BibleTools
Genesis 43:2
Compare all

Joseph’s Brothers Return with Benjamin

1 Now the famine was asevere in the land.  
2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go aback, buy us a little food.”  
3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your abrother is with you.’  
4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ”
6 And Israel said, “Why did you deal so1 wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?”  
7 But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may alive and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.  
9 I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. aIf I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.  
10 For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.”
11 And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and acarry down a present for the man—a little bbalm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.  
12 Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money athat was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.  
13 Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.
14 And may God aAlmighty bgive you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. cIf I am bereaved, I am bereaved!”  
15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went adown to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph.  
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the asteward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter1 an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.”  
17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.
18 Now the men were aafraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may1 make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.”  
19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house,
20 and said, “O sir, awe indeed came down the first time to buy food;  
21 but ait happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand.  
22 And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought aSimeon out to them.  
24 So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and agave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.  
25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.
Book Notes:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Book Notes

Genesis

GENESIS, the book of the origin or production of all things, consists of two parts: the first, comprehended in the first through eleventh chapters, gives a general history; the second, contained in the subsequent chapters, gives a special history. The two parts are essentially connected; the one, which sets out with an account of the descent of the human race from a single pair, the introduction of sin into the world, and the announcement of the scheme of divine mercy for repairing the ruins of the fall, was necessary to pave the way for relating the other, namely, the call of Abraham, and the selection of his posterity for carrying out the gracious purpose of God. An evident unity of method, therefore, pervades this book, and the information contained in it was of the greatest importance to the Hebrew people, as without it they could not have understood the frequent references made in their law to the purposes and promises of God regarding themselves. The arguments that have been already adduced as establishing the Mosaic origin of the Pentateuch prove of course that Moses was the author of Genesis. The few passages on which the rationalists grounded their assertions that it was the composition of a later age have been successfully shown to warrant no such conclusion; the use of Egyptian words and the minute acquaintance with Egyptian life and manners, displayed in the history of Joseph, harmonize with the education of Moses, and whether he received his information by immediate revelation, from tradition, or from written documents, it comes to us as the authentic work of an author who wrote as he was inspired by the Holy Ghost (II Peter 1:21).

Join 137,263+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Close
E-mail This Page