Genesis 43-45 - Prayer Tents

Genesis 43

The Brothers Return to Egypt

43But the famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan.H7458H3515H7762When the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons, "Go back and buy us a little more food."H3615H398H7668H935H4714H1H559H7725H7666H4592H4003But Judah said, "The man was serious when he warned us, 'You won't see my face again unless your brother is with you.'H3063H559H559H376H5749H5749H559H7200H6440H1115H2514If you send Benjamin with us, we will go down and buy more food.H3426H7971H251H3381H7666H4005But if you don't let Benjamin go, we won't go either. Remember, the man said, 'You won't see my face again unless your brother is with you.'"H7971H3381H376H559H7200H6440H2516"Why were you so cruel to me?" Jacob

moaned. "Why did you tell him you had another brother?"H3478H559H7489H5046H376H2517"The man kept asking us questions about our family," they replied. "He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"H559H376H7592H7592H4138H559H1H2416H3426H251H5046H5921H6310H1697H3045H3045H559H3381H251H33818Judah said to his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones.H3063H559H3478H1H7971H5288H6965H3212H2421H4191H29459I personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don't bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever.H6148H3027H1245H518H935H518H3322H6440H2398H311710If we hadn't wasted all this time, we could have gone and returned twice by now."H3884H4102H7725H647111So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, "If it can't be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds.H1H3478H559H645H6213H3947H2173H776H3627H3381H376H4503H4592H6875H4592H1706H5219H3910H992H824712Also take double the money that was put back in your sacks, as it was probably someone's mistake.H3947H4932H3701H3027H3701H7725H6310H572H7725H3027H487013Then take your brother, and go back to the man.H3947H251H6965H7725H37614May God Almighty

give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it."H410H7706H5414H7356H6440H376H7971H312H251H1144H834H7921H792115So the men packed Jacob's gifts and double the money and headed off with Benjamin. They finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.H582H3947H2063H4503H3947H4932H3701H3027H1144H6965H3381H4714H5975H6440H313016When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the manager of his household, "These men will eat with me this noon. Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast."H3130H7200H1144H854H559H1004H935H582H1004H2873H2874H3559H582H398H667217So the man did as Joseph told him and took them into Joseph's palace.H376H6213H3130H559H376H935H582H3130H100418The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph's house. "It's because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here," they said. "He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys."H582H3372H935H3130H1004H559H1697H3701H7725H572H8462H935H1556H5307H3947H5650H2543

A Feast at Joseph’s Palace

19The brothers approached the manager of Joseph's household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace.H5066H376H3130H1004H1696H6607H100420"Sir," they said, "we came to Egypt once before to buy food.H559H994H113H3381H3381H8462H7666H40021But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man's money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back with us.H935H4411H6605H572H376H3701H6310H572H3701H4948H7725H302722We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks."H312H3701H3381H3027H7666H400H3045H7760H3701H57223"Relax. Don't be afraid," the household manager told them. "Your God, the God of your father, must have put this treasure into your sacks. I know I received your payment." Then he released Simeon and brought him out to them.H559H7965H3372H430H430H1H5414H4301H572H935H3701H3318H809524The manager then led the men into Joseph's palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food for their donkeys.H376H935H582H3130H1004H5414H4325H7364H7272H5414H2543H455425They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon.H3559H4503H5704H3130H935H6672H8085H398H389926When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him.H3130H935H1004H935H4503H3027H1004H7812H77627After greeting them, he asked, "How is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?"H7592H7965H559H1H7965H2205H559H241628"Yes," they replied. "Our father, your servant, is alive and well." And they bowed low again.H559H5650H1H7965H2416H6915H781229Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" Joseph asked. "May God be gracious to you, my son."H5375H5869H7200H251H1144H517H1121H559H6996H251H559H559H430H2603H112130Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept.H3130H4116H7356H3648H251H1245H1058H935H2315H105831After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, "Bring out the food!"H7364H6440H3318H662H559H7760H389932The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them.H7760H4713H398H4713H3201H398H3899H5680H8441H471433Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest.H3427H6440H1060H1062H6810H6812H582H8539H376H745334And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him.H5375H4864H6440H1144H4864H2568H3027H7235H8354H7937

Genesis 44

Joseph’s Silver Cup

44When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: "Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man's money back into his sack.H6680H1004H559H4390H582H572H400H834H3201H5375H7760H376H3701H572H63102Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother's sack, along with the money for his grain." So the manager did as Joseph instructed him.H7760H1375H3701H1375H572H6310H6996H7668H3701H6213H1697H3130H16963The brothers were up at dawn and were sent on their journey with their loaded donkeys.H1242H215H582H7971H25434But when they had gone only a short distance and were barely out of the city, Joseph said to his palace manager, "Chase after them and stop them. When you catch up with them, ask them, 'Why have you repaid my kindness with such evil?H3318H5892H7368H3130H559H1004H6965H7291H310H582H5381H559H7999H7451H28965Why have you stolen my master's silver cup

, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done!'"H113H8354H5172H5172H7489H62136When the palace manager caught up with the men, he spoke to them as he had been instructed.H5381H1696H428H16977"What are you talking about?" the brothers responded. "We are your servants and would never do such a thing!H559H1696H113H1697H2486H5650H6213H16978Didn't we return the money we found in our sacks? We brought it back all the way from the land of Canaan. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house?H3701H4672H572H6310H7725H776H3667H1589H113H1004H3701H20919If you find his cup with any one of us, let that man die. And all the rest of us, my lord, will be your slaves."H5650H4672H4191H113H565010"That's fair," the man replied. "But only the one who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go free."H559H1697H3651H4672H5650H535511They all quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them.H4116H3381H376H572H776H6605H376H57212The palace manager searched the brothers' sacks, from the oldest to the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack!H2664H2490H1419H3615H6996H1375H4672H1144H57213When the brothers saw this, they tore their clothing in despair. Then they loaded their donkeys again and returned to the city.H7167H8071H6006H376H2543H7725H589214Joseph was still in his palace when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him.H3063H251H935H3130H1004H5307H6440H77615"What have you done?" Joseph demanded. "Don't you know that a man like me can predict the future?"H3130H559H4639H6213H3045H376H5172H517216Judah answered, "Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we explain this? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves—all of us, not just our brother who had your cup in his sack."H3063H559H559H113H1696H6663H430H4672H5771H5650H113H5650H1571H834H3027H1375H467217"No," Joseph said. "I would never do such a thing! Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace."H559H2486H6213H2063H376H3027H1375H4672H5650H5927H7965H1

Judah Speaks for His Brothers

18Then Judah stepped forward and said, "Please, my lord, let your servant say just one word to you. Please, do not be angry with me, even though you are as powerful as Pharaoh himself.H3063H5066H559H994H113H5650H1696H1697H113H241H639H2734H5650H654719"My lord, previously you asked us, your servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'H113H7592H5650H559H3426H1H25120And we responded, 'Yes, my lord, we have a father who is an old man, and his youngest son is a child of his old age. His full brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him very much.'H559H113H3426H1H2205H3206H2208H6996H251H4191H3498H517H1H15721"And you said to us, 'Bring him here so I can see him with my own eyes.'H559H5650H3381H7760H586922But we said to you, 'My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.'H559H113H5288H3201H5800H1H5800H1H419123But you told us, 'Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you will never see my face again.'H559H5650H3808H6996H251H3381H7200H3254H6440H7200H325424"So we returned to your servant, our father, and told him what you had said.H5927H5650H1H5046H1697H11325Later, when he said, 'Go back again and buy us more food,'H1H559H7725H7666H4592H40026we replied, 'We can't go unless you let our youngest brother go with us. We'll never get to see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'H559H3201H3381H6996H251H3426H3381H3201H7200H376H6440H369H6996H25127"Then my father said to us, 'As you know, my wife had two sons,H5650H1H559H3045H802H3205H814728and one of them went away and never returned. Doubtless he was torn to pieces by some wild animal. I have never seen him since.H259H3318H559H2963H2963H7200H200829Now if you take his brother away from me, and any harm comes to him, you will send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave

.'H3947H5973H6440H611H7136H3381H7872H7451H758530"And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father's life is bound up in the boy's life.H935H5650H1H5288H5315H7194H531531If he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We, your servants, will indeed be responsible for sending that grieving, white-haired man to his grave.H7200H5288H4191H5650H3381H7872H5650H1H3015H758532My lord, I guaranteed to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, 'If I don't bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever.'H5650H6148H5288H5973H1H559H935H2398H1H311733"So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.H5650H3427H5288H5650H113H5288H5927H25134For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn't bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!"H349H5927H1H5288H7200H7451H4672H1

Genesis 45

Joseph Reveals His Identity

45Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, "Out, all of you!" So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was.H3130H3201H662H5324H7121H3318H376H3318H5975H376H3130H3045H2512Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh's palace.H6963H1065H5414H4714H1004H6547H8085H80853"I am Joseph!" he said to his brothers. "Is my father still alive?" But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them.H3130H559H251H3130H1H2416H251H3201H6030H926H64404"Please, come closer," he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt.H3130H559H251H5066H5066H559H3130H251H4376H47145But don't be upset, and don't be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.H6087H2734H5869H4376H430H7971H6440H42416This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.H8141H7458H7130H776H2568H8141H369H2758H71057God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors

.H430H7971H6440H7760H7611H776H2421H1419H64138So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser

to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.H7971H430H7760H1H6547H113H1004H4910H776H47149"Now hurry back to my father and tell him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately!H4116H5927H1H559H559H1121H3130H430H7760H113H4714H3381H597510You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own.H3427H776H1657H7138H1121H1121H1121H6629H124111I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.'"H3557H2568H8141H7458H1004H342312Then Joseph added, "Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph!H5869H7200H5869H251H1144H6310H169613Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly."H5046H1H3519H4714H7200H4116H3381H114Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same.H5307H251H1144H6677H1058H1144H1058H667715Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.H5401H251H1058H310H251H1696

Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

16The news soon reached Pharaoh's palace: "Joseph's brothers have arrived!" Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this.H6963H8085H6547H1004H559H3130H251H935H3190H5869H6547H3190H5869H5869H565017Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan.H6547H559H3130H559H251H6213H2943H1165H3212H935H776H366718Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.'"H3947H1H1004H935H5414H2898H776H4714H398H2459H77619Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here.H6680H6213H3947H5699H776H4714H2945H802H5375H1H93520Don't worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"H5869H2347H3627H2898H776H471421So the sons of Jacob

did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey.H1121H3478H6213H3130H5414H5699H6310H6547H5414H6720H187022And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces

of silver.H5414H376H2487H8071H1144H5414H7969H3967H3701H2568H2487H807123He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey.H1H7971H2063H6235H860H5375H2898H4714H6235H2543H5375H1250H3899H4202H1H187024So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, "Don't quarrel about all this along the way!"H7971H251H7971H3212H559H7264H187025And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.H5927H4714H935H776H3667H3290H126"Joseph is still alive!" they told him. "And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!" Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn't believe it.H5046H559H3130H2416H4910H776H4714H3820H6313H53927But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father's spirits revived.H1696H1697H3130H1696H7200H5699H3130H7971H5375H7307H3290H1H242128Then Jacob exclaimed, "It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die."H3478H559H7227H3130H1121H2416H3212H7200H4191