D F t 42:1,2. Commission to buy corn.
u z 3. Journey.
a 4. Benjamin left.
v 5. Arrival.
w 6-24. Meeting with Joseph.
x 25,26. Dismissal.
y 27-38. Return.
F t 43:1,2. Commission to buy corn.
u a 3-15-. Benjamin taken.
z -15-. Journey.
v -15. Arrival.
w 16-34. Meeting with Joseph.
x 44:1-45:24. Dismissal.
y 45:25-28. Return.
1701 B.C.Genesis 43)
1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do yo all look one upon another?" (This is what we all too often do when in trouble or difficulty)
2 And he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down to that place, and buy for us from that place; that we may live, and not die."
3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn from the Egyptians.
4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, "Lest perhaps mischief befall him."
5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. (Cp.37:7,8)
7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them; and he said to them (each step in Joseph's treatment must be noted, all tending to one end: v.12: to bring them back to the pit at Dothan, convict them of their sin, and compel their confession of it That climax is not reached till v.21. Judah's word voice it, 44:18-34), "where do you all come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them (cp. 39:5,9), and said to them, "You all are spies; to see the nakedness of the land you all are come."
10 And they said to him, "No, my lord, but to buy food are your servants come.
11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, your servants are no spies."
12 And he said to them, "No, but to see the nakedness of the land you all are come."
13 And they said, "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 not."
14 And Joseph said to them, "That is it that I spoke to you, saying, 'You all are spies:'
15 Hereby you all shall be proved (Joseph, from his high position, could make very strict inquiry): By the life of Pharaoh you all shall not go forth for this reason, except your youngest brother come to this place.
16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and you all shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you all are spies."
17 And he put them all together into ward three days. (Step 2: to alarm)
18 And Joseph said to them the third day, "This do, and live; for I revere (or love) God:
19 If you all are true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go you all, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
20 But bring your youngest brother to me; so shall your words be verified, and you all shall not die." And they did so.
21 And they said one to another, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother (the treatment begins to take effect), in that we saw the anguish of his soul (anguish emphasized), when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us."
22 And Reuben (see 37:21) answered them, saying, "Did not I speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the child;' and you all would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required."
23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spoke to them by an interpreter.
24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon (probably because of his cruel nature-34:25, cp. 49:5-made him the divisor of the evil), and bound him before their eyes.
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack (The 3rd step), and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he to them.
26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed from that place.
27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
28 And he said to his brethren, "My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack:" and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, "What is this that God has done to us?"
29 And they came to Jacob their father to the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell to them; saying,
30 "The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly (cp. v.7) to us, and took us for spies of the country.
31 And we said to him, 'We are true men; we are no spies: (Heb. = have never proved spies)
32 We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not (and this is all they have to say of Gen.37:28!), and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'
33 And the man, the lord of the country, said to us, 'Hereby shall I know that you all are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
34 And bring your youngest brother to me: then shall I know that you all are no spies, but that you all are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and you shall traffic in the land.' "
35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
36 And Jacob their father said to them, "Me have you all bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and you all will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me."
37 And Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to you: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to you again."
38 And he said, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which you all go, then shall you all bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."