Genesis 45:22

22 He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver ^[a] and five sets of clothes.

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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.

FOOTNOTES:

F11 Odyss. 8.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Genesis 45:22 In-Context

20 But pay no regard to your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.

22 He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.

23 And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey.

24 Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”