Gen. 43:1-44:34

1. Locate the passage

After an unspecified amount of time, the grain that the brothers had purchased from Egypt was depleted. However, the narrator informs the reader that the famine was still severe on the land. Now, the tension of the text is Jacob, who believes himself to already be bereft of two of his children, will be forced to risk a third and the only other son of Rachel.

2. Genre

The passage is narrative. It records the conversations between Jacob and his sons and the brothers and Joseph.

3. Determine the structure of the passage

4. Exegete the passage

This passage demonstrates the ascendancy of Judah among his brothers. He intervenes with his father (who consents); he offers to accept responsibility for returning Benjamin safely; he is listed separately from his brothers (Judah and his brothers); he accepts responsibility for the theft on behalf of his brothers; he is the spokesman with Joseph; and offers himself in the place of Benjamin.

Note also, Judah accurately recounts history with both his father and Joseph in extended dialogue in the text.

43:1-7 – You will not see my face unless your brother is with you

• The brothers understood that bringing Benjamin was the test of their honesty with Joseph.
• Jacob must have known that sending them back without Benjamin would risk losing all of their lives

43:8-10 – Send the lad with me … I will be surety for him

• Judah offers to accept responsibility for the safe return of Benjamin. He would be responsible if anything happened to Benjamin.
• Here, we see an older brother taking responsibility for a younger brother; an attribute that was absent in the brothers with Joseph
  • The basis of Judah’s appeal is wasted time and his own offer to accept responsibility (his credibility would be at stake).
  • Judah was asking his father to trust him

43:11-15 – Jacob was persuaded by Judah

• Jacob trusted Judah more than he trusted Reuben, who does not speak in this pericope
• Jacob’s plan for their return involved
  • A gift for Joseph
  • Twice the money to cover the money that was found in their bags upon the previous trip.
• Jacob is resigned to the fact that he may lose another son
  • But, he knows that if they do not return, they will all die, anyway

43:16-24 – Joseph saw Benjamin

• Now, for the first time in his life, Joseph is in the position of being the older brother.
• Joseph had his brothers brought to his house
  • The brothers were afraid and, again, began to speculate. They presumed that they were in trouble for the previous money that was returned to them.
• The brothers presumed Joseph’s intention was to do three things:
  • Attack them
  • Take them for slaves
  • Take their donkeys
    1. The humor of their thought process is in the fact that Joseph would need them as slaves or want their donkeys, when he could have anything in Egypt.
    2. Moreover, if he wanted to attack them, he had complete command of the military and did not need to do it in private.
  • The brothers didn’t wait to be accused of stealing. They approached Joseph’s steward and explained that they don’t know how their money was returned.
    • The man assured the brothers that they were not being charged for that, and suggested that God must have returned their money (even though he knew that is not what happened).
  • The servant said, “Shalom” (peace) to the brothers
  • Joseph’s servant washed his brother’s feet

43:25-27 – Joseph received the gift from his brothers and inquired about Jacob

43:28 – Joseph’s brothers, now including Benjamin (Cf. Gen. 37:9), bowed before him

43:29-30 – Joseph addressed Benjamin and blessed him, causing him to weep

• Joseph “sought” a place to weep indicating his desire to keep his emotions from both his brother and the Egyptians who might be watching
• Joseph’s heart yearned for his brother
  • Joseph “hurried because his compassion was warmed towards his brother.”
    • The Hb. for “warmed” (“camar”) implies growing warm and tender.
    • See its use in Hos. 11:8 of God’s heart

43:31-34 – Joseph and his brother eat “together”

• Joseph was technically served by himself
  • The irony of this passage is that the verse references that Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews. So, Joseph is identified as an Egyptian.
• Joseph seated his brothers in order from oldest to youngest and gave Benjamin more than his brothers.
  • The brothers are not suspicious of Joseph, but surprised.
• Joseph and his brothers drink in great amounts
  • That they leave right after this may suggest that Joseph allowed them to be affected by excessive alcohol to heighten the impact of his last ruse.

