Génesis 43:16

16 Y vio José a Benjamín con ellos, y dijo al mayordomo de su casa: Mete a aquellos varones en casa, y degüella víctima, y aderézala; porque estos varones comerán conmigo al mediodía

Génesis 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.

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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.

Génesis 43:16 In-Context

14 Y el Dios Omnipotente os dé misericordias delante de aquel varón, y os suelte al otro vuestro hermano, y a este Benjamín. Y si he de ser privado de mis hijos, séalo

15 Entonces tomaron aquellos varones el presente, y tomaron en su mano el doble del dinero, y a Benjamín; y se levantaron, y descendieron a Egipto, y se presentaron delante de José

16 Y vio José a Benjamín con ellos, y dijo al mayordomo de su casa: Mete a aquellos varones en casa, y degüella víctima, y aderézala; porque estos varones comerán conmigo al mediodía

17 Y el varón hizo como José dijo; y metió aquel varón a los hombres en casa de José

18 Y aquellos hombres tuvieron temor, cuando fueron metidos en casa de José, y decían: Por el dinero que fue devuelto en nuestros costales la primera vez nos han metido aquí, para revolver sobre nosotros, y dar sobre nosotros, y tomarnos por siervos a nosotros, y a nuestros asnos