parade, and the Oriental salutations that passed between their host and them, are all described in a graphic and animated manner....

15-25 Jacob's sons 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 bodily food. Joseph's steward had orders from his master to take them to his house. Even this frightened them. Those that are guilty make the worst of every thing. But the steward encouraged them. It appears, from what he said, that by his good master he was brought to the knowledge of the true God, the God of the Hebrews. Religious servants should take all fit occasions to speak of God and his providence, with reverence and seriousness....

Verse Genesis 43:18. _AND THE MEN WERE AFRAID_] _A guilty conscience needs no_ _accuser_. Every thing alarms them; they now feel that God is exacting _retribution_, and they know not what the degrees shall be, nor where it shall stop. _FALL UPON US_] התגלל עלינו _hithgolel alainu_, roll himself upon us. A metaphor taken from _wrestlers_; when a man has overthrown his antagonist, he rolls himself upon him, in order to keep him down. _AND OUR ASSES._] Which they probably had in _great number_ with them; and which, if captured, would have been a great loss to the family of Jacob, as such cattle must have constituted a principal part of its riches....

- Joseph and His Eleven Brethren 11. דבשׁ _d__e__bash_, “honey,” from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים _bôṭ__e__n_, “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 The 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, and the famine still pressed heavily upon them. Jacob directs them

EXPOSITION GENESIS 43:1, GENESIS 43:2 AND THE FAMINE WAS SORE (literally, _was heavy_)_ _IN THE LAND (_sc_._ _of Canaan). AND IT CAME TO PASS, when they had eaten up—literally, _had finished to eat up, i.e._ not nearly (Mercerus, Bush), but entirely consumed—THE CORN WHICH THEY HAD BROUGHT OUT OF EGYPT,—it is probable that only Jacob's family partook of the Egyptian corn, the slaves supporting themselves on roots, vegetables, and milk (Calvin, Rosenmüller, Gerlach)—THEIR FATHER SAID UNTO THEM, GO AGAIN, BUY US A LITTLE FOOD. What they could buy would be little in proportion to their needs....

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 tricking and defrauding, if not of theft: THAT HE MAY SEEK OCCASION AGAINST US: or "roll on us" z; cast all the shame on them, and leave the reproach and scandal of it on them: AND FALL UPON US; with hard words, and severe menaces, if not with blows: AND TAKE US FOR BONDMEN, AND OUR ASSES; imprison them, which was the punishment for fraud and theft, and take their asses as a forfeiture. z להתנלל עלינו "ut...

CHAPTER 43 THE SECOND VISIT TO JOSEPH _ 1. The journey to Egypt with Benjamin (Genesis 43:1)_ 2. The kindness of Joseph (Genesis 43:16)...

GENESIS 43. THE BROTHERS RETURN TO EGYPT WITH BENJAMIN. It is generally held that this chapter is from J except for the references to Simeon in Genesis 43:14 and Genesis 43:23_ b_. According to J, Simeon seems to have played no special part, and there is not the same urgency for return as in E; the discussion as to Benjamin is postponed till the corn is spent. Genesis 42:38 perhaps originally stood after Genesis 43:2. In the conversation Judah takes the part taken by Reuben in E (as in the discussion as to the killing of Joseph), and we learn that Joseph had ascertained Benjamin's existence by inquiry. Arrived in Egypt, they are tak

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....

THE MEN WERE AFRAID— Here again, as in ch. Genesis 42:28. we see how conscience operates; they who had shewn no mercy are prone to believe that none will be shewn to them. The phrase, _May seek occasion against us,_ is, in the Hebrew, as the margins of our Bibles render it, _May roll himself upon us; i.e._. says Le Clerc, _May bring an accusation against us:_ it is a metaphor taken from _wrestling;_ where he who has overthrown his antagonist rolls himself upon him to keep him down. So Job 30:14. _In my desolation they rolled themselves upon me._...