English Standard Version
Genesis 43:11
11Then 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, “If it can’t be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
Context of Genesis 43:11
9I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice." 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. 12Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13Take also your brother, and arise, go again 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 43:14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
- Esther 4:16"Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."
- Acts 21:14And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."
- Genesis 32:13So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau,
- Genesis 33:10Jacob said, "No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me.
- Genesis 37:25Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 33:14with the choicest fruits of the sun and the rich yield of the months,
- 1 Samuel 9:7Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"
- 1 Samuel 25:27And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
- 1 Kings 4:21Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
- 1 Kings 10:25Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.
- 1 Kings 15:19"Let there be a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me."
- 2 Kings 8:8the king said to Hazael, "Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord through him, saying, 'Shall I recover from this sickness?'"
- 2 Kings 16:8Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasures of the king's house and sent a present to the king of Assyria.
- 2 Kings 20:12At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
- Psalms 68:29Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you.
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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