Geneses Chapter 43- The Second Encounter of Brothers

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Geneses Chapter 43-

The Second Encounter of Brothers

The Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/GEN.43.NIV

The Second Journey to Egypt

1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.

2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.” (Jacob asked his sons to buy more grain from Egypt.)

3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ” (Judah insisted that they must bring Benjamin to buy grain again.)

6 Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?” (Jacob was agonized for the possible danger for Benjamin, and blamed them for mentioning Benjamin. He loved Rachel and her two children.)

7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?” (They answered that they must mention Benjamin because of Joseph's detailed question about their family.)

8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.

9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.

10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.” (Judah guaranteed the safety of Benjamin.)

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: (The eventual need of food overrode Jacob's worry for the safety of Benjamin.) Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift- a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.

12 Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.

14 And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” (Eventually, Jacob sent his sons with Benjamin and much more gift to please the Egyptian governor.)

15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. (They went to Joseph again.)

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.” (Seeing his own brother Benjamin, Joseph invited them to his private house.)

17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. (So they were led to Joseph's house by the steward.)

18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.” (Joseph's brothers were frightened for special visit to Joshep's private house due to what had happened.)

19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.

20 “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.

21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver- the exact weight- in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.

22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.” (They reported to Joseph's steward that they brought back the returned money and extra gifts from their father.)

23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. (The steward didn't mind any of those things and released Simeon.)

24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. (He welcomed them into Joseph's house.)

25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.

26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. (Meeting Joseph in his house, they bowed down to him.)

27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?” (Joseph asked how Jacob was about.)

28 They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him. (They delivered Jacob's wellness and bowed down to Joseph. 37:7, 9)

29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” (Joseph mentioned Benjamin and blessed him.)

30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there. (Joseph was deeply emotional so he retreated himself and cried. It was the tear of overwhelming joy.)

31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.” (Joseph came back and ordered his servants to serve the food.)

32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. (They served Joseph and his brothers according to Egyptian custom.)

33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. (The brothers wondered how they were seated and served according to their seniority.)

34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. (Benjamin was served five times more.) So they feasted and drank freely with him. (The supper was so far so good.)