Joseph broke down emotionally, throwing himself on his father after he died. He wept over him and kissed him. He commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father. They did as Joseph commanded. The requirement for embalming was forty days. The Egyptians mourned for Israel for seventy days. Google source, bibleref.com, states that the standard period for mourning after the death of a Pharaoh was seventy-two days. Thus, for the Egyptians to mourn Israel’s death for seventy days was a great honor. This honor was due to the respect the Egyptians had for Joseph. Have you ever benefited from the respect that someone had for one of your loved ones, like your parent(s) for instance? When the days for mourning had passed, Joseph petitioned Pharaoh’s court to speak on his behalf stating that he promised his father that he would bury him in Canaan. Therefore, Joseph needed permission to leave Egypt for the burial. He promised that he would return to Egypt afterwards. I wondered why Joseph didn’t go to Pharaoh directly himself. So, I googled. One of the suggested possibilities according to bibleref.com was that local etiquette didn’t allow someone in mourning to appear before Pharaoh. Of course, Pharaoh honored Joseph’s request.

Joseph went to bury his father. All the servants and elders of Pharaoh’s house and all the elders of Egypt went with Joseph. Of course, all of Joseph’s house, his brothers and his father’s house went too. They left their children, flocks and herds in Goshen. In this great gathering, they also took horsemen and chariots. This was a huge funeral procession. When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they mourned there with a great and solemn lamentation. Joseph observed seven days of mourning for his father. When the Canaanites saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they declared that the Egyptians were in very deep mourning. Therefore, the area became known as Abel Mizraim, which means “mourning of Egypt” according to one Google source. Jacob’s sons did just as he wished by carrying him to the land of Canaan to the family burial grounds.

After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt. His brothers thought since their father was dead, that Joseph would hate them for what they did to him and seek revenge on them. They sent messengers to Joseph and told them to tell him that before he died, Jacob said, “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you. Now, please forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph cried when he heard these words. Well, for Jacob to have said such words, that insinuates that Jacob knew what the brothers did to Joseph by putting him in a pit and then selling him. Joseph probably didn’t tell his father all that his brothers did because he was extremely busy dealing with the famine and handling Pharaoh’s affairs. I’m also guessing that the brothers never told Joseph about the lie they told their father about his demise. Since they were afraid that Joseph would seek revenge on them after Jacob’s death, they made up the lie for the messengers to tell Joseph. Have you ever been mistreated by someone, but when it seemed that you got the “upper hand” in the situation, they start appealing to your “Christian values”? Afterwards, the brothers came and bowed before him, proclaiming that they are his servants. Here they go, bowing again. Remember Joseph’s dreams in Genesis 37? Joseph said, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?” He told them that what they meant for evil against him, God meant it for good. God allowed it so that he could be used to save many lives. He, again, told them not to be afraid and even promised to provide for them and their children. Joseph’s words of kindness brought comfort to them.

Joseph and his father’s household continued to live in Egypt. He lived to be one hundred and ten years old. He lived to see Ephraim’s children to the third generation as well as the children of Manasseh’s son, Machir.

Joseph informed his brothers that he was dying. He told them that God would visit them and take them out of Egypt to the land He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He made the children of Israel promise that they would carry his bones out of Egypt. When Joseph died, they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

The next stop is in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 1.

To God Be the Glory!

Scripture Date – January 29th

Genesis 1:29 – And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

Jacob called his sons together so that he could tell them what would befall them in the days to come (the future).

Leah’s Sons

Reuben – The first born son, Jacob referred to him as his might and the beginning of his strength. He said that he was the excellency of dignity and power. However, Reuben was unstable as water and he would not excel because he had sex with his father’s concubine, Bilhah, and thus, defiled his father’s bed/couch. (Genesis 35:22)

Simeon and Levi – These brothers are extremely violent. This is referencing the “Dinah” incident when they got revenged for their sister’s rape in Genesis 34. Jacob basically is separating himself from them and still holds that sin against them. He curses their anger and predicts that they will be divided throughout Israel.

