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Genesis 43:

Reading #150  The return to Egypt

As we return to the saga of Joseph’s family, we find that in the end they had to go again to Egypt, for the remaining years of famine were very bad years. 

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Genesis 43:

1 And the famine was sore in the land.  2  And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3 And Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food: 5 but if you will not send him, we will not go down: for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you’.”

6 And Israel said, “Wherefore dealt you so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother?” 7 And they said, “The man asked us straitly [directly] of our state, and of our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father yet alive? Have you another brother?’ and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

8 And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones. 9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shall you require him: if I bring him not to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever: 10 for except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.” [They were getting desperate.] 

11 And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: 12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight [the old Jacob would have kept it!  The new man Israel would pay double for the next lot.].”

13 “Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man: 14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

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Jacob could no longer withhold his consent, and he directed his sons to prepare for the journey. He bade them also take to the ruler a present of such things as the famine-wasted country afforded, also a double quantity of money.  The crop failure, though bad, was mainly directed at the grain harvests, and had left them with a little special food and he was willing to share it.

"Take also your brother," he said, "and arise, go again to the man."  It was Judah who now offered his life as surety for Benjamin’s, for all the brothers had the same understanding.  As his sons were about to depart on their doubtful journey the aged father arose, uttered a final prayer, and left the matter in God’s hands. 

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Genesis 43:

15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, “Bring these men home, and slay [an animal for lunch], and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.”

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. 18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in [to this house]; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.”

19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house [the butler], and they communed with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: 21 and it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. 22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.” 23 And he said, “Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money.” [It sounds as though Joseph’s faith had passed on to this man, as we would expect.]

And he brought Simeon out to them.

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Their anxiety was relieved by the steward’s words, and when Simeon, who had been released from prison, joined them, they felt that God was indeed gracious unto them, but that feeling soon passed. 

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Genesis 43:

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.  25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. 27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?” 28 And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive.” [He was nearly 130, Genesis 47:9.] And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. 29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son [his full brother], and said, “Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”

30 And Joseph made haste [and left the room]; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his [bed] chamber, and wept there. 31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, “Set on bread.

32 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 to the Egyptians [Joseph had ceased to be a foreigner in their eyes].

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 [at this seating arrangement]. 34 And he took and sent messes [platefuls] to 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. 

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Having recovered his self-possession Joseph returned, and all proceeded to the feast. By the laws of caste the Egyptians were forbidden to eat with people of any other nation. The sons of Jacob had therefore a table by themselves and the Egyptians who were present also sat at separate tables.  The governor, on account of his high rank, ate by himself.

When all were seated the brothers were surprised to see that they were arranged in exact order according to their ages.  During the meal Joseph sent all of them special dishes from his table but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. (Normally only the firstborn received extra, and that was only a double portion.)  See Deuteronomy 21:15-17. 

By this token of favour to Benjamin he hoped to find out if the youngest brother was regarded with the envy and hatred that had been manifested toward himself.  He was very pleased to see that this was not the case and this made it easier for him to accept the plans made for him by the Spirit.  It is not wrong for us to want to know what is in men’s hearts.  But it is wrong for us to condemn when we know.

When the aged prophet Simeon blessed Mary at the dedication of Jesus, he made the comment regarding one of the purposes of His birth, "That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”  It is in the light of the Saviour's life that the character of all, even from the Creator Himself to the prince of darkness, are revealed.  Luke 2:35.

Satan has represented Almighty God as selfish and oppressive, as claiming all, and giving nothing, as requiring the service of His creatures for His own glory, and making no sacrifice for their good. But the gift of Christ reveals the Father's heart. It testifies that the thoughts of God toward us are "thoughts of peace, and not of evil." Jeremiah 29:11.

It declares that while God's hatred of sin is as strong as death, His love for the sinner is stronger than death.

Having undertaken our redemption, He will spare nothing, however dear, which is necessary to the completion of His work. No truth essential to our salvation is withheld, no miracle of mercy is neglected, no divine agency is left unemployed. Favour is heaped upon favour, gift upon gift. The whole treasury of heaven is open to those He seeks to save.

Having collected the riches of the universe, and laid open the resources of infinite power, He gives them all into the hands of Christ, and says, “All these are for man. Use these gifts to convince him that there is no love greater than Mine in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness will be found in loving Me.”

At the cross of Calvary, love and selfishness stood face to face. Here was their crowning manifestation. Christ had lived only to comfort and bless, and in putting Him to death, Satan manifested the depth of his hatred against God.

He made it evident that the real purpose of his rebellion was to dethrone God, and to destroy Him through whom the love of God was shown. 

Bye,

RonP

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