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Texts -- Genesis 42:2-38 (NET)

Context
42:2 He then said , “Look , I hear that there is grain in Egypt . Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die .” 42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt . 42:4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers , for he said , “What if some accident happens to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers , for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan . 42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the country , the one who sold grain to all the people of the country . Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground . 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers , he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly . He asked , “Where do you come from?” They answered , “From the land of Canaan , to buy grain for food .” 42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers , but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies ; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable !” 42:10 But they exclaimed , “No , my lord ! Your servants have come to buy grain for food ! 42:11 We are all the sons of one man ; we are honest men ! Your servants are not spies .” 42:12 “No ,” he insisted , “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable .” 42:13 They replied , “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers . We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan . The youngest is with our father at this time , and one is no longer alive .” 42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: You are spies ! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives , you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here . 42:16 One of you must go and get your brother , while the rest of you remain in prison . In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth . If not , then, as surely as Pharaoh lives , you are spies !” 42:17 He imprisoned them all for three days . 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say and you will live , for I fear God . 42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your hungry families . 42:20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then your words will be verified and you will not die .” They did as he said . 42:21 They said to one other , “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother , because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy , but we refused to listen . That is why this distress has come on us !” 42:22 Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy ,’ but you wouldn’t listen ? So now we must pay for shedding his blood !” 42:23 (Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, for he was speaking through an interpreter .) 42:24 He turned away from them and wept . When he turned around and spoke to them again, he had Simeon taken from them and tied up before their eyes . 42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain , to return each man’s money to his sack , and to give them provisions for the journey . His orders were carried out . 42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left . 42:27 When one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place , he saw his money in the mouth of his sack . 42:28 He said to his brothers , “My money was returned ! Here it is in my sack !” They were dismayed ; they turned trembling one to another and said , “What in the world has God done to us?” 42:29 They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying , 42:30 “The man , the lord of the land , spoke harshly to us and treated us as if we were spying on the land . 42:31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies ! 42:32 We are from a family of twelve brothers ; we are the sons of one father . One is no longer alive , and the youngest is with our father at this time in the land of Canaan .’ 42:33 “Then the man , the lord of the land , said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for your hungry households and go . 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are honest men and not spies . Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land .’” 42:35 When they were emptying their sacks , there was each man’s bag of money in his sack ! When they and their father saw the bags of money , they were afraid . 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless ! Joseph is gone . Simeon is gone . And now you want to take Benjamin ! Everything is against me.” 42:37 Then Reuben said to his father , “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob replied , “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left . If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make , then you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave .”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Benjamin

    [isbe] BENJAMIN - ben'-ja-min (binyamin, or binyamin; Beniaein, Beniamin): 1. The Patriarch: The youngest of Jacob's sons. His mother Rachel died in giving him birth. As she felt death approaching she called him Benoni, "son of my ...
    [nave] BENJAMIN 1. Son of Jacob by Rachel, Gen. 35:18, 24; 46:19. Taken into Egypt, Gen. 42-45. Prophecy concerning, Gen. 49:27. Descendants of, Gen. 46:21; Num. 26:38-41. Tribe of Census of, at Sinai, Num. 1:37; in the plain ...

  • Joseph

    [ebd] remover or increaser. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 30:23, 24), who, on the occasion of his birth, said, "God hath taken away [Heb. 'asaph] my reproach." "The Lord shall add [Heb. yoseph] to me anot...
    [nave] JOSEPH 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 30:24. Personal appearance of, Gen. 39:6. His father's favorite child, Gen. 33:2; 37:3, 4, 35; 48:22; 1 Chr. 5:2; John 4:5. His father's partiality for, excites the jealousy of his brethren, G...

  • FAMINE

    [ebd] The first mentioned in Scripture was so grievous as to compel Abraham to go down to the land of Egypt (Gen. 26:1). Another is mentioned as having occurred in the days of Isaac, causing him to go to Gerar (Gen. 26:1, 17). But...
    [isbe] FAMINE - fam'-in (ra`abh; limos): 1. Natural Causes 2. Famines Mentioned 3. Divine Relations 4. Figurative Uses The common Old Testament word for "famine" is ra`abh; re`abhon also occurs (Gen 42:19,33; Ps 37:19), and kaphan ...

