This chapter relates how that Jacob having heard there was corn in Egypt, sent all his sons but Benjamin thither to buy corn, Gen. 42:1–5; and coming before Joseph, they bowed to him, and he knowing them, though they knew not him, spoke roughly to them, and charged them with being spies, Gen.

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt That is, to be sold there, or otherwise it being there, unless it could be bought, would have been of no avail to foreigners; wherefore the Septuagint version is, that there was a sale [[21]] there, a sale of corn; the word has the signification of…

And he said, behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, &c.] This explains what is meant by the phrase he saw, one sense being put for another: get ye down thither; as fast as you can without delay; Egypt lay lower than Canaan, and therefore they are bid to go down, as when they went from…

And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. ] They obeyed their father’s orders, and immediately set out for Egypt; “ten” of them went down in a body together, all but Benjamin, so that it is easily reckoned who they were, and they are called not Jacob’s sons, as they were; but…

But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren Benjamin is called Joseph’s brother, because he was so both by father and mother’s side, as the rest were not; him Jacob kept with him, being the youngest and his darling, the only son he had with him of his beloved wife Rachel; and…

And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came Either among the Egyptians that came to buy, or among those who came from different countries, or rather particularly among the Canaanites, as the Targum of Jonathan; with these they might join upon the road, and go together in a body…

And Joseph was the governor over the land Not the land of Canaan last mentioned, but the land of Egypt; under Pharaoh, he had the chief and sole authority, and especially in the affair of the corn, and the disposal of that; and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: of Egypt, and also…

And Joseph saw his brethren Among those that came to buy corn, and when they prostrated themselves before him: and he knew them; some of them being at man’s estate, and their beards grown when they sold him, and their habits and dress now being much the same it was then, and by them he knew the…

And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. ] It being about twenty two years since they saw him, and then he was young, and his beard not grown, as now it was; and besides, he was clothed as a prince, and spoke the Egyptian language; and being in such great grandeur and splendour, and in…

And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them Their bowing and prostrating themselves before him brought to his remembrance his dreams of their sheaves making obeisance to his, and of the sun, moon, and eleven stars, doing the same to him, (Gen. 37:7, Gen.

And they said unto him, nay, my lord One in the name of the rest, or each in his turn, denying that they were spies, and addressing him with the greatest reverence and submission, calling him their lord, and thus further accomplishing his dreams: but to buy food are thy servants come; that and no…

We are all one man’s sons Therefore not likely to be spies; it could hardly be thought that a single family should engage in such an affair; or that one man would, send his sons as spies, and especially all of them, it being a dangerous affair, and they being liable to be taken up and put to death;…

And he said unto them, nay This argument will not do, I am not to be put off with such words as these; if you can produce no better proof of your being honest men than this, or give no better account of yourselves, I must abide by it, that, to see the nakedness of the land ye are come; this he…

And they said, thy servants are twelve brethren Or rather, “were twelve”, since one afterwards is said not to be: the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; of Jacob, who dwelt there; this is said with the same view as before, to show the improbability of their being spies; and, behold, the…

And Joseph said unto them, that is it that I spake unto you, saying, ye are spies. ] This proves it, at least gives strong suspicion of it; since at first they seemed to speak of themselves, as if they were the only sons of one man and there were no more, now they speak of twelve, and make mention…

Hereby ye shall be proved Whether spies, or not, namely, by producing their youngest brother, said to be at home with his father: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither: the phrase, “by the life of Pharaoh”, seems to be the form of an oath, as…

Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother He proposes that one of them might be sent by them to their father’s house, and bring, Benjamin down to Egypt: and ye shall be kept in prison; the rest of them till he came: that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you; by this it…

And he put them all together into ward three days. ] In order to consult together, and agree who should be sent to fetch their brother; and which it seems probable in this length of time they could not agree upon, no one caring to be the bringer of such evil tidings to their father.

