43:1 the famine in the land was severe The reiteration of this fact foreshadows the need for additional provisions and anticipates another journey to Egypt.

43:2 buy a little food for us The famine forces Jacob (Israel) to change his mind and allow Benjamin to go to Egypt with his brothers (see 42:12–20, 29–34).

43:3 your brother A reference to Benjamin.

43:5 you will not send See 42:12–20, 29–34.

43:6 you still had a brother See 42:13.

43:7 us and about our family This explanation includes details not found in the sons’ explanation to Jacob in ch. 42. The former chapter apparently presented a summary.

43:8 boy The Hebrew term used here, na'ar, is used to describe Benjamin in 44:22 and 44:30–34. The term can refer to a male from infancy (Exod 2:6) up until young adulthood (Gen 34:19).

43:9 I myself will be surety for him Judah realizes that if the trip is not made, the entire clan is in danger of starvation. He offers himself at the cost of losing Benjamin on the journey.

43:10 by this time we would have returned twice This is likely hyperbole, but if not, then their brother Simeon has been imprisoned in Egypt for several months (compare Gen 42:24).

43:11 the best products of the land Coming from his homeland, these items would likely have an emotional impact on Joseph.

43:12 take double the money with you To prove their honesty, the brothers decide to return with the original payment plus a new payment for more grain.

43:13 take your brother Israel leaves the most difficult instruction for last.

43:14 El-Shaddai See note on 17:1.

43:16 the one who was over his household The Hebrew title used here, asher al betho (also in 44:1, 4), was used for Joseph when he was a slave in the house of Potiphar.

43:18 were afraid The brothers experience fear because they are singled out from among all who came to buy grain. They presume Joseph knows about the money and fear it has put them in jeopardy.

43:21 when we came to the place of lodging As in 42:27, this refers to a temporary encampment, not an inn.

43:23 your money came to me The steward’s reply indicates he was privy to Joseph’s plan, as does his release of Simeon. Joseph has not yet arrived (v. 25).

43:24 washed their feet In the ancient Near East, people were customarily given water to wash their feet upon being welcomed into someone’s home.

43:25 gift See v. 11.

43:29 Benjamin Joseph’s only full brother.

God be gracious to you, my son Joseph is probably still using an interpreter (42:23). Up to this point in the narrative, he has not said anything like this to any of the brothers.

43:30 being overcome with emotion This Hebrew idiom, nikhmeru rachamayw (meaning “his mercies became heated”), occurs elsewhere only in 1 Kgs 3:26 where the context clearly suggests having compassion.

43:31 Serve the food Joseph hosts a meal for his brothers; this is an ironic echo of how his brothers had callously sat down to eat and debate his fate after throwing him into a pit (Gen 37:25).

43:32 the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves Joseph eats alone because he is a member of the political elite. The other Egyptians eat apart from Joseph’s brothers because of a cultural sense of racial superiority.

43:33 according to his birthright Joseph likely arranged the brothers this way to mystify them.

43:34 five times Joseph may want to see whether his favoritism of Benjamin—who is obviously favored by Jacob (compare 37:4)—would provoke a jealous response among the brothers.

became drunk The Hebrew verb used here, shakhar, is a common word for drunkenness (1 Sam 1:14; 2 Sam 11:13).