Preaching the Word

Genesis 42 - Joseph's Brothers Go to Egypt - The Mysteries of God's Word

• Nathan Dietsche • Season 4 • Episode 66

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Jacob sends his ten sons to buy grain in Egypt during a severe famine but keeps Benjamin home out of fear for his safety, revealing his distrust of his other sons even twenty years after Joseph's disappearance.

• Joseph, now governor of Egypt, recognizes his brothers when they bow before him, fulfilling his prophetic dreams
• Joseph tests his brothers by accusing them of being spies and demanding they bring Benjamin
• The brothers confess their guilt about selling Joseph when they think he can't understand them
• Finding their money mysteriously returned in their sacks terrifies the brothers and Jacob

Our journey through Genesis continues to reveal how God uses difficult circumstances to protect and continue the Messianic line while bringing about reconciliation and growth in the line of Israel, even decades after terrible sins have been committed.

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Email: nathan@nathandietsche.com

Speaker 1:

Grace and peace to you from God, our Father and our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. Today we're in Genesis, chapter 42, where Joseph's brothers go down to Egypt, beginning in verse 1,. When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons why do you look at one another? And he said Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there that we may live and not die. So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt, but Jacob did not send Benjamin Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him in the land of Canaan. Here we find Jacob with the eleven brothers, canaan. Here we find Jacob with the 11 brothers, and we're immediately told that Jacob had become aware that Egypt was selling grain, and that tells us that the word of Egypt's surplus during this famine is traveling throughout the Far East, probably through merchants and caravans. Jacob says to his sons why do you look at one another? We see from Jacob's statements that his sons haven't grown into the mature and hard-working men that Jacob had hoped that they would. His question, why do you look at one another implies a lack of ambition and work to get the family help during this famine that came upon them. And Jacob tells his sons to go down to Egypt and buy some grain. But we're told that Jacob didn't send Benjamin, the second son of Rachel. Benjamin would have been in his early 30s at this point, more than capable of the journey, but Jacob kept him back. It's been 20 years now since Joseph was sold into slavery and Jacob believed that he was dead. It's clear Jacob didn't want to lose this last part that he had of Rachel. Furthermore, it shows us that Jacob didn't fully trust these other sons. He didn't trust them to protect Benjamin with their lives. Perhaps it's an even greater glimpse into how Jacob had suspicions about Joseph's disappearance as well.

Speaker 1:

And then in verse 5, we're told that the famine was in the land of Canaan. Here in verse 5 of chapter 42, we see the details of what we were told in Genesis, chapter 41, verse 57, when it said that all of the land was coming to Egypt to buy grain. So this famine was severe. It had affected the entire region or countryside around Egypt. All of the lands connected to Canaan, syria, arabia, were all devastated by this famine Verse 6.

Speaker 1:

Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like they were strangers and spoke roughly to them. Where did you come from, he said? They said from the land of Canaan, to buy food. And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them and he said to them you are spies, you've come to see the nakedness of the land. They said to him no, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. We're all sons of one man. We're honest men. Your servants have never been spies.

Speaker 1:

In these verses we are again reintroduced to how Joseph was the governor over the land. The Hebrew word for governor here has the root of having power. It's also translated other places as ruler. We had learned in Genesis 41-40 that Pharaoh had placed Joseph over the entire land, second in charge only to Pharaoh himself. From this verse we see that Joseph was intimately involved with the details of distribution on the ground level. And his brothers came and they bowed down before him.

Speaker 1:

Here in verse 6, we begin to see the fulfillment of Joseph's prophetic dreams that he had when he was only 17 years old, back in Genesis 37.7 and 37.9-10, as his brothers bowed down to him. Now Joseph saw his brothers and he knew who they were. It had been 20 years, but Joseph was clearly able to recognize his own brothers and it says he spoke roughly to them After recognizing the brothers who had sold him into slavery. And they've come to Egypt now for grain. He treats them with a strong hand. The Hebrew word for roughly here can also be translated in other areas harsh, fierce, stern or severe. Its root means to make it heavy, make it hard, make it difficult.

Speaker 1:

Joseph rightly and wisely begins to test his brothers. Joseph rightly and wisely begins to test his brothers. He was not about to give his brothers a pass after what they had done to him and without knowing their current intentions. But his brothers did not recognize him. Joseph's outward appearance was dramatically different than when his brothers last saw him. There were many things that kept them from recognizing Joseph, perhaps the greatest of which was that they believed he was dead. Additionally, joseph was only a teenager, 17 years old, when he was sold into slavery. Now he has matured into a man. Furthermore, his dress and appearance were that of a royal Egyptian. Joseph also treated them as if they were strangers, not even hinting at recognizing them.

Speaker 1:

And finally, as we'll learn later, there was an interpreter between the two of them. Joseph was acting as if he didn't know their language. And during this initial interaction between Joseph and his brothers, when they're bowing down to him, joseph remembered those dreams that God had given him 20 years prior, where there were binding sheaves in the field. And behold, his sheaf arose and stood upright and the sheaves of his brothers gathered around and bowed down to him. And his other dream, where the sun, the moon and eleven stars were all bowing down to him. And as this interaction continues, joseph accuses his brothers of being spies.

Speaker 1:

Joseph's accusation of his brothers being spies is a further way to test them. The Hebrew word for spies here could be translated a scout or a messenger. It comes from the root of a foot, which implies someone who's scouting out a territory on foot. The brothers reply to Joseph's accusation that they're spies as an attempt to plead with him. And as they do, they begin to reveal that they are all brothers of one family. And then they say we're honest men. Now, considering what his brothers did to him and knowing of their treachery and deceitful lives in the past, this claim that they're honest men likely did more harm than good.

Speaker 1:

When Joseph heard it, the claim that they were honest men was falling on deaf ears and picking up in verse 12, he said to them no, it is the nakedness of the land that you've come to see. 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. But Joseph said to them it is as I have said to you. You are spies. By this, you shall be tested by the life of Pharaoh. You shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you and let him bring your brother while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there's truth in you or else by the life of Pharaoh. Surely you are spies. And he put them all together in custody for three days.

Speaker 1:

Again, joseph accuses his brothers of being spies and he says it's because of the nakedness of the land that they've come. This phrase, the nakedness of the land that Joseph is using isn't so much speaking of the famine as much as how Egypt is now in a compromised position. He's accusing his brothers of scouting out the defenselessness of Egypt during the famine, considering how Joseph would have been very young and impressionable when his brothers, levi and Simeon, slaughtered all of the men in the village of Shechem, he very well may have that in the back of his mind. And with all of these things in his mind and in consideration, it's quite possible Joseph believes his testing may be a way in which the Lord will bring his family to safety in Egypt under his governance, and to fulfill the dreams that he's remembering. The dreams that he's remembering. In a desperate attempt to clear this accusation of being spies, the brothers give detailed family information describing how they're 12 brothers altogether, how the youngest brother is still with their father, how one of their brothers is dead and how they're from the land of Canaan. But Joseph again says no, you are spies, and he uses the phrase by the life of the Pharaoh.

Speaker 1:

Now, in ancient culture, it was common to take an oath by the king. In Egypt, this was the highest oath one could make, as Pharaoh was seen as the highest of all priests, even considered a living god with divine status to mediate between the Egyptian occultic gods through rituals and rites. Now, while Joseph didn't believe in any of that, as we know, he feared God. Perhaps it had just become an expression that he used while living in Egypt, or perhaps it was a way to further throw his brothers off from knowing exactly who he was. And Joseph said you shall be tested, because his brothers claimed to be honest men. Joseph is now telling them that they will be tested to see if they are honest by their claim of the youngest brother. He says you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here Again.

Speaker 1:

Considering what these brothers did to Joseph, he wants to confirm that they didn't do the same thing to his younger brother, benjamin. And Joseph's initial words are that only one of the brothers would be able to leave and get the younger brother, benjamin. Perhaps this was just a first reaction from Joseph, or perhaps it was a wise plan to have these brothers sit and think about who's going to be the one to go back and talk to Jacob, and Joseph put them in custody for three days. So the brothers had three days to discuss long and hard about who's going to be that one brother to go free and go tell their father Jacob Verse 18. On the third day, joseph said to them Do this and you will live, for I fear God. If you're 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 and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be Three days after being in prison, joseph gives his brothers the conditions that he has for sparing their lives.

Speaker 1:

The first condition which Governor Joseph has to give them a chance to live is that he fears God. Now, this statement coming from an Egyptian governor to the ten sons of Israel must seem kind of peculiar. However, considering how he had just sworn to the Pharaoh a couple of days ago, it was probably about as clear as mud. Pharaoh a couple of days ago, it was probably about as clear as mud. The second condition for sparing their lives was that their own claim was that they were honest men. If they were telling the truth about their youngest brother, their lives would be spared. The third condition for sparing their lives would be that they would have to physically bring Benjamin to Egypt and meet this Lord and governor Verse 21,. Then they said to one another In truth, we're guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the distress of his soul when he begged us and we did not listen. That's why this distress has come upon us. And Reuben answered them Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood. They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 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.

Speaker 1:

In these verses, the ten brothers start to have a conversation amongst themselves in Hebrew. Believing Joseph doesn't understand them. They start talking about how they were guilty concerning what they did to Joseph 20 years ago. After being imprisoned themselves in Egypt and confronted with what that looks like, they started to talk about their guilt and what they had done to their brother. They mentioned the distress in his soul when they were selling him. That describes the anguish of Joseph's heart as he's being sold into slavery to the Midianites. These brothers continue to describe the terror-filled screams of a teenage boy as he begged them not to sell him. But they did not listen as he was dragged away from his home and sold as a slave. And now they feel that God is punishing them for what they did to Joseph those 20 years ago.

