Ge. 43: Ben Fu: Da Return

OK, so, the famine is still going on in chapter 43, Simeon is still in prison, and Jacob's family is running out of grain. Probably didn't take long. Jacob, who had no way of knowing how long the famine was going to last, told the brotherhood to go back to Egypt and score a little more grain.

Judah tells his dad that Joseph said "You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you." At least in the NIV. I had to look, but I didn't remember Joseph saying that. Perhaps this was a "to-the-best-of-my-recollection" incident, or maybe Joseph said it and it wasn't recorded. Eh, anyway, Joseph's orders were to bring back the youngest in order to not die.

Jacob asks, "Why on earth did you tell him you had another brother?"

The boys reply like, "Whaaat....he was giving us the bare-bulb interrogation treatment, and we had diarrhea of the mouth." You know, where you just run your mouth until something that makes sense comes out. They didn't know he would want them to bring Benjamin back.

Judah gets even more testy and self-assured, saying that he would bear full responsibility for what happens to Benjamin, and that they should stop screwing around and hit the road. They could have been there and back twice, for Pete's sake.

Jacob is finally convinced. He has them prepare gifts from the land, as well as double the silver to pay for the past grain and the new grain. In an amazing example of being able to let go, Jacob/Israel brings back Mr. Cool. He prays that God will give them mercy so that Simeon and Benjamin and all that will come back alive. "If I am bereaved, I am bereaved." Is that a weird acceptance of what may or may not happen? I think that reminds me of me...the desire to prepare myself either way, for whatever outcome God may have, as I'll have to live with it either way.

So Joseph sees them coming in the distance, Benjamin with them, he decides its time to party. He has his steward slaughter an animal, and prepare the noon meal.

So, if you are already scared of what Joseph is going to do to you, not knowing what's coming, and then he has you come to his house personally? That's a scary thought. Like being sent to the principal's office. Only the principal has a guillotine or something in the back. They figured Joseph wanted to enslave them and seize their donkeys.

Isn't it interesting that the things we treasure, we sometimes assume others would treasure...at least I assume that. And these shepherds figured the governor or Egypt needed, or would confiscate their meager donkeys.

Anyway, they plead with Joseph's steward, saying they didn't know about the silver in their sack, so they brought it back, plus enough to pay for more grain. Wonder if they had enough to cover interest?

Joseph's steward lies about God, saying God put it back in their sacks and that he received their silver. Isn't that heartwarming? I don't believe this dishonesty even in the spirit of giving pleased the LORD.

So Simeon is released, they wash up, feed the donkeys, and Joseph comes home at noon to gifts and more bowing from the brotherhood of the Jacob.

"How is your aged father?"

"Alive and well." More bowing.

He sees Benjamin and is moved so deeply that he has to leave the room to go weep. Again. He composes himself and comes back. "Serve the food," is his order.

They all have to eat separately, Joseph alone, the brothers alone, and the Egyptians alone. Why? Well, there is a very good reason. Egyptians detested eating with Hebrews, those dirty shepherds. Even though Joseph was in charge of them, it didn't change the fact that he was a dirty Hebrew.

But the brothers got to be amazed because their seating order was in order of their ages. Benjamin received 5 times as much portionage as everyone else. More favoritism. Which is a great idea. Not. Anyway, there was much feasting.