HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  Judah Pleads for Benjamin’s Release

  18Then Judah stepped up to him and said, “O my lord, let your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are like Pharaoh himself. 19My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ 20And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead; he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ 21Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, so that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’ 24When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. 25And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’ 26we said, ‘We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother goes with us, will we go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. 29If you take this one also from me, and harm comes to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to Sheol.’ 30Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, 31when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. 32For your servant became surety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame in the sight of my father all my life.’ 33Now therefore, please let your servant remain as a slave to my lord in place of the boy; and let the boy go back with his brothers. 34For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the suffering that would come upon my father.”

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  a Gk Compare Vg: Heb lacks Why have you stolen my silver cup?

  44.1–34 Joseph’s test of his brothers comes to a climax in this J section when Joseph’s cup is discovered in Benjamin’s sack, marking Benjamin for slavery. Judah’s eloquent plea to Joseph, his offer to take Benjamin’s place, and his fear for their father’s suffering demonstrate that the brothers will not again abandon a brother to slavery and inflict grief on their father. The brothers are tested by a potential reprise of their former crime, and they pass the test.

  44.2 My cup, the silver cup, the cup that Joseph uses for drinking and divination (v. 5). This bait, along with the money (lit. “silver”) placed in their sacks, recalls the twenty pieces of silver for which the brothers sold Joseph (37.28). Will they abandon Benjamin for the sake of this silver?

  44.9–10 The brothers’ vow echoes Jacob’s vow when Rachel stole Laban’s family gods (31.32). They are similarly unaware that one of them (Rachel’s son) has the missing item. The steward lightens their vow to slavery for the one with whom it is found. Note that this description doesn’t say that he stole the cup, merely that it is in his possession. Note that the steward is the one who put it there.

  44.12–13 The steward’s search, eldest to youngest, creates suspense and echoes the happier situation of the previous day’s feast, when they were arranged from the firstborn to the youngest (43.33). Tore their clothes. Their response to the discovery of the cup and the imminent loss of Benjamin directly echoes Jacob’s response to the loss of Joseph (37.34), a gesture of mourning. Their grief is poetic justice for the grief they caused their father.

  44.14–17 Do you not know…I can practice divination? Ironic, since Joseph does not need divination to know that the brothers have possession of his divination cup. God has found out the guilt. Similarly ironic, since their guilt does not concern the cup, but their sale of Joseph into slavery. Judah’s offer for all the brothers to be slaves (v. 16) is a first step of atonement for abandoning Joseph to slavery. Joseph’s response, that he will keep Benjamin and the others shall go…in peace (v. 17), seems to require a repetition of their abandonment of Joseph.

  44.18–34 Judah’s eloquent and heartfelt reply removes any doubt as to the brothers’ moral rehabilitation as he rehearses the history and the reasons why they cannot abandon Benjamin. Use of your servant(s) twelve times and my lord seven times highlights that the brothers—and also Israel—are already Joseph’s slaves (servant, Hebrew ‘eved, also means “slave”), perhaps a reminder of Joseph’s dreams.

  44.18 The preface to Judah’s speech echoes the preface to Abraham’s potent speech to God in 18.23 (the same Hebrew verbs are used in both). This echo emphasizes Judah’s courage and conviction.

  44.20 Child of his old age…his father loves him. Judah’s description of Benjamin evokes the earlier situation of Joseph (37.3), but now there is no jealousy or sibling rivalry, only compassion.

  44.22–34 Judah’s several descriptions of Israel’s frailty and possible death build upon one another to produce an image of the intense suffering that would result from the loss of Benjamin; see vv. 22, 29–31, 34.

  44.33–34 Judah revises his insistence that all the brothers remain as slaves (v. 16) and offers himself in Benjamin’s place; the boy is to go back. This reverses the earlier situation in which Judah sold his brother into slavery and went back himself, in deceit, to his father. How can I go back to my father? better “How can I go up to my father?” The directional sense of “go up” contrasts with bring down: how can Judah “go up” to his father, knowing that it will bring down his father to Sheol (v. 31)? In the sense of his speech, Judah is offering his own life to save his father’s life.

  GENESIS 45

  Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers

  1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

  4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ 12And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. 13You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

  16When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your animals and go back to the land of Canaan. 18Take your father and your households and come to me, so that I may give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you may enjoy the fat of the land.’ 19You are fu
rther charged to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20Give no thought to your possessions, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

  21The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons according to the instruction of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22To each one of them he gave a set of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of garments. 23To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. 24Then he sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Do not quarrela along the way.”

  25So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26And they told him, “Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt.” He was stunned; he could not believe them. 27But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.”

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  a Or be agitated

  45.1–28 Overcome by emotion, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers. His role as interpreter then comes to a climax as he interprets the meaning of their mutual travails, discerning in these events God’s plan of deliverance. Joseph shows his wisdom by further implementing God’s plan and instructing his family to settle in Egypt. The chapter is capped by the brothers’ return to Canaan and Jacob’s emotional response when he learns that his son is still alive. This chapter is a composite of J and E; the J source is dominant in vv. 1–4 and the E source thereafter, but parallel verses are interwoven throughout.

