Teks -- Genesis 42:34-38 (NET)

42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” 42:35 When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me.” 42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Gen 42:38 - My son shall not go down with you

He plainly intimates a distrust of them, remembering that he never saw Joseph since he had been with them; therefore Benjamin shall not go with you.

JFB: Gen 42:35 - as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's . . . money was in his sack

It appears that they had been silent about the money discovery at the resting-place, as their father might have blamed them for not instantly returning. However innocent they knew themselves to be, it was universally felt to be an unhappy circumstance, which might bring them into new and greater perils.

JFB: Gen 42:36 - Me have ye bereaved

This exclamation indicates a painfully excited state of feeling, and it shows how difficult it is for even a good man to yield implicit submission to the course of Providence. The language does not imply that his missing sons had got foul play from the hands of the rest, but he looks upon Simeon as lost, as well as Joseph, and he insinuates it was by some imprudent statements of theirs that he was exposed to the risk of losing Benjamin also.

JFB: Gen 42:37 - Reuben spake, . . . Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee

This was a thoughtless and unwarrantable condition--one that he never seriously expected his father would accept. It was designed only to give assurance of the greatest care being taken of Benjamin. But unforeseen circumstances might arise to render it impossible for all of them to preserve that young lad (Jam 4:13), and Jacob was much pained by the prospect. Little did he know that God was dealing with him severely, but in kindness (Heb 12:7-8), and that all those things he thought against Him were working together for his good.

Clarke: Gen 42:35 - As they emptied their sacks

As they emptied their sacks - See Clarke on Gen 42:27 (note).

Clarke: Gen 42:36 - All these things are against me

All these things are against me - עלי היו כלנה alai hayu cullanah ; literally, All these things are upon me. Not badly translated by the Vulgate, In me haec omnia mala reciderunt , "All these evils fall back upon me."They lie upon me as heavy loads, hastening my death; they are more than I can bear.

Clarke: Gen 42:37 - Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee

Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee - What a strange proposal made by a son to his father, concerning his grandchildren! But they show the honesty and affection of Reuben’ s heart; he felt deeply for his father’ s distress, and was determined to risk and hazard every thing in order to relieve and comfort him. There is scarcely a transaction in which Reuben is concerned that does not serve to set his character in an amiable point of view, except the single instance mentioned Gen 35:22 (note), and which for the sake of decency and piety we should wish to understand as the Targumists have explained it. See the notes.

Clarke: Gen 42:38 - He is left alone

He is left alone - That is, Benjamin is the only remaining son of Rachel; for he supposed Joseph, who was the other son, to be dead

Clarke: Gen 42:38 - Shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow

Shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow - Here he keeps up the idea of the oppressive burden mentioned Gen 42:36, to which every occurrence was adding an additional weight, so that he felt it impossible to support it any longer

The following observations of Dr. Dodd on this verse are very appropriate and judicious: "Nothing can be more tender and picturesque than the words of the venerable patriarch. Full of affection for his beloved Rachel, he cannot think of parting with Benjamin, the only remaining pledge of that love, now Joseph, as he supposes, is no more. We seem to behold the gray-headed, venerable father pleading with his sons, the beloved Benjamin standing by his side, impatient sorrow in their countenances, and in his all the bleeding anxiety of paternal love. It will be difficult to find in any author, ancient or modern, a more exquisite picture.

1.    There is one doctrine relative to the economy of Divine Providence little heeded among men; I mean the doctrine of restitution. When a man has done wrong to his neighbor, though, on his repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus, God forgives him his sin, yet he requires him to make restitution to the person injured, if it lie in the compass of his power. If he do not, God will take care to exact it in the course of his providence. Such respect has he for the dictates of infinite justice that nothing of this kind shall pass unnoticed. Several instances of this have already occurred in this history, and we shall see several more. No man should expect mercy at the hand of God who, having wronged his neighbor, refuses, when he has it in his power, to make restitution. Were he to weep tears of blood, both the justice and mercy of God would shut out his prayer, if he made not his neighbor amends for the injury he may have done him. The mercy of God, through the blood of the cross, can alone pardon his guilt; but no dishonest man can expect this; and he is a dishonest man who illegally holds the property of another in his hand. The unnatural brethren who sold their brother are now about to be captivated themselves; and the binder himself is bound in his turn: and though a kind Providence permits not the evil to fall upon them, yet, while apprehending it, they feel all its reality, conscience supplying the lack of prison, jailer, and bonds

2.    The ways of Providence are often to us dark and perplexed, so that we are ready to imagine that good can never result from what appears to us to be directly contrary to our interest; and we are often tempted to think that those very providential dealings of God, which have for their object our present and eternal welfare, are rather proofs of his displeasure, or evidences of his vindictive judgment. All these things are against me, said poor desponding Jacob; whereas, instead of being against him, all these things were for him; and by all these means was the merciful God working for the preservation of himself and his family, and the fulfillment of his ancient promise, that the posterity of Abraham should be as the stars of heaven for multitude. How strange is it that our faith, after so many evidences of his goodness, should still be so weak; and that our opinion of him should be so imperfect, that we can never trust in him but while he is under our own eye! If we see him producing good, we can believe that he is doing so, and this is all. If we believe not, he abides faithful; but our unbelief must make our own way extremely perplexing and difficult.

