1
Ge 43:1-14.
简体中文
英文原文
Ge 43:1-14.
PREPARATIONS FOR A SECOND JOURNEY TO EGYPT.
2
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简体中文
2. 他们的父亲说……再去给我们买些粮来——要使雅各同意儿子们回埃及的唯一条件，并不容易
(Ge 42:15)。
立即为养活自己和家人筹得新粮食的必要，胜过了一切别的考虑，勉强他同意便雅悯同去；众子便怀着盼望与忧虑交织的心情上路——盼望，是因如今既已依从了那治理者的要求带最小的兄弟同来，他们自以为那怀疑他们的借口便可消除；忧虑，是怕有人对他们存着恶谋。
英文原文
2. their father said, . . . Go again, buy us a little food--It was no easy matter to bring Jacob to agree to the only conditions on which his sons could return to Egypt
(Ge 42:15).
The necessity of immediately procuring fresh supplies for the maintenance of themselves and their families overcame every other consideration and extorted his consent to Benjamin joining in a journey, which his sons entered on with mingled feelings of hope and anxiety--of hope, because having now complied with the governor's demand to bring down their youngest brother, they flattered themselves that the alleged ground of suspecting them would be removed; and of apprehension that some ill designs were meditated against them.
11
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简体中文
11. 取……本地最佳美……为礼物——东方的习俗是从不空手见有权势的人；雅各也许记得他如何安抚他哥哥
(Pr 21:14)——
乳香、香料、没药（见
Ge 37:25
批注），
蜂蜜——有人以为是dibs，由熟椰枣制成的糖浆〔BOCHART〕；也有人以为是希伯仑的蜂蜜，至今仍被视为远胜埃及的蜂蜜；
坚果——开心果，叙利亚所产为世上最佳；
杏仁——巴勒斯坦所产最多。
英文原文
11. 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;
almonds--which were most abundant in Palestine.
12
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简体中文
12. 手里加倍地带银子去——既归还先前那笔，又要添一笔买新粮。粮袋口中所还的银子，是一件令人困惑的事。但雅各自己这样说服自己——这也许是某个仆人不经意所作；他取这种看法，对他自己的平安和旅客的鼓励都是好事。除了归还的本分之外，在他们这种情形中，诚实显然是最上、最安全的策略。
英文原文
12. take double money--the first sum to be returned, and another sum for a new supply. The restored money in the sacks' mouth was a perplexing circumstance. But it might have been done inadvertently by one of the servants--so Jacob persuaded himself--and happy it was for his own peace and the encouragement of the travellers that he took this view. Besides the duty of restoring it, honesty in their case was clearly the best, the safest policy.
14
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简体中文
14. 但愿全能的神使你们在那人面前蒙怜悯——雅各在此把他们全都交托给神，并顺服于这看似沉重的试炼，求这事被掌管成为福。
英文原文
14. God Almighty give you mercy before the man--Jacob is here committing them all to the care of God and, resigned to what appears a heavy trial, prays that it may be overruled for good.
15
Ge 43:15-30.
简体中文
Ge 43:15-30.
抵达埃及。
15. 站在约瑟面前——我们不难想象，在其他申请者的群众中，约瑟的眼目定在众兄弟和便雅悯身上的喜悦。但他既忙于公务，便把他们交托给一位亲信仆人照顾，直等到他办完当日的事。
英文原文
Ge 43:15-30.
ARRIVAL IN EGYPT.
15. stood before Joseph--We may easily imagine the delight with which, amid the crowd of other applicants, the eye of Joseph would fix on his brethren and Benjamin. But occupied with his public duties, he consigned them to the care of a confidential servant till he should have finished the business of the day.
16
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简体中文
16. 家宰——在富有的埃及人家里，有一位主要的男仆受托管理家务（参
Ge 39:5)。
宰杀预备——希伯来文作“杀一杀”，暗示为盛大宴席作准备（参
Ge 31:54； 1Sa 25:11； Pr 9:2； Mt 22:4)。
动物要在家里宰杀预备。气候的炎热要求厨子直接从屠夫手中取过肉块；东方的口味因习惯喜爱刚宰的肉。为招待外客的筵席，提供了极其丰富的肉食，配上源源不绝的蔬菜；埃及人的骄傲在于桌上菜肴的数量和多样，而不在于精选或精制。
正午……摆饭——正午是用膳之时。
英文原文
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.
