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Genesis Chapter
Forty-four
Genesis 44
Outlines
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
GENESIS 44
This chapter relates the
policy of Joseph in making an experiment of his brethren's regard and affection
for Benjamin; he ordered his steward to put every man's money into his sack
and his silver cup in Benjamin's
and when they were got out of the city
to
follow after them
and charge them with the theft
as he did; and having
searched their sacks
as they desired he would
found the cup with Benjamin
which threw them into the utmost distress
and obliged them to return to
Joseph
Genesis 44:1; who
charged them with their ill behaviour towards him; they acknowledge it
and
propose to be his servants; but he orders them to depart to their father
retaining Benjamin in servitude
Genesis 44:15; upon
which Judah addressed him in a very polite and affectionate manner
and relates
the whole story
both of what passed between Joseph and them
concerning
Benjamin
the first time they were in Egypt
and between their father and them
upon the same subject
when he directed them to go a second time thither to buy
corn
and how he became a surety to his father for him
and therefore proposed
to be his bondman now
not being able to see his father's face without
Benjamin
Genesis 44:18.
Genesis 44:1. And he
commanded the steward of his house
saying
“Fill the men’s sacks with food
as
much as they can carry
and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack.
YLT 1And he commandeth him who
[is] over his house
saying
`Fill the bags of the men [with] food
as they are
able to bear
and put the money of each in the mouth of his bag;
And he
commanded the steward of his house
....
Whom the Targum of
Jonathan again calls Manasseh
the eldest son of Joseph:
saying
fill
the men's sacks with food
as much as they can carry;
this he ordered out of his
great affection for them
and that his father and his family might have
sufficient supply in this time of famine:
and put every
man's money in his sack's mouth; not that which had been put into their
sacks the first time
for the steward acknowledged his receipt of it
but what
they had paid for their present corn
they were about to carry away.
Genesis 44:2. 2 Also
put my cup
the silver cup
in the mouth of the sack of the youngest
and his
grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
YLT 2and my cup
the silver cup
thou dost put in the mouth of the bag of the young one
and his corn-money;'
and he doth according to the word of Joseph which he hath spoken.
And put my cup
the silver cup
in the sack's mouth of the youngest
....
Benjamin; this he ordered
to be done
partly to put him in apparent danger
and try how his brethren
would behave towards him in such circumstances
and thereby know how they stood
affected to him; and partly that he might have an excuse for retaining him with
him. This cup was valuable both for the matter of it
being of silver
and for
the use of it
being what Joseph himself drank out of: and by the word used to
express it
it seems to have been a large embossed cup
a kind of goblet
for
it has the signification of a little hill. Jarchi says it was a long cup
which
they called "mederno". The Septuagint render it by "condy"
which is said to be a Persian word
and a kind of an Attalic cup
that held ten
cotylaeF7Nicomachus de festis Aegypt. apud Athenaeum
l. 11. c. 7.
or four or five quarts
and weighed ninety ounces; but a cup so large seems to
be too large to drink out of:
and his corn
money;
what he had paid for his
corn:
and he did
according to the word that Joseph had spoken;
put every man's money in
the mouth of his sack
and his silver cup with the corn money into Benjamin's
sack.
Genesis 44:3. 3 As
soon as the morning dawned
the men were sent away
they and their donkeys.
YLT 3The morning is bright
and
the men have been sent away
they and their asses –
As soon as the
morning was light
....
When it was break of day
before the sun rose:
the men were
sent away
they and their asses;
the men being refreshed
with food
and their asses having provender given them
and saddled and loaded
they were handsomely and honourably dismissed.
Genesis 44:4. 4 When
they had gone out of the city
and were not yet far off
Joseph
said to his steward
“Get up
follow the men; and when you overtake them
say
to them
‘Why have you repaid evil for good?
YLT 4they have gone out of the
city -- they have not gone far off -- and Joseph hath said to him who [is] over
his house
`Rise
pursue after the men; and thou hast overtaken them
and thou
hast said unto them
Why have ye recompensed evil for good?
