asked us straitly. Hebrew "asking he asked us". Figure of speech Polyptoton . See note on Genesis 43:3 above, and Genesis 26:28 . could we certainly know. Hebrew "knowing could we know". Figure of speech Polyptoton . See note on Genesis 26:28 , read more
forever. Hebrew "all the days". read more
best fruits in the land. Hebrew "the praise of the land". Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Cause). App-6 . "Praise" put for the choice fruits which called forth the praise. read more
"And Judah spake unto him saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you."The fact that Judah takes the leadership here, whereas, in the previous chapter Reuben had attempted to do so by his ridiculous proposal that Jacob... read more
"And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so with me, as to tell the man whether ye had a brother? And they said, The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your brother down?""Wherefore dealt ye so with me ..." Skinner stated that this reproachful question is "intelligible only on the understanding that... read more
"And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever: except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time."By this time, Judah seems to have taken over as spokesman for the brothers. Evidently, no one paid much attention to... read more
"And their father Israel said unto them, If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds; and take double money in you hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man."Having resolved to consent to Benjamin's making the journey,... read more
Genesis 43:8. Send the lad— Benjamin was now more than twenty-four years of age, and a father of several children, see ch. Genesis 46:21. The Hebrews call the youngest of the family a lad, without regard to age, 2Sa 18:12, 1 Chronicles 22:5. See also ch. Genesis 37:30. That we may live and not die— The famine being severe, their corn is quickly spent. Jacob, with tender regard for his family, presses them to go; but Judah convinces him of the hopelessness of their journey, unless he will spare... read more
Genesis 43:11. Take of the best fruits— Of the most rare and excellent productions of the land of Canaan; in the Hebrew, of the praise of the land. The authors of the Universal History observe, that "it is to be feared the generality of our expositors have not been very happy in their translation of some of the presents which Jacob sent into AEgypt; which has induced some learned critics, of a later date, to endeavour to give us a more rational account of them." Such were the honey, nuts, and... read more
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E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 43:6
Israel. Note the name. Jacob is used of his weakness (Genesis 42:36 , &c), Israel of his resignation to God's will. In this use of the names Jacob and Israel, men might well invent a Jacobite and Israelite authorship, as well as an Elohist and Jehovist theory! ill. Hebrew. R a'a. See App-44 . read more