Genesis 43

Genesis 43:1

THe famine was sore] The longer it continued in time the more it increased in degree; this was a great temptation to Jacob to suffer so great a want where the Lord had promised to blesse him with abundance; see Genesis 28:13. This was the second yeare of that great famine.

Genesis 43:2

eaten up the corne] That is, when there was very little left, and after a while like to be none, without a new supply.

buy us a little food] To serve us in the famine of this present yeare, for Jacob knew not that five yeares famine were yet to come; he had a great family of sons, daughters, grand-children, and servants, which by conjecture might amount to two or three hundred, so that a great deale of corne might be held but a little in respect of so great a company; but by calling it a little he might meane in regard of the spare diet which men were to be tied unto in hard times, so that now they were to spend lesse in provision then when the Lord sent it in a greater proportion.

Genesis 43:3

not see my face] With favour or safetie to your selves, for I will apprehend you and punish you as spies, except your brother be with you.

Genesis 43:4

buy thee food] They were to buy for themselves as well as for him, and he was but one, they many, yet he saith to his father we will buy it for thee, because they went at his command, and for that the care of the whole family belonged to the father of the family.

Genesis 43:5

we will not goe] Because it will be in vaine, for otherwise we shall get no corne, and not without danger, for we are threatned if we come againe and Benjamin be not with us.

Genesis 43:8

And Iudah said] Reuben had spoken rashly without heed, and his speech was as little heeded by Jacob, as by himselfe, and so he prevailed nothing with him; Simeon, the next in age to Reuben, was kept prisoner in Egypt; Levi next to him in birth and too neere him in the blood of the Shechemites, having for that fact little acceptation with his father, either wanted heart to speake, or hope to speed, especially seeing Reubens motion was refused; Judah the next in senioritie speaking more wisely at a better opportunitie, (for now the necessitie of supply made Jacob the more willing to yeeld, what before he had denyed) obtained his consent to bring his brother Benjamin into Egypt; The way then to prevaile with an unwilling mind is to use a mediatour, who hath some gracefull acceptance with the partie to be moved, and for such a one to use prudent perswasion, and to watch the advantage of the best opportunitie to make the motion successefull.

the lad] He was now about twentie foure yeares of age, and a father of divers children, Chap. 46. 21. yet he calls him but a lad, because he was the youngest, and in his fathers affection as deare and tenderly beloved and cared for as if he were but a boy. See Annot. on Chap. 37. vers. 30. and on Chap. 22. vers. 5.

Genesis 43:10

this second time] That is, if we had not been delayed we might have made a second returne with corne by this time, that is, if thou hadst not stayed us in retaining Benjamin, we might, &c.

Genesis 43:11

If it must be so] There is no wisdome in striving with necessitie; when we cannot frame our condition to our wils, we must bring downe our wils to our condition; and it was better that one should be adventured upon some uncertaine danger, then that all the family should be left to the certaine danger of famine.

best fruits] In Hebrew, take of the melodie, musick, or singing of the earth. That is, excellent fruits, which are received with praise, and used with delight.

a present] Jacob resolving to referre the matter concerning himselfe, and his sonnes to Gods providence, doth yet use his owne prudence to speed his purpose and therefore to ingratiat them in the favour of that great Lord in Egypt (whom he knew not to be his good sonne Joseph) he sends a present, which (as Solomon sheweth) is a meanes to pacifie anger, and to obtaine favour, Proverbs 21:14. & Proverbs 18:16. & Proverbs 17:8.

a little balme, and a little honey &c.] Balme was very precious, and therefore a little of that might be a competent present, and a little honey though Canaan were said to be a Land flowing with milke, and honey, Leviticus 20:24. and in many other places, yet in a time of so great dearth, honey being of use for humane sustenance, a little of it with other things might be accepted.

spices] The Hebrew word is Nechoth, which some render by the gumme of the Balme tree; some, Waxe; some, aromatick, or odoriferous spices: others more generally, desireable things; some (as the Vulgar Latine in this place) expresse it by the word Storax, which signifieth a kind of tree, and the teare, or gum which issueth out of it, of which Diascorides writeth, lib. 1. cap. 78. & Plin. lib. 12. cap. 25.

nuts] Or, Terebinth nuts; or, nuts of the Turpentine tree; the originall word is not (as some observe) found any where, but here, in the holy Scripture.

