This lesson is compatible with the "Joseph" Flash-A-Cards from Abeka Books.
Scripture References: Genesis 42:25-38; 43:1-15
The 9 brothers were on their way home from Egypt. They had to leave Simeon behind in prison so they could return with Benjamin to Egypt. They would all be free if they did that. A few miles down the road they stopped to rest, and one of the brothers got out some grain to feed his donkey. “Oh NO!” he shouted. “Look! My money to buy the food is still here! They are going to think I stole the food!” The other 9 brothers looked in their bags, hoping there was no money inside. Their hearts dropped…ALL of their money was still in their bags! “They are going to come after us and arrest us! We are in BIG trouble!” They were all terrified that the Egyptians would come after them and accuse them of stealing food and money from Zaphnath-Paaneah. If that happened, they knew that they would be put to death in Egypt. “What has God done to us?” they said. They were probably thinking that this would be their punishment for selling their brother as a slave.
The entire way home, they kept looking over their shoulder, back toward Egypt. Were the soldiers coming for them? I imagine at every sound they heard at night, they jumped up, looking into the darkness, and waiting for the Egyptians to come up and arrest them. But none of that happened. They finally reached home, and took the food to their father, Jacob, and their families. When they got to their father’s house, they told him all about what had happened.
“Father, when we got to Egypt, we spoke to the governor of all of Egypt, Zaphnath-Paaneah. He spoke roughly to us and accused us of being spies! We told him we were not spies, we were honest men, and all brothers. He didn’t believe us! We spent 3 days in prison, but he let us go, with one condition. One of us had to stay, and he would let us all go if we brought him our last brother. That way he would know we were telling the truth. Then we could come and go to Egypt to buy and sell as often as we want!”
Then the brothers emptied their sacks of food, and the money.
Jacob was shocked! “What have you boys done?! You still have the money you left with! And you told him there was another brother? Joseph is dead, Simeon is gone, arrested in Egypt, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”
Reuben answered his father “I will be responsible for Benjamin. Take my two sons and kill them if I don’t bring Benjamin back safe to you.” Reuben knew his father wouldn’t kill his two grandsons, but this was a strong way for him to say that he would keep Benjamin safe, even if he had to sacrifice himself.
But Jacob wouldn’t hear of it. “You will NOT take Benjamin. His brother is dead, and he is the only son left of my wife Rachel. If anything were to happen to you on the journey, I would die of sorrow.
So, there was nothing the brothers could do but wait.
We don’t know exactly how long Jacob refused to let them go, but eventually, they had another family meeting.
Jacob looked very sad and worried. “This famine is terrible. Nothing has grown in our fields, and we are almost out of food again. You have to go back to Egypt to buy more.”
This time, Judah spoke up. “Zaphnath-Paaneah warned us not to come back unless we brought our last brother. He won’t even see us if we show up alone. If you send Benjamin with us, we can buy food. But if not, we won’t go to Egypt.”
Jacob said “Why did you do this to me? Why did you have to tell the man you had another brother?”
The brothers replied “We had to! He specifically asked us if our father was still alive, and if we had another brother! How could we have known that he would tell us to bring our other brother to Egypt?”
Remember, none of the 11 brothers, or their father Jacob knew who Zaphnath-Paaneah really was. But Zaphnath-Paaneah knew exactly who they were…because his Hebrew name was JOSEPH!
Judah tried one more time. “Send the boy down with me, so we and our little children won’t die of hunger. I personally will protect him. If anything happens to him, I will bear the blame forever.”
Jacob sadly said “If it must be so, then do it. And take some of the best fruits that we have left in the land and give the man a present. Some balm and honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. And take double the money you took the first time. Maybe it was a mistake that you brought back the money the first time. Take Benjamin and go. And may God Almighty give you mercy before Zaphnath-Paaneah, that he will let Simeon and Benjamin go. If I lose my sons, so be it.”
Jacob knew only God could control this situation. And he knew they needed God’s help in this hopeless situation.
Many times, we are in situations that seem hopeless. We have no control. But remember that God is in control and has a plan for the lives of His children…the ones who put their faith in Jesus. We can rest in knowing God is in control.
So, the brothers got everything ready, and took extra donkeys loaded with gifts for the Egyptian governor. They took the long journey back to Egypt, and when they arrived, they nervously walked to the building where the governor was meeting with the foreigners who wanted to buy food.
Would they be arrested and killed as soon as he saw them?
Would they buy food, but lose their brother Benjamin?
What was going to happen?
Come back next week to find out!