Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 42:3

"And Joseph`s ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt." — Genesis 42:3 (ASV)

Joseph’s ten brothers. — Either their cattle and households had already been greatly reduced by the deaths caused by the famine, or each patriarch must have taken a number of servants with him for the grain they carried home to be of any real use. We learn, however, that they still possessed flocks and herds when they went down to Egypt (Genesis 47:1), and also households of servants (Genesis 46:5; see the note on this verse). Joseph, moreover, besides the wagons and their contents, sends twenty loads of provisions for his father's use on the journey (Genesis 45:21–23), thus showing that there were very many mouths to feed. Probably, therefore, there was some small amount of rain in Palestine, though not enough to support crops of grain. There would be, however, supplies of milk and meat, but not much more.