Gen. 42-45:8: “Joseph Is Reunited With His Brothers And Father”

By

Jim Bomkamp

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1.                  INTRO:

 

1.1.         In our last study, we looked at chapter 41 of Genesis.

 

1.1.1.  We saw how what had been revealed to Joseph when he was a boy about being exalted above his brothers and even father and mother, was fulfilled.  We saw the events that led Joseph to being placed over the entire nation of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. 

 

1.1.2.  When Pharaoh had a dream and was not able to find anyone to interpret it, the chief cup bearer told Pharaoh about Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams.  Then, Pharaoh called for Joseph and Joseph came and interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream.  When Pharaoh realized that Joseph’s interpretation was from the Lord, he placed Joseph in a high position over all of Egypt, second only to his own throne.

 

1.1.3.  We saw two things in that study that have never been exceeded in history, making it an incredible story:

 

1.1.3.1.A greater reversal of fortunes for good has never happened to a person than what happened with Joseph.

 

1.1.3.2.A nation has never since taken heed to God’s counsel in order to avoid a tragedy as Egypt did in listening to Joseph’s wisdom after he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream for him.

 

1.2.         In our study today, we are going to look at Genesis 42-45:8.

 

1.2.1.  This is the incredibly moving story of how Joseph becomes reconciled back to his brothers and family.  We will see how that grace and forgiveness wins out in the end, and also how that the heritage of the godly seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, is preserved through a dire seven year famine.

 

1.2.2.  When our story picks up today, it has been over twenty years since the day that Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave to some Ishmaelites who were headed to Egypt.  He was a young lad not even in his teens at that point.  The brothers had been jealous of Joseph because he was his father’s favorite, plus he had told them of a couple of dreams that he had which revealed the dominance that he would have over his brothers and even his father and mother.  After enterin Egypt, Joseph was sold and had initially been a servant in the house of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s body guard.  Though he had initially gained favor with Potiphar, later when he refused the seductive advances of Potiphar’s wife who then accused him of attempting to rape her, he had been thrown into jail.  Joseph spent the next spent thirteen years in prison.  But, when Pharaoh had a couple of dreams for which he wanted interpretation and it was told him that Joseph could interpret dreams, then Joseph was freed and came before Pharaoh and interpreted his dreams to indicate that there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.  After interpreting those dreams Pharaoh had placed Joseph second in command over all of Egypt, and he was set over the administration of Pharaoh’s program to store up grain in each of the cities in Egypt over the span of the seven years of abundances.  Those seven years had now come and gone and so much grain had been stored during those years no one could even count it all.  Now, the years of abundance were over and the predicted famine had come.  People from all over the world were coming to Egypt to purchase grain to save their families.

 

1.2.3.  We will see that when Jacob’s family runs out of grain that he sends all but one of his sons to Egypt to purchase grain so that they might not starve to death.  When the men get to Egypt they run immediately into Joseph for he personally was overseeing the distribution of all of the grain that was sold to people.  However the brothers do not recognize Joseph, and he speaks to them through an interpreter.

 

1.2.4.  We will see that Joseph sets up several tests for his brothers so that he might know if they were still as reckless and wicked as they had been when they had sold him as a slave twenty years prior, after initially planning to kill him. 

 

1.2.5.  After initially sending the brothers to jail for three days, Joseph retains Simeon and makes the rest of the brothers return home and bring back Benjamin, the only brother Joseph had by his mother.  Finally, when Joseph’s brothers have passed all of his tests, he reveals himself to his brothers and is finally reunited with them.

 

1.2.6.  Joseph tells his brothers that he holds no resentment towards them and that he realizes that though they were at fault in doing what they had done to him that nonetheless the Lord had a purpose in what he had gone through because of being sold into slavery. 

 

1.2.7.  We will see both Judah and Joseph act as a type of Christ in this study.  

    

2.                 VS 42:1-5  - “1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” 2 He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.” 3 Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm may befall him.” 5 So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.” –  Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to purchase grain for the family because of the famine in the land of Canaan

 

2.1.         Here we see that when Jacob realized that there was grain that could be purchased in Egypt that his sons were just ‘staring at one another.’  Evidently, hearing the same report as their father the men were not wanting to return to Egypt for fear of running into their brother Joseph, whom they had sold into slavery over twenty years prior. 

 

2.2.         The famine was dire all over the world at this time, some had already died of starvation.  Jacob tells his sons to get down to Egypt, and he tells them ‘so that we may live and not die.’

