And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
Israel's question is a reproach to his sons for telling the Egyptian ruler that they had another brother. What they had disclosed was that their youngest brother was still with their father and that one brother was no longer with them. The continuing famine had exhausted the grain brought from Egypt, and want pressed upon Jacob and his children and their households calling for food, leaving the family in need.
Jacob clung to Benjamin with all the strength of a mother's love because he deeply felt the loss of Joseph, and held Benjamin back even under that pressure. His question expresses distress and reluctance to risk losing another son, and he had resisted sending Benjamin. The sons feared returning without Benjamin because the ruler had solemnly required that they would not see his face unless their brother was with them.
When Jacob asked them to go again to Egypt to buy food, Judah answered that they could not go unless Benjamin went with them. Judah offered himself as surety for Benjamin to bear the blame forever if he did not bring him back, and charged that lingering over sending Benjamin had wasted time in which they could have gone to Egypt and returned again. Hunger compelled Jacob to consent to Benjamin going with his brothers to buy food.
In sending them, he sent a present to the ruler in hope of obtaining favor, directed them to take double money and return the money found in their sacks as possibly placed there by mistake, and commanded them to take their brother and go again to the man.
Israel's question is a reproach to his sons for telling the Egyptian ruler that they had another brother. What they had disclosed was that their youngest brother was still with their father and that one brother was no longer with them. The continuing famine had exhausted the grain brought from Egypt, and want pressed upon Jacob and his children and their households calling for food, leaving the family in need.
Jacob clung to Benjamin with all the strength of a mother's love because he deeply felt the loss of Joseph, and held Benjamin back even under that pressure. His question expresses distress and reluctance to risk losing another son, and he had resisted sending Benjamin. The sons feared returning without Benjamin because the ruler had solemnly required that they would not see his face unless their brother was with them.
When Jacob asked them to go again to Egypt to buy food, Judah answered that they could not go unless Benjamin went with them. Judah offered himself as surety for Benjamin to bear the blame forever if he did not bring him back, and charged that lingering over sending Benjamin had wasted time in which they could have gone to Egypt and returned again. Hunger compelled Jacob to consent to Benjamin going with his brothers to buy food.
In sending them, he sent a present to the ruler in hope of obtaining favor, directed them to take double money and return the money found in their sacks as possibly placed there by mistake, and commanded them to take their brother and go again to the man.