Genesis 43:15-34

15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”
17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.
18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”
19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20 “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.
21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.
22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys.
25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.
26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.
27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?”
28 They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.
29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.
31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.”
32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians.
33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment.
34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Genesis 43:15-34 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 43

This chapter informs us how that the famine continued in the land of Canaan, and the corn that Jacob's family had from Egypt being consumed, Jacob pressed his sons to go down for more, which they refused to do, unless Benjamin was sent with them, for whose safety Judah offered to become a surety, Ge 43:1-10; Jacob with reluctance was prevailed upon to let him go, and dismissed them with a present to the governor of Egypt, and with double money to buy corn with, and with his blessing upon them, Ge 43:11-14; upon which they set out for Egypt; and when they came into the presence of Joseph, he seeing Benjamin with them, ordered his steward to have them to his house, and get dinner ready, it being his pleasure that they should dine with him that day, Ge 43:15-17; this threw them into a fright, supposing they were going to be called to an account for the money they found in their sacks; wherefore they related to the steward very particularly the whole of that affair, who bid them not be uneasy, for he had had their money; and as a proof that things would go well with them, brought Simeon out to them, and treated them very kindly and gently, Ge 43:18-24; and having got their present ready against Joseph came home, they delivered it to him with great veneration and submission; who asked of the welfare of their father, and whether that was not their younger brother they spoke of, the sight of whom so affected him, that he was obliged in haste to retire to his chamber, and weep, Ge 43:25-30; and having washed his face, and composed himself, he returned and ordered dinner to be brought, which was set on different tables, one for himself and the Egyptians, and the other for his brethren, whom he placed according to their age, to their great surprise; and sent them messes from his table to each, and to Benjamin five times more than the rest, and they were so liberally entertained, that they became cheerful and merry, Ge 43:31-34.

Cross References 44

  • 1. ver 12
  • 2. Genesis 45:9,13
  • 3. Genesis 47:2,7; Matthew 2:11
  • 4. S Genesis 35:18
  • 5. ver 17,24,26; Ge 44:1,4,12; 2 Samuel 19:17; Isaiah 22:15
  • 6. ver 31; Luke 15:23
  • 7. S ver 16
  • 8. Genesis 42:35
  • 9. Genesis 44:14
  • 10. S Genesis 42:25
  • 11. S Genesis 32:11
  • 12. Ge 44:9,16,33; Genesis 50:18
  • 13. Genesis 34:28
  • 14. ver 16
  • 15. S Genesis 42:3
  • 16. S ver 15; S Genesis 42:25; Genesis 42:27,35
  • 17. S Genesis 24:12; S Genesis 31:5; Exodus 3:6
  • 18. Genesis 42:28
  • 19. S Genesis 42:24
  • 20. S ver 16
  • 21. S Genesis 18:4; Genesis 24:32
  • 22. S Genesis 32:13
  • 23. ver 16
  • 24. S ver 16
  • 25. S Genesis 32:13; Matthew 2:11
  • 26. S Genesis 33:3; Genesis 37:7,10
  • 27. S Genesis 37:3
  • 28. S ver 7
  • 29. Ge 44:24,27,30
  • 30. Genesis 18:2; Exodus 18:7
  • 31. S Genesis 37:7
  • 32. S Genesis 35:18
  • 33. S Genesis 42:13
  • 34. Numbers 6:25; Psalms 67:1; Psalms 119:58; Isaiah 30:18-19; Isaiah 33:2
  • 35. John 11:33,38
  • 36. S Genesis 29:11; Genesis 42:24; Genesis 45:2,14,15; Genesis 46:29
  • 37. Genesis 45:1; Isaiah 30:18; Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 63:15; Isaiah 64:12
  • 38. S ver 16
  • 39. S Genesis 14:13; Galatians 2:12
  • 40. Genesis 46:34; Exodus 8:26
  • 41. S Genesis 35:23
  • 42. S Genesis 42:13; Genesis 44:12
  • 43. S Genesis 37:3; Genesis 45:22; S 2 Kings 25:30
  • 44. Luke 15:23
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