Genesis 43:1-15

The Second Journey to Egypt

1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.

2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ”

6 Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.

9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.

10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.

12 Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.

14 And may God Almighty^[a] 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.

Genesis 43:1-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 43

This chapter informs us how that the famine continued in the land of Canaan, and the corn that Jacob's family had from Egypt being consumed, Jacob pressed his sons to go down for more, which they refused to do, unless Benjamin was sent with them, for whose safety Judah offered to become a surety, Ge 43:1-10; Jacob with reluctance was prevailed upon to let him go, and dismissed them with a present to the governor of Egypt, and with double money to buy corn with, and with his blessing upon them, Ge 43:11-14; upon which they set out for Egypt; and when they came into the presence of Joseph, he seeing Benjamin with them, ordered his steward to have them to his house, and get dinner ready, it being his pleasure that they should dine with him that day, Ge 43:15-17; this threw them into a fright, supposing they were going to be called to an account for the money they found in their sacks; wherefore they related to the steward very particularly the whole of that affair, who bid them not be uneasy, for he had had their money; and as a proof that things would go well with them, brought Simeon out to them, and treated them very kindly and gently, Ge 43:18-24; and having got their present ready against Joseph came home, they delivered it to him with great veneration and submission; who asked of the welfare of their father, and whether that was not their younger brother they spoke of, the sight of whom so affected him, that he was obliged in haste to retire to his chamber, and weep, Ge 43:25-30; and having washed his face, and composed himself, he returned and ordered dinner to be brought, which was set on different tables, one for himself and the Egyptians, and the other for his brethren, whom he placed according to their age, to their great surprise; and sent them messes from his table to each, and to Benjamin five times more than the rest, and they were so liberally entertained, that they became cheerful and merry, Ge 43:31-34.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 12:10; Genesis 41:56-57
• 2. Genesis 42:25
• 3. S Genesis 42:2
• 4. ver 8; Genesis 44:14,18; Genesis 46:28
• 5. S Genesis 42:15; Genesis 44:23
• 6. S Genesis 42:2
• 7. S Genesis 42:15; Genesis 44:26; 2 Samuel 3:13
• 8. ver 8,11; S Genesis 17:5
• 9. S Genesis 34:30
• 10. ver 27; Genesis 45:3
• 11. S Genesis 42:13; Genesis 44:19
• 12. S Genesis 42:15
• 13. S ver 3; S Genesis 29:35
• 14. S ver 6
• 15. S Genesis 42:2; Psalms 33:18-19
• 16. 1 Samuel 23:20
• 17. Genesis 44:10,17
• 18. S Genesis 42:37; Genesis 44:32; Philemon 1:18-19
• 19. Genesis 45:9
• 20. S ver 6
• 21. S Genesis 24:10
• 22. S Genesis 32:13; Genesis 32:20; Proverbs 18:16
• 23. S Genesis 37:25; Ezekiel 27:17; Jeremiah 8:22
• 24. Exodus 30:23; 1 Kings 10:2; Ezekiel 27:22
• 25. S Genesis 37:25
• 26. ver 15; Exodus 22:4,7; Proverbs 6:31
• 27. S Genesis 42:25
• 28. ver 3
• 29. S Genesis 17:1; Genesis 28:3; Genesis 35:11
• 30. Deuteronomy 13:17; Psalms 25:6
• 31. S Genesis 42:24
• 32. 2 Samuel 18:33; Esther 4:16
• 33. ver 12
• 34. Genesis 45:9,13
• 35. Genesis 47:2,7; Matthew 2:11

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "El-Shaddai"