Genesis 43:29

29 And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom ye spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on thee, my son.

Genesis 43:29 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 43:29

And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin
He had seen him before when his brethren first presented themselves to him, but then took no particular and special notice of him, only gave him a side look as it were, but now he looked wistly at him: his mother's son;
the son of Rachel his mother, and who was his only brother by his mother's side, the rest, though his brethren, yet only by his father's side, not his mother's sons: and said, [is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?
he knew he was the same, but was willing to have it from their mouths, to lead on to what he had further to say: and he said;
after they had answered his question, and told him it was he: God be gracious unto thee, my son;
speaking as a superior, a governor, in which capacity he was a father to his inferiors; and as a man, a relation, a brother, though not as yet discovered; he spoke in the most tender and affectionate manner, and, as a religious good man, he wishes the best thing he could for his brother, the grace and goodness of God; and which may be understood in the largest and most expressive sense, as including all good things, temporal, spiritual, and eternal.

Genesis 43:29 In-Context

27 And he asked them, How are ye? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom ye spoke, well? Does he yet live?

28 And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.

29 And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom ye spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on thee, my son.

30 And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.

31 And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gr. having looked up with, etc.
• [b]. Gr. were amazed.