1
Ge 43:1-14.
繁體中文
英文原文
Ge 43:1-14.
PREPARATIONS FOR A SECOND JOURNEY TO EGYPT.
2
無標題
繁體中文
2. 他們的父親說……你們可以再去給我們糴些糧——要使雅各同意兒子們重回埃及的惟一條件，並非易事
(Ge 42:15)。
立即為自己和家人取得新供應的必要性，壓過了其他一切考慮，迫使他同意便雅憫同行；眾子帶著希望和憂慮相交雜的心情上路——希望，是因為如今既已遵從總督的要求帶幼弟下來，他們自慰以為那被指為嫌疑的根據將被消除；憂慮，是恐怕有人正對他們策劃惡謀。
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
無標題
繁體中文
11. 取些這地最好的土產……作禮物——東方的習俗是，決不空手去見一個有權勢的人，雅各也許記得他怎樣安撫他哥哥
(Pr 21:14)——
乳香、香料和沒藥（見
Ge 37:25
的註釋），
蜂蜜——有人認為是 dibs，一種用熟棗製成的糖漿〔BOCHART〕；但也有人認為是希伯崙的蜂蜜，至今仍被視為遠勝於埃及的蜂蜜；
杏仁——開心果，敘利亞所產的為世上最好的；
榛子——巴勒斯坦盛產的。
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
無標題
繁體中文
12. 手裏要帶雙倍的銀子——頭一筆要歸還，另一筆為新的供應。糧袋口裏被退還的銀子是個令人困惑的情形。但也許是僕人中的一人不小心作的——雅各這樣說服自己——而他採取這看法，對他自己的平安和對旅行者的鼓勵都是好事。除了歸還的本分之外，在他們的情形下，誠實顯然是最好的、最穩妥的策略。
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
無標題
繁體中文
14. 但願全能的神使你們在那人面前蒙憐憫——雅各在此把他們都交託給神的看顧，並順服於那看來沉重的試煉，禱告這事可以被護理轉為益處。
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.
繁體中文
Ge 43:15-30.
抵達埃及。
15. 站在約瑟面前——我們不難想像，在其他申請者的群眾中，約瑟的眼睛定在他哥哥們和便雅憫身上的那種喜樂。但他因公務繁忙，便把他們交給一個信任的僕人照應，直到他辦完一天的事。
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
無標題
繁體中文
16. 家宰——在富有的埃及人家中，有一個高級男僕被託以管理家務之責（參
Ge 39:5）。
宰殺，預備——希伯來文作「殺一個殺」，暗示為一場盛大宴席的預備（參
Ge 31:54； 1Sa 25:11； Pr 9:2； Mt 22:4）。
牲畜必須在家裏宰殺和預備。氣候的炎熱要求廚師直接從屠夫手中接過肉塊，而東方的口味因習慣也喜愛新鮮宰殺的肉。為招待客人的宴席，預備了豐盛的肉食和無盡的蔬菜供應，埃及人的驕傲在於桌上菜餚的數量和種類，而不在於其精選或精緻。
晌午……吃飯——吃飯的時間是在正午。
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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繁體中文
18. 那些人就害怕——他們進入那莊嚴的宅第時的敬畏之感（他們根本不習慣房屋），對被帶到那裏的原因的焦慮，對退還的銀子的憂慮，他們向家宰坦誠地陳述自己的困境，以及家宰保證已「足數」收到他們的銀子，他們呈上土產禮物——這照例會帶些排場——以及他們與主人之間東方式的問安——這一切都以生動而活潑的方式描述出來。
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.
繁體中文
Ge 43:31-34。
筵席。
31. 約瑟說：擺上飯——即吩咐開席；「飯」一字包含一切食物。桌子是一張小凳，極可能是常見的圓形，「因為人那時也可按位分或年長幼坐席，而現代埃及的餐桌也有其尊位和固定的座次等級。」[WILKINSON]。
一桌坐兩個人，至多三個人。但主人既為席間位分最高者，便獨用一桌；同時這樣安排，使埃及人不必與希伯來人同坐，也不必從同一盤菜中取食。
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
無標題
繁體中文
32. 埃及人不可和希伯來人一同喫飯；因為那是埃及人所厭惡的——這種偏見大概是從他們對牧人王壓迫的憎惡而來，於是舉國都厭惡一切從事那種職業的人。
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
無標題
繁體中文
34. 約瑟就把食物分給他們……便雅憫所得的比別人多五倍——在埃及，正如在其他東方國家，古今都有兩種方式表示主人對所願尊崇之客人的厚意——或親手遞上一塊精選的肉，或吩咐人把它送到客人面前。所表示的敬意程度在於數量；尋常的區別規矩是雙份，因此給便雅憫的竟多達他任何弟兄的五倍，必然顯得是一項非常特別的恩寵。
他們就和他一同飲酒，快樂——希伯來文作「盡情飲酒」
（與
So 5:1； Joh 2:10 同）。
在所有這些情形下，都排除了酗酒的含意。約瑟弟兄們的痛苦憂慮一掃而空，他們便安然自得。
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.
預備第二次下埃及之行。