Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 45:19

Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

19. thou art commanded ] The versions render “Command thou them”; and this rendering avoids the awkwardness of the sudden transition from sing. to plural, “Thou art commanded, this do ye.” As it stands, Pharaoh turns from Joseph to Joseph’s brethren; but they would hardly be present at such an interview.

wagons ] Wheeled conveyances for carrying baggage: a different word from that which is rendered “chariots.” The wagon is for transport, the chariot for purposes of war or state. The Egyptian wagon ‘agolt’e is called by a Semitic name, possibly derived from the same form as the Hebrew ‘aglah. See 1Sa 6:7 ff.; 2Sa 6:3.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Besides that absolute power which I have given thee to dispose of all things as thou pleasest, I do particularly and especially command thee to do this thing.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Now thou art commanded, this do ye,…. Had his orders from Pharaoh; had full power and authority to do the above things, and what follows: the sense Joseph Kimchi gives of this clause is, that Joseph was ordered by Pharaoh not to let any wagons go out of Egypt with corn, lest the Egyptians should want; but now Pharaoh said to him, though thou wert thus ordered, yet bid thy brethren do as follows:

take you wagons out of the land of Egypt: and lade them with corn, as the same writer observes; the Targum of Jonathan adds, which were drawn by oxen:

for your little ones, and for your wives: the wagons were to carry the women and children in when they returned:

and bring your father, and come; in one of the carriages, or in what way was most agreeable to him in his old age.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

At the same time Pharaoh empowered Joseph (“thou art commanded”) to give his brethren carriages to take with them, in which to convey their children and wives and their aged father, and recommended them to leave their goods behind them in Canaan, for the good of all Egypt was at their service. From time immemorial Egypt was rich in small, two-wheeled carriages, which could be used even where there were no roads (cf. Gen 50:9; Exo 14:6. with Isa 36:9). “ Let not your eye look with mourning ( ) at your goods; ” i.e., do not trouble about the house-furniture which you are obliged to leave behind. The good-will manifested in this invitation of Pharaoh towards Jacob’s family was to be attributed to the feeling of gratitude to Joseph, and “is related circumstantially, because this free and honourable invitation involved the right of Israel to leave Egypt again without obstruction” ( Delitzsch).

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(19) Wagons.Egypt being a flat country and carefully cultivated was adapted for the use of vehicles, and consequently they were brought into use there at an early period. Those depicted on the monuments had two wheels, and were drawn by oxen. The chariots of Pharaoh and Joseph were probably drawn by horses, which had about this time been introduced into Egypt.

Your little ones.Heb., your taf. (See Note on Gen. 34:29.) The taf included the whole mass of dependants; and while the household (Gen. 45:18) would have reference chiefly to the men, the taf, in opposition to it, would consist of the female slaves and the children.

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

19. Now thou art commanded “There is a beautiful kindness and courtesy here shown on the part of Pharaoh, in passing from the language of invitation to that of command, where Joseph’s personal interest is concerned .

Take you wagons Of which there were probably none in Palestine; carts, two-wheeled vehicles which could easily pass through the roadless desert . The modern Egyptian cart has two solid wheels, but carts with spoked wheels are represented in the monuments .

Little ones And in Gen 45:18, households, all their dependents, servants, amounting probably to several hundreds, are included in the invitation . ” Newhall .

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments