FRAMEWORKS:
Genesis 43: Interactions in Egypt
v.1-7
The Food Shortage Forces Jacob to think again
v.8-10
Judah takes Responsibility
v.11-14
Jacob Instructs them how to go
v.15-18
Joseph instructs they be taken to his house
v.19-23
They fearfully speak to Joseph's steward
v.24-28
They meet with Joseph again
v.29-34
They eat in order of age
v.1-7
The Food Shortage Forces Jacob to think again
v.1
Now
the famine was still severe in the land.
v.2
So
when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt,
their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
v.3
But
Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not
see my face again unless your brother is with you.'
v.4
If
you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy
food for you.
v.5
But
if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man
said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother
is with you.'”
v.6
Israel
asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man
you had another brother?”
v.7
They
replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our
family. ‘Is your father still living?' he asked us. ‘Do you have
another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we
to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here'?”
[Notes:
Jacob realises they will need more food from Egypt but
Judah points out they cannot go without Benjamin.]
v.8-10
Judah takes Responsibility
v.8
Then
Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and
we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live
and not die.
v.9
I
myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible
for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before
you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.
v.10
As
it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned
twice.”
[Notes:
Judah steps us and accepts responsibility for Benjamin
if he goes.]
v.11-14
Jacob Instructs them how to go
v.11
Then
their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this:
Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take
them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey,
some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.
v.12
Take
double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the
silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps
it was a mistake.
v.13
Take
your brother also and go back to the man at once.
v.14
And
may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will
let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for
me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
[Notes:
Jacob agrees and tells them to take gifts, including
the silver from the last journey plus more for the next food.]
v.15-18
Joseph instructs they be taken to his house
v.15
So
the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin
also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.
v.16
When
Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house,
“Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a
meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”
v.17
The
man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph's house.
v.18
Now
the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They
thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was
put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us
and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”
[Notes:
When they arrive at the Egyptian court, seeing Benjamin
with them, Joseph instructs they be taken to his house and have
meal laid on for them. The brothers are fearful of what might
happen.]
v.19-23
They fearfully speak to Joseph's steward
v.19
So
they went up to Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the entrance
to the house.
v.20
“We
beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the
first time to buy food.
v.21
But
at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks
and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth
of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.
v.22
We
have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don't
know who put our silver in our sacks.”
v.23
“It's
all right,” he said. “Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your
father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your
silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
[Notes:
They speak to the steward about finding the silver on
the way back and show they have brought it back but he says he
had received their payment. Obviously Joseph had paid it. Simeon
is released.]
v.24-28
They meet with Joseph again
v.24
The
steward took the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash
their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys.
v.25
They
prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon, because they
had heard that they were to eat there.
v.26
When
Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought
into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.
v.27
He
asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged
father you told me about? Is he still living?”
v.28
They
replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And
they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.
[Notes:
Joseph arrives and enquires after Jacob.]
v.29-34
They eat in order of age
v.29
As
he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's
son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told
me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
v.30
Deeply
moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked
for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.
v.31
After
he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself,
said, “Serve the food.”
v.32
They
served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians
who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat
with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians.
v.33
The
men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from
the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in
astonishment.
v.34
When
portions were served to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion
was five times as much as anyone else's. So they feasted and drank
freely with him.
[Notes:
Joseph is deeply moved by Benjamin's presence. Food
is provided in three areas but when the brothers are seated in
order of age they are astonished. How are their ages known?]