Genesis 43:16

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”

Genesis 43:16 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon."
New Living Translation (NLT)
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the manager of his household, “These men will eat with me this noon. Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
16 When Joseph saw that they had Benjamin with them, he told his house steward, "Take these men into the house and make them at home. Butcher an animal and prepare a meal; these men are going to eat with me at noon."
American Standard Version (ASV)
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the man in charge of his house, "Take these men to my house. Butcher an animal, and prepare a meal, because they are going to eat with me at noon."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, "Take the men to [my] house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they will eat with me at noon."
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he spoke to the manager of his house. "Take these men to my house," he said. "Kill an animal and prepare dinner. I want them to eat with me at noon."

Genesis 43:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 43:16

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them
Whom he knew, though he had not seen him twenty two years, and though he must be very much altered, being but about ten years of age when Joseph was said into Egypt, yet being with the rest of his brethren, whom he knew very well, concluded it must be him: he said to the ruler of his house;
his steward, as be is after called, not his son Manasseh, as the Targum of Jonathan: bring [these] men home;
to his own house, for Joseph was now at or near the place where were the granaries of corn, and where that was said and distributed: and slay, and make ready;
or "slay a slaughter" F20, that is, of beasts for food; a sheep, or a lamb, or a calf, very probably, and order it to be dressed, boiled or roasted, or both, that it might be fit for food: wherefore Aben Ezra must be mistaken when ( Genesis 46:34 ) ; he says, that the Egyptians in those times did not eat flesh, nor might any kill a sheep; for it cannot be thought that Joseph could order a dinner for his brethren, to whom as yet he did not choose to make himself known, in direct violation of the customs and laws of Egypt, and who, it is plain by what follows, dined as an Egyptian, and with the Egyptians, and not as an Hebrew, and with his brethren as Hebrews; besides, for what purpose did Pharaoh get and possess such herds and flocks of cattle, if not for food as well as other uses? see ( Genesis 47:6 Genesis 47:16 Genesis 47:17 ) ; though in later times they abstained from eating various animals, as Porphyry F21 from Chaeremon relates, and particularly from sheep and goats, according to Juvenal F24: for [these] men shall dine with me at noon;
which was the usual time of dining with the eastern people, as it is now with us, though with the Romans at evening.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (xbj xbj) "macta mactationem", Drusius, Schmidt; "macta animalia", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F21 De abstinentia, l. 4. sect. 6, 7.
F24 "-----lanatis animalibus abstinet omnis Mensa, nefas illic foetus jugulare capellae." Satyr 15. ver. 11, 12.

Genesis 43:16 In-Context

14 And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”
17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.
18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Genesis 35:18
  • 2. ver 17,24,26; Ge 44:1,4,12; 2 Samuel 19:17; Isaiah 22:15
  • 3. ver 31; Luke 15:23
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.