Chapter 43

1 Jacob is hardly persuaded to send Benjamin. 15 Joseph entertaineth his brethren. 31 He maketh them a feast.

2. Go again. When the grain brought from Egypt had all been consumed, and the continued drought brought no relief from famine, Jacob called upon his sons to return to Egypt for “a little food.” The sons themselves were not taking the initiative; they knew the uselessness of returning without Benjamin, and the apparent impossibility of changing their father’s mind. Judah, becoming spokesman for the others, firmly maintained that they would not go unless Benjamin should accompany them, since the Egyptian lord had solemnly declared that they should not see his face without their youngest brother. Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, was spokesman upon this occasion because Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son, had already been refused, Simeon was in an Egyptian prison, and Levi had probably forfeited his father’s confidence as a result of his treachery against the Shechemites (ch. 34).

6. Wherefore dealt ye so ill? To the father’s reproachful question, why they had informed the Egyptian viceroy about Benjamin, they replied in self-defense that they had been guilty of no slip of the tongue. How could they have known that such a question would become a source of trouble later on? Though Joseph’s questions concerning their family do not appear in the preceding narrative (ch. 42:13, 22), it is apparent that that information had been supplied in answer to a direct inquiry. In pleading before Joseph in behalf of Benjamin, Judah later reminded him of having asked just such a question (ch. 44:19).

9. I will be surety. Judah repeated then the unavoidable condition for returning to Egypt, hinting at death by famine as the only alternative. He would personally accept responsibility for Benjamin’s safe return. What more could he, or any of them, do? The nobility of character so conspicuous in Judah’s language is illustrated later in his pathetic pleading before Joseph (ch. 44:18–34). A great change must have taken place in his character since the incidents recorded in chs. 37, 38.

11. If it must be. After the eloquent plea of Judah, whose logic was irrefutable, Jacob submitted to the inevitable. Now that he was reconciled to Benjamin’s going, Jacob set about doing everything within his power that might contribute to the success of the journey. The present he suggested was to be of the choice products of the country, ones that were highly valued in Egypt (see on ch. 37:25).

A little honey. That this was probably not bee “honey” appears from the fact that honey was abundant in Egypt. A small quantity of bee honey from Palestine would not have been considered a respectable gift, even by the giver. More likely, it was grape honey, prepared by boiling grape juice or new wine down to a half or a third of its original volume. The Greeks called it hepsema, “the boiled matter.” It is still imported into Egypt from the Hebron region of Palestine.

Nuts. This fruit, the oblong nut of the Pistacia vera, is mentioned in the Bible only this once. It has an oily kernel and is considered a choice delicacy by Orientals.

Almonds. The almond tree is called shaqed, “the watcher,” from the verb shaqad, “to be sleepless,” “to be awake,” “to watch.” It is the first of all the trees to blossom in the spring. Though it flourished in Syria and Palestine, this tree seems not to have been known in ancient Egypt.

12. Double money. Since the amount paid for the first lot of grain had been returned, Jacob advised his sons to take a double amount of money back to Egypt, to pay for the grain procured previously and for food to be bought on this trip. Although Jacob had feared that the return of the money might be interpreted falsely in Egypt (ch. 42:35), he expressed hope that it might have been done by mistake.

14. If I be bereaved. Before their departure, the aged patriarch blessed his ten sons and expressed confidence that God would give them mercy before the ruler of Egypt. The word translated “mercy” means, literally, “bowels,” and refers to the abdomen, considered anciently the seat of the affections and emotions. Though Jacob expressed faith in God’s protection, his very next statement reveals uncertainty as to whether God could bless his reprobate sons. They were an unpredictable lot, and might be counted on to get into trouble even where none might otherwise exist. In a spirit of resignation he acquiesced to the divine will, whatever it might be.

16. When Joseph saw Benjamin. Inasmuch as Joseph had charged them with being spies, there was no way of by-passing him and getting the desired corn from a lesser official. Joseph had probably issued an order to have them brought to him personally as soon as they should return to Egypt. Whatever may have been the procedure required of foreigners, especially of Jacob’s sons, the ten brothers soon found themselves once more in the presence of the dreaded lord of the land. Seeing the men, Joseph gave orders for them to be taken to his private residence and a meal prepared for them, literally, “to slaughter a slaughtering.” Egyptian reliefs reveal that beef and geese constituted the rich man’s usual fare in Egypt, and that considerable quantities of meat were served at meals when visitors were entertained.

