Bible Strands
Genesis 43:16
When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joseph observes Benjamin’s arrival with his brothers in Egypt and immediately commands his steward to bring the men to his house for a midday meal.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיַּרְא (va.yar') marks Joseph’s direct visual confirmation of Benjamin’s presence, which triggers his spoken order. The prepositional phrase עַל הַבַּיִת ('al ha-bayit) designates the steward as the official administrator over Joseph’s household operations.
The thread — Joseph’s directive to prepare provisions for his brothers reappears when he orders the same steward to fill their sacks in Genesis 44:1, while the brothers’ initial meeting with that steward is recorded in Genesis 43:19.
Why it lands — The text records a precise administrative command to host a meal, requiring the reader to track how Joseph uses household management to control the brothers’ movements. It demands attention to the steward’s function as the operational link between Joseph’s plans and the brothers’ physical presence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
Cross-references
- Genesis 44:1 Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
- Genesis 43:19 So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
- Genesis 15:2 But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
- Genesis 21:8 So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.
- Genesis 24:2 So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,
- Genesis 26:30 So Isaac prepared a feast for them, and they ate and drank.
- Genesis 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.
- Genesis 39:4 Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned.
- Genesis 44:4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
- 1 Samuel 25:11 Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?”