Judah – His brothers will praise him and bow down before him. There is reference to a lion and the characteristics thereof. In Revelation 5:5, Jesus is referred to as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Thus, this is the family line in which Jesus was born. Judah shall rule by a scepter (with authority) as the lawgiver until Shiloh comes. Google sources say that Shiloh refers to Jesus, the Messiah. The people will be obedient to Him. Google sources also state that Verses 11 and 12 that speak of donkeys, wine, and teeth whiter than milk refers to the tribe’s great prosperity.

Zebulun – His dwelling place will be by the sea. He shall become a haven for ships. His border will adjoin Sidon.

Issachar – Jacob compared him to a strong donkey who would get comfortable in the land when he saw how good and pleasant it was. He will give up his freedom and settle down to the position of being a slave.

Bilhah’s Sons (Rachel’s Maidservant)

Dan – Jacob states that he would handle matters of justice for his people. Dan would be able to hold his own among the tribes possessing the characteristics of a viper by the path waiting to attack.

Naphtali – Jacob refers to him as a deer running freely. He uses beautiful words.(NKJV) Some translations state that he gives birth to beautiful fawns. Obviously, there are many different interpretations to this description since using beautiful words and giving birth to beautiful fawns are quite different.

Zilpah’s Sons (Leah’s Maidservant)

Gad – A troop will attack him, but he will be triumphant. In Genesis 30:11 Leah said, “A troop comes” so, she called him Gad.

Asher – Will become famous for rich foods and will make royal dainties.

Rachel’s Sons

Joseph – Jacob refers to Joseph as a fruitful bough with branches spreading over walls. He states that archers bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him. This was referencing all that he’s been through from his brothers to everything he encountered in Egypt. Despite it all, Joseph remained strong by the hands of the Mighty God, the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. Joseph will receive blessings from heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and the womb. He places the blessings of the family on the crown of his head.

Benjamin – Jacob refers to Benjamin as a ravenous wolf that devours the prey in the morning and divides the spoil at night.

In between the blessings for Dan and Gad, Jacob takes a “praise break” in Verse 18 and says, “I have waited for Your salvation, O Lord!”

Jacob blessed the twelve tribes of Israel. He blessed each one according to his own blessing. Have you ever spoken blessings or words of destiny over your child(ren)?

Jacob charged his sons to bury him with his fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought this field from Ephron for a burial place. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah are buried there. The field and cave were purchased from the sons of Heth. (Genesis 23) After commanding his sons, Jacob put his feet in his bed and took his last breath and was gathered to his people.

The next stop is Genesis 50.

To God Be the Glory!

Scripture Date – January 22nd

Genesis 1:22 – And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

After making the promise to his father that he wouldn’t bury him in Egypt, it so happened that Joseph was told that his father was sick. He took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim to see him. This is speculation on my part, but this indicates to me that Joseph may not have spent a lot of time in Goshen with his family on a regular basis. He may have still been very busy handling the affairs of Pharaoh. When the famine was over, Joseph still held a very important position in Egypt that could have kept him away from his family in Goshen. Could this be a case of putting “job” before family? Have you ever put your job or career ahead of spending time with your family? Jacob was told that his son, Joseph was coming to see him. Upon hearing this, Jacob strengthened himself and sat up on his bed. Jacob tells Joseph that God Almighty appeared to him in Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed him. God told him that He would make Jacob fruitful and multiply him by making him (his descendants) a multitude of people. God also promised to give the land to his descendants as an everlasting possession. This is God repeating His promises throughout the generations, first to Abraham, then to Isaac and then to Jacob.

