Genesis 42:1-38

Genesis 42:1-38

Genesis 42:1-38

1. Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

1. Quum autem videret Jahacob quod esset frumentum in Aegypto, dixit Jahacob filiis suis, Utquid aspicitis vos?

2. And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

2. Et dixit, Ecce, audivi quod est frumentum in Aegypto: descendite illuc, et emite nobis inde, et vivemus, nec moriemur.

3. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

3. Descenderunt ergo fratres Joseph decem, ut emerent frumentum in Aegypto.

4. But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

4. (Nam Benjamin fratrem Joseph non misit Jahacob cum fratrbus suit: quia dixit, Ne forte accidat ei mors.)

5. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

5. Et venerunt filii Israel, ut emerent in medio venientium: erat enim fames in terra Chenan.

6. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

6. Joseph autem erat dominus super terram: ipse vendebat toti populo terrae: venerunt, inquam, fratres Joseph, et incurvaverunt se ei in faciem super terram.

7. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

7. Et vidit Joseph fratres suos, et agnovit eos, et alienum se ostendit eis: locutusque est cum eis dura, et dixit eis, Unde venistis? Et dixerunt, De terra Chenaan ad emendum cibum.

8. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

8. Agnovit Joseph fratres suos: ipsi autem non agnoverunt eum.

9. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

9. Et recordatus est Joseph somniorum, quae somniaverat de eis, dixitque, Exploratores estis, ad videndum nuditatem terrae venistis.

10. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

10. Et dixerunt ad eum, Nequaquam, domine mi: sed servi tui venerunt ad emendum cibum.

11. We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

11. Omnes nos filii ejusdem viri sumus: veraces sumus, non sunt servi tui exploratores.

12. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

12. Et dixit illis, Nequaquam: sed nuditatem terrae venistis ad videndum.

13. And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

13. Et dixerunt, Duodecim servi tui fratres, sumus, filii viri ejusdem in terra Chenaan: et ecce, minimum est cum patre nostro hodie, et unus non est.

14. And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

14. Tune dixit ad eos Joseph, Hoc est quod locutus sum ad vos, dicendo, Exploratores estis.

15. Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

15. In hoc probabimini: per vitam Pharaonis, si egressi fueritis hinc, nisi quum venerit frater vester minimus hue.

16. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

16. Mittie ex vobis unum, et accipiat fratrem vestrum, vos autem vincti eritis, et probabuntur verba vestra, anveritas sit pennes vos: sin minus, per vitam Pharaonis certe exploratores estis.

17. And he put them all together into ward three days.

17. Et congregavit eos in custodiam tribus diebus.

18. And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

18. Dixit autem eis Joseph die tertio, Hoc facite, et vivetis: Deum ego timeo.

19. If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

19. Si veraces estis, frater vester unus ligetur in domo custodiae vestrae: vos autem ite, auferte alimentum ad abigendam famem e domibus vestris.

20. But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

20. Tunc fratrem vestrum minimum adducetis ad me, et vera cognoscentur (Hebrews Verificabuntur) verba vestra, et non moriemini: et fecerunt ita.

21. And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

21. Dicebat autem alter alteri, Vere deliquimus contra fratrem nostrum: quia vidimus angustiam animae ejus dum deprecaretur nos, et non audivimus: idcirco venit super nos angustia haec.

22. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

22. Et respondit Reuben ad eos, dicendo, Nonne dixi vobis, dicendo, Ne peccetis in puerum, et non audistis? Et etiam sanguis ejus, ecce, requiritur.

23, And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

23. Ipsi autem ignorabant, quod audiret Joseph: quia interpres erat inter eos.

24. And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

24. Et vertit se ab eis, et flevit: postea reversus est ad eos, loquutusque est eis: et accepit ab eis Simhon, ligavitque eum in oculis eorum.

25. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

25. Tunc praecepit Joseph, et impleverunt vasa eorum frumento: praecepit etiam ut restituerent argentum eorum, uniuscujusque in sacco suo, et darent eis escam ad iter: et fecit eis sic.

26. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

26. Et tulerunt frumentum suum super asinos suos, et abierunt inde.

27. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.

27. Aperuit autem unus saccum suum, ut daret pabulum asino suo, in hospitio: et vidit pecuniam suam, et ecce, erat in ore sacci sui.

28. And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?

28. Et dixit fratribus suis, Reddita est pecunia mea, et etiam ecce, est in sacco meo. Et egressum est cor eorum, et obstupuerunt alter ad alterum, dicendo, Utquid hoc fecit Deus nobis?

29. And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

29. Et venerunt ad Jahacob patrem suum in terram Chenaan, et annuntiaverunt ei omnia quae acciderant eis, dicendo,

30. The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

30. Loquutus est vir dominus terrae nobiscum dura, et constituit nos tanquam exploratores terrae.

31. And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

31. Nos vero diximus ad eum, Veraces sumus, non sumus exploratores.

32. We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

32. Duodecim sumus fratres filii patris nostri: unus non est, et minimus hodie est cum patre nostro in terra Chenaan.

33. And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:

33. Tunc dixit nobis vir dominus terrae, In hoc cognoscam quod veraces estis, Fratrem vestrum unum relinquite mecum, et ad expellendam famem domorum vestrarum capite, et ite:

34. And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

34. Et adducite fratrem vestrum minimum ad me, tunc cognoscam quod non estis exploratores, sed veraces: fratrem vestrum dabo vobis, et in terra negotiabimini.

35. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

35. Porro fuit, ipsis evacuantibus saccos suos, ecce, uniuscujusque ligatura pecuniae suae erat in sacco suo: et viderunt ligaturas pecuniarum suarum, ipsi, et pater eorum, et timuerunt.

36. And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

36. Tune dixit Reuben ad patrem suum, dicendo, Duos filios meos mori facias, nisi reduxero eum ad to: da eum in manum meam, et ego reducam eum ad to.

37. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

37. And Reuban spapke unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

38. Et dixit, Non descendet filius meus vobiscum, quia frater ejus mortuus est, et ipse solus remansit: et accidet ei mors in via per quam ibitis: et descendere facietis canitiem meam cum moerore ad sepulcrum.

1. Now when Jacob saw. Moses begins, in this chapter, to treat of the occasion which drew Jacob with his whole family into Egypt; and thus leaves it to us to consider by what hidden and unexpected methods God may perform whatever he has decreed. Though, therefore, the providence of God is in itself a labyrinth; yet when we connect the issue of things with their beginnings, that admirable method of operation shines clearly in our view, which is not generally acknowledged, only because it is far removed from our observation. Also our own indolence hinders us from perceiving God, with the eyes of faith, as holding the government of the world; because we either imagine fortune to be the mistress of events, or else, adhering to near and natural causes, we weave them together, and spread them as veils before our eyes. Whereas, therefore, scarcely any more illustrious representation of Divine Providence is to be found than this history furnishes; let pious readers carefully exercise themselves in meditation upon it, in order that they may acknowledge those things which, in appearance, are fortuitous, to be directed by the hand of God.

Why do ye look one upon another? Men are said to look one upon another, when each is waiting for the other, and, for want of counsel, no one dares to attempt anything. Jacob, therefore, censures this inactivity of his sons, because none of them endeavors to provide for the present necessity. Moses also says that they went into Egypt at the command of their father, and even without Benjamin; by which he intimates that filial reverence at that time was great; because envy of their brother did not prevent them from leaving their wives and children, and undertaking a long journey. He also adds, that they came in the midst of a great crowd of people; which enhances the fame of Joseph; who, while supplying food for all Egypt, and dispensing it by measure, till the end of the drought, could also afford assistance to neighboring nations.

