Genesis 43:11

Verse Genesis 43:11. Carry down the man a present] From the very earliest times presents were used as means of introduction to great men. This is particularly noticed by Solomon: A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men, Proverbs 18:16. But what was the present brought to Joseph on this occasion? After all the labour of commentators, we are obliged to be contented with probabilities and conjecture. According to our translation, the gifts were balm, honey, spices, myrrh, nuts, and almonds.

Balm] צרי tsori is supposed to signify resin in general, or some kind of gum issuing from trees.

Honey] דבש debash has been supposed to be the same as the rob of grapes, called in Egypt dibs. Others think that honey, in the common sense of the term, is to be understood here: we know that honey was plentiful in Palestine.

Spices] נכאת nechoth is supposed to mean gum storax, which might be very valuable on account of its qualities as a perfume.

Myrrh] לט lot, supposed by some to mean stacte; by others to signify an ointment made of myrrh.

Nuts] בטנים botnim, by some rendered pistachio nuts, those produced in Syria being the finest in the world; by others, dates; others, walnuts; others, pine apples; others, the nuts of the terebinth tree.

Almonds] שקדים shekedim, correctly enough translated, and perhaps the only article in the collection of which we know any thing with certainty. It is generally allowed that the land of Canaan produces the best almonds in the east; and on this account they might be deemed a very acceptable present to the governor of Egypt. Those who wish to see this subject exhausted must have recourse to the Physica Sacra of Scheuehzer.