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Texts -- Genesis 43:15-34 (NET)

Context
43:15 So the men took these gifts , and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin . Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph . 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household , “Bring the men to the house . Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon .” 43:17 The man did just as Joseph said ; he brought the men into Joseph’s house . 43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house . They said , “We are being brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks last time . He wants to capture us, make us slaves , and take our donkeys !” 43:19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house . 43:20 They said , “My lord , we did indeed come down the first time to buy food . 43:21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night , we opened our sacks and each of us found his money – the full amount – in the mouth of his sack . So we have returned it. 43:22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food . We do not know who put the money in our sacks !” 43:23 “Everything is fine ,” the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid . Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks . I had your money .” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 43:24 The servant in charge brought the men into Joseph’s house . He gave them water , and they washed their feet . Then he gave food to their donkeys . 43:25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival at noon , for they had heard that they were to have a meal there . 43:26 When Joseph came home , they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside , and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. Then he said , “Is your aging father well , the one you spoke about? Is he still alive ?” 43:28 “Your servant our father is well ,” they replied . “He is still alive .” They bowed down in humility . 43:29 When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin , his mother’s son , he said , “Is this your youngest brother , whom you told me about?” Then he said , “May God be gracious to you, my son .” 43:30 Joseph hurried out , for he was overcome by affection for his brother and was at the point of tears . So he went to his room and wept there . 43:31 Then he washed his face and came out . With composure he said , “Set out the food .” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews , for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.) 43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest . The men looked at each other in astonishment . 43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him , but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Joseph

    [ebd] remover or increaser. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 30:23, 24), who, on the occasion of his birth, said, "God hath taken away [Heb. 'asaph] my reproach." "The Lord shall add [Heb. yoseph] to me anot...
    [nave] JOSEPH 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 30:24. Personal appearance of, Gen. 39:6. His father's favorite child, Gen. 33:2; 37:3, 4, 35; 48:22; 1 Chr. 5:2; John 4:5. His father's partiality for, excites the jealousy of his brethren, G...

  • GENESIS, 1-2

    [isbe] GENESIS, 1-2 - jen'-e-sis: I. GENERAL DATA 1. The Name 2. Survey of Contents 3. Connection with Succeeding Books II. COMPOSITION OF GENESIS IN GENERAL 1. Unity of the Biblical Text (1) The Toledhoth (2) Further Indication of...

  • Lies and Deceits

    [nave] LIES AND DECEITS Ex. 23:1; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 12, 16 Ex. 20:16. Job 13:4; Job 21:34; Job 27:4; Job 31:5, 6, 33; Job 36:4; Psa. 5:6, 9; Psa. 10:7; Psa. 12:2, 3; Psa. 28:3; Psa. 31:18; Psa. 34:13 1 Pet. 3:10. Psa. 36:3; P...

  • NUMBER

    [isbe] NUMBER - num'-ber: I. NUMBER AND ARITHMETIC II. NOTATION OF NUMBERS 1. By Words 2. By Signs 3. By Letters III. NUMBERS IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY IV. ROUND NUMBERS V. SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS 1. Seven and Its Multiples (1) Ritual U...

  • Exports

    [nave] EXPORTS From Egypt: Of horses and chariots, and linen yarn, 1 Kin. 10:28, 29; 2 Chr. 1:16, 17; of grain, Gen. 42; 43. From Gilead: of spices, Gen. 37:25. From Ophir: of gold, 1 Kin. 10:11; 22:48; 1 Chr. 29:4. From Tarshis...

  • Benjamin

    [nave] BENJAMIN 1. Son of Jacob by Rachel, Gen. 35:18, 24; 46:19. Taken into Egypt, Gen. 42-45. Prophecy concerning, Gen. 49:27. Descendants of, Gen. 46:21; Num. 26:38-41. Tribe of Census of, at Sinai, Num. 1:37; in the plain ...

  • Deception

    [nave] DECEPTION. Instances of By Satan, Gen. 3:4. Abraham, in stating that Sarah was his sister, Gen. 12:13; 20:2. Isaac, in stating that his wife was his sister, Gen. 26:7. Jacob and Rebekah, in imposing Jacob on his father,...

