Genesis 43:33 (WEB)
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Genesis 43:33–34 (KJV)
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. 34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
Key words
- הַבְּכֹר כִּבְכֹרָתוֹ וְהַצָּעִיר כִּצְעִרָתוֹhabbekhor kivkhorato vehatsa'ir kits'irato · Hebrew
- 'the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth' — Joseph seats his brothers in order at his banquet.
- חָמֵשׁ יָדוֹתchamesh yadot · Hebrew
- 'five times so much' — Benjamin, the youngest and Rachel's other son, receives the portion of special honour.
Why it matters
At the banquet Joseph honours Benjamin, the youngest of the twelve and his only full brother, above all the rest. Pitre's seventh chart item pairs this with the Last Supper, where Jesus gives the place of honour at his side to the beloved disciple (John 13:23) (p 141). This is the link that makes the beloved disciple the 'new Benjamin,' the beloved younger son of the new Rachel (pp 152–154).