www.biblemaster.com (Wesley’s Explanatory Notes interspersed throughout)
Here the story of Joseph's brethren is carried on.
I. Their melancholy parting with their father Jacob, in Canaan, verse 1-14.
II. Their meeting with Joseph in Egypt, verse 15-34.
Now the famine was severe in the land.
2 So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food."
3 Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "The man (Joseph) solemnly warned us, `You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
4 "If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 "But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, `You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.' "
6 Then Israel (Jacob) said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?"
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. Proverbs 17: 28. Sometimes it is better not to say anything. It is hard when someone is an extravert.
7 But they said, "The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, `Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, `Bring your brother down'?"
8 Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones.
9 "I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever.
10 "For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice."
Judah's conscience had lately smitten him for what he had done a great while ago against Joseph; and as an evidence of the truth of his repentance, he is ready to undertake, as far as a man could do it, for Benjamin's security. He will not only not wrong him but will do all he can to protect him. This is such restitution as the case will admit: when he knew not how he could retrieve Joseph, he would make some amends for the irreparable injury he had done him, by doubling his care concerning Benjamin.
11 Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
If it must be so now, take your brother - If no corn can be had but upon those terms, as good expose him to the perils of the journey, as suffer ourselves and families, and Benjamin among the rest, to perish for want of bread: it is no fault, but our wisdom and duty, to alter our resolutions when there is a good reason for so doing: constancy is a virtue, but obstinacy is not: it is God's prerogative to make unchangeable resolves.
12 "Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. (Honesty is shown here.)
Take double money - As much again as they took the time before, upon supposition that the price of corn might be risen, or that, if it should be insisted upon, they might pay a ransom for Simeon. And he sent a present of such things as the land afforded, and were scarce in Egypt, the commodities that Canaan exported.
13 "Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man;
14 and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
God almighty give you mercy before the man! - Jacob had formerly turned an angry brother into a kind one with a present and a prayer, and here he betakes himself to the same tried method. Those that would find mercy with men must seek it of God. He concludes all with this, if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved - If I must part with them thus one after another, I acquiesce and say, The will of the Lord be done.
15 So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house steward, "Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon."
17 So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house.
18 Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys."
19 So they came near to Joseph's house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house,
20 and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,
21 and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full. So we have brought it back in our hand.
22 "We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks."
23 He said, "Be at ease, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks - Hereby he shews that he had no suspicion of dishonesty in them: for what we get by deceit we cannot say God gives it us. He silences their farther enquiry about it: ask not how it came thither, providence brought it you, and let that satisfy you. It appears by what he said, that by his master's instructions he was brought to the knowledge of the true God, the God of the Hebrews. He directs them to look up to God, and acknowledge his providence in the good bargain they had. We must own ourselves indebted to God as our God, and the God of our fathers, (a God in covenant with us and them) for all our successes and advantages, and the kindnesses of our friends; for every creature is that to us, and no more, than God makes it to be.
24 Then the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder.
25 So they prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him.
When they brought him the present, they bowed themselves before him, and again, when they gave him an account of their father's health, they made obeisance, and called him, Thy servant, our father - Thus were Joseph's dreams fulfilled more and more; and even the father, by the sons, bowed before him. Probably Jacob had directed them, if they had occasion to speak of him to the man, the Lord of the land, to call him his servant.
27 Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, "Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"
28 They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." They bowed down in homage.
29 As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son."
God be gracious unto thee, my son - Joseph's favour, though he was the lord of the land, would do him little good, unless God were gracious to him.
30 Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there. It’s OK for men to cry in appropriate places.
31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal."
32 So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is loathsome to the Egyptians.
33 Now they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. Cultural customs shown here.
He placed his brethren according to their seniority, as if he could certainly divine. Some think they placed themselves so according to their custom; but if so, I see not why such particular notice is taken of it, especially as a thing they marvelled at.
34 He took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him. Was he spoiled?
They drank and were merry - Their cares and fears were now over, and they eat their bread with joy, concluding they were now upon good terms with the man, the lord of the land. If God accept our works, our present, we have reason to be chearful.
SUMMARY / APPLICATION / CONCLUSION
Here the story of Joseph's brethren is carried on.
I. Their melancholy parting with their father Jacob, in Canaan, verse 1-14.
II. Their meeting with Joseph in Egypt, verse 15-34.
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. Proverbs 17: 28.
Honesty is shown in verse 12.
Your God and the God of your father v. 23
God loves us and wants the best for us; Humankind is sinful and separated from God.
Jesus is the only way for us to get back into relationship with God.
We must individually receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
