BOWING BROTHERS

BOOK OF GENESIS

CHAPTER 43

            A friendly welcome to you from Daily Bread.   It's good to have you join us for the continuation of our story about Israel’s son Joseph and the famine in Egypt.  In our last segment, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food from Joseph, but they didn’t recognize him.  He accused them of being spies and kept his brother Simeon imprisoned while the other brothers returned home to get their youngest brother Benjamin.  Joseph told them to bring him back in order to prove that they weren’t spies.  But alas, in fear of losing another son, Israel wouldn’t let Benjamin return with them. 

            The famine remained severe in the land, and when Israel and his family ate up all the food that they brought back from Egypt, Israel told them to go back to buy a little more food.

            Judah repeated to Israel what Joseph said before they left Egypt.  You will not see my face unless your youngest brother is with you.  If you’ll send him with us, we’ll go and buy food, but if you won’t, we won’t go.  In anguish, Israel said, Why did you do me so wrong by telling the man you had another brother?  They replied, He asked us where we were from and about our family.  He asked, Is your father still alive?  Do you have another brother?  We certainly didn’t know that he’d say, Bring your brother here to me.

            Judah added, Send Benjamin with me and we’ll go so we can buy food, then we and all our children can stay alive and not starve to death.  I guarantee I’ll bring him back or the blame will be on me for ever.  If you had let us go before, we’d be back by now. 

            Israel conceded and said, If it must be, then take the best fruits in the land and take the man a present, a little balm, honey, spices, myrrh, nuts and almonds and twice as much money as you brought back in your sacks.  Maybe it was a mistake.  Take Benjamin and go again to the man, and may God Almighty give you mercy in his eyes so he’ll send Simeon and Benjamin back home.  If I am left childless, I am left childless.

            So they did as Israel said, and went back to Egypt and stood before Joseph.  And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he told his steward to bring them to his home and make a feast so they could eat with him.

            They were all afraid being brought to Joseph’s house.  They thought they’d be accused of stealing the money that was returned in their sacks and they’d be taken prisoners.

            When they arrived at Joseph’s door they explained to the steward that when they were returning home to Canaan and stopped at the inn on the way, they were surprised to see that the money they used to pay for the food was replaced in their sacks, so they brought it back with them again along with more money to buy food.

            The steward said, Peace be with you, don’t be afraid.  Your God and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks.  I received your money.  And he brought Simeon out to them.  Then he brought them into Joseph’s house and gave them water.  They washed their feet and the steward gave their mules food.

            They got their present ready to give Joseph.  When Joseph got home, they brought him the present and bowed themselves to him.  Joseph asked how they were and said, Is your father well, the old man that you talked about?  Is he still alive?

            They answered, Our father is alive and well.  And they bowed again in respect.  Then Joseph noticed his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother that you spoke of?  And he said to Benjamin, God be gracious to you, my son.

            Joseph hurried away to where he couldn’t be seen because his soul was so moved at the sight of his little brother that he wanted to cry.  He went to his room and wept there, then he composed himself, washed his face, returned to his brothers and told the steward to set out the meal.

            Joseph sat separately from his brothers, and the Egyptians that ate with him sat separately because the Egyptians thought it was a disgrace to eat with Hebrews.

The brothers sat according to their age, from the firstborn to the youngest.  They marveled at each other and Joseph sent their servings to them, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of the others.  And they all drank and had a joyous time together.

            There is relief in the air as the brothers are confident that they’ve proven they aren’t spies.  Now they can return to Israel with Benjamin and Simeon safe and sound … but the story isn’t over yet. We’ll find out what happened after that in our next Daily Bread.
 

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