29 And they come in unto Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and they declare to him all the things meeting them, saying, 30 'The man, the lord of the land, hath spoken with us sharp things, and maketh us as spies of the land; 31 and we say unto him, We 'are' right men, we have not been spies, 32 we 'are' twelve brethren, sons of our father, the one is not, and the young one 'is' to-day with our father in the land of Canaan. 33 'And the man, the lord of the land, saith unto us, By this I know that ye 'are' right men—one of your brethren leave with me, and 'for' the famine of your houses take ye and go, 34 and bring your young brother unto me, and I know that ye 'are' not spies, but ye 'are' right men; your brother I give to you, and ye trade with the land.' 35 And it cometh to pass, they are emptying their sacks, and lo, the bundle of each man's silver 'is' in his sack, and they see their bundles of silver, they and their father, and are afraid; 36 and Jacob their father saith unto them, 'Me ye have bereaved; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin ye take—against me have been all these.' 37 And Reuben speaketh unto his father, saying, 'My two sons thou dost put to death, if I bring him not in unto thee; give him into my hand, and I—I bring him back unto thee;' 38 and he saith, 'My son doth not go down with you, for his brother 'is' dead, and he by himself is left; when mischief hath met him in the way in which ye go, then ye have brought down my grey hairs in sorrow to sheol.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 42:29-38
Commentary on Genesis 42:29-38
(Read Genesis 42:29-38)
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.