Genesis Chapter 43    

“You may hold me responsible for him.” The Hebrew is idiomatic and hard to understand when translated literally. More literally the text is, “of my hand you will require him.”

“all my life.” Literally, “all the days.”

“butcher an animal.” Egypt had a very hot climate and there was no effective refrigeration in ancient times, so animals were butchered right before they were eaten. The butchering, preparation, and cooking of the animal would take time, so this meal was not eaten right away, but likely a couple hours later. The fact that this meal was prepared as the noon meal shows that Joseph’s brothers had appeared before him quite early in the morning. It was common for the business of the day to start early in ancient times, and often official business ended early as well.

“bowed down.” The common biblical way of bowing down before people or God was to fall to one’s knees and bow the upper body and face to the earth.

[For more on bowing down, see commentary on 1 Chronicles 29:20.]

“kneeled and bowed down.” This kneeling preceded bowing down to the ground. The two actions, kneeling and then bowing to the ground blended into one act of homage or worship. The common biblical way of bowing down before people or God was to fall to one’s knees and bow the upper body and face to the earth. Also, instead of “kneeled and bowed down,” the text could be translated, “bowed down and worshiped,” with “kneeling” being understood as part of the process of bowing down, and “bowing down” was the act of worship. The same Hebrew verb is translated as both “bow down” and “worship;” traditionally “worship” if God is involved and “bow down” if people are involved, but the verb and action are the same, the act of bowing down is the worship.

[For more on bowing down, see commentary on 1 Chronicles 29:20.]

“heart.” The Hebrew uses the word for insides, gut, or womb. Her insides were stirred up for her son (cp. 1 Kings 3:26).