Genesis 45:22

22 He gave each of them a change of clothes, but he gave Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.

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.

Genesis 45:22 In-Context

20 Don't worry about your belongings because the best of everything in Egypt is yours.'"
21 Israel's sons did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons and supplies for their trip as Pharaoh had ordered.
22 He gave each of them a change of clothes, but he gave Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.
23 He sent his father ten male donkeys carrying Egypt's best products and ten female donkeys carrying grain, bread, and food for his father's trip.
24 So Joseph sent his brothers on their way. As they were leaving, he said to them, "Don't quarrel on your way back!"
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