Genesis 43
1 “And the famine was sore in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had
eaten up the corn which they had brought out of
them, Go again, buy us a little food.” And the famine was sore (literally, was
heavy) in the land (of
Joseph's brethren cannot be determined, as the quantity of grain they brought or
the number that partook of it cannot possibly be estimated; but it may be reasonably
inferred that several months had
elapsed since their arrival at
had eaten up - literally, had finished to eat up, i.e. not nearly (Mercerus, Bush),
but entirely consumed - the
corn which they had brought out of
probable that only Jacob's family partook of the Egyptian corn, the slaves
supporting themselves on roots, vegetables, and milk (Calvin, Rosenmüller,
Gerlach) - their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. What
they could buy would be little in
proportion to their needs.
3 “And
saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your
brother be with you.”
And
either because Reuben's entreaty had been rejected, and Levi, who followed
Reuben and Simeon in respect of age, had forfeited his father's confidence though
his treachery to the Shechemites (Keil, Murphy); or because he could speak to his
father with greater freedom, having a freer conscience than the rest (Lange); or
because he was a man possessed of greater prudence and ability than the rest
(Lawson), if indeed the suggestion is not correct that they all endeavored to
persuade their father, though
the man (i. e. the Egyptian viceroy) did solemnly protest (literally, protesting
did protest, i.e. did earnestly protest) unto us, saying, - with an oath which is
not here repeated (ch. 42:15) - Ye shall not see my face, except your brother
be
with you.
4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go
down and buy thee food:
5 But if thou wilt not send
him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us,
Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.” If thou wilt send –
literally, if thou art sending, i.e. if thou art agreeable to send (compare ch. 24:42, 49;
Judges 6:36) - our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but (literally,
and) if thou wilt not send him (a similar form of expression to the above, the two
words יֵשׁ, being, and אַיִן, not being, including the substantive verb, and being
conjoined with a participle for the
finite verb), we will not go down: for the
man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
he believed the Egyptian governor to be in thorough earnest when he declared
that without Benjamin they should
sue a second time in vain.
6 “And
ye had yet a brother?” And
designated in the history of Joseph, the first time being in ch. 37, which recites the
sad account of Joseph's disappearance from the family circle. The recurrence of
what may eventually prove another breach in the theocratic family is probably
the circumstance that revives the
name
throughout the chapter (see vs. 8, 11)
- Wherefore
dealt ye so ill with me, as to
tell the man whether ye had yet a brother! literally, whether yet to you a brother.
7 “And they said, The man
asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred,
saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we
told him
according to the tenor of these words: could we
certainly know that he
would say, Bring your brother down?” And
they said, The man asked us straitly
of our state, and of our kindred,
saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another
brother? Though not appearing in the preceding narrative of the historian
(ch. 42:13, 32), it must yet be held as accurate that the information given to
Joseph about Jacob and Benjamin was supplied in answer to direct inquiries,
since
before Joseph in behalf of
Benjamin. And we told him according to the tenor of
these words - literally, according to these words, i.e. either in conformity to his
questions (Ainsworth, Rosenmüller, Keil), κατὰ τὴν ἐπερώτησιν
ταύτην – kata
taen eperotaesin tautaen – we
just answered his questions (Septuagint), juxta id
quod fuerat sciscitatus (Vulgate), or like those words we have told thee (Kalisch).
Could we certainly know (literally, knowing could we know) that
he would say,
Bring your brother down?
8 “And
arise and go; that we may live, and not die,
both we, and thou, and also our
little ones.
9 I will be surety for him; of my
hand shalt thou require him:
if I bring him not unto thee, and set him
before thee, then let me bear the
blame for ever:
10 For except we had lingered, surely
now we had returned
this second time.” And
(Benjamin, though styled a lad, must have been at this time upwards of twenty
years of age), and we will arise and go; that we
may (literally, and we shall) live,
and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him
(the verb conveys the idea of
changing places with another); of my hand shalt
thou require him (see ch. 9:5): if I bring him not unto thee, and set him
before
thee, - the words are even more emphatic than those of Reuben (ch. 42:37) –
then let me bear the blame for ever - literally, and I shall be a sinner (i.e. liable
to punishment as a sinner) against thee all the days (of my life). The thought is
elliptical.
have failed in his promise and be guilty of a dire transgression against his
father (compare I Kings 1:21). For
except we had lingered, surely now we had
returned this second time - literally, these two times. The nobility of character
which shines out so conspicuously
in
illustrated in his pathetic pleading before Joseph, and goes far to countenance
the suggestion that a change must have taken place in his inner life
since the
incidents recorded of him in Genesis 37,
and 38.