And Joseph said unto them the third day His heart yearning towards them, though he put on such an appearance; finding they could not come to an agreement among themselves who should go on the errand, he thought fit to recede from his former order, and to give them another: this do, and live:…

If ye be true men As you say you are: let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison; agree among yourselves which of you (for one of you must) remain in prison where you are: and the rest being set at liberty, go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses; Joseph, though he dealt…

But bring your youngest brother unto me Upon their return for more corn: so shall your words be verified; that they were true men, and had no ill design upon the land, but were come only to buy corn: and ye shall not die; as spies, which they were otherwise threatened with; and as it is customary…

And they said one to another Before they went out of the prison, at least while in the presence of Joseph: we are verily guilty concerning our brother; meaning Joseph, whom they had sold for a slave, and who they supposed was dead through grief and hard servitude; and now being in trouble…

And Reuben answered them Being the eldest, and who had been most concerned for the life of Joseph, and most tender and careful of him: saying, spake I not unto you, saying, do not sin against the child, and ye would not hear? it seems by this that Reuben endeavoured to dissuade his brethren from…

And they knew not that Joseph understood them For what is above related they spoke in his presence and hearing; but speaking to one another in the Hebrew language, and he being an Egyptian, as they took him to be, they did not imagine that he could understand them, and therefore were not at all…

And he turned himself about from them, and wept Hearing his brethren confess their sin and guilt to one another in selling him, and Reuben’s affectionate concern for him, it wrought so much upon his affections, being naturally of a tender spirit, that he could no longer act the part he had, and…

Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn Which was as much as they came for: and to restore every man’s money into his sack; the money paid by each for his quantity of corn delivered to him, not into the person’s hands, but to be put into his sack privately, and unknown to him; and to…

And they laded their asses with the corn Cattle very fit to carry burdens, and no doubt they had each of them one at least: and departed thence; from the place where Joseph was, and from the land of Egypt.

And as one of them opened his sack According to the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi, this was Levi; but Aben Ezra thinks it is more likely to be Reuben the firstborn, who was one, that is, the first of them: to give his ass provender in the inn; at which they lay very probably the first night of…

And he said unto his brethren, my money is restored The money paid for the corn is returned: and, lo, it is even in my sack; this put them all upon opening their sacks, where every man found his money, though not expressed, see : and their heart failed them; through surprise and fear; or “went out”…

And they came unto Jacob their father, unto the land of Canaan Without being pursued and fetched back, or retarded in their journey as they might fear: and told him all that befell unto them; chiefly what befell them while in Egypt: saying, as follows.

The man, who is the lord of the land Of Egypt; not the king, but the deputy governor of it, whose authority under Pharaoh was very great, and reached to the whole land, and all political affairs, and especially what related to the corn, and the sale of it; he, say they, spake roughly to us; gave…

And we said unto him, we are true men Honest, upright men, not given to treacherous and treasonable practices, either in the country where they lived, or any other; they came to Egypt with no ill design upon the country, only to buy corn for the relief of their families in necessity: we are no…

We be twelve brethren, sons of our father All brethren by the father’s side, though not by the mother’s, and by one father; they had been twelve, and were so now, though they knew it not, supposing that one was dead, as is next observed: one is not; is not alive, but dead; the Targum of Jonathan…

And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, hereby shall I know that you are true men This will be a proof and demonstration of it: leave one of your brethren here with me; as an hostage; they do not say “bound in the prison”, , as Joseph did, because they would not grieve their father, at…

And, bring your youngest brother unto me Their brother Benjamin: then shall I know that you are no spies, but that you are true men; he knew they were no spies now, but true, honest, upright men, with respect to any designs upon the country; but then he should own and acknowledge them to be such,…

And it came to pass, as they emptied their sacks Both those in which were the corn they had bought, and those in which were their provender for their cattle, and provision for themselves: that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack; the same purse, and the same pieces of money, gold…

And Jacob their father said unto them, me have ye bereaved of my children Which looks as if Jacob suspected that they had either sold or slain Joseph, and had done one or the other by Simeon: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not: neither of them were with him, and both were given up by him as dead, or,…

And Reuben spoke unto his father Being the eldest son, it most property lay upon him to make answer to his father in the name of his brethren, and to offer a word of comfort to him: saying, slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee; meaning not Simeon, who was in Egypt, but Benjamin, whom it was…

And he said, my son shall not go down with you He gives a peremptory denial; this was his then present resolution and determination: for his brother is dead; meaning Joseph, Benjamin’s own brother by father and mother’s side; him he supposed to be dead, such circumstances being related and…