Genesis 43:12

double money] This double money may have a double meaning; one is, that they took their money back which was found in their sacks mouthes, and money for more corne to be bought in Egypt; the other that (besides the restitution money) they tooke the price they formerly paid, and made an augmentation above that they paid before; either because the price of the corne, by the continuance of famine, was increased or the proportion was to be doubled.

carry it againe] Restore the money which you brought back unawares, for you cannot have a right both to the money, and the corne.

peradventure it was an oversight] The men, that should have received and kept the money, being busily employed with many at once, might bee mistaken, and so might you be some way or other, howsoever misreckoning is no payment, the corne being ours, the money is theirs that sold it, therefore take it with you, and restore it. Jacobs justice in bargaine condemnes the ill dealing of many, who make no conscience upon how cheape termes they get another mans goods; It is naught, it is naught, (saith the buyer) but when he is gone away then he boasteth, Proverbs 20:14. When by dispraysing the ware he hath pulled downe the price, he makes brags of his bargaine, and the seller saith as fast, It is good, it is good; and if he can scrue up the buyer to an unconscionable rate, he is as ready to boast of his gaines; but if either be mistaken to his prejudice, no restoring will be made: and yet the saying is most true, without restitution (either indeed, or in desire) there is no remission.

Genesis 43:14

God Almightie give] Our chiefe trust ought to be in God, and not in worldly meanes; the hearts of men are in his hands, Proverbs 21:1. And though it be a point of prudence to doe what we can to winne them, yet it is a part of piety to repose our confidence in Gods mercy to us, and in the mercies of men but as by his meanes.

If I be bereaved] He speaketh these words not so much in despaire, as to make his sonnes more carefull to bring againe their brother; and withall to expresse his resolution to referre the matter to Gods providence, whatsoever became of him, or his; as Esther did, when, purposing to put her selfe upon the Kings displeasure for her peoples safetie, she said, If I perish, I perish, Esther 4:16.

Genesis 43:18

were afraid] See Annot. on Chap. 42. 5: 28.

that he may seeke an occasion] Guilty persons are very suspicios, and are as injurious many times to well meaning minds, by their mistrusts, as by their injurious dealing. See 1 Samuel 17. vers. 28.

Genesis 43:21

every ones money was] See Annot. on Chap. 42. vers. 27.

full weight] See Annot. on Chap. 23. 5: 16.

Genesis 43:23

your God, and the God] This being the speech of Josephs Steward, it appeareth that notwithstanding the corruption of Egypt, yet Joseph taught his family to feare God.

hath given you treasure] The good we receive from men is to be ascribed to the goodnesse of God.

I had your money] I acknowledge the receit of it, there was no theft nor fault in you.

Genesis 43:24

washed their feet] See Annot. on Chap. 18. 5: 4.

Genesis 43:29

saw—Benjamin] He saw him before, but he would not seem to take any especiall notice of him; now he professedly set his eyes upon him, speaking both of him and to him in an affectionate manner.

to thee my sonne] Joseph called Benjamin his sonne as he was a father in the Civill state, Chap. 45. vers. 8. So are they that are Governours in the Common-wealth, to whom honour is due under the title of fathers, under the fifth Commandement.

Genesis 43:30

his bowels did yerne] (1 Kings 3:26.) The worthiest persons are most tender-hearted, as being likest unto God. See Jeremiah 31:20.