Calvin: Gen 42:35 - As they emptied their sacks

35.As they emptied their sacks Here, again, it appears how greatly they had been alarmed in their journey, seeing that each had not at least examined his sack, after money had been found in one. But these things are written to show that, as soon as men are smitten with fear, they have no particle of wisdom and of soundness of mind, until God tranquilizes them. Moreover, Joseph did not act with sufficient consideration, in that he occasioned very great grief to his father, whose poverty he really intended to relieve. Whence we learn that even the most prudent are not always so careful, but that something may flow from their acts which they do not wish.

Calvin: Gen 42:36 - Me have ye bereaved

36.Me have ye bereaved. Jacob does not, indeed, openly accuse his sons of the crime of their brother’s murder; yet he is angry as if, two of his sons being already taken away, they were hastening to destroy the third. For he says that all these evils were falling on himself alone; because he does not think that they were affected as they ought to be, nor shared his grief with him, but were carelessly making light of the destruction of their brethren, as if they had no interest in their lives. It seems, however, exceedingly barbarous that Reuben should offer his two sons to his father to be slain, if he did not bring Benjamin back. Jacob might, indeed, slay his own grandchildren: what comfort, then, could he take in acting cruelly to his own bowels? But this is what I before alluded to, that they were suspected of having dealt perfidiously towards Joseph; for which reason Reuben deemed it necessary to assuage his father’s fear, by such a vehement protestation; and to give this pledge, that he and his brethren were designing nothing wicked against Benjamin.

Calvin: Gen 42:38 - My son shall not go down with you

38.My son shall not go down with you. Again we see, as in a lively picture, with what sorrow holy Jacob had been oppressed. He sees his whole family famishing: he would rather be torn away from life than from his son: whence we gather that he was not iron-hearted: but his patience is the more deserving of praise, because he contended with the infirmity of the flesh, and did not sink under it. And although Moses does not give a rhetorical amplification to his language, we nevertheless easily perceive that he was overcome with excessive grief, when he thus complained to his sons, You are too cruel to your father, in taking away from me a third son, after I have been plundered of first one and then another.

TSK: Gen 42:34 - traffic

traffic : Gen 34:10, Gen 34:21; 1Ki 10:15; Eze 17:4

TSK: Gen 42:35 - every man’ s

every man’ s : Gen 42:27, Gen 42:28, Gen 43:21

TSK: Gen 42:36 - Me have ye // all these things are against me

Me have ye : Gen. 37:20-35, Gen 43:14

all these things are against me : Alay hayoo cullanah , literally, ""upon me are all these things:""rendered by the Vulgate, in me hec omnia mala reciderunt , ""all these evils fall back upon me;""they lie upon me as heavy loads, hastening my deathcaps1 . tcaps0 hey are more than I can bear. Gen 45:28, Gen 47:12; 1Sa 27:1; Job 7:7; Psa 34:19; Ecc 7:8; Isa 27:9, Isa 38:10; Isa 41:10, Isa 41:13, Isa 41:14; Mat 14:31; Rom 8:28, Rom 8:31; 1Co 10:13; 2Co 4:17; Jam 5:7-11

TSK: Gen 42:37 - Slay my

Slay my : Gen 43:9, Gen 44:32-34, Gen 46:9; Mic 6:7

TSK: Gen 42:38 - his brother // if mischief // bring

his brother : Gen 42:13, Gen 30:22-24, Gen 35:16-18, Gen 37:33, Gen 37:35, Gen 44:20, Gen 44:27-34

if mischief : Gen 42:4, Gen 44:29

bring : Gen 37:35, Gen 44:29, Gen 44:31; 1Ki 2:6; Psa 71:18, Psa 90:10; Ecc 1:14, Ecc 2:26; Isa 38:10; Isa 46:4

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Gen 42:35

i.e. Their fear returned upon them with more violence, having now more leisure to consider things, and their wise and experienced father suggesting new matters to them, which might more deeply affect them.

Poole: Gen 42:36 - Simeon is not // All these things are against me

Simeon is not he gave him up for lost, as being, as he thought, in the power of a cruel enemy.

All these things are against me I am the great sufferer in all these things: you carry yourselves as if you were neither concerned nor affected with them.

Poole: Gen 42:37 - Slay my two sons

Slay my two sons two of the four mentioned Gen 46:9 . An absurd proposition, neither fit for him to make, nor for Jacob to accept.

Poole: Gen 42:38 - He is left alone

He is left alone to wit of his mother, my dear Rachel.

Haydock: Gen 42:34 - And you may

And you may, &c. Joseph had said, (ver. 20,) and you may not die, which they thus interpret. (Haydock)

Haydock: Gen 42:35 - Astonished

Astonished. One had before made the discovery, ver. 28. Now all find their purses among the corn, which renews their astonishment. (Calmet)

Haydock: Gen 42:36 - Without

Without. Through excess of grief, Jacob speaks with a degree of exaggeration; or he thought his children were now taken from him so fast, that he would soon have none left.

