Synopsis of the Chapter
The brothers go a second time with Benjamin to Egypt to buy grain; Joseph, verse 27, kindly receives them and entertains them with a lavish banquet.
Verse 2: A Little Food ¶
"A little food" -- enough to relieve our hunger for this year. Jacob did not yet know that a five-year period of barrenness and famine still remained; for Jacob said and did these things in the second year of the barrenness, as is clear from chapter XLVII, verse 9.
Verse 3: Judah's Warning ¶
Judah, who excelled among the brothers in spirit, prudence, eloquence, and authority, says Philo.
"Under oath." In Hebrew it is, "protesting he protested to us," that is, he declared to us with an oath, saying: "By the life of Pharaoh."
"You shall not see my face" -- I will not permit you to deal with me or buy anything in all Egypt; I will punish you as spies. So Abulensis.
Verse 6: You Have Done This to My Misery ¶
"You have done this to my misery" -- not intentionally, but by giving occasion through your words for this misery of mine, by which I am deprived of my Benjamin. See Canon 20.
Verse 7: The Man Questioned Us ¶
"The man questioned us, etc., whether we had a brother." Judah reports truthfully, as is clear from the next chapter, verse 19, although these very details are passed over in silence at chapter XLII, verse 13: for there the matter is narrated only in summary, but here and in the next chapter the brothers recount the whole matter and the order of events more precisely and at greater length.
Verse 8: Send the Boy, Lest We Die ¶
"The boy" -- the youngest brother; otherwise Benjamin's age was already 24 years, and he had fathered sons, as is clear from chapter XLVI, verse 21. For Benjamin was born in Joseph's sixteenth year, when he was sold into Egypt; but these events occurred in the second year of the barrenness, when Joseph was 39 years old, as is clear from what has been said and from chapter XLVII, verse 9; now count from Joseph's 16th year to his 39th, and you will have 24 years for Benjamin's age.
Isaac was about the same age, namely 25, when Abraham was commanded to sacrifice him; so too Jacob here is compelled at the same age to give up his Benjamin and resign him into the hands of God.
"Lest we die." As if to say: the compassion we show the boy will be the cause of death for all of us; for we will perish from hunger unless you send him with us, says St. Chrysostom, homily 64.
Verse 9: I Will Be Guilty of Sin ¶
"I will be guilty of sin against you for all time" -- as if to say: as long as I live, reproach me with this sin, and inflict whatever punishment you wish upon me.
Verse 10: If There Had Not Been This Delay ¶
"If there had not been this delay" -- if this delay had not been imposed, by which you held us back, denying us Benjamin's company.
Verse 11: The Best Fruits of the Land ¶
"Take some of the best fruits of the land." In Hebrew it is, "take from the song of the land." In Hebrew, "song" denotes a thing that is excellent, noble, praiseworthy, and worth celebrating.
"Balm" -- that is, theriac, say the Jews; but wrongly: for balm is a sap flowing from a tree. Now there are various trees that produce balm. In Judea and Syria, balm is produced by the tree called ferula, whose sap or resin is called galbanum, says Dioscorides, book III, chapter LXXXI, and after him Abulensis. See also Pliny, book XII, chapter XXVI, at the end; Josephus also supports this; for in his text, instead of "balanon" (acorn) it seems one should read "galbanon" (galbanum).
"Storax." Storax is the resinous gum of the tree called styrax, about which see Dioscorides, book I, chapter LXXVIII, and Pliny, book XII, chapter XXV; from it is made the styrax ointment, which imbues the hair not only with a pleasant fragrance but also with a golden color.
"Stacte." Stacte is the resin of myrrh, namely the purest and most refined liquid of myrrh.
"Terebinth resin." The terebinth here is the resin or sap that distills from the terebinth tree: it is commonly called turpentine.
Verse 14: As One Bereaved, Without Children ¶
"I shall be as one bereaved, without children"; meanwhile, while you are all absent, I shall seem to myself to be bereaved; and perhaps I shall in fact be bereaved of some, or even all of you on this journey.
Let parents learn here not to place their hopes and joys in their children. Behold, Jacob in his old age, when he expected to enjoy his children, is bereaved of them. Moreover, as children grow up, often with age their vices grow as well, along with the cares of their parents. Let the faithful learn, secondly, to lean on no earthly thing, but to depend entirely on God. Behold, everything Jacob had loved is taken from him -- namely Rachel, Joseph, Benjamin -- so that He might call back his love from them and transfer it to God. Let them learn, thirdly, not to be broken by adversity, because then happiness is nearest when they seem most wretched. For thus Jacob, afflicted here, is soon rescued from all his troubles.