Jacob told Joseph that he was treating his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own sons, not as grandsons. He even said that they are his, just like Reuben and Simeon are his. The great significance of this declaration puts Joseph’s sons on the same level as Jacob’s twelve sons to receive Jacob’s blessings and inheritance. Jacob told him that the children born to him after the first two sons will be considered Joseph’s offspring. In the matters of inheritance, Joseph’s other children would come after their brothers. Then Jacob recounts Rachel’s death and burial. Israel (Jacob) then saw Joseph’s sons and asked, “Who are these?” Joseph told his father that they were the sons God had given him in Egypt. Israel told him to bring them to him so that he could bless them. Due to his old age, Israel’s eyes were so dim that he could not see. When Joseph brought the two sons near his father, Israel kissed and embraced them. Israel told Joseph that he didn’t think he would see his face again, but God has blessed him to see him and not only him, but his offspring too. God is amazing in that he blessed Jacob to live long enough to see Joseph and Joseph’s children after all those years of thinking Joseph was dead. Has God ever blessed you far beyond what you could ever dream? Joseph positioned his sons for the blessing from his father and he also bowed before him in respect. Joseph took Ephraim with his right hand and led him toward Israel’s left hand and took Manasseh with his left hand and led him toward Israel’s right hand. Israel purposefully reached out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s (second born) head and put his left hand on Manasseh’s (firstborn) head. Israel blessed Joseph and said, “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” (NKJV) Joseph was displeased to see that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So, he took Israel’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. Joseph told his father that it shouldn’t be that way because Manasseh is the firstborn and his right hand should be on Manasseh’s head. Israel refused to switch up the hand/head combination and he let Joseph know that he knew what he was doing. Israel said that Manasseh will also become a people and be great, but the younger brother would be greater and his descendants would become a multitude of nations. In Genesis 25:23, God told Rebekah that she was carrying two nations in her womb and that one people will be stronger than the other with the older brother serving the younger brother. We know, of course, that the younger brother was Jacob, who tricked his father Isaac, who also had poor eyesight, into giving him the blessing of the firstborn in Genesis 27. Is there any situation in your family that seems like history repeating itself, whether positive or negative? Israel blessed them on that day saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!'” Thus, he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Israel told Joseph that he was dying, but God would be with Joseph and bring him back to the land of his fathers. He also said that he gave Joseph one portion above his brothers, which he took from the hand of the Amorite with his sword and bow.

Our next stop is Genesis 49.

To God Be The Glory!

Scripture Date – January 15th

Genesis 1:15 – and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.

Joseph went and told Pharaoh about the arrival of his family with all of their possessions to Goshen. He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. I wonder which five brothers Joseph chose to present and why he chose them specifically. Indeed, Pharaoh did ask about their occupation. The brothers did as Joseph said and told him that they were shepherds. They also told Pharaoh that they came to Egypt because there wasn’t any pasture in Canaan because of the severe famine. They asked for permission to dwell in Goshen. Pharaoh told Joseph that his family could dwell in the best of the land, which was apparently, Goshen. He also told Joseph that if he knew of any competent men among his brothers, that he should make them chief herdsmen over his livestock. Look at God! He not only gave them the best of the land, but He also gave them important jobs. This is truly a case of not what you know, even though they had to be skilled shepherds, but of Who you know. ”Who” capitalized because I’m referring to God, not Pharaoh. Have you ever been granted favor in any type of situation because of Who you know? Then Joseph brought his father, Jacob, before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed him. Pharaoh asked Jacob his age. Jacob told him that he was 130 years old. Then Jacob basically tells Pharaoh that they were hard years when he says “few and evil have been the days of the years of my life…” Jacob also stated that his life would not be as long as that of his forefathers. Isaac, Jacob’s father, lived to be 180 years old (Genesis 35:28) and Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather, lived to be 175 years old (Genesis 25:7). Despite all of the blessings that God gave Jacob, when he talked about his life, he spoke negatively. We all have our “ups and downs” in life, but when you reflect on the years of your life, do you highlight the blessings or the troubles? Before Jacob left Pharaoh’s presence, he blessed him again.

Joseph helped his family get settled and gave them possession in the best land of Egypt, the land of Rameses as commanded by Pharaoh. All along, the “Relocation Location” was called Goshen. Now, it is called Rameses. So, I googled. One source, ministrymagazine.org, indicates that Goshen and Rameses referred to the same district and within the district was also the city of Rameses. Joseph provided them all with bread in accordance to the number in their families.

