Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 43:2

And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

He saith a

little, either to show that he took no thought to satisfy his or their curiosity or luxury, but only their necessity, for which a little would suffice, and that they must all moderate their appetites, especially in a time of such scarcity; or to encourage them to the journey, by suggesting to them that they needed not bring great stores, but only what was sufficient for that year, and that God would provide better for them hereafter, so as they should not need to go so far for corn any more.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. their father said, . . . Goagain, buy us a little foodIt was no easy matter to bringJacob to agree to the only conditions on which his sons could returnto Egypt (Ge 42:15). Thenecessity of immediately procuring fresh supplies for the maintenanceof themselves and their families overcame every other considerationand extorted his consent to Benjamin joining in a journey, which hissons entered on with mingled feelings of hope and anxietyof hope,because having now complied with the governor’s demand to bring downtheir youngest brother, they flattered themselves that the allegedground of suspecting them would be removed; and of apprehension thatsome ill designs were meditated against them.

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

And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt,…. Which, in so numerous a family as Jacob’s was, having so many children, grandchildren, and servants, what nine men on so many asses could bring with them must be consumed in a short time, how long cannot be said; no doubt they lived sparingly on it in such a time of scarcity, to make it last as long as they could, and perhaps only he, his children and grandchildren, might eat of it; the servants, as Calvin observes, might live on meaner food, as acorns, herbs, and roots; and it must not be thought that all this corn was eaten up entirely, and none left, but the far greater part of it, and but very little remaining; or otherwise, how should Jacob, and his sons’ wives and children be supported until the return of his sons from Egypt with fresh provisions? indeed it may be supposed, that the land of Canaan produced some corn, though but little; and it is certain there were other fruits which were serviceable for food, as appears from Ge 43:11:

their father said, go again, buy us a little food; just enough for him, and them, and theirs, for the present; hoping that the famine would be over quickly, and therefore orders them to go once more to Egypt, and buy some provisions: they made no motion themselves to go, as it is highly probable they determined they would not, since Jacob had resolved Benjamin should not go, but waited for their father’s motion, and which he did not make until necessity obliged him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

How sweet is that scripture, Joh 6:27 ?

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Gen 43:2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

Ver. 2. Buy us a little food. ] They had learned to live with a little, which is a great skill; nature is content with a little, grace with less. Epicurus himself was wont to say, if he might have but aquam et offam, a draught of water, and a morsel of meat, he could live happily. a

a Paratum se esse cum Iove de faelicitate contendere, si aquam haberet et offam. – Aelian.

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