Genesis 43
Introduction
Genesis 43 continues the drama of the famine and the brothers' relationship with the mysterious Egyptian ruler who is, unknown to them, their brother Joseph. With the grain from their first trip exhausted and the famine still severe, Jacob's family faces starvation. The impasse is clear: Jacob refuses to send Benjamin, but Joseph has demanded Benjamin's presence as the condition for any further dealings. Judah — not Reuben, whose offer Jacob rejected in Genesis 42:37-38 — steps forward with a personal guarantee that breaks the deadlock, pledging himself as surety for the boy's safety.
The chapter traces the brothers' return to Egypt with Benjamin, their anxious encounter with Joseph's steward, and a feast that bewilders them. Joseph, seeing his full brother Benjamin for the first time in over twenty years, is overwhelmed with emotion but continues his concealment. The meal itself is laden with signs — the brothers seated in exact birth order, Benjamin receiving a fivefold portion — that leave the brothers astonished but still unaware. The chapter builds toward the crisis of chapter 44, ending with an uneasy celebration that masks the test still to come.
Judah Persuades Jacob (vv. 1-14)
1 Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2 So when Jacob's sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food." 3 But Judah replied, "The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'" 6 "Why did you bring this trouble upon me?" Israel asked. "Why did you tell the man you had another brother?" 7 They replied, "The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, 'Bring your brother here'?" 8 And Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die — neither we, nor you, nor our children. 9 I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life. 10 If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now." 11 Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man — a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 12 Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once. 14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved."
1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And when they had finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food." 3 But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'" 6 Israel said, "Why did you do me this harm, by telling the man you had another brother?" 7 They said, "The man questioned us thoroughly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We answered him according to these questions. How could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?" 8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and let us arise and go, so that we may live and not die — both we and you and our little ones. 9 I myself will be surety for him. From my hand you may require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the guilt before you all my days. 10 For if we had not delayed, surely we could have returned twice by now." 11 Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the finest produce of the land in your bags and carry it down to the man as a gift — a little balm, a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double silver in your hand, and bring back the silver that was returned in the mouths of your sacks — perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. 14 May El Shaddai grant you compassion before the man, so that he may release to you your other brother, and Benjamin. As for me — if I am bereaved, I am bereaved."
Notes
הָעֵד הֵעִד ("solemnly warned") — The infinitive absolute construction (הָעֵד + הֵעִד) intensifies the verb: "warning, he warned" — i.e., "he emphatically warned us." This is the same grammatical pattern used in v. 7 with שָׁאוֹל שָׁאַל ("questioning, he questioned" = "he questioned us thoroughly"). These emphatic constructions convey the brothers' defensiveness: they are trying to convince Jacob that they had no choice.
Judah's emergence as spokesperson is significant. In Genesis 42:37, Reuben offered his two sons' lives as collateral — an offer Jacob flatly rejected. Judah takes a different approach: אָנֹכִי אֶעֶרְבֶנּוּ ("I myself will be surety for him"). The verb עָרַב ("to pledge, be surety") is a commercial and legal term — Judah pledges himself, not his sons. He places his own standing and relationship with his father on the line: וְחָטָאתִי לְךָ כָּל הַיָּמִים ("I will bear the guilt before you all my days"). This is the same Judah who proposed selling Joseph in Genesis 37:26-27 — the narrative arc traces his transformation from a brother willing to profit from another's suffering to one willing to suffer for another's safety.
מִזִּמְרַת הָאָרֶץ ("the finest produce of the land") — The word זִמְרָה is rare and debated. It may be related to זָמַר ("to prune, trim"), hence "the choicest products" — what the land yields when carefully cultivated. Jacob's gift list — balm, honey, spices, myrrh, pistachios, almonds — is ironic: these are the same kinds of goods the Ishmaelite caravan carried when they took Joseph to Egypt (Genesis 37:25). The father who lost his son to a spice-laden caravan now sends spices to the very son he lost.
וְאֵל שַׁדַּי ("May God Almighty / El Shaddai") — Jacob invokes the divine name by which God appeared to Abraham (Genesis 17:1) and to Jacob himself (Genesis 35:11). This is the covenant name associated with promises of fruitfulness and protection. Jacob asks for רַחֲמִים ("compassion, mercy") — a word derived from רֶחֶם ("womb"), denoting deep, visceral compassion.
כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכֹלְתִּי שָׁכָלְתִּי ("if I am bereaved, I am bereaved") — Another infinitive absolute construction, expressing resigned finality. The verb שָׁכַל means "to be bereaved of children" — a word that has haunted Jacob since he believed Joseph was dead. The statement is not fatalism so much as anguished surrender: Jacob releases the outcome to God (El Shaddai) while acknowledging his own powerlessness. Compare Esther's similar statement: "If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16).
The Brothers Arrive in Egypt (vv. 15-25)
15 So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon." 17 The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph's house. 18 But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph's house. "We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time," they said. "They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys." 19 So they approached Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 "Please, sir," they said, "we really did come down here the first time to buy food. 21 But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. 22 We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks." 23 "It is fine," said the steward. "Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 And the steward took the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys. 25 Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph's arrival at noon.
15 So the men took this gift, along with double the silver in their hand, and Benjamin. They arose, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the one over his house, "Bring these men to the house, slaughter an animal and prepare it, for these men will eat with me at noon." 17 The man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house. 18 But the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in — so that he may roll upon us and fall upon us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys." 19 So they approached the man who was over Joseph's house and spoke to him at the doorway of the house. 20 They said, "Please, my lord — we truly came down the first time to buy food. 21 But when we came to the lodging place and opened our sacks, there was each man's silver in the mouth of his sack — our silver in full weight. We have brought it back with us. 22 We have also brought down other silver to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks." 23 He said, "Peace to you. Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, placed treasure in your sacks. Your silver came to me." Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 The man brought them into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave fodder to their donkeys. 25 They prepared the gift for Joseph's coming at noon, for they had heard that they would eat bread there.
