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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Genesis 43:26 - 43:26
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
When Joseph came home, they handed him the present with the most reverential obeisance.
Gen 43:27-29
Joseph first of all inquired after their own and their father's health (שָׁלֹום first as substantive, then as adjective = שָׁלֵם Gen 33:18), whether he was still living; which they answered with thanks in the affirmative, making the deepest bow. His eyes then fell upon Benjamin, the brother by his own mother, and he asked whether this was their youngest brother; but without waiting for their reply, he exclaimed, “God be gracious to thee, my son!” יָחְנְךְ for יְחָנְךְ as in Isa 30:19 (cf. Ewald, §251d). He addressed him as “my son,” in tender and, as it were, paternal affection, and with special regard to his youth. Benjamin was 16 years younger than Joseph, and was quite an infant when Joseph was sold.
Gen 43:30-31
And “his (Joseph's) bowels did yearn” (נִכְמְרוּ lit., were compressed, from the force of love to his brother), so that he was obliged to seek (a place) as quickly as possible to weep, and went into the chamber, that he might give vent to his feelings in tears; after which, he washed his face and came out again, and, putting constraint upon himself, ordered the dinner to be brought in.
Gen 43:32-33
Separate tables were prepared for him, for his brethren, and for the Egyptians who dined with them. This was required by the Egyptian spirit of caste, which neither allowed Joseph, as minister of state and a member of the priestly order, to eat along with Egyptians who were below him, nor the latter along with the Hebrews as foreigners. “They cannot (i.e., may not) eat (cf. Deu 12:17; Deu 16:5; Deu 17:15). For this was an abomination to the Egyptians.” The Hebrews and others, for example, slaughtered and ate animals, even female animals, which were regarded by the Egyptians as sacred; so that, according to Herod. ii. 41, no Egyptian would use the knife, or fork, or saucepan of a Greek, nor would any eat of the flesh of a clean animal which had been cut up with a Grecian knife (cf. Exo 8:22).
Gen 43:33-34
The brothers sat in front of Joseph, “the first-born according to his birthright, and the smallest (youngest) according to his smallness (youth);” i.e., the places were arranged for them according to their ages, so that they looked at one another with astonishment, since this arrangement necessarily impressed them with the idea that this great man had been supernaturally enlightened as to their family affairs. To do them honour, they brought (יִשָּׂא, Ges. §137, 3) them dishes from Joseph, i.e., from his table; and to show especial honour to Benjamin, his portion was five times larger than that of any of the others (יָדֹות lit., hands, grasps, as in Gen 47:24; 2Ki 11:7). The custom is met with elsewhere of showing respect to distinguished guests by giving them the largest and best pieces (1Sa 9:23-24; Homer, Il. 7, 321; 8, 162, etc.), by double portions (e.g., the kings among the Spartans, Herod. 6, 57), and even by fourfold portions in the case of the Archons among the Cretans (Heraclid. polit., 3). But among the Egyptians the number 5 appears to have been preferred to any other (cf. Gen 41:34; Gen 45:22; Gen 47:2, Gen 47:24; Isa 19:18). By this partiality Joseph intended, with a view to his further plans, to draw out his brethren to show their real feelings towards Benjamin, that he might see whether they would envy and hate him on account of this distinction, as they had formerly envied him his long coat with sleeves, and hated him because he was his father's favourite (Gen 37:3-4). This honourable treatment and entertainment banished all their anxiety and fear. “They drank, and drank largely with him,” i.e., they were perfectly satisfied with what they ate and drank; not, they were intoxicated (cf. Hag 1:9).