Génesis 43:8-18

8 Y Judá dijo a su padre Israel: Envía al muchacho conmigo, y nos levantaremos e iremos, para que vivamos y no perezcamos, tanto nosotros como tú y nuestros pequeños.
9 Yo me haré responsable de él; de mi mano lo demandarás. Si yo no te lo vuelvo a traer y lo pongo delante de ti, que lleve yo la culpa para siempre delante de ti;
10 porque si no hubiéramos perdido tiempo, sin duda ya habríamos vuelto dos veces.
11 Entonces su padre Israel les dijo: Si así tiene que ser, haced esto: tomad de los mejores productos de la tierra en vuestras vasijas, y llevad a aquel hombre como presente un poco de bálsamo y un poco de miel, resina aromática, mirra, nueces y almendras.
12 Y tomad doble cantidad de dinero en vuestra mano, y llevad de nuevo en vuestra mano el dinero que fue devuelto en la boca de vuestros costales; tal vez fue un error.
13 Tomad también a vuestro hermano, levantaos y volved a aquel hombre;
14 y que el Dios Todopoderoso os conceda misericordia ante aquel hombre para que ponga en libertad al otro hermano vuestro y a Benjamín. En cuanto a mí, si he de ser privado de mis hijos, que así sea.
15 Tomaron, pues, los hombres este presente, y tomaron doble cantidad de dinero en su mano y a Benjamín, y se levantaron y descendieron a Egipto y se presentaron delante de José.
16 Cuando José vio a Benjamín con ellos, dijo al mayordomo de su casa: Haz entrar a estos hombres a casa, y mata un animal y prepáralo, porque estos hombres comerán conmigo al mediodía.
17 El hombre hizo como José le dijo, y llevó a los hombres a casa de José.
18 Y los hombres tenían miedo porque eran llevados a casa de José y dijeron: Por causa del dinero que fue devuelto en nuestros costales la primera vez hemos sido traídos aquí, para tener pretexto contra nosotros y caer sobre nosotros y tomarnos por esclavos con nuestros asnos.

Génesis 43:8-18 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.

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