Genesis 43:31

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, "Serve the meal."

King James Version
And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

Lexham English Bible
Then he washed his face and went out, now controlling himself, and said, "Serve the food."

New Century Version
Then he washed his face and came out. He controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal."

New English Translation
Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, "Set out the food."

Amplified Bible
Then he washed his face and came out, and, restraining himself, said, "Let the meal be served."

New American Standard Bible
Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Afterward he washed his face, & came out, and refrained himselfe, and sayd, Set on meate.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself and said, "Set the meal."

Contemporary English Version
After washing his face and returning, he was able to control himself and said, "Serve the meal!"

Complete Jewish Bible
Then he washed his face and came out, but he controlled himself as he gave the order to serve the meal.

Darby Translation
And he washed his face, and came out, and controlled himself, and said, Set on bread.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Joseph washed his face and came out. He regained control of himself and said, "Now it is time to eat."

English Standard Version
Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, "Serve the food."

George Lamsa Translation
Then he washed his face and went out and controlled his emotions and said, Let us eat.

Good News Translation
After he had washed his face, he came out, and controlling himself, he ordered the meal to be served.

Christian Standard Bible®
Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

Literal Translation
And he washed his face and controlled himself, and went out and said, Set out bread.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan he had washed his face, he wente out, and refrayned him self, and sayde: set bred (on the table.)

American Standard Version
And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

Bible in Basic English
Then, after washing his face, he came out, and controlling his feelings said, Put food before us.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he washed his face, and came out, and refrayned hym selfe, and sayde: set bread on the table.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said: 'Set on bread.'

King James Version (1611)
And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himselfe, and saide, Set on bread.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

English Revised Version
And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

Berean Standard Bible
Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, "Serve the meal."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And eft whanne the face was waischun, he yede out, and refreynede hym silf, and seide, Sette ye looues.

Young's Literal Translation
and he washeth his face, and goeth out, and refraineth himself, and saith, `Place bread.'

Update Bible Version
And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

World English Bible
He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, "Serve the meal."

New King James Version
Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, "Serve the bread."

New Living Translation
After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, "Bring out the food!"

New Life Bible
Then he washed his face and came out. Hiding his feelings, he said, "Bring the food."

New Revised Standard
Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, "Serve the meal."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then bathed he his face and came forth, - and restrained himself, and said Set on bread!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.

Revised Standard Version
Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, "Let food be served."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal."

Contextual Overview

²⁶ When Joseph got home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought and bowed respectfully before him. ²⁷ Joseph welcomed them and said, "And your old father whom you mentioned to me, how is he? Is he still alive?" ²⁸ They said, "Yes—your servant our father is quite well, very much alive." And they again bowed respectfully before him. ²⁹ Then Joseph picked out his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son. He asked, "And is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" Then he said, "God be gracious to you, my son." ³⁰Deeply moved on seeing his brother and about to burst into tears, Joseph hurried out into another room and had a good cry. Then he washed his face, got a grip on himself, and said, "Let's eat." ³²Joseph was served at his private table, the brothers off by themselves and the Egyptians off by themselves (Egyptians won't eat at the same table with Hebrews; it's repulsive to them). The brothers were seated facing Joseph, arranged in order of their age, from the oldest to the youngest. They looked at one another wide-eyed, wondering what would happen next. When the brothers' plates were served from Joseph's table, Benjamin's plate came piled high, far more so than his brothers. And so the brothers feasted with Joseph, drinking freely.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

refrained: Genesis 45:1, Isaiah 42:14, Jeremiah 31:16, 1 Peter 3:10

bread: Genesis 43:25

Reciprocal: Esther 5:10 - refrained John 11:33 - was troubled

Cross-References

Genesis 45:1
Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out—everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he washed his face,.... From the tears on it, that it might not be discerned that he had been weeping:

and went out; of his chamber into the room again, where his brethren were:

and refrained himself; from weeping, or showing any excess of passion, love, joy, c.

and said, set on bread gave orders to his servants to bring in dinner, and set it upon the table; bread, as before, being put for all kind of food.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph and His Eleven Brethren

11. דבשׁ d^ebash, “honey,” from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים bôṭ^en, “pistachio nuts.” שׁקד shâqêd, “almond tree;” related: “awake.” The tree is also called לוּז lûz. Some refer the former to the fruit, the latter to the tree.

The eleven brothers are now to bow down before Joseph.