6. And Joseph was the governor over the land. Moses connects the honor of Joseph with his fidelity and diligence. For although he was possessed of supreme authority, he nevertheless submitted to every possible laborious service, just as if he had been a hired servant. From which example we must learn, that as any one excels in honor, he is bound to be the more fully occupied in business; but that they who desire to combine leisure with dignity, utterly pervert the sacred order of God. Let it be, moreover, understood, that the corn was sold by Joseph, not as if he measured it out with his own hands, or himself received the money for it, seeing that it was set to sale in many parts of the kingdom, and he could scarcely have attended to one single storehouse: but that the whole of the stores were under his power.

Note 164. השליט (Hashalit) “Of the Hebrew Shallet and Shilton, is made in Arabic the name Sultan, a title whereby the chief rulers of Egypt and Babylon are still called.” — Ainsworth. — Ed

7. He made himself strange unto them. It may be asked for what purpose Joseph thus tormented his brethren with threats and with terror. For if he was actuated by a sense of the injury received from them, he cannot be acquitted of the desire of revenge. It is, however, probable, that he was impelled neither by anger nor a thirst of vengeance, but that he was induced by two just causes to act as he did. For he both desired to regain his brother Benjamin, and wished to ascertain, — as if by putting them to the torture, — what was in their mind, whether they repented or not; and, in short, what had been their course of life since he had seen them last. For, had he made himself known at the first interview, it was to be feared lest they, keeping their father out of sight, and wishing to cast a vail over the detestable wickedness which they had committed, should only increase it by a new crime. There lurked, also, a not unreasonable suspicion concerning his brother Benjamin, lest they should attempt something perfidious and cruel against him. It was therefore important that they should be more thoroughly sifted; so that Joseph, being fully informed of the state of his father’s house, might take his measures according to circumstances; and also, that previous to pardon, some punishment might be inflicted which would lead them more carefully to reflect upon the atrocity of their crime. For whereas he afterwards showed himself to be placable and humane; this did not arise from the fact, that his anger being assuaged, he became, by degrees, inclined to compassion; but rather, as Moses elsewhere subjoins, that he sought retirement, because he could no longer refrain himself; herein intimating at the same time, that Joseph had forcibly repressed his tears so long as he retained a severe aspect; and, therefore, that he had felt throughout the same affection of pity towards them. And it appears that a special impulse moved him to this whole course of action. For it was no common thing, that Joseph, beholding so many authors of his calamities, was neither angry nor changed in his manner, nor broke out into reproaches; but was composed both in his countenance and his speech, as if he had long meditated at leisure, respecting the course he would pursue. But it may be inquired again, whether his dissimulation, which was joined with a falsehood, is not to be blamed; for we know how pleasing integrity is to God, and how strictly he prohibits his own people from deceit and falsehoods. Whether God governed his servant by some special movement, to depart without fault, from the common rule of action, I know not; seeing that the faithful may sometimes piously do things which cannot lawfully be drawn into a precedent. Of this, however, in considering the acts of the holy fathers, we must always beware; lest they should lead us away from that law which the Lord prescribes to all in common. By the general command of God, we must all cultivate sincerity. That Joseph feigned something different from the truth, affords no pretext to excuse us if we attempt anything of the same kind. For, though a liberty granted by privilege would be pardoned, yet if any one, relying on a private example, does not scruple to subvert the law of God, so as to give himself license to do what is therein forbidden, he shall justly suffer the punishment of his audacity. And yet I do not think that we ought to be very anxious to excuse Joseph, because it is probable that he suffered something from human infirmity, which God forgave him; for by Divine mercy alone could that dissimulation, which in itself was not without fault, escape condemnation.

