Consider it all Joy
a commentary on Genesis 42
Welcome back to another Biblit! I apologize for getting ahead last week. Last week’s Biblit covered Genesis chapter 43, but I never posted Genesis 42, haha! If you got confused, it was just a mistake; I didn’t just ignore Genesis 42. It is actually a great passage. So, here is the Biblit covering Genesis 42 that should have gone out last week :)
We are going to witness a very interesting family reunion. It’s been about 7 years since Joseph became Vizier of Egypt and he’s about to reunite with his brothers for the first time in about 20 years. Will it be as stressful as when Jacob reunited with Esau? Let’s jump on into this commentary of Genesis 42 and find out.
Context
This passage opens up back in Canaan where Jacob and his family are in the midst of the 7 year famine. Somehow news has spread and Jacob heard that Egypt is selling grain.
Jacob tells all his sons to go down to Egypt and buy some grain for the family. Well, he tells all except Benjamin. He feared something would happen to his last son and didn’t allow him to go with the other brothers. We see that even in the midst of the famine, they still have plenty of money to buy the grain, showing God’s provision over Israel.
The 10 brothers take off on the 200 mile journey to Egypt. When they arrive, they meet with Joseph who is in charge of the distribution of the stored grain. When they see him they do not recognize him as their brother, but as royalty. They bow down to Joseph just like his dreams prophesied way back when.
Joseph, on the contrary, recognized his brothers immediately! If he was 17 when they sold him and was the youngest (other than Benjamin) then the other brothers probably would have looked fully grown at the time and 20 years wouldn’t change them too much.
Joseph on the other hand was now clean shaven, wore Egyptian clothes, maybe even had an accent now, spoke with an interpreter, was Vizier of Egypt, and of course was thought to be dead.
Joseph did not tell his brothers who he was. Instead, he tested them and spoke to them harshly. After questioning his brothers intently, Joseph accused them of being spies. He locked them up in prison for 3 days and then made a deal with them. He said that if they bring Benjamin back to him, he’ll believe they are honest men. Part of the deal is that one of the 10 brothers must stay confined in prison until they all return.
The brothers discuss this deal amongst themselves in their native language, assuming Joseph cannot understand them. They come to a consensus that they are suffering in Egypt as a consequence to how they dealt with Joseph 20 years prior. Reuben steps in and is like, “I told you so.” Remember, Reuben was the one that actually stood up for Joseph at the beginning.
Joseph completely understood them and turned away to weep.
When Joseph comes back, he binds Simeon and puts him in prison until the others return with Benjamin. Joseph also told his servants to give the brothers grain for their money, but to put the money back in the bags without them noticing.
The brothers take off back for Canaan, pretty distraught. Somewhere along the way they notice that one of their sacks still has the money in it. They think God is still punishing them and are struck with immense fear.
They return home and tell Jacob all that happened. When everyone emptied their sack, they realized that it wasn’t just one sack with money in it. They all had their money still and were afraid of being accused of thievery.
Jacob is upset with them and accuses them for losing not just Joseph but now Simeon too. He is adamant and says he will not send Benjamin.
Reuben tries to convince their father and offers his 2 sons as collateral, promising to bring Benjamin back.
This is not enough for Jacob and his answer is still no. He says:
“My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.” (Genesis 42:38 ESV).
Interpretation
We definitely end this chapter on quite a cliffhanger, but we can still learn a lot from it. This is the beginning of a very cool redemptive story for Joseph’s brothers. Let’s take a moment to reflect on this passage and what all is going on in the hearts of these men.
Joseph
Some people suggest that Joseph is a little bit vindictive in this passage. He does come from the same bloodline as Simeon and Levi (guilty of the Shechem Slaughter).
However, most scholars suggest otherwise. In verse 15 it says that he is testing them. We also see Joseph turn away to weep later when he overhears his brothers talking about their guilt.
I believe these two things combined show that he is testing them with a soft heart, not seeking revenge. The last time Joseph saw them, they almost killed Joseph but decided selling him to slavery was a better compromise.
We don’t see Joseph’s heart or know exactly why he tests his brothers. It could all be inspiration from God, it could be that as a ruler of Egypt he wants to give grain to only the good and faithful, or perhaps he just wants to give them an opportunity to show their good faith. We don’t know, but we do know we will see how much the brothers have changed.
God has redeemed them and it is in their interactions with Joseph over the next couple chapters that we see it. I believe God is using Joseph to paint this beautiful picture of redemption for us.
Joseph’s Brothers
I have talked a lot about the redemption of the brothers. But what in here shows that? Again, this is just the beginning of that story, and there will be more evidence later on. However, there is still evidence here too.
They are all at home. Remember Judah had left home, lived elsewhere in Canaan, married Canaanite women, and sin happened. We don’t get the exact story of what happened to bring them all home. Perhaps he was called back in the famine, but still lived abroad. We don’t really know, but even if that was the case, he obeyed and went back home. They were all living in God’s promised land.
When they speak amongst themselves they speak about what they did to Joseph in a more regretful tone. We don’t see their heart to know if they are repentant, but we do know they see their current circumstances as a possible punishment for their sins.
The last thing to note about the brothers is how terrified they are at the end. One of the brothers sees the money still in the sack and they are already scared. When they find out they all have money in their sacks, they are petrified. They are afraid they will be accused of something they did not do (like Joseph) and be killed for it.
Jacob
We have seen Jacob come a long way over the years. However, his sin struggles are still with him. We see him riddled with fear at the end of this passage. He is scared along with his children when they find their sacks have the money. He blames his kids for losing Simeon, and he refuses to send Benjamin. Even when Reuben offers his own children as payment, Jacob refuses. Which is fair, that’s a pretty twisted trade, Reuben. Regardless, we see Jacob still struggles with both fear and favoritism.
We’ll have to pick up next week to see if someone can change Jacob’s mind, and see how the brothers act around the new favorite.
Application
When I read this passage and talk about how Joseph is testing his brothers (and testing his father) I can’t help but think of the classic passage in James:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV).
Paul also reiterates this point in Romans:
“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5 ESV).
Sometimes these trials are just from us living in a fallen world and the sin around us. 2 Timothy tells us that if we desire God and desire to live fully for him, persecution will be inevitable. However, Jesus also reassures us:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10 ESV).
Trials could also be a test of our own faith like when God tests Abraham or when Joseph tests his brothers. A test not to prove something God already knows, but to prove to us something we may not know.
You don’t fully know what you are capable of unless you are tested.
Just like Jacob and his sons, we may be riddled with fear in the midst of the trial. If Jacob knew the full picture, if he knew it was his long lost son in Egypt, then the whole family would have gone the first time! But they didn’t get the full picture, and neither do we. That is why faith is required.
This doesn’t make any trial, persecution, or suffering easier to take. However, God gives us numerous accounts of encouragement all throughout scriptures. We may live in a broken world, but God is the ultimate comforter. If you are facing a test from God or suffering from sin, allow these verses to fill you with God’s comfort and encouragement.
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12 ESV).
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18 ESV).
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17-18 ESV).
I especially love that first one. Staying in constant prayer leaves me comforted every time. I feel the most comfort in this world by being with God.