Joseph’s brother’s visit to Egypt #2…

It’s been a while since the brothers returned from Egypt. (Minus Simeon). Long enough that they have used up all the grain they brought home.

Jacob wanted to smack the boys upside the head for offering the information in Egypt that they had a younger brother. As the only remaining son of Rachel, he is not about to let Benjamin go off to Egypt.

Until Judah offers to bear the guilt if anything happened to Benjamin.

Huh… I just realized that these two tribes would be the only ones that remain loyal to the throne of David. David descended from Judah so that makes sense. But why Benjamin? Maybe his descendants remembered how Judah took responsibility for their ancestor and repaid that kindness with a reciprocal partnership and trust. Judah was always the larger tribe. And in the future they will indeed protect and take care of their little brother tribe who is allotted land bordering theirs.

It has always surprised me that the brothers were able to take a present of “balm and honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, and pistachios and almonds.” Genesis‬ ‭43‬:‭11‬ ‭LEB‬‬

If there’s a famine, I would assume that at least the honey and tree nuts would be non-existent. I guess not. But here’s something interesting. Balm, aromatic gum, and myrrh… where have we seen those before?

🤔

“Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.” Genesis‬ ‭37‬:‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

They are about to take as a present to Joseph the very items of the Ishmaelite traders who bought Joseph. That’s what ya call poetic justice. But it gets better… Get this:

These men are going to arrive from “the East” bearing gifts of golden honey, an aromatic gum (a tree resin – which is exactly what frankincense is), and myrrh. And they are going to bow down and present these gifts to one who was not born as an earthly king but who is nonetheless reigning. One whose true identity is concealed and who will be the savior of the whole world.

People! What. On. Earth!?!

Is this a picture of the wise men?!

The Bible is AMAZING!!!!!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯

Did you know that was in there?! I didn’t til just now!! That is SO awesome!! 🤩

So yeah- betcha you’ll never read that passage the same again.

🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏

Oh- and donkeys carrying the gifts from the East down to Egypt… pretty sure that’s kinda a thing in Matthew 2. 🤔

They get to Egypt and are taken to Joseph’s house where they are reunited with Simeon and given water to wash up. The little conversation with the steward about the money in the sacks always cracks me up.

It’s so touching- Joseph seeing Benjamin for the first time, having to run out and regain his composure.

This is one of only 3 times (by my count) that we see all 12 brothers together. And in each instance, Joseph weeps.

Joseph had named his firstborn son Manasseh, which means “causing to forget.” I think he tried to forget his family- and maybe most days he did- but seeing his younger full-brother brings it all back.

The brothers are seated in order from oldest to youngest- which left them completely flummoxed. I’m thinking that Joseph found this rather entertaining. I wonder if the Lord is also entertained when He invisibly arranges circumstances in our lives in impossible ways and we stand there scratching our heads wondering how on earth such a thing could come about.

Joseph serves them a lavish meal and they all “drink freely,” “make merry,” or flat out “get drunk together,” depending on which translation you read. Perhaps Joseph wanted them a little inebriated that evening and slightly hung over in the morning.

🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷

But for that, we’ll have to get the chapter 44.