And the famine [was] sore in the land. Ver. 1. _And the famine was sore in the land._] In the Promised Land. Hold out faith and patience. _Os quod in sorte tua cecidit, rodas:_ Bear thy cross, and be content. _a_ a Drus., _in Adag._... [ Continue Reading ]
_And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food._ Ver. 2. _Buy us a little food._] They had learned to live with a little, which is a great skill; nature is content with a little, grace with less.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother [be] with you._ Ver. 3. _Ye shall not see my face, &c._] No acceptation without Benjamin, that son of sorrow: so, neither with God, without sound repentance. This is the ra... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: Ver. 4. _And buy thee food,_] q.d., Thou art as much concerned as any of us, and more; because thou art master of the family.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye [so] ill with me, [as] to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? Ver. 6. _And Israel said, &c._] Here he begins to outwrestle his fears, by resting upon God; and is therefore called Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, [Is] your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? Ver. 7. _Could we certainly know, &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, [and] also our little ones. Ver. 8. _Send the lad._] A large lad, that was thirty years old, and had ten children. But he is so called, because the youngest son o... [ Continue Reading ]
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: Ver. 9. _I will be surety for him._] Herein he was a type of Christ, that came of him, who is both our surety to God, for the discharge of our deb... [ Continue Reading ]
For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time. Ver. 10. _For except we had lingered, &c._] In the words of God there is not any hyperbole to be found. In the words of men, related by the Scripture, if we meet with such kind of expressions as this and that in John 21:25, it... [ Continue Reading ]
And their father Israel said unto them, If [it must be] so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: Ver. 11. _If it must be so now, &c._] Perplexity is blind and untr... [ Continue Reading ]
_And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry [it] again in your hand; peradventure it [was] an oversight:_ Ver. 12. _And take double money._] _Invaluerat enim fames, _ Gen 43:1 ideoque annonae pretium auctum erat, saith Junius. It went... [ Continue Reading ]
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: Ver. 13. _Take also your brother._] Since there is no other remedy. But if I could otherwise do, he should never go. God doeth us good sometimes against our wills, and crosseth us with a blessing. The heathens could pray thus - “Great God,... [ Continue Reading ]
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved [of my children], I am bereaved. Ver. 14. _And God Almighty give you mercy._] Heb., Give you bowels, the seat of mercy. Here God not only grants Jacob's prayer, but fulfils his c... [ Continue Reading ]
And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. Ver. 15. _Double money in their hand._] Both that they met with in their sacks' mouths, and new money to buy more.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring [these] men home, and slay, and make ready; for [these] men shall dine with me at noon. Ver. 16. _Slay, and make ready._] Heb., _Slay a slaughter_ of beasts, as at feasts is usual. _Quaere nunc cur subito moriamur?_ sa... [ Continue Reading ]
And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. Ver. 17. _And the man did as Joseph bade._] Things then go well within doors, when the hands take counsel of the head, the servants of their master, and are active to execute.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. Ver. 18. _And the men were... [ Continue Reading ]
And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, Ver. 19. _And they came near._] _See Trapp on "_ Gen 43:20 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: Ver. 20. _O sir, we came indeed, &c._] We must not lie wretchlessly under suspicion of dishonesty; but carefully clear ourselves, as there is opportunity.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, [every] man's money [was] in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. Ver. 21. Every man's money.] This made their hearts even ready to go out of their mouths, as t... [ Continue Reading ]
And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. Ver. 22. _We cannot tell._]... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Peace [be] to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them. Ver. 23. _Peace be to you, fear not._] "The feeble minded" must be "comforted"; 1Th 5:14 not crushed, or cashiered, as the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave [them] water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. Ver. 24. _Washed their feet._] _See Trapp on "_ Gen 18:4 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there. Ver. 25. _And they made ready the present._] For, "a man's gift makes room for him, and bringeth him before great men." Pro 18:16 So it doth also before God, who looks for "a present," Psa... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which [was] in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. Ver. 26. _And bowed themselves to him._] In their father's name, as well as their own. Gen 43:28 And here Joseph's dream Gen 37:9 was accomplished.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he asked them of [their] welfare, and said, [Is] your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? [Is] he yet alive? Ver. 27. _And he asked them of their welfare._] Heb., Of their peace; which is a comprehensive, voluminous mercy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they answered, Thy servant our father [is] in good health, he [is] yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. Ver. 28. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 43:26 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, [Is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. Ver. 29. _God be gracious unto thee, my son._] Governors should temper clemency with severity, so as to be a... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought [where] to weep; and he entered into [his] chamber, and wept there. Ver. 30. _And Joseph made haste, &c._] He hid his affection, as a wise and valiant man, till he had once more beaten vehemently upon their guilty consc... [ Continue Reading ]
And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. Ver. 31. _Set on bread._] Which the Latins call _panis_ of παν, either because all covet it, or because whatever else the cheer be, men always set on bread. _a_ a Isidor., lib. xx.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that [is] an abomination unto the Egyptians. Ver. 32. _Because the Egyptians might not eat, &c._] Such was th... [ Continue Reading ]
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. _Ver 33. And they sat before him, &c._] He marshalled them in their right rank and degree; and this amazed them. He made them an absolute feast, such as... [ Continue Reading ]
And he took [and sent] messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him. Ver. 34. _And he took and sent messes._] So did Cyrus in Xenophon, to such as he favoured. But Benjamin's mess, &c.] Love will creep where... [ Continue Reading ]