Haydock: Gen 42:37 - Kill

Kill, &c. By this proposal, he meant to signify his utmost care and zeal to bring back young Benjamin safe to his father.

Haydock: Gen 42:38 - Alone // To hell

Alone: the son of my beloved Rachel. (Haydock) ---

To hell. That is, to that place where the souls then remained, as above, chap. xxxvii. ver. 35, (Challoner) though with respect to his grey hairs, and body, it may signify the grave. (Haydock)

Gill: Gen 42:34 - And, bring your youngest brother unto me // then shall I know that you are no spies, but that you are true men // so will I deliver your brother // and ye shall traffic in the land

And, bring your youngest brother unto me,.... Their brother Benjamin:

then shall I know that you are no spies, but that you are true men; he knew they were no spies now, but true, honest, upright men, with respect to any designs upon the country; but then he should own and acknowledge them to be such, having such plain proof that what they said was true:

so will I deliver your brother; their brother Simeon, who was left bound; though this circumstance they also here studiously conceal from their father:

and ye shall traffic in the land; not only for corn, but for any other commodity Egypt furnished its neighbours with.

Gill: Gen 42:35 - 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

And it came to pass, as they emptied their sacks,.... Both those in which were the corn they had bought, and those in which were their provender for their cattle, and provision for themselves:

that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; the same purse, and the same pieces of money, gold or silver, they had paid to the steward:

and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid; the Targum of Jonathan adds,"because of Simeon, whom they had left there;''fearing that they should he charged with theft or fraud, and that Simeon would be put to death; they had opened their sacks before, and found their money in them, but put it up again as it was, in order to open them in their father's presence, from whom they thought proper to conceal this circumstance, lest he should blame them for not returning to the governor with their money upon the first notice of it, when they had travelled but one day's journey; wherefore they make no mention of it in the account of things that befell them, and express their surprise and fear upon finding it when they opened their sacks, as if they had known, nothing of it before; though it may be their fears were renewed and increased by what Jacob might observe to them, as the consequence of it, which they had not so thoroughly considered before.

Gill: Gen 42:36 - 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

And Jacob their father said unto them, me have ye bereaved of my children,.... Which looks as if Jacob suspected that they had either sold or slain Joseph, and had done one or the other by Simeon:

Joseph is not, and Simeon is not: neither of them were with him, and both were given up by him as dead, or, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,"of Joseph ye have said an evil beast hath devoured him; and Simeon, ye say, the king of the country hath bound him;''as for Joseph he knew not but he was dead, he feared he was; and as for Simeon, he being in the hands of so rough a man as they had represented the lord of the land to be, and especially as his release depended upon sending Benjamin, which he was determined at present not to do; he was reckoned by him as a lost or dead man:

and ye will take Benjamin away; they were desirous of it, and what their design was he could not tell; he seems to have a strong suspicion that it was not good:

all these things are against me; against his will, his peace, and comfort, and happiness, though they were all working and would work as they did for his good, and for the good of his family, for the preservation of it during the seven years of famine; or are "upon me" ^f, as heavy burdens, too heavy for him to bear, ready to sink him down to the earth.

Gill: Gen 42:37 - And Reuben spoke 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

And Reuben spoke unto his father,.... Being the eldest son, it most property lay upon him to make answer to his father in the name of his brethren, and to offer a word of comfort to him:

saying, slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee; meaning not Simeon, who was in Egypt, but Benjamin, whom it was proposed to take thither, and whom Jacob was very loath to part with; and to persuade him to it Reuben offers to him, and gives him leave to slay his two sons, or rather two of his sons ^g, since he had four, Gen 46:9; if he did not bring Benjamin again to him: this was a strange proposal, for what were two sons of his to his own son, so exceedingly beloved by him? besides, to lose his own son, and to have two of his grandchildren slain, would have been an increase of his sorrow and grief, instead of being an alleviation of it; but Reuben's meaning was, not that his children should be slain, but this he says, to show that he would be as careful and solicitous for the return of Benjamin as if the life of two sons of his lay at stake, and was so confident of it that he could risk the life of them upon it, who were as dear to him as one Benjamin was to his father:

deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again; he undertook to be responsible for him.

Gill: Gen 42:38 - 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 which ye go // then shall ye bring down my gray heirs with sorrow to the grave

And he said, my son shall not go down with you,.... He gives a peremptory denial; this was his then present resolution and determination:

for his brother is dead; meaning Joseph, Benjamin's own brother by father and mother's side; him he supposed to be dead, such circumstances being related and produced, which made it highly probable, and he had not heard anything of him for twenty two years:

and he is left alone; Benjamin being the only surviving child of his dearly beloved Rachel, as he thought:

if mischief befall him by the way in which ye go; that is, to Egypt, whether by thieves and robbers, or by the fatigue of the journey, or by any means whatever, so that he loses his life. All the Targums interpret this mischief of death:

then shall ye bring down my gray heirs with sorrow to the grave; the sense is, should this be the case he should never lift up his head, or have any more comfort in this world, but should pass his time with continual sorrow until his gray head was laid in the grave, or till he came to the state of the dead.