18. The men were afraid. Joseph’s brothers were more deeply alarmed than ever upon discovering that they were to be taken to Joseph’s house. They may not have understood Joseph’s order, which had been given in Egyptian, and when they arrived at his official residence and were bidden to enter, they expected to be put into slavery, under indictment for theft. In an effort to avert what they feared, they approached the steward at the door, explaining how they had found the money in their sacks and that they were prepared to repay it. There is no need to assume a discrepancy between the record of the occurrence as given in ch. 42:27, 28 and as repeated here. It is possible that all had opened their sacks at the “inn,” but that only one had discovered his money at that time. It is inconceivable that the entire group had taken back only ten sacks of grain to feed their animals and their families for a period of several months.

23. I had your money. The steward, who apparently knew of Joseph’s plans, calmed them with the reassurance that their money had reached him, and that the reappearance of their money was to be explained as an act of God. As if to banish all their fears, he brought Simeon to them, and with true Oriental courtesy treated them as guests, giving them water for washing their feet and feeding their beasts of burden.

26. When Joseph came home. Joseph may have been busy on some important matter when his brothers arrived, and could not give them his attention just then. Or, more likely, his plans were already well laid, and he did not wish to see them until the time designated. Upon Joseph’s return, they handed him their present with the most reverential obeisance, unwittingly fulfilling the dreams of Joseph that had incited their intense hatred for him.

29. Saw his brother. When his eyes fell upon Benjamin, his brother by his own mother, Joseph went through the form of inquiring as to his identity—had the men actually fulfilled the required conditions?

30. His bowels did yearn. This was the second occasion on which Joseph was overcome with emotion, the first having been when his brothers spoke of their cruelty toward himself (ch. 42:21). Now it was the sight of his own brother, whom he had not seen for 22 long years, that stirred his emotions. The expression “did yearn” reads literally, “were becoming warm,” that is, due to the intensity of his love (see on v. 14). Since he desired to test the attitude of his brothers toward Benjamin, he was not yet ready to make himself known to them, and withdrew hastily lest he be unable to carry his plan through to its logical conclusion. At the meal, where they might be expected to converse freely, he would have an excellent opportunity to discern their attitude. Regaining his poise, he washed his face, rejoined his brothers, and ordered dinner served.

32. For him by himself. A separate table was prepared for him, for his brothers, and for the Egyptians who dined with him. He ate separately either because of his high position or because his Egyptian entourage would not eat with him, an Asiatic, for the same reason they would not eat with Joseph’s brothers. The ancient Egyptians were always particular in the matter of association with foreigners. They considered themselves to be the highest class of human beings. They called themselves “people,” whereas all others were more or less barbarians, creatures standing between them and the animal world. The aversion to foreigners revealed itself strikingly in the matter of eating. The Hebrews, for example, slaughtered and ate animals that were regarded by the Egyptians as sacred. According to the account of Herodotus (ii. 41), no Egyptian would use the knife, or fork, or saucepan of a Greek, nor would he eat of the flesh of a clean animal that had been cut up with a Grecian knife.

33. The men marvelled. Discovering their arrangement at the table according to age, the men looked at one another with amazement, convinced that this august official had been supernaturally advised as to their ages.

34. Five times. To honor the men, special servings were brought them from Joseph’s table. To show Benjamin special honor, Joseph sent him choice cuts five times larger than those sent the others. Benjamin was the guest of honor. The custom of showing respect to distinguished guests by giving them the largest and best pieces appears in other ancient records (see 1 Sam. 9:23, 24; Homer Iliad vii. 321; viii. 162; Herodotus vi. 57). Joseph sought to test his brothers that he might discover their real feelings toward Benjamin, and thus toward himself. He desired to see whether they envied and hated their youngest brother on account of his maternity, as they had formerly envied Joseph.

Ellen G. White comments

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