And when they were gone out of the city
and not yet
far off
....
Which perhaps was Tanis
the Zoan of the Scriptures; see Ezekiel 30:14
margin:
Joseph said
unto his steward
up
follow after the men;
who no doubt was ready
provided with men and horses
to go out and pursue when Joseph should give the
orders
he being privy to Joseph's intentions
and with whom the scheme was
concerted
and the secret was. Joseph appears to have been up very early this
morning
and had observed the exact time of his brethren's departure
and
guessed whereabouts they might be when he sent his steward
and others after
them; for it can hardly be thought he was sent alone after eleven men
and to
charge them with a theft
and bring them back again:
and when thou
dost overtake them
say unto them
wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
in taking away the silver
cup
when they had been so kindly and bountifully entertained. This he was to
represent as base ingratitude
as it would have appeared
had it been fact. In
much such manner was Esop used by the inhabitants of Delphos; they
being
displeased with him
put a sacred cup or vial into his bags
which he
being
ignorant of
went on his way towards Phocis; and they ran after him
and seized
him
and charged him with sacrilegeF8Scholia ad Vespes Aristophanis
p. 534. Ed. Genev. 1607. .
Genesis 44:5. 5 Is not this the one
from which my lord drinks
and with which he indeed practices divination? You
have done evil in so doing.’”
YLT 5Is not this that with which
my lord drinketh? and he observeth diligently with it; ye have done evil [in]
that which ye have done.'
Is not this it
in which my lord drinketh
....
Which was for his own
particular use
and so the more ungrateful in them to take it:
and whereby
indeed he divineth?
according to our version
and others
Joseph is here represented by his steward as a diviner or
soothsayer
and so he might be thought to be by the Egyptians
from being such
an exact interpreter of dreams
foretelling things to come
and that he made
his divinations by the silver cup; and we are told that the Assyrians
Chaldeans
and Egyptians
used to fill basins with water
in which they put plates
of silver and precious stones
marked with certain characters
and pronouncing
certain words
called to the devil
who uttered a voice in the water like an
hissing
and returned answers to the things inquired aboutF9Julius
Serenus de fato
l. 9. c. 18. apud Rivet. Exercit. 165. p. 808. : a like
practice is used by the Africans nowF11R. Leo. African. Descriptio
Africae
l. 3. p. 335. ; which method Andronicus took to know who would be his
successor
but was reckoned among the most infamous and scandalous parts of the
magic artF12Nic. Choniates in Andronico
l. 2. wherefore
as Joseph
never practised any thing of this kind
so neither would he dissemble
or make
as if he did; though it must be owned that the ArabsF13Norden's
Travels in Egypt
vol. 2. p. 150. in Egypt at this day pretend to consult with
the cup and divine by it: but the words will bear another version and sense
for it may signify to tempt
to try
to make an experiment
and by experience
to know a thing
as in Genesis 30:27; and
so the Arabic version
"and indeed he hath tried you by it": so Aben
Ezra interprets it of his trying of them by it
whether they were thieves or
not
whether they were a parcel of light fingered filching fellows: the cup
he
pretends
was set before them
and he turned himself another way
either Joseph
or the steward
and they took the opportunity of carrying it off; or else
as
others think
he tried them by drinking in it very freely and liberally
what
sort of men they were
how they would behave themselves in their cups
when
truth is commonly spoke
the wit being out when the wine is in: but of these
two senses the former is to be preferred; though it seems best of all to
understand this not of the cup as the instrument by which he tried
searched
and inquired into things
but as the object searched after and inquired of; for
the word signifies to inquire
and make a strict observation of things
and
thereby make shrewd guesses and conjectures
as in 1 Kings 20:33; and
so the sense is
either according to R. JonahF14Apud Aben Ezram in
loc.