  • Lies and Deceits

    [nave] LIES AND DECEITS Ex. 23:1; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 12, 16 Ex. 20:16. Job 13:4; Job 21:34; Job 27:4; Job 31:5, 6, 33; Job 36:4; Psa. 5:6, 9; Psa. 10:7; Psa. 12:2, 3; Psa. 28:3; Psa. 31:18; Psa. 34:13 1 Pet. 3:10. Psa. 36:3; P...

  • Quotations and Allusions

    [nave] QUOTATIONS AND ALLUSIONS. In the New Testament from, and to, the Old Testament Matt. 1:23 Isa. 7:14. Matt. 2:6 Mic. 5:2. Matt. 2:15 Hos. 11:1. Matt. 2:18 Jer. 31:15. Matt. 3:3 Isa. 40:3. Matt. 4:4 Deut. 8:3; Luke 4:4. Matt...

  • Hypocrisy

    [nave] HYPOCRISY. Job 8:13-15; Job 13:16; Job 15:31, 33, 34; Job 17:8; Job 20:4, 5 vs. 6-18.; Job 27:8-10 vs. 13-18.; Job 31:33, 34; Job 34:30; Job 36:13, 14; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 50:16, 17; Psa. 52:4; Psa. 55:12-14, 20, 21, 23; Psa. 78...

  • Deception

    [nave] DECEPTION. Instances of By Satan, Gen. 3:4. Abraham, in stating that Sarah was his sister, Gen. 12:13; 20:2. Isaac, in stating that his wife was his sister, Gen. 26:7. Jacob and Rebekah, in imposing Jacob on his father,...

  • LEVI (2)

    [isbe] LEVI (2) - (Lewi; Leuei): The third of Leah's sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram (Gen 29:34). In this passage the name is connected with the verb lawah, "to adhere," or "be joined to," Leah expressing assurance that with the ...

  • JACOB (1)

    [isbe] JACOB (1) - ja'-kub: I. NAME 1. Form and Distribution 2. Etymology and Associations II. HIS PLACE IN THE PATRIARCHAL SUCCESSION 1. As the Son of Isaac and Rebekah 2. As the Brother of Esau 3. As the Father of the Twelve III....

  • Exports

    [nave] EXPORTS From Egypt: Of horses and chariots, and linen yarn, 1 Kin. 10:28, 29; 2 Chr. 1:16, 17; of grain, Gen. 42; 43. From Gilead: of spices, Gen. 37:25. From Ophir: of gold, 1 Kin. 10:11; 22:48; 1 Chr. 29:4. From Tarshis...

  • GENESIS, 1-2

    [isbe] GENESIS, 1-2 - jen'-e-sis: I. GENERAL DATA 1. The Name 2. Survey of Contents 3. Connection with Succeeding Books II. COMPOSITION OF GENESIS IN GENERAL 1. Unity of the Biblical Text (1) The Toledhoth (2) Further Indication of...

  • Commerce

    [nave] COMMERCE Laws concerning, Lev. 19:36, 37; 25:14, 17. Carried on by means of caravans, Gen. 37:25, 27; Isa. 60:6; ships, 1 Kin. 9:27, 28; 10:11; 22:48; Psa. 107:23-30; Prov. 31:14; Rev. 18:19. Conducted in fairs, Ezek. 27:1...

  • Money

    [isbe] MONEY - mun'-i: Various terms are used for money in the Bible, but the most common are the Hebrew keceph, and Greek argurion, both meaning silver. We find also qesiTah, rendered by Septuagint "lambs," probably referring to m...
    [nave] MONEY Silver used as, Gen. 17:12, 13, 23, 27; 20:16; 23:9, 13; 31:15; 37:28; 42:25-35; 43:12-23; 44:1-8; 47:14-18; Ex. 12:44; 21:11, 21, 34, 35; 22:7, 17, 25; 30:16; Lev. 22:11; 25:37, 51; 27:15, 18; Num. 3:48-51; 18:16; Deu...

