Genesis 42

1 audiens autem Iacob quod alimenta venderentur in Aegypto dixit filiis suis quare neglegitis

2 audivi quod triticum venundetur in Aegypto descendite et emite nobis necessaria ut possimus vivere et non consumamur inopia

3 descendentes igitur fratres Ioseph decem ut emerent frumenta in Aegypto

4 Beniamin domi retento ab Iacob qui dixerat fratribus eius ne forte in itinere quicquam patiatur mali

5 ingressi sunt terram Aegypti cum aliis qui pergebant ad emendum erat autem fames in terra Chanaan

6 et Ioseph princeps Aegypti atque ad illius nutum frumenta populis vendebantur cumque adorassent eum fratres sui

7 et agnovisset eos quasi ad alienos durius loquebatur interrogans eos unde venistis qui responderunt de terra Chanaan ut emamus victui necessaria

8 et tamen fratres ipse cognoscens non est agnitus ab eis

9 recordatusque somniorum quae aliquando viderat ait exploratores estis ut videatis infirmiora terrae venistis

10 qui dixerunt non est ita domine sed servi tui venerunt ut emerent cibos

11 omnes filii unius viri sumus pacifici venimus nec quicquam famuli tui machinantur mali

12 quibus ille respondit aliter est inmunita terrae huius considerare venistis

13 et illi duodecim inquiunt servi tui fratres sumus filii viri unius in terra Chanaan minimus cum patre nostro est alius non est super

14 hoc est ait quod locutus sum exploratores estis

15 iam nunc experimentum vestri capiam per salutem Pharaonis non egrediemini hinc donec veniat frater vester minimus

16 mittite e vobis unum et adducat eum vos autem eritis in vinculis donec probentur quae dixistis utrum falsa an vera sint alioquin per salutem Pharaonis exploratores estis

17 tradidit ergo eos custodiae tribus diebus

18 die autem tertio eductis de carcere ait facite quod dixi et vivetis Deum enim timeo

19 si pacifici estis frater vester unus ligetur in carcere vos autem abite et ferte frumenta quae emistis in domos vestras

20 et fratrem vestrum minimum ad me adducite ut possim vestros probare sermones et non moriamini fecerunt ut dixerat

21 et locuti sunt invicem merito haec patimur quia peccavimus in fratrem nostrum videntes angustiam animae illius cum deprecaretur nos et non audivimus idcirco venit super nos ista tribulatio

22 e quibus unus Ruben ait numquid non dixi vobis nolite peccare in puerum et non audistis me en sanguis eius exquiritur

23 nesciebant autem quod intellegeret Ioseph eo quod per interpretem loquebatur ad eos

24 avertitque se parumper et flevit et reversus locutus est ad eos

25 tollens Symeon et ligans illis praesentibus iussitque ministris ut implerent saccos eorum tritico et reponerent pecunias singulorum in sacculis suis datis supra cibariis in via qui fecerunt ita

26 at illi portantes frumenta in asinis profecti sunt

27 apertoque unus sacco ut daret iumento pabulum in diversorio contemplatus pecuniam in ore sacculi

28 dixit fratribus suis reddita est mihi pecunia en habetur in sacco et obstupefacti turbatique dixerunt mutuo quidnam est hoc quod fecit nobis Deus

29 veneruntque ad Iacob patrem suum in terra Chanaan et narraverunt ei omnia quae accidissent sibi dicentes

30 locutus est nobis dominus terrae dure et putavit nos exploratores provinciae

31 cui respondimus pacifici sumus nec ullas molimur insidias

32 duodecim fratres uno patre geniti sumus unus non est super minimus cum patre versatur in terra Chanaan

33 qui ait nobis sic probabo quod pacifici sitis fratrem vestrum unum dimittite apud me et cibaria domibus vestris necessaria sumite et abite

34 fratremque vestrum minimum adducite ad me ut sciam quod non sitis exploratores et istum qui tenetur in vinculis recipere possitis ac deinceps emendi quae vultis habeatis licentiam

35 his dictis cum frumenta effunderent singuli reppererunt in ore saccorum ligatas pecunias exterritisque simul omnibus

36 dixit pater Iacob absque liberis me esse fecistis Ioseph non est super Symeon tenetur in vinculis Beniamin auferetis in me haec mala omnia reciderunt

37 cui respondit Ruben duos filios meos interfice si non reduxero illum tibi trade in manu mea et ego eum restituam

38 at ille non descendet inquit filius meus vobiscum frater eius mortuus est ipse solus remansit si quid ei adversi acciderit in terra ad quam pergitis deducetis canos meos cum dolore ad inferos

Genesis 42 Commentary

Chapter 42

Jacob sends ten sons to buy corn. (1-6) Joseph's treatment of his brethren. (7-20) Their remorse, Simeon detained. (21-24) The rest return with corn. (25-28) Jacob refuses to send Benjamin to Egypt. (29-38)

Verses 1-6 Jacob saw the corn his neighbours had bought in Egypt, and brought home. It is a spur to exertion to see others supplied. Shall others get food for their souls, and shall we starve while it is to be had? Having discovered where help is to be had, we should apply for it without delay, without shrinking from labour, or grudging expense, especially as regards our never-dying souls. There is provision in Christ; but we must come to him, and seek it from him.