that his master would diligently inquire of the soothsayers concerning
it
in order to find out who took it away
and so Ben Melech; for the words may
be rendered
"for which he certainly makes"
or has made
or will
make "divination"
which agrees with Genesis 44:15; for
if the cup was gone
how could he make divination with it? it must be for it;
or indeed they might well conclude themselves
that as such a thing would soon
be missed
diligent inquiry would be made after it
and it would be at once
conjectured that it was taken away
not by any of the household
but by those
strangers that had dined with Joseph; and a man of his sagacity and penetration
would soon find it out
and therefore it was madness and folly to do such an
action
and think to get off clear:
ye have done
evil in so doing:
both a mad and foolish
action
and a base
wicked
and ungrateful one
as well as what was infamous
and scandalous; for nothing was reckoned more so than for a guest at a prince's
table to carry away a cup
or anything of that kind
with him: so Claudius the
Roman emperor
a guest of his
the day before
having taken away a golden cup
as was supposed
ordered an earthen one to be put in its placeF15Suetonius
in Vita Claudii
c. 32.
which was a putting him to public shame and reproach:
Dioxippus the Athenian
being at table with Alexander the great
a golden cup
was taken away privately
by some that envied him; and the hint being given as
if he had done it
all eyes were turned on him as the thief
which he could not
bear
but went out
and wrote a letter to the king
and then killed himselfF16Curtii
Hist. l. 9. c. 7. .
Genesis 44:6. 6 So
he overtook them
and he spoke to them these same words.
YLT 6And he overtaketh them
and
speaketh unto them these words
And he overtook
them
....
Their asses being laden
with corn could not travel very fast
and he and his attendants being mounted
on swift horses:
and he spake
unto them these same words;
that Joseph had ordered
him to say
and so what follows particularly
Genesis 44:10.
Genesis 44:7. 7 And
they said to him
“Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that
your servants should do such a thing.
YLT 7and they say unto him
`Why
doth my lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do
according to this word;
And they said
unto him
wherefore saith my lord these words?....
One of them
in the name
of the rest
perhaps Judah
made answer
as astonished at the charge laid
against them
suggesting that there was not the least foundation for it
and
were quite surprised to hear anything of this kind alleged against them:
God forbid that
thy servants should do according to this thing;
expressing the utmost
detestation of such a fact
as being what they could never be guilty of.
Genesis 44:8. 8 Look
we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the
mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s
house?
YLT 8lo
the money which we
found in the mouth of our bags we brought back unto thee from the land of
Canaan
and how do we steal from the house of thy lord silver or gold?
Behold
the
money which we found in our sacks mouths;....
Upon their return from
Egypt
the first time they went thither for corn:
we brought
again unto thee out of the land of Canaan;
which was a full proof of
their honesty: they might have kept it until it was called for and demanded of
them
but of themselves they brought it with them
as being money not their
own; and they did not wait to be examined about it when they came to Egypt
again
but of their own accord related the story of it
and offered the money
to this same man the steward they were now speaking to
which he could not
deny: yea
they brought it to him out of the land of Canaan
a foreign country
at a considerable distance
and out of the jurisdiction of Egypt
and where
they were not liable to be called to an account for it:
how then should
we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
that is
vessels of silver
or vessels of gold
as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; it could not be
reasonably thought they would
for if they would not retain the governor's
money when in their own land and out of his reach
much less would they steal
anything out his house
which they might conclude would soon be missed
and
they easily apprehended and committed to prison
and suffer for it.
Genesis 44:9. 9 With
whomever of your servants it is found
let him die
and we also will be my
lord’s slaves.”
YLT 9with whomsoever of thy
servants it is found
he hath died
and we also are to my lord for servants.'
With whomsoever
of thy servants it be found
....
The silver cup:
both let him
die;
which was rashly said
since they might have thought the cup might be put in one of their sacks
unknown to them
as their money had been before; and besides
death was a
punishment too severe for such a crime
and therefore is by the steward himself
moderated; but this they said the more strongly to express their innocence:
and we also
will be my lord's bondmen;
his servants
as long as
they lived: this was likewise carrying the matter too far
and exceeding all
bounds of justice
which could only require satisfaction of the offender.
