Chapter 21—Joseph and His Brothers
This chapter is based on Genesis 41:54-56; 42 to 50.
Under the direction of Joseph, immense storehouses were erected throughout the land of Egypt for preserving the surplus of the expected harvest. During the seven years of plenty the amount of grain laid in store was beyond computation. {EP 149.1}
And now the seven years of dearth began, according to Joseph’s prediction. “And the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians.” {EP 149.2}
The famine was severely felt in the country where Jacob dwelt. Hearing of the abundant provision made by the king of Egypt, ten of Jacob’s sons journeyed thither to purchase grain. They were directed to the king’s deputy and came to present themselves before the ruler of the land. And they “bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.” “Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.” His Hebrew name had been changed, and there was little resemblance between the prime minister of Egypt and the stripling they had sold to the Ishmaelites. As Joseph saw his brothers stooping and making obeisance, his dreams and the scenes of the past rose vividly before him. His keen eye discovered that Benjamin was not among them. Had he also fallen victim to treacherous cruelty? He determined to learn the truth. “Ye are spies,” he said sternly; “to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.” {EP 149.3}
They answered, “Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are true men; thy servants are no spies.” He wished to draw from them some information in regard to their home; yet he knew how deceptive their statements might be. He repeated the charge, and they replied, “Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.” {EP 150.1}
Professing to doubt their story, the governor declared that he would require them to remain in Egypt till one of their number should go and bring their youngest brother. If they would not consent, they were to be treated as spies. But to such an arrangement the sons of Jacob could not agree, since the time required would cause their families to suffer for food; and who among them would undertake the journey alone, leaving his brothers in prison? It appeared probable that they were to be put to death or made slaves; and if Benjamin were brought, it might be only to share their fate. They decided to remain and suffer together rather than bring additional sorrow upon their father by the loss of his only remaining son. They were accordingly cast into prison. {EP 150.2}
Wicked Men Had Learned Repentance
These sons of Jacob had changed in character. Envious, turbulent, deceptive, cruel, and revengeful they had been; but now, tested by adversity, they were unselfish, true to one another, devoted to their father, and, themselves middle-aged men, subject to his authority. {EP 150.3}
Three days in the Egyptian prison were days of bitter sorrow as the brothers reflected upon their past sins. Unless Benjamin could be produced, their conviction as spies appeared certain. {EP 150.4}
On the third day, Joseph caused the brothers to be brought before him. He dared not detain them longer. Already his father and the families with him might be suffering for food. “This do, and live,” he said; “for I fear God: if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: but bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die.” {EP 151.1}
Joseph had communicated with them through an interpreter. Having no thought that the governor understood them, they conversed freely with one another in his presence. “We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.” Reuben, who had formed the plan delivering Joseph at Dothan, added “Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.” {EP 151.2}
Joseph, listening, could not control his emotions, and he went out and wept. On his return, he commanded that Simeon be bound before them and again committed to prison. In the cruel treatment of their brother, Simeon had been the instigator and chief actor. {EP 151.3}
Before permitting his brothers to depart, Joseph gave directions that they should be supplied with grain and that each man’s money should be secretly placed in the mouth of his sack. On the way, one of the company, opening his sack, was surprised to find his bag of silver. The others were alarmed and said, “What is this that God hath done unto us?” {EP 151.4}
Jacob was anxiously awaiting the return of his sons, and on their arrival the whole encampment gathered eagerly around as they related to their father all that had occurred. Apprehension filled every heart. The conduct of the Egyptian governor seemed to imply some evil design, and their fears were confirmed when, as they opened their sacks, the owner’s money was found in each. In his distress the aged father exclaimed, “Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.” “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.” {EP 151.5}
But the drought continued, and the supply of grain from Egypt was nearly exhausted. Deeper and deeper grew the shadow of approaching famine. In the anxious faces of all in the encampment, the old man read their need. At last he said, “Go again, buy us a little food.” {EP 152.1}
Judah answered, “The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food; but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.” Seeing that his father’s resolution began to waver, he said, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.” He offered to be surety for his brother, and to bear the blame forever if he failed to restore Benjamin to his father. {EP 152.2}
Jacob could no longer withhold his consent. He bade his sons take to the ruler a present of such things as the famine-wasted country afforded—“a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds,” also a double quantity of money. “Take also your brother,” he said, “and arise, go again unto the man.” As his sons were about to depart on their doubtful journey, the aged father arose, and raising his hands to heaven, uttered the prayer, “God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin.” {EP 152.3}
