Genesis 43:32
in Genesis 43They 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
KJV
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
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This verse in Genesis 43
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination--The prejudice probably arose from the detestation in which, from the oppressions of the shepherd-kings, the nation held all of that occupation.
This site's exposition
They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews
on Genesis 43:32-33
Three tables are set, one for Joseph, one for his brothers, and one for the Egyptians, who held it detestable to eat with Hebrews. Matthew Henry read Joseph's own table as the seat of a man keeping his Hebrew birth to himself while he governed Egypt. Then a stranger seats eleven men in exact birth order, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at one another, astonished.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
(1.) He ordered three tables to be spread, one for his brethren, another for the Egyptians that dined with him (for so different were their customs that they did not care to eat together), another for himself, who durst not own himself a Hebrew, and yet would not sit with the Egyptians.
And they set on for him by himself,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They set on for him by himself, etc. - From the text it appears evident that there were three tables, one for Joseph, one for the Egyptians, and one for the eleven brethren. The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews - There might have been some political reason for this, with which we are unacquainted; but independently of this, two may be assigned.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ | vaiyasimu | and they set | H7760 → | 584 times |
| ל֛וֹ | lo | for <the> him | ||
| לְבַדּ֖וֹ | levado | to only him | H905 → | 200 times |
| וְלָהֶ֣ם | velahem | and to <the> them | ||
| לְבַדָּ֑ם | levadam | to alone them | H905 → | 200 times |
| וְלַמִּצְרִ֞ים | velamitzrim | and for the Egyptians | H4713 → | 70 times |
| הָאֹכְלִ֤ים | haokhelim | who were eating | H398 → | 810 times |
| אִתּוֹ֙ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| לְבַדָּ֔ם | levadam | to alone them | H905 → | 200 times |
| כִּי֩ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֨א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוּכְל֜וּן | yukhelun | they were able ! | H3201 → | 194 times |
| הַמִּצְרִ֗ים | hamitzrim | the Egyptians | H4713 → | 70 times |
| לֶאֱכֹ֤ל | leekhol | to eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| הָֽעִבְרִים֙ | haivrim | the Hebrews | H5680 → | 34 times |
| לֶ֔חֶם | lechem | food | H3899 → | 298 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תוֹעֵבָ֥ה | toevah | [is] an abomination | H8441 → | |
| הִ֖וא | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לְמִצְרָֽיִם׃ | lemitzrayim | to Egypt | H4713 → | 70 times |
וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּand they set
vaiyasimuH7760 →584 times
ל֛וֹfor <the> him
lo
לְבַדּ֖וֹto only him
levadoH905 →200 times
וְלָהֶ֣םand to <the> them
velahem
לְבַדָּ֑םto alone them
levadamH905 →200 times
וְלַמִּצְרִ֞יםand for the Egyptians
velamitzrimH4713 →70 times
הָאֹכְלִ֤יםwho were eating
haokhelimH398 →810 times
אִתּוֹ֙with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
לְבַדָּ֔םto alone them
levadamH905 →200 times
כִּי֩for
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֨אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יוּכְל֜וּןthey were able !
yukhelunH3201 →194 times
הַמִּצְרִ֗יםthe Egyptians
hamitzrimH4713 →70 times
לֶאֱכֹ֤לto eat
leekholH398 →810 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
הָֽעִבְרִים֙the Hebrews
haivrimH5680 →34 times
לֶ֔חֶםfood
lechemH3899 →298 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
תוֹעֵבָ֥ה[is] an abomination
toevahH8441 →
הִ֖ואit
hi'H1931 →1879 times
לְמִצְרָֽיִם׃to Egypt
lemitzrayimH4713 →70 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 43:16When 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…
it leads to
- Genesis 44:1
Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
- Genesis 43:19
So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
- Genesis 44:1
Through
Exodus 8:26But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do that, because the sacrifices we offer to the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are detestable…
it leads to
- Genesis 46:34
you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable…
- Genesis 46:34
Through
Genesis 46:34you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable…
it leads to
- Exodus 8:26
But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do that, because the sacrifices we offer to the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are detestable…
- Exodus 8:26
Through
Genesis 31:54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.
it leads to
- Exodus 18:12
Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
- Genesis 26:30
So Isaac prepared a feast for them, and they ate and drank.
- Genesis 21:8
So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.
- Genesis 37:25
And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to…
- Exodus 18:12
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.