18
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简体中文
18. 那些人害怕——他们进入宏伟的宅第所生的敬畏（他们根本不惯于住这样的房屋），对被带到那里之原因的焦虑，对所还银钱的挂虑，他们向家宰倾诉难处的诚实纯朴，家宰保证已收了“足价”的银子，献上果品礼物（如常会带些排场地献），以及主客之间东方式问安的彼此传递——这一切都生动活泼地描绘出来。
英文原文
18. the men were afraid--Their feelings of awe on entering the stately mansion, unaccustomed as they were to houses at all, their anxiety at the reasons of their being taken there, their solicitude about the restored money, their honest simplicity in communicating their distress to the steward and his assurances of having received their money in "full weight," the offering of their fruit present, which would, as usual, be done with some parade, and the Oriental salutations that passed between their host and them--are all described in a graphic and animated manner.
31
Ge 43:31-34.
简体中文
Ge 43:31-34.
筵席。
31. 约瑟说，摆饭——即命人开饭，"饭"一词包含一切食物。桌子是一张小凳，大概是最常见的圆形，"因为人甚至可按等级或年岁入座，而现代埃及的桌子也有其首席和固定的座次等差"〔WILKINSON〕。一张桌坐两人，至多三人。但主人因在座中位最高，独坐一桌；同时这样安排，使埃及人既不与希伯来人同坐，也不必与之同盘而食。
英文原文
Ge 43:31-34.
THE DINNER.
31. Joseph said, Set on bread--equivalent to having dinner served, "bread" being a term inclusive of all victuals. The table was a small stool, most probably the usual round form, "since persons might even then be seated according to their rank or seniority, and the modern Egyptian table is not without its post of honor and a fixed gradation of place" [WILKINSON]. Two or at most three persons were seated at one table. But the host being the highest in rank of the company had a table to himself; while it was so arranged that an Egyptian was not placed nor obliged to eat from the same dish as a Hebrew.
32
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简体中文
32. 埃及人不可和希伯来人一同吃饭；那原是埃及人所厌恶的——这偏见大概源于因牧羊王朝的压迫，全国对那一行业的人都心生厌恶。
英文原文
32. Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination--The prejudice probably arose from the detestation in which, from the oppressions of the shepherd-kings, the nation held all of that occupation.
34
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简体中文
34. 就分给他们各人……便雅悯所得的，比别人多五倍——在埃及如同其他东方国家一样，从前至今有两种方式向主人愿加以尊荣的客人表示礼遇——要么亲手给一块精选的肉，要么吩咐人送到客人面前。所表示的尊重程度在乎数量；通常的等差是双份，那么便雅悯所得竟比众弟兄多五倍，必显得是非常特别的恩眷。
他们就饮酒，和约瑟一同宴乐——希伯来文是"畅饮"（与
歌 5:1； 约 2:10
相同）。这些情形都不含醉酒之意。约瑟众弟兄的痛苦忧虑都被消除，他们安然自在。
英文原文
34. took and sent messes . . . Benjamin's mess was five times--In Egypt, as in other Oriental countries, there were, and are, two modes of paying attention to a guest whom the host wishes to honor--either by giving a choice piece from his own hand, or ordering it to be taken to the stranger. The degree of respect shown consists in the quantity, and while the ordinary rule of distinction is a double mess, it must have appeared a very distinguished mark of favor bestowed on Benjamin to have no less than five times any of his brethren.
they drank, and were merry with him--Hebrew, "drank freely" (same as
So 5:1; Joh 2:10).
In all these cases the idea of intemperance is excluded. The painful anxieties and cares of Joseph's brethren were dispelled, and they were at ease.
Ge 43:1-14.
预备第二次下埃及之行。