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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 43:1-10

Here, 1. Jacob urges his sons to go and buy more corn in Egypt, Gen. 43:1, 2. The famine continued; and the corn they had bought was all spent, for it is meat that perisheth. Jacob, as a good master of a family, is in care to provide for those of his own house food convenient; and shall not God provide for his children, for the household of faith? Jacob bids them go again and buy a little food; now, in time of scarcity, a little must suffice, for nature is content with a little. 2. Judah urges... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 43:11-14

Observe here, I. Jacob's persuasibleness. He would be ruled by reason, though they were his inferiors that urged it. He saw the necessity of the case; and, since there was no remedy, he consented to yield to the necessity (Gen. 43:11): ?If it must be so now, take your brother. If no corn can be had but upon those terms, we may as well expose him to the perils of the journey as suffer ourselves and families, and Benjamin amongst the rest, to perish for want of bread.? Skin for skin, and all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:5

But if thou wilt not send him , we will not go down ,.... This they said not as undutiful, and from a spirit of rebellion and disobedience to their father, or of stubbornness and obstinacy, but because they durst not go down, nor could they with any safety; they might expect to be taken up as spies, and put to death as they were threatened; and besides, it would be in vain, and to no purpose, since there was no likelihood of succeeding, or of getting any provision: for the man said unto... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:6

And Israel said ,.... In answer to the speech of Judah: wherefore dealt ye so ill with me ; had done that which brought so much evil upon him, gave him so much grief and trouble, and threw him into such perplexity and distress, that he knew not what to do, or course to take: as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother ? which he thought was done imprudently and unadvisedly, and that there was no need of it; which, had it not been done, would have prevented this anxiety of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:8

And Judah said unto Israel his father, send the lad with me , and we will arise and go ,.... Directly to Egypt for corn; Judah calls Benjamin a lad, because the youngest brother, and tenderly brought up by his father, who had an affectionate fondness for him as if he had been a child; otherwise he must be thirty two years of age, for he was seven years younger than Joseph, who was now thirty nine years of age; yea, Benjamin must have children of his own, who went with him and his father... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:9

I will be surety for him ,.... Engage for his safe return: of my hand shall thou require him ; I will be answerable for him: if I bring him not to thee, and set him before thee : do not return him from Egypt, and bring him to Canaan, into his father's house and presence safe, and sound: then let me bear the blame for ever ; of persuading his father to let him go with him; all this he said, to show what care he would take of him, and what confidence he had that no evil would... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:10

For except we had lingered ,.... Delayed going down to Egypt, through the demur Jacob made of tending Benjamin with them: surely now we had returned this second time ; they would have made their journey to Egypt, and returned again with their corn, and their brother Benjamin too, as Judah supposed, before this time; so that by these delays they were losing time, and involving themselves and families in distress for want of corn. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:11

And their father said unto them ,.... Being in some measure convinced by their reasonings, and in part at least reconciled to let Benjamin go with them, there being nothing to be done, he perceived, unless he consented to it: if it must be so now, do this ; if nothing else will do but Benjamin must go, which after all he was reluctant to, then he advises them to do as follows: take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels ; such as were the peculiar produce of the land of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:12

And take double money in your hand ,.... Than what they carried before, either to buy as much more as they then did; or rather because of the greater scarcity of corn, as Jarchi observes, which made it doubly dearer; for this seems to be different from the money they are also bid to take in return for that found in their sacks, which was a third parcel, as follows: and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand ; that it might be ready to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:13

Take also your brother ,.... Their brother Benjamin, committing him into their hands and to their care, hereby declaring his consent and willingness that he should go with them: and arise, go again to the man ; the governor of Egypt, to buy corn of him. read more

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