Genesis 43:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

NIV: When portions were served to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times as much as anyone else's. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

NASB: Then he took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank freely with him.

CSB: Portions were served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin's portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank and became drunk with Joseph.

NLT: And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

KJV: And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

NKJV: Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Eleven of Jacob's sons—the ten oldest and the youngest, Benjamin—are seated in birth order at a banquet hosted by the governor of Egypt (Genesis 43:32–33). The men don't realize the Egyptian leader is the missing brother, Joseph (Genesis 42:7–8). Though they sold him as a slave twenty years earlier (Genesis 37:24–28), he has risen to power and is now testing his estranged family (Genesis 42:19–20). This will all work out for good, eventually (Genesis 47:11–12). For now, Joseph seems interested in examining whether his older brothers can forgive favoritism.

Joseph's test involves giving Benjamin an outrageously large portion of food at the banquet. The proportion of "five times" might have been significant in Egyptian culture. This echoes the extreme favoritism shown by Jacob to Joseph many years prior (Genesis 37:3–4). It's possible Joseph wants to see if the older brothers show any signs of jealousy.

Regardless of any confusion or surprise, the men seem to become fully relaxed, eating and drinking and becoming "merry" with Joseph. The alcohol may have had something to do with their merriment, along with the stress relief of seeing Simeon released and their father's beloved Benjamin treated so well. Scholars debate if the Hebrew term shakar used here is a reference to drunkenness or simple happiness. The King James, for instance, translates this term as a reference to intoxication 16 out of the 19 times it is used in the Old Testament. That doesn't absolutely mean the brothers were drunk, but it does prove their spirits were high and they didn't seem bothered by Benjamin's oversized portions.

Of course, more surprises are yet to be revealed in this encounter (Genesis 44:1–2).

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.

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.

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.

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.