 

2.3.         Note also that Jacob was not willing to let his youngest son, Benjamin, go with the rest of his sons down to Egypt.  Joseph and Benjamin were the only sons born to his wife Rachel, the love of his life, and he had already lost Joseph twenty years earlier, so he was not willing to risk losing Benjamin.

 

3.                 VS 42:6-17  - “6 Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” 8 But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land.” 10 Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 “We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” 12 Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!” 13 But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.” 14 Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies; 15 by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! 16 “Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 So he put them all together in prison for three days.” -  Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt and bow before him asking if they can buy grain for the family, but Joseph accuses them of being spies and throws them in jail for three days

 

3.1.         When the brothers get to Egypt and desire to buy grain they are immediately brought into the presence of Joseph since Joseph was administering the storage cities granaries.  However, the brothers do not recognize Joseph and he spoke to them through an interpreter.  In fact, until Joseph reveals himself to his brothers in chapter 45, they don’t even know his name and refer to him simply as “the man.”

 

3.2.         Recognizing his brothers, Joseph spoke harshly with them. 

 

3.3.         In fulfillment of the dreams that Joseph had when just a boy, the brothers immediately ‘bowed down to him with their faces to the ground,’ and we read here that ‘Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them.’

 

3.4.         Joseph had considered that eventually his family would have to come to him to buy grain because the famine was in all of the countries.  He wanted to be reconciled to his family but wondered if his brothers were still as cruel wanton to perform evil as they were twenty years earlier when they had because of their jealousy of him resolved to sell him off as a slave, after an initial discussion of killing him.  Joseph must have wondered if these brothers of his could ever be the patriarchs that God wanted them to be, and if God’s plans in the earth for the godly seed, who would crush the head of Satan, could be fulfilled through his family.  

 

3.5.         With Egypt having the only source of grain in the known world at this point in time, there was a definite fear that some nation or tribe might try to attack one of the grain storage cities that Joseph had set up and which now contained the abundance of grain collected during the seven years of abundance.  This is why previously Joseph had mentioned his plan to put guards at each of the storage cities to protect the grain from robbers.

 

3.6.         In Joseph’s first test of his brothers to see if their hearts had truly changed and they had repented of their sins before the Lord, he accuses them of having an ulterior motive in coming to buy grain.  He accuses them of coming to spy out the land for an attack against them.

 

3.7.         The brothers try to defend their innocence by telling Joseph through the interpreter that they are honest people and twelve brothers of one father, that one of their brothers is no more, and that the youngest brother is at home with his father.  Joseph again accuses them of lying and of coming to spy out their land.

 

3.8.         Joseph throws the whole group in the prison for three days, mentioning that they will have to return later with their younger brother.

 

4.                 VS 42:18-27  - “18 Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.” 22 Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood.” 23 They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them. 26 So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.” -  After three days, Joseph released all of the brothers but Simeon to go back to Canaan and bring their youngest brother, and the brothers took the bags of grain that they had paid for, but Joseph first had his servant put each man’s money back into his sack before they left to go back to Canaan

 

4.1.         On the third day, Joseph came to his brothers and told them that he feared God and that if they wanted to live then they must let one of their brothers stay behind in prison and then go back to their family but bring their youngest brother back with them.

 

4.2.         Joseph’s brothers didn’t recognize him yet and they didn’t realize either that he understood all of their speaking.  The brothers begin at this point to discuss amongst themselves that these things were happening to them because they had not had compassion on young Joseph, even when they ‘saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded’ with them.  They sensed God was dealing with them for their sin. 

 

4.3.         Joseph might have wondered if Reuben, the oldest of the brothers, had been the main culprit in causing him to be sold into slavery.  However, Joseph heard Reuben say to his brothers that he had told them back then not to ‘sin against the boy.’  But, they wouldn’t listen to Reuben.  We saw when we studied that section of Genesis where Joseph was sold, that the fact that Reuben had slept with his father’s concubine before this had caused him to lose all moral authority with his brothers.  For this reason, though Reuben was the oldest son his brothers would not listen to his counsel when he tried to restrain them from harming Joseph.

 

4.4.         Because Reuben was not the main instigator in getting him sold as a slave, Joseph knew that Simeon must have been the main culprit.  This assumption by Joseph also took into account the fact that it was Levi and Simeon that previously had deceived the Schemites and slew the men of the city after promising them that if they got circumcised that they would let the men of the city intermarry with their family, and the man Hamor could take their sister Dana as a wife.  For this reason, Joseph required that Simeon be left in the prison until the rest of the brothers brought their youngest brother Benjamin with them to Joseph in Egypt.

