Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 43:33

"And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with another." — Genesis 43:33 (ASV)

They sat. — The Egyptians are always represented on the monuments as sitting at their meals. For the Hebrew custom, see Note on Genesis 27:19. The brothers, on finding themselves placed according to their age, must have supposed that Joseph possessed powers of divination, especially as the giving of due precedence was and is looked upon in the East as a matter of high importance.