Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 43:7
And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, [Is] your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
7. The man asked straitly ] The word “straitly” (i.e. “strictly, closely,” cf. Jos 6:1), like “solemnly” in Gen 43:3, simply emphasizes the force of the verb in Heb. Shakespeare, Rich. III, i. 3:
“His majesty hath straitly given in charge
That no man shall have private conference
with his brother.”
This verse is evidently independent of Gen 42:13 (E), where the information was voluntarily given by the brethren in proof of their sincerity.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
We told him according to the tenor of these words; we gave answers suitable to his questions, or such as his words required.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they said,…. Not Judah only, in the name of the rest, but each of them in turn, being all charged with doing an ill thing:
the man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred; or “in asking asked” h; very particularly and closely, putting many questions to us, who we were? to whom we belonged? of what family we were? and inquired into the particulars and circumstances of our relations:
saying, [is] your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? they told him they were all one man’s sons, as they were obliged, when they were charged with being spies, in order to clear themselves,
Ge 42:10; upon which he inquired whether their father was living, and whether they were all the sons their father had:
and we told him according to the tenor of these words; they answered to these questions put to them, and which were so closely put, that they could do no other than say what they did:
could we certainly know that he would say, bring your brother down? could they have foreseen this, they would have been more upon their guard; though in all probability had they been ever so cautious this would have been the case; it would have been required of them to bring their brother with them, so desirous was Joseph of seeing him.
h “interrogando interrogavit”, Pagninus, Montanus, &c.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Gen 43:7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, [Is] your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
Ver. 7. Could we certainly know, &c. ] Inferences many times axe made upon what we say or do, such as we never thought of, Arbitror nonnullos in quibusdam locis librorum meorum opinaturos, me sensisse quod non sensi, aut non sensisse quod sensi, saith Augustine. a And it fell out accordingly. For, as Baronius witnesseth, after St Austin’s death, there arose up divisions, who, out of his writings, wrested and misconstrued, brought in many errors; which they endeavoured to maintain by the name and authority of St Augustine. b And the like may be said of Luther.
a Aug., lib. i., De Trin., cap. 3, ad finem.
b Qui ex eius scriptis male perceptis complures invexerunt errores. – Annal, tom. vi., ad Ann. 450.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
asked us straitly. Hebrew “asking he asked us”. Figure of speech Polyptoton. See note on Gen 43:3 above, and Gen 26:28.
could we certainly know. Hebrew “knowing could we know”. Figure of speech Polyptoton. See note on Gen 26:28,
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
asked us straitly: Heb. asking asked us, Gen 43:3, *marg.
tenor: Heb. mouth
could we certainly know: knowing could we know, Gen 43:3, *marg.
Reciprocal: Gen 42:13 – Thy servants Gen 43:20 – we came indeed down Gen 44:19 – General Gen 44:20 – a child