(Gen 41:53) Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, {54} and the seven years of famine began to come,
as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. {55} So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do."
Pharaoh was wise and honorable. He didn’t take away from Joseph. He honored him, and he left him to complete the plan he had begun.
(Gen 41:56) The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. {57} So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands."
Joseph was a savior.
Not the Savior
And not a Savior from sin,
But a savior from starvation.
A savior from physical death.
Stephen tells the story: (Acts 7:9-15 NKJV) "And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him {10} "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. {11} "Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. {12} "But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. {13} "And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh. {14} "Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. {15} "So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers.
So Joseph was a savior for his family—the
children of Israel—from starvation.
(Acts 7:12) "But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
That’s where our story begins this evening:
(Gen 42 NKJV) When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?" {2} And he said, "Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die." {3} So Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. {4} But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "Lest some calamity befall him."
What can we say at this point? Did Jacob feel Joseph’s brothers may have somehow been involved in what he thought was the death of Joseph? That we don’t know. We can say this: For whatever reason, he would not trust the safety of Benjamin to the care of his ten brothers.
(Gen 42:5) And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
(Gen 42:5 NIV) So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.
A dramatic moment! Joseph meets his brothers! His dream has come true! -- At least almost.
(Gen 42:6) Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. {7} Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food." {8} So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. {9} Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!"
(Gen 37:5-8 NKJV) Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. {6} So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: {7} "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf." {8} And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
“Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them,” The story continues:
(Gen 42:10) And they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. {11} "We are all one man's sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies." {12} But he said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land." {13} And they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan;
(Gen 42:13b) and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more." {14} But Joseph said to them, "It is as I spoke to you, saying, 'You are spies!' {15} "In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. {16} "Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!" {17} So he put them all together in prison three days.
Joseph’ first dream has been completely fulfilled. It is as if the second is about to be. Tables have now turned completely. Joseph is in control. They are the ones who are in prison.
(Gen 42:18) Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God: {19} "If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.
This is very generous compared to his first offer: The first offer was one goes, and nine stay. Now nine go, and one stays.
(Gen 42:20) "And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.
“bring your youngest brother!” What an order that is! They probably had little idea how difficult that would be.
And now the total break down! The whole truth comes rolling out!
(Gen 42:21) Then they said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us." {22} And Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us."
(Gen 42:23) But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.” --- [But their story got to him] {24} And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them.
Joseph was 30 when the seven years of plenty started. We are now into at least one year of famine. Over 20 years have passed, but all he remembers is what he heard that day as they sold him into slavery. Only at this moment is he learning that Reuben was not a party to the plan to get rid of him. Twenty years! Now he learns, and he weeps, but it isn’t over yet.
(Gen 42:24b) And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. {25} Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man's money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them. {26} So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there.
(Gen 42:27) But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. {28} So he said to his brothers, "My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!" Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, "What is this that God has done to us?"
Something very generous has been done for them, but they cannot accept it as that. Because of all that has happened, they are further terrified by an act of generosity. Some have even compared this as another comparison between Joseph and Christ—He gives to us without charge.
Now they report to Dad!
(Gen 42:29) Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying: {30} "The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. {31} "But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies.
(Gen 42:32) 'We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.' {33} "Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone. {34} 'And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.'" {35} Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. {36} And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me."
Reuben makes an unbelievable offer of security that he will bring Benjamin back safely.
(Gen 42:37) Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you."
But Jacob will not accept his offer of security for Benjamin. Instead, they will all do without food—At least for the moment.
(Gen 42:38) But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave."
“For his brother is dead, and he is left alone.”
Translation: Rachel was my life. She is dead! Joseph is dead! Benjamin is all I have left: “and he is left alone.”
So ends Genesis 42: Simeon is left is prison in Egypt—does that matter? Apparently not much. The family is running out of food. Does that matter? Apparently not until they do run out!
Bible Study with Harley My Sunday Evening Lessons