  • Simeon

    [ebd] hearing. (1.) The second son of Jacob by Leah (Gen. 29:33). He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites (34:25, 26). He was detained by Joseph in Egypt as a hostage (42:24)....
    [smith] (heard). The second of Jacob?s son by Leah. His birth is recorded in (Genesis 29:33) The first group of Jacob?s children consists, besides Simeon, of the three other sons of Leah --Reuben, Levi, Judah. Besides the massacre o...
    [nave] SIMEON 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 29:33; 35:23; Ex. 1:1, 2; 1 Chr. 2:1. With Levi avenges upon the Shechemites the seduction of Dinah, Gen. 34; 49:5-7. Jacob's denunciation of, Gen. 34:30; 49:5-7. Goes down into Egypt to buy g...

  • Accusation, False

    [nave] ACCUSATION, FALSE. Ex. 23:1, 7; Lev. 19:16; Psa. 41:5-9; Matt. 5:11; Luke 3:14; 2 Tim. 3:3; 1 Pet. 4:14 See: Conspiracy; Evidence; Iuendo; Slander; Falsehood; Lies and Deceits; Persecution; Speaking, Evil; Gossip. Incident...

  • Reuben

    [isbe] REUBEN - roo'-ben, ru'-ben (re'ubhen; Rhouben): The eldest son of Jacob, born to him by Leah in Paddan-aram (Gen 29:32). 1. Jacob's Oldest Son: This verse seems to suggest two derivations of the name. As it stands in Massore...
    [smith] (behold a son), Jacob?s firstborn Child, (Genesis 29:32) the son of Leah. (B.C. 1753.) The notices of the patriarch Reuben give, on the whole a favorable view of his disposition. To him and him alone the preservation of Josep...
    [nave] REUBEN Son of Jacob, Gen. 29:32; 1 Chr. 2:1. Brings mandrakes to his mother, Gen. 30:14. Commits incest with one of his father's concubines, and, in consequence, forfeits the birthright, Gen. 35:22; 49:4; 1 Chr. 5:1. Adro...

  • Prison

    [smith] [For imprisonment as a punishment, see PUNISHMENTS] It is plain that in Egypt special places were used as prisons, and that they were under the custody of a military officer. (Genesis 40:3; 42:17) During the wandering in the ...
    [nave] PRISON, Gen. 39:20; 42:16-19; Lev. 24:12; Num. 15:34; Ezra 7:26; Jer. 52:11; Luke 23:19; Acts 4:3; 12:4, 5. Public ward of, Acts 5:18. Cells of, Acts 16:24. Court of, Jer. 33:1. Dungeon in, See: Dungeon. See: Imprisonm...

  • BAG

    [ebd] (1.) A pocket of a cone-like shape in which Naaman bound two pieces of silver for Gehazi (2 Kings 5:23). The same Hebrew word occurs elsewhere only in Isa. 3:22, where it is rendered "crisping-pins," but denotes the reticule...
    [isbe] BAG - Bags of various kinds are mentioned in the English Bible, but often in a way to obscure rather than tr the original. (1) "Bag" is used for a Hebrew word which means a shepherd's "bag," rendered "wallet" in the Revised ...
    [smith] is the rendering of several words in the Old and New Testaments. Charitim , the "bags" in which Naaman bound up the two talents of silver for Gehazi. (2 Kings 5:23) They were long cone-like bags of the size to hold a prec...

  • Treasure

    [nave] TREASURE 1. A thing of highly estimated value. Money, Gen. 42:25, 27, 28, 35; 43:23, with vs. 18,21,22. Precious stones, 1 Chr. 29:8. Jesus forbids the hoarding of, Matt. 6:19; 19:21; Luke 12:33. Hidden, Matt. 13:44. Figu...