Speaker 1:

As they're discussing this, reuben speaks up and says did I not tell you not to sin against him? Now there comes a reckoning for his blood. The reckoning for blood is a reference to one of God's promises for justice early in earth's history, even beginning with the blood of Abel in Genesis 4.10, back when the Lord said what have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. But then the Lord restated it with a general purpose for all of mankind, after the flood of Noah, in Genesis 9, 5 and 6, where the Lord told Noah For your lifeblood, I will require a reckoning. From every beast I will require it, and from man, from his fellow man, I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man by man, his blood be shed For. God made man in his own image. Back in Genesis, chapter 42, verse 23, we saw that prior to this there was an interpreter, and so his brothers did not know that Joseph was understanding what they were saying at this point and Joseph's reaction to hearing his brothers consider their actions and how they were wrong against him. They now deserve the justice of bloodshed. It moved Joseph to tears. So, governor Joseph turns away. So they would not know that it had any impact on him.

Speaker 1:

After hearing this conversation of his brothers and recognizing that Reuben was actually standing up for him, joseph didn't hold his oldest brother, reuben, accountable, but instead he held Simeon accountable. In front of all of them. Simeon is the second oldest brother. Now there are writings from some of the old Jewish rabbis that believe what Joseph is doing here is a form of retaliation for what Simeon had done in the past. Perhaps, if those records are accurate, simeon was the instigator of wanting to kill Joseph and was the one who actually bound him and put him in the pit.

Speaker 1:

When the brothers agreed to sell him Verse 25, and Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to replace every man's money in his sack and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them. Here in verse 25, joseph begins to become the provider and protector of his family. First, joseph gives specific orders to fill all ten of the brothers' bags with grain. Second, joseph gives orders to replace the money they had used to pay for the grain back in their sacks. And then, third, joseph provides for the needed supplies so they can make it back home safely Verse 26.

Speaker 1:

Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. He said to his brothers my money has been put back here in the mouth of my sack. At this their hearts failed them and they turned trembling one to another, saying what is this that God has done to us? So when the ten brothers of Israel had traveled an entire day, they stopped for the night at a lodging place and as they began to open their sacks to feed their donkeys, one of them noticed the money pouch in the mouth of his sack. And the guilt that they had talked about earlier, about selling Joseph into slavery, was still fresh in their minds and they became afraid. They said what is it that God has done? The brothers clearly believe that the Lord is working against them. He's going to bring further harm to them because of their sin against Joseph Verse 29.

Speaker 1:

Men, we have never been spies. We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us by this, I shall know that you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households and go your way. Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know you are not spies, but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you and you shall trade in the land.

Speaker 1:

Here, in verses 29-34, we are told about the nine sons of Jacob that safely returned to him in the land of Canaan, returning without their brother, brother Simeon. And when they had come to Jacob, they told him all that had happened. Now, their recount of what had happened in Egypt to their father, jacob, was fairly accurate and it included all that had happened in a general sense. However, they did leave out some of the most important details about the current situation and threats that they now faced. They didn't tell Jacob that they had been put in prison for three days. They didn't tell Jacob that the Lord of the Land threatened to have them executed if they didn't return with Benjamin. They didn't tell Jacob that Simeon was currently in bonds and in prison and they didn't tell Jacob that they had found some silver in one of the bags at the lodging stop on their way back. They did, however, mention Joseph only as the man, the lord of the land, and they used that phrase twice. That description shows they still didn't recognize who Joseph was.

Speaker 1:

Verse 35. As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack, and when they and their father saw their bundles of money they were afraid. Now we see that they didn't realize at first that all of the money had been returned. Here we see that at that lodging place only one brother realized the money was returned, not all of them. Now that they're unloading back in the land of Canaan at their home, unpacking from this long journey, they find it wasn't just one man that had his money bag returned, but it was all of the men and all of the money that they had taken to Egypt and they were afraid.

Speaker 1:

Realizing that this was an intentional return of their money brought great fear upon both the brothers and on Jacob. The brothers likely believed God was going to further punish them for what they had done to their brother and perhaps in some way was going to entrap them for stealing. Jacob, we are told, was afraid he had lost yet another son, simeon, verse 36,. And Jacob, their father, said to them you have bereaved me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me. Then Reuben said to his father Kill my two sons. If I do not bring him back to you, put him in my hands, I will bring him back to you. 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 shoal After having found all of their money back in their sacks. Jacob's response is you have bereaved me of my children.

Speaker 1:

It's clear from Jacob's statements that he did not trust what these nine sons were saying or what they did. From Jacob's comments here and his past attitudes towards these sons, we can conclude that Jacob has long been suspicious of their scheming activities. Does he suspect that Joseph was sold into slavery and now suspect they sold Simeon Maybe. But what is clear is that the constant bad behavior from these brothers has certainly ingrained in Jacob a lifelong track record of them being untrustworthy.

Speaker 1:

But Reuben, the oldest brother, feels an obligation to make things right. He insists that he can bring Benjamin back safely from Egypt if Jacob will let him go back safely from Egypt, if Jacob will let him go. Reuben even tells Jacob he can kill his two sons if he doesn't come back safely with Benjamin. But Jacob refuses to allow Reuben to take Benjamin to Egypt. He says that his brother, joseph, is dead and he's the only one left. Jacob is not going to risk losing his only other son from Rachel and he says that the grief of losing him would be so great that he would die from his misery. Thank you for joining me this week. Join me next week for Joseph's brothers return to Egypt. God bless you this week.