  • Hypocrisy

    [nave] HYPOCRISY. Job 8:13-15; Job 13:16; Job 15:31, 33, 34; Job 17:8; Job 20:4, 5 vs. 6-18.; Job 27:8-10 vs. 13-18.; Job 31:33, 34; Job 34:30; Job 36:13, 14; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 50:16, 17; Psa. 52:4; Psa. 55:12-14, 20, 21, 23; Psa. 78...

  • Famine

    [ebd] The first mentioned in Scripture was so grievous as to compel Abraham to go down to the land of Egypt (Gen. 26:1). Another is mentioned as having occurred in the days of Isaac, causing him to go to Gerar (Gen. 26:1, 17). But...

  • MEALS, MEAL-TIME

    [isbe] MEALS, MEAL-TIME - melz: Bread materials, bread-making and baking in the Orient are dealt with under BREAD (which see). For food-stuffs in use among the Hebrews in Bible times more specifically see FOOD. This article aims to...

  • Money

    [nave] MONEY Silver used as, Gen. 17:12, 13, 23, 27; 20:16; 23:9, 13; 31:15; 37:28; 42:25-35; 43:12-23; 44:1-8; 47:14-18; Ex. 12:44; 21:11, 21, 34, 35; 22:7, 17, 25; 30:16; Lev. 22:11; 25:37, 51; 27:15, 18; Num. 3:48-51; 18:16; Deu...

  • JOSEPH (2)

    [isbe] JOSEPH (2) - jo'-zef (yoceph, "He will add"; Septuagint Ioseph). The narrative (Gen 30:23,14) indicates not so much a double etymology as the course of Rachel's thoughts. The use of 'acaph, "He takes away," suggested to her ...

  • Integrity

    [nave] INTEGRITY. Gen. 18:19; Ex. 18:21; Deut. 16:19, 20; Job 10:7; Job 13:15, 18; Job 16:17; Job 27:4-6; Job 29:14; Job 31:1-40; Psa. 7:3-5, 8; Psa. 15:1-5; Psa. 17:3; Psa. 18:20 2 Sam. 22:21. Psa. 24:3-5; Psa. 26:1-3; Psa. 69:4;...

  • Brother

    [nave] BROTHER Signifies a relative, Gen. 14:16; 29:12; neighbor, Deut. 23:7; Judg. 21:6; Neh. 5:7; any Israelite, Jer. 34:9; Obad. 10; mankind, Gen. 9:5; Matt. 18:35; 1 John 3:15; companion, 2 Sam. 1:26; 1 Kin. 13:30; 20:33. Love...

  • Hospitality

    [nave] HOSPITALITY. Ex. 22:21; Ex. 23:9; Lev. 19:10, 33, 34; Lev. 24:22; Deut. 10:18, 19; Deut. 26:12, 13; Deut. 27:19; Prov. 9:1-4; Prov. 23:6-8; Isa. 58:6, 7; Matt. 22:2-10; Matt. 25:34-46; Luke 14:12-14; Rom. 12:13; Rom. 16:1, ...

  • Treasure

    [nave] TREASURE 1. A thing of highly estimated value. Money, Gen. 42:25, 27, 28, 35; 43:23, with vs. 18,21,22. Precious stones, 1 Chr. 29:8. Jesus forbids the hoarding of, Matt. 6:19; 19:21; Luke 12:33. Hidden, Matt. 13:44. Figu...

  • Steward

    [isbe] STEWARD - stu'-erd ('ish `al bayith (Gen 43:16,19; 44:1; 1 Ki 16:9), ha-meltsar (Dan 1:11), ha-cokhen (Isa 22:15)): 1. Old Testament Usage: In the King James Version the word "steward" is found in Gen 15:2; 1 Ch 28:1, in add...
    [nave] STEWARD, Gen. 15:2; 43:19; 1 Chr. 28:1; Luke 8:3. Figurative The faithful steward described, Luke 12:35-38, 42. The unfaithful, described, Luke 16:1-8. See the parable of the pounds, Luke 19:12-27; of the talents, Matt....

