Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 45:22
To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver, and five changes of raiment.
22. changes of raiment ] i.e. costly robes which would be worn instead of workday apparel on special occasions. Cf. Gen 27:15; Jdg 14:12-13; Jdg 14:19; 2Ki 5:5; 2Ki 5:22-23. The versions LXX = “double robes,” and Lat. binas stolas, have misunderstood the meaning.
three hundred pieces of silver ] i.e. 300 shekels. See notes on Gen 20:16, and Gen 23:16.
five changes ] See note on Gen 43:34.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 22. Changes of raiment] It is a common custom with all the Asiatic sovereigns to give both garments and money to ambassadors and persons of distinction, whom they particularly wish to honour. Hence they keep in their wardrobes several hundred changes of raiment, ready made up for presents of this kind. That such were given by way of reward and honour, see Jdg 14:12, Jdg 14:19; Re 6:11. At the close of a feast the Hindoos, among other presents to the guests, commonly give new garments. A Hindoo garment is merely a piece of cloth, requiring no work of the tailor. – Ward.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Changes of raiment; new and handsome garments, which upon their coming into Pharaohs presence, and on other occasions, they might wear instead of those more old and homely ones, which they brought with them from Canaan. Compare Jdg 14:12,19; 2Ki 5:5.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. changes of raimentIt wasand is customary, with great men, to bestow on their friends dressesof distinction, and in places where they are of the same descriptionand quality, the value of these presents consists in their number.The great number given to Benjamin bespoke the warmth of hisbrother’s attachment to him; and Joseph felt, from the amiable temperthey now all displayed, he might, with perfect safety, indulge thisfond partiality for his mother’s son.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment,…. Rich apparel, two suits of clothes, to shift and change upon occasion, such as Homer k calls , “changeable garments”; those he gave to everyone of his brethren, partly that they might have something to show to their father and to their wives, which would cause them to give credit to the report they should give of Joseph, and his great prosperity; and partly that they might, upon their return, be provided with suitable apparel to appear before Pharaoh, and chiefly this was intended to show his great respect and affection for them, and reconciliation to them:
but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver; or shekels, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, which amounted to between thirty and forty pounds of our money; the Septuagint very wrongly renders it three hundred “pieces of gold”; and besides these he gave him also
five changes of raiment; because of his greater love and affection for him.
k Odyss. 8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
22. And to all of them he gave each man changes of raiment. That he furnishes his brethren with supplies for their journey is not wonderful: but to what purpose was it that he loaded them with money and garments, seeing they would so soon return? I, indeed, do not doubt that he did it on account of his father and the wives of his brethren, in order that they might have less reluctance to leave the land of Canaan. For he knew that his message would scarcely be believed, unless some manifest tokens of its truth were presented. It might also be, that he not only endeavored to allure those who were absent, but that he also wished to testify, more and more, his love towards his brethren. But the former consideration has more weight with me, because he took greater care in furnishing Benjamin than the rest. Jerome has translated the expression, “changes of raiment,” by “two robes,” and other interpreters, following him, expound it as meaning “different kinds of garments.” I know not whether this be solid. I rather suppose they were elegant garments, such as were used at nuptials and on festal days; for I think that constant custom was silently opposed to this variety of dress.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(22) Changes of raiment.Gifts of clothing were marks of special favour in the East (Gen. 41:42). Josephs brethren would thus show by their very apparel how honourable had been their treatment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Changes of raiment Suits of clothing, a common present among the wealthy and noble in eastern countries .
Three hundred pieces of silver Silver shekels are doubtless intended, weighed and not coined; amounting to about nine and one half pounds .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘To all of them he gave each man changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. And to his father he sent the following, ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and victuals for his father by the way.’
Joseph piles gifts on his family. Each brother receives a full outfit of clothing, but Benjamin his full brother gets five outfits and three hundred pieces of silver. As we have seen ‘five’ is the Egyptian number of completeness. We can compare how, in the account of Wen-Amon’s mission to the King of Biblos, among the presents sent to the king by the Egyptian ruler Smendes were five suits of garments of excellent upper Egyptian linen, and five pieces of the same linen.
But for his father he sends ten ass-loads of gifts as well as ten she-ass loads of provisions. These will help to convince his father of the truth of what he hears.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 45:22. Toeach man changes of raiment St. Jerome renders it, two robes, binas stolas; and the Syriac, a pair of garments, which seems the true interpretation. Great part of the riches of the ancients consisted in changes of raiment, as well as in money; whence it became a custom to present changes of raiment either for honour or reward, Jdg 14:13. 2Ki 5:5. Luk 15:22. Horace mentions no less than five thousand robes in the possession of one Roman, lib. i. epis. vi. ver. 43. The guests at weddings usually were presented with, and appeared in, these garments; which explains Mat 22:11. And the custom of keeping so many of these garments is referred to by St. James, your riches are corrupted, and your garments, preserved in your wardrobes, are moth-eaten, Jam 5:2.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver, and five changes of raiment.
Ver. 22. But to Benjamin he gave, &c. ] God gives his best blessings to his Benjamins. “He is the Saviour of all men, but specially of them that believe.” 1Ti 4:10 “The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind, the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down”; – these are common favours: but behold a better thing; – “the Lord loveth the righteous.” Psa 146:8 This is more than all the rest. Outward things God gives to the wicked also, but as Joseph put his cup into their sack to pick a quarrel with them; or at best, as he gave them here change of raiment, to show his general love to them: but three hundred silverlings and five suits none but a Benjamin shall have the honour and favour of. Artabazus, in Xenophon, complained, when Cyrus had given him a cup of gold, and Chrysantas a kiss, in token of his special respect and love, saying, that the cup that he gave him was not so good gold as the kiss that he gave Chrysantas. When David said to Ziba, “All is thine that pertained to Mephibosheth”; Ziba answereth, “I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight.” 2Sa 16:4 As who should say, I had rather have the king’s favour than the lands. Valde protestatus sum, said Luther, me nolle sic ab eo satiari. He would not be put off with lands and large offers. And Moses would not hear of an angel to go along with them. He would have God himself, or none. Exo 33:12-17 The blessings that come “out of Sion,” are choice, peculiar, even above any that come out of “heaven and earth.” Psa 134:3
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he gave. Compare Gen 43:34.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
To all: It is a common custom with all the Asiatic sovereigns to give both garments and money to ambassadors and persons of distinction, whom they particularly wish to honour. De la Motraye says, “that they then clothed them – the ambassadorswith caffetans – long vests of gold or silver brocadewith large silk flowers.”
each: Jdg 14:12, Jdg 14:19, 2Ki 5:5, 2Ki 5:22, 2Ki 5:23, Rev 6:11
to Benjamin: Gen 43:34
Reciprocal: 1Sa 1:5 – a worthy portion Pro 31:21 – scarlet