Genesis 43:23

And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) Your God . . . —Either Joseph had instructed his steward what to say, or he had trained his household generally in the truths of his religion. (See Note on Genesis 42:18.) The word for “treasure” means hidden treasure, or as we call it a “windfall.” By bringing out Simeon he would remove their worst fears, and so at last they consent to go in.

Benson Commentary

Genesis 43:23. And he said, Peace be to you — No harm shall come to you for that matter. God hath given you treasure in your sacks — By his power and providence secretly putting it there. He speaks thus, because Joseph had instructed him, as well as others of his family, in the knowledge and worship of the true God. By this he meant to show that he had no suspicion of dishonesty in them: for what we get by deceit we cannot say God gives it us. He silences their further inquiry about it: ask not how it came thither; Providence brought it you, and let that satisfy you. We must own ourselves indebted to God as our God, and the God of our fathers, (a God in covenant with us and them,) for all our successes and advantages, and the kindnesses of our friends; for every creature is that to us, and no more, than God makes it to be.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

43:15-25 Jacob's sons went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn. If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual food, as they did for bodily food. Joseph's steward had orders from his master to take them to his house. Even this frightened them. Those that are guilty make the worst of every thing. But the steward encouraged them. It appears, from what he said, that by his good master he was brought to the knowledge of the true God, the God of the Hebrews. Religious servants should take all fit occasions to speak of God and his providence, with reverence and seriousness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They are encouraged by the steward of Joseph's house to lay aside their fears, and prepare their present. "Spake to him at the door of the house." This was, of course, before they entered. "When we came to the inn." The relater is prone to lump matters in the narration, for the sake of brevity. They began to "open their bags" at the first lodging-place, and finished the process at the last when they got home. Other silver. This explains the phrase "second silver" in Genesis 43:12. "Peace be to you." Be at rest. All is well. Your God. The steward of Joseph expresses himself as one who fears and trusts God, the God of the Hebrews, who had displayed his omniscience and omnipotence in Egypt. "He brought out unto them Simon." While they still linger at the entrance, the considerate steward bethought himself of bringing out Simon to them, which reassured their hearts, and induced them to enter willingly. He now succeeds therefore, in bringing them in, and then bestows upon them the usual attentions of Eastern hospitality. They now "make ready their present."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

18. the men were afraid—Their feelings of awe on entering the stately mansion, unaccustomed as they were to houses at all, their anxiety at the reasons of their being taken there, their solicitude about the restored money, their honest simplicity in communicating their distress to the steward and his assurances of having received their money in "full weight," the offering of their fruit present, which would, as usual, be done with some parade, and the Oriental salutations that passed between their host and them—are all described in a graphic and animated manner.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Peace be to you; no harm shall come to you for that matter.

Your God, and the God of your father: thus he speaks, because Joseph had instructed him, as well as others of his family, in the true religion.

Hath given you treasure, by his power and providence secretly putting it there.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he said, peace be unto you, fear not,.... Do not be uneasy and disturbed, you have nothing to fear, you are in no danger:

your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks; the hidden treasure, as the word signifies, found in their sacks; was there by the providence of God, so disposing the heart of Joseph to order it to be put there, as the steward interpreted it; who by being Joseph's family had got some knowledge of the true God, and of his all wise and disposing Providence:

I had your money; he received it of them, which he acknowledges, and that was sufficient to acquit them from guile and theft, though he does not say that he put the money into their sacks, or by whose order it was done:

and he brought Simeon out unto them; either out of prison, or out of some other room to them, which was, no doubt, done by the direction of Joseph.

Geneva Study Bible

And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: {f} your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

(f) Despite the corruption of Egypt, Joseph taught his family to fear God.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. Peace be to you] A formula of encouragement and reassurance, as in Jdg 6:23; 1 Samuel 20:21; Daniel 10:19.

the God of your father] The steward reverently ascribes their good fortune to the influence of the God of their family, concerning whom he himself could have had no knowledge. Their God had put their money in their sacks. It was mysterious. Their payments had duly been made; he had received them. They were innocent. Joseph had evidently instructed his steward what to say.

I had your money] Lit. “your money came unto me.” The versions introduce a paraphrase. LXX τὸ ἀργύριον ὑμῶν εὐδοκιμοῦν ἀπέχω; Lat. pecuniam quam dedistis mihi probatam ego habeo.

he brought Simeon out] This clause harmonizes the narrative of J with that of E; see notes on Genesis 43:3; Genesis 43:5; Genesis 43:14.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God (Elohim), and the God of your father, - an indication that Joseph's steward had been taught to fear and trust the God of the Hebrews (Wordsworth, Murphy) - hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money (literally, your money came to me). And he brought Simeon out unto them. Genesis 43:23

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

When the brethren appeared before Joseph, he ordered his steward to take them into the house, and prepare a dinner for them and for him. טבה the original form of the imperative for טבח. But the brethren were alarmed, thinking that they were taken into the house because of the money which returned the first time (השּׁב which came back, they could not imagine how), that he might take them unawares (lit., roll upon them), and fall upon them, and keep them as salves, along with their asses. For the purpose of averting what they dreaded, they approached (Genesis 43:19) the steward and told him, "at the door of the house," before they entered therefore, how, at the first purchase of corn, on opening their sacks, they found the money that had been paid, "every one's money in the mouth of his sack, our money according to its weight," i.e., in full, and had now brought it back, together with some more money to buy corn, and they did not know who had put their money in their sacks (Genesis 43:20-22). The steward, who was initiated into Joseph's plans, replied in a pacifying tone, "Peace be to you (לכם שׁלום is not a form of salutation here, but of encouragement, as in Judges 6:23): fear not; your God and the God of your father has given you a treasure in your sacks; your money came to me;" and at the same time, to banish all their fear, he brought Simeon out to them. He then conducted them into Joseph's house, and received them in Oriental fashion as the guests of his lord. But, previous to Joseph's arrival, they arranged the present which they had brought with them, as they heard that they were to dine with him.