Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 42:29-38

"And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying, The man, the lord of the land, spake roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, We are true men; and we are no spies: we are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men: leave one of your brethren with me, and take [grain for] the famine of your houses, and go your way; and bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man`s bundle of money was in his sack: and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left: if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol." — Genesis 42:29-38 (ASV)

This is the report Jacob's sons made to their father. It troubled the good man. Even the bundles of money Joseph returned to his father in kindness frightened him. He blamed his sons; knowing them, he feared they had provoked the Egyptians and wrongfully brought home their money. Jacob plainly distrusted his sons, remembering that he had never seen Joseph since Joseph had been with them.

It is bad for a family when children behave so badly that their parents do not know how to trust them. Jacob gives Joseph up as lost, and Simeon and Benjamin as in danger; and he concludes, All these things are against me. It proved otherwise, that all these things were for him, working together for his good and the good of his family. We often think that things are against us which are really for us.

We are afflicted in body, possessions, name, and in our relationships; and we think all these things are against us, whereas they are really working for us a weight of glory. Thus does the Lord Jesus conceal himself and his favour; thus he rebukes and chastens those for whom he has purposes of love. By sharp corrections and humbling convictions he will break the stubbornness and mar the pride of the heart, and bring people to true repentance.

Yet before sinners fully know him, or taste that he is gracious, he seeks their good and sustains their souls, enabling them to wait for him. May we do likewise: never yielding to discouragement, determining to seek no other refuge, and humbling ourselves more and more under his mighty hand. In due time he will answer our petitions and do for us more than we can expect.