Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 42:15
Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
15. by the life of Pharaoh ] An Egyptian form of oath, in the sense of “as sure as Pharaoh is alive to punish, or avenge.” Dillmann says, “the oath is very suitable here, as the Egyptians honoured their kings, (Diod. i. 90),” i.e. as truly divine. The oath by the life of the king is found in an Egyptian inscription of the 20th century b.c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 15. By the life of Pharaoh] chey Pharaoh, Pharaoh liveth. As if he had said, As surely as the king of Egypt lives, so surely shall ye not go hence unless your brother come hither. Here therefore is no oath; it is just what they themselves make it in their report to their father, Ge 43:3: the man did solemnly protest unto us; and our translators should not have put it in the form of an oath, especially as the original not only will bear another version, but is absolutely repugnant to this in our sense of the word.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By the life of Pharaoh, as sure as Pharaoh lives. It seems to be the form of an oath in use among the Egyptians, as afterwards the Romans used to swear by the name, genius, health, and life of their emperors. Compare 1Sa 1:26; 17:55; 2Ki 2:2; Eze 33:11. And it is not strange that Joseph through human infirmity was carried by the stream of the general practice of the court, especially when the law of God was not yet delivered concerning the appropriation of oaths unto God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. By the life of PharaohItis a very common practice in Western Asia to swear by the life of theking. Joseph spoke in the style of an Egyptian and perhaps did notthink there was any evil in it. But we are taught to regard all suchexpressions in the light of an oath (Mat 5:34;Jas 5:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Hereby ye shall be proved,…. Whether spies, or not, namely, by producing their youngest brother, said to be at home with his father:
by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither: the phrase, “by the life of Pharaoh”, seems to be the form of an oath, as it was common with many nations, especially with the Scythians, who used to swear by the royal throne a, and the Romans, in later times, by the life, health, and genius of their emperor; and this custom of swearing by the life of their king, or by his head, continued with the Egyptians, as Aben Ezra says, unto his times; though some take this to be a wish or prayer for the life of Pharaoh, and render it, “may Pharaoh live” b, or, at most, but a strong asseveration, that as dear as the life of Pharaoh was to him, so surely they should not stir from the place where they were, unless their youngest brother Benjamin was brought thither.
a Herodot. Melpomene, sive, l. 4. c. 68. b “vivat Parhoh”, Montanus, Junius Tremellius so Ainsworth and Lightfoot.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
15. By the life of Pharaoh. From this formula of swearing a new question is raised; for that which is commanded in the law, that we should swear only by the name of God, had already been engraven on the hearts of the pious; since nature dictates that this honor is to be given to God alone, that men should defer to his judgment, and should make him the supreme arbiter and vindicator of faith and truth. If we should say that this was not simply an oath, but a kind of obtestation, the holy man will be, in some degree, excusable. He who swears by God wishes him to interpose in order to inflict punishment on perjury. They who swear by their life or by their hand, deposit, as it were, what they deem most valuable, as a pledge of their faithfulness. By this method the majesty of God is not transferred to mortal man; because it is a very different thing to cite him as witness who has the right of taking vengeance, and to assert by something most dear to us, that what we say is true. So Moses, when he calls heaven and earth to witness, does not ascribe deity to them, and thus fabricate a new idol; but, in order that higher authority may be given to the law, he declares that there is no part of the world which will not cry out before the tribunal of God, against the ingratitude of the people, if they reject the doctrine of salvation. Notwithstanding, there is, I confess, in this form of swearing which Joseph uses, something deserving of censure; for it was a profane adulation, among the Egyptians, to swear by the life of the king. Just as the Romans swore by the genius of their prince, after they had been reduced to such bondage that they made their Caesar equal to gods. Certainly this mode of swearing is abhorrent to true piety. Whence it may be perceived that nothing is more difficult to the holy servants of God than to keep themselves so pure, while conversant with the filth of the world, as to contract no spots of defilement from it. Joseph, indeed, was never so infected with the corruptions of the court, but that he remained a pure worshipped of God: nevertheless we see, that in accommodating himself to this depraved custom of speaking, he had received some stain. His repetition of the expression shows, that when any one has once become accustomed to evil, he becomes exceedingly prone to sin again and again. We observe, that they who have once rashly assumed the license of swearing, pour forth an oath every third word, even when speaking of the most frivolous things. So much the greater caution ought we to use, lest any such indulgence should harden us in this wicked custom.