Genesis 43:32

for him by himselfe] There were three tables at least in the roome, one and the chiefe for Joseph as Viceroy to Pharaoh; another for his eleven brethren; and a third for the Nobles of Egypt invited by Joseph to the feast; so that they dined together in respect of the roome, not together in respect of the tables.

ate bread] Bread is put for all things that are served in at a meale, or feast: See Annot. on Chap. 31. 54. It might seeme strange for so great a man as Joseph to entertaine strangers of no higher ranke then his brethren seemed to be, in that manner; but Josephs wisdome was such, and so well knowne, that most would conceive he had some good reason for it though they knew it not.

abomination unto the Egyptians] Not onely because they were shepherds, as Chap. 46. 34. (for the Egyptians had flocks of sheepe, Genesis 47. Exodus 9:3. 17. whose milke they did eate, and weare their wooll, which might be as the Livery of servants, for they worshipped such cattell) But because they did feed upon such cattell as the Egyptians did worship; and though the Egyptians did feed on Buls and Oxen, they did not eat Kine, for they worshipped the females in honour of Isis, who the Poets faine was turned into a Cow, and afterwards returned againe to the forme she had before; but above all things the head of any beast was an abomination unto them, because upon the head they used to poure out all their imprecations, therefore that as most execrable was most abhorred by them; hence it is that they cannot indure to have sheepe, or kine to be killed though by way of sacrifice, and therefore such sacrifices were an abomination unto them, Exodus 8:26. and so were such as either did feed upon such creatures as they did honour, or on such, either in whole, or in par (especially the head) as they did abhorre. Besides it is the nature of the superstitious to condemne all others in respect of themselves, and to contemne them too (so did the Egyptians other Nations) as uncleane in respect of themselves.

Genesis 43:33

and the youngest according] Though Benjamin were the sonne of Rachel, the mother of Joseph, yet are the sonnes of the hand-maids Bilhah and Zilpah set above him; so much is senioritie, or prioritie of time to be accounted of, and in many cases precedence is best swayed by that consideration, since it is neither subject to doubt nor envie.

and the men marvelled] Who? and at what? if by the men be meant the brethren of Joseph, some thinke it was matter of marvell to them, how he, being an Egyptian, (as they thought him) knew how to ranke them according to their senioritie; but it seemeth rather that they placed themselves; and then their marvell was at somewhat of the Egyptian fashion, contrary to that of their owne Countrey; or that Joseph sat neither with the Egyptians nor with the Hebrewes; yet that would be no matter of marvell, since he was a Prince, and so it was a Princely prerogative to sit alone; or that themselves were so honourably entertained in the Kings Court, being at home but Countrey Shepherds; and that their brother Benjamins messe was five times so much as any of theirs: and these two might be causes of marvell, not only to them, but to the Egyptians also.

Genesis 43:34

sent messes to them] Heb. he elevated elevations from his faces unto them. The meaning is, that the meat was set before Joseph and he distributed what he thought good unto the Guests; the Hebrews call the messes elevations, because they were carried up on high for honour sake; and from his faces; that is, of the meats that were et before his face, the plurall number put for the singular.

Benjamins messe] The manner of those times and Countreys was not, as with us, to serve in dishes, as in common, whereof those that sat at Table might indifferently partake, but every one had his portion distributed to him by himselfe: some take this not for the whole meale, but that towards the end of it, some parcels of banquetting-stuffe were distributed to Josephs brethren, and that in them Benjamin had five times as much as the rest.

five times so much] In Hebrew it is five hands, for five parts: for gifts or parts are called hands, or handfuls, because they are given and taken with the hand. He sheweth so much more respect to Benjamin then any of the rest, because he onely was his brother both by the fathers, and mothers side; so did Elkanah by a better portion to Hannah shew that he preferred her before Peninnah, 1 Samuel 1:4-5.

dranke, and were merry] Sometimes the word here used signifieth to be drunken, but here it is meant but of a free use of drinke; for chearfulnesse, not for excesse, as Son 5:1. So is the Greek word, John 2:10.