(Genesis 43:01 - 43:34)
The famine worsened and ravaged the land of Canaan. When the food they had brought from Egypt was consumed, Jacob told his sons, "Go back and buy us a little more grain."
Judah spoke to him, "The governor of Egypt vowed, 'You will not be granted another audience with me, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.' If you'll let us take Benjamin with us, then we can go down there together and buy what we need to survive. But if you don't agree, we won't go, because, as I said before, he warned us, 'You will not be permitted to see me again, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.'"
Israel replied, "Why did you see fit to tell him about your youngest brother and give me such grief? "
They answered, "He specifically inquired about our family. 'Is your father still alive? Do you have any other brothers?' We simply answered what he asked us. How could we know he would demand, 'You must bring your youngest brother here'?"
Judah said to his father Israel, "Give me custody of the boy. We will make the trip so that our families will be able to survive and not starve to death. I'll assume responsibility for Benjamin's safety and if I don’t bring him safely back to you, I will be forever to blame. ... If not for this delay, we could have been down there and back by this time."
Israel assented, “If it must be, have it your way! But carry with you as gifts for the governor some of the choicest products of our land, balm and honey, storax, myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. And take double the money, returning the money found inside your sacks, in case it being there was an error. Take Benjamin with you, be off, and return to the governor. May the all-powerful God help you find favor with this man, that he may release your brother Simeon whom he holds as a hostage and send back Benjamin as well. If I must be separated from my children, so be it.”
And the sons of Israel took the double money, the gifts, and Benjamin and journeyed again to Egypt, where they were presented to Joseph. When Joseph saw them and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, "Welcome them into the house and make them feel at home. Butcher some livestock and prepare a feast, for these men will dine with me at noon."
The steward did what he was ordered and escorted the men into the house, but the brothers were very apprehensive and said to one other, "Because of the money we took back in our sacks when we returned from our first visit, he is going to make a false accusation against us. He will arrest us, confiscate our donkeys, and make us slaves." Therefore, at the threshold of the house, they took aside the steward and appealed to him, "Please, sir, listen to us. Once before we came here to buy food. We paid for the food we bought, but when we opened our grain sacks at a halting place on the trail, we found our money inside. We've brought that money back, as well as additional silver of an equal weight to buy more of what we need. --- We have no idea who put the money in our sacks."
The steward replied, “Set your mind at ease. Have no fear. It is your god, the god the serves your father who must have left the treasure you found in your sacks. The money you paid me has been accounted for.” And he brought out Simeon to them. Ushering them into the house, he gave them water to wash their feet and feed for their donkeys.
Hearing that they were to dine there at noon, they brought out the presents they had brought for the governor. When Joseph arrived, they bowed before him and proffered the gifts. Joseph responded graciously and inquired after their health. "Is your father well -- the old man you spoke of? Is he still alive?"
"Yes, sir, he is alive and in good health," they answered, bowing again and making obeisance.
Joseph then noticed the presence of Benjamin, his full brother, the only other son of his mother. "Is this the younger brother you told me about?" He spoke to him, "May God bless you, my son." Joseph, though, was so overcome by brotherly affection that he had to excuse himself and retire quickly to a private room where he could succumb to tears. After washing his face, he reappeared and succeeded in controlling his emotions.
"Let dinner be served!" he declared, and the meal was served. However, Joseph and his Egyptian guests sat separately and ate apart from the brothers (for the Egyptians deem it improper to take a meal in the company of Hebrews and indeed, regard it as an abomination to do so.) To their amazement, the brothers were seated in order of their age and seniority. The dishes from Joseph’s table were sent in to them, but Benjamin was given servings that were far larger than those given his older brothers. They celebrated with Joseph, drank their fill, and made merry.
Notes
1. It is interesting that Judah seems to be assuming a leadership position among the brothers. It is he who offers to take charge of young Benjamin on the trip to Egypt. Jacob (Israel) accepts his offer when he had earlier refused a similar one from Reuben. The role of Judah is probably expanded in the narrative because of his later importance. Also it should be noted that his elder brothers had more or less discredited themselves. Reuben was an adulterer, and Simeon and Levi, mass murderers.
2. The brothers are suspicious of Joseph's generosity and must wonder at the cause of it and of his unusual curiosity in their family affairs. It is amazing that they fail to recognize Joseph. Even though two decades had passed, he would have been clean shaven and could not have looked so different from when he did as a youth. Yet, we find this non-recognition a familiar theme in many stories, from the Bible to Homer to Shakespeare.
3. When Joseph sees his brother Benjamin, it is likely that this is first time he had ever seen him. It is not entirely clear from the text, but the chronology suggests that Benjamin was born after Joseph was sold into slavery and, therefore, was at least seventeen years younger. If this is the case, Benjamin could be, at this point, as old as twenty, but probably some years younger, since he is always referred to as “boy”. However, this scenario does not explain why Joseph never asks about his mother Rachel, whose death he could not be aware of.
4. The brothers are not allowed to eat with Joseph, since, according to the narrative, the Egyptians maintained a segregation between themselves and foreigners. This is a statement by Joseph that he no longer considers himself a Hebrew, but an Egyptian, even if by adoption.
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