Genesis43

The severe famine compels Jacob's sons to return to Egypt for more food, but the Egyptian ruler demands Benjamin accompany them. Judah persuades Jacob, offering himself as surety for Benjamin's safety, and Jacob reluctantly agrees, sending gifts and double money. Upon their arrival, Joseph sees Benjamin, is deeply moved, and hosts his brothers for a meal, showing special favor to Benjamin.

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Judah Becomes Surety for Benjamin

And the famine was sore in the land.

And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

And they said, The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

for except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.

And their father Israel said unto them, If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;

and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

The Brothers Arrive and Fear

And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon.

And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.

And 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 at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spake unto him at the door of the house,

and said, Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

and it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food: we know not who put our money in our sacks.

And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

And they made ready the present against Joseph’s coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

Joseph Meets Benjamin; The Feast

And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the earth.

And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with another.

And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Study Notes for Genesis 43

Verse 1

The severity of the famine forces Jacob’s family to face the difficult demand made by the Egyptian ruler (Joseph) in the previous chapter: they must bring Benjamin.

Verse 3

Judah takes the lead in addressing Jacob, a shift in leadership from Reuben (42:37). Judah’s firm statement emphasizes the non-negotiable nature of Joseph’s oath.

Verse 6

Israel (Jacob) expresses his frustration. He blames his sons, highlighting his deep anxiety and attachment to Benjamin, the last surviving son of his beloved wife, Rachel.

Verse 8

Judah appeals to the necessity of immediate action to save the extended family from starvation, contrasting Jacob’s emotional paralysis with the practical need to survive.

Verse 9

Judah's offer to be 'surety' (guarantor) for Benjamin is a profound act of self-sacrifice and responsibility. This demonstrates his moral transformation since he suggested selling Joseph decades earlier (37:26).

Verse 11

Jacob finally yields to necessity. The 'best fruits' of Canaan were intended as a diplomatic gift, following the custom of offering tribute to a powerful official.

Verse 12

Jacob instructs them to return the money found in their sacks, fearing it was an error or a setup. This demonstrates Jacob’s integrity and his desire to avoid any appearance of wrongdoing.

Verse 14

Jacob invokes 'God Almighty' (El Shaddai), demonstrating that he now places the situation in God’s hands. His final words, 'If I be bereaved... I am bereaved,' express sorrowful resignation to fate.

Verse 16

Joseph’s command to prepare a meal indicates high honor and substantial hospitality, but also deepens the mystery and fear for the brothers, who expected only a brief transaction.

Verse 18

The brothers interpret the sudden invitation as a trap. Their greatest fear is being seized as slaves due to the returned money, showing their guilty conscience and distrust of the Egyptian system.

Verse 23

The steward’s words, 'Your God, and the God of your father,' reassure the brothers. This phrase suggests either that the steward is aware of Joseph’s identity or that he is attempting to comfort them by referencing their known deity, attributing the returned money to divine providence.

Verse 24

Washing the feet was essential hospitality after traveling the dusty roads of the ancient Near East.

Verse 26

The act of bowing down fulfills the prophetic dreams Joseph had as a boy (37:5-11), even though the brothers remain unaware that the dreams are being fulfilled through their own actions.

Verse 29

Joseph's immediate recognition of Benjamin, his only full brother (son of Rachel), causes a rush of emotion. His blessing, 'God be gracious unto thee, my son,' reveals his profound affection.

Verse 30

The phrase 'his bowels did yearn' describes intense, visceral emotion. Joseph had to quickly withdraw to weep privately, maintaining his disguise and control over the unfolding drama.

Verse 32

The separation of dining parties emphasizes the cultural chasm. Egyptians viewed eating with Hebrews as ritually unclean or an 'abomination,' reinforcing Joseph’s status as a highly integrated Egyptian official.

Verse 33

The brothers are seated in perfect birth order, which causes them to 'marvel.' This precise knowledge likely led them to suspect that Joseph possessed some form of divination or supernatural insight.

Verse 34

Benjamin receiving a portion five times larger serves as a critical test. Joseph is watching to see if the brothers react with the same jealousy towards Rachel’s second son that they had previously shown toward Rachel’s first son (Joseph). They pass this test by accepting the unequal treatment without complaint.

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Genesis43

Judah Becomes Surety for Benjamin

The Brothers Arrive and Fear

Joseph Meets Benjamin; The Feast

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