Genesis 43:34

Genesis 43:34

32 So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the ^aHebrews, for that is ^ban abomination to the Egyptians.

33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his ^abirthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another.

34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was ^afive times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Commentaries:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

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took and sent messes . . . Benjamin's mess was five times—In Egypt, as in other Oriental countries, there were, and are, two modes of paying attention to a guest whom the host wishes to honor—either by giving a choice piece from his own hand, or ordering it to be taken to the stranger. The degree of respect shown consists in the quantity, and while the ordinary rule of distinction is a double mess, it must have appeared a very distinguished mark of favor bestowed on Benjamin to have no less than five times any of his brethren.

they drank, and were merry with him—Hebrew, "drank freely" (same as Song of Solomon 5:1; John 2:10). In all these cases the idea of intemperance is excluded. The painful anxieties and cares of Joseph's brethren were dispelled, and they were at ease.

**Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Genesis 43:34:**

Genesis 43:31
Genesis 45:23
1 Samuel 1:4
1 Samuel 9:24
Isaiah 19:18-22

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Genesis 44:1 >>

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