Lesson 90 Genesis 44:14-30 Joseph is Revealed to His Brothers

The Brothers Return to Egypt to be Slaves. 44:14-17

English Standard Version (Chapter 44)

14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. 15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?”

16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt in fear of their lives, their future, and their father. Unknowingly they fall at Joseph’s feet in obeisance to him, just as had been foretold in their younger years. As the scene opens to us we hear the term divination used as if Joseph could do witchcraft. But this was a phrase used to reinforce his position as an Egyptian strongman and to throw the brothers off balance. I would even say he used it to strike fear in their hearts. It’s like saying, “did you not know that a man like me can use divination while using the silver cup?” He is not saying he used the cup like that but Egyptian men like him did use it that way:”that a man like me can indeed practice divination?”vs.15

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 44:15.

Joseph now makes it clear he is only interested in Benjamin becoming his servant. The rest of them are free to go: “Go in Peace to your father.” vs. 17

The brothers were willing to serve Joseph together, but they really wanted Benjamin to go back home. It gets better! Judah now pleads for the boy to return to their frail father.

Genesis 44:18- 23

English Standard Version (Chapter 44)

18 Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.’

Judah appeals to Joseph on the basis of the father, “Have you a father or a brother? We have a father...”

It is explained that he is an old man and will die if Benjamin does not return. Yes, that is a bit of drama but drama is everywhere in this story: the grain, the trips to Egypt, meeting the second in command in Egypt, the money in the sacks, leaving Simeon as collateral, the return to Egypt, and now the accusation of theft and the capture of Benjamin for Joseph. This is quite a bit for anybody to go through. Especially Joseph’s entire family, because the last time they met, Joseph thought he would be put to death. Instead the Midianites grabbed him and he was sold into slavery in Egypt. Now the brothers are squirming and it appears Benjamin will not return. Hmm.

English Standard Version (Chapter 44: 24-29

24 “When we went back to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’

26 we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down. For we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

28 One left me, and I said, “Surely he has been torn to pieces,” and I have never seen him since. 29 If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.’

Now it is explained how they came to Egypt for food at the request of their father. But they returned without Simeon. By the way, we don’t read of anyone missing Simeon while he was in Egypt as Joseph’s prisoner. Because they feared the loss of their younger brother, dad would not let him go back as they had already had a brother die. If the old man loses Benjamin, he will be pulled down into the grave. That’s the story and we’re sticking to it!

English Standard Version (Chapter 44)

30 “Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, 31 as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.

32 For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

Simply put, Judah bears the blame for the mess and does not want his father to suffer anymore. This is quite the change from the campfire scene, chapters ago when they wanted Joseph dead. Judah proposes he take Benjamin’s place as his servant. He just cannot face his father without the boy.

The Big Reveal 45:1-4

English Standard Version (Chapter 45)

45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.

3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

People have been watching this family in action. It is a powerful reveal and a complete shock to Jacobs sons! The Egyptians heard it. Pharaoh's household heard it. This is a People magazine exclusive! You can heard the mic drop from here. This is family dynamite. You have no idea how moving your family life is to others. This full cover bingo! Woo Hoo! It’s a two hanky movie scene. The words “I am Joseph” are ringing throughout the land and not just in the brothers ears. “Is My father still alive?” Judah and the crew don’t even know what to say. He confronts them in tenderness: “Come near!” Once again, he says, “I am Joseph, Whom you sold into Egypt.”

The time is ripe for the sons to draw close to each other! The following is from Bible expositor, Joseph S. Excell.

Genesis (Joseph Made Known to His Brethren)

Now that the end had been gained, to lengthen out their trial any further would have been both a cruel and useless experiment. We are prepared for the grace of Christ by the sorrows and discipline of repentance. He will not prolong our trial further than is necessary for us, but will reveal His mercy at our worst moment, when we are ready to believe that all is lost. After our greatest trials, when we have toiled all night and caught nothing, even at the fourth watch, He will come walking on the wave and will stand on the shore and reveal Himself. (John 21:7.) We value God’s mercy most when we are made to see the awful depth of our sin.

Forgiveness is here. It’s time to embrace the brothers as brothers.