New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Genesis 42
1
Jacob found out that there was grain in Egypt. So he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?"
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2
He continued, "I've heard there's grain in Egypt. Go down there. Buy some for us. Then we'll live and not die."
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Parallel theme
Genesis 43:8
3
So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain there.
4
But Jacob didn't send Joseph's brother Benjamin with them. He was afraid Benjamin might be harmed.
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Parallel theme
Genesis 42:38
5
Israel's sons were among the people who went to buy grain. There wasn't enough food in the land of Canaan.
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6
Joseph was the governor of the land. He was the one who sold grain to all of its people. When Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.
7
As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them. But he pretended to be a stranger. He spoke to them in a mean way. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied. "We've come to buy food."
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Parallel theme
Genesis 42:30
8
Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.
9
Then Joseph remembered his dreams about them. So he said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the places where our land isn't guarded very well."
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Parallel theme
Exodus 32:35
10
"No, sir," they answered. "We've come to buy food.
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Parallel theme
Genesis 37:8
11
All of us are the sons of one man. We're honest men. We aren't spies."
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Truth
Genesis 42:19
12
"No!" he said to them. "You have come to see the places where our land isn't guarded very well."
13
But they replied, "We were 12 brothers. All of us were the sons of one man. He lives in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is now with our father. And one brother is gone."
Reference
14
Joseph said to them, "I still say you are spies!
15
So I'm going to put you to the test. You can be sure that Pharaoh lives. And you can be just as sure that you won't leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. I promise with an oath that you won't leave here.
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Parallel theme
1 Samuel 17:55
16
Send one of you back to get your brother. The rest of you will be kept in prison. "I'll put your words to the test. Then we'll find out whether you are telling the truth. You can be sure that Pharaoh lives. And you can be just as sure that if you aren't telling the truth, we'll know that you are spies!"
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Truth
Genesis 42:11
18
On the third day, Joseph spoke to them again. He said, "Do what I say. Then you will live, because I have respect for God.
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19
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison. The rest of you may go and take grain back to your hungry families.
20
"But you must bring your youngest brother to me. That will prove that your words are true. Then you won't die." So they did what he said.
Reference
21
They said to one another, "God is certainly punishing us because of our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he begged us to let him live. But we wouldn't listen. That's why all of this trouble has come to us."
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Parallel theme
Hosea 5:15
22
Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we're being held accountable for killing him."
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23
They didn't realize that Joseph could understand what they were saying. He was using someone else to explain their words to him in the Egyptian language.
24
Joseph turned away from them and began to sob. Then he turned around and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken and tied up right there in front of them.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 43:30
25
Joseph gave orders to have their bags filled with grain. He had each man's money put back into his sack. He also made sure they were given food for their journey.
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Parallel theme
1 Peter 3:9
26
Then the brothers loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
27
When night came, they stopped. One of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey. He saw his money in the top of his sack.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 4:24
28
"My money has been given back," he said to his brothers. "Here it is in my sack." They had a sinking feeling in their hearts. They began to tremble. They turned to each other and said, "What has God done to us?"
29
They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him everything that had happened to them. They said,
30
"The man who is the governor of the land spoke to us in a mean way. He treated us as if we were spying on the land.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 42:7
31
But we said to him, 'We're honest men. We aren't spies.
32
We were 12 brothers. All of us were the sons of one father. But now one brother is gone. And our youngest brother is with our father in Canaan.'
33
"Then the man who is the governor of the land spoke to us. He said, 'Here's how I will know whether you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me. Take food for your hungry families and go.
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Parallel theme
Genesis 42:15
34
" 'But bring your youngest brother to me. Then I'll know that you are honest men and not spies. I'll give your brother back to you. And you will be free to trade in the land.' "
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35
They began emptying their sacks. There in each man's sack was his bag of money! When they and their father saw the money bags, they were afraid.
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Parallel theme
Genesis 43:21
36
Their father Jacob said to them, "You have taken my children away from me. Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!"
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37
Then Reuben spoke to his father. He said, "You can put both of my sons to death if I don't bring Benjamin back to you. Place him in my care. I'll bring him back."
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Summary of Genesis 42
Genesis chapter forty-two finally draws Joseph's narrative back around to itself, but not without an appearance that has not been evident to his family yet. It has been years since Joseph was sold into slavery, and he is about to come face to face with the brothers that sold him.
The chapter begins with Jacob learning that there is grain in Egypt, he asks his sons pointedly why they look at each other so and go to buy some for them, so that they will not die. Ten of Joseph's brothers descend to Egypt to buy food, notably Jacob does not send Benjamin, Joseph's only full brother and Rachel's other son, out of fear that he may come to harm. It is clear he is unwilling to risk his other favourite son, now that he has lost Joseph.
When the brothers arrive in Egypt, they meet Joseph, who holds court and sells grain to whomever comes to him. They bow down to him, with their faces to the ground, which is a poignant moment for any reader that recalls Joseph's dreams in chapter thirty-seven, which his brothers took such issue with. The realisation is quietly, unmistakably coming true.
Joseph knows who they are, the brothers do not, not yet. The last time they saw him, he was a seventeen year old that they threw into a cistern and sold, now he stands before them as a respected Egyptian official. Joseph speaks harshly to them, asking where they have come from, when they tell him that they have come from Canaan to buy grain, he accuses them of being spies, having come to see the weakness in the land.
They object, telling him that they are all sons of one man in Canaan, honest men, not spies. Your servants were twelve brothers, they say, sons of one man. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more. It must have meant something different as Joseph hears his brothers speak idly of his death.
