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Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Genesis 42:8

‘And Joseph knew his brothers but they did not know him.'

There was no way in which they would have recognised him. He was dressed in the dignity of his office, with his hair and sumptuous clothing in the Egyptian style, and he was now a mature man changed by the course of years and what he had been forced to go through. Moreover he spoke to them through interpreters and they would not dare to look at him closely but would do so with bowed heads.

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See also Genesis 42:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Joseph and Ten of His Brethren 1. שׁבר _sheber_, “fragment, crumb, hence, grain.” בר _bar_ “pure,” “winnowed,” hence, “corn” (grain). 6. שׁליט _shallı̂yṭ_, “ruler, governor, hence,” Sultan. Not e...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 42 THE FIRST VISIT OF JOSEPH'S BRETHREN _ 1. Joseph's brethren sent to Egypt (Genesis 42:1)_ 2. Joseph meets his brethren (Genesis 42:6) 3. Put in prison for three days (Genesis 42:17) 4....

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 42. JOSEPH'S BROTHERS COME TO EGYPT TO BUY CORN, AND UNWITTINGLY ENCOUNTER JOSEPH. The greater part is taken from E, but Genesis 42:2; Genesis 42:4_ b_, Genesis 42:5;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The first Interview with Joseph 6. _governor_ The late, and not very common, word here used in the Hebrew (_shâlît_) denotes the position of "Grand Vizier 1 [59] [59] On the "Grand Vizier" of Egypt,...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THEY KNEW NOT HIM— Every thing concurred to conceal Joseph from them; the alteration of his person; his dress; his state; and, above all, their having no apprehension of meeting him....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    3. _Joseph as Prime Minister of Egypt_ (Genesis 41:46 to Genesis 47:31) 46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND JOSEPH KNEW HIS BRETHREN, BUT THEY KNEW NOT HIM._ Joseph saw his brethren ... they knew not him. This is not wonderful. They were full-grown men-he was but a lad at parting. They were in their u...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE FIRST VISIT OF JOSEPH'S BRETHREN TO EGYPT 1. When Jacob saw] The caravans which travelled from Egypt to Syria would bring the news to Hebron....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Joseph, now a middle-aged man, was dressed as an Egyptian, and spoke in Egyptian through an interpreter (Genesis 42:23). His brethren, on the other hand, would not have changed in appearance....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    There were many reasons why the brothers did not recognise Joseph. These are some of the reasons. • They believed that Joseph was dead. • Joseph had shaved his beard off. • Joseph spoke in the Egyp...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 42 JACOB SENDS HIS SONS TO EGYPT V1 Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt. So he said to his sons, ‘You look at each other and you do nothing...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    JOSEPH KNEW. — As this is twice repeated, some suppose that Joseph (in Genesis 42:7) had only a suspicion, from their dress and appearance, that these Canaanites were his brethren; but that when they...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יַּכֵּ֥ר יֹוסֵ֖ף אֶת ־אֶחָ֑יו וְ הֵ֖ם

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    VISITS OF JOSEPH'S BRETHREN Genesis 42:1; Genesis 43:1; Genesis 44:1 "Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good."-...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JOSEPH SEES HIS TEN BROTHERS Genesis 42:1 The true interpretation of Joseph's treatment of his brethren is to be found in the supposition that he repeated toward them, as nearly as possible, the beha...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    According to the foretelling of Joseph in interpreting Pharaoh's dreams, the famine came; but through Joseph's executive ability Egypt was provided with corn sufficient not only for its own needs, but...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    JOSEPH'S BROTHERS BOW BEFORE HIM Jacob heard of the great supply of grain in Egypt. He sent the ten older brothers to buy grain to sustain them. As the grand vizier, Joseph had complete control over t...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    By them. Years and change of situation, had made such an alteration in him. God was pleased that Jacob should remain so long ignorant of his son's fate, that, by sorrow, he might do penance, and purif...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    No doubt this remembrance was a gracious remembrance. Joshua 23:14....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 42 THROUGH 47. At the same time another scene presents itself. His brethren, who had rejected him, forced by famine, are brought, by the path of repentance an...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND JOSEPH KNEW HIS BRETHREN, BUT THEY KNEW NOT HIM. It being about twenty two years since they saw him, and then he was young, and his beard not grown, as now it was; and besides, he was clothed as a...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him._ Ver. 8. _But they knew not him._] As being now altered in stature, voice, visage, his present pomp, and haply also, by his former imprisonment a...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iacob sendeth his ten sonnes to buy corne in Egypt. 6 They are imprisoned by Ioseph for spies. 18 They are set at libertie, on condition to bring Beniamin. 21 They haue remorse for Ioseph. 24 Si...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    In Prison as Spies...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SIXTH SECTION _Retributive Discipline. The Famine and the First Journey to Egypt. Joseph’s struggles with himself. The repentance of the Brethren. Joseph and Simeon._ GENESIS 42:1-38. 1Now when Jaco...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB SENDS HIS SONS TO EGYPT The famine reaches to Jacob's land. God makes him and his sons to feel the distress of famine until they hear that Egypt has an abundance of food that is available for s...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-20 Joseph was hard upon his brethren, not from a spirit of revenge, but to bring them to repentance. Not seeing his brother Benjamin, he suspected that they had made away with him, and he gave them...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Because his visage was much altered by his beard, and by other things, it being about twenty years since they saw him; and his Egyptian language, and habit, and carriage, together with the great digni...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    On which we shall dwell more particularly. There is not in scripture a more perfect and beautiful type of Christ than Joseph. Whether we view Christ as the object of the Father's love, the object of t...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 42:8 Joseph H3130 recognized H5234 (H8686) brothers H251 recognize H5234 (H8689) but they knew - Lu

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Joseph preserves his brethren from the famine. CHARACTERS: Jacob, Joseph, brothers. CONCLUSION: Times of testing await those who are guilty and often prove the effectual means of awakening...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 42:4. _Benjamin._ Jacob wished to reserve him to be heir of the blessing instead of Joseph, who he thought was dead. Hence he let the ten go, for it is highly probable that the Egyptians would...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him_ THE BETRAYERS CONFRONTED WITH THE BETRAYED I. AN INSTANCE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. II. A PREPARATION FOR GRACE. III. A FORESHADOWING OF GRACE. (_St....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt_ PROVIDENCE WORKING IN MEN’S LIVES I. The story of Joseph is a good example of what is meant by Providence working for the best in the lives of m...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 42:1 Shortage of food in Canaan forces Jacob to send his sons to Egypt, but Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother, remains at home, for Jacob fears losing him, too. When Joseph en...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 42:6 About 20 years have passed since his brothers last saw Joseph. While Joseph recognizes them, they do not know who he is. BOWED THEMSELVES BEFORE HIM. Joseph interprets the...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 42:6. Governor.] “The word rendered governor, _Shalit_, is, except here, said to be only found in the books contemporary with and following the Captivity. _Salatis_ is given...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 42:1 NOW WHEN JACOB SAW—literally, _and Jacob saw, i.e._ perceived by the preparations of others for buying corn in Egypt (Lange), but more probably learnt by the report which othe...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    The Pharaoh in Egypt had had two dreams with similarities because they had one interpretation. The first dream involved the seven fat cows grazing by the river and seven lean cows rising up and eating...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    but they knew. Luke 24:16 John 20:14 John 21:4...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN Genesis 42:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS As we enter the Genesis 42:1 of Genesis we find Jacob and Joseph's brethren under the throes of the famine. As we see it from the Divine view...

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