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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Genesis 42:18-26

The second Interview

18. for I fear God See notes on Genesis 20:3; Genesis 20:11; Genesis 22:12; Genesis 39:9. Cf. Leviticus 25:43; Nehemiah 5:15. Joseph reassures his brethren by representing to them that the potentate of Egypt is one who recognizes the universal Divine law of right and wrong. He fears God, who protects the stranger and the defenceless. Perhaps there is a reference to his brothers" disregard of this fear of God in their former treatment of himself. He, in his treatment of them, has before his eyes the fear of God.

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See also Genesis 42:18-26 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 42:18. _I FEAR GOD_] את האלהים אני ירא _eth haelohim ani yare_, literally translated the passage runs thus, _I also fear the gods_; but the emphatic ה _ha_ is probably added by Joseph,...

  • 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;...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR I FEAR GOD— As much as to say, I am influenced by a religious principle, though you might not expect it, in my place and station; and, as so influenced, cannot be guilty either of injustice or cru...

  • 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 HE PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER INTO WARD THREE DAYS._ Put them all together into ward three days. Their confinement had been designed to bring them to salutary reflection. And this object was attained...

  • 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

    I FEAR GOD] 'and so will not punish on mere suspicion' (D.)....

  • 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

    I FEAR GOD (ELOHIM). — By the use of the name Elohim they would understand that he worshipped the same God as they did. For though he may himself have used the Egyptian word for the supreme Deity, yet...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֤ם יֹוסֵף֙ בַּ † יֹּ֣ום...

  • 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

    SIMEON HELD; THE OTHERS SENT HOME Genesis 42:18 The behavior of this great Egyptian official-for so the brethren deemed him-must have seemed very hard and tyrannical to the trembling shepherds from t...

  • 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...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; [for] I (e) fear God: (e) And therefore am true and just....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _God. I shall do nothing contrary to justice or good faith, as I know I have a superior in heaven, to whom I must give an account. (Menochius)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Observe, in this verse, the effects of conscience: see that scripture: Romans 2:15. Observe the conscious sense of merited punishment also: therefore (say they) is this distress come upon us. Sinners...

  • 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 SAID UNTO THEM THE THIRD DAY,.... His heart yearning towards them, though he put on such an appearance; finding they could not come to an agreement among themselves who should go on the err...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; [for] I fear God: Ver. 18. _And Joseph said unto them the third day._] So God, "after two days, will receive his; in the third day he will...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For I fear God_ This was a very encouraging word unto them. It is as if he had said, You may assure yourselves I will do you no wrong; I dare not, for I know that, as high as I am, there is one highe...

  • 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 said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:...

  • 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

    I will spare your lives, and not punish you with death as spies, and you shall carry provisions, that your family also may live; FOR I FEAR GOD, and therefore will not be cruel to you, nor to your bro...

  • 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 42:18 Joseph H3130 said H559 (H8799) third H7992 day H3117 Do H6213 (H8798) live H2421 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this, and live, for I fear God. If you are true men let one of your brothers be put in custody in your prison house, but you go and carry corn for the famin...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    FEAR (_ See Scofield) - (Psalms 19:9). _...

  • 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

    _For I fear God_ THE FEAR OF GOD 1. The first impression which the human mind receives from the conviction of an over-ruling Power, is that of fear. It is a moral impression. It is made upon the co...

  • 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 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

    I fear God. Genesis 20:11 Leviticus 25:43 Nehemiah 5:9 Nehemiah 5:15 Luke

  • 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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