Genesis 42

1 When Iacob sawe that there was corne to be solde in Egipte he sayde vnto his sones: why are ye negligent?

2 beholde I haue hearde that there is corne to be solde in Egipte. Gete you thither and bye vs corne fro thece that we maye lyue and not dye.

3 So went Iosephs ten brethern doune to bye corne in Egipte

4 for Ben Iamin Iosephs brother wold not Iacob sende with his other brethren: for he sayde: some mysfortune myght happen him

5 And the sonnes of Israell came to bye corne amonge other that came for there was derth also in the lande of Canaan.

6 And Ioseph was gouerner in the londe and solde corne to all the people of the londe. And his brethren came and fell flatt on the grounde before him.

7 When Ioseph sawe his brethern he knewe them: But made straunge vnto them and spake rughly vnto them saynge: Whence come ye? and they sayde: out of the lande of Canaan to bye vitayle.

8 Ioseph knewe his brethern but they knewe not him.

9 And Ioseph remembred his dreames which he dreamed of them and sayde vnto them: ye are spies and to se where the lande is weake is youre comynge.

10 And they sayde vnto him: nay my lorde: but to bye vitayle thy seruauntes are come.

11 We are all one mans sonnes and meane truely and thy seruauntes are no spies.

12 And he sayde vnto them: nay verely but euen to se where the land is weake is youre comynge.

13 And they sayde: we thi seruauntes are .xij. brethern the sonnes of one man in the lande of Canaan. The yongest is yet with oure father and one no man woteth where he is.

14 Ioseph sayde vnto them that is it that I sayde vnto you that ye are surelye spies.

15 Here by ye shall be proued. For by the lyfe of Pharao ye shall not goo hence vntyll youre yongest brother be come hither.

16 Sende therfore one off you and lett him fett youre brother and ye shalbe in preason in the meane season. And thereby shall youre wordes be proued whether there be any trueth in you: or els by the lyfe of Pharao ye are but spies.

17 And he put them in warde thre dayes.

18 And Ioseph sayde vnto the the thryd daye: This doo and lyue for I feare Gode

19 Yf ye meane no hurte let one of youre brethern be bounde in the preason and goo ye and brynge the necessarie foode vnto youre housholdes

20 and brynge youre yongest brother vnto me: that youre wordes maye be beleved ad that ye dye not And they did so.

21 Than they sayde one to a nother: we haue verely synned agaynst oure brother in that we sawe the anguysh of his soull when he besought us and wold not heare him: therfore is this troubyll come apon us.

22 Ruben answered the saynge: sayde I not vnto you that ye shulde not synne agaynst the lad? but ye wolde not heare And now verely see his bloude is requyred.

23 They were not aware that Ioseph vnderstode them for he spake vnto them by an interpreter.

24 And he turned from them and wepte and than turned to them agayne ad comened with them and toke out Simeon from amonge the and bownde him before their eyes

25 ad commaunded to fyll their saekes wyth corne and to put euery mans money in his sacke and to geue them vitayle to spende by the waye. And so it was done to them.

26 And they laded their asses with the corne and departed thence.

27 And as one of them opened his sacke for to geue his asse prauender in the Inne he spied his money in his sacks mouth

28 And he sayde vnto his brethren: my money is restored me agayne and is eue in my sackes mouth Than their hartes fayled them and were astoynyed and sayde one to a nother: how cometh it that God dealeth thus with us?

29 And they came vnto Iacob their father vnto the lande of Canaan and tolde him all that had happened them saynge.

30 The lorde of the lade spake rughly to us and toke us for spyes to serche the countte.

31 And we sayde vnto him: we meane truely and are no spies.

32 We be .xij. bretren sones of oure father one is awaye and the yongest is now with oure father in the lande of Canaan.

33 And the lorde of the countre sayde vnto us: here by shall I knowe yf ye meane truely: leaue one of youre brethern here with me and take foode necessary for youre housholdes and get you awaye

34 and brynge youre yongest brother vnto me And thereby shall I knowe that ye are no spyes but meane truely: So will I delyuer you youre brother agayne and ye shall occupie in the lande.

35 And as they emptied their sackes beholde: euery mans bundell of money was in his sacke And when both they and their father sawe the bundells of money they were afrayde.

36 And Iacob their father sayde vnto them: Me haue ye robbed of my childern: Ioseph is away and Simeon is awaye and ye will take Ben Iamin awaye. All these thinges fall vpon me.

37 Ruben answered his father saynge: Slee my two sonnes yf I bringe him not to the agayne. Delyuer him therfore to my honde and I will brynge him to the agayne:

38 And he sayde: my sonne shall not go downe with you. For his brother is dead and he is left alone Moreouer some mysfortune myght happen vpon him by the waye which ye goo. And so shuld ye brynge my gray head with sorowe vnto the graue.