11 “And their father
of the best fruits in the land in your
vessels, and carry down the man a present,
a little balm, and a little honey, spices,
and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
And their father
do this; take of the best fruits in the land (literally, of the song of the land, i.e.
of its choicest and most praised
productions) in your vessels, and carry down the
man a present. That Jacob could propose to send a handsome present of rich
fruits to the Egyptian viceroy has been regarded as inconsistent with the prevalence
of a famine in the
(1) the failure of the cereal crops does not necessarily imply a like absence of fruit, and
(2) it does not follow that, though Jacob selected the under-mentioned articles for his
gift, they existed in abundance, while
(3) if the fruit harvest was small, an offering such as is here described would only be
all the more luxuriant and valuable on that account (Kurtz, Kalisch).
A little balm, - balsam (see ch. 37:25) - and a little honey, - דְּבַשׁ, grape honey,
called by the Arabians dibs, and the Persians dushab, was prepared by boiling
down must or new wine to a third or
half; hence called by the Greeks ἕψημα –
hepsaema – what can be boiled, and by the Romans sapa, defrutum. It is still
imported into
bees, μέλι – meli – honey (Septuagint), meg (Vulgate), is rendered probable by
the circumstance that
(see Michaelis, Suppl., p. 391) - spices, and myrrh (see ch. 37:25), nuts, -
בָּטְנִים, an oblong species of nut, so called from its being flat on one side and
bellying out on the other (the pistacia vera of Linnaeus), having an oily kernel
which is most palatable to Orientals - and almonds. The שָׁקֵד or almond tree,
so called because of all trees it is the first to arouse from the sleep of winter,
the root being שָׁקָד, to be sleepless, (Gesenius), does not seem to have been
indigenous in
12 “And take double money in your hand; and the
money that was brought
again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again
in your hand; peradventure
it was an oversight:” And take double money (literally, money of a second, i.e.
of the same, amount; not twice as much as the first time, but simply as much as
the first time) in your hand; and the money that was brought again (or returned)
in the mouth of your sacks, carry
it again in your hand; peradventure it was an
oversight (literally, a something caused to wander, a mistake, from a root signifying
to go astray).
13 “Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto
the man:
14 And
God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he
may send away
your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be
bereaved of my children, I am
bereaved.” Take also your brother, and arise, go again
unto the man: and
God Almighty - El Shaddai, the covenant God of Abraham (ch.17:1),
and of Jacob himself (ch. 35:11) - give you mercy (literally, bowels, hence
very tender affection, the inward parts being regarded as the seat of the
emotions) before the man, that he may send away - literally, and he shall
send with you (Kalisch),
or for you (Keil) - your other brother, and Benjamin.
If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved - literally, and if I am bereaved,
I am bereaved, an expression of the patriarch's acquiescence in the Divine will
(compare II Kings 7:4; Esther 4:16).
15 And the men took that present, and they took
double money in their hand,
and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to
And the men took that present (which Jacob had specified), and
they took double
money (literally, a doubling of the money, i.e. the first money, and as much again
for the new purchase; the phrase is different from that used in v. 12, though 16 the
words are the same) in their hand, and Benjamin (so. they took with them);
and rose up, and went down to
corn-market).
16 “And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said
to the ruler of his
house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make
ready; for these men
shall dine with me at noon.” And when (literally, and) Joseph
saw Benjamin
with them, he - literally, and he) said to the ruler of his house, - literally, to
him who was over his house, i.e. the steward (compare ch. 24:2; 39:4; 44:1) –
Bring these men home (i.e. conduct these men to my house, which was probably
at some distance), and slay, - literally, slay a slaughter. The assertion that the
narrator is here guilty of an inaccuracy in representing Joseph as having animal
food prepared for himself and his guests (Bohlen) is refuted by Herodotus
(2:37, 40) and by Wilkinson ('Ancient Egyptians,' vol. 2. Genesis 7. pp. 22, 23,
ed. 1878), who says that "beef and goose constituted the principal part of the
animal food throughout
quantity of meat was served up at those repasts to which strangers were invited.'
"Though there was scarcely an animal which was not held sacred in some province,
there was, perhaps with the only exception of the cow, none which' was not killed
and eaten in other parts of the
land" (Kalisch) - and make ready; for these men
shall dine with me at noon - literally, at the double lights (צָךהרַים), i.e. at mid-day,
the time of greatest splendor.
