Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 43
Overview:
Jacob is persuaded to send
Benjamin into
Egypt.
(1-14)
Joseph's reception of his brethren, their fears.
(15-25) Joseph
makes a
Feast for his brethren.
(26-34)
1-14 Jacob urges his sons to go and buy a little
Food; now, in
time of
Dearth, a little must suffice.
Judah urges that
Benjamin
should go with them. It is not against the honour and duty
children owe their parents, humbly to advise them, and when
needful, to reason with them.
Jacob saw the necessity of the
case, and yielded. His prudence and
Justice appeared in three
things. 1. He sent back the
Money they had found in the sack.
Honesty obliges us to restore not only that which comes to us
By
our own fault, but that which comes to us
By the mistakes of
others. Though we get it
By oversight, if we keep it when the
oversight is discovered, it is kept
By deceit. 2. He sent as
much again as they took the time before; the price of
Corn might
be risen, or they might have to pay a
Ransom for
Simeon. 3. He
sent a present of such things as the land afforded, and as were
scarce in
Egypt,
Balm, and
Honey, &c.
Providence dispenses not
its
Gifts to all alike. But
Honey and spice will never make up
the want of
Bread-
Corn. The
Famine was sore in
Canaan, yet they
had
Balm and
Myrrh, &c. We may live
Well enough upon
Plain Food,
without dainties; but we cannot live upon dainties without
Plain
Food. Let us thank
God that what is most needful and useful,
generally is most cheap and common. Though men value very highly
their
Gold and
Silver, and the luxuries which are counted the
best fruits of every land, yet in a time of
Famine they
willingly barter them for
Bread. And how little will earthly
good things stand us in stead in the
Day of wrath! How ready
should we be to renounce them all, as loss, for the excellency
of the knowledge of
Jesus Christ! Our way to prevail with
Man is
By first prevailing with the
Lord in fervent
Prayer. But, Thy
will be done, should close every petition for the mercies of
this
Life, or against the
Afflictions of this
Life.
15-25 Jacob's sons went down the second time into
Egypt to buy
Corn. If we should ever know what a
Famine of the
Word means,
let us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual
Food, as
they did for bodily
Food.
Joseph's steward had orders from his
master to take them to his
House. Even this frightened them.
Those that are guilty make the worst of every thing. But the
steward encouraged them. It appears, from what he said, that
By
his good master he was brought to the knowledge of the true
God,
the
God of the
Hebrews. Religious servants should take all fit
occasions to speak of
God and his
Providence, with reverence and
seriousness.
26-34 Observe the great respect
Joseph's brethren paid to him.
Thus were
Joseph's dreams more and more fulfilled.
Joseph showed
great kindness to them. He treated them nobly; but see here the
early distance between Jews and
Gentiles. In a
Day of
Famine, it
is enough to be fed; but they were feasted. Their cares and
fears were now over, and they ate their
Bread with joy,
reckoning they were upon good terms with the
Lord of the land.
If
God accept our
Works, our present, we have reason to be
cheerful.
Joseph showed special regard for
Benjamin, that he
might try whether his brethren would envy him. It must be our
rule, to be content with what we have, and not to grieve at what
others have. Thus
Jesus shows those whom he loves, more and more
of their need. He makes them see that he is their only
Refuge
from
Destruction. He overcomes their unwillingness, and brings
them to himself. Then, as he sees good, he gives them some taste
of his
Love, and welcomes them to the provisions of his
House,
as an
Earnest of what he further intends for them.