Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 42:28
And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, [it is] even in my sack: and their heart failed [them], and they were afraid, saying one to another, What [is] this [that] God hath done unto us?
28. their heart failed them ] J’s account, as we see in Gen 43:21, must originally have represented the opening of all the sacks, and the finding of all the money, at the “lodging place.” As, however, in E this general discovery is not made until their return to their father, J’s narrative is here restricted to the experience of one of the brethren, and to the consternation it produced amongst them.
God hath done ] They are conscious (1) that the thing is mysterious; (2) that they might be accused of robbery; (3) that their secret guiltiness is somehow being visited by a Power which knew all.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 28. Their heart failed them] valyetse libbam, their heart went out. This refers to that spasmodic affection which is felt in the breast at any sudden alarm or fright. Among the common people in our own country we find an expression exactly similar, “My heart was ready to leap out at my mouth,” used on similar occasions.
What is this that God hath done unto us?] Their guilty consciences, now thoroughly awakened, were in continual alarms; they felt that they deserved God’s curse, and every occurrence served to confirm and increase their suspicions.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They were afraid, lest this should be a design to entrap, and so destroy them. Whoever were the instruments, they knew that God was the chief author of this occurrent, and wisely reflect upon his providence in it, and their own guilt which provoked him against them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25-28. Joseph commanded to filltheir sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s moneyThisprivate generosity was not an infringement of his dutya defraudingof the revenue. He would have a discretionary powerhe was dailyenriching the king’s exchequerand he might have paid the sum fromhis own purse.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he said unto his brethren, my money is restored,…. The money paid for the corn is returned:
and, lo, [it is] even in my sack; this put them all upon opening their sacks, where every man found his money, though not expressed, see
Ge 43:21:
and their heart failed [them]; through surprise and fear; or “went out” c front them, as it were, they were ready to faint and swoon away:
and they were afraid; their consciences being awakened, and loaded with the guilt of their former sins, they were afraid that more evil was coming upon them for them; and that this was a scheme laid to entrap them, and that they should be pursued and seized, and fetched back, and charged with a fraud and trick, as going off with their corn without paying for it:
saying one to another, what [is] this [that] God hath done unto us? for whoever was the instrument, they concluded the overruling hand of divine Providence was in it, for the further chastisement and correction of them for their iniquity: instead of being thus frightened and distressed, it is very much it did not give them suspicion of Joseph, that he was the person they had been conversing with, and that he had done this in kindness to them; but their minds were so pressed with the guilt of their sin, that they were possessed of nothing but fears and dreadful apprehensions of things, and put the worst construction upon them they could, as men in such circumstances usually do, even fear where no fear is, or no occasion for it.
c “et exiit cor eorum”, Montanus, Drusius, Piscator, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When this discovery was made known to the brethren, their hearts sank within them. They turned trembling to one another, and said, “ What is this that God hath done to us! ” Joseph had no doubt had the money returned, “merely because it was against his nature to trade with his father and brethren for bread;” just as he had caused them to be supplied with food for the journey, for no other reason than to give them a proof of his good-will. And even if he may have thought it possible that the brothers would be alarmed when they found the money, and thrown into a state of much greater anxiety from the fear of being still further accused by the stern lord of Egypt of cheating or of theft, there was no reason why he should spare them this anxiety, since it could only help to break their hard hearts still more. At any rate, this salutary effect was really produced, even if Joseph had no such intention. The brothers looked upon this incomprehensible affair as a punishment from God, and neglected in their alarm to examine the rest of the sacks.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
28. What is this that God has done unto us? They do not expostulate with God, as if they thought this danger had come upon them without cause: but, perceiving that God was angry with them in many ways, they deplore their wretchedness. But why do they not rather turn their thoughts to Joseph? For the suspicion was natural, that this had been done by fraud, because he wished to lay new snares for them. How does it happen, then, that losing sight of man, they set God as an avenger directly before them? Truly, because this single thought possessed their minds, that a just reward, and such as their sins deserved, would be given them; and, from that time, they referred whatever evils happened to the same cause. Before (as we have said) they were asleep: but from the time that they began to be affected by the lively fear of God’s judgment, his providence always presented itself to their view. So David, when, by the inward suggestion of the Spirit, he has learned that the rod with which he was chastised had been sent from heaven, is not distracted or perplexed, though he sees plainly that the evils have proceeded from another quarter; but prays to God to heal the wounds which He had made. It is no common act of prudence, and is at the same time profitable, whenever any adversity overtakes us, to accustom ourselves to the consideration of the judgments of God. We see how unbelievers, while they imagine their misfortunes to be accidental, or while they are bent on accusing their enemies, only exasperate their grief by fretting and raging, and thus cause the anger of God to burn the more against them. But he who, in his affliction, exercises himself in reflecting on his own sins, and sets God before him as his Judge, will humble himself in the divine presence, and will compose his mind to patience by the hope of pardon. Let us, however, remember that the providence of God is not truly acknowledged, except in connection with his justice. Forthough the men by whose hand he chastises us are often unjust, yet, in an incomprehensible manner, he executes his judgments through them, against which judgments it is not lawful for us either to reply or to murmur. For sometimes even the reprobate, though they acknowledge themselves to be stricken by the hand of God, yet do not cease to complain against him, as Moses teaches us by the example of Cain. I do not, however, understand that this complaint was made by the sons of Jacob, for the purpose of charging God with tyrannical violence; but because they, being overcome with fear, inferred from this double punishment that God was highly displeased with them.