431 And the famine 'is' severe in the land; 2 and it cometh to pass, when they have finished eating the corn which they brought from Egypt, that their father saith unto them, 'Turn back, buy for us a little food.' 3 And Judah speaketh unto him, saying, 'The man protesting protested to us, saying, Ye do not see my face without your brother 'being' with you; 4 if thou art sending our brother with us, we go down, and buy for thee food, 5 and if thou art not sending—we do not go down, for the man said unto us, Ye do not see my face without your brother 'being' with you.' 6 And Israel saith, 'Why did ye evil to me, by declaring to the man that ye had yet a brother?' 7 and they say, 'The man asked diligently concerning us, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? and we declare to him according to the tenor of these things; do we certainly know that he will say, Bring down your brother?' 8 And Judah saith unto Israel his father, 'Send the youth with me, and we arise, and go, and live, and do not die, both we, and thou, and our infants. 9 I—I am surety 'for' him, from my hand thou dost require him; if I have not brought him in unto thee, and set him before thee—then I have sinned against thee all the days; 10 for if we had not lingered, surely now we had returned these two times.'
11 And Israel their father saith unto them, 'If so, now, this do: take of the praised thing of the land in your vessels, and take down to the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds; 12 and double money take in your hand, even the money which is brought back in the mouth of your bags, ye take back in your hand, it may be it 'is' an oversight. 13 'And take your brother, and rise, turn back unto the man; 14 and God Almighty give to you mercies before the man, so that he hath sent to you your other brother and Benjamin; and I, when I am bereaved—I am bereaved.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 43:1-14
Commentary on Genesis 43:1-14
(Read Genesis 43:1-14)
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.