The famine was so severe that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan suffered because of it. Joseph collected all of the money from the people in all of Egypt and Canaan for the grain sold to them. He took the money to Pharaoh. When the people had spent all of their money, the Egyptians came to Joseph and told him to give them bread or they would die in his presence, because they had no more money. Earlier the scripture said the people in the land of Egypt and Canaan bought grain. When there was no more money, the scripture only says that the Egyptians went to Joseph. Is this because the Canaanites died off due to the famine because they were too weak to make the journey to Egypt? Joseph told the people to give their livestock in exchange for bread, if they don’t have any money. So, they brought their horses, flocks, cattle and donkeys. Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the livestock that year. When that year ended, the people came to Joseph the next year and said that they have no money and they had given away their livestock. There was nothing left to give, but their bodies and lands. They claimed that they and the land would die. So, in exchange for bread, they agreed to sell themselves to be Pharaoh’s servants and to sell their land so that they wouldn’t die and the land wouldn’t become desolate. Joseph bought all of the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Every Egyptian sold his field because the famine was so severe. Pharaoh moved the people into the cities, from one end of Egypt’s borders to the other end. The only land that he did not buy belonged to the priests because they were allotted rations from Pharaoh which they ate. So, they didn’t have to sell their land. Since the only land that was not sold to Joseph belonged to the priests, then it appears that his family must have sold the land given to them back to Pharaoh and they too, were not exempt from selling their livestock and becoming Pharaoh’s servants. Joseph gave the people seed to sow the land. When harvest season came, they were to give one-fifth to Pharaoh and to keep four-fifths for themselves a seed for the field and food. So, even though there was a severe famine, God obviously did allow some growth for a harvest. The people proclaimed that Joseph saved their lives and therefore, they wanted to find favor in his eyes and were willing to be Pharaoh’s servants. Thereafter, Joseph made a law over all Egypt, that Pharaoh was to get one-fifth excluding the land of the priests.

Israel (the nation) lived in the land of Egypt in the region of Goshen. They had possessions there. They grew and multiplied exceedingly. Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years. He died at the age of 147 years old. As Jacob’s years were dwindling, he made Joseph promise not to bury him in Egypt. He wanted to be buried in the burial place of his fathers. Joseph vowed that he would do as Jacob desired. Jacob made Joseph swear to him that he would honor his wishes and Joseph did so. Then Jacob humbly bowed at the head of his bed.

We continue our journey to Chapter 48.

To God Be The Glory!

Scripture Date – January 8th

Genesis 1:8

And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

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Joseph couldn’t contain himself any longer, so he ordered everyone out of his presence except his brothers. It was at this time that he revealed himself to them. He wept so loud that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s house heard him. Joseph said, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” Joseph’s brothers were so dismayed in his presence, they were speechless. He told them to come closer to him and when they did, he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.” He told them not to be grieved or angry with themselves for selling him because God sent him there to preserve their lives. Have you ever been in a troubling situation that you had to go through, not so much for yourself, but for the benefit of helping someone else? They already had been enduring two years of the famine because Joseph told his brothers that there will still be five more years with no plowing or harvesting. He said that God sent him there ahead of them to preserve a posterity for them in the earth and to save their lives by a great deliverance. So, it wasn’t their doing, but God’s plan. Sometimes when we’re experiencing hardships and we can’t make any sense of it, God could be allowing things to seemingly be falling apart so that He can make them fall into place. Joseph refers to himself as a “father to Pharaoh”. So, I googled. Different commentaries stated that this meant that Joseph was a counselor to Pharaoh. Joseph attributed his success to God by stating that it was God who made him a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house as well as a ruler throughout Egypt. He told them to hurry and go tell their father that God had made him lord of all Egypt and that he should come to him without tarrying. They, including their families, flocks, herds and all they have, would dwell in the land of Goshen to be near Joseph. He promised to provide for them all so they won’t become impoverished during the remaining five years of famine. Joseph had to convince them that they were really seeing the brother they sold years ago. He told them to tell their father about all his glory in Egypt, all they had seen and to hurry and bring his father to Egypt. The brothers saw Joseph’s glory, but they didn’t know his story after they sold him. Joseph, while weeping, embraced Benjamin. Benjamin was crying too. Joseph kissed and wept over all his brothers. Afterwards, the brothers were finally able to talk with him. Is there someone that you need to forgive or with whom you should reconcile?