 

4.5.         Joseph had one of his servants put each man’s money back into his sack and then the men headed back to their home in the land of Canaan.

 

4.6.         By requiring that his brothers bring back with them Benjamin, his younger brother by the same mother, Joseph was testing his brothers to see if they had killed or treated Benjamin as they had treated him twenty years earlier.

 

5.                 VS 42:27-35  - “27 As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. 28 Then he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts sank, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?” 29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 “But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. 32 ‘We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’ 33 “The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go. 34 ‘But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’ ” 35 Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed.” -  Just before the brothers got home from Egypt one of the brothers opened his sack and found his money in the sack, when they got home they told their father about how that the man in Egpyt had required that they return with their younger brother, then each of the brothers opened his sack and found that he too had his money returned in his sack

 

5.1.         When the brothers got close to their home one of them opened his sack to give his donkey some fodder and discovered that his money was in the mouth of his sack.  He told his brothers about finding his money and ‘their hearts sank’ because they knew they were probably going to be accused of stealing from Pharaoh whenever they returned to Egypt.

 

5.2.         The brothers tell their father about one of the brothers finding his money in his sack.  Then, they discover that each of them has his money in his sack.

 

5.3.         The brothers ‘were dismayed’ by this turn of events.  They were becoming more and more convinced that God was dealing with them for what they had done to their brother Joseph when they sold him into slavery.

 

6.                 VS 42:36-38  - “36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.” 37 Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you.” 38 But Jacob said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”” -  Joseph blames his sons for taking Joseph from him and now Simeon, then he forbids them to take Benjamin back with them to Egypt

 

6.1.         Jacob now begins to blame his sons for everything.  They were responsible for him losing Joseph; they were responsible for Simeon being taken; and, they were responsible for his losing Benjamin now.

 

6.2.         Note here that Jacob was failing this test of his faith for he says that everything was going against him all of them time. 

 

6.3.         Reuben speaks without really thinking and offers that if he does not make sure that he brings back Benjamin alive from Egypt that Jacob would be able to put his two sons to death.  This offer made no sense, for what grandfather would want to put his grandsons to death?

 

6.4.         Jacob refuses to allow the brothers to take Benjamin back with them to Egypt.

 

7.                 VS 43:1-10  - “1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” 3 Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 “If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 “But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ” 6 Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?” 7 But they said, “The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 9 “I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever. 10 “For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”” -  The famine in the land became severe and when Jacob’s family had eaten all of the grain they had bought from Egypt, Jacob tells his sons to go back and buy more grain, then Judah offers himself as surety for taking Benjamin with them back to Egypt

 

7.1.         The famine was so severe in the land that Jacob finally realized that with all of their grain having been eaten that they were all going to die.  There was no way that he could continue to disallow Benjamin from going with his brothers back to Egypt so that they could buy grain.  The brothers reassured Jacob that if Benjamin doesn’t return with them that “the man” (Joseph) in Egypt will put them to death.  If they return they must take him.

 

7.2.         Judah now offers his own life to his father as surety that his brother Benjamin will return back to his father after journeying with them to Egypt to buy grain.  Reuben’s previous offer to let his father kill his two sons was not sincere nor wise, but now Judah’s offer is selfless and honorable.  Judah is willing to give his own life in place of his brother Benjamin.  We will see more in our story of how in being willing to do this for his brother Judah fulfills a type of Christ.

 

8.                 VS 43:11-15  - “11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 “Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 13 “Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; 14 and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15 So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.” -  Jacob finally resolves to let his sons take Benjamin with them to Egypt to buy grain and he gives them some gifts to give to the man in Egypt as well their original money and double the money to buy more grain

 

8.1.         We note here that in this verse Jacob begins to be referred to by his God-given name of “Israel.”  When we read the various stories about Jacob, when he was walking by faith and fulfilling God’s plans for his life, he will often then be called by the name of “Israel,” otherwise he will be called “Jacob.”  I wish that designation was consistent throughout the Genesis and Exodus, however it is not.  Jacob is now resigned that he has to send his youngest son back to Egypt and he is finally willing to trust the Lord with whatever results.  For his faith in this regard I believe his name is called “Israel” here.

 

8.2.         Jacob (“Israel”) prepares a generous gift for his sons to take to Egypt to present to “the man” as a present. 

 

8.3.         Likewise, Jacob gives his sons twice the money that they had paid before their grain, plus the money that they had found in the bags when they returned from Egypt.

 

8.4.         Jacob sends off his sons with this blessing:  ‘May God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin.’

