Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 45:21
And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
Gen 45:21-24
Provision for the way
Divine provision for human wants
I.
But for the provision Joseph sent them for the way, Jacob and his sons sons and daughters could never have crossed the hot desert. But the impossible had been made possible by the command of Pharaoh and the love of Joseph. The journey was accomplished successfully, the desert was traversed without peril, without excessive fatigue, by means of the waggons sent out of the land of Egypt. When Jacob saw the waggons his heart revived.
II. Let us apply this to our Lord and to ourselves. Jesus Christ, the true Joseph, remembers us in His prosperity, and He sends an invitation to us by the desire of God the Father, who loveth us. He dots not bid us come to Him in our own strength, relying only on the poor food which a famine-struck land yields–does not bid us toil across a burning desert, prowled over by the lion, without provision and protection. There are sacraments and helps and means of grace, which He has sent to relieve the weariness of the way, to carry us on, to support us when we faint, to encourage us lest we should despair.
III. Let us not despise the means of grace. We may not ourselves want them, but others do. Go in your own waggon, or on your feet, if you can and dare, but upbraid not those who take refuge in means of transport you have not tried, or do not require. Those sacraments, those means of grace, those helps, ever new, yet old as Christianity, have borne many and many a blessed one along to the good land, who is now resting in Goshen and eating the fat of the land. (S. Baring-Gould, M. A.)
Joseph equips his brethren for their journey
I. HIS RESPECT AND HONOUR FOR HIS FATHER. This is seen–
1. In the portion he gave to Benjamin
2. In the portion he sent to his father.
II. HIS SHREWD WISDOM (Gen 45:24). (T. H. Leale.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 21. Joseph gave them wagons] agaloth, from agal, which, though not used as a verb in the Hebrew Bible, evidently means to turn round, roll round, be circular, &c., and hence very properly applied to wheel carriages. It appears from this that such vehicles were very early in use, and that the road from Egypt to Canaan must have been very open and much frequented, else such carriages could not have passed by it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
21. Joseph gave them wagonswhichmust have been novelties in Palestine; for wheeled carriages werealmost unknown there.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the children of Israel did so,…. As Pharaoh commanded, and Joseph from him directed them to do:
and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh: and beasts, either horses or oxen to draw them, and these not empty, though the principal use of them was to fetch his father and his family, and their goods:
and gave them provision for the way: both going and returning, as much as would suffice for both.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The sons of Israel carried out the instructions of Joseph and the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen 45:25-27). But Joseph not only sent carriages according to Pharaoh’s directions, and food for the journey, he also gave them presents, changes of raiment, a suit for every one, and five suits for Benjamin, as well as 300 shekels of silver. : change of clothes, clothes to change; i.e., dress clothes which were worn on special occasions and frequently changed (Jdg 13:12-13, Jdg 13:19; 2Ki 5:5). “ And to his father he sent like these; ” i.e., not changes of clothes, but presents also, viz., ten asses “carrying of the good of Egypt,” and ten she-asses with corn and provisions for the journey; and sent them off with the injunction: :noitcnu , (lxx), “do not get angry by the way.” Placatus erat Joseph fratribus, simul eos admonet, ne quid turbarum moveant. Timendum enim erat, ne quisque se purgando crimen transferre in alios studeret atque its surgeret contentio ( Calvin).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
CRITICAL NOTES.
Gen. 45:21. Joseph gave them waggons.] Two-wheeled cars, fit for driving over a rough country, where roads were not found. Wheeled vehicles are scarcely seen in Palestine.
Gen. 45:24. See that ye fall not out by the way.] Some maintain that the sense is, Be not afraid. They were not to be in dread lest any after-plot of his should bring them back again. The Heb. word means, to be stirred by any passion, whether of fear or anger; and is interpreted in the sense of quarrelling, or falling out, in Pro. 29:9; Isa. 28:21. The word is so rendered here, and it best suits the sense. Onkelos gives to it the same signification, Do not contend.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Gen. 45:21-24
JOSEPH EQUIPS HIS BRETHREN FOR THEIR JOURNEY
His bounty towards them was most liberal. They are supplied not only with necessaries, but even with luxuries, and furnished in a style calculated to make an impression upon spectators. The richness and splendour of this outfit was worthy of a brother raised to such high eminence in a great nation. But the whole of this incident brings out these two things especially:
I. His respect and honour for his father. This is seen:
1. In the portion he gave to Benjamin. He was furnished more liberally than the rest, distinctly marked out as a peculiar object of favour. (Gen. 45:22.) This would touch the heart of the doting father.
2. In the portion he sent to his father. (Gen. 45:23). He could not fetch him himself, but he sends him the richest presents of Egypt. In this way he expressed his peculiar affection for his father. The old man would need the strongest proof of the reality of those strange things he was about to hear, and the style in which his sons were sent to him from Egypt would naturally make a strong impression upon him.
