42:25-28 The brethren came for corn, and corn they had: not only so, but every man had his money given back. Thus Christ, like Joseph, gives out supplies without money and without price. The poorest are invited to buy. But guilty consciences are apt to take good providences in a bad sense; to put wrong meanings even upon things that make for them.

Verse 27. - And as one of them opened his sack - literally, and the one opened his sack, i.e. they did not all open their sacks on the homeward journey, although afterwards, in reporting the circumstance to Joseph, they represent themselves as having done so (Genesis 43:21); but only one at the wayside inn, and the rest on reaching home (ver. 35; vide infra, Genesis 43:21) - to give his ass provender in the inn (the מָלון, from לוּן, an inn to pass the night, was not in the modern sense of the term, but simply a halting-place or camping station where travelers were wont to lodge, without finding for themselves or animals any other food than they carried with them), he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth - literally, in the opening, of his amtachath, אַמְתַּחַת, from מָתַח, to spread out, an old word for a sack (Genesis 43:18, 21, 22), here used synonymously with שַׂק, from which it would seem that the travelers carried two sorts of bags, one for the corn כְּלִי (ver. 25), and another for the called asses' provender called אַמְתַּחַת. It was in the latter that the money had been placed.

And as one of them opened his sack,.... According to the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi, this was Levi; but Aben Ezra thinks it is more likely to be Reuben the firstborn, who was one, that is, the first of them:

to give his ass provender in the inn; at which they lay very probably the first night of their journey; a good man regards the life of his beast, and takes care of that as well as of himself, and generally in the first place:

he espied his money; the money which he paid for his corn:

for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth; just as he opened it.

27. inn—a mere station for baiting beasts of burden.

he espied his money—The discovery threw them into greater perplexity than ever. If they had been congratulating themselves on escaping from the ruthless governor, they perceived that now he would have a handle against them; and it is observable that they looked upon this as a judgment of heaven. Thus one leading design of Joseph was gained in their consciences being roused to a sense of guilt.

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