Joseph bible study Genesis chapters 37 through 44

 

            Here is a bible study that continues the narrative in Genesis that switches the emphasis from Jacob to Joseph, although Jacob also figures some in it, especially in chapter 37, and chapter 38 deals with Judah and his family and their activities. Much of the story in these chapters deals with Joseph’s being sold as a slave and transported to Egypt to serve under Pharaoh where eventually his gifting to interpret dreams would see Joseph become second in charge behind Pharaoh who recognized Joseph’s giftings and the fact that God was with Joseph from very early on, almost immediately after they met . For more on Jacob, and the all of the others you also can turn to my previous bible study here, which deals with Jacob:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/jay-dougherty/jacob-bible-study-chapters-28-through-36/249131175229691

Genesis chapter 37 deals with Joseph’s being sold into slavery by his own brethren largely due to their envy which cam from his father’s own partiality towards him and also his dreams too, which showed his own brethren and Jacob too, bowing before him. The brethren then coated Joseph’s special coat of many colors with blood which made the father think his son Joseph had indeed died, being devoured by animals, leading him to mourn for a long time, which was indeed their original plan before selling him off, Reuben and Judah having spared Joseph- it was Judah’s idea to sell him and not kill him

(Genesis 37:1)  Jacob lived in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

 

(Genesis 37:2)  These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.

 

(Genesis 37:3)  Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

 

(Genesis 37:4)  But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

 

(Genesis 37:5)  Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

 

(Genesis 37:6)  He said to them, "Hear this dream that I have dreamed:

 

(Genesis 37:7)  Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf."

 

(Genesis 37:8)  His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

 

(Genesis 37:9)  Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

 

(Genesis 37:10)  But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?"

 

(Genesis 37:11)  And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

 

(Genesis 37:12)  Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.

 

(Genesis 37:13)  And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am."

 

(Genesis 37:14)  So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word." So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

 

(Genesis 37:15)  And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, "What are you seeking?"

 

(Genesis 37:16)  "I am seeking my brothers," he said. "Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock."

 

(Genesis 37:17)  And the man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

 

(Genesis 37:18)  They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

 

(Genesis 37:19)  They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer.

 

(Genesis 37:20)  Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams."

 

(Genesis 37:21)  But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."

 

(Genesis 37:22)  And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him"--that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.

 

(Genesis 37:23)  So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.

 

(Genesis 37:24)  And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

 

(Genesis 37:25)  Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

 

(Genesis 37:26)  Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

 

(Genesis 37:27)  Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him.

 

(Genesis 37:28)  Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

 

(Genesis 37:29)  When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes

 

(Genesis 37:30)  and returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?"

 

(Genesis 37:31)  Then they took Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

 

(Genesis 37:32)  And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, "This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not."

 

(Genesis 37:33)  And he identified it and said, "It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces."

 

(Genesis 37:34)  Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

 

(Genesis 37:35)  All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him.

 

(Genesis 37:36)  Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

 

Genesis chapter 38 then speaks of Judah and his family and children and the various intrigues involved in the story

(Genesis 38:1)  It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

 

(Genesis 38:2)  There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her,

 

(Genesis 38:3)  and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

 

(Genesis 38:4)  She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

 

(Genesis 38:5)  Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him.

 

(Genesis 38:6)  And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

 

(Genesis 38:7)  But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death.

 

(Genesis 38:8)  Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

 

(Genesis 38:9)  But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother.

 

(Genesis 38:10)  And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also.

 

(Genesis 38:11)  Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house, till Shelah my son grows up"--for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father's house.

 

(Genesis 38:12)  In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

 

(Genesis 38:13)  And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,"

 

(Genesis 38:14)  she took off her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage.

 

(Genesis 38:15)  When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

 

(Genesis 38:16)  He turned to her at the roadside and said, "Come, let me come in to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

 

(Genesis 38:17)  He answered, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." And she said, "If you give me a pledge, until you send it--"

 

(Genesis 38:18)  He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" She replied, "Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

 

(Genesis 38:19)  Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

 

(Genesis 38:20)  When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her.

 

(Genesis 38:21)  And he asked the men of the place, "Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?" And they said, "No cult prostitute has been here."

 

(Genesis 38:22)  So he returned to Judah and said, "I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, 'No cult prostitute has been here.'"

 

(Genesis 38:23)  And Judah replied, "Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her."

 

(Genesis 38:24)  About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."

 

(Genesis 38:25)  As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, "By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant." And she said, "Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff."

 

(Genesis 38:26)  Then Judah identified them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not know her again.

