Genesis 43:15-34 - Serve the Bread!

Genesis 43:15-34

15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.” 17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.

18 Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.”

19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food; 21 but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. 22 And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”

23 But he said, “Peace be with you, 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.

24 So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. 25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.

26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth. 27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”

28 And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.

29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, “Serve the bread.”

32 So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another. 34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Israel’s sons journeyed back to Egypt with Benjamin the youngest and money to repay what they found in the grain they had paid for with double the amount to make amends.  They strongly before the steward of all Egypt who was their unrecognized brother Joseph and told his steward to take them to his house.  The brothers assumed the worse because of the guilt of their sin in selling off their sibling and expecting to lose Benjamin and so also their heartbroken father if that was to happen.  Why else would they be summoned to his house?  They would be enslaved and robbed as they would be accused of.  That was their reasoning because their shame had blinded them to see their lost brother standing in the power he had told them about in his two dreams (Genesis 37:6-7, 8-9) before of how God would rise Joseph’s position over them.  They knocked at his door with fearful trembling and told their account of the money in their bags and their restitution to avoid as penance and confession of any sins against him they had committed unwittingly and unwillingly.  Joseph replied oddly that it was their God and the God of their father who had provided that treasure in their sacks of sustenance.  He pronounced peace upon them and handed over Simeon as promised (Genesis 42:16, 24) in return for bringing Benjamin to verify their account of him and clearing them of espionage charges.  They were ushered into the house and freshened up there.  The brothers presented him with a gift and bowed to him as the sheaves of wheat in Joseph’s first dream.  Joseph then inquired about their father’s health if he was still alive, and they answered that he loved and was well before bowing down once more to him.  They verified that Benjamin was the youngest son they spoke of and he could not hold the emotions in anymore; he had to turn away to weep with joy so they did not see and suspect before the big reveal.  He washed away the tears and came back to say, “Serve the bread” as a way to share the time together.  He arranged their places at the table by ages and still they could not understand how he could know that!  In astonishment, they all looked around the table in wonder and ate while noticing that the youngest was given five times as much food as the rest.  In their relief from prosecution, they quickly put aside their wonderment and made merry together as they broke bread.  When Jesus had forgiven us our sins and such a gift of eternal life and the kingdom in which we bow to Him, we then were given such a feast of His sacrificial body as the bread of life, true manna from heaven (John 6:58), and wine of His lifeblood (Matthew 26:28, 1 Corinthians 11:25) poured into us to bring us into Him and His righteousness that we also should make merry every time we remember and celebrate His self-sacrificing death until He comes back (1 Corinthians 11:26) for us to welcome us into the kingdom!  Serve the bread! Drink the wine!