  45.1 Joseph’s loss of self-control and his loud weeping echo his first two encounters with his brothers in Egypt (42.24; 43.30–31), particularly when they came with Benjamin, when he left the room to weep and compose himself. Now he sends the Egyptians out of the room, weeps, and makes himself known to his brothers. The themes of knowledge, recognition, and deception will now be resolved.

  45.3–4 Joseph reveals his identity twice, perhaps an editorial amalgam of the sources (E in v. 3; J in v. 4). As the text stands, the brothers are so dismayed that he dramatically calls them closer (echoing Judah’s approach in 44.18) and announces himself again, adding ominously whom you sold into Egypt. The brothers’ dismay is compounded by fear for their lives, since Joseph is in a position to exact justice for their crime.

  45.5–8 In the moment of resolution, Joseph shows his wisdom, compassion, and insight into God’s plan, interpreting for the brothers the meaning of their mutual history. Events have a double agency, with God’s plan containing and guiding human intentions. The brothers sold Joseph in Egypt, but God sent him before them with the divine plan to preserve life. God sent me before you, repeated three times in vv. 5–8 (with identical wording in vv. 5, 7), highlights the divine agency behind events. By his interpretive gift, Joseph reestablishes peace among the brothers.

  45.9 Go up to my father and come down to me revise the symbolic contrast of going up and coming down in Judah’s speech (see note on 44.33–34). Now their father will come down to Joseph rather than to Sheol.

  45.14–15 After Joseph’s speech, the brothers hug, kiss, and weep, recalling the emotional reunion of Jacob and Esau (33.4). Joseph hugs Benjamin first, signaling their special bond. At last, calmed of their fears, the brothers talked with him.

  45.16–20 Joseph’s instructions are seconded by Pharaoh, who extends great generosity to Joseph’s family, granting them the best of the land of Egypt (vv. 18, 20). Pharaoh’s beneficence contrasts with the actions of his later successor “who did not know Joseph” (Ex 1.8).

  45.22–24 The gift of new garments again signals an ascent in status (cf. 41.42). Joseph’s greater gift to Benjamin recalls Israel’s favoritism of Joseph, expressed by his special long robe (37.3). But now the brothers are reconciled. As a gentle reminder of their past, Joseph cautions them not to quarrel along the way.

  45.26–28 Joseph is still alive! The brothers’ first words to Jacob echo Joseph’s first words to them after his self-revelation, Is my father still alive? (v. 3). After initially being stunned (better “numb”), Jacob’s spirit revived (lit, “came alive,” v. 27). The news that Joseph is alive brings Jacob, in a sense, back to life. Israel dramatizes this point and makes Joseph’s instructions his own by saying I must go and see him before I die (v. 28).

  GENESIS 46

  Jacob Brings His Whole Family to Egypt

  1When Israel set out on his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3Then he said, “I am God,a the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. 4I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s own hand shall close your eyes.”

  5Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6They also took their livestock and the goods that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, 7his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

  8Now these are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his offspring, who came to Egypt. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, 9and the children of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10The children of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul,b the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The children of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12The children of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the children of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13The children of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Jashub,c and Shimron. 14The children of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel 15(these are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; in all his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three). 16The children of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The children of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel 18(these are the children of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons). 19The children of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 20To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 21The children of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard 22(these are the children of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all). 23The children of Dan: Hashum.d 24The children of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem 25(these are the children of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all). 26All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own offspring, not including the wives of his sons, were sixty-six persons in all. 27The children of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.

  Jacob Settles in Goshen

  28Israele sent Judah ahead to Joseph to lead the way before him into Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen, 29Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. He presented himself to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30Israel said to Joseph, “I can die now, having seen for myself that you are still alive.” 31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32The men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; a
nd they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33When Pharaoh calls you, and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our ancestors’—in order that you may settle in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians.”

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  a Heb the God

  b Or Saul

  c Compare Sam Gk Num 26.24; 1 Chr 7.1: MT Iob

  d Gk: Heb Hushim

  e Heb He

  46.1–27 The focus turns back to Jacob as his family moves to Egypt. With the conflict between Joseph and his brothers now resolved, the Joseph story gradually comes to a close and prepares for the story of the exodus. This chapter consists of a combination of J and E in vv. 1–7, and a P genealogy in vv. 8–27.

  46.1–4 At the altar that Isaac had built in Beer-sheba (see 26.25), God reveals himself to Jacob for the last time and outlines the future. Bring you up again has a double meaning. God will bring Jacob up to Canaan to be buried by Joseph (50.1–14), and God will bring the Israelites up from Egypt in the exodus.

  46.8–27 The list of Jacob and his descendants who came to Egypt interrupts the action and adds a degree of grandeur to the journey. Seventy, a number representing wholeness (cf. Ex 15.27; 24.1; Judg 1.7; 8.30; 2 Kings 10.1). The list was originally a separate document that has been adapted to its context here. An editorial comment in v. 26 observes that only sixty-six of Jacob’s family came into Egypt, excluding Er and Onan, who died in the land of Canaan (v. 12), and Manasseh and Ephraim, who were born in the land of Egypt (v. 20). Joseph’s status in this list is, however, obscure, since he is in Egypt, but seems to be included among the sixty-six. These problems are simplified in Ex 1.5, which states that “the total number of people born to Jacob was seventy” and that “Joseph was already in Egypt.”