A Dream Fulfilled

Genesis 43:1-24

Droughts were not uncommon, although most were relatively short and localized. Widespread droughts were rare, but both Abraham and Isaac had been forced to go to the land of the Philistines to escape famines. Because of the Nile river and the extensive irrigation system they had built, the Egyptians were rarely affected by drought, and at one point Abraham had been forced to go into Egypt for food. This drought was wide spread, affecting the entire Middle East and Northern Africa. No part of Canaan had as dependable a source of water as the Nile, and after just a few months, Jacob and his family began to feel the effects.

“Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 42:1-5)

The word translated corn means kernel. It does not refer to what we know as corn but kernels of grain, whether wheat, rye, barley, millet or oats. What we know as corn was developed in the Americas, but unknown in the region until after the “discovery” of the new world.

Learning that grain was available in Egypt, Jacob decided to send his sons to Egypt to buy enough to tide them over until the next year in hopes the drought would end. He refused to send the youngest, Benjamin, believing that Joseph was dead. If something happened to Benjamin, he would have none of Rachael’s children left. Obviously, he was still playing favorites with his children.

“And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.” (Genesis 42:6-8)

Twenty one years before, Joseph’s brothers had plotted to kill him, then sold him to some Midianite and Ishmeelite traders instead. They had spent the intervening period pretending he was dead to prevent Jacob’s finding out what they had done. They never expected to see him again and he had been just a teenager when they sold him as a slave. They had no clue that the obviously important Egyptian official was Joseph, but he had not forgotten them or what they had done. Remembering the dreams he’d had as a boy, he set out to learn as much about the rest of the family as he could without giving himself away. For all he knew, they might still try to kill him.

“And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.” (Genesis 42:9-13)

In his dreams they had all bowed to him and now they were doing exactly that. It was a partial fulfillment of the prophecy. Accusing them of being spies gave him an opportunity to interrogate them freely, and put the brothers on the defensive and reinforced his power over them. As a result, they gave information about their family in an effort to prove their innocence.

“And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days.” (Genesis 42:14-17)

Benjamin was the only full brother Joseph had, all the others were half brothers. He had been very young when Joseph was sold, being at least ten years younger, and Joseph wanted to see him more than anything. As far as he knew, his father was probably dead. In an effort to see Benjamin he told them they’d be held as prisoners until whichever one they chose could go and bring Benjamin to prove they were telling the truth. They were held in prison for three days, possibly to give them a little taste of what Joseph had experienced.

“And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.” (Genesis 42:18-20)

After three days of imprisonment, Joseph released them with warning not to come back without their youngest brother to prove their innocence or they’d be treated as spies.

“And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.” (Genesis 43:21-24)

For twenty one years, the brothers had lived with the guilt of what they had done to their brother. They had never been able to put it completely out of their minds. Every time something bad happened they had to wonder if it was God punishing them for their sin and they instantly came to that conclusion again. Reuben reminded them how he had tried to keep them from killing Joseph. His statement seems to imply they had never told him the truth and shared the money with him and he had believed Joseph’s death was the result of his failure to stop them.

Since he had always used an interpreter, the brothers assumed he didn’t understand their language and spoke freely among themselves. Overcome with emotion at their sense of guilt, Joseph had to turn away to regain his composure and keep from telling them who he was. Instead of keeping all but one, he decided to just keep Simeon as a hostage and send the others home.