We are nearing the end of our study on Genesis with the transitional story of Joseph. Aside from the up-close view of this man and his response to trials and suffering as well as incredible success and blessings, this story also serves as a bridge linking the movement of Jacob's family from Canaan to Egypt.
So far, we have seen Joseph wrongly accused and imprisoned and then released in order to give dream interpretations to the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh's dreams predicted that Egypt would have a cycle of seven abundant years followed by seven years of famine.
As his reward for correctly interpreting the dreams, the king makes Joseph second in command and charges him to carry out the plan to establish a system of storage plants to prepare for the famine during the years of plenty.
In the next few chapters we will read the story of Joseph's confrontation with his brothers as they, during the period of famine, journey to Egypt to purchase the grain stored there by Joseph.
First Trip to Egypt – Genesis 42
The scene reverts back to Canaan with Jacob and the brothers. Twenty years goes by since the deception, thirteen in Potiphar's house and seven years supervising the grain storage. Jacob is still alive and leading his family, and the ten brothers remain with their awful secret of twenty years.
1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” 2He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.” 3Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm may befall him.”
- Genesis 42:1-4
The famine spreads beyond Egypt to where Jacob and his sons are living in Canaan. Others were going down to buy grain but Jacob's sons were reluctant to head towards Egypt. They were afraid of going to where they had sent Joseph. Maybe they would meet him or meet some kind of similar fate. Jacob pushes them to go (they are not slaves who would not be received by the Egyptians) but he does not send Benjamin his youngest.
The last time he sent one of Rachel's sons, he disappeared, and he is not going to take any chances with his only remaining child of the woman he loved first.
5So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.
6Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
8But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. 9Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land.”
- Genesis 42:5-9
There were many caravans on food buying missions and apparently each were screened by Joseph to make sure of two things:
- The amount sold would not undermine their own personal supplies.
- That foreign invaders, envious of Egypt's wealth, would not infiltrate in order to topple the country and seize the grain. Joseph acted like the chief of Immigration and CIA to screen all those coming and going.
The brothers do not recognize him (he left at 17, now he is about 37-38) and dressed like an Egyptian ruler. He recognizes (may have even anticipated) them as they come before him but he purposefully uses an interpreter and speaks harshly to them to throw them off balance. He even accuses them of spying.
As they bowed to him in submission and respect, he is reminded of his dream as a young man and how God has made this dream a reality. It is not a question of vanity now, but an example of God's great power.
10Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” 12Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!” 13But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.” 14Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies; 15by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! 16Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17So he put them all together in prison for three days.
- Genesis 42:10-17
Joseph continues to elicit information from them by his accusations. Their defense is that they are all brothers (no king would send ten brothers to spy, especially his own sons). They also mention Benjamin at home (who was Joseph's full natural brother) as well as Joseph himself saying he was dead.
Joseph now knows that his brothers and father are alive and all the family is intact the way it was when he left it twenty years before. He continues to accuse them of spying and puts them in jail demanding that they produce their younger brother in order to prove their story. Their time in jail with the possibility of remaining there indefinitely may have seemed like a proper justice for what they had done to Joseph.
18Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God: 19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, 20and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so. 21Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.” 22Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood.” 23They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them.
- Genesis 42:18-23
An interesting episode develops as the brothers are released from prison and Joseph requires only one of them to remain as hostage. They discuss their sin against Joseph thinking that God was now punishing them for it in an appropriate way. (This is the only time in Genesis where sinners acknowledge the guilt and responsibility of their sins.)
Joseph can understand their conversations but they don't realize this because he spoke through an interpreter. Reuben defends some of his actions but says that this is God's punishment which they deserve. They can go but must leave one behind, if they return they must bring Benjamin with them.
24He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them.
26So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.
- Genesis 42:24-26
Joseph overhears their acknowledgement of sin and resignation to punishment and is overcome with grief, joy and emotion bottled up for twenty years.
- Angry and resentful at their treatment
- Joy at seeing his family
- Relief that through their confession their souls would be spared by God
He keeps Simeon as hostage. Reuben was not responsible for the act as he tried to stop them. Simeon as second oldest and with a violent nature (he killed those who raped Dinah) was probably the leader in the affair. Keeping Simeon must have had an impact on the others and Simeon himself since he knew full well his responsibility in the affair.
27As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money