17 “And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man
brought the men into Joseph's
house. 18 And the men were afraid, because they were
brought into Joseph's
house; and they said, Because of the money that
was returned in our sacks at
the first time are we brought in; that he may
seek occasion against us, and fall
upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our
asses.” And the man did as Joseph
bade; and the man brought the men
into Joseph's house. And the men were afraid,
because they were brought into Joseph's house. "A more natural picture of the
conduct of men from the country, when taken into the house of a superior, cannot
be drawn. When they are told to go inside they at once suspect that they are about
to be punished or confined (Roberts 'Oriental Illustrations,' p. 49). And they said
(to themselves), Because
of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first
time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, - literally, that he
may roll himself upon us (compare Job 30:14; Psalm 22:8; 37:5; Proverbs 16:3).
"To say a man rolls himself upon another is the Eastern way of saying he falls
upon him" (Roberts' 'Oriental
Illustrations,' p. 49) and fall upon us, and take us
for bondmen, and our asses. The brethren of Joseph were clearly apprehensive
of some serious stratagem to deprive them of liberty.
Distrust the Fruit of Sin (V. 18)
Why should they be afraid? The invitation was an honor not
unusual.
Abraham was received at Pharaoh’s court (ch. 12:15). And the
brethren were evidently people of large possessions with a
considerable
retinue, as they were to carry food for so many; and they had
brought the
proof required that they were true men. Had Joseph intended to
do them
harm he might have done it before. It
was conscious guilt that made them
fear. What they had done to their brother suggested similar
treatment being
meted to them. Perhaps they had almost forgotten it. But God
left not
Himself without witness to bring their
sin to remembrance. The stain of sin
on the conscience IS INDELIBLE. Time cannot
remove it. Occupation may
turN the thoughts from it, but it returns again and again. The
act of wrong may
be
little thought of at the time. Only afterwards is it felt that it cannot be
undone (compare I Corinthians 15:9). This explains the attitude of so many
toward God. Why is
there such slowness to receive the gospel just as it is
offered? When men are
bidden to their brother’s table; when His will is
declared they shall sup with me (compare Revelation 3:20), why is
there such
shrinking as if they were being led into danger; as if God were
laying some
obligation on them which they cannot fulfill, to bring them into
bondage for
ever? It is because of sin in the
heart; perhaps unfelt, unthought of; but it is
there, the fact of a self-chosen
life. And
if these are invited to closer
communion with God, straightway they are
afraid; suspicious of God. And
hence, when the gospel invitation is pressed, and the Lamb of
God held up,
and
the power of the blood of Christ and the welcome for all proclaimed,
and
they are bidden to trust, to accept salvation, men
try to fortify their
position: “O sir, we have
done this or that (compare Matthew 7:22-23;
18:26),
clinging to distrust instead of striving against it.
PRESENCE OF SIN NOT FULLY RECOGNIZED AS SIN; while the
man is still trying to set good deeds against bad ones, or to
find excuses
for faults. It is the effect of sin
before conviction by the Holy Spirit. Real
conviction brings to God (Psalm
51:4; Luke 18:13). It is unacknowledged
sin that separates.
ATONEMENT (Hebrews
9:25), God’s plan for reconciling the sinful
to Himself (Romans 3:26). Hence this is the turning point of the
spiritual life (John
3:18); the great work (John 6:29) out of which,
as from a germ, the whole Christian life must grow.
19 “And they came near to the steward of Joseph's
house, and they communed
with him at the door of the house, 20 And said,
O sir, we came indeed down at
the first time to buy food: 21 And it
came to pass, when we came to the inn,
that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every
man's money was in the mouth
of his sack, our money in full weight: and we
have brought it again in our hand.
