CPCC Bible Study: Genesis 42 - 43

1 - 2
      Summary and Paraphrase: Jacob hears about grain in Egypt, so he asks the boys why are they standing around looking at each other. 'Go down there and buy food to keep us from starving to death.'
      Comment: Jacob is still Jacob and not Israel.

3 - 5
      Summary: The ten older brothers head south, leaving Benjamin behind, because Jacob was worried that he might fall to harm. So the sons of Israel went to buy grain because of the famine.
      Ben is a young man now, but he is the last son of his favorite wife. And, in five, we've got Israel instead of Jacob.

6 - 9
      Summary: The scene shifts to Egypt. It says that Joseph was "Shallit" (ruler / had authority (some translations use the word governor)), and he was the sales agent for the grain. The brothers show up and "shachah" (prostrate / bow to the ground) before him. Joseph recognizes them, but they don't know him, and he speaks in Egyptian to them through an interpreter (which we find out later).
      Comment: Of course this is the fulfillment of Joseph's first dream in chapter 37, which is mentioned in our verse 9, where Joseph accuses them of being "ragal" (spies / explorers) coming to see the "ervah" (vulnerable / undefended / naked) land.

10 - 11
      Summary: They say no, that they've come to buy food, they are all brothers and "ken" (sure / right (meaning 'honest / nobel') men, not spies.
      Comment: .... .... the text doesn't say whether or not they said that with a straight face.

12
      Summary: Joseph repeats the charge.
      Comment: The brothers have good reason to start getting worried right about now.

13
      Summary: they say "shenayim / shettayim" (two)-"'asar" ('and' ten) (twelve) "ebed" (servents) "ach" (brothers) of one man in Canaan, and the youngest is still there, and one is "ayin" (none / nothing / etc).

14
      Paraphrased quote: "Yeah, you're a bunch of spies." - Joseph.

15 - 20
      Summary: Joseph proposes a test for them. He throws them all in prison, probably the same one he'd been in, for three days. Then he makes them an offer that is a true Hobson's choice, "do this and live". One brother will stay in the can while the others go back, with some grain, and fetch their younger brother. And if they don't come back, the hostage dies.
      There's a link below that explains that the classic phrase "a Hobson's choice" is all about the illusion of choice where there is only one thing on offer and the 'second choice' is not a viable option. The original concept for the phrase involves a horse, you can read about it at the link.

21 - 22
      Summary: They admit to each other that they are guilty of what happened to Joseph, and how they didn't listen to him when he in "tsarah" (distress / affliction / anguish) "chanan" ('begged for' mercy), and so this is happening to them. Then Rueben gets his 'I told you so' moment.

23 - 24
      Summary: The brothers didn't know that while they were fussing amongst themselves that Joseph, probably standing just outside their cell, understood every word they said because he had been speaking through a "luts" (ambassador / interpreter / teacher). He turns away and has a nice cry. Then he comes back and talks to them for a minute, again, through his interpreter. Then he has Simeon bound and takes him away, leaving the others in the cell.

25
      Summary: Joseph has their sacks filled with grain, he has his workers put the brothers silver back in their sacks. Then he gives them stuff for the journey as well.

26 - 28
      Summary: They load up their donkeys and take off for home. Later, one of them opens his sack to feed his donkey, and finds his silver. They all check, and they've all got their "keseph" (silver / money) in their bags....
      "way yatsa" (and departed / gone out / failed) their "leb" (heart / mind (the 'inner man')) and they "charad" (tremble with fear / be afraid / dread) and said to one another "mah" (what / why) "zot" (this) "asah" (accomplish / perform / act) 'Elohim to us?

29 - 35
      Summary: They go home and tell Jacob the story about how mean the "adon erets" (lord of the land / ruler of the country) was to them, and accused them of being spies, and so on. They empty the grain in their sacks and find the rest of their money, and now the brothers and their father are all afraid.

36 - 38
      Summary: Jacob says to them that they cause him "shakol / shakal" ('the state of grief when one mourns a dead child'). Joseph is "ayin" (nothing / no more), Simeon is "ayin", and you want to take Benjamin, "al" (against) me is everything. Reuben says that he'll leave his own sons with Jacob, and if anything happens to Benjamin, Jacob can kill them. Jacob again says that Ben's not going anywhere, because if any harm came to him it would put Jacob's gray hair in "Sheol" (grave / abode of the dead)

- end 42 -

Chapter 43

1 - 2
      Summary: The famine gets worse. They've eaten everything they brought from Egypt, so time has passed, but we don't know how much. Their father, the text doesn't use either name, says go back and get some more.

3 - 5
      Summary: Judah speaks up and tells him that they were specifically warned by 'the man' that unless their brother was with them they they were out of luck.

6 - 7
      Summary: Israel asks why they told the man they had a brother.
      Discussion: There's two answers in play. The first being 'he asked', which is what the brothers say to Israel. The second reason is supposition, they just talk too much and volunteer information that isn't needed or required. But, of course, Joseph already knew everything about them, he just wanted to see how they acted and what they said.