The report got back to Pharaoh about Joseph’s brothers and he along with his servants were pleased when they heard it. Pharaoh told Joseph to tell his brothers to load their animals and depart for the land of Canaan to bring their father and their households to him. Pharaoh promised to give them the best of the land of Egypt. They would eat of the fat of the land. They were given carts for their wives, children and father in which to travel. They were told not to be concerned about their goods because they would be given the best of all the land of Egypt. Joseph did as commanded and gave his brothers carts and provisions for their journey. They also got changes of clothing. Benjamin got five changes of garments along with three hundred pieces of silver. Jacob was sent ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, ten female donkeys loaded with grain and food for the journey. Joseph told them not to become troubled along the way. So, I googled to get a better understanding. Most commentaries stated that Joseph was telling them not to start blaming each other for what they did and quarrel among themselves on the journey. I think they would have quarreled more about what they were going to tell their father regarding the lie he was led to believe about Joseph all of those years. They were going to have to convince their elderly father that Joseph is really alive and convince him to take the journey to Egypt.

The brothers left Egypt and returned to Canaan where Jacob dwelt. They told him that Joseph was alive and that he was the governor of all the land of Egypt. Jacob’s heart almost stopped beating because he did not believe them. When they told him all that Joseph had said and he saw the carts, he began to believe them. Jacob accepted that Joseph was still alive and agreed to make the trip so that he could see him before he (Jacob) died.

Our next stop is Genesis 46.

To God Be The Glory!

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Joseph told the steward of his house to fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they could carry and to put their money back in their sacks. Joseph also told him to put his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack with his grain money. The steward did exactly as he was told.

The brothers left at the dawn of morning with their donkeys. When they were not that far out of the city, Joseph told his steward to catch up with the men and ask them, “Why have you repaid evil for good?” He was to accuse them of having Joseph’s drinking cup and it being the cup with which Joseph practiced divination. What?! Joseph, being a man of God practicing divination? So, yes, I googled. Google sources say that the practice of divination in this manner was an Egyptian custom. So, the Egyptians, including the steward, more than likely determined that this is how Joseph was able to interpret dreams. However, in Genesis 40:8, Joseph acknowledged that the interpretations came from God. In Genesis 41:16, Joseph tells Pharaoh that it was not in him to interpret his dreams, but the answer would come from God. Joseph still had not revealed himself to his brothers, so they thought he was an Egyptian. So, in essence, Joseph told the steward to tell the men (his brothers) something that they all believed anyway. Other Google sources indicated that Joseph may have conformed to the Egyptian customs. With Joseph being a believer of the One True God, this is highly unlikely. Now, as far as the set up of Benjamin, Google sources and my Study Bible indicate that Joseph did this to test the character of his brothers and to see if they felt about Benjamin, the same way they felt about him. Would they easily have allowed Benjamin to stay without an “argument” and just tell their father some made up lie? Or, would they try to defend him? When the steward caught up with them, he spoke the same words to them as instructed by Joseph. The brothers questioned the reason the steward would make such an accusation. They exclaimed that they would not do such a thing. After all, they returned the money that was put in their sacks when they returned to Canaan the first time. So, why would they return the money just to steal silver or gold from his master’s house? Then, they said that with whomever the cup was found, to let that one die and that they would be slaves of his master (based on The Message Bible). Other versions of the Bible state that the brothers, said “my lord’s slaves”, indicating they would be slaves of the steward. In any case, they just did not realize the magnitude of what they said. Have you ever said something that you would later regret, knowingly or unknowingly? I tend to agree with The Message Bible’s interpretation because the steward appears to agree with what they said, but he changed it. Instead, the one with whom the cup was found would be the steward’s slave and the other brothers could go free. Remember, the steward is the one who put the cup in Benjamin’s sack. Obviously, he didn’t know the true relationship Joseph had with these men. Otherwise, he would have known that Joseph would not allow his full-blooded brother to become the steward’s slave. Each of them quickly put their sacks on the ground and opened them. The steward searched each sack starting with the oldest to youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. In despair, they tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys and headed back to the city.