Notes
לְהִתְגֹּלֵל עָלֵינוּ וּלְהִתְנַפֵּל עָלֵינוּ ("to roll upon us and to fall upon us") — Two vivid Hitpael infinitives express the brothers' terror. The first, from גָּלַל ("to roll"), suggests being overwhelmed or attacked by force. The second, from נָפַל ("to fall"), means to pounce or throw oneself upon. The pair conveys a sense of being crushed — trapped in a foreign land with no recourse. Their guilty consciences (cf. Genesis 42:21-22) amplify their fear.
יָרֹד יָרַדְנוּ ("we truly came down") — Yet another infinitive absolute construction in this chapter: "descending, we descended." The brothers are falling over themselves to explain, to prove their honesty. The irony is thick: these are the same men who sold their brother into slavery and deceived their father with a blood-soaked robe.
שָׁלוֹם לָכֶם ("Peace to you") — The steward's response is remarkable. He not only reassures them but attributes the returned silver to their God: אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבִיכֶם נָתַן לָכֶם מַטְמוֹן ("Your God, the God of your father, gave you treasure in your sacks"). The word מַטְמוֹן ("hidden treasure") is rare — used elsewhere of treasure that must be sought out (Proverbs 2:4, Job 3:21). That an Egyptian steward speaks of "your God, the God of your father" suggests Joseph's influence on his household, or at minimum that Joseph has instructed the steward to use these terms.
The release of Simeon (v. 23b) is mentioned almost casually, yet it fulfills Joseph's condition from Genesis 42:19-20 — bring your youngest brother and your words will be verified. The condition has been met; Simeon is restored. The narrative moves quickly past this reunion to the larger drama unfolding.
Joseph's Feast (vv. 26-34)
26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him. 27 He asked if they were well, and then he asked, "How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?" 28 "Your servant our father is well," they answered. "He is still alive." And they bowed down to honor him. 29 When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" Then he declared, "May God be gracious to you, my son." 30 Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep. 31 Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, "Serve the meal." 32 They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them. 33 They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34 When the portions were served to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift that was in their hand, into the house, and bowed down before him to the ground. 27 He asked after their welfare and said, "Is your father well — the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" 28 They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. 29 He lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, the son of his mother, and said, "Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son." 30 Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion burned for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. He went into his inner room and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out and restrained himself and said, "Set out the food." 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews — for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 They sat before him — the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth — and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34 He sent portions to them from before him, and Benjamin's portion was five times greater than any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.
Notes
וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ אָרְצָה ("they bowed down to him to the ground") — This is now the second fulfillment of Joseph's dream from Genesis 37:7-9, where his brothers' sheaves bowed to his sheaf. The brothers bow again in v. 28. They do so unknowingly, fulfilling the very dreams that provoked their hatred.
בֶּן אִמּוֹ ("the son of his mother") — The narrator identifies Benjamin not simply as Joseph's brother but as the son of his mother — Rachel. Of all Jacob's children, only Joseph and Benjamin share the same mother, and Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-19). This detail explains the depth of Joseph's emotion: Benjamin is his only full brother, the last living connection to his mother.
נִכְמְרוּ רַחֲמָיו ("his compassion burned") — The verb כָּמַר in the Niphal is extremely rare, occurring only here, in 1 Kings 3:26 (where the true mother's compassion burns for her child before Solomon), and in Lamentations 5:10. It describes an overwhelming, visceral emotion — a churning of the inner parts. The noun רַחֲמִים ("compassion"), related to רֶחֶם ("womb"), suggests the deepest form of human tenderness. Joseph's compassion is not merely sympathy but a physical, gut-level response at seeing his mother's other son.
וַיִּתְאַפַּק ("he restrained himself") — This rare Hitpael verb from אָפַק means to hold oneself in, to forcibly contain one's emotions. It will appear again in Genesis 45:1, where Joseph can no longer restrain himself and reveals his identity. The verb creates a narrative arc of mounting emotional pressure: Joseph holds back here, but the dam will eventually break.
The separate dining arrangements (v. 32) reflect Egyptian cultural taboos. Ancient Egyptian sources confirm that Egyptians considered it ritually impure to eat with foreigners, particularly shepherds and herders (cf. Genesis 46:34). Joseph eats alone as well — his rank separates him from both groups.
הַבְּכֹר כִּבְכֹרָתוֹ וְהַצָּעִיר כִּצְעִרָתוֹ ("the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth") — The brothers are seated in exact birth order. The odds of this happening by chance with eleven brothers are approximately one in forty million. The brothers' astonishment (וַיִּתְמְהוּ) is well warranted — this man seems to know things about them that no Egyptian could know. Yet they still do not recognize him.
חָמֵשׁ יָדוֹת ("five portions" — literally "five hands") — Benjamin receives five times the portion of any other brother. The number five carries symbolic weight in the Joseph narrative (cf. Genesis 45:22, where Benjamin receives five changes of clothes; Genesis 47:2, where Joseph presents five brothers to Pharaoh). The generous portion may be a test: will the brothers resent this favoritism toward Rachel's son, as they once resented Joseph's special treatment? The chapter ends without answer — וַיִּשְׁכְּרוּ ("they drank and were merry") — but the test of chapter 44 will provide one.