Genesis 44:10. 10 And
he said
“Now also let it be according to your words; he with
whom it is found shall be my slave
and you shall be blameless.”
YLT 10And he saith
`Now
also
according to your words
so it [is]; he with whom it is found becometh my
servant
and ye are acquitted;'
And he said
now also let it be according unto your words
....
Not according to the full
extent of their words
but according to a part of them; that be only should be
a servant that was found guilty; so moderating the punishment which they had
fixed
and were willing to submit to
and therefore could not object to what he
next proposes:
he with whom it
is found shall be my servant;
speaking in the name of
Joseph
whom he represented
and who had directed him what to say:
and ye shall be
blameless;
acquitted of the charge
and pronounced innocent
and let go free.
Genesis 44:11. 11 Then each man speedily let
down his sack to the ground
and each opened his sack.
YLT 11and they hasten and take
down each his bag to the earth
and each openeth his bag;
Then they
speedily took down every man his sack to the ground
....
To be opened and examined
and this they did in all haste
as having a clear conscience
and being
confident that nothing could be found upon them
and desirous of having the
affair issued as soon as possible
that the steward might have full satisfaction
and they proceed on in their journey:
and opened
every man his sack;
showing neither reluctance
nor fear
being conscious of their innocence.
Genesis 44:12. 12 So
he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the
cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
YLT 12and he searcheth -- at the
eldest he hath begun
and at the youngest he hath completed -- and the cup is
found in the bag of Benjamin;
And he searched
....
To the bottom of them
not
content to look into the mouth of them being opened
but rummaged them
and
searched deeply into them to find the cup
which was the thing charged upon
them he was solicitous to find; as for the money in the sack's mouth he took no
notice of that
nor is there any mention of it:
and began at the oldest;
at Reuben
as the Targum
of Jonathan expresses it: the steward might know their different ages in
course
by the order in which they were placed at Joseph's table when they
dined with him:
and left off at
the youngest;
at Benjamin
he ended his
scrutiny with him; this method he took partly to hold them in fear as long as
he could
and partly to prevent any suspicion of design
which might have been
entertained had he went directly to Benjamin's sack:
and the cup was
found in Benjamin's sack;
where the steward himself
had put it
and as it is usually said
they that hide can find.
Genesis 44:13. 13 Then
they tore their clothes
and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the
city.
YLT 13and they rend their
garments
and each ladeth his ass
and they turn back to the city.
Then they rent
their clothes
....
In token of sorrow and
distress
being at their wits' end
like distracted persons
not knowing what
to do: this was usually done in the eastern countries when any evil befell
as
did Jacob
Genesis 37:34; and
as the Egyptians themselves did when mourning for their dead
as Diodorus
SiculusF17Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 65. relates:
and laded every
man his ass;
put their sacks of corn on
their asses again
having tied them up:
and returned to
the city;
to the metropolis
as
Jarchi
which was either Tanis
that is
Zoan
or
as others think
Memphis:
hither they returned to see how it would go with Benjamin
to plead his cause
and get him released
that he might go with them
they being afraid to see
their father's face without him; otherwise
could they have been content to
have gone without him
they might have proceeded on in their journey
see Genesis 44:17.
Genesis 44:14. 14 So
Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house
and he was still there;
and they fell before him on the ground.
YLT 14And Judah -- his brethren
also -- cometh in unto the house of Joseph
and he is yet there
and they fall
before him to the earth;
And Judah and
his brethren came to Joseph's house
....
Judah is particularly
mentioned because he was the principal spokesman
and was chiefly concerned for
the safety of Benjamin
being his surety:
for he was
yet there;
Joseph was yet at his own
house
was not as yet gone to the granaries
to look after the affairs of the
corn
and the sale and distribution of it
but was waiting for the return of
his brethren
which he expected quickly:
and they fell
before him on the ground;
not only in a way of
reverence
again fulfilling his dream
but as persons in the utmost distress
and affliction
throwing themselves at his feet for mercy.
Genesis 44:15. 15 And
Joseph said to them
“What deed is this you have done? Did you not know
that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?”
YLT 15and Joseph saith to them
`What [is] this deed that ye have done? have ye not known that a man like me
doth diligently observe?'
And Joseph said
unto them
what deed is this ye have done?....
An action so wicked
base
and ungrateful
attended with such aggravated circumstances
that it can
scarcely be said how bad a one it is
and may be well wondered at
that men who
had received such favours could ever be guilty of; this he said
putting on a
stern countenance
and seemingly in great anger and wrath:
wot ye not that
such a man as I can certainly divine?
either that he could
divine himself
though not by the cup
of which here no mention is made
but in
some other way used by the Egyptians; or that he had diviners with him
as Aben
Ezra
with whom he could consult
to find out the person that took the cup; or
surely they must needs think that such a man as he
who had such great
knowledge of things
natural and political
and whose name was Zaphnathpaaneah
a revealer of secrets
would be able to search into and find out an affair of
this kind; See Gill on Genesis 41:45; and
they might well conclude
that a man so sagacious and penetrating would easily
conjecture who were the persons that took away his cup
even the strangers that
had dined with him so lately
and therefore could never expect to go off with
it.
Genesis 44:16. 16 Then
Judah said
“What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we
clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are
my lord’s slaves
both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”
YLT 16And Judah saith
`What do
we say to my lord? what do we speak? and what -- do we justify ourselves? God
hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; lo
we [are] servants to my lord
both we
and he in whose hand the cup hath been found;'
And Judah said
what shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak?....
Signifying that they were
nonplussed
confounded
knew not what to say; they could not acknowledge guilt
for they were not conscious of any
and yet could not deny the fact
the cup
being found on one of them; and though they might have a suspicion of fraud
yet were afraid to speak out what they suspected
and therefore were at the
utmost loss to express themselves:
or how shall we
clear ourselves?
to assert their innocence
signified nothing
here was full proof against them
at least against their
brother Benjamin:
God hath found
the iniquity of thy servants;
brought it to their
remembrance
fastened the guilt of it on their consciences
and in his
providence was bringing them to just punishment for it; meaning not the
iniquity of taking away the cup
which they were not conscious of
but some
other iniquity of theirs they had heretofore been guilty of
and now God was
contending with them for it; particularly the iniquity of selling Joseph; this
was brought to their minds before
when in distress
and now again
see Genesis 42:21
behold
we are
my lord's servants
both we
and he also with whom the cup is found;
hereby fulfilling his
dream more manifestly than ever; for
by bowing down to the earth to him
they
might be thought to do no other than what all did
that came to buy corn of
him; but here they own themselves to be his servants
and him to be lord over
them
and to have dominion over them all
and them to be his slaves and
bondmen.
Genesis 44:17. 17 But
he said
“Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup
was found
he shall be my slave. And as for you
go up in peace to your
father.”
YLT 17and he saith
`Far be it
from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup hath been found
he becometh
my servant; and ye
go ye up in peace unto your father.'
And he said
God forbid that I should do so
....
This would be doing an
unjust thing
Joseph suggests
should he take them all for bondmen
for the
offence of one:
but the man in whose hand the cup is found
he shall be my servant;
not die
as they had
supposed
but become his servant:
and as for you
get ye up in peace unto your father;
they had leave
yea
an
order to return to their father in the land of Canaan
with their corn and cattle
in peace and plenty; there being no charge against them
nor would any hurt or
damage come to them: this Joseph said to try their affection to their brother
Benjamin
and see whether they would leave him to distress
and then he should
know better how to conduct both towards him and them.
Genesis 44:18. 18 Then
Judah came near to him and said: “O my lord
please let your servant speak a
word in my lord’s hearing
and do not let your anger burn against your servant;
for you are even like Pharaoh.
YLT 18And Judah cometh nigh unto
him
and saith
`O
my lord
let thy servant speak
I pray thee
a word in the
ears of my lord
and let not thine anger burn against thy servant -- for thou
art as Pharaoh.
Then Judah came
near unto him
....
Being the spokesman of his
brethren
and the surety of Benjamin: he plucked up a spirit
put on courage
and drew nearer to the governor
and with much freedom and boldness
and in a
very polite manner
addressed him:
and said
O my
lord
let thy servant
I pray thee
speak a word in my lord's ears;
not admit him to private
audience
or suffer him to whisper something to him
but give him the hearing
of a few words he had to say to him:
and let not
thine anger burn against thy servant;
do not be displeased with
his boldness
and the freedom he takes
but hear him patiently:
for thou art
even as Pharaoh;
next
if not equal in
power and authority with him; could exercise justice or show mercy
punish or
release from punishment
at his pleasure; and having leave granted him
he
began his speech
and made the following narrative.
Genesis 44:19. 19 My
lord asked his servants
saying
‘Have you a father or a brother?’
YLT 19My lord hath asked his
servants
saying
Have ye a father or brother?
My lord asked
his servants
....
The first time they came
down to Egypt to buy corn; he puts him in mind of what passed between them at
that time:
saying
have ye
a father or a brother?
which question followed
upon their saying that they were the sons of one man
Genesis 42:11.
Genesis 44:20. 20 And
we said to my lord
‘We have a father
an old man
and a child of his
old age
who is young; his brother is dead
and he alone is left of his
mother’s children
and his father loves him.’
YLT 20and we say unto my lord
We
have a father
an aged one
and a child of old age
a little one; and his
brother died
and he is left alone of his mother
and his father hath loved
him.
And we said
unto my lord
we have a father
....
Yet living in the land of
Canaan:
an old man;
being one hundred and
thirty years of age
Genesis 47:9
and a child of
his old age;
who was born when he was
near an hundred years of age: and
a little one;
not in stature
but in
age
being the youngest son
and much younger than they: so they represented
him
on that account
and because he was tenderly brought up with his father
and not inured to business and hardship
and so unfit to travel:
and his brother
is dead;
meaning Joseph: so they
thought him to be
having not heard of him for twenty two years or more
and
they had so often said he was dead
or suggested as much
that they at length
believed he was:
and he alone is
left of his mother;
the only child left of his
mother Rachel:
and his father
loveth him;
being his youngest son
and the only child of his beloved Rachel
and therefore most dear unto him.
Genesis 44:21. 21 Then you said to your
servants
‘Bring him down to me
that I may set my eyes on him.’
YLT 21`And thou sayest unto thy
servants
Bring him down unto me
and I set mine eye upon him;
And thou saidst
unto thy servants
bring him down unto me
....
Judah does not relate the
reason of his order
which was to give proof that they were no spies
but as if
Joseph designed to show favour to Benjamin
as undoubtedly he did:
that I may set
mine eyes upon him;
not barely see him
as
Aben Ezra interprets it
though that would be
and was
very desirable by him
and agreeable to him; but he desired to set his eyes upon him
not only for his
own pleasure
but for the good of Benjamin
as the Targum of Jonathan adds; he
intimated that he should receive him kindly
show favour unto him
and use him
well: the Septuagint version is
"and I will take care of him":
Joseph's brethren had told him
that Benjamin was at home with their father
who they suggested was afraid to let him go with them
lest evil should befall
him; wherefore to encourage him to let him go with them
Joseph promised to
take care of him
that no hurt should be done to him
but he should be provided
with everything that was proper and necessary; and this Judah improves into an
argument with the governor in favour of Benjamin
that since he desired his
coming
in order to show him a kindness
he hoped he would not detain him
and
make a slave of him.
Genesis 44:22. 22 And
we said to my lord
‘The lad cannot leave his father
for if he should
leave his father
his father would die.’
YLT 22and we say unto my lord
The youth is not able to leave his father
when he hath left his father
then
he hath died;
And we said
unto my lord
the lad cannot leave his father
....