22 And other money have we
brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot
tell who put our money in our sacks.” And they came near to the steward of
Joseph's house (literally, the man who was over Joseph's house), and they communed
(or spake) with him at the door of the house (i.e. before they entered), and said, O sir, -
literally, Pray, my lord; δεόμεθα κύριε – deometha kurie – oh, my
lord (Septuagint) –
we came indeed down at the first time
to buy food: and it came to pass, when we
came to the inn, - or halting-place (see ch. 42:27) - that we opened our sacks, -
this was not strictly accurate, as only one sack had been opened at the wayside
khan, while the others were not examined till they had reached home; though,
as an explanation of the difficulty, it has been suggested (see Keil's 'Introduction,
' vol. 1. p. 109, note by Prof. Douglas) that all the sacks may have been, and
probably were, opened at the inn, but that only one man found his money in his
sack's mouth, as the next clause
explains - and, behold, every man's money was
in the mouth of his sack, - literally, a man's money in the mouth of his sack, i.e.
one of them found his money there, while the others discovered their money,
which was not "in the sack's mouth," but "in the sack" (ibid. v. 35), only on
emptying their sacks at home - our money in full weight (literally, according
to its weight): and we have brought it again in our hand. And other money
(i.e. the second silver of v. 12) have
we brought down in our hands to buy food:
we cannot tell who put our money in
our sacks.
23 “And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your
God, and the God of your
father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had
your money. And he
brought Simeon out unto them.” And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God
(Elohim), and the God of your father, - an indication that Joseph's steward had
been taught to fear and trust the God of the Hebrews (Wordsworth, Murphy) –
hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money (literally, your money
came to me). And he brought Simeon out unto
them.
24 “And the man brought the men into Joseph's house,
and gave them water,
and they washed their feet; and he gave their
asses provender.”
And the man (Joseph's steward) brought the men into Joseph's
house, and
gave them water, and they washed their feet (compare ch. 18:4; 24:32);
and he gave their asses provender.
25 “And they made ready the present against Joseph came
at noon:
for they heard that they should eat bread there.” This must have been
communicated to them after they had entered Joseph's palace, since they had
obviously not learned it upon the
way thither (see above on v. 18).
26 “And when Joseph came home, they brought him the
present which was
in their hand into the house, and bowed
themselves to him to the earth.”
And when Joseph came home (after the dispatch of public
business), they brought
him the present which was in their
hand (see v. 11) into the house, and bowed
themselves to him to the earth. Thus they fulfilled the dream of the sheaves
(ch. 37:7; compare 18:2; ch. 19:1).
27 “And he asked
them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well,
the old
man of whom ye spake?
Is he yet alive? 28 And they answered, Thy servant
our father is in good health, he is yet alive.
And they bowed down their heads,
and made obeisance. 29 And he
lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin,
his mother's son, and said, Is this your
younger brother, of whom ye spake unto
me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.” And he said (without
waiting for an answer), God
be gracious unto thee, my son. The tenderness
of
this language was much fitted to encourage the brethren.
30 “And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn
upon his brother:
and he sought where to weep; and he entered
into his chamber, and
wept there.” And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn (literally,
were becoming warm, from intensity
of love) upon his brother: and he sought
where to weep; - the second occasion on which Joseph is represented as overcome
by the strength of his inward emotion, the first having been when his brethren
were speaking about their cruelty
towards himself (ch. 42:24) - and he entered
into his chamber, and wept there.
31 “And he washed his face, and went out, and
refrained himself, and said, Set
on bread.” And he washed his face (an indication of the violence of his weeping),
and went out (from his chamber), and refrained himself (keeping his tears in check),
and said, Set on bread - an
expression used at the present day in
dinner (Wilkinson, 'Ancient
Egyptians,' vol. 2. p. 41, ed. 1878).
32 “And they set on for him by himself, and for them
by themselves, and for
the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by
themselves: because the Egyptians
might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that
is an abomination unto the
Egyptians.” And they set on for him by himself, and for
them by themselves,
and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves. "Joseph eats
apart from his brethren, keeping strictly to the Egyptian mode; and the history
does not omit to remark that in this point he adhered to the custom of the country"
(Havernick, 21). Because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews.
Herodotus (2:41) affirms that the Egyptians would neither use the knife, spit, or
basin of a Grecian, nor taste the flesh of a clean cow if it happened to be cut with
a Grecian knife. For that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. The reason for
this separation from foreigners being that they dreaded being polluted by such
as killed and ate cows, which
animals were held in high veneration in
33 “And they sat before him, the firstborn according
to his birthright, and
the youngest according to his youth: and the
men marveled one at another.”
And they sat before him, - that the Egyptians sat at meals is in exact accordance
with the representations on the monuments, in which they are never exhibited as
reposing on couches, but always as seated round a circular table resembling the
mono-podium of the Romans (vide Wilkinson, 'Ancient Egyptians,' vol. 2. pp. 40-41,
with Dr. Bitch's note; Hengetenberg's '
p. 38) - the firstborn according to his birthright,
and the youngest according to
his youth: and the men marveled one at another - probably thinking that Joseph
must have been supernaturally enlightened to discover so exactly the ages of
strangers.
