SEV Biblia, Chapter 43:11
Âĥ Entonces Israel su padre les respondió: Pues que así es, hacedlo; tomad de lo mejor de la tierra en vuestros vasos, y llevad a aquel varón un presente, un poco de bálsamo, y un poco de miel, aromas y mirra, nueces y almendras.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Genesis 43:11
Verse 11. Carry 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, Prov. xviii. 16. But what was the present brought to Joseph on this occasion? After all the labour of commentators, we are obliged to be contented with probabilities and conjecture. According to our translation, the gifts were balm, honey, spices, myrrh, nuts, and almonds. Balm] yrx tsori is supposed to signify resin in general, or some kind of gum issuing from trees.
Honey] bd debash has been supposed to be the same as the rob of grapes, called in Egypt dibs. Others think that honey, in the common sense of the term, is to be understood here: we know that honey was plentiful in Palestine.
Spices] takn nechoth is supposed to mean gum storax, which might be very valuable on account of its qualities as a perfume.
Myrrh] fl lot, supposed by some to mean stacte; by others to signify an ointment made of myrrh.
Nuts] µynfb botnim, by some rendered pistachio nuts, those produced in Syria being the finest in the world; by others, dates; others, walnuts; others, pine apples; others, the nuts of the terebinth tree.
Almonds] µydq shekedim, correctly enough translated, and perhaps the only article in the collection of which we know any thing with certainty. It is generally allowed that the land of Canaan produces the best almonds in the east; and on this account they might be deemed a very acceptable present to the governor of Egypt. Those who wish to see this subject exhausted must have recourse to the Physica Sacra of Scheuehzer.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - Jacob urges his sons to go and buy a little food; now, in time of dearth, a little must suffice. Judah urges that Benjamin should go with them. It is not against the honour and duty children owe their parents humbly to advise them, and when needful, to reason with them. Jacob saw the necessity of the case, and yielded. His prudence and justic appeared in three things. 1. He sent back the money they had found in the sack. Honesty obliges us to restore not only that which comes to u by our own fault, but that which comes to us by the mistakes of others Though we get it by oversight, if we keep it when the oversight i discovered, it is kept by deceit. 2. He sent as much again as they too the time before; the price of corn might be risen, or they might have to pay a ransom for Simeon. 3. He sent a present of such things as the land afforded, and as were scarce in Egypt, balm, and honey, &c Providence dispenses not its gifts to all alike. But honey and spic will never make up the want of bread-corn. The famine was sore i Canaan, yet they had balm and myrrh, &c. We may live well enough upo plain food, without dainties; but we cannot live upon dainties withou plain food. Let us thank God that what is most needful and useful generally is most cheap and common. Though men value very highly their gold and silver, and the luxuries which are counted the best fruits of every land, yet in a time of famine they willingly barter them for bread. And how little will earthly good things stand us in stead in the day of wrath! How ready should we be to renounce them all, as loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ! Our way to prevai with man is by first prevailing with the Lord in fervent prayer. But Thy will be done, should close every petition for the mercies of thi life, or against the afflictions of this life.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 אלהם 413 ישׂראל 3478 אביהם 1 אם 518 כן 3651 אפוא 645 זאת 2063 עשׂו 6213 קחו 3947 מזמרת 2173 הארץ 776 בכליכם 3627 והורידו 3381 לאישׁ 582 מנחה 4503 מעט 4592 צרי 6875 ומעט 4592 דבשׁ 1706 נכאת 5219 ולט 3910 בטנים 992 ושׁקדים׃ 8247
