GiGi again's Genesis Chapter 42 comment on 12/11/2021, 12:57pm...
continued...
I think it is interesting that the brothers foresaw some negative result of the accusation of being spies. They then blamed their misfortune on their sin against Joseph such a long time ago. They all held this sin in common. Although Rueben mentions that he tried to stop what the brothers intended sin. He probably thought that he could have done more to help Joseph and he probably could have done something more, but didn't. So here we have sins of commission and sin of omission.
Again, when Jacob heard the account of what had happened, he thought that God was bringing tis on him for some wrongdoing.
Jacob did not want to send Benjamin to Egypt and he was vexed of heart that Simeon was left behind. He did not want to lose more of his family.
I wonder if Joseph had sent just enough corn to get them by for a short time so tat they will be compelled to return for more.
GiGi's Genesis Chapter 42 comment on 12/11/2021, 12:47pm...
So this story takes place 14 years after Joseph was put in charge of the land by Pharoah. At the time of the appointment, Joseph had been in Egypt 13 years. 17+13+14=44. Joseph was now 44. His other brothers who visited were older, probably 50-65 or so as an age spread. Benjamin was younger than Joseph but not a child. Probably 35-40 or so.
Jacob was quite older now, but the loss of Rachel and Joseph stuck with him all these years. He said tat Benjamin was alone, however, he had 10 other brothers. Makes me wonder how integrated the family was with four mothers of 12 sons and 1 daughter. Maybe, since they were herdsmen who lived in tents, they lived in different areas where their flocks were pastured according to households with their mothers. So, Benjamin may have lived with Jacob, but not with his other brothers.
The brothers had been away from Joseph for 17 years. He probably had a shaved head and raiment like along the Egyptian style for the upper class. Joseph's brothers still dressed the same as when Joseph was sold. So, this was may have been how Joseph recognized them and they did not recognized him. Joseph was now bilingual (or multi) and so he could speak in the Egyptian tongue so they could not recognize or understand him.
Joseph's accusations that they were spies was a serious one, especially in a time of famine, making the area vulnerable.
He knew they were not spies, but wanted the brothers to speak about the family to know about Benjamin and his father. He wept, probably to find out that his brother and father were alive and well as well as to see his brothers once again.
His response to seeing his brothers shows that Joseph held no animosity towards his brothers for what they did to him. He knew he was favored by God in the time he had been in Egypt. He knew he was now in a place to bless his family with much needed corn to feed their flocks and to feel their families. He knew that if he did not help them, his family could easily starve.
View All Genesis Chapter 42 Discussion...
GiGi again's Genesis Chapter 42 comment on 12/11/2021, 12:57pm...
continued...
I think it is interesting that the brothers foresaw some negative result of the accusation of being spies. They then blamed their misfortune on their sin against Joseph such a long time ago. They all held this sin in common. Although Rueben mentions that he tried to stop what the brothers intended sin. He probably thought that he could have done more to help Joseph and he probably could have done something more, but didn't. So here we have sins of commission and sin of omission.
Again, when Jacob heard the account of what had happened, he thought that God was bringing tis on him for some wrongdoing.
Jacob did not want to send Benjamin to Egypt and he was vexed of heart that Simeon was left behind. He did not want to lose more of his family.
I wonder if Joseph had sent just enough corn to get them by for a short time so tat they will be compelled to return for more.
GiGi's Genesis Chapter 42 comment on 12/11/2021, 12:47pm...
So this story takes place 14 years after Joseph was put in charge of the land by Pharoah. At the time of the appointment, Joseph had been in Egypt 13 years. 17+13+14=44. Joseph was now 44. His other brothers who visited were older, probably 50-65 or so as an age spread. Benjamin was younger than Joseph but not a child. Probably 35-40 or so.
Jacob was quite older now, but the loss of Rachel and Joseph stuck with him all these years. He said tat Benjamin was alone, however, he had 10 other brothers. Makes me wonder how integrated the family was with four mothers of 12 sons and 1 daughter. Maybe, since they were herdsmen who lived in tents, they lived in different areas where their flocks were pastured according to households with their mothers. So, Benjamin may have lived with Jacob, but not with his other brothers.
The brothers had been away from Joseph for 17 years. He probably had a shaved head and raiment like along the Egyptian style for the upper class. Joseph's brothers still dressed the same as when Joseph was sold. So, this was may have been how Joseph recognized them and they did not recognized him. Joseph was now bilingual (or multi) and so he could speak in the Egyptian tongue so they could not recognize or understand him.
Joseph's accusations that they were spies was a serious one, especially in a time of famine, making the area vulnerable.
He knew they were not spies, but wanted the brothers to speak about the family to know about Benjamin and his father. He wept, probably to find out that his brother and father were alive and well as well as to see his brothers once again.
His response to seeing his brothers shows that Joseph held no animosity towards his brothers for what they did to him. He knew he was favored by God in the time he had been in Egypt. He knew he was now in a place to bless his family with much needed corn to feed their flocks and to feel their families. He knew that if he did not help them, his family could easily starve.
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