Bible Commentaries
Genesis 40

Introduction

JOSEPH IN POWER

(Genesis 40-45)

There is much in the story of Joseph that corresponds to life today. In this record there is much to

learn about the overruling providence of God. How often we miss the true meaning of life because we

take things for granted and overlook the fact that everything comes from God. When we do well, we are

so prone to take credit for ourselves. It is so easy to expect praise for what we have accomplished. But

in the sight of God the praise of men is not valid. God looks upon the hearts of men. When Christ saw

the widow cast two mites into the treasury He astonished His disciples by telling them that her gift was

greater than the large amounts of money the rich had given. In the same way, God evaluates what we give

and do, after He opens doors and presents opportunities for service.

The record shows that if Joseph had not been in prison he would not have met the butler from the

court of Pharaoh. If God had not given Joseph the interpretation of the baker’s and the butler’s dreams,

he would never have been called into the presence of the ruler of all Egypt.

Two of Pharaoh’s chief servants offended him, and as a result had been cast into the same dungeon

where Joseph was imprisoned. While in prison each of these men had a most disturbing dream. Joseph

noticed their distress and asked them why they were sad and troubled. When they told him of their

dreams Joseph said unto them, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" Then he proceeded to

tell (p.129) them the meaning of their dreams. The chief jailer had put Joseph into a place of

responsibility because he was capable and trustworthy. He had conducted himself in such a way that the

keeper of the prison had appointed him "trusty" over all the other prisoners. Having told the baker and

the butler of the meaning of their dreams, he said to the butler, who would soon be restored to his

position with Pharaoh:

But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make

mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: for indeed I was stolen away out of the land

of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothin that they should put me into the dungeon (Gen. 40:14-

15).

We can imagine how he awaited some news of deliverance, but the butler forgot all about Joseph for

two long years. After that something happened in the providence of God that completely changed

Joseph’s life.

Pharaoh dreamed a dream so strange and somehow ominous that he called together all the magicians

and wise men, and told them his dream; but none of them could interpret his dream. Then the butler

bethought himself of Joseph. He told of his dream while in prison. "And there was there with us a young

man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard . . . as he interpreted to us, so it was" (41:12-13).

When Pharaoh heard this, he hastily called for Joseph. He told Joseph of his dream which none could

interpret: "And I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph

answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace" (41:15-16). There

is much to learn from Joseph in his encounter with the king. Joseph did not try to promote himself. He

was humble, and he knew and made it known that his God was able to send and interpret, dreams.

The hand of God was directing the events in Joseph’s life all through his career. Joseph could not have

saved himself when his brothers wanted to kill him. He could not have saved himself when Reuben

suggested that they throw him (p.130) into a pit instead. Even the brothers themselves did not know

that the Ishmaelites would come along when they did. To them this might have seemed like a fortunate

turn of events which gave them the opportunity to get rid of Joseph. But none of this was an accident;

God had His hand in everything that happened. If Potiphar had not bought him for a slave, the rest of

the story would not have occurred. All of this demonstrates that if a man will trust God, He will set a

train of events into motion that will honor faith and bring His will to pass. Even the time Joseph spent in

prison turned to his benefit. How else could he have met the butler of Pharaoh? Those extra two years

may seem cruel but it was after that time that Pharaoh dreamed and needed him. God’s timing may be

obscure to us as events unfold, but we can be sure that God makes no mistakes. Surely Joseph did not

expect to be made the prime minister of Egypt. Taking all into consideration, it must be concluded that

this was God’s plan for Joseph. This was what Joseph had been born to do.

Again and again the overruling power of God can be seen in the lives of those who believe His

promises and trust Him to fulfill them. In the providence and sovereignty of God, Joseph was much

more than the prime minister of Egypt. He became the deliverer of his own people and was called upon

to act as judge over his brothers. Any judge should be fair. He should be intelligent. The purpose of a

judge is to set out what is right and what is wrong. He must not let his personal feelings affect his

decision no matter whom it involves. Neither personal relationships nor friendships should influence his

verdict. This is one reason why parents find it so difficult to judge the actions of their children. Their

love and affection for them blinds them to their duty. On the other hand, they find it easy to pass harsh

judgment on those whom they dislike. This is never good. Joseph had every reason to deal harshly with

his brothers. They had wanted to kill him and then had sold him as a slave.

Years had passed since that day, but it is written that when a famine stalked the land of Canaan, and

was "over all the face of the earth," Jacob told his sons to go down into (p.131) the land of Egypt to buy

corn, "that we may live, and not die." Jacob kept Benjamin, Rachel’s second son with him. He had lost

Joseph and had mourned for him for many years. He could not bear to part with Benjamin, Joseph’s

brother, "lest peradventure mischief befall him."

