Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 43:29
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, [Is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spoke unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
29. his mother’s son ] The words are added to augment the pathos of the situation. Joseph and Benjamin are the only two children of Rachel, the favourite wife of Jacob.
God be gracious ] Joseph, in his dignified greeting of benediction, is made to use the word Elohim in its general sense of “the Divine Being,” as it would be used by an Egyptian. Cf. Gen 39:9. The Sacred Name, Jehovah, is avoided.
my son ] Indicating the great disparity of age between Joseph and Benjamin. Possibly J regarded Benjamin as having been born since Joseph’s disappearance.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 29. He lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin] They were probably introduced to him successively; and as Benjamin was the youngest, he would of course be introduced last.
God be gracious unto thee, my son!] A usual salutation in the east from the aged and superiors to the younger and inferiors, which, though very emphatic and expressive in ancient times, in the present day means no more than “I am your humble servant,” or “I am exceedingly glad to see you;” words which among us mean – just nothing. Even in David’s time they seem to have been, not only devoid of meaning, but to be used as a cloak for the basest and most treacherous designs: They bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly. Hence Joab salutes Amasa, kisses him with apparent affection, and stabs him in the same moment! The case of Judas, betraying the Son of man with a kiss, will not be forgotten.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Saw his brother, i.e. more narrowly observed him, having now more leisure than he seems to have had when he saw him first, Gen 43:16.
My son; so he calls him, not from special affection, which he intended not yet to discover; but because this compellation is commonly used when a man speaks to another who is his inferior in age or dignity.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin,…. He had seen him before when his brethren first presented themselves to him, but then took no particular and special notice of him, only gave him a side look as it were, but now he looked wistly at him:
his mother’s son; the son of Rachel his mother, and who was his only brother by his mother’s side, the rest, though his brethren, yet only by his father’s side, not his mother’s sons:
and said, [is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? he knew he was the same, but was willing to have it from their mouths, to lead on to what he had further to say:
and he said; after they had answered his question, and told him it was he:
God be gracious unto thee, my son; speaking as a superior, a governor, in which capacity he was a father to his inferiors; and as a man, a relation, a brother, though not as yet discovered; he spoke in the most tender and affectionate manner, and, as a religious good man, he wishes the best thing he could for his brother, the grace and goodness of God; and which may be understood in the largest and most expressive sense, as including all good things, temporal, spiritual, and eternal.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(29) Is this your younger brother?Rather, your youngest brother. Josephs question was one of surprise. Can this young man, now nearly thirty, be the little Benjamin, who was but a child of eight or nine when last I saw him!
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
The writer is deliberately prolonging the welcome. He wants us to feel what Joseph felt. He is seeing his own blood brother after so long a time. And he gives him his blessing. The words come through an interpreter so that they are not aware of which god he refers to. Little do they realise that it is the God Whom they too worship.
“My son.” An indication of friendship from a great lord to a young man.
But in the end it is all too much for Joseph. As lord of Egypt he cannot give way to his feelings in front of his servants and he goes aside into a private room to compose himself.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The abomination of the Egyptians most probably was, that the Hebrews scrupled not to eat of those things which the Egyptians worshipped. 2Ki 23:13 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 43:29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, [Is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
Ver. 29. God be gracious unto thee, my son. ] Governors should temper clemency with severity, so as to be at once loved and feared. Mercy is the brightest star in the sphere of majesty. Queen Elizabeth, next to the Bible, took special delight in Seneca’s tract, “De Clementia.”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Benjamin. Now twenty-two, and father of ten sons. Compare Gen 46:21.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
mother’s son: Gen 30:22-24, Gen 35:17, Gen 35:18
of whom: Gen 42:11, Gen 42:13
God: Gen 45:8, Jos 7:19, 2Ch 29:11, Psa 133:1, Psa 133:2, Mat 9:2, Mat 9:22, Mar 10:24, 1Ti 1:2, Heb 13:1
my son: Num 6:25, Psa 111:4, Psa 112:4, Isa 30:19, Isa 33:2, Mal 1:9
Reciprocal: Gen 42:4 – Lest Gen 44:19 – General Gen 44:21 – Bring 1Sa 3:6 – General Joh 11:6 – he abode
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 43:29-30. God be gracious to thee, my son So he terms him, not from special affection, which he did not yet intend to discover; but because it is a courteous appellation, whereby superiors were wont to salute those below them. Josephs favour, although he was the lord of the land, would do Benjamin little good, unless God were gracious to him. His bowels did yearn His heart and inward parts were vehemently moved, as they commonly are upon occasion of any excessive passion of love, pity, grief, or joy.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
43:29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his {g} mother’s son, and said, [Is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
(g) For only these two were born of Rachel.