Genesis 45:23

Gen 45:23 And to his father he sent after this [manner]; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

Ver. 23. After this manner.] Not the same that he gave Benjamin, as some sense it; but as followeth in the text.

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.

Or, he sent as much, to wit, silver as verse 22, and ten asses.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

to his father he sent--a supply of everything that could contribute to his support and comfort--the large and liberal scale on which that supply was given being intended, like the five messes of Benjamin, as a token of his filial love [see on Gen 43:34].

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 23. Meat for his father by the way.] מזון mazon, from זן zan, to prepare, provide, c. Hence prepared meat, some made-up dish, delicacies, confectionaries, c. As the word is used, 2Ch 16:14, for aromatic preparations, it may be restrained in its meaning to something of that kind here. In Asiatic countries they have several curious methods of preserving flesh by potting, by which it may be kept for any reasonable length of time sweet and wholesome. Some delicacy, similar to the savoury food which Isaac loved, may be here intended and this was sent to Jacob in consideration of his age, and to testify the respect of his son. Of other kinds of meat he could need none, as he had large herds, and could kill a lamb, kid, sheep, or goat, whenever he pleased.

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

(23) Meat.—Heb., food, victual, the usual meaning of meat in our version.

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

And to his father he sent after this manner,.... Or "according to" this (l); either in like manner, as he gave his brethren change of raiment, &c. so he sent the like to him, as Aben Ezra and Ben Melech interpret it, referring it to what goes before; or rather as Jarchi, according to this account or number, even which follows: namely:

ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt: the best things the land afforded; the Targum of Jonathan says with wine, but that Egypt did not abound with; and so Jarchi, out of the Talmud, observes, that it was old wine that was sent, such as is agreeable to ancient men:

and ten she asses laden with corn; not made up into bread, next mentioned, and so distinguished from it:

and bread: ready made and baked:

and meat for his father by the way; food and fruit of various sorts; Aben Ezra reckons many, peas, beans, lentils, millet, fetches, figs, currants, and dates.

(l) "sicut hoc", Pagninus, Montanus; "in hunc modum", Tigurine version.

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

As much...besides. This is omitted in Hebrew or at least is left ambiguous, "He sent in like manner to his father ten," &c. But the Syriac and Septuagint explain it like the Vulgate. --- She-asses. Septuagint, "mules." --- Bread. Hebrew adds, "meat," or provisions. (Calmet) --- These presents might convince Jacob that Joseph was still alive. (Haydock)

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).

After this manner; Heb. according to this. What? Either what went before, changes of raiment, or what follows, ten asses, & c.

Or, contend, one with another, each vindicating himself, and laying the blame upon his brother.

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

23. Ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt — “These presents to his aged father were in princely profusion, as was fitting the rank of the highest subject of Pharaoh, calculated to impress Jacob unmistakably with the reality of the romantic story which the brethren were to carry back to their father; yet as Jacob was immediately to leave home he could really use but a very small part of this provision.” — Newhall.

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

And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses (vide Gen_12:16) laden with (literally, carrying) the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with (or carrying) corn and bread and meat probably prepared meats, some sort of delicacy (Clarke) for hisfather by the way.

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

שלח כזאת HE SENT AFTER THIS MANNER — according to this amount. And what was the amount? עשרה חמרים וגו׳ ten asses etc (i.e. as much as ten asses could carry).

מטוב מצרים OF THE BEST THINGS OF EGYPT — We find it stated in the Talmud (Megillah 16b) that he sent him old wine which old people like very much. The Midrash states that he sent him split beans. (Genesis Rabbah 94:2).

בר ולחם CORN AND BREAD — understand this as the Targum renders it.

ומזון means things that are eaten together with bread.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND TO HIS FATHER HE SENT ‘KAZOTH’ (IN LIKE MANNER). I.e., according to this amount. And what was the amount? Ten asses, etc. This is the language of Rashi. It is not correct that kazoth should refer to the amount [for if it refers to cheshbon (amount), it should have said kazeh in the masculine, and not kazoth in the feminine]. But it is possible that Scripture says, in like manner, meaning “according to this gift,” [with the word minchah matching the feminine gender of kazoth] The purport thereof is, “and to his father he sent this gift: ten asses, etc.,” [with the word kazoth being understood as if it were written zoth], and the letter kaph in the word kazoth is considered redundant. However, it is the way of the Sacred Language to express it in this way, just as, And she spoke to him, [saying]: ‘ka’dvarim ha’eileh’ (after the manner of these things) did thy servant do to me., Verses 17 and 19. It may be that Scripture is saying: “and to his father he sent provision (tzeidah), [which is also in the feminine gender], which was like this provision which he gave to his brothers.” But the intent of the expression is not to make them equal, but only to say that just as he gave them provision for the road when they went to Canaan, so did he send his father corn and bread and sustenance for his journey towards Egypt. And this is the correct interpretation. Scripture mentions asses and she-asses to inform us that he sent him both the provisions and the animals that carried them, and it was customary to send males and females, as his father had done., 32:16.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ולאביו שלח כזאת, changes of clothes, similar to what he had already given to the brothers. In addition he sent עשרה חמורים

בר, ten donkeys loaded with grain, fodder for the animals. ולחם, not literally bread, but the kind of grain for human consumption used to make into flour and bake into bread. The word לחם applies to food generally, not only food made from cereals. It includes even delicacies such as dates, etc.

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.