---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Genesis 43"
description: "CHAPTER 43   :-. PREPARATIONS FOR A
SECOND JOURNEY
TO EGYPT. 2. their father said, . . . Go
again, buy us a little food—It was no easy matter to bring
Jac"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/genesis/43"
---

![Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible](/images/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible.jpg)

 The Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
 
Include 66 books
 
Denomination: calvinism
 
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CHAPTER 43

. PREPARATIONS FOR A
SECOND JOURNEY
TO EGYPT.

**2. their father said, . . . Go
again, buy us a little food**—It was no easy matter to bring
Jacob to agree to the only conditions on which his sons could return
to Egypt ([Genesis 42:15](../../../kjv/genesis/42/15)). The
necessity of immediately procuring fresh supplies for the maintenance
of themselves and their families overcame every other consideration
and extorted his consent to Benjamin joining in a journey, which his
sons entered on with mingled feelings of hope and anxiety—of hope,
because having now complied with the governor's demand to bring down
their youngest brother, they flattered themselves that the alleged
ground of suspecting them would be removed; and of apprehension that
some ill designs were meditated against them.

**11. take of the best fruits . . . a
present**—It is an Oriental practice never to approach a man of
power without a present, and Jacob might remember how he pacified his
brother ([Proverbs 21:14](../../../kjv/proverbs/21/14)) —balm,
spices, and myrrh (see on [Genesis 43:3](../../../kjv/genesis/43/3)),
**honey**—which some think
was *dibs,* a syrup made from ripe dates [BOCHART];
but others, the honey of Hebron, which is still valued as far
superior to that of Egypt;
**nuts**—pistachio nuts, of
which Syria grows the best in the world;
**almonds**—which were most
abundant in Palestine.

**12. take double money**—the
first sum to be returned, and another sum for a new supply. The
restored money in the sacks' mouth was a perplexing circumstance. But
it might have been done inadvertently by one of the servants—so
Jacob persuaded himself—and happy it was for his own peace and the
encouragement of the travellers that he took this view. Besides the
duty of restoring it, honesty in their case was clearly the best, the
safest policy.

**14. God Almighty give you mercy
before the man**—Jacob is here committing them all to the care of
God and, resigned to what appears a heavy trial, prays that it may be
overruled for good.
. ARRIVAL IN
EGYPT.

**15. stood before Joseph**—We may
easily imagine the delight with which, amid the crowd of other
applicants, the eye of Joseph would fix on his brethren and Benjamin.
But occupied with his public duties, he consigned them to the care of
a confidential servant till he should have finished the business of
the day.

**16. ruler of his house**—In the
houses of wealthy Egyptians one upper man servant was intrusted with
the management of the house (compare ).
**slay, and make ready**—*Hebrew,*
"kill a killing"—implying preparations for a grand
entertainment (compare [Genesis 31:54](../../../kjv/genesis/31/54);
[1 Samuel 25:11](../../../kjv/1-samuel/25/11); [Proverbs 9:2](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/2);
[Matthew 22:4](../../../kjv/matthew/22/4)). The animals have to be
killed as well as prepared at home. The heat of the climate requires
that the cook should take the joints directly from the hands of the
flesher, and the Oriental taste is, from habit, fond of newly killed
meat. A great profusion of viands, with an inexhaustible supply of
vegetables, was provided for the repasts, to which strangers were
invited, the pride of Egyptian people consisting rather in the
quantity and variety than in the choice or delicacy of the dishes at
their table.
**dine . . . at noon**—The
hour of dinner was at midday.

**18. the men were afraid**—Their
feelings of awe on entering the stately mansion, unaccustomed as they
were to houses at all, their anxiety at the reasons of their being
taken there, their solicitude about the restored money, their honest
simplicity in communicating their distress to the steward and his
assurances of having received their money in "full weight,"
the offering of their fruit present, which would, as usual, be done
with some parade, and the Oriental salutations that passed between
their host and them—are all described in a graphic and animated
manner.
. THE DINNER.

**31. Joseph said, Set on
bread**—equivalent to having dinner served, "bread"
being a term inclusive of all victuals. The table was a small stool,
most probably the usual round form, "since persons might even
then be seated according to their rank or seniority, and the modern
Egyptian table is not without its post of honor and a fixed gradation
of place" [WILKINSON].
Two or at most three persons were seated at one table. But the host
being the highest in rank of the company had a table to himself;
while it was so arranged that an Egyptian was not placed nor obliged
to eat from the same dish as a Hebrew.

**32. Egyptians might not eat bread
with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination**—The prejudice
probably arose from the detestation in which, from the oppressions of
the shepherd-kings, the nation held all of that occupation.

**34. 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](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/5/1); [John 2:10](../../../kjv/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.

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