His brothers did not realize they would be dealing with Joseph. "And the sons of Israel came to buy

corn . . . but they knew him not." But as his brothers bowed before him seeking his favor, Joseph

remembered the dreams he had dreamed. He planned to deal with them in a way which would prick their

consciences and recall to their minds the brutal way in which they had treated him. He did not do this

with any feeling of animosity, nor was he seeking retribution. Joseph knew that unless they faced the

evil they had committed and repented, they would never really be free from the past. To do this he made

himself speak roughly to them. He accused them of being spies. "And he put them all together into ward

three days." That is to say that he put them into prison. At the end of three days he told them that one

of them would have to stay behind, bound and imprisoned, until they returned with their youngest

brother Benjamin, ostensibly to prove that the things they had told him about his family were true. The

record tells the moving story of their remorse, and of Joseph’s reaction to their words:

And they said one to another, 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. And

Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would

not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for

he spake unto them by an interpreter. And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to

them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes

(42:21-24).

Before they left with their sacks of grain, Joseph commanded that the money they had paid for it be

returned to them. When one of the brothers opened his sack of grain, (p.132) "he espied the money" . . .

and he told it to his brothers and, "their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another,

What is this that God hath done unto us?" In all their misfortune they saw the hand of God in their

affairs. Their feeling of guilt, which had been aroused by Joseph, now increased. They felt that somehow

this whole thing which put them in jeopardy as thieves was punishment for their past wickedness.

The famine increased in the land of Canaan. When all the grain the brethren had brought out of Egypt

was gone and Jacob and his whole household were faced with starvation, he said to his sons, "Go again

and buy us a little food." Judah, acting as spokesman for the brothers, reminded his father that they

could never face the Lord of Egypt again unless they were accompanied by their brother Benjamin. But

Jacob was afraid:

And he said, 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

(42:38).

(It may be helpful to remember that Joseph and Benjamin were the only two sons of Jacob’s beloved

wife, Rachel.) As the days went by and the lack of corn grew more desperate, Judah said to his father:

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. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee,

and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever (43:8-9).

So Jacob with a heavy heart sent Benjamin along with Judah and his brothers. He gave them twice the

required money to make up for the money that had been returned to them in their bags.

The brothers left their sorrowful father and went down into Egypt, "and stood before Joseph." When

Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, he was greatly moved and told his chief steward to prepare a banquet

and to take his brothers to his home. (p.133)

And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the

money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against

us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses (43:18).

It was utterly incredible to them that this great man of the realm would invite them to his home for

any good purpose. Joseph observed their fear, but to spare them suffering at this time would be

premature. They needed to be deeply humbled and tested. The brothers’ dread of evil only increased

when Joseph placed them at the table in order of their ages. Then Joseph had Benjamin served five times

as much as the others. He waited for some sign of resentment at this, but there was none. After the meal

Joseph dismissed all his brothers in order that they might return to their father and their families.

Early in the morning the brethren started out for Canaan not knowing that their money was again

returned to them and that a silver cup had been placed in Benjamin’s sack. They had not gone far when

they realized that they were being pursued by Joseph’s stewards. They stopped, fearful of what might

happen, and were told that Joseph’s silver cup was missing and that they were suspects. The brothers

were so sure of their innocence that they invited a search of all their bags, and offered to stay and be

Joseph’s slaves if the silver cup were found in their possession. The Egyptians began a systematic search

from the oldest to the youngest. When they opened Benjamin’s sack, they found Joseph’s silver cup. At

this terrible discovery the brothers rent their clothes in anguish and, reloading their beasts of burden,

returned to the city. The brothers were sure that their evil past was being punished, "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." Joseph now told them that they were all free to go except for Benjamin, in whose sack the

silver cup had been found.

Judah stepped forward and pleaded to be allowed to stay in Benjamin’s place. He told Joseph that his

father’s heart would be broken if he lost his youngest son. When Joseph (p.134) heard Judah, he needed

no further proof of the tremendous change which had taken place in them. (He had the proof of their true

repentance.) "And he wept aloud." Then he revealed himself to them.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, 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 (45:4-5).

Joseph explained how he would provide for them.

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 (45:14-15).

After this Joseph went to Pharaoh and was given every help to bring his father and all his household

to him in Egypt. Joseph interpreted everything that happened as the will of God. There is no hint of

resentment, no thought of retaliation. We marvel as we read of the remarkable conduct of this man.

Surely, only the grace of God could motivate the human heart in this way.