Amplified Bible
Genesis 43:11
11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this; take some of the choicest products of the land in your sacks, and carry it as a present [of tribute] to the man [representing Pharaoh], a little balm and a little honey, aromatic spices or gum, resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
Genesis 43:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
- New International Version (NIV)Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
Context of Genesis 43:11
9I will be security (a guarantee) for him; you may hold me [personally] responsible for him. If I do not bring him [back] to you and place him [safely] before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever. 10For if we had not delayed like this, surely by now we would have returned the second time.” Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this; take some of the choicest products of the land in your sacks, and carry it as a present [of tribute] to the man [representing Pharaoh], a little balm and a little honey, aromatic spices or gum, resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12Take double the [amount of] money with you, and take back the money that was returned in the opening of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. 13Take your brother [Benjamin] also, and get up, and go to the man;
Read all of Genesis 43Genesis 43:11 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אֲבִיהֶ֗ם אִם־כֵּ֣ן׀ אֵפוֹא֮ זֹ֣את עֲשׂוּ֒ קְח֞וּ מִזִּמְרַ֤ת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ בִּכְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהוֹרִ֥ידוּ לָאִ֖ישׁ מִנְחָ֑ה מְעַ֤ט צֳרִי֙ וּמְעַ֣ט דְּבַ֔שׁ נְכֹ֣את וָלֹ֔ט בָּטְנִ֖ים וּשְׁקֵדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And their fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- so nowאֵפוֹ'êphô 'êphô' · thenH645
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- this; takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- of the best fruitsזִמְרָהzimrâh · bestH2173
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- in your vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- and carry downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- a presentמִנְחָהminchâh · offering: giftH4503
- a littleמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- balmצֳרִיtserîy tsŏrîy · balsamH6875
- honeyדְּבַשׁdebash · honeyH1706
- spicesנְכֹאתnek'ôth · tragacanth gumH5219
- and myrrhלֹטlôţ · myrrhH3910
- nutsבָּטְנִיםbôţen · pistachioH992
- and almondsשָׁקֵדshâqêd · almondH8247
Cross-references for Genesis 43:11
- Genesis 43:14and may God Almighty grant you compassion and favor before the man, so that he will release to you your other brother [Simeon] and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children [Joseph, Simeon, and Benjamin], I am bereaved.”
- Esther 4:16“Go, gather all the Jews that are present in Susa, and observe a fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids also will fast in the same way. Then I will go in to [see] the king [without being summoned], which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
- Acts 21:14And since he would not be dissuaded, we stopped pleading and fell silent, saying, “The Lord’s will be done!”
- Genesis 32:13So Jacob spent the night there. Then he selected a present for his brother Esau from the livestock he had acquired:
- Genesis 33:10Jacob replied, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift [as a blessing] from my hand, for I see your face as if I had seen the face of God, and you have received me favorably.
- Genesis 37:25Then they sat down to eat their meal. When they looked up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead [east of the Jordan], with their camels bearing ladanum resin [for perfume] and balm and myrrh, going on their way to carry the cargo down to Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 33:14With the precious fruits of the sun, And with the precious produce of the months.
- 1 Samuel 9:7Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go [to see him], what shall we bring to the man? For the bread from our sacks is gone and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have [to offer]?”
- 1 Samuel 25:27Now this gift, which your maidservant has brought my lord, let it be given to the young men who accompany and follow my lord.
- 1 Kings 4:21Now Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the [Euphrates] River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute (money) and served Solomon all the days of his life.
- 1 Kings 10:25Every man brought a gift [of tribute]: articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.
- 1 Kings 15:19“Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”
- 2 Kings 8:8And the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”
- 2 Kings 16:8And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent a gift to the king of Assyria.
- 2 Kings 20:12At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
- Psalms 68:29Because of Your temple at Jerusalem [Pagan] kings will bring gifts to You [out of respect].
Commentaries on Genesis 43:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Carry down the man a present - From the very earliest times presents were used as means of introduction to great men. This is particularly noticed by Solomon: A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men, Proverbs 18:16. But what was the present brought to Joseph on this occasion? After all the labor of commentators, we are obliged to be contented with probabilities and conjecture. According to our translation, the gifts were balm…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-34Verses 1-34 - Joseph and His Eleven Brethren 11. דבשׁ debash “honey,” from the bee, or sirup from the juice of the grape. בטנים bôṭen “pistachio nuts.” שׁקד shâqêd “almond tree;” related: “awake.” The tree is also called לוּז lûz Some refer the former to the fruit, the latter to the tree. The eleven brothers are now to bow down before Joseph. Genesis 43:1-10 The famine was severe. The pressure began to be felt more and more. The twelve households had…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-13Jacob provided everything he could to ensure a favorable reception from the Egyptian governor ("the man"; compare 32:13–21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. take of the best fruits ... a present--It is an Oriental practice never to approach a man of power without a present, and Jacob might remember how he pacified his brother (Pr 21:14)--balm, spices, and myrrh (see on Ge 37:25), honey--which some think was dibs, a syrup made from ripe dates [Bochart]; but others, the honey of Hebron, which is still valued as far superior to that of Egypt; nuts--pistachio nuts, of which Syria grows the best in the world…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 43:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 43
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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