Genesis 43
Big idea: Hunger forces the decision Jacob refused to make. Judah — the brother who once priced Joseph at twenty shekels — offers himself as personal surety for Benjamin, and his father yields, sending a present, double money, and a prayer: may God Almighty give you mercy before the man. In Egypt everything they dread turns into hospitality: the steward tells them their God put treasure in their sacks, Simeon is restored, their feet are washed, their donkeys fed. Joseph asks after their father, sees Benjamin, and has to leave the room to weep. Then he seats eleven men in the exact order of their birth, which no stranger could know, and serves Benjamin five times as much as anyone else — a final, deliberate test of whether they will resent the favourite.
Chapter 43 ends with the brothers drinking freely at Joseph's table and Benjamin conspicuously favoured. Chapter 44 springs the trap that turns that favouritism into a test with a knife in it.
43:1–14 — I will be collateral for him
The famine is severe and the grain runs out. Jacob tells them to go buy more; Judah reminds him the man solemnly warned them not to appear without their brother. Israel complains that they told the man about Benjamin at all; they answer that he questioned them directly. Then Judah makes the offer that breaks the deadlock: send the boy with me, and I will be collateral for him — if I don't bring him back, let me bear the blame forever. Israel yields, sends a present of the land's best, double money, and Benjamin, with a prayer: may God Almighty give you mercy before the man. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
1 The famine was severe in the land. 2 When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.” 3 Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food; 5 but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?” 7 They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones. 9 I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever; 10 for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.” 11 Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds; 12 and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man. 14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
43:15–25 — Peace be to you — don't be afraid
They go down with the present, the double money, and Benjamin. Seeing Benjamin, Joseph orders his steward to bring them into his house and prepare a meal. The men are terrified — they think it is about the returned silver, and that they will be seized as slaves — so they explain themselves to the steward at the door. His answer is the chapter's turn: peace be to you; don't be afraid; your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money. And he brings out Simeon.
15 The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.” 19 They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food. 21 When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand. 22 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them. 24 The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder. 25 They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
43:26–34 — Seated in the order of their birth
Joseph comes home; they present the gift and bow to the ground. He asks after their welfare and their father — is the old man of whom you spoke still alive? Then he sees Benjamin, his mother's son, blesses him, and has to hurry out of the room because his heart yearns; he weeps in his chamber, washes his face, and comes back out controlling himself. They eat — Egyptians separately, since eating with Hebrews is detestable to them — and the brothers are seated in the exact order of their birth, at which they look at one another in astonishment. Benjamin's portion is five times theirs. And they drink and are merry with him.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him. 27 He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly. 29 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there. 31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.” 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another. 34 He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).