1583 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he asked them of [their] welfare,.... Or "peace" (b), their prosperity, especially of the health of their bodies, whether they were well and in good health after so long a journey: and said, [is] your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? when they were with him before, and told him they were all the sons of one man, who dwelt in Canaan:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they answered, thy servant our father [is] in good health, he [is] yet alive,.... Which is an answer to both his questions; and by calling their father Joseph's servant, he did obeisance to him in them, as well as by sending a present to him, which they delivered as coming from him his servant; and it is not improbable that Jacob sent his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin,.... He had seen him before when his brethren first presented themselves to him, but then took no particular and special notice of him, only gave him a side look as it were, but now he looked wistly at him: his mother's son; the son of Rachel his mother, and who was his only brother by his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Joseph made haste,.... To get out of the room where he was with his brethren as fast as he could: for his bowels did yearn upon his brother; his passions grew strong, his affections were raised, his heart was full of tenderness, and there was such a flow of love and joy at the sight of his brother, and the little conversation he had with him,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he washed his face,.... From the tears on it, that it might not be discerned that he had been weeping: and went out; of his chamber into the room again, where his brethren were: and refrained himself; from weeping, or showing any excess of passion, love, joy, c. and said, set on bread gave orders to his servants to bring in dinner, and set it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they set on for him by himself,.... A table was placed and provisions set upon it in one part of the room for Joseph by himself; which was done either because he was an Hebrew, and the Egyptians might not eat with him, nor he with them; or rather for the sake of grandeur, he being the next man in the kingdom to Pharaoh: and for them by...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they sat before him,.... At a table, so placed that they were in his sight, and he had a full view of them: the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; everyone according to his age, Reuben, the firstborn, first, and so on to Benjamin the youngest: thus they placed themselves as they used to be in their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he took [and sent] messes unto there from before him,.... The several dishes were brought before him, who cut them up, and sent to everyone their part and portion, as was usual in those times and countries, and afterwards elsewhere (e), for the master of the family or feast to divide the food into parts, and to give to every guest his part;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Genesis 44 This chapter relates the policy of Joseph in making an experiment of his brethren's regard and affection for Benjamin; he ordered his steward to put every man's money into his sack, and his silver cup in Benjamin's, and when they were got out of the city, to follow after them, and charge them with the theft, as he did;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he commanded the steward of his house,.... Whom the Targum of Jonathan again calls Manasseh, the eldest son of Joseph: saying, fill the men's sacks [with] food, as much as they can carry; this he ordered out of his great affection for them, and that his father and his family might have sufficient supply in this time of famine: and put every...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest,.... Benjamin; this he ordered to be done, partly to put him in apparent danger, and try how his brethren would behave towards him in such circumstances, and thereby know how they stood affected to him; and partly that he might have an excuse for retaining him with him. This cup...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
As soon as the morning was light,.... When it was break of day, before the sun rose: the men were sent away, they and their asses; the men being refreshed with food, and their asses having provender given them, and saddled and loaded, they were handsomely and honourably dismissed.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
[And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off,.... Which perhaps was Tanis, the Zoan of the Scriptures; see Ezekiel 30:14, margin; Joseph said unto his steward, up, follow after the men; who no doubt was ready provided with men and horses, to go out and pursue when Joseph should give the orders, he being privy to Joseph's...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
[Is] not this [it], in which my lord drinketh,.... Which was for his own particular use, and so the more ungrateful in them to take it, and whereby indeed he divineth? according to our version and others, Joseph is here represented by his steward as a diviner or soothsayer, and so he might be thought to be by the Egyptians, from being such an...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he overtook them,.... Their asses being laden with corn could not travel very fast, and he and his attendants being mounted on swift horses: and he spake unto them these same words; that Joseph had ordered him to say, and so what follows particularly, Genesis 44:10.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they said unto him, wherefore saith my lord these words?.... One of them, in the name of the rest, perhaps Judah, made answer, as astonished at the charge laid against them, suggesting that there was not the least foundation for it, and were quite surprised to hear anything of this kind alleged against them: God forbid that thy servants should...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Behold, the money which we found in our sacks mouths;.... Upon their return from Egypt, the first time they went thither for corn: we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan; which was a full proof of their honesty: they might have kept it until it was called for and demanded of them, but of themselves they brought it with them, as being...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found,.... The silver cup: both let him die; which was rashly said, since they might have thought the cup might be put in one of their sacks unknown to them, as their money had been before; and besides, death was a punishment too severe for such a crime, and therefore is by the steward himself moderated; but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, now also [let] it [be] according unto your words,.... Not according to the full extent of their words, but according to a part of them; that be only should be a servant that was found guilty; so moderating the punishment which they had fixed, and were willing to submit to, and therefore could not object to what he next proposes: he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground,.... To be opened and examined, and this they did in all haste, as having a clear conscience, and being confident that nothing could be found upon them, and desirous of having the affair issued as soon as possible, that the steward might have full satisfaction, and they proceed on in...