Benjamin Heads to Egypt Genesis 43-44:13

Introduction

There was a great famine in the land and the only place that had food was Egypt due to God showing Joseph through Pharaohs dream that their would be seven years of plenty and then a great famine in the land. Because of that Joseph was put in charge of food conservation and now people were coming from all over the world to get food in Egypt.

The famine reached Josephs family in Canaan, so all the brothers but Benjamin head to Egypt to buy corn. As they are waiting in line Joseph recognizes his brothers after not seeing them for around 21 years.

In the 21 years since he had last seen his brothers, Joseph had been through ups and downs, but over and over we see the fact that God was with Joseph no matter the circumstances.

Joseph asked if they were spies and to prove they weren’t spies they had to leave Simeon in Egypt and go back to Canaan and grab Benjamin to prove they weren’t spies.

This is where we will pick up this morning.

The Famine Continues vs. 1-5

The bible tells us the famine was sore in the land

the word sore here means severe. The famine wasn’t getting any better

The famine had lasted so long they ate all of the food they had gotten from Egypt.

Jacob either forgot or maybe didn’t believe the brothers about what would happen of they returned to Egypt without Benjamin, because we see Jacob asks them to go back to Egypt to get more food

Judah reminds Jacob what Joseph had said

The man made it very clear to us that if we don’t bring Benjamin, we can kiss our opportunity to get more corn goodbye.

If you send Benjamin we will go, but if you don’t send Benjamin we won’t go because without him we will not get any food.

Jacobs response vs. 6

Jacob asks the brothers why they dealt so ill or evil with him

Jacob wants to know how their younger brother was brought up to a complete stranger

The brothers knew how special Benjamin was to their dad, and now their dad is reliving the pain of losing Joseph because of the brothers

The brothers response vs. 7-10

The guy started asking questions about you and if we had any other brothers and we gave him the tenor or the full story

We told them how we had 12 brothers and one was at home with you and then we told them how Joseph was gone

They ask their dad how were we supposed to know this random guy was going to tell us to bring our younger brother with us to Egypt

Judahs response in verse 10-12

Jacob Agrees to send Benjamin vs. 11-14

If you have to take him don’t go empty handed

take him gifts vs 11

Take him double the money vs 12

Take your brother Benjamin

He prayed that God would show mercy and send both Simeon and Benjamin home

The brothers head back to Egypt vs. 15-34

The brothers grab the gifts, money and Benjamin and head back to Egypt to get more corn and to get Simeon back

As they come before Joseph, he tells his servant to slay and make ready because these 10 brothers were coming over for to dine at noon

Josephs servants did as they were told and the brought his brothers into the house

The brothers were afraid, they thought they might be getting called to Josephs house because of the money that ended up back in their backpacks.

They thought he could be getting ready to take them for bondmen and take their donkeys as their own.

As they came to the house they were ready to explain what had happened vs.19-22

One of the men in charge of Josephs house tells them that he had their money and put it back

They brought the brothers into the house of Joseph gave them water, washed their feet, and provided food and water for their animals. vs. 24

Joseph arrived at noon to eat with his brethren and they presented the gifts to him and bowed themselves to the earth before him, again fulfilling the dream he had some 21 years before.

Joseph asks about their father vs. 27-28

They let him know that their father was in good health and then bowed their head and made obeisance which is an act of reverence made by incline the body or the knee

Joseph weeps when he see’s his brother Benjamin

He see’s Benjamin the son of his mother and his bowels did yearn for his brother.

He went to his chambers wept washed his face and came back and asked the servants to set on bread, asking them to set the table

They set the tables, with the Egyptians separate from the Hebrews, because Egyptians could not eat with the hebrews.

When they set the mess (the food) before the brothers

Benjamin had 5 times as much food as the others

Joseph sends them on their way 44:1-3

Joseph had his servants give the brothers as much food as they could carry

he put their money back in their sacks

In Benjamin’s bag though he put a silver cup

As soon as it was morning they headed back to Canaan

Josephs plan for his brother 4-6

The cup is found vs. 7-13