34 “And he took and sent messes unto them from
before him: but Benjamin's
mess was five times so much as any of theirs.
And they drank, and were merry
with him.” And he took and sent (literally, and he sent) messes - maseoth, from nasa,
to take or lift up, i.e. things taken or lifted up, hence portions or gifts (II Samuel 11:8) –
unto them from before him (compare I Samuel 9:23). The practice of thus honoring
guests was also observed among
other nations (vide 'Iliad,' 7:321). But Benjamin's
mess (or portion) was five times so much as any of theirs - literally, exceeded the
portions of all of them five hands, i.e. five times. Herodotus (6:57) mentions that
among the Spartans the king received a double portion. The unusually large
portion assigned to Benjamin was designed as an expression of his strong
fraternal affection, and perhaps also as a test of his brethren to ascertain if they
were now free from that spirit of envy which had prompted their former cruelty
to him. And they drank, and were merry with him - literally, and drank largely
with him. Though the verb שָׁכַר sometimes signifies to drink to the full
(Haggai 1:6; Song of Solomon 5:1), and though intoxication was not unusual
at Egyptian entertainments, there is no reason to suppose that either Joseph or
his brethren were inebriated (Vulgate, Alford), or that more is meant than simply
that their hearts became exhilarated "because their cares were dissipated by the
kindness they were receiving, the presence of Simeon, and the attention paid to
Benjamin" (Murphy).
The Second Visit of Joseph’s Brethren to
Ø
The second journey proposed. “Go again,
buy us a little food.” It was
necessitated by the long continuance of the famine, and the complete
consumption of the corn they had brought from
occasion.
Ø
The second journey agreed on.
o
The difficulty started. As explained by
solemnly protested
and sworn that without him they should not only
not
obtain a grain of corn, but they should not even be admitted to his
presence.
But to speak of taking Benjamin to
already
testified, and now again declared, was like driving a dagger
into the
old man’s heart. As he hinks of it he can hardly
forbear
reproaching
his stalwart sons for having eaped upon him one more
unkindness
in even mentioning the fact of Benjamin’s existence.
o
The difficulty removed. Skillfully the eloquent
aged
sire, first pointing out that it was only in reply to the grand vizier’s
interrogations that they had referred to Benjamin at, all, that, not
suspecting
any sinister motives on the part of their noble questioner,
they had
never dreamed of attempting concealment or evasion in their
answers; urging
the imperative necessity for Benjamin’s going down
with them
if either they or their little ones were to be kept from
starvation,
solemnly engaging to be surety for the safe convoy of the
beloved
youth, and lastly delicately hinting that but for the delay
occasioned
by his (their father’s) reluctance they might have been
to
Ø
The second journey prepared for (vs. 11-13). Since it
was inevitable
that Benjamin must go, Jacob recommended them along with him to
take:
o
a
present in their vessels for the great man whose favor they desired
to secure;
o
second
money, or money for the purchase of the grain they wished,
to show
that they came not as beggars, but as buyers;
o
the
silver that had been returned in their sacks, to prove that they were
honest,
and regarded the matter simply as an oversight. It is well always
to put
the best construction on a dubious matter, and in particular to let
not our
good be evil spoken of.
Ø
The second journey began (vs. 14-15).
Listening to their father’s
prayer, — “God Almighty give you mercy before the
man,” —
witnessing their father’s sorrowful resignation, — “If I
be bereaved
I am bereaved,”— and observing faithfully their father’s instructions,
carrying a present of “the song of the land” and double
money in their
hands, the men rose up and went down to
Ø
The second journey completed (v. 15). In the
providence of God they
reached the
to travelers when, escaping all the perils of the way, they
arrive at their
desired destinations in peace. (To which we can attest as we are
living in a day of which Daniel
prophesied: “many shall run to and
fro” – Daniel 12:4 – CY – 2018)
Ø
The reception of the brethren (vs. 16-17). Scarcely
had the brethren
arrived at the public mart than they were observed by Joseph.
Directing
his eyes eagerly in search of Benjamin, he is gratified by
noticing that
he has not been left behind. Preserving as before his
incognito, he gives
instructions to his steward to convey them to his palace, and prepare a
dinner for him and them at the hour of noon.