 

9.                 VS 43:16-25  - “16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys.” 19 So they came near to Joseph’s house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, 21 and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full. So we have brought it back in our hand. 22 “We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 He said, “Be at ease, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder. 25 So they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.” -  When Joseph saw that his brothers had brought back with them Benjamin, their younger brother, he had the men brought to his house and a meal was prepared for them, and when the brothers spoke to the Joseph’s steward about the fact that their money was in their sacks when they returned, the steward told tem that their God must have put the treasure into their sacks

 

9.1.         When Jacob’s sons arrived in Egypt and appeared before Joseph again, Joseph noticed that his younger brother Benjamin was with them.  Because Benjamin was with them he had the brothers brought to his house and ordered his servants to ‘slay and animal and make ready’ for a noon mean for everyone.  Now that Joseph knew that his brothers had not killed Benjamin or also sold him into slavery, in his mind his brothers had passed yet another test.

 

9.2.         The brothers were afraid because Joseph had invited them to his house instead of interrogating them for theft.  They feared that men would fall upon them there and enslave them.  It is interesting to see their consciences at work.  That had sold Joseph as a slave and now they feared that they would be sold as slaves.

 

9.3.         When the brothers told Joseph’s steward how that they did not understand how that their money had ended back in their sacks and that they did not steal the money, the steward told them that it must have been their God who put their money back because he had received their money.  This steward was surely told by Joseph exactly what he was to say to them about their money being returned.

 

9.4.         When the brothers came into the house they were surprised to find that Simeon was also released and joined them at dinner.

 

9.5.         The brothers were given water to wash their feet and their donkeys were fed for them.

 

10.            VS 43:26-30  - “26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him. 27 Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, “Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” They bowed down in homage. 29 As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there.” -  Joseph came home and they brought their present to him, and he asked about their father, then when he saw Benjamin he asked them if he was their youngest brother, but then he was so deeply stirred over seeing his brother he had to leave to go into his chamber and weep

 

10.1.    When Joseph finally came to the house the brothers gave them the gift that their father had given them to give him.

 

10.2.    Joseph asked if their father was still alive and well, and was given an affirmative answer.

 

10.3.    When Joseph saw Benjamin, his younger brother from the same mother, he couldn’t handle it and left immediately to go to his chamber and weep.

 

11.            VS 43:31-34  - “31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, “Serve the meal.” 32 So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is loathsome to the Egyptians. 33 Now they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34 He took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.” -  Joseph washed his face and returned to his brothers and told his servants to serve the mean, and they were seated so that the brothers were in the order of their age, the Egyptians were at a table by themselves, and Joseph by himself, but Joseph had Benjamin given five times as much as any of the other brothers

 

11.1.    Joseph ordered the meal to be served, and he had each table set accordingly:

 

11.1.1.The brothers were at their own table, and Joseph had them seated in the order of their ages.

 

11.1.1.1.There are an incredible number of orders that eleven people could be seated in, and I have read that the odds of this happening by chance turns out to be almost one in forty million.

 

11.1.1.2.The fact that the brothers had all been seated in their birth order must have reinforced their apprehension that God was judging them for what they had done to their brother Joseph twenty years earlier.

 

11.2.    The next test that Joseph had for the brothers is that he had Benjamin given five times the portions given to the other brothers in order to see how the other brothers would treat Benjamin as a result of this.  Would they act with jealousy towards Benjamin as they had acted in jealousy towards Joseph when he was favored by his father?

 

12.            VS 44:1-14  - “1 Then he commanded his house steward, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 “Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph had told him. 3 As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys. 4 They had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, “Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 ‘Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.’ ” 6 So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. 8 “Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” 10 So he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” 11 Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.” -  As Joseph’s brothers get ready to leave Joseph commands his steward to put each man’s money back in his sack and to put Joseph’s divination cup in Benjamin’s sack, then when the men are just outside of town Joseph commands his servant to go and to accuse them of stealing his divination cup, a search is made and when the cup is found in Benjamin’s sack the brothers head back with the steward to Joseph’s house

 

12.1.    As Joseph’s brothers are getting ready to leave, Joseph again tells his steward to return each man’s money to his sack.  However, for he yet another test of the brothers he tells the steward to put the cup that he does divination with placed in Benjamin’s sack.  Joseph determines to see how the brothers react when Benjamin is found with Joseph’s cup.

 

12.2.    When the men had just left the city, Joseph sent his steward to follow after them and accuse them of stealing Joseph’s divination cup.  When the man apprehended Joseph’s brothers they denied to a man that they had stolen Joseph’s cup.  They even recommended that if any of them be found with his cup that he should be put to death.  They also tell the steward that their innocence should be seen merely in the fact that they had returned their money they had found in their sacks before.

