Gen 42:17-22 | KingComments | STEP | Only by bringing Benjamin to Joseph they can prove that they are honest people. Joseph and Benjamin belong together. Prophetically this points forward to the acceptance by Israel of the Lord Jesus, not only as Benjamin, but as Joseph, the picture of Him as the one they rejected, and Benjamin, a picture of Him in His reign in power. Joseph decides to put them in the jail. He makes them feel a bit of what he has been through. He was innocent there, they are rightly there. Yet they only experience a fraction of it. There they can also think about their fate for three days ( ). When they get out, they are told how they can prove the accuracy of their statements. To bring his brothers to a sincere confession of guilt, Joseph deals with them in different ways. Sometimes he uses severity, sometimes goodness; sometimes he threatens them, sometimes he encourages them; sometimes he accuses them, sometimes he makes a feast for them. This is not arbitrariness, but actions of great wisdom. This is how the Lord works with us when He wants to reach our heart and conscience. The accusation of espionage, which Joseph makes four times ( ), is not right. The brothers are no spies. Joseph, however, is concerned with their reaction to this. Their response to this accusation shows that they no longer intend to defend themselves. They notice that God is dealing with them. Instead of getting upset about injustice being done to us, we should ask ourselves more what God has to say to us with this. Do we have an eye for God’s hand in our lives?

‏ Genesis 42:17-22

The Test

Only by bringing Benjamin to Joseph they can prove that they are honest people. Joseph and Benjamin belong together. Prophetically this points forward to the acceptance by Israel of the Lord Jesus, not only as Benjamin, but as Joseph, the picture of Him as the one they rejected, and Benjamin, a picture of Him in His reign in power.

Joseph decides to put them in the jail. He makes them feel a bit of what he has been through. He was innocent there, they are rightly there. Yet they only experience a fraction of it. There they can also think about their fate for three days (Job 36:8-9). When they get out, they are told how they can prove the accuracy of their statements.

To bring his brothers to a sincere confession of guilt, Joseph deals with them in different ways. Sometimes he uses severity, sometimes goodness; sometimes he threatens them, sometimes he encourages them; sometimes he accuses them, sometimes he makes a feast for them. This is not arbitrariness, but actions of great wisdom. This is how the Lord works with us when He wants to reach our heart and conscience.

The accusation of espionage, which Joseph makes four times (Gen 42:9 ; 12 ; 14 ; 16), is not right. The brothers are no spies. Joseph, however, is concerned with their reaction to this. Their response to this accusation shows that they no longer intend to defend themselves. They notice that God is dealing with them. Instead of getting upset about injustice being done to us, we should ask ourselves more what God has to say to us with this. Do we have an eye for God’s hand in our lives?

Awareness of Guilt

The treatment they undergo brings the event with Joseph back to their remembrance. There may be events in our lives that forcefully remind us of things we have done that have not yet been cleared up, or which we remember with shame and are humiliated by (cf. 1Kgs 17:18). The awareness of guilt begins to awaken. The jail has done its work. They say: “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother” (Gen 42:21).

When Joseph hears how they speak about it, he must weep (Gen 42:24). He will do this several times in the following chapters (Gen 43:30 ; Gen 45:2 ; 14 ; Gen 46:29 ; Gen 50:1 ; 17). It shows how much the Lord Jesus is moved by the development someone experiences to come to terms with Him. As said, the work in their hearts has only just begun; more needs to be done about it. Simeon is bound. Will they come back because of him?