Genesis 42 - A Reason For The Waiting

There was a lot of maneuvering here, taking into custody, keeping Simeon and letting the remaining brothers return to Canaan – but my commentary said these were tests designed by God to bring them to repentance.  All of these events took place during the first two years of the seven-year famine.  It would get worse and they’d be back to buy more grain.

“When the ten brothers bowed before him, Joseph knew that the faithful God was beginning to fulfill the promises He had revealed in the two dreams,” my commentary said.  “He knew that all eleven brothers had to bow before him.  This meant that Benjamin would have to come with them on their next trip.  Furthermore, Joseph’s brothers had to be forced to face their sins and come to a place of honest confession, and that would take time.”  In verse 42, the ten men were finally beginning to sense that God was dealing with them because of their sins.

Something I hadn’t thought about before:  In a footnote, my commentary said the brothers could have brought back any Jewish man of the same age as Benjamin and the Egyptians wouldn’t know the difference.  This “test” was a hint that this Egyptian official would recognize Benjamin when he saw him!

Also, Reuben’s “I told you so!” statement “unwittingly informed Joseph of [Reuben’s] kindness in trying to rescue his helpless brother.”

When they returned to Jacob without Simeon and told him Benjamin would have to return with them, Jacob’s statement “made the other sons feel they were second-class members of the family.  Benjamin must be protected even if the whole family starved!  A crisis doesn’t make a man; it shows what a man is made of.  Jacob was revealing his true affections…” my commentary said.

Father, You show me here the importance of not hurrying to reconciliation, but instead letting events cause hearts to change and regret to surface.  Help me to be patient as You work on hearts, even though my own heart wants things fixed right away.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford