The One Year Chronological Study Bible - Flipbook - Page 62
page 58
GENESIS 43:1-18 / 1876 or 1710 BC
By this time two full years of famine had passed
(Genesis 41:54, page 00; 45:11, page 00).
But the famine continued to ravage the land of
Canaan. 2 When the grain they had brought from
Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons,
“Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3 But Judah said, “The man was serious when
he warned us, ‘You won’t see my face again unless
your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send Benjamin
with us, we will go down and buy more food. 5 But
if you don’t let Benjamin go, we won’t go either.
Remember, the man said, ‘You won’t see my face
again unless your brother is with you.’”
6 “Why were you so cruel to me?” Jacob*
moaned. “Why did you tell him you had another
brother?”
7 “The man kept asking us questions about our
family,” they replied. “He asked, ‘Is your father
still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we
answered his questions. How could we know he
would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”
8 Judah said to his father, “Send the boy with
me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we
will all die of starvation—and not only we, but
you and our little ones. 9 I personally guarantee
his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t
bring him back to you. Then let me bear the
blame forever. 10 If we hadn’t wasted all this time,
we could have gone and returned twice by now.”
11 So their father, Jacob, finally said to them,
“If it can’t be avoided, then at least do this. Pack
your bags with the best products of this land.
Take them down to the man as gifts—balm,
honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and
almonds. 12Also take double the money that was
put back in your sacks, as it was probably someone’s mistake. 13 Then take your brother, and go
back to the man. 14 May God Almighty* give you
mercy as you go before the man, so that he will
EXODUS
PATRIARCH
PATRIARCH
CREATION
1
A Feast at Joseph’s Palace • GENESIS 43:19-34
The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace. 20 “Sir,” they said, “we came
to Egypt once before to buy food. 21 But as we
were returning home, we stopped for the night
and opened our sacks. Then we discovered
that each man’s money—the exact amount
paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we
have brought it back with us. 22 We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no
idea who put our money in our sacks.”
23 “Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household
manager told them. “Your God, the God of your
father, must have put this treasure into your
sacks. I know I received your payment.” Then he
released Simeon and brought him out to them.
24 The manager then led the men into Joseph’s
palace. He gave them water to wash their feet
and provided food for their donkeys. 25 They
were told they would be eating there, so they
prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
26 When Joseph came home, they gave him the
gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to
the ground before him. 27After greeting them,
he asked, “How is your father, the old man you
spoke about? Is he still alive?”
28 “Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant,
is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.
29 Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your
youngest brother, the one you told me about?”
Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you, my
19
42:38 Hebrew to Sheol. 43:6 Hebrew Israel; also in 43:11. See note
on 35:21. 43:14 Hebrew El-Shaddai.
DIVIDED
KINGDOM
The Brothers Return to Egypt •
release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I
must lose my children, so be it.”
15 So the men packed Jacob’s gifts and double
the money and headed off with Benjamin. They
finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin
with them, he said to the manager of his household, “These men will eat with me this noon.
Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter
an animal, and prepare a big feast.” 17 So the
man did as Joseph told him and took them into
Joseph’s palace.
18 The brothers were terrified when they saw
that they were being taken into Joseph’s house.
“It’s because of the money someone put in our
sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He
plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will
seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”
KINGDOM
And now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!”
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill
my two sons if I don’t bring Benjamin back to
you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to
bring him back.”
38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down
with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is
all I have left. If anything should happen to him
on your journey, you would send this grieving,
white-haired man to his grave.*”
JUDGES
•
CONQUEST
JANUARY 16
