21 And thou saidst H559 unto thy servants, H5650 Bring him down H3381 unto me, that I may set H7760 mine eyes H5869 upon him.
Hereby H2063 ye shall be proved: H974 By the life H2416 of Pharaoh H6547 ye shall not go forth H3318 hence, except your youngest H6996 brother H251 come H935 hither.
But bring H935 your youngest H6996 brother H251 unto me; so shall your words H1697 be verified, H539 and ye shall not die. H4191 And they did H6213 so.
For I will set H7760 mine eyes H5869 upon them for good, H2896 and I will bring them again H7725 to this land: H776 and I will build H1129 them, and not pull them down; H2040 and I will plant H5193 them, and not pluck them up. H5428
And now, behold, I loose H6605 thee this day H3117 from the chains H246 which were upon thine hand. H3027 If it seem good H2896 H5869 unto thee to come H935 with me into Babylon, H894 come; H935 and I will look well H7760 H5869 unto thee: but if it seem ill H7489 H5869 unto thee to come H935 with me into Babylon, H894 forbear: H2308 behold, H7200 all the land H776 is before H6440 thee: whither it seemeth H413 good H2896 and convenient H3477 H5869 for thee to go, H3212 thither go. H3212
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 44
Commentary on Genesis 44 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 44
Joseph, having entertained his brethren, dismissed them; but here we have them brought back in a greater fright than any they had been in yet. Observe,
Gen 44:1-17
Joseph heaps further kindnesses upon his brethren, fills their sacks, returns their money, and sends them away full of gladness; but he also exercises them with further trials. Our God thus humbles those whom he loves and loads with benefits. Joseph ordered his steward to put a fine silver cup which he had (and which, it is likely, was used at his table when they dined with him) into Benjamin's sack's mouth, that it might seem as if he had stolen it from the table, and put it here himself, after his corn was delivered to him. If Benjamin had stolen it, it had been the basest piece of dishonesty and ingratitude that could be and if Joseph, by ordering it to be there, had designed really to take advantage against him, it had been in him most horrid cruelty and oppression; but it proved, in the issue, that there was no harm done, nor any designed, on either side. Observe,
Gen 44:18-34
We have here a most ingenious and pathetic speech which Judah made to Joseph on Benjamin's behalf, to obtain his discharge from the sentence passed upon him. Perhaps Judah was a better friend to Benjamin than the rest were, and more solicitous to bring him off; or he thought himself under greater obligations to attempt it than the rest, because he had passed his word to his father for his safe return; or the rest chose him for their spokesman, because he was a man of better sense, and better spirit, and had a greater command of language than any of them. His address, as it is here recorded, is so very natural and so expressive of his present feelings that we cannot but suppose Moses, who wrote it so long after, to have written it under the special direction of him that made man's mouth.