Joseph’s Brothers Go To Egypt. Now when Jacob (Israel) learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another [in bewilderment and not taking action]?”
He said, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy [some] grain for us, so that we may live and not die [of starvation].”  Gen 42:1-2

INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT

OUT LINE OF THE BOOK GENESIS

II. GOD AND THE CHOSEN FAMILY, Genesis 12-50
3. The History of Jacob’s Sons, Joseph and His Brothers

(2) Joseph’s Servitude in Egypt, Genesis 39-41

75. What was the purpose of Joseph’s severity toward his brothers?

Genesis 42:1-17

JOSEPH’S BROTHERS GO TO EGYPT

Now when Jacob (Israel) learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another [in bewilderment and not taking action]?”

He said, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy [some] grain for us, so that we may live and not die [of starvation].”

So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.

But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s [younger] brother, with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that some harm or injury may come to him.”

So the sons of Israel came [to Egypt] to buy grain along with the others who were coming, for famine was in the land of Canaan also.

Now Joseph was the ruler over the land, and he was the one who sold [grain] to all the people of the land; and Joseph’s [half] brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but [hiding his identity] he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. He said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come [with a malicious purpose] to observe the undefended parts of our land.”

But they said to him, “No, my lord, for your servants have [only] come to buy food.

We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.”

Yet he said to them, “No, you have come to see the undefended parts of our land.”

But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers [in all], the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; please listen: the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.”

Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies.

G this way you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here!

Send one of you [back home], and let him bring your brother [here], while [the rest of] you remain confined, so that your words may be tested, [to see] whether there is any truth in you [and your story]; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, certainly you are spies.”

Then Joseph put them all in prison for three days.

F.B.Meyer
On
Genesis 42:1-17

JOSEPH SEES HIS TEN BROTHERS

The true interpretation of Joseph’s treatment of his brethren is to be found in the supposition that he repeated toward them, as nearly as possible, the behavior that they had shown to himself at the pit’s mouth, and this with no thought of retaliation, but that their consciences might be awakened, and that he might discover if they would deal differently with Benjamin than they had dealt with him. He needed to be sure of their repentance before he could trust himself to them again. His purpose therefore was in part secured when he heard them saying to each other in the dear old home-tongue, which they never expected him to understand, “We are verily guilty because of our brother.” So God deals with us. The east wind blows bitterly in our faces, the famine is behind and the harsh governor before. All these things are hard to bear; but behind them is the tenderest love, which struggles with its tears and is only eager to get us right before entrusting itself to us.

Comments by
WILLIAM MACDONALD
Believers Bible Commentary
On
Genesis 42:1-17

II. THE PATRIARCHS OF ISRAEL (Chaps. 12-50)

D. Joseph (37:1–50:26)

6. Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt (Chaps. 42–44)

42:1-5 The scene switches back to Jacob in Canaan, where the famine was very severe. Hearing that there was plenty of food (grain) in Egypt, but knowing nothing of Joseph’s being there, Jacob sent ten of his sons for supplies. Only Benjamin remained at home. So far as Jacob knew, Benjamin was the only living son of his beloved Rachel.

42:6-25 When Joseph’s brothers appeared before him, he treated them roughly, accusing them of being spies, putting them in prison, then demanding that their youngest brother, Benjamin, be brought to him. At last, Simeon was kept as a hostage in prison while the nine others returned to Canaan for Benjamin, well supplied with grain, with provisions, and with their money refunded secretly in the bags. Shining through the narrative we see Joseph’s underlying love and compassion for his brothers (vv. 24a, 25) and their growing conviction of sin for what they had done to their “missing” brother over twenty years earlier (vv. 21, 22). Joseph, of course, was seeking to get them to confess their guilt.

We believe that Joseph is a type of Christ dealing with His Jewish brethren during the coming Tribulation Period. The events leading up to the reconciliation of Joseph’s brothers form one of the most moving portions in the Bible. Almost no other story is as intimate, detailed, or complete a picture of Christ.

TYPOLOGY

Certain persons, events, and things in the OT are clearly identified as types or symbols in the NT. Thus, Adam is said to be a type of Christ (Rom_5:14). Others are not specifically referred to as types, yet the parallels are too many and too obvious to be denied. Joseph, for instance, is never referred to as a type of the Lord Jesus, yet there are over one hundred correspondences between Jesus and Joseph.

When the Lord Jesus talked to the two sorrowing disciples on the road to Emmaus, “He expounded to them in all the Scriptures [emphasis supplied] the things concerning Himself” (Luk_24:27). The incarnate Christ said, “In the volume of the book it is written of Me. . . .” (Heb_10:7). Therefore we are justified in looking for Christ in all the Scriptures.

Regarding Israel’s experiences in the OT, Paul tells us that “all these things happened to them as examples and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1Co_10:11). This would strongly support the view that not just specifically named types are valid, but many more as well.

Paul reminded Timothy that all Scripture is profitable (2Ti_3:16). There are spiritual lessons to be learned, if only we have eyes to see them.

Large sections of the Book of Hebrews are an explanation of the typology of the tabernacle and its furnishings. While it is true that a too narrow view of typology will restrict a believer’s spiritual enjoyment of much of the OT, the other extreme of making virtually everything a type, or even turning all history into allegory, is to be avoided as well.

Strained or fanciful explanations of the types have brought disrepute on the subject. We should should not allow extremism to rob us of the spiritual wealth in the OT. If an interpretation exalts Christ, and/or edifies His people, and/or conveys the gospel to the lost, and is consistent with the entire teaching of the Word, it is at the very least a valid application of the truth.

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