Genesis 45:22

22 To every one of them he gave three changes of clothing; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred bits of silver and five changes of clothing.

Genesis 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.

Genesis 45:22 In-Context

20 And take no thought for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.

21 And the children of Israel did as he said; and Joseph gave them carts as had been ordered by Pharaoh, and food for their journey.

22 To every one of them he gave three changes of clothing; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred bits of silver and five changes of clothing.

23 And to his father he sent ten asses with good things from Egypt on their backs, and ten she-asses with grain and bread and food for his father on the journey.

24 And he sent his brothers on their way, and said to them, See that you have no argument on the road.