Genesis 43 · Verse 16

Genesis 43:16

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.
Genesis 43:16, King James Version

Genesis 43:16 in other translations

BSBWhen 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.”
WEBWhen Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
ASVAnd when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon.
YLTand Joseph seeth Benjamin with them, and saith to him who is over his house, ‘Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal, and make ready, for with me do the men eat at noon.'
DARBYAnd Joseph saw Benjamin with them, and said to the man who was over his house, Bring the men into the house, and slaughter cattle, and make ready; for the men shall eat with me at noon.
BBEAnd when Joseph saw Benjamin, he said to his chief servant, Take these men into my house, and make ready a meal, for they will take food with me in the middle of the day.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Genesis 43:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. ruler of his house--In the houses of wealthy Egyptians one upper man servant was intrusted with the management of the house (compare Ge 39:5). slay, and make ready--Hebrew, "kill a killing"--implying preparations for a grand entertainment (compare Ge 31:54; 1Sa 25:11; Pr 9:2; Mt 22:4). The animals have to be killed as well as prepared at home. The heat of the climate requires that the cook should take the joints directly from the hands of the flesher, and the Oriental taste is, from habit, fond of newly killed meat. A great profusion of viands, with an inexhaustible supply of vegetables, was provided for the repasts, to which strangers were invited, the pride of Egyptian people consisting rather in the quantity and variety than in the choice or delicacy of the dishes at their table. dine ... at noon--The hour of dinner was at midday.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Slay, and make ready - טבח טבח teboach tebach, slay a slaying, or make a great slaughter - let preparations be made for a great feast or entertainment. See a similar form of speech, Pro 9:2 (note); 1Sam 25:11 (note); and Gen 31:54 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 43:15-25 →

Genesis 43:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֨רְאvai.Yar'and he sawH7200
יוֹסֵ֣ףyo.SefJosephH3130
אִתָּם֮'i.Tamwith themH854
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בִּנְיָמִין֒bin.ya.MinBenjaminH1144
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣רla.'a.Sherto [the one] whoH834
עַל\־'al-[was] overH5921
בֵּית֔וֹbei.Tohousehold hisH1004
הָבֵ֥אha.Ve'bringH935
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָאֲנָשִׁ֖יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582
הַבָּ֑יְתָהha.Ba.ye.tahthe house towardsH1004
וּטְבֹ֤חַu.te.Vo.achand slaughterH2873
טֶ֙בַח֙te.vacha slaughterH2874
וְהָכֵ֔ןve.ha.Khenand prepare [it]H3559
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
אִתִּ֛י'i.Tiwith meH854
יֹאכְל֥וּyo.khe.Luthey will eatH398
הָאֲנָשִׁ֖יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582
בַּֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם\׃Ba.tzo.ho.Ra.yimat <the> noon<s>H6672

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 43:16

  • Genesis 44:1

    And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

  • Genesis 43:19

    And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

  • Genesis 31:54

    Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.

  • Genesis 39:4-5

    And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

  • Genesis 15:2

    And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

  • Proverbs 9:2

    She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

  • Genesis 21:8

    And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

  • Genesis 44:4

    And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

  • Genesis 24:2-10

    And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? …

  • Genesis 26:30

    And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

  • 1 Samuel 25:11

    Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the ruler.
19; 15:2; 24:2-10; 39:4,5; 44:1
slay. Heb. kill a killing.
21:8; 26:30; 31:54; 1Sa 25:11{Tevoch taivach,} "slay a slaying," or make a great slaughter: let preparations be made for a great feast or entertainment. See a similar form of speech in ch. 31:54.
1Sa 25:11; Pr 9:2
dine with. Heb. eat.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 43:15

    And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

  • Genesis 43:16

    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.

  • Genesis 43:17

    And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.

Read all of Genesis 43

Genesis 43:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y vió José á Benjamín con ellos, y dijo al mayordomo de su casa: Mete en casa á esos hombres, y degüella víctima, y aderéza la; porque estos hombres comerán conmigo al medio día.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Joseph vit Benjamin avec eux; et il dit à celui qui était préposé sur sa maison: Mène ces hommes dans la maison, et tue, et apprête; car ces hommes mangeront avec moi à midi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und als Joseph den Benjamin bei ihnen sah, sprach er zu dem, der über sein Haus war: Führe die Männer ins Haus und schlachte Schlachtvieh und richte zu; denn die Männer sollen mit mir zu Mittag essen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quos cum ille vidisset et Benjamin simul, præcepit dispensatori domus suæ, dicens: Introduc viros domum, et occide victimas, et instrue convivium: quoniam mecum sunt comesturi meridie.