Genesis 43:1-10

The famine was severe. The pressure began to be felt more and more. The twelve households had at length consumed all the corn they had purchased, and the famine still pressed heavily upon them. Jacob directs them to return. “And Judah said.” Reuben had offended, and could not come forward. Simon and Levi had also grieved their father by the treacherous slaughter of the Shekemites. Judah therefore, speaks. “Is your father yet alive?” “Have ye a brother?” These questions do not come out in the previous narrative, on account of its brevity. But how pointed they are, and how true to Joseph’s yearnings! They explain how it was that these particulars came out in the replies of the brothers to Joseph. For the charge of being spies did not call for them in exculpation. Judah now uses all the arguments the case would admit of, to persuade his father to allow Benjamin to go with them. He closes with the emphatic sentence, If I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me have sinned against thee all my days; that is, let me bear the blame, and of course the penalty of having sinned against thee in so tender a point. Both Judah and his father knew that this was a matter that touched the interest of the former very deeply. Reuben was bearing the blame of a grievous sin, and had no hope of the birthright. Simon and Levi were also bearing blame, and, besides, had not the natural right, which belonged only to Reuben. Judah came next, and a failure in securing the safe return of Benjamin might set him also aside. He undertakes to run this risk.

Genesis 43:11-15

Jacob at length reluctantly sends Benjamin with them. He employs all means, as is usual with him, of securing a favorable result. “The best of the land” - the sung or celebrated products of the land. “A little honey.” Palestine abounded with bee honey. A sirup obtained by boiling down the juice of the grape was also called by the same name, and formed an article of commerce. “Nuts.” These are supposed to be pistachio nuts, from the pistacia vera, a tree resembling the terebinth, a native of Anatolia, Syria, and Palestine. “Almonds.” The almond tree buds or flowers earlier in the spring than other trees. It is a native of Palestine, Syria, and Persia. For the other products see Genesis 37:25. “Other silver;” not double silver, but a second sum for the new purchase. “God Almighty” - the Great Spirit, who can dispose the hearts of men as he pleases. Jacob looks up to heaven for a blessing, while he uses the means. “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” This is the expression of acquiescence in whatever may be the will of Providence. “Double silver,” - what was returned and what was to pay for a second supply of corn.

Genesis 43:16-18

The invitation into Joseph’s house fills the brothers with alarm. “Saw with them Benjamin.” This was an unspeakable relief to Joseph, who was afraid that his full brother, also the favorite of his father, might have incurred the envy and persecution of the brothers. “Brought the men to Joseph’s house.” This he eventually did, but not until after the conference between him and them took place. The men were afraid of a plot to rob them of their liberty and property.

Genesis 43:19-25

They are encouraged by the steward of Joseph’s house to lay aside their fears, and prepare their present. “Spake to him at the door of the house.” This was, of course, before they entered. “When we came to the inn.” The relater is prone to lump matters in the narration, for the sake of brevity. They began to “open their bags” at the first lodging-place, and finished the process at the last when they got home. Other silver. This explains the phrase “second silver” in Genesis 43:12. “Peace be to you.” Be at rest. All is well. Your God. The steward of Joseph expresses himself as one who fears and trusts God, the God of the Hebrews, who had displayed his omniscience and omnipotence in Egypt. “He brought out unto them Simon.” While they still linger at the entrance, the considerate steward bethought himself of bringing out Simon to them, which reassured their hearts, and induced them to enter willingly. He now succeeds therefore, in bringing them in, and then bestows upon them the usual attentions of Eastern hospitality. They now “make ready their present.”

Genesis 43:26-34

They are now entertained by Joseph. They brought the present, and made a lowly obeisance before him. “They bent the head.” See Genesis 24:26. “God be gracious unto thee, my son.” His kind treatment of Benjamin, on whose presence he had so much insisted, was calculated to reassure the brothers. The latter was born in his thirteenth year, and therefore, he was entitled to assume the paternal style in regard to him. Joseph still appeals with a natural and unconstrained reverence to his own God. “And Joseph hastened away.” The little touch of tenderness he had involuntarily thrown into his address to Benjamin, is too much for his feelings, which yearn toward his brother, and he is obliged to retreat to his chamber to conceal his tears and compose his countenance. “They set for him by himself.” As the governor, or as connected by affinity with the priestly caste, Joseph does not eat with the other Egyptians. The Egyptians cannot eat with the Hebrews. “That is an abomination to the Mizrites.” For the Hebrews partook of the flesh of kine, both male and female.

But Herodotus informs us (ii. 41), that “male kine, if clean, are used by the Egyptians, but the females they are not allowed to sacrifice, since they are sacred to Isis.” And he adds that “a native of Egypt will not kiss a Greek, use his knife, his spit, or his cauldron, or taste the flesh cut with a Greek knife.” They considered all foreigners unclean, and therefore, refused to eat with them (see Rawlinson’s Herodotus on p. q.). They sat in his presence; arranged according to the order of their birth, to their great amazement. Egypt was to them a land of wonders, and Egypt’s sultan a man of wonder. “Benjamin’s mess.” The honored guest was distinguished by a larger or daintier portion of the fare (1 Samuel 9:23-24; Homer, ii. 7,321). A double portion was assigned to the Spartan kings. The fivefold division was prominent in Egyptian affairs Genesis 41:34; Genesis 45:22; Genesis 47:2, Genesis 47:24, Genesis 47:26. “And were merry.” They drank freely, so as to be exhilarated, because their cares were dissipated by the kindness they were receiving, the presence of Simon, and the attention paid to Benjamin.