8 - 9
      Judah says to Israel, his father....
      Yes, the Hebrew once again defines the relationship, and, stand by, it's there again in verse 11.
      Summary: "shalach" (send) the boy with me, we'll go, and we'll live and not die, you, and also our kids. And I "arab" (pledge / offer surety / guarantee) that I'll bring him back to you or I'll bear the "chata" (guilt / sin) for all time- for if we had not "mahah" "tarried / delayed / lingered" we'd been back by now.
      Note: Benjamin is now at least in his mid-twenties, they call him 'the boy'.
      Remember, Simeon has been sitting in prison this whole time.

11 - 13
      Summary: Israel tells them to take some of the "zimrah" (best products / produce (this is the only time this word is used in the OT)) of the land, and "minchah" (tribute / present), "tsori / tseri" (balm (same thing that was on Joseph's caravan)), "debash" (honey (first time word is used in OT)), "nekoth" (spices), "botnim" (pistachios (only time word is used)), "lot" (myrrh (also mentioned on the caravan)), and "shaqed" (almonds), And "keseph" (silver / money) take "mishneh" (double / repetition) what was returned, "ulay" (perhaps / possible) "mishgeh" (mistake / oversight (only time word used)) it was. He tells them to take their brother, Ben, and go back to the man.
     

14
      And 'El Shadday (God Almighty) may give you "racham" (mercy / compassion) before the man, that he may "shalach" (send) your "acher" (other) brother and Benjamin, and if I am "shakol" (grieving a child) I am "shakol" (the repetition implies a resignation to fate).
      It appears that Jacob / Israel has finally realized that he's not going to get his way in this one.

15
      Summary: The brothers pack up and head south.....

Travel Note:
      If Israel / Jacob and the boys are still living somewhere in the neighborhood of Beersheba it would be, give or take, two hundred miles to what was the ancient city of Memphis in Egypt.
      As we were told in the previous chapter that the brothers used donkeys as their pack animals, we can look through various sources and find out that, under reasonable conditions, a caravan of donkeys under load can travel about 20 to 25 miles per day, more or less depending on all sorts of factors.
      So, you're looking at almost two weeks just being on the road. That gives some idea about how long they hung out at the old homestead before the old man finally agreed to let them go back when Judah said "if we hadn't been goofing off, we could have been down there and back by now."
end note

      .... with double the silver, and the gifts, and Benjamin, and they "amad" (stood) before Joseph.

16 - 17
      Summary: Joseph sees them with his own younger brother he tells the steward of his house to go home and prepare a feast for lunch. And the steward did it.

18
      Summery: "yare'" (afraid / in fear) the "ish" (men)....
      There's been a change of tone. The brothers are now 'the men'.
      .... because they're being taken to Joseph's house.....
      Discussion: The brothers worry about why they're going over there, and speculate that it was because of the money they found in their bags last time. They even worry that they are being taken to his residence so he might "galal" assault them, and take them as "ebed" (slaves / servants)... with their donkeys.
      Now remember, Benjamin is the only innocent one in the bunch. He knows NOTHING about what the older half-brothers did to his own full brother, and he's there listening to all this stuff while they're walking along. We've seen them bickering amongst themselves several times now, first when they put Joseph in the hole and then sold him, then the first time they were in jail,

19 - 22
      Summary: when they get to the house they tell the Steward the story.

23 - 25
      Summary: The steward tells them "shalom" (peace), that 'Elohim has done this, and that he put the money in the sacks. Then he brings Simeon to them. He lets them wash up and feed their donkeys. Then they get the gift they'd brought with them ready to give to The Man because he was coming home to eat lunch.

26
      Summary: Joseph works half a day and comes home, so they bring him the gift and bow down to him.

27 - 28
      Summary: Joseph is still playing the role. He asks them about the 'old man', and they tell him that he's alive and well.

29 - 30
      Summary: Joseph sees his brother, which the text tells us is the son of his mother, and he asks the brothers if it is the younger brother. Then he blesses him. Then Joseph runs to his room and has a good cry.

31
      Summary: Joseph washes up and gets control of himself. He comes out and tells the servants to bring out lunch.

32
      Summary: They set places for Joseph, and the brothers, and the Egyptians "bad" (alone / by themselves).
      .... "ki" (for / because) "lo" (not / no) "yakol" (able / can / etc) "Mitsri" (Egyptians) "akal" (eat / ate) with "Ibri" (Hebrews) "ki" (for / because) "toebah" (detestable / abomination / loathsome (first use of this word in OT)) to "Mitsri" (Egyptians).
      Comment: This is a fascinating passage. It is the Egyptians who are turning their noses up at the Hebrews. Never mind that Joseph is second in command to Pharaoh, his household help don't want to be seen eating lunch with him and his guests. Although we don't know the routine when he doesn't have company in from out of town.

33 - 34
      Summary: The brothers had been seated, evidently by the staff, from oldest to youngest and couldn't believe it. Then the help brings them portions and Ben's is five times larger than everybody else's. And the party began.
      Comment: Many translations include the words 'feast' and 'merry' toward the end of 34. That is not in the Hebrew. The words used are "shatah" (drink / to drink) and were "shakar" (intoxicated) with him. Another example of moralizing from various translators.

References and links: Outside links will open in new tab/window.

The Interlinear: Hebrew - English https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/42.htm

The 1611 King James Version: https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Genesis-Chapter-42/

A dictionary explains Hobson's Choice https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hobson%27s%20choice

Donkey Travel Links:
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Travel
https://www.americanbible.org/engage/bible-resources/articles/methods-of-travel/

The Genesis Study Index Page

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

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