Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 45:26
And told him, saying, Joseph [is] yet alive, and he [is] governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.
26. his heart fainted ] Lit. “became numb or cold”; as we should say, “his heart stood still’ at the news. It was too good to be true.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 26. Jacob’s heart fainted] Probably the good news so overpowered him as to cast him into a swoon. He believed them not-he thought it was too good news to be true; and though it occasioned his swooning, yet on his recovery he could not fully credit it. See a similar case, Lu 24:41.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Jacobs heart fainted, or, was weakened, or failed, he fell into a swoon, as it is ordinary, because of the greatness and suddenness of the news, and the conflict of contrary and violent passions, raised hereby; grief at the remembrance of his former loss, and excessive joy for Josephs recovery and felicity; hope that this might be true, and fear lest it should be but a fiction of theirs: any one of these passions are able to cause a fainting of the spirits, but much more when all meet together, especially in an aged person.
He believed them not; partly because of the greatness, and strangeness, and desirableness of the thing; compare Psa 126:1; and partly because they were by this very relation convicted of one lie about Joseph, in saying that he was dead, and therefore might easily be thought guilty of another.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And told him,…. What had happened to them in Egypt:
saying, Joseph [is] yet alive; who was thought by him and them to have been dead long ago:
and he [is] governor over all the land of Egypt; deputy governor, and had such power and authority that nothing was done without his order; the executive power or administration of government was put into his hands, and all the officers of the kingdom were under him, he was next to Pharaoh:
and Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not; it was too great and too good news to be true; though it was desirable, it was unexpected; it amazed him, he knew not what to think, or say or believe about it; there was such a conflict of the passions in him, that he could not compose himself, or reason with himself about it; and what might serve the more to hinder his belief of it was, that this report of theirs was contrary to what they themselves had before related of his death; and very likely upon the mention of the thing he fell into a swoon, and was not himself for a while; and when he came a little to himself, they went on with their account, as follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
26. And Jacob’s heart fainted. We know that some persons have fainted with sudden and unexpected joy. Therefore, certain interpreters suppose that the heart of Jacob was, in a sense, suffocated, as if seized by a kind of ecstatic stupor. But Moses assigns a different cause; namely, that not having confidence in his sons, he was agitated between hope and fear. And we know, that they who are held in suspense, by hearing some incredible message, are struck with torpor, as if they were lifeless. It was not, therefore, a simple affection of joy, but a certain mingled perturbation which shook the mind of Jacob. Therefore, Moses shortly after says, that his spirit revived; when he, having returned to himself, and being composed in mind, believed that which he had heard to be true. And he shows that his love towards Joseph had not languished through length of time, inasmuch as he set no value upon his own life, except so far as it would permit him to enjoy a sight of Joseph. He had before assigned to himself continual sorrow, even to the grave; but now he declares that he shall have a joyful death.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) Jacobs heart fainted.Heb., grew cold. This was not the effect of incredulity or suspicion, but of surprise. Jacob, crushed by the loss of the child who had taken the place of his beloved Rachel in his heart, had nothing left to interest him except Benjamin. When, therefore, the news come that Joseph still lives, his mind cannot open itself to receive the joyful tidings, and their first effect is to chill him with a renewed sense of his loss. It is only when he sees the wagons, and other clear proofs of the fact, that life returns to his benumbed faculties, and he becomes capable of joy.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Jacob’s heart fainted Gesenius (Lex . , on ) renders: “ But his heart was cold, did not warm with joy, was not moved . ” The news was too great and surprising for the aged patriarch to believe . Pressing grief, and mistrust and suspicion of his sons also, helped to beget this chill of unbelief in Jacob’s heart .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 45:26. Jacob’s heart fainted The Vulgate, and some others, render this passage, Jacob awoke, as it were, out of a dead sleep, yet he believed them not. The particle ki, rendered for in our version of the Bible, often signifies but, but yet, or although: and thus the meaning of the passage is, that though Jacob did not perfectly believe, or had not heard enough to be sufficiently confirmed in the belief of their words; yet the very hearing of Joseph’s being yet alive, whom he thought so long dead, gave such a sudden shock to his blood and animal spirits, and poured in such a tide of joy upon his heart, as quite overpowered the venerable patriarch, and made him fall into a swoon. That sudden transports of joy, as well as other passions, will produce this effect, is well known from experience. Le Clerc quotes a remarkable instance out of Aulus Gellius. “After the battle of Cannae, in which the Roman army was cut to pieces, an ancient mother, hearing that her son was slain, pined with grief and melancholy; but the report proved false, and the youth returned not long after to Rome. The mother, struck with the sudden sight of him, was so overpowered with the fulness of unexpected joy which rushed in upon her, that she swooned away and died.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 27:3Psa 27:3 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 45:26 And told him, saying, Joseph [is] yet alive, and he [is] governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.
Ver. 26. Joseph is yet alive. ] This was the most joyful news that ever Jacob heard, and the sincerest pleasure that ever he had; which therefore God reserves for his age. How did his good heart, after he had recollected himself, dance Levaltoes in his bosom, to hear of Joseph’s honour, but especially of his life! What shall ours do, when we see Christ in his kingdom!
Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.] They had told him a tale before; and he that once hath cracked his credit is hardly, after, believed. Besides, he thought the news was too good to be true. Tarda solet magnis rebus inesse fides. The joy of heaven is so great, that we must “enter into it”; it cannot enter into us. “Enter into the joy of thy Lord.” Mat 25:21
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jacob’s. Hebrew his. Compare Gen 45:28.
fainted = began to cease beating. Compare Jacob’s fainting, with Israel’s “strength”, Gen 45:28. Gen 45:27 spirit. Hebrew. ruach, put by Metonymy (OF Cause), lor its manifestations. See App-9.
Jacob. Note this name connected with unbelief (Gen 45:20) and weakness, and
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joseph: Luk 24:34
and he is: Gen 45:8, Gen 45:9, Psa 105:21
And Jacob’s: Heb. And his, Gen 37:35, Gen 42:36, Gen 42:38, Gen 44:28, Jon 2:7
he believed: Job 9:16, Job 29:24, Psa 126:1, Luk 24:11, Luk 24:41
Reciprocal: Gen 41:40 – Thou shalt Gen 41:43 – ruler Gen 42:6 – governor Gen 42:13 – one is not Gen 48:11 – I had not Act 9:41 – widows Act 12:9 – wist not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 45:26. They told him Probably without any preamble; Joseph is yet alive The very mention of Josephs name revived his sorrow, so that his heart fainted, and it was a good while before he came to himself. He was in such care and fear about the rest of them, that at this time it would have been joy enough to him to hear that Simeon was released, and Benjamin come safe home; for he had been ready to despair concerning them both; but to hear that Joseph was alive was too good news to be true; he faints, for he believes it not.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
45:26 And told him, saying, Joseph [is] yet alive, and he [is] governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart {h} fainted, for he believed them not.
(h) As one between hope and fear.