Jacob hears that Egypt has grain. The famine is pressing hard. It jolts him into action. He rebukes his sons (who may be hesitating, remembering that Joseph might still be there). He pushes them to travel to Egypt.
But Jacob has no intention of joining them. Nor is he willing to let his youngest son, Benjamin, join them. Although he may have legitimate reasons to keep back the son who has taken Joseph's place as the favored one, he suspects that the brothers had something to do with Joseph's death. They may have covered up their crimes, but not their character.
The brothers probably get the hint. Indeed, the primary theme of the chapter is the awakening of the brothers' conscience. The Lord places them in one situation after another to prick their hearts (like us!).
When the brothers arrived in Egypt, they must've been amazed at the sight of so many granaries. They would've been encouraged but also felt a sense of unease. Why are there so many granaries? Why has Egypt stored up so much grain?
Joseph is prepared for this day. His actions in this chapter reveal a carefully laid out plan. There had already been travelers from Canaan seeking to buy food. It would've been only a matter of time before someone from his family showed up.
When they arrived, they did not recognize Joseph. But he recognized them. While he would've dealt with various conflicting emotions, he set them aside to implement his plan. He is prudent and cautious. After all, he is confronting for the first time in 20 years the brothers who wanted to kill him. And he begins testing them to find out what really lies in their hearts. He begins unexpectedly by harshly accusing them of being spies.
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Kurt Snow serves as a ruling elder at Covenant Reformed Church of Sacramento (RCUS). He served as a member of the Board of Governors of City Seminary of Sacramento from 2000 to 2020.
