The Essentials Of The Bible: Part 30 -- God Chooses A People – Joseph Is Reunited With His Family

In need of food due to the world famine, Jacob sends all of his sons, except for Benjamin, to Egypt to purchase food.  Remember that Joseph is in charge of all of the food supply as governor over all of Egypt; but in Egypt he is known as Zaphenath-paneah.  His ten brothers, who come to Egypt, last remember Joseph as a young lad; but now he is a powerful man in Egypt with whom they must negotiate.  The brothers all bow with their faces to the ground; but do not recognize Joseph.  This had to be quite startling for Joseph to see his brothers, whom he recognized; remembering his dreams of how they would bow down to him.  Many years have past, but this meeting opened wounds and in his human nature, he accuses the brothers of being spies.

Genesis 42:8-9 ESV And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.  (9)  And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land."

The brothers plead with the mighty Governor Zaphenath-paneah; not knowing that he is their brother.  Joseph throws them in prison for three days and demands that one brother be left in prison.  He then commands the others to return and to bring their youngest brother Benjamin back to Egypt.  But all of the brothers must return, else the brother left in prison would die.

Genesis 42:13-20 ESV And they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more."  (14)  But Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you. You are spies.  (15)  By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.  (16)  Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."  (17)  And he put them all together in custody for three days.  (18)  On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God:  (19)  if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,  (20)  and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.

The brothers realized their guilt for Joseph who pleaded with them from the pit and begged them; but they did not listen.  Now there had come a reckoning for his blood.  They did not know that Joseph was standing right before them.  Not realizing that he knew their language, because he spoke through a translator; they spoke freely of their feelings and remorse for what they had done so many years before.  Joseph turned aside and wept.

Genesis 42:24 ESV Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

Then Joseph has all of their bags filled with grain and puts their money back into their bags; giving them also provisions for their trip.  As they depart, one of the brothers realizes that his money has been returned.  This seizes them all with fear as they return to Jacob and tell him all that has happened.

Jacob refuses to let Benjamin return with them to Egypt to rescue Simeon.  He blames the brothers for the death of Joseph and now it seems Simeon is lost as well.  Reuben says,” Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you.”  But Jacob will hear nothing more of the matter.  Joseph and Benjamin were sons of his only true wife Rachel, who died years before Joseph was lost.

Genesis 42:38 ESV But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol."

The famine continues and is more severe than Jacob thought it would be.  The grain has run out and there is no more food.  It is either go to Egypt to buy more grain or die!  Jacob tells his sons to go again to Egypt; but Judah reminds him that the man, Zaphenath-paneah (Joseph) warned them not to come back without their younger brother Benjamin; he had said:  “You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.” 

Jacob is furious with his sons for divulging that they had another brother.  But they replied, "The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?" 

Jacob has no choice but to send Benjamin with his other sons; and so he sends all of his sons back to Egypt with special gifts and double the money.

Genesis 43:11-15 ESV Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.  (12)  Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.  (13)  Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.  (14)  May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."  15 So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

Upon seeing Benjamin, Joseph orders that the ten bothers be taken to his personal house where a lavish banquet is prepared.  The brothers are all in fear for their lives because they don’t understand why they are being taken to Zaphenath-paneah’s house and they thought that they were being arrested as thieves to be made salves of Zaphenath-paneah.  They plead with the steward of the house and explain all that had happen.  They were astonished at his rely:

Genesis 43:23 ESV He replied, "Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

When Joseph arrived at his house, he inquires about their father and meets Benjamin.  He can hardly contain himself and must leave the room to regain his composure.  He is not ready to reveal himself to his brothers.  He returns and orders the food to be served.  He had the brothers all seated in their birth order.  This amazed the brothers.  Food was taken from Joseph’s table and served to the brothers; but Benjamin was given fives times as much as the others.

Joseph then orders that all of their sacks be filled with grain and provisions.  He then has all their money put back into their sacks; but with Benjamin’s sack he has a silver cup from his table placed in the sack as well; setting a trap.  He has not seen a change of heart in his brothers and so he sets up Benjamin to teach the others a lesson.

Shortly after they depart the next morning they are arrested.   When they are searched and the silver cup is found in Benjamin’s bag; Joseph had instructed his guards to say, “Why have you repaid evil for good?   Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.”  They are brought back before Joseph who then asks them:

Genesis 44:15 ESV Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?"

Joseph is willing to send the ten brothers home, but insists on keeping Benjamin.  Falling to the ground to beg mercy, Judah pleads for Benjamin’s life and the others; asking that Benjamin be sent back to his father with his other brothers.  He offers his life for the other ten; stating, that the life of their father is tied up in the life of Benjamin and the other ten.

Genesis 44:33-34 ESV Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.  (34)  For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father."

Joseph can’t contain himself any longer; he orders all of his servants and guards to leave the room, leaving Joseph alone with the eleven brothers.  He then reveals himself to his brothers and he wept out loud.

Genesis 45:1-8 ESV Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, "Make everyone go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.  (2)  And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.  (3)  And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.  (4)  So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.  (5)  And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.  (6)  For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.  (7)  And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.  (8)  So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Joseph then sends the brothers back to their father and has them move all of their herds and belongs to Egypt to live with him.  He has the land of Goshen prepared for his family to live.

Genesis 45:25-28 ESV So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.  (26)  And they told him, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them.  (27)  But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.  (28)  And Israel said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

Jacob moves all of his family to Egypt.  Judah is sent ahead of the rest to show the way. 

Genesis 46:28-30 ESV He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.  (29)  Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.  (30)  Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive."

Genesis 47:5-7 ESV Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.  (6)  The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."  (7)  Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and stood him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, you know the end of all things and you have promised that all things work together for good to those who love you.  Give me the faith to always trust in you and not to question when trials come; even those that try my soul to its depths.  Fill me with your Spirit of hope and confidence.  Let me live daily in the Holy Ghost, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 




Copyright © 2006, 2011  Thomas C. Blake