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) By the life of Pharaoh.It was common in ancient times to swear by the kings life (see 1Sa. 17:55; 2Sa. 14:19 ), and even by the life of Jehovah (2Sa. 15:21; 2Ki. 2:2; 2Ki. 2:4; 2Ki. 2:6). It is only in the stricter morality of the Gospel that such oaths are forbidden (Mat. 5:33-37).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. By the life of Pharaoh Joseph thus speaks like a true Egyptian, who was accustomed to swear by the life of the king .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 42:15. By the life of Pharaoh This was a solemn protestation; as he valued the life and honour of his prince, he would do so and so. Judah explains it in this manner to his father, ch. Gen 43:3. The man did solemnly protest unto us; and certainly Judah, who heard him, must best understand his meaning. Yet the protestation is not to be vindicated in Joseph. There can be no doubt, that it was customary among the heathens to swear, properly speaking, by the life or health of their kings and emperors, as the Jews did by their living God. Joseph used this phrase, the better to conceal himself from his brethren, and to make them think him an AEgyptian.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
Ver. 15. By the life of Pharaoh. ] Joseph, that he might seem enough an Egyptian, swears heathenishly; Egyptians, partly of flattery, and partly of superstition, used to swear by the life, or, as the Greek here hath it, by the health of their king. The Spaniards, in the pride of their monarchy, are grown also now to swear by the life of their king. a The Hebrews write, to this day, that he which falsely swears by the king’s head, in a money matter, shall be put to death; as Pererius upon this text tells us. This grew, doubtless, of that cursed custom of deifying their kings; as Antiochus surnamed Y ; and Caligula would be styled Dominus Deus: as at this day the Pope’s parasites call him Dominum Deum nostrum papam. To be sworn by, is an honour peculiar to God. Isa 65:16 Jer 4:2 That of Paul 1Co 15:31 is not an oath, but an obtestation; or, a taking of his afflictions for Christ to witness. That of the spouse Son 3:5 is not an oath, but an adjuration: for he chargeth his church’s enemies not to trouble her; and if they do, roes and hinds shall testify against them; which would not do so had they but reason. This of Joseph, likewise, is by some said to be not an oath, but an earnest asseveration: b as who should say, As true as Pharaoh liveth; or, So Pharaoh live. Be it what it will, Joseph cannot altogether be excused for conforming himself to the Egyptians. The place had somewhat tainted him; and he might well take up that of the prophet Isaiah, “Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean lips”; and why? “for I dwell amidst a people of unclean lips.” Isa 6:5 Courts and great places are ill air for zeal to breathe in: it is hard for such not to remit somewhat of their former fervour, and contract filth of sin, which is as catching as the plague. As sheep among thorns lose part of their fleece; so do the saints part of their goodness among the wicked.
a Sandys’s Relation of West. Relig.
b Non est forma iuramenti, sed asseverationis seriae, et obtestationis domesticae.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
proved. Joseph, from his high position, could make very strict inquiry.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
By the life: Gen 42:7, Gen 42:12, Gen 42:16, Gen 42:30, Deu 6:13, 1Sa 1:26, 1Sa 17:55, 1Sa 20:3, Jer 5:2, Jer 5:7, Mat 5:33-37, Mat 23:16-22, Jam 5:12
except: Gen 42:20, Gen 42:34, Gen 43:3, Gen 44:20-34
Reciprocal: Gen 42:33 – General Gen 44:21 – Bring Gen 44:23 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 42:15. By the life of Pharaoh As sure as Pharaoh lives, or as I value the life of Pharaoh. A solemn protestation, as Judah, who heard it, and must have understood its meaning, explains it to his father, Gen 43:3; The man did solemnly protest unto us. It seems, however, to have been the form of an oath in use among the Egyptians, as afterward the Romans used to swear by the name and life of their emperors. And it is no wonder that Joseph was carried by the stream of the general practice of the court, especially as the law of God concerning the appropriation of oaths unto God, that men are to swear only by his name, or are only to appeal to him for the truth of what they affirm, was not yet delivered.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: {d} By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
(d) The Egyptians who were idolaters, used to swear by their king’s life: but God forbids swearing by anyone but him: yet Joseph dwelling among the wicked was corrupted by them.