Again they journeyed to Egypt and presented themselves before Joseph. As his eye fell upon Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he was deeply moved. He concealed his emotion, but ordered that they be taken to his house to dine with him. The brothers were greatly alarmed, fearing to be called to account for the money found in their sacks. They thought that it might have been placed there to furnish occasion for making them slaves. In proof of their innocence they informed the steward of the house that they had brought back the money found in their sacks, also other money to buy food; and they added, “We cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.” The man replied, “Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money.” Their anxiety was relieved; and when Simeon, released from prison, joined them, they felt that God was indeed gracious to them. {EP 152.4}
Joseph’s Dreams Again Fulfilled
When the governor again met them, they presented their gifts and humbly “bowed themselves to him to the earth.” Again his dreams came to his mind, and he hastened to ask, “Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?” “Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive,” was the answer, as they again made obeisance. Then his eye rested upon Benjamin, and he said, “Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?” “God be gracious unto thee, my son,” but overpowered by feelings of tenderness, he could say no more. “He entered into his chamber, and wept there.” {EP 153.1}
Having recovered his self-possession, he returned. By the laws of caste, the Egyptians were forbidden to eat with people of any other nation. The sons of Jacob had therefore a table by themselves, while the governor, on account of his high rank, ate by himself. The Egyptians also had separate tables. When all were seated, the brothers were surprised to see that they were arranged in exact order, according to their ages. Joseph “sent messes unto them from before him,” but Benjamin’s was five times as much as any of theirs. He hoped to ascertain if the youngest brother was regarded with the envy and hatred that had been manifested toward himself. Still supposing that Joseph did not understand their language, the brothers freely conversed with one another; thus he had good opportunity to learn their real feelings. Still he desired to test them further. Before their departure he ordered that his own drinking cup of silver be concealed in the sack of the youngest. {EP 153.2}
Final Test of Their Repentance
Joyfully they set out on their return. Simeon and Benjamin were with them, their animals were laden with grain, and all felt that they had safely escaped the perils that had seemed to surround them. But they had only reached the outskirts of the city when they were overtaken by the governor’s steward, who uttered the scathing inquiry, “Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? Ye have done evil in so doing.” This cup was supposed to possess the power of detecting any poisonous substance placed therein. Cups of this kind were highly valued as a safeguard against murder by poisoning. {EP 154.1}
To the steward’s accusation the travelers answered, “Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.” {EP 154.2} “Let it be according to your words,” said the steward; “he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.” {EP 154.3}
The search began immediately. “They speedily took down every man his sack to the ground,” and the steward examined each, beginning with Reuben’s, and taking them in order down to that of the youngest. In Benjamin’s sack the cup was found. {EP 154.4}
The brothers rent their garments in utter wretchedness and slowly returned to the city. By their own promise, Benjamin was doomed to slavery. They followed the steward to the palace, and finding the governor yet there, prostrated themselves before him. {EP 155.1}
“What deed is this that ye have done?” he said. “Wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?” Joseph designed to draw from them an acknowledgment of their sin. {EP 155.2}
Judah answered, “What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.” {EP 155.3}
“God forbid that I should do so,” was the reply, “but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.” {EP 155.4}
Judah’s Plea
In his distress, Judah drew near the ruler. Eloquently he described his father’s grief at the loss of Joseph and his reluctance to let Benjamin come with them to Egypt, as he was the only son left of his mother, Rachel, whom Jacob so dearly loved. “Now therefore,” he said, “when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.” {EP 155.5}
Joseph was satisfied. He had seen in his brothers the fruits of true repentance. He gave orders that all but these men should withdraw. Then, weeping aloud, he cried, “I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?” {EP 156.1}
Reconciliation!
His brothers stood motionless, dumb with fear and amazement. The ruler of Egypt their brother Joseph, whom they had envied and would have murdered, and finally sold as a slave! All their ill treatment of him passed before them. They remembered how long they had despised his dreams and had labored to prevent their fulfillment. Yet they had acted their part in fulfilling these dreams. Now that they were completely in his power, he would, no doubt, avenge the wrong that he had suffered. {EP 156.2}
Seeing their confusion, he said kindly, “Come near to me, I pray you”; and as they came near, he continued, “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” Feeling that they had suffered enough for their cruelty toward him, he nobly sought to banish their fears and lessen the bitterness of their self-reproach. {EP 156.3}
“God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither but God: and He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen ...; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.” “And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and after that his brethren talked with him.” They humbly confessed their sin and entreated his forgiveness. {EP 156.4}
The news of what had taken place was quickly carried to the king. He confirmed the governor’s invitation to his family, saying, “The good of all the land of Egypt is yours.” The brothers were