Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Genesis » Chapter 43 » Verse 11

Genesis 43:11 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

11 And their father H1 Israel H3478 said H559 unto them, If it must be so now, H645 do H6213 this; take H3947 of the best fruits H2173 in the land H776 in your vessels, H3627 and carry down H3381 the man H376 a present, H4503 a little H4592 balm, H6875 and a little H4592 honey, H1706 spices, H5219 and myrrh, H3910 nuts, H992 and almonds: H8247

Cross Reference

Genesis 32:13-21 STRONG

And he lodged H3885 there that same night; H3915 and took H3947 of that which came H935 to his hand H3027 a present H4503 for Esau H6215 his brother; H251 Two hundred H3967 she goats, H5795 and twenty H6242 he goats, H8495 two hundred H3967 ewes, H7353 and twenty H6242 rams, H352 Thirty H7970 milch H3243 camels H1581 with their colts, H1121 forty H705 kine, H6510 and ten H6235 bulls, H6499 twenty H6242 she asses, H860 and ten H6235 foals. H5895 And he delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of his servants, H5650 every drove H5739 by themselves; and said H559 unto his servants, H5650 Pass over H5674 before me, H6440 and put H7760 a space H7305 betwixt H996 drove H5739 and H996 drove. H5739 And he commanded H6680 the foremost, H7223 saying, H559 When Esau H6215 my brother H251 meeteth thee, H6298 and asketh thee, H7592 saying, H559 Whose art thou? and whither goest H3212 thou? and whose are these before H6440 thee? Then thou shalt say, H559 They be thy servant H5650 Jacob's; H3290 it is a present H4503 sent H7971 unto my lord H113 Esau: H6215 and, behold, also he is behind us. H310 And so H1571 commanded he H6680 the second, H8145 and the third, H7992 and all that followed H1980 H310 the droves, H5739 saying, H559 On this manner H1697 shall ye speak H1696 unto Esau, H6215 when ye find H4672 him. And say ye H559 moreover, H1571 Behold, thy servant H5650 Jacob H3290 is behind us. H310 For he said, H559 I will appease H3722 him H6440 with the present H4503 that goeth H1980 before me, H6440 and afterward H310 I will see H7200 his face; H6440 peradventure he will accept H5375 of me. H6440 So went H5674 the present H4503 over H5674 before him: H6440 and himself lodged H3885 that night H3915 in the company. H4264

Commentary on Genesis 43 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 43

Ge 43:1-14. Preparations for a Second Journey to Egypt.

2. their father said, … Go again, buy us a little food—It was no easy matter to bring Jacob to agree to the only conditions on which his sons could return to Egypt (Ge 42:15). The necessity of immediately procuring fresh supplies for the maintenance of themselves and their families overcame every other consideration and extorted his consent to Benjamin joining in a journey, which his sons entered on with mingled feelings of hope and anxiety—of hope, because having now complied with the governor's demand to bring down their youngest brother, they flattered themselves that the alleged ground of suspecting them would be removed; and of apprehension that some ill designs were meditated against them.

11. take of the best fruits … a present—It is an Oriental practice never to approach a man of power without a present, and Jacob might remember how he pacified his brother (Pr 21:14)—balm, spices, and myrrh (see on Ge 37:25),

honey—which some think was dibs, a syrup made from ripe dates [Bochart]; but others, the honey of Hebron, which is still valued as far superior to that of Egypt;

nuts—pistachio nuts, of which Syria grows the best in the world;

almonds—which were most abundant in Palestine.

12. take double money—the first sum to be returned, and another sum for a new supply. The restored money in the sacks' mouth was a perplexing circumstance. But it might have been done inadvertently by one of the servants—so Jacob persuaded himself—and happy it was for his own peace and the encouragement of the travellers that he took this view. Besides the duty of restoring it, honesty in their case was clearly the best, the safest policy.

14. God Almighty give you mercy before the man—Jacob is here committing them all to the care of God and, resigned to what appears a heavy trial, prays that it may be overruled for good.

Ge 43:15-30. Arrival in Egypt.

15. stood before Joseph—We may easily imagine the delight with which, amid the crowd of other applicants, the eye of Joseph would fix on his brethren and Benjamin. But occupied with his public duties, he consigned them to the care of a confidential servant till he should have finished the business of the day.

16. ruler of his house—In the houses of wealthy Egyptians one upper man servant was intrusted with the management of the house (compare Ge 39:5).

slay, and make ready—Hebrew, "kill a killing"—implying preparations for a grand entertainment (compare Ge 31:54; 1Sa 25:11; Pr 9:2; Mt 22:4). The animals have to be killed as well as prepared at home. The heat of the climate requires that the cook should take the joints directly from the hands of the flesher, and the Oriental taste is, from habit, fond of newly killed meat. A great profusion of viands, with an inexhaustible supply of vegetables, was provided for the repasts, to which strangers were invited, the pride of Egyptian people consisting rather in the quantity and variety than in the choice or delicacy of the dishes at their table.

dine … at noon—The hour of dinner was at midday.

18. 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 assurances 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.

Ge 43:31-34. The Dinner.

31. Joseph said, Set on bread—equivalent to having dinner served, "bread" being a term inclusive of all victuals. The table was a small stool, most probably the usual round form, "since persons might even then be seated according to their rank or seniority, and the modern Egyptian table is not without its post of honor and a fixed gradation of place" [Wilkinson]. Two or at most three persons were seated at one table. But the host being the highest in rank of the company had a table to himself; while it was so arranged that an Egyptian was not placed nor obliged to eat from the same dish as a Hebrew.

32. Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination—The prejudice probably arose from the detestation in which, from the oppressions of the shepherd-kings, the nation held all of that occupation.

34. took and sent messes … Benjamin's mess was five times—In Egypt, as in other Oriental countries, there were, and are, two modes of paying attention to a guest whom the host wishes to honor—either by giving a choice piece from his own hand, or ordering it to be taken to the stranger. The degree of respect shown consists in the quantity, and while the ordinary rule of distinction is a double mess, it must have appeared a very distinguished mark of favor bestowed on Benjamin to have no less than five times any of his brethren.

they drank, and were merry with him—Hebrew, "drank freely" (same as So 5:1; Joh 2:10). In all these cases the idea of intemperance is excluded. The painful anxieties and cares of Joseph's brethren were dispelled, and they were at ease.