When therefore you seem forsaken and lost, take heart; know that good fortune stands before the door and awaits you. For behold, the Lord looks upon us from on high, watches those who struggle and strengthens them, and arranges and prepares rewards, as He Himself said to St. Anthony when he was wondrously tormented by demons.
Verse 19: Prepare a Feast ¶
"Kill animals and prepare a feast." The "victims" are called here and elsewhere animals -- namely sheep, calves, capons, fish -- slaughtered not for sacrifice but for a banquet; for in Hebrew it is "teboach tebach," that is, "slay a slaughter," meaning, slay animals to be slaughtered for a feast. Add that these animals are also called victims in relation to sacrifice itself; for the ancients used to sacrifice during their feasts. This is clear regarding the Jews from Exodus chapter XII, where in their last supper, which they celebrated in Egypt, they immolated and ate the paschal lamb. So too did Christ at His last supper, whose sacred feast was equally both a banquet and a sacrifice -- the Eucharist.
The same is clear concerning the Gentiles from Athenaeus, Macrobius, Virgil, and Homer. For sacrifices were, as it were, sacred feasts, in which God feasted with men; and therefore they are called victims.
Verse 23: Peace Be with You; The Hidden Money ¶
"Peace be with you" -- do not be afraid; I command you to be at ease.
"God has given to you" -- through me; for Joseph commanded this at God's inspiration.
"Treasures" -- the money secretly hidden by me in your sacks; for this is called in Hebrew "matmon," in Chaldaic "mammon" and "mammona," from the root "taman," that is, "he hid, he stored away."
"The money which you gave me" -- as the price for the grain which you bought from me.
"I have it tested and good." In Hebrew it is: "Your money came to me," as if to say: I acknowledge that I received it, and although I secretly returned it to you, I still consider and count it as received, and reckon it as if I had it.
Let rulers and princes learn here how in Joseph honors did not change his character, but at the height of power he retained his former affability joined with maturity. Let each person learn that Joseph everywhere and in all things scattered the seeds of virtue: for he was innocent in his father's house, patient in adversity, faithful in service, chaste in temptation, wise in the revelation of secrets, prudent in the provision for the future, just in the correction of his brothers, and now pious in receiving them.
Thus Willigis, as Nauclerus, Ziegler, and others attest, born the son of a cartwright, suddenly adopted by Otto III as the first among the Electors, lest he become proud, frequently reminded himself: "See who you are; remember who you were." Hence he had wheels painted in his study, with the inscription beneath them: "Willigis, mindful of your former fortune, consider who you now are." This wheel afterwards became the emblem of the Archbishopric of Mainz and was confirmed by Emperor Henry II.
Benedict XI, raised from poverty to the Pontificate, when he saw his mother coming to him adorned by Roman matrons in more splendid dress, pretended not to recognize her, and being informed that his mother was present, said: "Am I to believe that my mother wears such fine clothing? I do not recognize her; for I know my mother to be both poor and lowly." So she took off the silken garments and put on her own ragged clothes; then the Pontiff embraced her: "In this dress," he said, "I left my mother, and such a one I gladly recognize and receive."
King Francis, captured by Charles V, wrote on the wall: "Today for me, tomorrow for you." Charles wrote beneath: "I am a man; I consider nothing human foreign to me."
Gelimer, king of the Vandals, captured and led by Justinian in triumph, laughed and said: "I laugh at the vicissitudes of fortune, that I who was just now a king should now serve."
Verse 24: They Washed Their Feet ¶
"They washed their feet." From this it is again clear that guests of old had their feet washed before the meal -- both at lunch and at dinner; for this banquet of Joseph was a lunch, not supper, as is clear from the following verse. Likewise the feet of Abraham's servant as a guest at Bethuel's house were washed, above in chapter XXIV, verse 32.
Verse 29: He Saw Benjamin ¶
"He saw Benjamin." He had seen him before, but in passing and dissembling; now he looks at him deliberately and addresses him. Hence this gaze drew from him tears of tender love and affection.
Verse 30: He Made Haste ¶
"And he made haste" -- as if called away to some other business.
Verse 32: Unlawful for Egyptians to Eat with Hebrews ¶
"For it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews." First, because the Egyptians, partly from pride, partly from superstition, shunned shepherds and herdsmen, such as the Hebrews were. Second, because the sheep, calves, and oxen on which the Hebrews fed were gods of the Egyptians, which therefore it was not lawful for them to kill or eat, Exodus VIII, verse 26; not that such things were served at this banquet, but because they knew the Hebrews were accustomed to eating such things.
