‏ Genesis 42

Summary for Gen 42:1-2: 42:1–47:31  ^a God used the famine to bring Israel to Egypt under Joseph’s rule, thus fulfilling two prophecies (15:13  ^b; 37:7-11  ^c).
Summary for Gen 42:1-44:34: 42:1–44:34  ^d Joseph did several unusual things to his brothers when they came looking for grain. The last time Joseph had been with them, they were filled with jealousy, hatred, and anger; they attempted to destroy their brother, and they deceived their father. Joseph put them through various tests, similar to the trying situations they had put him through, to see if they had changed.
42:4  ^e Jacob may have believed that Benjamin would not be safe with his brothers.
Summary for Gen 42:6-7: 42:6-7  ^f Joseph’s first dream (37:5-11  ^g) was partially fulfilled when his brothers bowed down to him without recognizing him (see also 43:26  ^h; 44:14  ⁱ). It was totally fulfilled in 50:18  ^j. Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, but he could not reveal himself because he did not yet trust them to be the honest men they claimed to be (42:10  ^k).
42:8  ^l they didn’t recognize him: Joseph was a grown man, not a boy. He was not wearing a beard, was dressed in Egyptian clothes, and was in an unexpected position, speaking to them through an interpreter (42:23  ^m).
42:9  ⁿ You are spies! The brothers had considered Joseph a spy for their father and had treated him roughly (37:2  ^o, 14  ^p, 18-28  ^q). Joseph was putting them in a similar situation to see how they would respond.
42:11  ^r Joseph knew that they had not always been the honest men they claimed to be.
Summary for Gen 42:15-17: 42:15-17  ^s Joseph put the brothers in jail for three days to see if they had a conscience functioning about what they had done (42:21-23  ^t). The brothers had similarly thrown Joseph into a cistern-prison while they decided what to do with him (37:24  ^u).
Summary for Gen 42:18-20: 42:18-20  ^v Rather than keep all but one, Joseph would release all but one to take grain home to their starving families.
Summary for Gen 42:21-23: 42:21-23  ^w Clearly we are being punished: The brothers sensed that having to bring Benjamin back to Egypt against their father’s wishes was God’s punishment for their having sold Joseph to the traders. The sense of divine retribution began to awaken feelings of remorse that Joseph’s cries for mercy and their father’s tears (37:34-35  ^x) had failed to arouse.
42:22  ^y you wouldn’t listen: Reuben had lost the reins of leadership (see study notes on 42:37; 49:3-4).
42:24  ^z Joseph turned away from them and began to weep (cp. 43:30  ^aa; 45:2  ^ab, 14  ^ac; 50:1  ^ad, 17  ^ae); perhaps he was hearing part of the story that he had never known (Reuben’s attempt to save him, 37:21-22  ^af, 29  ^ag), or his brothers’ remorse moved him to forgiveness.
Summary for Gen 42:25-28: 42:25-28  ^ah Joseph cared for his brothers’ needs; he had forgiven them (see study note on 42:24) and was fulfilling his role to provide for them. God used Joseph’s care to convict the brothers even more fully of their sin. 42:25  ^ai return each brother’s payment: He was now testing them to awaken their conscience and make them face their past guilt; once again, they were going home with silver instead of a brother (37:28-35  ^aj).
42:28  ^ak What has God done to us? They knew that God was behind everything that had been happening, so they faced a day of reckoning for their sins.
Summary for Gen 42:29-34: 42:29-34  ^al The brothers’ account focused on the accusation that they were spies and on the need to take Benjamin back to Egypt with them. They omitted their growing realization of divine retribution for their crime against Joseph.
42:36  ^am Filled with grief over two sons lost already, Jacob feared that he would also lose Benjamin if he went to Egypt.

• You are robbing me of my children! He did not realize the full truth of his words, but they must have stung his sons’ guilty consciences.
42:37  ^an Reuben tried to take the lead; perhaps he thought he could get back into his father’s good favor (see 35:22  ^ao), first by rescuing Joseph from certain death (37:21-22  ^ap, 29-30  ^aq) and now by keeping Benjamin safe.
42:38  ^ar Jacob was resolute in his favoritism toward Rachel’s remaining son. Benjamin would not go to Egypt even if it meant that Leah’s son Simeon never returned. Jacob’s grief apparently weighed heavily on the brothers’ conscience (44:18-34  ^as).