  • Hell

    [ebd] derived from the Saxon helan, to cover; hence the covered or the invisible place. In Scripture there are three words so rendered: (1.) Sheol, occurring in the Old Testament sixty-five times. This word sheol is derived from a...
    [smith] In the Old Testament this is the word generally and unfortunately used by our translators to render the Hebrew Sheol . It really means the place of the dead, the unseen world, without deciding whether it be the place of miser...
    [nave] HELL The word used in the King James Version of the O.T. to translate the Hebrew word sheol, signifying the unseen state, in Deut. 32:22; 2 Sam. 22:6; Job 11:8; 26:6; Psa. 9:17; 16:10; 18:5; 55:15; 86:13; 116:3; 139:8; Prov....
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Arts

Questions

  • The following material from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia should be helpful here: III. Significant numbers Numbers are also used with a symbolical or theological significance. One is used to convey th...
  • I've heard and read the same statement a number of times, but have never troubled myself to look up each passage. I'm not surprised that looking up "heaven" and "hell" in a concordance would give you contradictory results. T...
  • I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The events recorded in Genesis stretch historically from Creation to Joseph's death, a period of at least 2500 years. The first part of the book (ch. 1-11) is not as easy to date precisely as the second part (ch. 12-50). The ...
  • Genesis provides the historical basis for the rest of the Bible and the Pentateuch, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 1-11 give historical background essential to understanding that covenant, and chapters 12-50 re...
  • The structure of Genesis is very clear. The phrase "the generations of"(toledotin Hebrew, from yaladmeaning "to bear, to generate") occurs ten times (really eleven times since 36:9 repeats 36:1), and in each case it introduce...
  • The Lord destroyed the corrupt, violent human race and deluged its world, but He used righteous Noah to preserve life and establish a new world after the Flood."Noah's experience presents decisively the author's assertion tha...
  • "The Babel account (11:1-9) is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on the sad note of human failure. But as with earlier events in Genesis 1-11, God's grace once again supersedes human sin, insu...
  • One of the significant changes in the emphasis that occurs at this point in Genesis is from cursing in the primeval record to blessing in the patriarchal narratives. The Abrahamic Covenant is most important in this respect. H...
  • A major theme of the Pentateuch is the partial fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs. The promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7 are the fountainhead from which the rest of the Pentateuch flows.397Walter Kaiser labeled the ...
  • "These verses are of fundamental importance for the theology of Genesis, for they serve to bind together the primeval history and the later patriarchal history and look beyond it to the subsequent history of the nation."414"W...
  • The second crisis Abram faced arose because of a famine in Canaan. Abram chose to sojourn in the Nile Valley until it was past. In this incident Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister because he feared for his life. By d...
  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • Abraham's purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land demonstrated his intention to remain in Canaan rather than going back to his native homeland. Since he was a sojourner in Canaan his friends probably expected him to bu...
  • A new toledotbegins with 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord."625Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment o...
  • Joseph awakened his brothers' guilty consciences when he put his brothers in prison as spies after they had come to Egypt for grain. His keeping Simeon hostage while allowing the others to bring Benjamin back pricked their co...
  • Chapters 43-45 are a unit describing what happened when Joseph's brothers returned to Egypt. Like chapter 42, which it echoes, it consists of seven scenes arranged palistrophically with the central scene being the arrest of J...
  • This reunion recalls Jacob's former meeting with Esau (32:3). In both situations after a long period of separation Jacob sent a party ahead to meet the relative."The land of Goshen, where the Hebrews lived, adjoined Avaris--n...
  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • Aalders, Gerhard Charles. Genesis. The Bible Student's Commentary series. 2 vols. Translated by William Heynen. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas...
  • God eventually withdrew the famine from Judah (v. 6) probably in response to His people's calling out to Him for deliverance (cf. Judg. 3:9, 15; 4:3; 6:6; 10:10; 16:28). This verse sounds one of the major themes of the story:...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • 105:7-11 God remembered His people (v. 7, cf. v. 42) so His people should remember Him (v. 5). God had been faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 15:18-21; 22:15-18; 28:13-15). He made this covenant with Abraham...
  • Stephen next proceeded to show what God had done with Joseph and his family. He selected this segment of the patriarchal narrative primarily for two reasons. First, it shows how God miraculously preserved His people in faithf...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Leaving Joseph to pursue his sad journey, our narrative introduces for the first time Reuben, whose counsel, as the verses before the text tell us, it had been to cast the poor lad into the cistern. His motive had been altoge...
  • Is perhaps the most heartless bit of the whole heartless crime. It came as near an insult as possible. It was maliciously meant. The snarl about the coat, the studied use of thy son,' as if the brothers disowned the brotherho...
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