II. His shrewd wisdom. Another point brought out in this incident. Joseph charged his brethren, as they were leaving, See that ye fall not out by the way. (Gen. 45:24.) This advice was founded upon deep wisdom, and showed great knowledge of human nature in the man who gave it. Joseph had heard already from Reuben some severe reflections upon his brethren. (Gen. 42:22.) He might well suppose that they would repeat these things when they were alone. Reuben might have told them how different the result would have been had they taken his advice. Each one would have his cause of quarrel. The unexpected prosperity into which they had fallen would only have served to arouse old feelings of enmity. But they were now restrained by Josephs sober and timely advice. It is sad to think how that through the fault of human nature, even the manifestations of Gods goodness towards us may be made the occasion of wrangling and angry strife. Even when the Gospel message was first announced to the world, men soon began to quarrel with each other. The very terms of salvation were disputed. Men were not content to receive the truth as it was told them, but they must make it the subject of endless and fruitless controversy. Let us be satisfied with the bountiful provision God makes for us by the way, spending our energy in praising Him, and refusing to waste it in the mean warfare of human strifes.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Gen. 45:21. Provision for the way. So doth God give all His; meat that the world knows not of; joy that the natural heart never tasted; the white stone; the hidden manna; the continual feast; the foretaste of eternal life, to hold up their hearts till they come home to heaven. On the cates of a good conscience, he goes on feeding as Samson did on his honeycomb, till he came to his parents; as Josephs brethren here did on their venison, till they came to their father Jacob.(Trapp.)
Gen. 45:22. As the fashion of clothes never changes in the East as with us, they do not become useless as long as they last. Joseph virtually published to his brethren the superior regard which he entertained for Benjamin as the son of his mother, as well as of his father. He showed his confidence in their good dispositions towards Benjamin.(Bush.)
Gen. 45:23. It was, no doubt, a pleasure to Jacob to partake of the fruits of the attention and kindness of his long-lost Joseph. Yet we may safely suppose he derived more pleasure from Josephs goodness to his brethren than from the presents sent to himself. He had no reason to doubt of Josephs warm, filial affection, but it would fill him with unspeakable joy to find his son exhibiting the highest pattern of meekness and of the forgiveness of injuries that the world had ever yet beheld.(Bush.)
Gen. 45:24. On the journey to eternity we must not become angry, either with our companions, or with God. Christians, as brethren, ought not to quarrel with each other on the way of life.(Lange.)
Josephs brethren send him naked to strangers, he sends them in new and rich liveries to their father; they took a small sum of money for him, he gives them great treasures; they sent his torn coat to his father, he sends variety of costly raiments to his father by them; they sold him to be the lead of camels, he sends them home with chariots. It must be a great favour, that can appease the consciousness of a great injury.(Bp. Hall.)
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
‘And the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them wagons just as Pharaoh had commanded, and gave them provision for the way.’
Now that Pharaoh has taken charge everything has to be done as he said. Joseph had intended to bring them in without any fuss but now he has no choice.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The most valuable commodities in those hot countries must be changes of raiment. Is there not a spiritual illustration also here? It is said that to each man Joseph gave this change of raiment. And is it not to every individual believer that the LORD JESUS gives his garment of salvation? See Zec 3:4 ; Rev 7:9Rev 7:9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 45:21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
Ver. 21. And gave them provision for the way. ] So doth God give all his; meat that the world knows not of; joy that the natural heart never tasted of; the white stone; the hidden manna; the continual feast; the foretaste of eternal life, to hold up their hearts till they come home to heaven. On the cares of a good conscience, he goes on feeding, as Samson did on his honeycomb, till he came to his parents; as Joseph’s brethren here did on their venison, till they came to their father Jacob.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 45:21-23
21Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22To each of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. 23To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father on the journey.
Gen 45:21 “wagons” This is an Egyptian loan word meaning “two-wheeled cart pulled by cattle” (BDB 722, cf. 1Sa 6:7) and does not refer to the war-chariots (BDB 939, cf. Gen 41:43) of Egypt. Carts were common in Egypt because of the very flat terrain. They were rare, or possibly unknown, in the land of Palestine because it has rough, hilly terrain. One reason for the Philistine’s ability to control the coastal shephelah was because of their use of iron chariots. However, Israel’s early victories occurred in the hill country where the chariots were unusable. These carts must have been a very unusual sight in the land of Canaan.
Gen 45:22 “changes of garments” This possibly refers to ornamental clothing (i.e., Exo 3:22; Exo 12:35), which was one of the sources of wealth in the ancient world. It could have been to properly attire his brothers in their new cultural setting (Egypt’s elite class, cf. Gen 41:14). However, it may denote new clothes, not special expensive ones (i.e., Rth 3:3).
but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments” Joseph, of all people, should have been aware of the problem that favoritism causes, yet the cultural setting is such that he lavished attention on his full-blooded brother (cf. Gen 43:34).
Gen 45:23 Remember how Jacob had sent gifts to “the man” of Egypt in Gen 43:11, so now Joseph returns the cultural expectation.
1. ten donkeys loaded with the best things (BDB 375 CONSTRUCT BDB 595)
2. ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread
Wow! What Jacob must have thought when he saw all this coming down the road!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
commandment. Hebrew mouth, put by Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for command given by it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
wagons: Gen 45:19, Gen 45:27, Gen 46:5, Num 7:3-9, Eze 23:24
commandment: Heb. mouth, Gen 45:19, Exo 17:1, Num 3:16, 2Ch 8:13, 2Ch 35:16, Ecc 8:2, Lam 1:18
Reciprocal: Gen 42:25 – to give them Gen 46:29 – his chariot