Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
Genesis 42:1-38 NLT
Introduction:
“Widespread” famine (verse from the previous lesson)
Genesis 41:57 NLT
57 And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.
God’s prophecy to Abraham:
Genesis 15:13 NLT
13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.
God is going to use this famine to bring Israel into Egypt, under the rule of Joseph.
Genesis 42:1-38 NLT
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
42 When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? 2 I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.”
3 So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. 4 But Jacob wouldn’t let Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, go with them, for fear some harm might come to him. 5 So Jacob’s sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine was in Canaan as well.
6 Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.”
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him. 9 And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”
10 “No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food. 11 We are all brothers—members of the same family. We are honest men, sir! We are not spies!”
12 “Yes, you are!” Joseph insisted. “You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”
13 “Sir,” they said, “there are actually twelve of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.”
14 But Joseph insisted, “As I said, you are spies! 15 This is how I will test your story. I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you will never leave Egypt unless your youngest brother comes here! 16 One of you must go and get your brother. I’ll keep the rest of you here in prison. Then we’ll find out whether or not your story is true. By the life of Pharaoh, if it turns out that you don’t have a younger brother, then I’ll know you are spies.”
17 So Joseph put them all in prison for three days. 18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live. 19 If you really are honest men, choose one of your brothers to remain in prison. The rest of you may go home with grain for your starving families. 20 But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.” To this they agreed.
21 Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.”
22 “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
23 Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. 24 Now he turned away from them and began to weep. When he regained his composure, he spoke to them again. Then he chose Simeon from among them and had him tied up right before their eyes.
25 Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each brother’s payment at the top of his sack. He also gave them supplies for their journey home. 26 So the brothers loaded their donkeys with the grain and headed for home.
27 But when they stopped for the night and one of them opened his sack to get grain for his donkey, he found his money in the top of his sack. 28 “Look!” he exclaimed to his brothers. “My money has been returned; it’s here in my sack!” Then their hearts sank. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?”
29 When the brothers came to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan, they told him everything that had happened to them. 30 “The man who is governor of the land spoke very harshly to us,” they told him. “He accused us of being spies scouting the land. 31 But we said, ‘We are honest men, not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One brother is no longer with us, and the youngest is at home with our father in the land of Canaan.’
33 “Then the man who is governor of the land told us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take grain for your starving families and go on home. 34 But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. Then I will know you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give you back your brother, and you may trade freely in the land.’”
35 As they emptied out their sacks, there in each man’s sack was the bag of money he had paid for the grain! The brothers and their father were terrified when they saw the bags of money. 36 Jacob exclaimed, “You are robbing me of my children! Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!”
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back.”
38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”
Examine the Scriptures
Genesis 42:1-38 NLT
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
1 When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? 2 I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.”
3 So Joseph’s ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. 4 But Jacob wouldn’t let Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, go with them, for fear some harm might come to him.
Jacob would not allow Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, to travel with his other sons.
Benjamin was the second son of Rachel, Jacob’s beloved.
Jacob had already “lost” Joseph.
Jacob did not know what had really happened to Joseph, but he did know the character of his other sons.
Refer to Jacob’s blessings for his sons in chapter 49. A brief description of his sons.
Unruly
In their anger they murdered men.
Crippled oxen just for sport.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down – who dares to rouse him.
A sturdy donkey.
A poisonous viper along the path.
A ravenous wolf devouring his enemies.
Jacob would not allow Benjamin to go with his brothers. Jacob feared for Benjamin’s safety.
- Jacob knew the character of his sons.
5 So Jacob’s sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine was in Canaan as well.
Famines were not uncommon in the ancient world.
Famines were devastating in an agrarian society.
Famines were often accompanied by disease and war.
This famine was severe and widespread (worldwide).
Genesis 41:57 NLT “…throughout the world.”
- Famines were devastating in an agrarian society.
6 Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground.
- Joseph’s dream became a reality. (Over 15 years had elapsed.)
7 Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger
and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.”
Joseph would be putting his brothers through various tests to see if they had changed.
In reality, this was God at work.
God was preparing these men to be leaders in Israel. (God’s sovereignty was at work.)
- God was using events in this story to prepare Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him.
… they didn’t recognize him … for good reason.
15 years have passed. He had grown from a teenager to an adult. He was dressed as an Egyptian. He had a leadership role in Egypt.
Joseph did not look “Jewish”. (My words)
He treated them without a hint of familiarity.