 

(Genesis 38:27)  When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb.

 

(Genesis 38:28)  And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first."

 

(Genesis 38:29)  But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" Therefore his name was called Perez.

 

(Genesis 38:30)  Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

 

In Genesis chapter 39 then Joseph begins serving in Egypt, at the Pharaoh’s palace. The Pharaoh, recognizing God’s blessing on Joseph, quickly makes Joseph and overseer but then Joseph has to resist Pharaoh’s wife’s advances upon him, and then ends up being falsely accused by his wife and then imprisoned by Pharaho due to these false allegations from her because he refused to yield to her lustful desire for sex. God also blessed Joseph and his activities in the prison

(Genesis 39:1)  Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.

 

(Genesis 39:2)  The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

 

(Genesis 39:3)  His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

 

(Genesis 39:4)  So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.

 

(Genesis 39:5)  From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field.

 

(Genesis 39:6)  So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

 

(Genesis 39:7)  And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."

 

(Genesis 39:8)  But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.

 

(Genesis 39:9)  He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

 

(Genesis 39:10)  And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

 

(Genesis 39:11)  But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,

 

(Genesis 39:12)  she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

 

(Genesis 39:13)  And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,

 

(Genesis 39:14)  she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.

 

(Genesis 39:15)  And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house."

 

(Genesis 39:16)  Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,

 

(Genesis 39:17)  and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.

 

(Genesis 39:18)  But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house."

 

(Genesis 39:19)  As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled.

 

(Genesis 39:20)  And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

 

(Genesis 39:21)  But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

 

(Genesis 39:22)  And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.

 

(Genesis 39:23)  The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.

 

In Genesis chapter 40 two of Pharaoh’s officers who were thrown in the same prison with Joseph for some offense they committed against Pharaho both had their own dreams and then Joseph interpreted both of the dreams accurately and as the dreams went one was restored, one hung just as Joseph predicted, but the one who was restored then forgot all about Joseph who had asked him to mention Joseph to Pharaoh after the interpretations.

(Genesis 40:1)  Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt.

 

(Genesis 40:2)  And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,

 

(Genesis 40:3)  and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.

 

(Genesis 40:4)  The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

 

(Genesis 40:5)  And one night they both dreamed--the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison--each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation.

 

(Genesis 40:6)  When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled.

 

(Genesis 40:7)  So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why are your faces downcast today?"

 

(Genesis 40:8)  They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."

 

(Genesis 40:9)  So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, "In my dream there was a vine before me,

 

(Genesis 40:10)  and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes.

 

(Genesis 40:11)  Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand."

 

(Genesis 40:12)  Then Joseph said to him, "This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.

 

(Genesis 40:13)  In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer.

 

(Genesis 40:14)  Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.

 

(Genesis 40:15)  For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit."

 

(Genesis 40:16)  When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, "I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head,

 

(Genesis 40:17)  and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head."

 

(Genesis 40:18)  And Joseph answered and said, "This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.

 

(Genesis 40:19)  In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head--from you!--and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you."

 

(Genesis 40:20)  On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.

 

(Genesis 40:21)  He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

 

(Genesis 40:22)  But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

 

(Genesis 40:23)  Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

 

In Genesis 41 then Pharaoh has two prophetic dreams concerning the future which he looked for someone to interpret them but could find nobody in the court, then his one officer who had his dream interpreted finally remembers Joseph and says something about ho Joseph interprets dreams, then Joseph is brought out of prison and to Pharaho where Joseph the dreams accurately as seven coming years of plenty, and seven years of severe famine, which are to come, and then gives Pharaoh advice on what to do is to prepare for the coming severe famine during the years of plenty. Joseph is then elevated to second in charge to help prepare Egypt and the people for the coming seven year famine which is predicted to be very severe

(Genesis 41:1)  After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

 

(Genesis 41:2)  and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass.

 

(Genesis 41:3)  And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

 

(Genesis 41:4)  And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke.

 

(Genesis 41:5)  And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk.

 

(Genesis 41:6)  And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind.

 

(Genesis 41:7)  And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

 

(Genesis 41:8)  So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

 

(Genesis 41:9)  Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "I remember my offenses today.

 

(Genesis 41:10)  When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,

 

(Genesis 41:11)  we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation.

 

(Genesis 41:12)  A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream.

 

(Genesis 41:13)  And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged."

 

(Genesis 41:14)  Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.

 

(Genesis 41:15)  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

 

(Genesis 41:16)  Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

 

(Genesis 41:17)  Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile.