Verse 33: Seated According to Birthright ¶
"They sat." From this it is clear that the custom of sitting at table is most ancient; for the custom of reclining or lying at meals began much later.
"The firstborn according to his birthright" -- that is, the firstborn, namely Reuben, sat in the first place. The second-born, namely Simeon, sat in the second place; the third in the third; the youngest, namely Benjamin, sat last. It seems that Joseph himself assigned this order to each of the brothers and had them called and placed at the table in this order through his steward; and therefore they wondered how he knew the age and order of each of them.
"And they were exceedingly amazed" -- both on account of the order aptly assigned to each at the table according to their age, and on account of the kindness of Joseph, who from his own dish sent each one his portion and gift, yet in such a way that Benjamin, the youngest, received more than the rest; as follows.
Verse 34: Benjamin's Five Portions ¶
"Having received the portions which they got from him." The Hebrew words more clearly signify that Joseph sent from his own table a portion of his own dishes, as a mark of honor, to each of the brothers seated at the other table.
"So that it exceeded by five portions." It seems therefore that Joseph sent five more courses to Benjamin than to the rest; although Josephus and Abulensis think that Joseph sent five courses to each brother, but in such a way that Benjamin received a double portion of each. Others think that one and the same portion was given to each, but to Benjamin one five times larger and greater.
But the first interpretation is more supported by the Hebrew. Joseph wished by this means to honor Benjamin above the others, as being his brother by the same mother: a symbolic reason for this is given by Alexander Polyhistor, in Eusebius, book IX, last chapter: Because, he says, Leah had borne seven children, Rachel only two; so that Rachel might not seem inferior to Leah, Joseph here in her son Benjamin adds five portions to him, to thereby make her equal to Leah. For just as Leah exceeded Rachel by five children, so Benjamin, and consequently Rachel, surpassed his brothers and their mother Leah herself by five portions or servings at this table of Joseph.
Allegorically, Benjamin is St. Paul, who descended from the tribe of Benjamin, who was endowed by God above the other Apostles with wisdom, grace, eloquence, effectiveness, and zeal. So St. Ambrose and Prosper. "Benjamin is brought down," says St. Ambrose, in his book On Joseph, chapter IX, "and comes accompanied by sweet fragrances, carrying with him balm, etc. For such was Paul's preaching that it might abolish the putrid sentiment and drain the corrupt humor with the sting of his disputation, desiring rather to cauterize the diseased entrails of the mind than to cut them. David taught us that incense of prayer, and cassia and myrrh-drops are the emblems of burial, saying: 'Myrrh, and drops, and cassia from your garments.' For Paul came to preach the Cross of the Lord." And in chapter X: "Therefore at the banquet his portion was made five times greater, because he deserved to be preferred to the others not only in prudence of mind, but also in the warfare of the body and the grace of chastity."
"And they were inebriated" -- they were satisfied; they were made merry, they grew warm with wine, yet without excess or drunkenness; for the temperate and holy Joseph would not have permitted this at his table; nor by this are men created, but, as St. Augustine says, they plunge themselves in a flood. Hear Pliny, book XIV, chapter XXII: From wine, he says, and drunkenness arises pallor and drooping cheeks, ulcers of the eyes, trembling hands, and tottering feet, and frenzied dreams, and restless nights, and the supreme reward of drunkenness -- monstrous lust and delightful wickedness. The next day, foul breath from the mouth, and the oblivion of nearly everything, and the death of memory, prudence, and mind. Add the losses of time, money, and conscience, about which I spoke at chapter XIX, at the end.
Alfonso, king of Aragon, being asked why he so detested drunkenness, splendidly replied: "Because I know that fury and lust are its daughters. I know how much harm drunkenness did to the glory of Alexander the Great."
This "inebriation" therefore was a joyful and more generous drinking of wine, by which the mind was not overwhelmed but gladdened: so St. Jerome, Augustine, and Philo. Hence the Greek word "methyein," that is, "to be inebriated," is said as if from "meta to thyein" (after the sacrifice), because after sacred rites the ancients happily indulged in cups; or rather from "apo tes methiseos," that is, from the relaxation and easing of the mind, even of the wise, which occurs through the sweetness and merriment of wine drunk a little more generously. So Eustathius from Athenaeus.
Fittingly Anacharsis said that on the vine there are three clusters and three cups. The first cup, he said, is drunk for health; the second for pleasure; the third for drunkenness, injury, and madness. Despise pleasures; pleasure bought with pain is harmful; await eternal delights; meditate on this: "I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: we shall go into the house of the Lord."