The famine was severe in the land. When Jacob and his family had eaten up all of the grain they brought from Egypt, he told them to go back to Egypt and buy more food. Judah spoke up and reminded his father that they could not go back without Benjamin or else they would not get to see the man. Judah said that if Jacob would allow Benjamin to go with them, then they would go and buy food. If Jacob would not allow Benjamin to go, then they would not go back to Egypt. Judah is bold speaking to his father in such a manner. He reiterated what he said about not being able to see the man if Benjamin wasn’t with them. Israel (Jacob) asked why did they deal with him so wrongly by telling the man that there was another brother. They explained that the man asked them specific questions about their father and if they had another brother. They had no idea that the man would tell them to bring their brother to Egypt. Judah vouched that if he allowed Benjamin to go so that they could get food and live, that he would make sure Benjamin would come back to him (Israel) or he (Judah) would bear the blame forever. In Genesis 42, Reuben was the one to promise that he would make sure Benjamin returned. Then Judah said if they had not lingered, they would have returned the second time by now. So, Israel agreed and told them to take some of the best fruit of the land along with a present that included balm, honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Since the famine was so severe, I wonder how good of a condition these items really were. Israel also told them to take extra money in addition to the money that was returned to them in their sacks, because it may have been mistakenly given back to them. Then Israel said for them to take Benjamin with them to the man. He said that maybe God Almighty would give them mercy before the man so that he would release Simeon and Benjamin. Then he said, “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” Have you ever been in a situation where you realize that you have to trust God for mercy and would have to accept whatever the outcome may be?

The brothers took the present, the money and Benjamin and headed off to Egypt and they stood before Joseph. When Joseph saw Benjamin, he told the steward of his house to take them to his home and to slaughter an animal because they were going to dine with him at noon. The steward did as he was told. The brothers, of course, were afraid because they didn’t know if the man was going to make a case against them because of the money in their sacks and possibly make them slaves along with their donkeys. As they got to Joseph’s house, the brothers start confessing everything to the steward in the doorway because of their fear. They told him that they came to buy food. They told him about the money reappearing in their sacks and how they have brought back that money and extra money. They didn’t know who put the money back in their sacks. The steward told them to be at peace because their God and the God of their father must have given them a bonus in their sacks because he had their payment. Then he brought Simeon out to them. Have you ever been in a situation where you talked too much trying to explain yourself? If we just stay calm, cool and collected and let God work things out, we can avoid all of the anxiety and frustration. The servant took them inside the house and gave them water to wash their feet and feed their donkeys. The brothers prepared the gift to have ready when Joseph arrived because they overheard that they were eating at Joseph’s house. They presented the gift when Joseph got home and bowed down before him. There’s the dream again. Joseph asked them about their father again – if he was alive and doing well. They told him that their father was alive and in good health. They bowed down and prostrated themselves before him. They are bowing again not having a clue that they were bowing before the “big dreamer”. When Joseph laid his eyes upon Benjamin, his mother’s son, he asked them if he was the younger brother they mentioned. Joseph said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Joseph was so deeply moved when he saw Benjamin that he had to leave in haste to go cry. He went to his chamber to weep. He washed his face and got himself together and came back out and said, “Serve the bread.” Joseph was at his private table. His brothers were at a table prepared for them and the Egyptians at their own table. It was an abomination to the Egyptians to eat food with the Hebrews. His brothers sat before him, from the oldest to the youngest looking at one another in great astonishment. When the brothers were served, Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. Merrily, they ate and drank. They still didn’t have a clue.

The next stop is Genesis 44.

To God Be The Glory!

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