44:1-6 – Joseph sent the brothers away, but had his cup placed in Benjamin’s bag

• The reason for Joseph’s final ruse is not stated in the text.
  • It is possible that Joseph is testing the brothers to see if they will protect Benjamin though they failed to protect him.
• The cup (“gabia”) is the word for “chalice;” as opposed to “kos” the word for a common drinking vessel
  • The cup was Joseph’s personal cup and the servant later suggests that it was used for divination
  • How the brothers would have had access to the cup is not stated in the text.
• Joseph dispatched his servant quickly after the brothers left
  • As though the supposed “theft” was quickly discovered

44:7-13 – Why does my lord say these things?

• The brothers, perhaps still tipsy from the wine, are to this point, unaware of the presence of the cup.
  • Unlike the first time, when they discovered the returned money and did not go back to Egypt; this time, they are discovered.
• The brothers still thought they were being accused of taking the money from their first trip (44:8)
  • Their response in 44:8 suggests that they did not have opportunity to steal Joseph’s cup
    1. Perhaps that is what gave them courage to make such a bold offer that would risk the life of anyone with whom the cup was found.
  • The servant checks the bags of the brothers one at a time, beginning with Reuben, who is identified only as “the oldest.”
    • The fact that Benjamin’s bag would be checked last heightens the tension of the story.
  • When the cup (“gabia”) was found in Benjamin’s bag, the brothers tore their clothes and immediately returned to Egypt.
    • The servant, who knew the ruse, played his part well and did not reveal the plot of Joseph

44:14-16 – Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house

• Judah, not takes center stage among his brothers
• They, once again, bowed before him
  • Joseph continues the ruse by interrogating them
• Joseph was “still in the house.”
  • No doubt, Joseph was waiting for their return
• Judah speaks up
  • He speaks in third person – “How can we justify ourselves?”
    1. He does not profess their innocence
    2. It is not clear if the brother suspected Benjamin of stealing the cup secretly
  • He suggested that the Lord had exposed their guilt
    1. Perhaps he was referring to their guilt with Joseph, since they were not aware how the cup got into Benjamin’s bag
  • Judah offered that all of the brothers would be Joseph’s slaves

44:17 – Now, the crux of Joseph’s plan is revealed

• What Joseph proposed was nearly identical to what the brothers did to Joseph
  • They allowed him to be enslaved for something that they knew he did not do
• Joseph even offered to allow the other brothers to “go in peace” to their father
  • Which is what they had attempted to do after selling Joseph

44:18-34 – Judah pleads for Benjamin and offers himself in Benjamin’s place

• In an extended speech, Judah pleads on Benjamin’s behalf
  • Judah’s recount of the events chronicles their “aged father,” the “youngest brother,” and their “dead brother.”
    1. He recalls how Joseph had specifically asked them if they had another brother
  • He also suggests that if he does not return with Benjamin, it will cause their father to die of sorrow.
• Judah acknowledged that he had offered himself to his father as a guarantee for Benjamin
  • So, he offers himself to Joseph in Benjamin’s place.
• The only thing missing from Judah’s story is their own place is selling their brother Joseph into slavery

5. Let the structure of the text drive the sermon

Exp. This passage reveals the true nature of taking responsibility

• The brothers have not yet taken responsibility for their sin
• Judah assumes responsibility for his brother Benjamin before Jacob
• Even when given an opportunity to gain his own safety, he assumed responsibility for Benjamin before Joseph

Exp. It is possible that Joseph, out of care for Benjamin, is testing his brother to see if  they are willing to accept responsibility or think only of themselves as they had before when they allowed him to be sold into slavery.

• Taking responsibility requires trustworthiness
  Exp. Judah was more trusted by his father than Reuben
  App. How can we be trustworthy?
• Taking responsibility requires personal risk
  Exp. Judah accepted the risk of his own reputation in guaranteeing Benjamin’s safety to his father
• Taking responsibility requires accepting responsibility
  Exp. Even though Judah knew that he was not at fault, and had reason to assume that Benjamin was also not at fault, he accepted responsibility because the action happened and he was the responsible party.
• Taking responsibility requires personal cost
  Exp. As he had promised to do with his father, Judah accepted the ultimate responsibility for Benjamin
  Exp. He was a man of his word
  Exp. He said to Joseph, “I will be your slave” in place of Benjamin
  Ill. This foreshadows Moses’ offer to the Lord to take the blame for Israel (Ex. 32:32) and Paul’s wish that he might be accursed (Rom. 9:3) for the sake of Israel.
  App. Though, ultimately, this passage foreshadows Christ, who stood in our place and accepted responsibility for our sin before His father.