That is
his father will
not be willing to part with him:
for if
he should leave his father
his father would die;
with grief and trouble
fearing some evil was befallen him
and he should see him no more.
Genesis 44:23. 23 But
you said to your servants
‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you
you shall see my face no more.’
YLT 23and thou sayest unto thy
servants
If your young brother come not down with you
ye add not to see my
face.
And thou saidst
unto thy servants
....
In answer to the
representation of things made by them
and notwithstanding that:
except your
youngest brother come down with you
you shall see my face no more;
which though not before
related in the discourse
which passed between Joseph and his brethren
in
express terms
yet might be justly inferred from what he said; nay
might be
expressed in so many words
though not recorded
and as it seems plainly it
was
as appears from Genesis 43:3.
Genesis 44:24. 24 “So
it was
when we went up to your servant my father
that we told him the words
of my lord.
YLT 24`And it cometh to pass
that we have come up unto thy servant my father
that we declare to him the
words of my lord;
And it came to
pass
when we came unto thy servant my father
....
In the land of Canaan:
we told him the
words of my lord;
what he had said to them
particularly respecting Benjamin.
Genesis 44:25. 25 And
our father said
‘Go back and buy us a little food.’
YLT 25and our father saith
Turn
back
buy for us a little food
And our father
said
....
After some time
when the
corn was almost consumed they had bought in Egypt:
go again
and
buy us a little food;
that may suffice fill the
famine is over; see Genesis 43:1.
Genesis 44:26. 26 But
we said
‘We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us
then we will
go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is
with us.’
YLT 26and we say
We are not able
to go down; if our young brother is with us
then we have gone down; for we are
not able to see the man's face
and our young brother not with us.
And we said
we
cannot go down
....
With any safety to their
persons
which would be in danger
or with any profit to their families
since
their end in going down to buy corn would not be answered:
if our youngest
brother be with us
then will we go down;
let it be agreed to
that
Benjamin go along with us
to Egypt
and then no difficulty will be made of it:
for we may not
see the man's face
except our youngest brother be with us;
the face of the great man
the governor of Egypt; for that this phrase
"the man"
is not used
diminutively
but as expressive of grandeur
is clear
or otherwise it would
never have been made use of in his presence
and in such a submissive and
polite speech as this of Judah's.
Genesis 44:27. 27 Then
your servant my father said to us
‘You know that my wife bore me two sons;
YLT 27`And thy servant my father
saith unto us
Ye -- ye have known that two did my wife bare to me
And thy servant
my father said unto us
....
When thus pressed to let
Benjamin go with them:
ye know that my
wife bare me two sons;
Rachel
by whom he had
Joseph and Benjamin
and whom he calls his wife
she being his only lawful
wife; Leah was imposed upon him
Genesis 29:20; and
the other two were concubines
Genesis 30:4.
Genesis 44:28. 28 and
the one went out from me
and I said
“Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have
not seen him since.
YLT 28and the one goeth out from
me
and I say
Surely he is torn -- torn! and I have not seen him since;
And the one
went out from
me
....
Being sent by him to see
how his brethren did
who were feeding his flocks at Shechem
and he had never
returned to him to that day:
and I said
surely he is torn in pieces;
by some wild beast; this
he said on sight of his coat
being shown him all bloody:
and I saw him
not since;
now twenty two years ago;
for though Joseph was not such a great way off his father
especially if he was
at Memphis
as some think; yet what through his confinement as a servant in
Potiphar's house
and then for some years in prison
and through the
multiplicity of business when advanced in Pharaoh's court
he had no leisure
and opportunity of visiting his father; and especially so it was ordered by the
providence of God that he should not
that he might be made known at the most
proper time for the glory of God
and the good of his family.
Genesis 44:29. 29 But
if you take this one also from me
and calamity befalls him
you shall bring
down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’
YLT 29when ye have taken also this
from my presence
and mischief hath met him
then ye have brought down my grey
hairs with evil to sheol.
And if ye take
this also from me
....