9. And Joseph remembered the dreams. When the boy Joseph had spoken of receiving obeisance, the absurdity of the thing impelled his brethren wickedly to devise his death. Now, although they bow down to him without knowing him, there is yet nothing better for them. Indeed, their only means of safety, is to prostrate themselves at his feet, and to be received by him as suppliants. Meanwhile, their conspiracy, by which they attempted to subvert the celestial decree, lest they should have to bear the yoke, was rendered fruitless. So the Lord forcibly restrains the obstinate, just as wild and refractory horses are wont to be more severely treated, the more they kick and are restive. Wherefore, there is nothing better than meekly to compose the mind to gentleness, that each may take his own lot contentedly, though it be not very splendid. It may, however, seem absurd, that Joseph should, at this time, have recalled his dream to mind, as if it had been forgotten through the lapse of years; which, indeed, could not be, unless he had lost sight of the promises of God. I answer, nothing is here recorded but what frequently happens to ourselves: for although the word of God may be dwelling in our hearts, yet it does not continually occur to us, but rather is sometimes so smothered that it may seem to be extinct, especially when faith is oppressed by the darkness of affliction. Besides, it is nothing wonderful, if a long series of evils should have buried, in a kind of oblivion, his dreams which indicated prosperity. God had exalted him, by these dreams, to the hope of great and distinguished authority. He is, however, cast into a well not unlike a grave. He is taken hence to be sold as a slave; he is carried to a distant land; and, as if slavery would not prove sufficiently severe, he is shut up in prison. And though his misery is in some degree mitigated, when he is released from his iron fetters, yet there was little, if any, prospect of deliverance. I do not, however, think that the hope entertained by him was entirely destroyed, but that a cloud passed over it, which deprived him of the light of comfort. A different kind of temptation followed; because nothing is more common than for great and unexpected felicity to intoxicate its possessors. And thus it happened, as we have recently read, that a forgetfulness of his father’s house stole over the mind of the holy man. He was not, therefore, so mindful of his dreams as he ought to have been. Another excuse may probably be alleged; that he, at the moment, compared his dreams with the event. And truly it was no common virtue to apply what was passing, thus immediately for the confirmation of the Divine oracle. For we readily perceive, that those dreams which so quickly recur to the memory, had not been obliterated through length of time. So the disciples remembered the words of the Lord after he had risen from the dead; because, by the sight of the fact predicted, their knowledge became more clear; whereas, before, nothing but transient sparks of it had shined in their hearts.

15. By the life of Pharaoh. From this formula of swearing a new question is raised; for that which is commanded in the law, that we should swear only by the name of God, had already been engraven on the hearts of the pious; since nature dictates that this honor is to be given to God alone, that men should defer to his judgment, and should make him the supreme arbiter and vindicator of faith and truth. If we should say that this was not simply an oath, but a kind of obtestation, the holy man will be, in some degree, excusable. He who swears by God wishes him to interpose in order to inflict punishment on perjury. They who swear by their life or by their hand, deposit, as it were, what they deem most valuable, as a pledge of their faithfulness. By this method the majesty of God is not transferred to mortal man; because it is a very different thing to cite him as witness who has the right of taking vengeance, and to assert by something most dear to us, that what we say is true. So Moses, when he calls heaven and earth to witness, does not ascribe deity to them, and thus fabricate a new idol; but, in order that higher authority may be given to the law, he declares that there is no part of the world which will not cry out before the tribunal of God, against the ingratitude of the people, if they reject the doctrine of salvation. Notwithstanding, there is, I confess, in this form of swearing which Joseph uses, something deserving of censure; for it was a profane adulation, among the Egyptians, to swear by the life of the king. Just as the Romans swore by the genius of their prince, after they had been reduced to such bondage that they made their Caesar equal to gods. Certainly this mode of swearing is abhorrent to true piety. Whence it may be perceived that nothing is more difficult to the holy servants of God than to keep themselves so pure, while conversant with the filth of the world, as to contract no spots of defilement from it. Joseph, indeed, was never so infected with the corruptions of the court, but that he remained a pure worshipped of God: nevertheless we see, that in accommodating himself to this depraved custom of speaking, he had received some stain. His repetition of the expression shows, that when any one has once become accustomed to evil, he becomes exceedingly prone to sin again and again. We observe, that they who have once rashly assumed the license of swearing, pour forth an oath every third word, even when speaking of the most frivolous things. So much the greater caution ought we to use, lest any such indulgence should harden us in this wicked custom.