the Fourth Week after Easter
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THE MESSAGE
Genesis 44:13
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Then they tore their clothes, and loaded every man his donkey, and returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes, and each one loaded his donkey and they returned to the city.
The brothers tore their clothes to show they were afraid. Then they put their sacks back on the donkeys and returned to the city.
They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes [in grief]; and after each man had loaded his donkey again, they returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes in grief, and when each man had loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, & went againe into the citie.
Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
This upset the brothers so much that they began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
At this, they tore their clothes from grief. Then each man loaded up his donkey and returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and they returned to the city.
The brothers were very sad. They tore their clothes to show their sadness. They put their sacks back on the donkeys and went back to the city.
Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
And they tore their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and returned to the town.
The brothers tore their clothes in sorrow, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes, and each one loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
And they tore their clothes; and they each one loaded his ass and returned to the city.
Then rente they their clothes, and euery man lade the burthen vpon his Asse, & wente agayne vnto the cite.
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
Then in bitter grief they put the bags on the asses again and went back to the town.
Then they rent theyr clothes, and laded euery ma his asse, and went againe vnto the citie.
And they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and returned to the citie.
And they rent their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
And whanne thei hadden `to-rent her clothis, and hadden chargid eft the assis, thei turneden ayen in to the citee.
and they rend their garments, and each ladeth his ass, and they turn back to the city.
Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his donkey, and returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes, and loaded every man his donkey, and returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
When the brothers saw this, they tore their clothing in despair. Then they loaded their donkeys again and returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes. After each man loaded his donkey again, they returned to the city.
At this they tore their clothes. Then each one loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
And they rent their mantles, - and laded each man his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.
Then they rent their clothes, and every man loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.
Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Genesis 37:29-34, Numbers 14:6, 2 Samuel 1:2, 2 Samuel 1:11, 2 Samuel 13:19
Cross-References
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, members of the scouting party, ripped their clothes and addressed the assembled People of Israel: "The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land—very good indeed. If God is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land that flows, as they say, with milk and honey. And he'll give it to us. Just don't rebel against God ! And don't be afraid of those people. Why, we'll have them for lunch! They have no protection and God is on our side. Don't be afraid of them!"
In lament, David ripped his clothes to ribbons. All the men with him did the same. They wept and fasted the rest of the day, grieving the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, and also the army of God and the nation Israel, victims in a failed battle.
Some time later, this happened: Absalom, David's son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Tamar. Amnon, also David's son, was in love with her. Amnon was obsessed with his sister Tamar to the point of making himself sick over her. She was a virgin, so he couldn't see how he could get his hands on her. Amnon had a good friend, Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was exceptionally streetwise. He said to Amnon, "Why are you moping around like this, day after day—you, the son of the king! Tell me what's eating at you." "In a word, Tamar," said Amnon. "My brother Absalom's sister. I'm in love with her." "Here's what you do," said Jonadab. "Go to bed and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to visit you, say, ‘Have my sister Tamar come and prepare some supper for me here where I can watch her and she can feed me.'" So Amnon took to his bed and acted sick. When the king came to visit, Amnon said, "Would you do me a favor? Have my sister Tamar come and make some nourishing dumplings here where I can watch her and be fed by her." David sent word to Tamar who was home at the time: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare a meal for him." So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. She took dough, kneaded it, formed it into dumplings, and cooked them while he watched from his bed. But when she took the cooking pot and served him, he wouldn't eat. Amnon said, "Clear everyone out of the house," and they all cleared out. Then he said to Tamar, "Bring the food into my bedroom, where we can eat in privacy." She took the nourishing dumplings she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she got ready to feed him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, sister!" "No, brother!" she said, "Don't hurt me! This kind of thing isn't done in Israel! Don't do this terrible thing! Where could I ever show my face? And you—you'll be out on the street in disgrace. Oh, please! Speak to the king—he'll let you marry me." But he wouldn't listen. Being much stronger than she, he raped her. No sooner had Amnon raped her than he hated her—an immense hatred. The hatred that he felt for her was greater than the love he'd had for her. "Get up," he said, "and get out!" "Oh no, brother," she said. "Please! This is an even worse evil than what you just did to me!" But he wouldn't listen to her. He called for his valet. "Get rid of this woman. Get her out of my sight! And lock the door after her." The valet threw her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long-sleeved gown. (That's how virgin princesses used to dress from early adolescence on.) Tamar poured ashes on her head, then she ripped the long-sleeved gown, held her head in her hands, and walked away, sobbing as she went.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then they rent their clothes,.... In token of sorrow and distress, being at their wits' end, like distracted persons, not knowing what to do: this was usually done in the eastern countries when any evil befell, as did Jacob, Genesis 37:34; and as the Egyptians themselves did when mourning for their dead, as Diodorus Siculus q relates:
and laded every man his ass; put their sacks of corn on their asses again, having tied them up:
and returned to the city; to the metropolis, as Jarchi, which was either Tanis, that is, Zoan, or, as others think, Memphis: hither they returned to see how it would go with Benjamin, to plead his cause and get him released, that he might go with them, they being afraid to see their father's face without him; otherwise, could they have been content to have gone without him, they might have proceeded on in their journey, see Genesis 44:17.
q Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 65.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- The Ten Brothers Were Tested
Joseph has had the satisfaction of seeing his brother Benjamin safe and well. He has heard his brothers acknowledging their guilt concerning himself. He resolves to put their attachment to Benjamin, and the genuineness of their change of disposition, to a test that will at the same time expose Benjamin to no hazard.
Genesis 44:1-5
And my cup. - Besides returning each man’s money as before, a silver cup of Joseph’s is put in Benjamin’s bag, after which, when daylight comes, they are dismissed. They are scarcely out of the town when Joseph’s steward is ordered to overtake them, and charge them with stealing the cup. “And whereby indeed he divineth.” Divining by cups, we learn from this, was a common custom in Egypt (Herodotus ii. 83). It is here mentioned to enhance the value of the cup. Whether Joseph really practised any sort of divination cannot be determined from this passage.
Genesis 44:6-12
The cup is found in Benjamin’s bag. “Spake unto them these words.” The words of Joseph, supplying of course the mention of the cup which is expressed in the text only by the pronoun this. “We brought back to thee.” Silver that we might have retained, and to which you made no claim when we tendered it, we brought back. How or why should we therefore, steal silver? “Now also according to your words let it be.” He adopts their terms with a mitigation. He with whom the cup is found shall become a slave for life, and the rest be acquitted. The steward searches from the oldest to the youngest. The cup is found where it was put.
Genesis 44:13-17
“They rent their garments;” the natural token of a sorrow that knows no remedy. “And Judah went.” He had pledged himself for the safety of Benjamin to his father. And he was yet there; awaiting no doubt the result which he anticipated. “They fell before him on the earth.” It is no longer a bending of the head or bowing of the body, but the posture of deepest humiliation. How deeply that early dream penetrated into the stern reality! “Wot ye not that such a man as I doth certainly divine?” Joseph keeps up the show of resentment for a little longer, and brings out from Judah the most pathetic plea of its kind that ever was uttered. “The God,” the great and only God, “hath found out the iniquity of thy servants;” in our dark and treacherous dealing with our brother. “Behold, we are servants to my lord.” He resigns himself and all to perpetual bondage, as the doom of a just God upon their still-remembered crime. “He shall be my servant; and ye, go up in peace to your father.” Now is the test applied with the nicest adjustment. Now is the moment of agony and suspense to Joseph. Will my brothers prove true? says he within himself. Will Judah prove adequate to the occasion? say we. His pleading with his father augured well.
Verse 18-34
“And Judah came near unto him.” He is going to surrender himself as a slave for life, that Benjamin may go home with his brothers, who are permitted to depart. “Let thy servant now speak a word in the ears of my lord.” There is nothing here but respectful calmness of demeanor. “And let not thine anger burn against thy servant.” He intuitively feels that the grand vizier is a man of like feelings with himself. He will surmount the distinction of rank, and stand with him on the ground of a common humanity. “For so art thou as Pharaoh.” Thou hast power to grant or withhold my request. This forms, the exordium of the speech. Then follows the plea. This consists in a simple statement of the facts, which Judah expects to have its native effect upon a rightly-constituted heart. We will not touch this statement, except to explain two or three expressions. A young lad - a comparative youth. “Let me set mine eyes upon him” - regard him with favor and kindness. “He shall leave his father and he shall die.” If he were to leave his father, his father would die. Such is the natural interpretation of these words, as the paternal affection is generally stronger than the filial. “And now let thy servant now abide instead of the lad a servant to my lord.” Such is the humble and earnest petition of Judah. He calmly and firmly sacrifices home, family, and birthright, rather than see an aged father die of a broken heart.