Verses 7-20 Joseph was hard upon his brethren, not from a spirit of revenge, but to bring them to repentance. Not seeing his brother Benjamin, he suspected that they had made away with him, and he gave them occasion to speak of their father and brother. God, in his providence, sometimes seems harsh with those he loves, and speaks roughly to those for whom yet he has great mercy in store. Joseph settled at last, that one of them should be left, and the rest go home and fetch Benjamin. It was a very encouraging word he said to them, "I fear God;" as if he had said, You may be assured I will do you no wrong; I dare not, for I know there is one higher than I. With those that fear God, we may expect fair dealing.

Verses 21-24 The office of conscience is to bring to mind things long since said and done. When the guilt of this sin of Joseph's brethren was fresh, they made light of it, and sat down to eat bread; but now, long afterward, their consciences accused them of it. See the good of afflictions; they often prove the happy means of awakening conscience, and bringing sin to our remembrance. Also, the evil of guilt as to our brethren. Conscience now reproached them for it. Whenever we think we have wrong done us, we ought to remember the wrong we have done to others. Reuben alone remembered with comfort, that he had done what he could to prevent the mischief. When we share with others in their sufferings, it will be a comfort if we have the testimony of our consciences for us, that we did not share in their evil deeds, but in our places witnessed against them. Joseph retired to weep. Though his reason directed that he should still carry himself as a stranger, because they were not as yet humbled enough, yet natural affection could not but work.

Verses 25-28 The brethren came for corn, and corn they had: not only so, but every man had his money given back. Thus Christ, like Joseph, gives out supplies without money and without price. The poorest are invited to buy. But guilty consciences are apt to take good providences in a bad sense; to put wrong meanings even upon things that make for them.

Verses 29-38 Here is the report Jacob's sons made to their father. It troubled the good man. Even the bundles of money Joseph returned, in kindness, to his father, frightened him. He laid the fault upon his sons; knowing them, he feared they had provoked the Egyptians, and wrongfully brought home their money. Jacob plainly distrusted his sons, remembering that he never saw Joseph since he had been with them. It is bad with a family, when children behave so ill that their parents know not how to trust them. Jacob gives up Joseph for gone, and Simeon and Benjamin as in danger; and concludes, All these things are against me. It proved otherwise, that all these things were for him, were working together for his good, and the good of his family. We often think that to be against us, which is really for us. We are afflicted in body, estate, name, and in our relations; and think all these things are against us, whereas they are really working for us a weight of glory. Thus does the Lord Jesus conceal himself and his favour, thus he rebukes and chastens those for whom he has purposes of love. By sharp corrections and humbling convictions he will break the stoutness and mar the pride of the heart, and bring to true repentance. Yet before sinners fully know him, or taste that he is gracious, he consults their good, and sustains their souls, to wait for him. May we do thus, never yielding to discouragement, determining to seek no other refuge, and humbling ourselves more and more under his mighty hand. In due time he will answer our petitions, and do for us more than we can expect.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 42

This chapter relates how that Jacob having heard there was corn in Egypt, sent all his sons but Benjamin thither to buy corn, Ge 42:1-5; and coming before Joseph, they bowed to him, and he knowing them, though they knew not him, spoke roughly to them, and charged them with being spies, Ge 42:6-9; they in their defence urged that they were the sons of one man in Canaan, with whom their youngest brother was left, on which Joseph ordered them to send for him, to prove them true men, Ge 42:10-16; and put them all into prison for three days, and then released them, and sent them away to fetch their brother, Ge 42:17-20; this brought to mind their treatment of Joseph, and they confessed their guilt to each other, which Joseph heard, and greatly affected him, they supposing he understood them not, and before he dismissed them bound Simeon before their eyes, whom he retained till they returned, Ge 42:21-24; then he ordered his servants to fill their sacks with corn, and put each man's money in his sack, which one of them on the road found, opening his sack for provender, filled them all with great surprise and fear, Ge 42:25-28; upon their return to Jacob they related all that had befallen them, and particularly that the governor insisted on having Benjamin brought to him, Ge 42:29-34; their sacks being opened, all their money was found in them, which greatly distressed them and Jacob also, who was very unwilling to let Benjamin go, though Reuben offered his two sons as pledges for him, and himself to be a surety, Ge 42:35-38.