 

(Genesis 41:18)  Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass.

 

(Genesis 41:19)  Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt.

 

(Genesis 41:20)  And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows,

 

(Genesis 41:21)  but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke.

 

(Genesis 41:22)  I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good.

 

(Genesis 41:23)  Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them,

 

(Genesis 41:24)  and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."

 

(Genesis 41:25)  Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

 

(Genesis 41:26)  The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one.

 

(Genesis 41:27)  The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine.

 

(Genesis 41:28)  It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

 

(Genesis 41:29)  There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt,

 

(Genesis 41:30)  but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land,

 

(Genesis 41:31)  and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe.

 

(Gen 41:32)  And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.

 

(Genesis 41:33)  Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

 

(Genesis 41:34)  Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years.

 

(Genesis 41:35)  And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it.

 

(Genesis 41:36)  That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine."

 

(Genesis 41:37)  This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.

 

(Genesis 41:38)  And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"

 

(Genesis 41:39)  Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.

 

(Genesis 41:40)  You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you."

 

(Genesis 41:41)  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."

 

(Genesis 41:42)  Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck.

 

(Genesis 41:43)  And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, "Bow the knee!" Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.

 

(Genesis 41:44)  Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

 

(Genesis 41:45)  And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

 

(Genesis 41:46)  Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.

 

(Genesis 41:47)  During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly,

 

(Genesis 41:48)  and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it.

 

(Genesis 41:49)  And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

 

(Genesis 41:50)  Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him.

 

(Genesis 41:51)  Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."

 

(Genesis 41:52)  The name of the second he called Ephraim, "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

 

(Genesis 41:53)  The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end,

 

(Genesis 41:54)  and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

 

(Genesis 41:55)  When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do."

 

(Genesis 41:56)  So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

 

(Genesis 41:57)  Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

 

The famine was so very severe it affected the whole entire area, not just Egypt but even Canaan where Jacob and the others are. In Genesis chapter 42 Jacob, not knowing his son is still alive, then sends all of his sons to Egypt to buy grain, except for Benjamin, who Jacob keeps back fearing the worst. Joseph recognizes his brothers but they do not recognize Joseph, and  after some intrigue and diplomacy Joseph sends them back with their grain that they thought they purchased- but also refunds and sends back all the money they had intended to use to pay for the grain with. Jacob would not release Benjamin to go with the other brothers, as Jacob still thinks Joseph is dead, and Benjamin has become a second favorite of Jacob’s

(Genesis 42:1)  When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"

 

(Genesis 42:2)  And he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die."

 

(Genesis 42:3)  So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.

 

(Genesis 42:4)  But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him.

 

(Genesis 42:5)  Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

 

(Genesis 42:6)  Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.

 

(Genesis 42:7)  Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

 

(Genesis 42:8)  And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

 

(Genesis 42:9)  And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land."

 

(Genesis 42:10)  They said to him, "No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.

 

(Genesis 42:11)  We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies."

 

(Genesis 42:12)  He said to them, "No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see."

 

(Genesis 42:13)  And they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more."

 

(Genesis 42:14)  But Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you. You are spies.

 

(Genesis 42:15)  By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

 

(Genesis 42:16)  Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."

 

(Genesis 42:17)  And he put them all together in custody for three days.

 

(Genesis 42:18)  On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God:

 

(Genesis 42:19)  if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,

 

(Genesis 42:20)  and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.

 

(Genesis 42:21)  Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us."

 

(Genesis 42:22)  And Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood."

 

(Genesis 42:23)  They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.

 

(Genesis 42:24)  Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

 

(Genesis 42:25)  And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

 

(Genesis 42:26)  Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed.

 

(Genesis 42:27)  And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.

 

(Genesis 42:28)  He said to his brothers, "My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!" At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

 

(Genesis 42:29)  When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying,

 

(Genesis 42:30)  "The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land.

 

(Genesis 42:31)  But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we have never been spies.

 

(Genesis 42:32)  We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'

 

(Genesis 42:33)  Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.

 

(Genesis 42:34)  Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.'"

 

(Genesis 42:35)  As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

 

(Genesis 42:36)  And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me."

 

(Genesis 42:37)  Then Reuben said to his father, "Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you."

 

(Genesis 42:38)  But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol."

 

In Genesis chapter 43 then Jacob sends the brethren back to Egypt again to buy more corn with double the money of the first time in case there was an oversight, and also this time Benjamin went along with the brothers, and Joseph receives them all and gives Benjamin five times the food as compared to  the others in a special feast held for the brothers

(Genesis 43:1)  Now the famine was severe in the land.

