Genesis 45:22

Gen 45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver, and five changes of raiment.

Ver. 22. But to Benjamin he gave, &c.] God gives his best blessings to his Benjamins. "He is the Saviour of all men, but specially of them that believe." {1Ti 4:10} "The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind, the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down"; - these are common favours: but behold a better thing; - "the Lord loveth the righteous." {Psa 146:8} This is more than all the rest. Outward things God gives to the wicked also, but as Joseph put his cup into their sack to pick a quarrel with them; or at best, as he gave them here change of raiment, to show his general love to them: but three hundred silverlings and five suits none but a Benjamin shall have the honour and favour of. Artabazus, in Xenophon, complained, when Cyrus had given him a cup of gold, and Chrysantas a kiss, in token of his special respect and love, saying, that the cup that he gave him was not so good gold as the kiss that he gave Chrysantas. When David said to Ziba, "All is thine that pertained to Mephibosheth"; Ziba answereth, "I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight." {2Sa 16:4} As who should say, I had rather have the king’s favour than the lands. Valde protestatus sum, said Luther, me nolle sic ab eo satiari. He would not be put off with lands and large offers. And Moses would not hear of an angel to go along with them. He would have God himself, or none. {Exo 33:12-17} The blessings that come "out of Sion," are choice, peculiar, even above any that come out of "heaven and earth." {Psa 134:3}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

changes of raiment--It was and is customary, with great men, to bestow on their friends dresses of distinction, and in places where they are of the same description and quality, the value of these presents consists in their number. The great number given to Benjamin bespoke the warmth of his brother's attachment to him; and Joseph felt, from the amiable temper they now all displayed, he might, with perfect safety, indulge this fond partiality for his mother's son.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 22. Changes of raiment] It is a common custom with all the Asiatic sovereigns to give both garments and money to ambassadors and persons of distinction, whom they particularly wish to honour. Hence they keep in their wardrobes several hundred changes of raiment, ready made up for presents of this kind. That such were given by way of reward and honour, see Jdg 14:12, Jdg 14:19; Re 6:11. At the close of a feast the Hindoos, among other presents to the guests, commonly give new garments. A Hindoo garment is merely a piece of cloth, requiring no work of the tailor. - Ward.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

22. And to all of them he gave each man changes of raiment. That he furnishes his brethren with supplies for their journey is not wonderful: but to what purpose was it that he loaded them with money and garments, seeing they would so soon return? I, indeed, do not doubt that he did it on account of his father and the wives of his brethren, in order that they might have less reluctance to leave the land of Canaan. For he knew that his message would scarcely be believed, unless some manifest tokens of its truth were presented. It might also be, that he not only endeavored to allure those who were absent, but that he also wished to testify, more and more, his love towards his brethren. But the former consideration has more weight with me, because he took greater care in furnishing Benjamin than the rest. Jerome has translated the expression, “changes of raiment,” by “two robes,” and other interpreters, following him, expound it as meaning “different kinds of garments.” I know not whether this be solid. I rather suppose they were elegant garments, such as were used at nuptials and on festal days; for I think that constant custom was silently opposed to this variety of dress.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(22) Changes of raiment.—Gifts of clothing were marks of special favour in the East (Gen_41:42). Joseph’s brethren would thus show by their very apparel how honourable had been their treatment.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. changes of raiment] i.e. costly robes which would be worn instead of workday apparel on special occasions. Cf. Gen_27:15; Jdg_14:12-13; Jdg_14:19; 2Ki_5:5; 2Ki_5:22-23. The versions LXX δισσὰς στολάς = “double robes,” and Lat. binas stolas, have misunderstood the meaning.

three hundred pieces of silver] i.e. 300 shekels. See notes on Gen_20:16, and Gen_23:16.

five changes] See note on Gen_43:34.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment,.... Rich apparel, two suits of clothes, to shift and change upon occasion, such as Homer (k) calls , "changeable garments"; those he gave to everyone of his brethren, partly that they might have something to show to their father and to their wives, which would cause them to give credit to the report they should give of Joseph, and his great prosperity; and partly that they might, upon their return, be provided with suitable apparel to appear before Pharaoh, and chiefly this was intended to show his great respect and affection for them, and reconciliation to them:

but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver; or shekels, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, which amounted to between thirty and forty pounds of our money; the Septuagint very wrongly renders it three hundred "pieces of gold"; and besides these he gave him also

five changes of raiment; because of his greater love and affection for him.

(k) Odyss. 8.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Two robes (stolas) hanging down to the feet. These properly belong to women. But they are worn by men in the East. It was customary to make presents of such robes, as it is still among the great men and kings of that country. Lucullus kept 6000 cloaks in his wardrobe. (Horat. 1. sat. 2.) (Calmet) --- Of silver, sicles. The Septuagint has "of gold," as also chap. xxxvii. 28.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Changes of raiment; new and handsome garments, which upon their coming into Pharaoh’s presence, and on other occasions, they might wear instead of those more old and homely ones, which they brought with them from Canaan. Compare Jdg 14:12,19; 2Ki 5:5.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

22. Changes of raiment — Suits of clothing, a common present among the wealthy and noble in eastern countries.

Three hundred pieces of silver — Silver shekels are doubtless intended, weighed and not coined; amounting to about nine and one half pounds.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ver. 22. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; literally, alterations of garments, i.e. changes or suits of dress (Jud_1:14:12, 13; 2Ki_5:5) probably dress clothes for special occasions (Keil, Lange, Murphy); dissav stolav (LXX); binas stolas (Vulgate) but (literally, and) to Benjamin he gave not to make amends forhaving given him a fright (Lange), but as a special token of fraternal affection (Murphy) three hundred pieces of silver,-literally, three hundred of silver (cf. Gen_43:4) and five changes of raiment which renders it probable that the brothers only received two.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

לאיש, to each of them separately, individually.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.