When they got to Joseph’s house, he was still there and they fell before him on the ground. They are bowing, yet again. Here is the manifestation of the dream once more. Joseph also accuses them of the theft and asks them, “Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?” Again, Joseph is playing the part of being an Egyptian in front of his brothers. Judah speaks up and basically asks, “how can we explain this and prove our innocence?” He is begging for Joseph’s mercy thinking that their past sins had caught up with them when he said, “God has found out the iniquity of your servants…” The sin of selling Joseph and lying to their father about it keeps haunting them. Is there something that you have done that you just can’t move beyond? It just keeps being brought up by someone or you feel that you’re still paying for the mistake. Judah says, “here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.” Joseph tells them that he will not make all of them his slaves, just the one who had the cup in his sack. The rest of them can return in peace to their father. Well, they definitely would not have been returning in peace without Benjamin.

Judah intercedes for Benjamin by coming nearer to Joseph asking him not to be angry with him because he is similar to Pharaoh. He wanted to speak to Joseph “one on one”. Judah recalls the events that led them to this point. He states that Joseph asked them about their father and if there was another brother. They told him about Jacob, their father being an old man, and their youngest brother, Benjamin, a child of Jacob’s old age. They expressed how much Jacob loved Benjamin because he is the only one left of his mother’s children. Notice that Judah conveniently leaves out what happened regarding Joseph. Judah reminds Joseph that he told them to bring the youngest brother to him and they explained that if he left his father, it would be the death of his father. However, Joseph said that the brothers could not see him again if they didn’t bring Benjamin. When they returned home, they told their father about the situation. Jacob told them to go back and buy more food, but they explained that they couldn’t go back to see the man without Benjamin. He told Joseph how their father would be in anguish if something happened to Benjamin, because he was the second son of his wife (Rachel) and the other son left and was killed, not to be seen again. If Benjamin was taken from him and something happened to Benjamin, he would go to his grave gray-headed and in deep sorrow. So if they returned without Benjamin, their father would die because his life was bound up in Benjamin’s life. In other words, Benjamin was Jacob’s reason for living. Do you feel that way about anyone in your life? Then Judah tells the man (Joseph) that he guaranteed his father that he would take care of Benjamin or he could be blamed forever. He offered to be the one to stay instead of Benjamin, because if he went back without him, he would see the evil that would come upon his father. If you recall, Judah’s name means praise. So, if you ever feel that you have been set up for destruction, let your praise (and prayers) to God intercede on your behalf.

The next stop on this Biblical Journey is Genesis 45.

To God Be The Glory!

Click here to visit Bible Reading Made Different.

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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Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt. Apparently, his sons were not smart enough to realize that going to Egypt would be a good idea. He asked them, “Why do you sit around here and look at one another?” Jacob had to tell them to go to the place in Egypt and buy grain so that they can continue to live. So Joseph’s ten brothers went to Egypt. Jacob didn’t allow Benjamin, Joseph’s youngest brother, to go. He was afraid that some calamity could happen to him. Remember, Benjamin is Rachel’s second son during which time she died while giving birth. Rachel was also the love of Jacob’s life. So Israel’s (Jacob) sons went among the others going to Egypt to buy grain because the famine was also in the land of Canaan.

