Genesis 43:25
in Genesis 43Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they made ready the present against Joseph’s coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
KJV
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
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This verse in Genesis 43
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
gave them water to wash their feet
on Genesis 43:24-25
Water to wash their feet and food for the donkeys is the courtesy Abraham offered the men at his tent door in 18:4. Here it is offered to men who came expecting chains. They spend the morning preparing their gift for a man who has already ordered them a feast.
This site's exposition
they prepared their gift
Gift is minchah, the word for the present Jacob sent ahead to Esau at 32:13 to win a brother's favour. Jacob's sons follow their father's way of approaching a man they fear. Here the man they fear is also a brother.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And they made ready the presents, until Joseph came at noon." Paul's faith hastened the coming of noon. Before, Paul was blind; afterward he began to see the light of justice, because if anyone opens his way to the Lord and hopes in him, the Lord will also bring forth his justice as the light and his judgment as the noon. And when God appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre, it was noon, and the everlasting light from the Lord's presence shone on him. It is noon when the real Joseph enters into his house to dine.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon,.... They took it out of their vessels or bags in which they brought it, having unladen their asses, and disposed of it in a proper manner to present it to him when he came home at noon to dine: for they heard that they should eat bread there; dine there, bread being put for all provision: this was told them, very probably, by the steward, or by some of the servants in the house, or they overheard what Joseph said to the steward, Gen 43:16.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּכִ֙ינוּ֙ | vaiyakhinu | and they prepared | H3559 → | 217 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמִּנְחָ֔ה | haminchah | the gift | H4503 → | 211 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בּ֥וֹא | bo' | came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| יוֹסֵ֖ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם | batzohorayim | at <the> noon<s> | H6672 → | 24 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שָֽׁמְע֔וּ | shameu | they had heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שָׁ֖ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| יֹ֥אכְלוּ | yokhelu | they will eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| לָֽחֶם׃ | lachem | food | H3899 → | 298 times |
וַיָּכִ֙ינוּ֙and they prepared
vaiyakhinuH3559 →217 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמִּנְחָ֔הthe gift
haminchahH4503 →211 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
בּ֥וֹאcame
bo'H935 →2568 times
יוֹסֵ֖ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִםat <the> noon<s>
batzohorayimH6672 →24 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
שָֽׁמְע֔וּthey had heard
shameuH8085 →1159 times
כִּי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
שָׁ֖םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
יֹ֥אכְלוּthey will eat
yokheluH398 →810 times
לָֽחֶם׃food
lachemH3899 →298 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 43:11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift…
it leads to
- 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…
- Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?
- Ezekiel 27:17
Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, cakes and honey, oil and balm for your merchandise.
- 1 Samuel 9:7
“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do…
- Proverbs 18:16
A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
- Genesis 37:25
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 39:4–5
Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned.
- Genesis 44:1
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).