Bible Commentaries
Genesis 42

Verses 1-38

According to the foretelling of Joseph in interpreting Pharaoh's dreams, the famine came; but through Joseph's executive ability Egypt was provided with corn sufficient not only for its own needs, but equal to the need of other peoples.

At last Joseph's brethren are seen fulfilling his dream of long ago and bowing down in his presence. His conversation with them is revealing. Questioned about themselves, they replied, 'We . . . are twelve brethren . . . and one is not." These men were evidently conscious of their guilt. It would seem the memory of the wrong done to their brother long ago had haunted them through the years, recurring with new force in this hour of danger. While their action was utterly evil, yet they referred to their "brother." Though they had no consciousness that the Egyptian governor was their brother, the memory of the sin of long ago sprang up when they found themselves in peril.

When they returned to him without Simeon and communicated the demand of the governor that Benjamin should be brought to him, Jacob's complaint was full of sadness. The old man said, "All these things are against me.' It was not the language of faith, and yet surely none of us can criticize him, for the outlook was dark enough. Had he been a man of less subtle faith, perchance he might have been able to say, "All things work together for good."

Though he was not able to say this, the fact remains that the things which seemed to be against him were really working together to give him back his long-lost boy and to carry toward completion those gracious purposes for which he and his father stood. As we study the story we may surely learn the lesson that it is never wise to measure the facts of any hour by the limits of our own vision.