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GENESIS 43
All of Israel’s twelve sons came together again in Egypt. -- (DATE: Around 1661 before Christ)
DISCOVER Genesis 43: With the famine still being severe, Jacob and his household soon ran out of the provisions his sons had brought up from Egypt. So he told them that they should make the journey once more to by some food. But Judah refused him and reminded him that they were not to come under the Egyptian officer’s face without their youngest brother. Hearing that, Jacob blamed his sons for the situation. If only they hadn’t talked about Benjamin. Defending themselves, the brothers explained that they had little choice in the matter, since the officer had questioned them so thoroughly, even about Jacob himself, if he was still alive and well, and whether or not they had more brothers. So how had they been supposed to know, that he would suddenly demand of them to bring their brother before him? (Seeing that this shifting of blame would not lead to anything) Judah told his father, that he should send the boy with him. He would take full responsibility for him, and if anything were to befall Benjamin, he would take the blame for any grief it would cause. -- When he reminded his father that if they hadn’t delayed this decision for so long, they all would have been back twice already, Israel broke and agreed that they could take his youngest with them. This left them with the problem of them not having properly paid for their food on their last trip. Ingenious as Jacob was, when it came to undesirable reunions, he ordered his sons not only to take twice the money with them, and leave half of it for their last purchase to the Egyptians, but also that they were to take with them from the local spices, nuts and honey and use it as a present for the high Egyptian officer, to pacify him. In the end he sent them off with the blessing of his almighty God that he may show them mercy and bring them back safely, accepting that if they wouldn’t return to him, it would be so. And so the eleven brothers did and returned once more to Egypt. -- Once they arrived at their designation and came before Joseph again, he immediately spotted his younger brother from their mother Rachel. Seeing that his brothers had done as he had asked of them, he ordered the steward of his house to go and slaughter an animal and prepare a feast, for he intended to invite these men to his home and dine with them at noontime. When the brothers heard that they were to come to the officer’s house, they were deeply troubled, for they feared that this would be about the money they had found in their bags on their last trip. So when they came up to the house they had been told to come to, they looked out for anyone who might spring at them and make slaves of the lot of them for their theft. When they saw the steward of the house at the door, they told him of the previous obvious mistake and explained that they had double the amount of money with them to repay them for the mistake made the last time. But the steward offered them peace and told them that he had already received the payment for their food in full and that the money had been a gift to them from their God, the God of their father. To underline this, he went and brought Simeon before them, alive and well, before leading them into the house. There he gave them water to wash feet and saw to their donkeys. -- When they heard that they had been invited to dine with the high Egyptian officer, they prepared and laid out the present they had brought for him. When Joseph returned home at noon, his brothers bowed low to the floor as they offered their presents to him. But he was more interested to hear about their father, whether he was still alive and well. Prostrating themselves before him they answered that he was. Seeing over them, Joseph saw his natural brother Benjamin once more and, in order for him to keep his disguise, asked whether this was their youngest before blessing him with God’s grace. -- But then Joseph had to hurry out, for his compassion for his brother was about to overwhelm him, and all he could do was to reach his private chambers before he broke down in tears. When he had control over his feelings again, he washed his face and went out to have the feast begin. Since it was abhorrent for Egyptians to eat at the same table as Hebrews, Joseph had them and his servants eat at separate tables, while he himself presided aside from them all. However, the food that was to be served his guests, who all sat according to the rank they had within their family, was all from his table, which amazed his brothers to no end. What was even more astounding though, was that Benjamin received five times more than any of them, which did not hamper their good spirits, as they made merry and ate and drank with him.
PRAYER: Holy God of Israel, we adore you and thank you that after more than twenty years of ups and downs, Joseph was finally able to reunite with all his brothers in Egypt. Thank you that he was able to see how his younger brother had grown up in his absence and that you again made the first dream you gave him in his youth come true, when all his brothers prostrated themselves before him. Thank you for the power of love in a family, which can overcome dissension and hatred and bring about peace between siblings if they fear you. Also we bow down in awe before your holiness in letting Jacob taste the agony of having to let his youngest son Benjamin go. This reminds us of how you, holy Father, let go of your beloved Son to become man in Jesus Christ and to die for our sins on the cross. Thank you for saving us through Him from sin, death and the devil. Amen.
QUESTION 43: How did Jacob finally agree to let his beloved youngest son Benjamin leave on a dangerous trip to Egypt?