Ø
The apprehensions of the brethren (vs. 18-24).
o
The nature of them. They feared lest Joseph was only seeking
occasion to
fall upon them and take them for bondmen.
o
The ground of them. This was the money which had been
discovered
in their sacks,
and for which as they imagined they were now being
arrested.
o
The expression of them. Without directly saying what they
dreaded,
they
begin to deprecate the wrath of the steward, and to offer
explanations concerning the money (vs. 20-22).
o
The removal of them. Although the steward was not yet aware
that the
strangers
were his master’s brethren, he was perfectly cognizant of their
innocence
in the matter of the money, and of his master’s desire to show
them
kindness. Accordingly he seeks to reassure them by encouraging
them to
dismiss their apprehensions — “Peace be to you fear not;” by
telling
them to regard the treasure in their sacks as a Divine gift, since
it was
indubitable that he had received their money — “Your God hath
given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money;” by producing
Simeon before
them, no doubt in the enjoyment of perfect health and
happiness
— “and
he brought Simeon out unto them;” by exercising
towards
them the rights of hospitality — “the man gave them water,
and they washed their feet;” and by providing for the wants of their
beasts — “and
he gave their asses provender.”
Ø
The homage of the brethren (vs. 25-31).
o
Its presentation: with precious gifts — the delicacies of
the land of
to the earth.”
o
Its acceptance; which was indicated by the friendly
inquiries of the
governor
— “Is
your father well, the old man of whom ye spake?
Is
he yet alive?” “Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake
unto me?” by the warm,, benediction, he
pronounced on Benjamin
— “God
be gracious unto thee, my son;” by the rising emotion
which he
could with difficulty repress — “his bowels did yearn
upon his brother, and he sought
where to weep;” and by the
order
which he issued to his servants — “Set on bread.”
Ø
The entertainment of the brethren.
o
The separation of the guests, first from the host, and then from one
another,
the Egyptians from the Canaanites, and both from Joseph, the
reason
being that the Egyptians might not eat with foreigners in case of
contracting
pollution.
o
The order of the brethren, each being arranged before the governor
in accordance
with their ages, a circumstance which appears to have
simultaneously evoked their wonder — “and the men marveled one
at another.”
o
The
portions from the host, one to each of the nine oldest, and five to
the
youngest, which were designed as marks of special favor.
o
The
hilarity of the company. The fears of the brethren disappearing,
and their
enjoyment rising, as they talked and drank with the gracious
governor who
had brought them to his palace.
Lessons of Life (vs. 1-34)
THE PROVIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT OF GOD WITH HIS
PURPOSE OF GRACE. It was
part of the Divine plan that Jacob and his
family should be settled for a long period in
brought about by the transference in some way of the point of
attraction to
Jacob’s heart
from
“
time. “
significant of Divine promises — “
The conduct of Joseph cannot be
explained except on the ground of his
inspiration. He is not acting. He is
not trifling with human feelings. He
is
not merely following the dictate of his own personal
affections. He is,
under Divine direction,
planning for the removal of his father’s house to
house of bondage. Another point:
HUMAN
CHARACTER OF THE NARRATIVE. The tenderness, the
pathos, the simplicity, the
truthfulness, especially in the
case of Joseph
himself. How little he had been spoiled by prosperity! That is the criterion
of real greatness. The Bible histories help us to keep in mind that REAL
RELIGION does not suppress the human, but preserves and
develops
all that is best and noblest in the man.
CONDUCT TOWARDS OTHERS. Joseph’s dealing with his brethren
gradually preparing their minds for the great announcement which was
soon to be made. Both his kindness to them and his particular
inquiries
after Jacob, and affectionate salute of Benjamin, must have roused
their
curiosity and disarmed their
terrors. As they “drank and were merry” with
the great Egyptian ruler, and their youngest brother rejoiced
in the special
mark of favor, which was favor to all, they must have felt the
bondage of
their previous apprehensions slipping away from them, and have
anticipated some good thing in preparation for them. Moreover, there
may
have been the intention working in Joseph’s mind of accustoming
the
Egyptians to the sight of those
Hebrew people, and so opening the way to
their subsequent elevation when as his brethren he should settle
them in
secret.
We should endeavor to blend the personal
with the larger interests of
God’s kingdom, Family life should
be based upon
religious foundations.
"Excerpted text Copyright AGES
Library, LLC. All
rights reserved.
Materials are reproduced by
permission."
This material can be found at:
http://www.adultbibleclass.com
If this exposition is helpful, please share
with others.