Genesis 42:1

1 And Jacob seeth that there is corn in Egypt, and Jacob saith to his sons, `Why do you look at each other?'

Genesis 42:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 42:1

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 ^F23 there, a sale of corn; the word has the signification of "breaking" ^F24 in it, because that bread corn is broke in the mill, or is broken from the heap when sold or distributed, or because when eaten it breaks the fast. Now Jacob had either seen persons passing by with corn, of whom he inquired from whence they had it, who replied, from Egypt; or he understood by the report of others that corn was to be bought there; though some of the Jewish writers would have it, as Jarchi observes, that he saw it by the revelation of the Holy Spirit: Jacob said unto, his sons, why do ye look one upon another?
like persons in surprise, distress and despair, at their wits' end, not knowing what to do, what course to take, and which way to turn themselves, and scarce able to speak to one another, and consult with each other what was proper to be done; for it seems not so agreeable that they should be charged as idle persons, careless and unconcerned, indifferent and inactive; but rather, if the other sense is not acceptable, the meaning may be, "why do ye look?" ^F25 here and there, in the land of Canaan, where it is to no purpose to look for corn; look where it is to be had.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 (rby) (prasiv) Sept. "frumentum venale", Schmidt; so Ainsworth, and the Targum of Jonathan.
F24 "Fractio", Montanus, Munster, Piscator.
F25 (wartt hml) "ut quid circumspicitis", Schmidt.

Genesis 42:1 In-Context

1 And Jacob seeth that there is corn in Egypt, and Jacob saith to his sons, `Why do you look at each other?'

2 he saith also, `Lo, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, go down thither, and buy for us from thence, and we live and do not die;'

3 and the ten brethren of Joseph go down to buy corn in Egypt,

4 and Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob hath not sent with his brethren, for he said, `Lest mischief meet him.'

5 And the sons of Israel come to buy in the midst of those coming, for the famine hath been in the land of Canaan,