Daily Scripture Reading Genesis 43:11-30
As we go through life, we endure many obstacles, setbacks, and losses. Sometimes those difficulties are our own fault and due to choices we made. It is easy to become defeated and pessimistic when life goes awry.
Jacob experienced many setbacks and losses in his life which caused him to become defeated and broken. His brokenness reminds us that when we are at a low point in life, we need to make a choice. Are we going to wallow in misery, mourn over what we don’t have, and be pessimistic about life; or, are we going to make the most of our lot in life and enjoy the things we do have?
When Jacob’s family ran out of grain again, Jacob instructed his sons to go to Egypt and buy some more. However, his sons refused to go unless Jacob sent Benjamin because Joseph had made it clear they would not be allowed to buy grain unless Benjamin went to Egypt with them.
Gen. 43:11 ¶ Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and bring them down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
Gen. 43:12 Now take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was put back in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.
Gen. 43:13 And take your brother also, and arise, return to the man;
Gen. 43:14 and may God Almighty grant you compassion before the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
Ponder Jacob’s state of mind that would cause him to say, “if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” This statement is pessimistic, fatalistic, and defeatist. Jacob sounds broken.
In some ways, Jacob had no one to blame but himself. It was his fault that he allowed the death of one son to override the joy that he could have found in his other children. Jacob favored Joseph and Benjamin because he loved their mother, Rachel, more than his other wife Leah, and Rachel had been barren for many years. When she finally gave birth, Jacob treasured her sons.
On the other hand, Rachel had been barren for years because Jacob did not love Leah, so Yahweh opened Leah’s womb, but not Rachel’s womb. Not loving Leah was Jacob’s fault, and yet he had not chosen to marry Leah, Laban had tricked Jacob into marrying Leah.
Even being deceived into marrying Leah does not exonerate Jacob because he had deceived his father. In some ways he deserved having Leah forced upon him.
When Jacob sent his sons to Egypt for food, he was broken and defeated, and yet in some ways his pain was his own fault.
As we go through life, we endure many obstacles, setbacks, and losses. Sometimes those difficulties are our own fault and due to choices we made. When we are at a low point in life, we need to make a choice. Are we going to wallow in misery, mourn over what we don’t have, and be pessimistic about life; or, are we going to make the most of our lot in life and enjoy the things we do have?
Gen. 43:15 So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
Gen. 43:16 ¶ Then Joseph saw Benjamin with them and said to his house steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and prepare it; for the men are to eat with me at noon.”
Gen. 43:17 So the man did as Joseph said and brought the men to Joseph’s house.
Gen. 43:18 And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us and take us for slaves with our donkeys.”
Gen. 43:19 So they came near to Joseph’s house steward and spoke to him at the entrance of the house,
Gen. 43:20 and they said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,
Gen. 43:21 and it happened when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full. So we have brought it back in our hand.
Gen. 43:22 We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
Gen. 43:23 And he said, “Be well, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; your money has come to me.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
Gen. 43:24 Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder.
Gen. 43:25 So they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.
Gen. 43:26 ¶ Then Joseph came home, and they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him.
Take note of the words “bowed to the ground before him”. This is another fulfillment of Joseph’s dream in which the sheaves of his brother bowed down to his sheaf.
Gen. 43:27 And he asked them about their well-being and said, “Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
Gen. 43:28 And they said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” They bowed down and prostrated themselves.
Notice they bowed down again.
Gen. 43:29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son. And he said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
It is possible that Benjamin was an infant or toddler when Joseph was sold to Egypt, so Joseph probably would not have recognized Benjamin.
Gen. 43:30 And Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred with compassion over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there.
Look at the words “deeply stirred”, “compassion”, “weep”, and “wept”. After living in Egypt for many years, he probably had lost hope of ever seeing his family again, so it would have been very emotional to see his younger brother and once again have hope he could see his father again.
As we go through life, we endure many obstacles, setbacks, and losses. Sometimes those difficulties are our own fault and due to choices we made. When we are at a low point in life, we need to make a choice. Are we going to imitate Jacob and wallow in misery, mourn over what we don’t have, and be pessimistic about life? Or, are we going to make the most of our lot in life and enjoy the things we do have?
What are losses you have experienced that have sucked the joy out of your life?
What do you still have which you should make an effort to enjoy?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”