Genesis 43:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe, dear ones, how ultimately the depth of hunger triumphed over the father's affection. Realizing that no other means of sustenance was available and their cravings were intensifying, he addressed them, saying, ‘If this is the case, and it is essential for that man to be present, and you cannot proceed without him, then it is imperative to offer gifts to that man.’

Or as Aquila and Simmah render it, 'almonds.' I have included this verse in my work to inform the reader that where the term 'incense' appears in our texts, in Hebrew it is represented by the word necotha (נְכֹ֣את), which Aquila translated as 'styrax.' Thus, it becomes evident that the house of nechota, mentioned in Isaiah (Isaiah 39:2) (translated as 'house of treasures' in the Synodal version), refers to a chamber for storing incense or styrax, since various fragrant substances were accumulated there.

They bring the younger Benjamin, who arrives with incense and resin for binding marble stones, illustrating how through his preaching, like a spiritual adhesive, he will unite living stones (cf. 1 Pet. 2:4-5). He also carries honey, which heals harmful elements within wounds without the need for painful excision. Paul’s preaching effectively eliminated the infection of sin with the precision of his words, extracting the corrupted essence, as he aimed to cauterize the ailing spirit rather than remove it. The incense serves as a symbol of prayer (cf. Ps. 140:2), and cassia and scarlet signify burial, as shown by the prophet David when he states, “Smyrna and scarlet and cassia from thy garments” (Ps. 44:9 (LXX)).

Honey. Just as bee honey was plentiful in Egypt, it is considered to come from a type of honey extracted by boiling grape berries. Pistachios. According to the Samaritan interpreter and as demonstrated by Bochart, pistachios are identified as fruits that resemble spirals in the regions of Syria. When prepared and consumed in wine, they are said to possess therapeutic properties.