1 When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. 5 Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” 8 And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”
12 He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.” 13 And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.” 14 But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. 15 By this you shall 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, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 And he put them all together in custody for three days.
18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
The scene returns to Canaan where Joseph’s family are also struggling in the famine. Joseph’s brothers are clearly at a loss for what to do. Jacob’s response, “Why do you look at one another?” is a lot like today’s saying, “Don’t just stand there, do something.” Jacob tells them that he has heard that there is food for sale in Egypt and sends them to buy food. He doesn’t allow Benjamin to go with them. While he hasn’t found out the truth of what happened to Joseph, Jacob seems to be aware of his sons’ character flaws and is perhaps afraid that if Benjamin (the other son of Rachel) goes with them, then something will happen to him under their care as well. Poor choices in life lead to a bad character and a bad reputation. It can be incredibly hard to recover from the bad choices we make—especially if we remain unrepentant. Contrast Joseph with his brothers. Who are you growing to be like? A person of character and faith, or a person of deceit and poor choices?
The brothers arrive and have to come before Joseph to buy food. They bow before him and don’t recognise him, but he recognises them. He remembered his dreams. But there is a problem. Joseph’s dreams were about eleven brothers and his parents bowing before him and here are only ten. The dreams are not yet fulfilled. Joseph knew that the entire family needed to come to Egypt and so he begins to work a plan to get them there. His actions with his brothers seem harsh but there is an underlying love as he works things to get them to see the error of their ways and bring them to a point of repentance.
This just reminded me to be merciful and forgiving to others when given the opportunity because God does the same for us
Yet again what I knoticed was that Joseph openly spoke about fearing God and knowing him. We should all speak more openly about knowing God and not try to hide it.
What I learnt was we should be patient and mercifully around others