 

(Genesis 43:2)  And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little food."

 

(Genesis 43:3)  But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

 

(Genesis 43:4)  If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

 

(Genesis 43:5)  But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"

 

(Genesis 43:6)  Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?"

 

(Genesis 43:7)  They replied, "The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"

 

(Genesis 43:8)  And Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.

 

(Genesis 43:9)  I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

 

(Genesis 43:10)  If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice."

 

(Genesis 43:11)  Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

 

(Genesis 43:12)  Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

 

(Genesis 43:13)  Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.

 

(Genesis 43:14)  May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

 

(Genesis 43:15)  So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

 

(Genesis 43:16)  When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon."

 

(Genesis 43:17)  The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph's house.

 

(Genesis 43:18)  And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys."

 

(Genesis 43:19)  So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke with him at the door of the house,

 

(Genesis 43:20)  and said, "Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.

 

(Genesis 43:21)  And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us,

 

(Genesis 43:22)  and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."

 

(Genesis 43:23)  He replied, "Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

 

(Genesis 43:24)  And when the man had brought the men into Joseph's house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder,

 

(Genesis 43:25)  they prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

 

(Genesis 43:26)  When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.

 

(Genesis 43:27)  And he inquired about their welfare and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

 

(Genesis 43:28)  They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.

 

(Genesis 43:29)  And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!"

 

(Genesis 43:30)  Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.

 

(Gen 43:31)  Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, "Serve the food."

 

(Genesis 43:32)  They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

 

(Genesis 43:33)  And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.

 

(Genesis 43:34)  Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

 

Again then Joseph’s commands his servants to fill the brethren’s sacks with corn and again to return the money, they then start to go but do not get far, as they were pursued by someone sent by Joseph and then they all have to return to explain things and negotiate, explaining things to Joseph of what was up.

(Genesis 44:1)  Then he commanded the steward of his house, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack,

 

(Genesis 44:2)  and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain." And he did as Joseph told him.

 

(Genesis 44:3)  As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys.

 

(Genesis 44:4)  They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, "Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?

 

(Genesis 44:5)  Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"

 

(Genesis 44:6)  When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words.

 

(Genesis 44:7)  They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

 

(Genesis 44:8)  Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

 

(Genesis 44:9)  Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord's servants."

 

(Genesis 44:10)  He said, "Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent."

 

(Genesis 44:11)  Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

 

(Genesis 44:12)  And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

 

(Genesis 44:13)  Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

 

(Genesis 44:14)  When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground.

 

(Genesis 44:15)  Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?"

 

(Genesis 44:16)  And Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found."

 

(Genesis 44:17)  But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father."

 

(Genesis 44:18)  Then Judah went up to him and said, "Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.

 

(Genesis 44:19)  My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father, or a brother?'

 

(Genesis 44:20)  And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.'

 

(Genesis 44:21)  Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.'

 

(Genesis 44:22)  We said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

 

(Genesis 44:23)  Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.'

 

(Genesis 44:24)  "When we went back to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

 

(Genesis 44:25)  And when our father said, 'Go again, buy us a little food,'

 

(Genesis 44:26)  we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down. For we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

 

(Genesis 44:27)  Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons.

 

(Genesis 44:28)  One left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces, and I have never seen him since.

 

(Genesis 44:29)  If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.'

 

(Genesis 44:30)  "Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy's life,

 

(Genesis 44:31)  as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.

 

(Genesis 44:32)  For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.'

 

(Genesis 44:33)  Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

 

(Genesis 44:34)  For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father."

 

In the very next chapter, 45, the brothers would be sent up to bring their father Jacob down to Egypt to live with them. That is another study, which I will add a link to when I am finished so you can go there

https://www.facebook.com/notes/jay-dougherty/israel-to-egypt-bible-study-genesis-chapters-45-through-exodus-2/10200692380525484

God is so good to give a powerful gift like dream interpretation and also full of love to bless everything that people do, as he did with Joseph, and had with Jacob. God loves us so much He sent His son Jesus to die for us on the cross so that we might have eternal life and have a relationship with both of them, and that relationship is like nothing else that one could ever experience. Also, God will welcome back those who may have drifted away but who are willing to repent and return. I am now including a prayer which will facilitate doing just that, coming to Jesus or even returning to Him if you have drifted away from Jesus. Please pray this prayer with me:

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess Jesus as our Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen.

God bless you and yours