What does Genesis 43:26 mean?
ESV: When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.
NIV: When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.
NASB: When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the gift which was in their hand, and they bowed down to the ground before him.
CSB: When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him.
NLT: When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him.
KJV: And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
NKJV: And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.
Verse Commentary:
Eleven of Jacob's sons (Genesis 43:1–2) are profusely bowing (Genesis 43:28) before the second most powerful man in Egypt. They don't realize this is their own brother, Joseph (Genesis 42:8), whom they'd sold into slavery twenty years ago (Genesis 37:24–28). That hateful, jealous decision was made in part because of Joseph's dreams. One such dream symbolically depicted the brothers bowing in submission to Joseph (Genesis 37:5–8). This moment is the complete fulfillment of that prophecy.

Though they bow, the eleven men are honored guests. Joseph is now a powerful Egyptian ruler (Genesis 41:44) who had previously threatened the ten older brothers as spies (Genesis 42:14). Joseph arrives to share the noon meal with them, and they present to him a gift (Genesis 43:11) of fruit, gum, honey, pistachio nuts, and other local Canaanite goods.

Joseph's second prophetic dream from his youth involved his entire family bowing before him, as well, along with the 11 of them (Genesis 37:9–10). Joseph must be aware that dream is yet to be fulfilled, because he immediately asks about their father in the following verse (Genesis 43:27).
Verse Context:
Genesis 43:16–34 finds Joseph's estranged brothers returning once more to Egypt and appearing before him. They still fail to recognize the person they sold into slavery some twenty years before. After he orders them taken to his home, the brothers are afraid they will be ambushed for a false charge of theft due to their prior visit (Genesis 42:25–28). Joseph's steward assures them God arranged those events, and all is well. Joseph shares a meal with them, honoring them as guests in his home and giving special attention to Benjamin. The meal turns into a time of merriment for them all.
Chapter Summary:
Jacob must send Benjamin with his brothers, back to Egypt, to buy more grain for the family. Without it, they will starve, but the Egyptian ruler will not sell them grain if they don't bring Benjamin as agreed. Speaking on behalf of his brothers, Judah finally convinces his father. Arriving in Egypt, they are honored as guests in Joseph's house. They present a gift to him—still not recognizing him as their estranged brother—and Joseph, after being overwhelmed with emotion, pays special attention to Benjamin.
Chapter Context:
In Genesis chapter 37, Jacob sends his favorite son, Joseph, to visit his brothers. Joseph does not come home. In chapter 42, Jacob sends ten of his sons on a mission, and once again the group returns short one son. The Egyptian governor keeps Simeon as collateral and commands the family to return with Benjamin. Only when forced with starvation does Jacob risk his youngest son. Joseph, still unrecognized by his brothers as the governor of Egypt, honors the men as guests in his home, paying special attention to Benjamin. After further tests in chapter 44, Joseph will finally reveal himself in chapter 45.
Book Summary:
The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.
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