The Story

Primary

The grain was used up which Jacob's sons had brought from Egypt, but the man had said that they must bring their youngest brother with them when they came again, or they should not see his face and he would not sell them any more grain. Jacob was afraid to let Benjamin go. At last Judah promised to take care of Benjamin, and his father let him go. They took also a little present of gums and nuts of Canaan to give to the great man in Egypt. They came among the others who came to buy. Joseph knew them and saw Benjamin with them; he had them taken to his house. What sort of a house do you suppose Joseph lived in? Some rich houses in Egypt had fine rooms with bright pictures painted on the walls, and courtyards with baths and beautiful colored tiles and flowers. The rich people had many servants. And there was an office away from the house where Joseph attended to his work, coming home at noon for dinner. Joseph's brothers felt like strange, rude shepherds from the fields, in this fine house of the great man in Egypt. They thought, too, of the money that had been given back to them in their sacks of grain and were troubled. But the steward, the keeper of the house, was kind to them, and they got ready their present to give to the great man when he should come to dinner. The dinner was served, and still they did not know that the great man was Joseph. They spent the night at his house and in the morning loaded their asses to go home.

Joseph's brethren came back to tell their father that Simeon, their brother, had been made a prisoner in Egypt, and that he would not be set free until they should take Benjamin down with them. In fact, they could not hope to get any more food from the ruler of Egypt until they should take Benjamin down. All this must have seemed very strange to their father, and no wonder he felt that he could not trust his dearly beloved Benjamin to the care of his brothers. Had not Joseph been killed when he was sent to them? And now they came home without Simeon.

But all the corn they had brought with them was at last used up and the only food to be had was in Egypt. Then Judah came to his father and promised to care for Benjamin, and if any harm should come to him it would be Judah's fault. (We remember that Judah and Reuben had been the ones who did not want Joseph to be killed.) So Jacob let Benjamin go with them. They took a present to the great man: a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds. Three of the things they brought are the same gums that the Ishmaelites were carrying who brought Joseph into Egypt. "Spices and balm and myrrh" are tragacanth and gum from the mastix tree and from the cistus shrub. (Gen. 37:25) What is called "honey" was perhaps a syrup of grape juice; "nuts" were pistachio nuts, and almonds we all know. They carried too not only money to buy more corn, but the money that had been returned in their sacks, about which they were so troubled. You can understand how they feared and wondered when they were taken to Joseph's house.

When Joseph came in and saw Benjamin, his very own brother whom he loved so much and had not seen for so many years, he could not keep back his tears, but had to leave them for a while. "Bowels" is used in the old sense of feelings. (See Isa. 63:15; Ps. 25:6; 1 Kings 3:26) Then they all sat down to dine, Joseph at a table by himself, on account of his high rank, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were there by themselves. The Egyptians would not eat with foreigners, especially with common herdsmen like Joseph's brethren. (Gen. 46:34) As Joseph gave his brothers their places at table, he began with the oldest and arranged them according to their ages, which would have been an impossible thing for a stranger to have done. It was a sign of honor to his guests when Joseph sent them food from his own table.

1. Why did the sons of Jacob delay to go to Egypt the second time for grain?

2. Who promised to take good care of Benjamin?

3. What did they take as a present for the great man in Egypt? Where did they give the present?

4. Why did the brethren fear when they were taken to Joseph's house? What did the steward say to comfort them?

5. What sign of honor did Joseph show his brothers at the dinner? What showed that he knew them? Who was the oldest? Who was the youngest?

Spiritual Study

It may not be possible for even the older scholars to get more than a glimpse of the deeper meaning of these chapters about Joseph; but the youngest children feel the charm of the story, and there is a tender something about it, which brings tears to many older eyes. It is because the story is about the Lord, and if we read it reverently, it brings us near to the Lord and angels. Read L. 7.

Who is Israel, mentioned in the sixth verse? When did he receive the name? What is the meaning of the last two letters of the name? This prepares you to learn that a more interior and spiritual quality of life is meant by the name Israel than by the name Jacob. (A. 5595)

Does the present brought by the brethren to Joseph remind you of a present that was once brought to the Lord? Gold and frankincense and myrrh? The offerings that were made in old times to the Lord, and to rulers and priests who in a manner represented the Lord, were symbols of the good affections and true thoughts with which we ought to come to the Lord. It is significant that although the brethren took of the best fruits, or, in Hebrew, the "song" of the land, it was such a poor little present after all. (A. 5618, 5619)

What did we learn is represented by the effort of the brethren to pay for the grain? The feeling and belief that we are able to gain heavenly knowledge and strength for ourselves; but the returning of the money meant that the things of heavenly life are only from the Lord and are His gifts to us. Remember the Lord's words to the rich young man, who felt that he was good and strong in his own strength. (Mark 10:17-22) The kind words of Joseph's steward, when the brothers told him about the money, express beautifully the truth that heavenly knowledge is only from the Lord, but that He permits us to learn it and to enjoy it as if it were our own. Find in the statement of faith in our Book of Worship, the words that express this important truth: "In abstaining from evil and doing good we are to act as of ourselves; at the same time believing and acknowledging that the will, the understanding, and the power to do so, are of the Lord alone." (T. 3; A. 5662)

Joseph's emotion on seeing Benjamin suggests the great love which the Lord feels for the interior things of heavenly life in His disciples; more than people can know or understand. (Matt. 12:50; A. 5691, 5694)

Joseph's eating with his brethren, and his sending them food from his own table, reminds us of the Lord's eating with His disciples and with others, and of His blessing and giving them the bread. Both were representative of the Lord's giving in His great mercy the spiritual food of heavenly goodness. Find in the prophets a place where heaven is spoken of as a feast. (Isa. 25:6) Find such a place in the Lord's parables. (Luke 14:16) Among the times when the Lord blessed the food and gave it to the disciples, which do we remember as most full of sacred meaning? (A. 5706)

to next Lesson