  • Eating

    [ebd] The ancient Hebrews would not eat with the Egyptians (Gen. 43:32). In the time of our Lord they would not eat with Samaritans (John 4:9), and were astonished that he ate with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:11). The Hebrews o...
    [nave] EATING The host acting as waiter, Gen. 18:8. Favored guests served an extra portion, Gen. 43:34. Table used in, Judg. 1:7. Sitting at table, Ex. 32:6. Reclining on couches, Amos 6:4, 7; Luke 7:37, 38; John 13:25. Washin...

  • Salutations

    [nave] SALUTATIONS By kissing, 2 Sam. 20:9; Matt. 26:49. By bowing, Gen. 18:2; 19:1, 2; 23:7; 27:29; 33:3; 37:10; 41:43; 43:26, 28; 49:8; 1 Sam. 25:23; 2 Sam. 18:28; 1 Kin. 1:16; Esth. 8:3; Matt. 2:11; Mark 5:22. Addresses in: "...

  • MEALS

    [smith] Our information on the subject of meals is but scanty. The early Hebrews do not seem to have given special names to their several meals, for the terms rendered "dine" and "dinner" in the Authorized Version ((Genesis 43:16; Pr...
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Arts

Questions

  • I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...
  • The following material from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia should be helpful here: III. Significant numbers Numbers are also used with a symbolical or theological significance. One is used to convey th...

Sermon Illustrations

Genesis 43:33

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The events recorded in Genesis stretch historically from Creation to Joseph's death, a period of at least 2500 years. The first part of the book (ch. 1-11) is not as easy to date precisely as the second part (ch. 12-50). The ...
  • Genesis provides the historical basis for the rest of the Bible and the Pentateuch, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 1-11 give historical background essential to understanding that covenant, and chapters 12-50 re...
  • The structure of Genesis is very clear. The phrase "the generations of"(toledotin Hebrew, from yaladmeaning "to bear, to generate") occurs ten times (really eleven times since 36:9 repeats 36:1), and in each case it introduce...
  • The Lord destroyed the corrupt, violent human race and deluged its world, but He used righteous Noah to preserve life and establish a new world after the Flood."Noah's experience presents decisively the author's assertion tha...
  • "The Babel account (11:1-9) is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on the sad note of human failure. But as with earlier events in Genesis 1-11, God's grace once again supersedes human sin, insu...
  • One of the significant changes in the emphasis that occurs at this point in Genesis is from cursing in the primeval record to blessing in the patriarchal narratives. The Abrahamic Covenant is most important in this respect. H...
  • A major theme of the Pentateuch is the partial fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs. The promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7 are the fountainhead from which the rest of the Pentateuch flows.397Walter Kaiser labeled the ...
  • "These verses are of fundamental importance for the theology of Genesis, for they serve to bind together the primeval history and the later patriarchal history and look beyond it to the subsequent history of the nation."414"W...
  • The second crisis Abram faced arose because of a famine in Canaan. Abram chose to sojourn in the Nile Valley until it was past. In this incident Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister because he feared for his life. By d...
  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • Abraham's purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land demonstrated his intention to remain in Canaan rather than going back to his native homeland. Since he was a sojourner in Canaan his friends probably expected him to bu...
  • A new toledotbegins with 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord."625Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment o...
  • Chapters 43-45 are a unit describing what happened when Joseph's brothers returned to Egypt. Like chapter 42, which it echoes, it consists of seven scenes arranged palistrophically with the central scene being the arrest of J...
  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • Aalders, Gerhard Charles. Genesis. The Bible Student's Commentary series. 2 vols. Translated by William Heynen. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas...
  • A complete and comprehensive explanation of the official duties and revenues of the priests and Levites appropriately follows the confirmation of Aaron's priesthood. This was God's reply to the frightened cries of the people ...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • 105:7-11 God remembered His people (v. 7, cf. v. 42) so His people should remember Him (v. 5). God had been faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 15:18-21; 22:15-18; 28:13-15). He made this covenant with Abraham...
  • 3:19 Jeremiah prayed that the Lord would remember his affliction and bitterness (cf. Job 13:15).3:20-21 He himself remembered something that gave him hope.3:22 The prophet remembered that the Lord's loyal love (Heb. hesed) ne...
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