Bereshis 45:22

22 To all of them he gave each man chalifot semalot; but to Binyamin he gave three hundred pieces of kesef, and chamesh chalifot semalot.

Bereshis 45:22 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 45:22

To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment
Rich apparel, two suits of clothes, to shift and change upon occasion, such as Homer ^F11 calls (imatia exameiba) , "changeable garments"; those he gave to everyone of his brethren, partly that they might have something to show to their father and to their wives, which would cause them to give credit to the report they should give of Joseph, and his great prosperity; and partly that they might, upon their return, be provided with suitable apparel to appear before Pharaoh, and chiefly this was intended to show his great respect and affection for them, and reconciliation to them: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver;
or shekels, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, which amounted to between thirty and forty pounds of our money; the Septuagint very wrongly renders it three hundred "pieces of gold"; and besides these he gave him also five changes of raiment;
because of his greater love and affection for him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Odyss. 8.

Bereshis 45:22 In-Context

20 Also regard not your kelim; for the best of kol Eretz Mitzrayim is yours.

21 And the Bnei Yisroel did so; and Yosef gave them agalot, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the derech.

22 To all of them he gave each man chalifot semalot; but to Binyamin he gave three hundred pieces of kesef, and chamesh chalifot semalot.

23 And to Aviv he sent after this manner; ten chamorim loaded with the best of Mitzrayim, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and lechem and provision for Aviv for the derech.

24 So he sent his achim away, and they departed; and he said unto them, See that ye not quarrel by the derech.