Joseph continues to press them, insisting that they must be spies. Eventually he throws them all into prison to keep them for three days. On the third day, he reveals to them that he will allow one of them to go free, for the others to take grain back to their starving families, but they must bring the youngest brother to him, as proof that they are not spies, or else they will all die.
Left alone, the brothers discuss what to do, assuming that Joseph could not possibly understand them, as he has spoken to them through an interpreter the whole time. But of course he does understand every word. Surely we are being punished, they say to each other, because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he begged us for his life, and we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us. Reuben adds his piece, that he had told them not to sin against the boy, but they would not listen, and now they are being called to account for his blood.
Joseph, overhearing this, turns away from them and weeps. It is a genuine feeling, and the first time we see a kind of remorse in Joseph for the harm he has suffered at the hands of those that wronged him. But he composes himself, and turns back to them saying for Simeon to be bound, and to remain behind as the one to be held.
Joseph goes on to give orders for their bags to be filled with grain, and secretly slips each man a bag of silver back into their sacks, along with provisions for the journey. The brothers load up their donkeys and head back for Canaan.
On the way, and at a place where they stop for the night, one of them opens his sack to feed his donkey and discovers that his silver is right there in the top of the bag. He is frightened, and turns to his brothers saying my silver has been returned here it is in my sack. They are dismayed, and ask the same question as they turned to each other, what is this that God has done to us?
When they arrived home, they told Jacob everything that had happened, and as they emptied their sacks, the silver turned out to be in all of their sacks. Both the brothers and their father are frightened by this. Jacob's reaction is one of grief and fear, you have deprived me of my children, he says. Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin too. Everything is against me.
Reuben tries to reassure his father, offering something drastic, you may put my two sons to death if I don't bring him back to you, entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back. But Jacob is steadfast, My son will not go down there with you, he says. His brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey, you would bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.
The chapter ends on a note of tension, and there is a painful irony running through the whole affair. Jacob's grief over losing Joseph, grief that has defined his outlook for years, is now the very thing that is standing between his sons for a reunion that would really be right within their grasp, if only he knew who was waiting for them back in Egypt.
The chapter begins with Jacob learning that there is grain in Egypt, he asks his sons pointedly why they look at each other so and go to buy some for them, so that they will not die. Ten of Joseph's brothers descend to Egypt to buy food, notably Jacob does not send Benjamin, Joseph's only full brother and Rachel's other son, out of fear that he may come to harm. It is clear he is unwilling to risk his other favourite son, now that he has lost Joseph.
When the brothers arrive in Egypt, they meet Joseph, who holds court and sells grain to whomever comes to him. They bow down to him, with their faces to the ground, which is a poignant moment for any reader that recalls Joseph's dreams in chapter thirty-seven, which his brothers took such issue with. The realisation is quietly, unmistakably coming true.
Joseph knows who they are, the brothers do not, not yet. The last time they saw him, he was a seventeen year old that they threw into a cistern and sold, now he stands before them as a respected Egyptian official. Joseph speaks harshly to them, asking where they have come from, when they tell him that they have come from Canaan to buy grain, he accuses them of being spies, having come to see the weakness in the land.
They object, telling him that they are all sons of one man in Canaan, honest men, not spies. Your servants were twelve brothers, they say, sons of one man. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more. It must have meant something different as Joseph hears his brothers speak idly of his death.
Joseph continues to press them, insisting that they must be spies. Eventually he throws them all into prison to keep them for three days. On the third day, he reveals to them that he will allow one of them to go free, for the others to take grain back to their starving families, but they must bring the youngest brother to him, as proof that they are not spies, or else they will all die.
Left alone, the brothers discuss what to do, assuming that Joseph could not possibly understand them, as he has spoken to them through an interpreter the whole time. But of course he does understand every word. Surely we are being punished, they say to each other, because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he begged us for his life, and we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us. Reuben adds his piece, that he had told them not to sin against the boy, but they would not listen, and now they are being called to account for his blood.
Joseph, overhearing this, turns away from them and weeps. It is a genuine feeling, and the first time we see a kind of remorse in Joseph for the harm he has suffered at the hands of those that wronged him. But he composes himself, and turns back to them saying for Simeon to be bound, and to remain behind as the one to be held.
Joseph goes on to give orders for their bags to be filled with grain, and secretly slips each man a bag of silver back into their sacks, along with provisions for the journey. The brothers load up their donkeys and head back for Canaan.
On the way, and at a place where they stop for the night, one of them opens his sack to feed his donkey and discovers that his silver is right there in the top of the bag. He is frightened, and turns to his brothers saying my silver has been returned here it is in my sack. They are dismayed, and ask the same question as they turned to each other, what is this that God has done to us?
When they arrived home, they told Jacob everything that had happened, and as they emptied their sacks, the silver turned out to be in all of their sacks. Both the brothers and their father are frightened by this. Jacob's reaction is one of grief and fear, you have deprived me of my children, he says. Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin too. Everything is against me.
Reuben tries to reassure his father, offering something drastic, you may put my two sons to death if I don't bring him back to you, entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back. But Jacob is steadfast, My son will not go down there with you, he says. His brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey, you would bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.
The chapter ends on a note of tension, and there is a painful irony running through the whole affair. Jacob's grief over losing Joseph, grief that has defined his outlook for years, is now the very thing that is standing between his sons for a reunion that would really be right within their grasp, if only he knew who was waiting for them back in Egypt.