John Calvin Commentary Genesis 43:14

"and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." — Genesis 43:14 (ASV)

If I be bereaved. Jacob may seem here to be hardly consistent with himself; for, if the prayer that Moses has just related was the effect of faith, he should have been calmer; and, at least, have allowed for the manifestation of God’s grace.

But he appears to cut himself off from every ground of confidence when he supposes that nothing is left for him but bereavement. It is like the speech of a man in despair: “I shall remain bereaved as I am.” This is as if he had truly prayed in vain, or had falsely professed that the remedy was in God’s hand.

If, however, we observe to whom his speech was directed, the solution is easy. It is by no means doubtful that he stood firmly on the promise that had been given to him, and therefore he would hope for some fruit of his prayers; yet he wished deeply to affect his sons, so that they might take greater care of their brother.

For it was in no common manner that Benjamin was entrusted to their protection, when they saw their father completely overcome and almost lifeless with grief, until he received his son again safely.

Interpreters, however, expound these words variously.

Some think that he complained because he was now about to be entirely bereaved. To others, the meaning seems to be that nothing worse could happen, since he had lost Joseph, whom he had preferred to all the rest. Others are inclined to identify a double bereavement, as if he had said, “I have lost two sons, and now a third follows them.”

But what if we were to interpret the words this way: “I see what my condition is; I am a most wretched old man; my house, which recently was filled with people, I find almost deserted”? So that, in general terms, he is deploring the loss of all his sons and not speaking of only a part.

Moreover, it was his intention to inspire his sons with a degree of concern that would cause them to attend to their duty with greater faithfulness and diligence.