Genesis 42:26 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They laded their asses— Some have inferred from this and the following verse, that they had only ten asses with them, an ass to each man: but the expression would lead one as much to believe, that they had only ten sacks, a sack on each ass, which would have been so small a quantity as would not have supplied their asses with provender during their journey into Canaan. It is most likely they had several other beasts of burden as well as servants in their train; and that they were supplied with corn sufficient to answer all the present necessities of their families, which, we are to remember, were very numerous. It may, perhaps, be worth remarking, that the word rendered sacks at the beginning of the 25th verse, to fill their sacks with corn, is different from that rendered sack in the next clause and the following verses. The first might be rendered their vessels כליהם keliem, and may refer to some larger chests, or something of that kind, in which the chief part of their corn was deposited; while that which was put in sacks, שׂקו sakko, might be only for the use of their cattle on the road. It should here be remembered, that in those days there were no inns, as indeed at present there are not in those countries; so that travellers are obliged to carry their own provisions.