9 And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before.
He remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before as they were coming true.
He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”
Joseph accused his brothers of being spies (verses 9, 12, 14, 16)
Famines were often accompanied by disease and war. (As stated previously.)
Joseph (God) was testing his brothers.
Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
10 “No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food. 11 We are all brothers—members of the same family.
We are honest men, sir!
Joseph knew that this was hardly an accurate assessment.
We are not spies!”
12 “Yes, you are!” Joseph insisted. “You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”
13 “Sir,” they said, “there are actually twelve of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.”
… one is no more … NIV & ESV…
… one is gone … CEB
… died a long time ago … ERV
… and one is not … ASV
14 But Joseph insisted, “As I said, you are spies! 15 This is how I will test your story. I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you will never leave Egypt unless your youngest brother comes here!
The phrase, “I swear by the life of Pharaoh …” would mislead his brothers.
16 One of you must go and get your brother. I’ll keep the rest of you here in prison.
Similar to what they had done to Joseph.
Genesis 37:24 NLT
24 Then they grabbed him (Joseph) and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
Then we’ll find out whether or not your story is true. By the life of Pharaoh, if it turns out that you don’t have a younger brother, then I’ll know you are spies.”
Joseph may have wanted to know that his younger brother had not been harmed by his brothers.
17 So Joseph put them all in prison for three days. 18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live.
19 If you really are honest men,
choose one of your brothers to remain in prison. The rest of you may go home with grain for your starving families. 20 But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.” To this they agreed.
Joseph implied that Simeon would die if the brothers did not bring Benjamin back with them.
21 Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.”
“… we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph …”
“… when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. …”
- The sense of divine retribution began to awaken feelings of remorse in the brothers that they had not experienced up to this time.
22 “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
Reuben recognized they would be held accountable for their actions.
Numbers 32:23 NLT
23 … and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
Galatians 6:7 NLT
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
23 Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. 24 Now he turned away from them and began to weep.
Joseph had forgiven his brothers.
Joseph may have learned, for the first time, of Reuben’s attempt to save him.
When he regained his composure, he spoke to them again. Then he chose Simeon from among them and had him tied up right before their eyes.
Joseph did not keep Reuben, but he chose Simeon, the oldest of the brothers who had participated in the crime against him.
25 Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each brother’s payment at the top of his sack.
These actions would “strike the fear of God” into the hearts of the brothers.
-
- 28 “… their hearts sank. Trembling … “What has God done to us?” ”
-
- 35 “The brothers and their father were terrified when they saw the bags of money.”
He also gave them supplies for their journey home. 26 So the brothers loaded their donkeys with the grain and headed for home.
27 But when they stopped for the night and one of them opened his sack to get grain for his donkey, he found his money in the top of his sack. 28 “Look!” he exclaimed to his brothers. “My money has been returned; it’s here in my sack!” Then their hearts sank. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?”
“What has God done to us?”
Their guilty conscience and fear of vengeance from God surfaced again.
- God was convicting the brothers of their unconfessed sin.
29 When the brothers came to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan, they told him everything that had happened to them. 30 “The man who is governor of the land spoke very harshly to us,” they told him. “He accused us of being spies scouting the land. 31 But we said, ‘We are honest men, not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One brother is no longer with us, and the youngest is at home with our father in the land of Canaan.’
33 “Then the man who is governor of the land told us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take grain for your starving families and go on home. 34 But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. Then I will know you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give you back your brother, and you may trade freely in the land.’”
35 As they emptied out their sacks, there in each man’s sack was the bag of money he had paid for the grain! The brothers and their father were terrified when they saw the bags of money.
36 Jacob exclaimed, “You are robbing me of my children! Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!”
“You are robbing me of my children!
Genesis 43:6 NLT
6 “Why were you (speaking to the brothers) so cruel to me?” Jacob moaned. “Why did you tell him you had another brother?”
- Jacob was holding his sons accountable for the loss of Joseph and Simeon.
Clearly, there is dissension within the family.
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons (Jacob’s grandsons) if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back.”
Again tried to take the lead in doing the right thing.
38 But Jacob replied, “My son (clear favoritism over the other brothers) will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”
The brothers needed to acknowledge their crime against Joseph.
God planned to bring the family into Egypt so that it would grow there into a great nation. It was necessary that the people who entered into Egypt were faithful to the Lord.
- God was preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.
Romans 12:2 NLT
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
(More testing to follow)