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(28) Their heart failed them.This verse is far more poetical in the Hebrew, where, literally it is And their heart went forth, and they trembled each to his brother. Their courage left them, and they stood looking at one another in terror.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
28. God hath done Every thing seems to them now as the condemning acts of God; and the feeling deepens more and more, until, on finding all their money returned (Gen 42:35) and Benjamin demanded, their aged father breaks out in a bitter wail of sorrow .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he said to his brothers, “My silver has been handed back, and see, it is in my sack.” And their heart failed them and they turned to one another trembling, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
The sight of the silver terrifies them and they were filled with fear. This was the worst possible thing that could have happened. It had looked as though things might be resolved reasonably satisfactorily and now this. It was clear things were still as bad as ever. They were clearly marked down as victims.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 42:28. Their heart failed them In the strong Hebrew idiom, their heart went out, or left their body: strong conscience was at work; they were afraid where no fear was: What is this that God hath done unto us? say they. It is the nature of awakened guilt to be particularly full of apprehensions of God’s justice and vengeance: they expected nothing less, than that the providence of God was about to make this extraordinary event a means of that punishment, which they were conscious that they justly deserved for their treatment of Joseph. In Gen 42:35 they were afraid, refers to Jacob also, as well as his sons.
REFLECTIONS.We have here,
1. The reflections which the ten sons of Jacob make on their past conduct. For twenty years they seem to have forgotten it, or stifled the remembrance; but now conscience does her office, and in their distress they acknowledge the justice of God’s hand in thus overtaking them. If they were so unrelenting to a brother, what may they not apprehend from a heathen stranger? Reuben reminds them of his entreaty for the child; a fresh reproach to their cruelty, though a comfort to his own conscience. Note; (1.) It is a needful stroke, which awakens the conscience to a remembrance of sin. (2.) When we share with others in calamity, it is a great support to be clear of their guilt. Little did they imagine how nearly he was interested before whom they spoke; little were they apprehensive that the AEgyptian governor, who spake by an interpreter, understood their language; while he, unable to restrain, yet willing to conceal the falling tear, turns aside, to discharge the tender meltings of an affectionate heart. Are such the tender mercies of a man? What then are the compassions of our God towards repenting sinners!
2. Simeon is bound for a hostage till their return, and they dismissed with their lading. But how great their astonishment, when one, on opening his sack, finds the purchase-money returned! Guilt immediately awakens their fears, and they tremble with the apprehensions that God is now about to visit them for their sins. They who sold their own brother unjustly for twenty pieces of silver, may well fear, lest judgment overtake them as thieves. Note; A guilty conscience is subject to perpetual alarms.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 42:28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, [it is] even in my sack: and their heart failed [them], and they were afraid, saying one to another, What [is] this [that] God hath done unto us?
Ver. 28. My money is restored. ] Joseph had stolen this benefit upon them, which they misinterpret, their own misgiving hearts telling them that God’s just hand was in it for their harm. Conscience, being now awakened, meets them at every turn, till they were soundly humbled, and had made their peace. Better a sore than a seared conscience; as, better a tormentful strangury than a senseless lethargy. Bee masters tell us that those are the best hives that make the greatest noise.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
lo.Figure of speech. Asterismos.App-6.
failed them.Hebrew. “went out”. Figure of speech Hyperbole (App-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
their heart: Gen 42:36, Gen 27:33, Lev 26:36, Deu 28:65, 1Ki 10:5, Psa 61:2, Son 5:6, Luk 21:26
failed them: Heb. went forth, This refers to the spasmodic affection which is felt in the breast at any sudden alarm or fright.
What is: Isa 45:7, Lam 2:17, Lam 3:37, Amo 3:6
Reciprocal: Gen 42:35 – every man’s Gen 43:18 – the men Psa 40:12 – heart
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 42:28. Their heart failed them, and they were afraid Their awakened consciences set their sins in order before them, made them afraid of every thing, and threw them into the utmost dismay and consternation. Saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us? They knew that the Egyptians abhorred a Hebrew, (Gen 43:32,) and therefore, since they could not expect to receive any kindness from them, they concluded that their money was put into their sacks with a design to pick a quarrel with them, and the rather, because the man, the lord of the land, had charged them as spies. Thus they construed every circumstance in this affair as the purpose of God to bring evil upon them, for their unnatural and cruel usage of their brother. When the events of Providence concerning us are surprising, it is good to inquire what it is that God has done, and is doing with us.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
42:28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, [it is] even in my sack: and their heart failed [them], and they were {i} afraid, saying one to another, What [is] this [that] God hath done unto us?
(i) Because their conscience accused them of their sin, they thought God had brought them trouble through the money.