Summary of Genesis 43:15-34:
The brothers did as Jacob said. They hurried to Egypt with Benjamin. Joseph invited them to eat with him. The brothers were frightened of this action. They thought Joseph was going to attack them and seize them as slaves and take their donkeys as punishment for the silver in their bags they did not pay the first time.
The brothers approached the steward in an effort to give the money back. The steward said it was a gift to them from God. Then Simeon was brought out. The brothers prepared for a meal and retrieved the gifts to give Joseph. When Joseph arrived, they gave him the gifts and bowed low to him. He asked them if Jacob was still alive, and they replied yes.
Joseph was very moved to see Benjamin. They were probably very close as brothers. He had to excuse himself to weep. Joseph returned, and the food was served. Joseph ate separately from his brothers because the Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews. Joseph sat them in the order of their birth, and the brothers were astonished. Benjamin got 5 times the amount of the others.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 26, Day 3: Genesis 43:15-34
7) Joseph invited them to eat with him. The brothers were frightened of this action. They thought Joseph was going to attack them and seize them as slaves and take their donkeys as punishment for the silver in their bags they did not pay the first time.
8 ) The steward knows of their God/God/Joseph’s God. I’m wondering if this is because of Joseph’s position and if his story is known to others.
9) I think Joseph was trying to give them a hint, but the brothers missed it.
10) Wow. Too many to pinpoint. I would say everything in my life has led to this point and God continues to lead. It’s only fear if you perceive it as that. In my life, it seems everything is unexpected.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 26, Day 3: Genesis 43:15-34
You think that when the brothers were seated in the order of their birth that they would begin to wonder what was up. That they would truly LOOK at Joseph and recognize him. It’s obvious that something is going on here, how Joseph asks after Jacob; how he invites them to dinner, etc. It’s a puzzle that I’m surprised not one of the brothers tried to figure it out. I bet Simeon doesn’t care; he is just glad to be out of jail.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 26, Day 3: Genesis 43:15-34
The brothers wonder why they are being invited to Joseph’s house. Still, they don’t put it together. Joseph mirror Jesus here in wanting us to eat (Revelation 3:20).
The brothers wanted to be transparent and do the right thing by giving back the silver. The steward said no; it is a gift from God. As promised, Simeon is released.
Joseph shows nothing but kindness to his brothers, again, like Jesus. The brothers bow down again like in Joseph’s dreams out of need, as well as honor and respect. We come to God in the smae way.
Perhaps he saw Rachel, his mother, when he looked at Benjamin.
Interestingly, the Egyptians would not eat with Joseph either, despite his status above them. Egyptians thought of themselves as gods and above all other societies. God, in His infinite wisdom, would use this as well. Because the Egyptians despised everything as foreign, including imports, they would have nothing to do with the people of God/Jacob’s family.
Jacob’s family would be left in peace to grow and multiply to the millions without intermixing with the pagan culture around them. This kept them safe from turning from God. If Jacob’s family had stayed in Canaan, this might not have been the case. God protected the Israelites, using Joseph to do so. Amazing!
The mathematical odds of getting the brothers’ birth order right was 1 in a million.
Joseph was testing his brothers’ hearts again, seeing how they would react to Benjamin getting more food, and seeing if Benjamin even made it to Egypt or he would be sold as well.
