Introduction: Joseph, hated by his brothers, imprisoned by his master, has risen to second-in-command in Egypt.  The wisdom he received from God allowed him to interpret God’s plans, and now he was guiding Egypt through a terrible famine.  Seven plentiful years were put up in the shed; the seven years of scarcity were upon them. 

Joseph was in charge of the distribution: who gets what, and for how much.  And not just for Egypt: the famine was widespread, and so was the need.   When Joseph’s family in Canaan heard there was grain available, a group of brothers headed to Egypt. 

And they had no idea what they were bargaining for.

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The Brothers Appear in Egypt, from Genesis 42

Within minutes of their arrival before Joseph, the whole plot is set into motion.  Joseph recognizes them.  They don’t recognize him.  They bow. He accuses them of spying.  They tell him about their family: “We are twelve brothers; the youngest is at home with our father; one is no more.”

“Liars!” is Joseph’s reply – “You are spies.”  

“We just want to buy food,” they promise.  But Joseph is unmoved.  “Then prove it.  Send one of you back home to bring the boy, while the rest of you wait here in prison.”  

Joseph lets them stew on it for a few days, then calls them back: “How about I make you a deal.  I’ll sell you grain, but only one of your brothers has to stay here with me.  If you bring your youngest brother back with you, then you will all go free, and you can buy again.”

At this Reuben turns to the brothers.  Thinking Joseph can’t understand him, he lectures them: “I told you we should have let the Joseph go.  Now, after all these years, we’re getting what we have coming.”  

The brothers are mortified, but stuck: they are in a foreign land, and they need food.  If they run, they’ll probably get hunted down – as spies.   And even if they escape, they’ll get home empty-handed, with no prayer of finding food in Egypt again.  They have no clue that the brother they sold is standing opposite of them.  And enormous guilt is hanging over them.  

Joseph knows these are his brothers, so he has the upper hand.  He also knows emotions are still raw over what they did to him.  His experiences with them would have raised his suspicions: twenty years is a long time, but still… have they changed?  There’s a lot he still wants to learn: What kind of men are they now? What about his younger brother Benjamin? And what about his father?  

And you, the reader: You know what Joseph knows about them, and what they know about him, but you don’t know anything about motives.  What is Joseph up to?  Is he tormenting them?  Does he want them to defeat his challenge?  Is he looking for an excuse to get back at them?  Why doesn’t he come right out and say, “It’s me!”?  

Have a great trip!

Daddio