‏ Genesis 43

Summary for Gen 43:1-7: 43:1-7  ^at As the famine continued, Jacob’s family needed more grain, but they could not return to Egypt without Benjamin (42:16  ^au, 20  ^av). Jacob realized that he was in a bind; he needed more food but was loath to lose Benjamin.
Summary for Gen 43:8-10: 43:8-10  ^aw Judah broke the deadlock by taking responsibility for Benjamin’s well-being, thus succeeding where Reuben failed. His action was fitting, since it had been his idea to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites (37:26-27  ^ax) instead of killing him. Now he would secure Benjamin’s safety with his own life (see 44:18-34  ^ay).
Summary for Gen 43:11-13: 43:11-13  ^az Jacob provided everything he could to ensure a favorable reception from the Egyptian governor (the man; cp. 32:13-21  ^ba).
Summary for Gen 43:13-14: 43:13-14  ^bb Jacob finally entrusted his family’s future to God Almighty, the divine title that stresses God’s power (see also 17:1  ^bc; 28:3  ^bd; 35:11  ^be; 48:3  ^bf; 1 Kgs 19:10  ^bg, 14  ^bh; Rev 21:22  ^bi).
43:16  ^bj When Joseph saw Benjamin with them: Joseph now knew that Benjamin was well (see study note on 42:1–44:34). The feast was both a celebration and a test.
43:18  ^bk The brothers were terrified: Cp. 32:6-12  ^bl. Their guilt would not let them see that something good might happen.
Summary for Gen 43:19-22: 43:19-22  ^bm The brothers, completely vulnerable and feeling the weight of God’s judgment on their consciences, approached the manager in desperation.
43:24  ^bn Joseph no longer treated his brothers harshly, but provided kind hospitality.
43:26  ^bo For the second time, the brothers bowed ... before Joseph in fulfillment of his first dream (37:7  ^bp; see 42:6-7  ^bq; cp. 33:3  ^br).
43:29  ^bs May God be gracious to you, my son: Joseph’s blessing to his full brother fulfilled Jacob’s prayer (43:14  ^bt).
43:30  ^bu he was overcome with emotion for his brother: Cp. 42:24  ^bv. Joseph’s tears were of painful memories and years of lost fellowship, as well as of joy and thanksgiving at seeing his brother again.

• He went into his private room: He did not yet plan to reveal his identity.
43:33  ^bw to their amazement: This ruler knew more about the brothers than seemed possible (cp. 44:15  ^bx).
43:34  ^by The brothers were confronted with generous and gracious dealings from God through Joseph, who tested their tolerance by reenacting the favoritism toward Rachel’s son that had galvanized their earlier hostility.

‏ Genesis 44

Summary for Gen 44:1-34: 44:1-34  ^bz The brothers appeared to have changed; they had shown remorse over what they had done to Joseph, and they showed integrity in returning the money and in bringing Benjamin. Given a chance to get rid of Rachel’s other son, Benjamin, would they do it?
44:2  ^ca Joseph was giving his brothers the chance to abandon Benjamin if they wanted to. Joseph was testing them to see if they were loyal to the family and faithful to their father.
44:5  ^cb This description would make the brothers understand that the ruler knew things that others could not.

• Hydromancy (pouring water into oil) and oenomancy (pouring wine into other liquids) were methods of divination used in the ancient Near East that would have required such a cup. Joseph was continuing his ruse (see 42:7  ^cc; cp. 30:27  ^cd; see also Lev 19:26  ^ce; Num 23:23  ^cf; Deut 18:10-11  ^cg)—he knew that only God grants revelation (see Gen 37:5-9  ^ch; 40:8  ^ci; 41:16  ^cj).
Summary for Gen 44:9-10: 44:9-10  ^ck The punishment that the brothers proposed was harsher than necessary; it was normal in antiquity to stake your life on what you said. The palace manager was agreeable but enforced a punishment that matched Joseph’s intentions (44:17  ^cl).
Summary for Gen 44:11-12: 44:11-12  ^cm The palace manager knew where the cup was, but he created more anxiety by beginning with the oldest.
44:13  ^cn they tore their clothing in despair: They knew what it would do to Jacob to lose Benjamin (42:38  ^co).
44:14  ^cp This time, the brothers did not bow politely (see 42:6-7  ^cq; 43:26  ^cr); they fell to the ground in desperation, fulfilling Joseph’s first dream for the third time (see 37:10  ^cs).
44:16  ^ct Judah again spoke for the group.

• God is punishing us for our sins: God was completing the work of repentance in their hearts. Judah again proposed that they all be punished. Benjamin was seemingly guilty of this theft, but all of the others were guilty of sin against Joseph. They preferred not returning to Jacob at all versus seeing his grief at the loss of Benjamin (44:34  ^cu).
Summary for Gen 44:18-34: 44:18-34  ^cv Judah made good on his promise to pay for Benjamin’s safety (43:8-10  ^cw). His lengthy plea to be imprisoned in place of the lad (44:33  ^cx) is one of the most moving acts of intercession in Scripture. It demonstrated Judah’s concern for their father and his willingness to give up everything for the sake of his brother. With this kind of integrity (see John 15:13  ^cy), Judah showed himself to be a true leader, qualified to receive the blessing of the firstborn. Through him the kings of Israel would come (see Gen 49:10  ^cz).

• The brothers had fully repented, as expressed by Judah’s intercession. Because of their change, Joseph could make himself known to them (45:1-15  ^da) and arrange for the family to join him in Egypt where there was food (45:16  ^db; 47:12  ^dc).
Summary for Gen 44:32-34: 44:32-34  ^dd Judah was willing to give up his family, his future, and his freedom for others.