 

12.3.    The steward then tells the brothers that the one who should have Joseph’s divination cup would then be his slave.  When a search was made the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

 

12.4.    The brothers passed another test here.  When the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, rather than turn on him and testify against him, they instead ‘tore their clothes’ because they were sincerely depressed that their brother had been found to have the cup.

 

12.5.    The brothers reloaded their donkeys and headed back to Egypt with Joseph’s steward.

 

13.            VS 44:13-44  - “14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?” 16 So Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.” 18 Then Judah approached him, and said, “Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh. 19 “My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ 20 “We said to my lord, ‘We have an old father and a little child of his old age. Now his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.’ 21 “Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22 “But we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 “You said to your servants, however, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 24 “Thus it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 “Our father said, ‘Go back, buy us a little food.’ 26 “But we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 “Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces,” and I have not seen him since. 29 ‘If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ 30 “Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. 32 “For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.’ 33 “Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 “For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would overtake my father?”” -  When the brothers come back to Joseph’s house they bow before him and Judah explains how that his father had not wanted to send the youngest son to Egypt and that he had made himself surety for the boy, therefore Judah asks that Joseph take himself as a slave and let the boy go back to his father

 

13.1.    When the brothers are brought before Joseph they again fall upon their faces before him, and he asks them how they could spurn his gifts and kindness to them by stealing the cup that he uses for his divination? 

 

13.2.    The brothers do not try to plead their innocence because the proof of their guilt was just too overwhelming. 

 

13.3.    What Judah next does is completely outstanding.  He tells Joseph about how that if Benjamin were to be taken from their father that the news might kill him, especially since his father had already lost Benjamin’s older brother by the same wife.  Judah requests that Joseph take him and make him his slave in exchange for Benjamin.  This selfless and self-sacrificing act of Judah’s makes him worthy of being the one from whom the godly seed, the Savior of the world, would come.  To be willing to exchange his life for his brother typifies Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death upon the cross for mankind.

 

14.            VS 45:1-8  - “1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. 3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 “For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” -  Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and then tells them that he does not hold any bitterness towards them

 

14.1.    Joseph’s brothers had passed every test that he had put before them, and he knew now that they were fit to fulfill their roles as the patriarchs God had called them to be.  So, Joseph now was overcome with emotion because of his desire to reveal himself to his brothers and be reconciled and reunited with them.

 

14.2.    Joseph told all of his servants go out from the room so that he could be alone with his brothers.  He then began to weep so loudly that the Egyptians in the rest of the house and even in Pharaoh’s house could hear him.  Then, he spoke to his brothers in their Hebrew dialect and told them:  “I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt.”

 

14.3.    After Joseph told his brothers who he was they were speechless and ‘dismayed at his presence.’ 

 

14.4.    Joseph asks his brothers if his father is alive, but what he was really asking was how his father is in more specific detail about him.  He had already been told that his father was alive and well. 

 

14.5.    Joseph asks his brothers to come close to him, and then he tells them not to be grieved or angry with themselves about what they had done to him twenty years earlier when they had sold him into slavery.  He tells them that it all came about because of the Lord’s desire to spare them when this famine struck.  In fact, it was to spare life in general that he had been sold into slavery.

 

14.5.1.Joseph’s words here are a tremendous example to us to look at things that happen in our lives from the perspective that even though we do not know why God allows some things to occur, that nonetheless He has a very good reason for the things that come into our life.

 

14.5.2.Joseph is also an example to us of how when we look at things from God’s perspective we can forgive those who have done bad things to us.  God allows all things to happen in our life in order that He can work His purposes in us.

 

14.6.    Joseph acts as a type of Christ in that He forgives the sins of those who had sinned against him, and he does not hold any of their transgressions against them.  Further, he tells them not to grieve or be angry with themselves, which is similar to the work of justification that occurs in the life of a believer when he has received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

 

15.            CONCLUSIONS

 

15.1.    Remember Joseph when someone has wronged you and look at your situation as being something that God has allowed into your life for some good purpose, though you may not realize what it is at the time.

 

15.2.    We are also called upon to be willing to lay our lives down for our brethren in the same way Jesus Christ laid His life down for us, and Judah is willing to lay his life down for his brother.

 

15.3.    Realize that God is causing all things to work together for good in our lives, as Joseph realizes in our study, and Romans 8:28 tells us.

 

15.4.    Learn to forgive others as Joseph forgave his brothers and did not hold their wrong against them.

 

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