Genesis 43:33

33 Therefore they sat before him, the first begotten by right of the first begotten, and (so on down to) the youngest by his age; and they wondered greatly, (And so they sat down before him, the first-born by right of the first-born, and so on down to the youngest by his age; and they greatly wondered,)

Genesis 43:33 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 43:33

And they sat before him
At a table, so placed that they were in his sight, and he had a full view of them: the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according
to his youth;
everyone according to his age, Reuben, the firstborn, first, and so on to Benjamin the youngest: thus they placed themselves as they used to be in their father's family, or they were so placed by Joseph; and if this was the case, it may be a reason, and a principal one, of what follows: and the men marvelled one at another;
not the Egyptians, the guests of Joseph, seeing eleven brethren placed in this manner, and these being Hebrews, taken so much notice of; but Joseph's brethren, who either wondered at the manner of their being seated so regular, according to their age; or at the honour done them to dine with the governor, and at the grandeur of the entertainment, and at the separate manner in which the governor, and the nobles of Egypt, sat at meals; or at what follows.

Genesis 43:33 In-Context

31 And again when his face was washed (And then when he had washed his face), he went out, and refrained himself from weeping, and said, Set ye forth (the) loaves.
32 Which were set forth to Joseph by himself, and to his brethren by themselves, and to the Egyptians that ate together by themselves; for it is unleaveful to Egyptians to eat with Hebrews, and they guess such a feast unholy. (And they were set forth for Joseph by himself, and for his brothers by themselves, and for the Egyptians who ate together by themselves; for it is unlawful for Egyptians to eat with Hebrews, for they believe that such a feast, or that such a meal, would be unholy.)
33 Therefore they sat before him, the first begotten by right of the first begotten, and (so on down to) the youngest by his age; and they wondered greatly, (And so they sat down before him, the first-born by right of the first-born, and so on down to the youngest by his age; and they greatly wondered,)
34 when the parts were taken which they had received of him, and the more part came to Benjamin, so that it passed (the others) in five parts; and they drank, and were [ful]filled with him. (when they received their portions from him, and the greatest portion came to Benjamin, indeed it was five times more than what any of the others received; and so they drank, and were fulfilled with him.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.