And he turned himself about from them (in order to hide his emotion), and wept (as he reflected on the wonderful leadings of Divine providence, and beheld the pitiful distress of his brethren); and returned to them again (having previously withdrawn from them a space), and communed with them (probably about the one of them that should remain behind), and took from them—by a rough act of authority, since they either could not or would not settle among themselves who should be the prisoner (Candlish)—Simeon,—passing by Reuben not because he was the firstborn (Tuch, Lengerke), but because he was comparatively guiltless (Keil, Kalisch, Lange, Candlish, and expositors generally), and selecting Simeon either as the eldest of the guilty ones (Aben Ezra, Keil, Lange, Murphy, Wordsworth, Alford, and others), or as the chief instigator of the sale of Joseph (Philo, Rosenmüller, Furst, Kalisch, Gerlach, Lawson, et alii)—and bound him before their eyes—thus forcibly recalling to their minds what they had done to him (Wordsworth), and perhaps hoping to incite them, through pity for Simeon, to return the more speedily with Benjamin (Lawson).
Bible Commentary
Genesis 42:24
Genesis 42:24
The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain
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Genesis 42 — OverviewGenesis 42 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWe had, in the foregoing chapter, the fulfilling of the dreams which
Joseph had interpreted: in this and the following chapters we have the
fulfilling of the dreams which Joseph himself had dreamed, that his…Genesis 42 — OverviewGenesis 42 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeGenesis 42:1, Jacob sends his ten sons to buy corn in Egypt; Genesis 42:16, They are imprisoned by Joseph for spies; Genesis 42:18, They are set at liberty, on condition to bring Benjamin; Genesis 42:21, They have…Genesis 42 — OverviewGenesis 42 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter relates how that Jacob having heard there was corn in Egypt, sent all his sons but Benjamin thither to buy corn, Ge 42:1; and coming before Joseph, they bowed to him, and he knowing them, though they knew…Genesis 42:1-38Genesis 42:1-38 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONGenesis 42:1-38Genesis 42:1-38 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe first visit of Joseph's brethren to Egypt.
I. THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT (Genesis 42:1-5).
1. The famishing household. Although Canaan was the land of promise, and the family of Jacob the Church of God, yet neither was…Genesis 42:1-38Genesis 42:1-38 · The Pulpit CommentaryGod's trials of his people.
The trial of Joseph is over. Now comes the trial of his brethren and of Jacob. The Spirit of God is at work in all their hearts. True men they were and yet sinful men. Before they can be…
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