Genesis 43
Jacob Lets Brothers Return with Benjamin
The severe famine persisted, so when they ran out of the food they bought from Egypt, their dad said,
“You guys should go back and buy us some more food.”
But Judah replied,
“The man told us multiple times that we wouldn’t even be able to meet with him unless we brought Benjamin with us. If you let Benjamin come with us, we’ll go—but if not, there’s no point in even going.”
Israel said,
“Why did you wrong me by telling him that you had another brother at home?”
The brothers said,
“He specifically asked us about our family and if we had more brothers and if you were still alive… so we just answered his questions. There’s no way we could have known that he would want us to bring Benjamin next time!”
Then Judah turned to his father Israel and said,
“Send the boy with me so we can get food and our families and children will be able to live instead of die. I myself will take full responsibility for him. If I don’t bring him right back here to you, then I’ll bear the blame forever. If we hadn’t spent so much time delaying, we could have gone there and back again twice by now!”
Israel said,
“If there’s no other way then take some our country’s best products and give them to him as a gift—honey, balm, spices, pistachios, and almonds. Also take double the money so you can give back the money you found in your sacks. Hopefully that was just a mistake. You can take Benjamin and go back to the man in Egypt. May the Ultimate God let that man view you with compassion and allow you all come home. And as for me, if my children are taken from me, then I’ll just have to be deprived of my children.”
So the brothers went to Egypt bringing the gift, double the money, and Benjamin with them.
Brothers Scared When Invited Inside
When Joseph saw the brothers approaching with Benjamin, he told his servant,
“Bring those guys into the house, butcher an animal, and have a feast prepared by noon so they can eat with me.”
The servant followed Joseph’s orders, but the brothers got scared when they were brought into the house, saying,
“They brought us inside because of the money we found in our sacks! That man is gonna rip us apart, enslaving us and our donkeys!”
So they approached Joseph’s servant at the entrance of the house and said,
“Sir, on our way back home from buying food the first time, we opened our sacks at the hotel and realized all our money was still in our sacks. So we brought that money back along with some additional cash to buy more food. We have no idea how the money got back into our sacks that first time.”
The servant said,
“No worries. Your God and the God of your ancestors put that treasure in your sacks—I received your money.”
Joseph Feasts with Brothers
Then the servant brought Simeon out to them and invited them all inside where he gave them water and washed off their feet. He also fed their donkeys. When the brothers found out that they would eat there at noon, they prepared Joseph’s gift.
When Joseph came in, they brought him his gift and bowed down to him. He asked them about their welfare and said,
“How’s your elderly father? Is he still alive and well?”
The brothers continued bowing. When Joseph saw Benjamin, his mother’s other son, he asked,
“Is this your youngest brother you told me about? May God show you favor, my son.”
Then Joseph had to hurry out of the room because he was overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of his brother. He went to his room and cried. Then he washed his face, came back out, and controlled himself enough to say,
“Serve the meal.”
So Joseph, the brothers, and the other Egyptians were all served separately, since it’s loathsome for Egyptians to eat with Hebrews. When the servants sat the brothers in order from oldest to youngest, the brothers all looked at each other, astonished. Joseph fed them portions from his own table, but Benjamin’s portion was 5 times as big as everyone else’s. They all feasted* together with Joseph and shared lots of alcohol with him.
*The brothers’ joyous feast with Joseph symbolizes the church’s wedding feast with Jesus depicted in Revelation.
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