And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
They set out the food separately - one table for Joseph by himself, one table for his brothers, and another table for the Egyptians who were eating with them. This was because Egyptians would not eat meals with Hebrews, since they considered it disgusting and offensive.
This verse shows how the Egyptians had such strong cultural prejudices against Hebrews that they refused to eat at the same table with them.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of Genesis, Joseph, who had risen to a position of power in Egypt after being sold into slavery by his brothers, was now hosting his siblings during a severe famine that affected the region. The Egyptians had strict cultural and religious customs that forbade them from sharing meals with foreigners like the Hebrews, whom they viewed as ritually unclean, considering such interactions an abomination. This separation at the meal reflects the broader social and ethnic divides in ancient Egypt, highlighting the challenges Joseph faced in bridging his two worlds.
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