Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 72
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Genesis 43
PG 64
DIRECT
PG 64
SCENIC
45:1-28
44:1–45:28
25
35
JOSEPH REVEALS HIS IDENTITY
Jacob’s sons make several trips to Egypt searching for food. Each trip grows
more difficult because the official they have to deal with seems intent on hassling
them. They have long forgotten their brother and what might have become of
him. Egypt is a large place. Joseph could be anywhere, or dead for all they know.
It never crosses their minds that they could encounter him again.
THE BROTHERS RETURN TO EGYPT
43
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 h
adn’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. 12 Also 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 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 d
ouble
the money and headed off with Benjamin.
They finally arrived in Egypt and presented
themselves to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Ben
jamin 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.”
A FEAST AT JOSEPH’S PALACE
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
19
43:6 Hebrew Israel; also in 43:11. See note on 35:21. 43:14 Hebrew
El-Shaddai.