Joseph was the governor over Egypt. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him. This is the manifestation of Joseph’s dream where his brothers’ sheaves bowed down before his sheaf (Genesis 37). Joseph recognized his brothers right away, but they didn’t recognize him. God’s word says, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm” (1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15). Obviously, Joseph’s brothers didn’t realize that Joseph was one of God’s anointed ones when they put him in the pit and then subsequently sold him. They didn’t know who Joseph was in more than one sense of the word. Are you one of God’s anointed ones? This does not just pertain to preachers in the pulpit. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are one of His anointed ones. Do people know who you are? Do they know “Who’s your Daddy”? Do they know that your Father is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and that makes you Royalty? So, Joseph pretended like he didn’t know them and spoke harshly to them. He asked where they were from and they told him that they were from the land of Canaan and came to buy food. Joseph remembered his dreams and accused them of being spies who came to see the weak spots in the land. They declared that they were only there to buy food. They said that they were the sons of one man and that they were honest men. It’s ironic that they claimed to be honest men, yet they were bowing before their brother whom they led their father to believe was dead, killed by a wild animal. Is there someone in your life who may think they exemplify the highest of standards, but you know the “real” them? Joseph again accuses them of being spies. Once again the brothers state that they are the sons of one man and now they mention that the youngest one is with their father and they had another brother who doesn’t exist anymore. Joseph now knows that his father and Benjamin are still alive. Joseph adamantly says that they are spies. He says that he will test them by swearing on Pharaoh’s life (a common practice in those days according to one Google source) saying that they will not leave Egypt unless Benjamin comes there. Joseph then decides to let one of them go get the youngest brother and bring him back to Egypt to see if they are telling the truth or else as sure as Pharaoh lives, they must be spies. He puts them all in prison for three days. On the third day, because he feared God, Joseph says one brother would be confined to prison and the others were to carry grain back to Canaan since the famine was so fierce. However, they must bring the youngest brother back to Egypt as a verification of their truthfulness. The brothers started feeling remorseful about what they did to Joseph and thought this is why they are in the predicament they were in now. Reuben basically said, “I told you so” when he said, “Do not sin against the boy” and they wouldn’t listen. Now, Joseph’s blood is now required of them. While they were speaking to one another, they did not realize that Joseph understood them, because he used an interpreter when he spoke to them. Joseph was playing this to the hilt! Joseph was overcome with emotion and turned away from his brothers and wept. He returned to his brothers and in speaking to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him right in front of them.

Joseph gave the command to fill their sacks with grain and to put their money back in each of their sacks. He also gave them provisions for their journey. So the brothers loaded up their donkeys and departed. One of the brothers opened his sack to feed his donkey and discovered that his money was back in his sack. He alerted his brothers to this and they all were very afraid. In fact they said, “What is this that God has done to us?” Have you ever falsely accused God of anything? When they returned home, they told Jacob all that had happened. They told him how the lord over the land spoke harshly to them, accusing them of being spies. They explained that they told him that they were not spies, but the sons of one man and that they had a younger brother back home. They were also still sticking to that “honest men” story too. They also told their father that the lord over the land is testing their honesty by allowing them to return home, but they must take Benjamin back to Egypt. He kept Simeon as collateral. Upon their return, he would release Simeon and allow them to trade in the land. It so happened that they all emptied their sacks and their money was returned to each of them. This really frightened Jacob and his sons. Jacob stated that they bereaved him, saying, “Joseph is no more, Simeon was no more, and you want to take Benjamin.” Jacob also stated that all of these things were against him. Seeing the anguish that Jacob had, especially regarding Joseph, none of these “honest men” ever told their father the truth in all of these (approximately twenty) years. Reuben spoke up and told his father that he could kill his two sons if he didn’t return Benjamin back to him. He promised to definitely take care of Benjamin. Jacob said that Benjamin was not going with him, because his brother was dead and he is left alone. Jacob may have said this because Joseph and Benjamin had the same mother, Rachel. If something happened to Benjamin as they returned to Egypt, it would pretty much kill Jacob and he would go to the grave gray-headed with sorrow.

Off we go to Genesis 43 next week.

To God Be The Glory!