Genesis 42 Commentary

Chapter 42

Jacob sends ten sons to buy corn. (1-6) Joseph's treatment of his brethren. (7-20) Their remorse, Simeon detained. (21-24) The rest return with corn. (25-28) Jacob refuses to send Benjamin to Egypt. (29-38)

Verses 1-6 Jacob saw the corn his neighbours had bought in Egypt, and brought home. It is a spur to exertion to see others supplied. Shall others get food for their souls, and shall we starve while it is to be had? Having discovered where help is to be had, we should apply for it without delay, without shrinking from labour, or grudging expense, especially as regards our never-dying souls. There is provision in Christ; but we must come to him, and seek it from him.

Verses 7-20 Joseph was hard upon his brethren, not from a spirit of revenge, but to bring them to repentance. Not seeing his brother Benjamin, he suspected that they had made away with him, and he gave them occasion to speak of their father and brother. God, in his providence, sometimes seems harsh with those he loves, and speaks roughly to those for whom yet he has great mercy in store. Joseph settled at last, that one of them should be left, and the rest go home and fetch Benjamin. It was a very encouraging word he said to them, "I fear God;" as if he had said, You may be assured I will do you no wrong; I dare not, for I know there is one higher than I. With those that fear God, we may expect fair dealing.

Verses 21-24 The office of conscience is to bring to mind things long since said and done. When the guilt of this sin of Joseph's brethren was fresh, they made light of it, and sat down to eat bread; but now, long afterward, their consciences accused them of it. See the good of afflictions; they often prove the happy means of awakening conscience, and bringing sin to our remembrance. Also, the evil of guilt as to our brethren. Conscience now reproached them for it. Whenever we think we have wrong done us, we ought to remember the wrong we have done to others. Reuben alone remembered with comfort, that he had done what he could to prevent the mischief. When we share with others in their sufferings, it will be a comfort if we have the testimony of our consciences for us, that we did not share in their evil deeds, but in our places witnessed against them. Joseph retired to weep. Though his reason directed that he should still carry himself as a stranger, because they were not as yet humbled enough, yet natural affection could not but work.

Verses 25-28 The brethren came for corn, and corn they had: not only so, but every man had his money given back. Thus Christ, like Joseph, gives out supplies without money and without price. The poorest are invited to buy. But guilty consciences are apt to take good providences in a bad sense; to put wrong meanings even upon things that make for them.

Verses 29-38 Here is the report Jacob's sons made to their father. It troubled the good man. Even the bundles of money Joseph returned, in kindness, to his father, frightened him. He laid the fault upon his sons; knowing them, he feared they had provoked the Egyptians, and wrongfully brought home their money. Jacob plainly distrusted his sons, remembering that he never saw Joseph since he had been with them. It is bad with a family, when children behave so ill that their parents know not how to trust them. Jacob gives up Joseph for gone, and Simeon and Benjamin as in danger; and concludes, All these things are against me. It proved otherwise, that all these things were for him, were working together for his good, and the good of his family. We often think that to be against us, which is really for us. We are afflicted in body, estate, name, and in our relations; and think all these things are against us, whereas they are really working for us a weight of glory. Thus does the Lord Jesus conceal himself and his favour, thus he rebukes and chastens those for whom he has purposes of love. By sharp corrections and humbling convictions he will break the stoutness and mar the pride of the heart, and bring to true repentance. Yet before sinners fully know him, or taste that he is gracious, he consults their good, and sustains their souls, to wait for him. May we do thus, never yielding to discouragement, determining to seek no other refuge, and humbling ourselves more and more under his mighty hand. In due time he will answer our petitions, and do for us more than we can expect.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 42

This chapter relates how that Jacob having heard there was corn in Egypt, sent all his sons but Benjamin thither to buy corn, Ge 42:1-5; and coming before Joseph, they bowed to him, and he knowing them, though they knew not him, spoke roughly to them, and charged them with being spies, Ge 42:6-9; they in their defence urged that they were the sons of one man in Canaan, with whom their youngest brother was left, on which Joseph ordered them to send for him, to prove them true men, Ge 42:10-16; and put them all into prison for three days, and then released them, and sent them away to fetch their brother, Ge 42:17-20; this brought to mind their treatment of Joseph, and they confessed their guilt to each other, which Joseph heard, and greatly affected him, they supposing he understood them not, and before he dismissed them bound Simeon before their eyes, whom he retained till they returned, Ge 42:21-24; then he ordered his servants to fill their sacks with corn, and put each man's money in his sack, which one of them on the road found, opening his sack for provender, filled them all with great surprise and fear, Ge 42:25-28; upon their return to Jacob they related all that had befallen them, and particularly that the governor insisted on having Benjamin brought to him, Ge 42:29-34; their sacks being opened, all their money was found in them, which greatly distressed them and Jacob also, who was very unwilling to let Benjamin go, though Reuben offered his two sons as pledges for him, and himself to be a surety, Ge 42:35-38.