His son Benjamin
as he
perhaps suspected they had taken Joseph
and made away with him:
and mischief
befall him;
either in Egypt
or on the
road
going or returning
any ill accident
especially death
as the Targums of
Onkelos and Jonathan
or what may issue in it:
ye shall bring
my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave;
it would be the means of
his death
and while he lived he should be full of sorrow and grief; see Genesis 42:38.
Genesis 44:30. 30 “Now
therefore
when I come to your servant my father
and the lad is not
with us
since his life is bound up in the lad’s life
YLT 30`And now
at my coming in
unto thy servant my father
and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up
in his soul)
Now therefore
when I come to thy servant my father
....
That is
should he return
to him in the land of Canaan with the rest of his brethren:
and the lad be
not with us;
his brother Benjamin
so
called here
and in the following verses
though thirty years of age and
upwards
see Genesis 43:8
seeing that his
life is bound up in the lad's life;
he is as closely united to
him in affection
and is as dear to him as his own soul; quite wrapped up in
him
and cannot live without him; should he die
he must die too; see 1 Samuel 18:1; so
it follows:
Genesis 44:31. 31 it will happen
when he
sees that the lad is not with us
that he will die. So your
servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow
to the grave.
YLT 31then it hath come to pass
when he seeth that the youth is not
that he hath died
and thy servants have
brought down the grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to sheol;
It shall come
to pass
when he seeth that the lad is not with us
that he will
die
....
As soon as ever he sees
us
without asking any question and observes that Benjamin is missing he will
conclude at once that he is dead
which will so seize his spirits
that he will
expire immediately:
and thy
servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant
our father
with
sorrow to the grave;
as he said would be the
case
Genesis 44:29; and
which would be very afflicting to his sons to be the cause of it
and could not
be thought of without the utmost uneasiness and distress.
Genesis 44:32. 32 For
your servant became surety for the lad to my father
saying
‘If I do not bring
him back to you
then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’
YLT 32for thy servant obtained
the youth by surety from my father
saying
If I bring him not in unto thee --
then I have sinned against my father all the days.
For thy servant
became surety for the lad unto my father
....
Which is another argument
used for the release of Benjamin
though he should be detained for him
which
he offers to be:
saying
if I
bring him not unto thee
then I shall bear the blame unto my father for ever;
See Gill on Genesis 43:9.
Genesis 44:33. 33 Now
therefore
please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my
lord
and let the lad go up with his brothers.
YLT 33`And now
let thy servant
I pray thee
abide instead of the youth a servant to my lord
and the youth
goeth up with his brethren
Now therefore
I pray thee
let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord
....
Being
as Jarchi observes
preferable to Benjamin for strength
for war
and for service: in this Judah
was a type of Christ
from whose tribe he sprung
who became the surety of
God's Benjamins
his children who are beloved by him
and as dear to him as his
right hand
and put himself in their legal place and stead
and became sin and
a curse for them
that they might go free
as Judah desired his brother
Benjamin might
as follows:
and let the lad
go up with his brethren;
from Egypt to Canaan's
land
to their father there.
Genesis 44:34. 34 For
how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me
lest perhaps I
see the evil that would come upon my father?”
YLT 34for how do I go up unto my
father
and the youth not with me? lest I look on the evil which doth find my
father.'
For how shall I
go up to my father
and the lad be not with me?....
Signifying that he must
abide in Egypt
and chose to do it
and could not go up to the land of Canaan
any more or see his father's face without Benjamin along with him
to whom he
was a surety for him:
lest
peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father;
see him die
or live a
life of sorrow worse than death: this he could not bear
and chose rather to be
a slave in Egypt
than to be the spectator of such an affecting scene. By this
speech of Judah
Joseph plainly saw the great affection which his brethren
especially Judah
had for his father and his brother Benjamin
as well as the
sense they had of their evil in selling him
which lay uppermost on their
minds
and for which they thought themselves brought into all this trouble;
wherefore he could no longer conceal himself from them
but makes himself known
unto them
which is the principal subject of the following chapter.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》