Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 46:29

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

29. wept ] The description of the meeting between Joseph and Jacob is in accord with the general representation of Joseph’s warm and emotional nature. Cf. Gen 45:1; Gen 45:14. “A good while,” i.e. at first neither of them can speak.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot] mercabto. In Ge 41:43, we have the first mention of a chariot, and if the translation be correct, it is a proof that the arts were not in a rude state in Egypt even at this early time. When we find wagons used to transport goods from place to place, we need not wonder that these suggested the idea of forming chariots for carrying persons, and especially those of high rank and authority. Necessity produces arts, and arts and science produce not only an increase of the conveniences but also of the refinements and luxuries of life. It has been supposed that a chariot is not intended here; for as the word mercabah, which we and most of the ancient versions translate chariot, comes from rachab, he rode, saddling his horse may be all that is intended. But it is more likely to signify a chariot, as the verb asar, which signifies to bind, tie, or yoke, is used; and not chabash, which signifies to saddle.

Fell on his neck] See Ge 45:14.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Doubtless Joseph fell down before him with all that reverence which children owe to their parents, and in this posture Jacob falls upon his neck, &c. Of which posture see Gen 33:4; 45:14; Luk 15:20; Act 20:37.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

29, 30. Joseph made ready hischariotThe difference between chariot and wagon was not onlyin the lighter and more elegant construction of the former, but inthe one being drawn by horses and the other by oxen. Being a publicman in Egypt, Joseph was required to appear everywhere in an equipagesuitable to his dignity; and, therefore, it was not owing either topride or ostentatious parade that he drove his carriage, while hisfather’s family were accommodated only in rude and humble wagons.

presented himself unto himinan attitude of filial reverence (compare Ex22:17). The interview was a most affecting onethe happiness ofthe delighted father was now at its height; and life having no highercharms, he could, in the very spirit of the aged Simeon, havedeparted in peace [Luk 2:25;Luk 2:29].

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And Joseph made ready his chariot,…. Or “bound” y it, fastened the horses to it, harnessed them, and put them to; this he did not himself, as Jarchi thinks, for the honour of his father; but rather, as Aben Ezra, by ordering his servants to do it:

and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen; that being higher than the other part of Egypt, as it must be, if it was in Thebes, or upper Egypt, as some Jewish writers say z; and Fium, supposed to be the place the Israelites dwelt in, see Ge 47:11, stood very high a:

and presented himself unto him; alighted from his chariot, and came up to his father, and stood before him, and showed himself to him, declaring who he was:

and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while: either Jacob fell on the neck of Joseph, and wept over him a good while before he could speak to him, as the father of the prodigal son fell on his neck and kissed him, Lu 15:20; or, as Jarchi, Joseph fell on his father’s neck, as he had done upon his brethren before, but wept over him longer; their embraces were no doubt mutual and extremely affectionate, that for a while they were not able to speak a word to each other.

y “et ligavit”, Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; “tum alligavit”, Schmidt. z Hieron. Quaestion. in Genesim, fol. 72. M. tom. 3. a Leo. African. Descriptio Africae, l. 8. p. 722.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(29) He fell on his neck.Most of the versions and commentators understand this of Joseph throwing himself on Jacobs neck, but Maimonides says that a son would not take so great a liberty with his father. The Authorised Version seems to understand it of Jacob, and this gives the best and most natural sense. The preceding words literally are, and he appeared unto him: that is, came into his presence; whereupon Jacob fell on his neck, and wept there again and again.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Gen 46:29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

Ver. 29. Presented himself unto him. ] Joseph, a prince, was no whit ashamed of the poor old shepherd his father, before so many his peers, and other courtiers, that accompanied him and loathed such kind of persons. Colonel Edmonds is much commended for his ingenuous reply to a countryman of his, recently come to him, into the Low Countries, out of Scotland. This fellow desiring entertaimnent of him, told him, my lord his father, and such knights and gentlemen his cousins and kinsmen, were in good health. Quoth Colonel Edmonds, Gentlemen (to his friends by), believe not one word he says; my father is but a poor baker; whom this knave would make a lord, to curry favour with me, and make you believe I am a great man born. a See Trapp on “ Gen 22:10 “

And he fell on his neck, and wept, &c. ] For exceeding joy. What then shall be the meeting of saints in heaven! Christ shall say, “Come, ye blessed of my Father.” As if he should say, Where have ye been all this while, my dear brethren? It was a part of his joy, when he was on earth, “that we should be with him where he is, to behold his glory.” Joh 17:24 And this he now prays not, but, “Father I will that they be with me”; as that which he had merited for them. And now, what joy will there be, to see them and suaviate them, for whose sake he shed his most precious blood; through which they may safely sail into the bosom of the Father! Surely, if Plotinus the philosopher could say, Let us make haste to our heavenly country; there is our Father, there are all our friends; b how much more triumphantly may Christians say so! If Cicero could say, O praeclarum diem, cure ad illum animorum concilium caetumque proficiscar! &c.; Oh, what a brave day will that be, when I shall go to that council and company of happy souls! to my Cato, and other Roman worthies, dead before me; – how c much more may Christians exult, to think of that glorious “nightless day” ( ), as Nazianzen calls it, when they shall be admitted into the congregation house ( ) of the firstborn, Heb 12:23 as the apostle calls heaven; and joyfully welcomed by Abraham, David, Paul, &c., who shall be no less glad of their, than of their own happiness! Who can conceive the comfort of Jacob and Joseph, – or of those two cousins, Mary and Elizabeth, – at their first meeting? But for the joys of heaven, it is as impossible to comprehend them, as to compass heaven itself with a span, or contain the ocean in a nut shell. They are such, saith Augustine, ut quicquid homo dixerit, quasi gutta de mari, quasi scintilla de foco. d If the presence of Christ, though but in the womb, made John to spring, and dance a galliard, as the word imports ( , Luk 1:44 ); what shall it do when we come to heaven! Sermo non valet exprimere experimento opus est, saith Chrysostom. It is more fit to be believed, than possible to be discoursed, saith Prosper. Nec Christus nec caelum patitur hyperbolen, saith another. The apostle, after he had spoken of glorification, breaks forth by way of admiration, into these words; “What shall we say to these things?,” Rom 8:31 these “wordless words!” as he phraseth it ( , 2Co 12:4 ); and ever uttereth himself, in a transcendent expression, as 2Co 4:17 , where he calleth it “a weight of glory”; such as, if the body were not by the power of God upheld, it were not able to bear. Jacob could hardly hear the news of Joseph, and live: but when once he saw him; “Now let me die,” saith he.

a Peacham’s Complete Gentleman, p. 5.

b Fugiendum ad clarissimam patriam: ibi pater, ibi omnia. – Aug., De Civit. Dei., lib. ix. cap. 16.

c O praeclarum diem, cum ad illud animorum concilium caetumque proficiscar, ad Catonem meum, &c. – Cic., De Sen.

d Aug., De Triplici Habitu., cap. 4.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

his chariot: Gen 41:43, Gen 45:19, Gen 45:21

fell on: Gen 33:4, Gen 45:14, Luk 15:20, Act 20:37

Reciprocal: Gen 37:9 – the sun Gen 45:10 – in the land Gen 50:9 – chariots Exo 18:7 – went Num 22:36 – went Phi 2:28 – ye see

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge