Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 43:15

And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

15 34. The Reception in Joseph’s House

15. stood before Joseph ] The story is condensed. The men on arrival in Egypt are required to present themselves for purposes of trade before Joseph.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Gen 43:15-18

The men were afraid, because they were brought into Josephs house

Josephs brethren under the influence of a guilty fear

I.

THEY DREAD SOME GREAT MISFORTUNE. They are driven to Egypt by a dire necessity. A presentiment of disaster weigh upon their hearts. They expect no favourable solution of their mysterious treatment.

II. THEY ARE POSSESSED BY AN INVETERATE SPIRIT OF MISTRUST, They interpret adversely even the most favourable appearances. The generous reception which was given them only serves to raise their worst suspicions and to alarm their fears. They cannot get rid of the belief that Joseph meant to entrap them by a cunning device.

III. THEY ARE HAUNTED BY THE MEMORY OF AN OLD CRIME. They are innocent respecting this money in their sacks, and yet they feel themselves to be guilty men. Conscience makes cowards of them everywhere. (T. H.Leale.)

Lessons

1. Fear misinterprets kindness.

2. We are often being tested while we are unconscious of the fact that we are so.

3. An illustration of the difference between the outer appearance and the inner life of a man. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)

Bring these men home

It was a whisper aside, addressed to one who proved himself very capable of executing Josephs wishes. This device of bringing them home and feasting them gave Joseph opportunity for testing their feelings towards Benjamin; it allowed them a chance of recognizing their brother; and it used them to his love as mingled and contrasted with his severity. Joseph wished to produce these three effects; but I scarcely think he intended another effect, which, however, was the first–the re-awakening of their fears. It was God who intended that. (A. M.Symington, D. D.)

Use of animal food in Egypt

It has been objected here that the narrator must be in error in representing Joseph as giving orders for the slaughter of animals for food, since that must have been contrary to the customs of the Egyptians; but Wilkinson, in describing preparations for dinner, says, an ox, kid, wild-goat, gazelle, or oryx, and a quantity of geese, widgeons, quails, or other birds were obtained for the occasion; and Kalisch alleges that though there was scarcely an animal which was not held sacred in some province, there was, perhaps, with the only exception of the cow, none which was not eaten in other parts of the land; so that the description here is in perfect harmony with what we now know to have been the habit of the people. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

15. stood before JosephWe mayeasily imagine the delight with which, amid the crowd of otherapplicants, the eye of Joseph would fix on his brethren and Benjamin.But occupied with his public duties, he consigned them to the care ofa confidential servant till he should have finished the business ofthe day.

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

And the men took the present,…. Their father directed them to:

and they took double money in their hand; besides what they found in their sacks mouths, which they also carried with them:

and Benjamin; they took him likewise with their father’s leave:

and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph; presented themselves to him, and their petitions for more corn, as well as to answer to any questions that should be asked them.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

      15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.   16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.   17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.   18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.   19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,   20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:   21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.   22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.   23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.   24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.   25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

      Jacob’s sons, having got leave to take Benjamin with them, were observant of the orders their father had given them, and went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn. If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual food as they did for corporal food. Now here we have an account of what passed between them and Joseph’s steward, who, some conjecture, was in the secret, and knew them to be Joseph’s brethren, and helped to humour the thing; I rather think not, because no man was permitted to be present when Joseph afterwards made himself known to them, ch. xlv. 1. Observe, 1. Joseph’s steward has orders from his master (who was busy selling corn, and receiving money) to take them to his house, and make ready for their entertainment. Though Joseph saw Benjamin there, he would not leave his work at working-time, nor trust another with it. Note, Business must take place of civility in its season. Our needful employments must not be neglected, no, not to pay respect to our friends. 2. Even this frightened them: They were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house, v. 18. The just challenges of their own consciences, and Joseph’s violent suspicions of them, forbade them to expect any favour, and suggested to them that this was done with a bad design upon them. Note, Those that are guilty and timorous are apt to make the worst of every thing. Now they thought they should be reckoned with about the money in the sacks’ mouths, and should be charged as cheats, and men not fit to be dealt with, who had taken advantage of the hurry of the market to carry off their corn unpaid for. They therefore laid the case before the steward, that he, being apprized of it, might stand between them and danger; and, as a substantial proof of their honesty, before they were charged with taking back their money they produced it. Note, Integrity and uprightness will preserve us, and will clear themselves as the light of the morning. 3. The steward encouraged them (v. 23): Peace be to you, fear not; though he knew not what his master drove at, yet he was aware these were men whom he meant no harm to, while he thus amused them; and therefore he directs them to look at the divine Providence in the return of their money: Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. Observe, (1.) Hereby he shows that he had no suspicion at all of dishonesty in them: for of what we get by deceit we cannot say, “God gives it to us.” (2.) Hereby he silences their further enquiry about it. “Ask not how it came thither; Providence brought it to you, and let that satisfy you.” (3.) It appears by what he said that, by his good master’s instructions, he was brought to the knowledge of the true God, the God of the Hebrews. It may justly be expected that those who are servants in religious families should take all fit occasions to speak of God and his providence with reverence and seriousness. (4.) He directs them to look up to God, and acknowledge his providence in the good bargain they had. We must own ourselves indebted to God, as our God and the God of our fathers (a God in covenant with us and them) for all our successes and advantages, and the kindnesses of our friends; for every creature is that to us, and no more, which God makes it to be. The steward encouraged them, not only in words but in deeds; for he made very much of them till his master came, v. 24.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Verse 15-25:

The brothers arrived in Egypt, with Benjamin, and appeared before Joseph, though still unaware of his identity. When Joseph saw Benjamin, he instructed the servant in charge of his household affairs to escort the men to his own house, where he would eat with them that day.

This filled the brothers with apprehension. They feared this was a plot to confiscate their property and to make them slaves. As a token that their intentions were honorable, they offered to return to Joseph’s steward the money which they had found in their grain sacks on their return trip from their first journey. The servant declined to accept this money, and attributed it to some miracle of their God.

Simeon was released from prison, and reunited with the brothers. They then made preparation for the meal which they were informed would be shared with Joseph

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

CRITICAL NOTES.

Gen. 43:16. Slay, and make ready.] The objection which has been here found, that the higher castes of the Egyptians ate no animal food, only shows the ignorance of the objectors. We know abundantly from Herodotus and other authorities, that it was only from certain animals that the royal and priestly castes abstained, and only certain among them that abstained altogether; and the eating of birds was general.(Alford.)

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Gen. 43:15-18

JOSEPHS BRETHREN UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A GUILTY FEAR

I. They dread some great misfortune. They are driven to Egypt by a dire necessity. A presentiment of disaster weighs upon their hearts. They expect no favourable solution of their mysterious treatment.

II. They are possessed by an inveterate spirit of mistrust. They interpret adversely even the most favourable appearances. The generous reception which was given them only serves to raise their worst suspicions and to alarm their fears. They cannot get rid of the belief that Joseph meant to entrap them by a cunning device.

III. They are haunted by the memory of an old crime. They are innocent respecting this money in their sacks, and yet they feel themselves to be guilty men. Conscience makes cowards of them everywhere. They dread that some mischievous plot is all the while preparing for their destruction. And why all this fear, since they knew that they were innocent of the only offence that could be charged against them? The true answer is, that they felt that they themselves were capable of a similar act of treachery. We dread the effects of that sin in others which has taken such a strong hold upon ourselves. The sense of having committed wrong makes us distrust even goodness itself, and we find fear where no fear is. The memory of sin depresses and spreads a gloom over our souls, so that we often misunderstand the gracious designs of Providence; and those things which in another state of mind would afford us relief and hope only bring us alarm and sorrow.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

Gen. 43:15-16. Joseph, looking upon them, beholds his brother Benjamin. It is likely his eyes would here be in some danger of betraying his heart; and that being conscious of this, he instantly gives orders to his steward to take these men home to his house, and prepare a dinner, for that they must dine with him at noon. By thi means he would be able to compose himself, and to form a plan how to conduct, and in what, manner to discover himself to them. See how fruitful love is of kind contrivance; seeking, and finding opportunities to gratify itself by closer and closer interviews. Thus when two of Johns disciples were kindly asked, What seek ye? they answered, Master, where dwellest thou? as if they should say, We want to be better acquainted with thee, and to say more than could be said in this public place. And thus when Jesus himself would commune with his disciples, He saith unto them, Children, come and dine.(Fuller.)

Gen. 43:17. Had he not known the deference due from servants to their masters, he would probably have desired to know the reason for so strange a proceeding; why the governor made such a difference between those men and the many thousands of strangers who came to the country to buy corn.(Bush).

Gen. 43:18. It was incredible that such a man as the Governor of Egypt, whose character for probity was very high, should invite men to his house with the intention of taking advantage of them and of robbing them of their asses, or of making them slaves. But in their present state of mind they scarcely knew what other construction to put upon it; so unhappy a thing it is to have guilt lying on the conscience, it deadens the enjoyments of life and embitters its sorrows; it raises fearful apprehensions on the slightest occasions; and continually arrays the Most High in an aspect of wrath. If we wish to be happy let us seek the removal of that never-failing source of misery.(Bush).

When sinners refuse to be comforted, then they are forced to remember God and be troubled. (Psa. 77:2-3).

As every body hath its shadow, so hath every sin its fear; and fear torment. (1Jn. 4:18).(Trapp).

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

‘And the men took that present, and they took double silver in their hand, and Benjamin, and rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.’

They took what was necessary, the present, the double silver — and Benjamin, the one whose value had delayed things for so long. The long and fearful journey is passed over in a sentence. The tension, the fears, the apprehension, and then the arrival. But at least they were brought into the Man’s presence and that was something.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Gen 43:32 Comments – Exactly who were the Hebrews and how well known were they to the Egyptians?

Gen 44:2 Comments – Why a cup? We do know that his brothers ate with Joseph, so it would have been an easy thing for them to steal.

Gen 44:9 Comments – The fact that Joseph’s brothers pronounced the judgment of death upon the unknown thief was a reflection of the customs of his day. We see Jacob making the same rash vow in Gen 31:32 when Rachel stole her father’s idols. The Code of Hammurabi, believed by some scholars to have been written by a Babylonian king around 2100 B.C., impacted its culture for centuries. It is very likely that this rash statement was based upon law six of this Code, which says, “If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death.”

Gen 44:14 “Judah and his brethren” Comments – Judah seems to take the leadership as he becomes spokesman is this passage. Jacob spoke and prophesied of Judah’s future leadership as a nation of Israel (Gen 49:8-12). The tribe of Judah would lead the children of Israel in the wilderness and into battles.

Gen 49:8, “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.”

Gen 44:18 Comments – Why Judah? Because it was Judah who had taken the responsibility for the care of Benjamin (Gen 43:8-10).

Gen 43:8, “And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever.”

Gen 44:33 Comments – In Gen 44:33 we see that Judah was willing to pay for the sins of his brothers. He reveals this willing earlier when he told his father Jacob that he would become surety for Benjamin (Gen 43:8-9). Centuries later, the descendant of Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ, would pay the price for the sins of the children of Israel and for the entire world.

Gen 43:8-9, “And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:”

Gen 44:34  For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

Gen 45:5 Comments – Joseph saw God in everything. God prepared Joseph as a sacrifice to save his household, a type of salvation. God exalted Joseph to Pharaoh’s right hard. Everything that Joseph did pleased Pharaoh. God’s judgement was upon the land, and, as in the time of Noah, God was delivering His chosen people from judgement. Regarding the phrase “a type of salvation”, see Gen 50:20, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive .”

Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures