The first visit of Joseph's brethren to Egypt.
I. THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT (Genesis 42:1-5).
1. The famishing household. Although Canaan was the land of promise, and the family of Jacob the Church of God, yet neither was the one nor the other exempted from the pressure of that heavy famine which had fallen on all surrounding lands and peoples. It is not God's intention that his people should escape participating in the ills of life. Besides enabling them, collectively and individually, to sympathize with their fellow-men, it is a means under God of advancing their own sanctification, and oftentimes as well of furthering the purposes of God concerning both the world and the Church.
2. The perplexed brethren. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, and the rest of them were manifestly at their wits' end what to do to keep themselves from starving. If the thought of Egypt had anything to do with their listlessness and inactivity, it may remind us how dangerous it is to sin, the memory of past transgressions having an uncomfortable habit of springing up at unexpected moments, like grim and shaggy lions in the path; if their spiritless dejection was in no way connected with the Dothan tragedy, it shows that saints are not necessarily a whit more talented or fertile in expedient than their ungodly neighbors, and are frequently as helpless as the rest of them in the face of sudden and overwhelming calamities. Grace, though it gives goodness, does not guarantee greatness.
3. The parental exhortation. Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, and forthwith proposed that his sons should undertake a journey thither to fetch a supply for their necessities, at the same time prefacing his sound advice with a word of brisk reproof at their want of push in the face of news so full of comfort and hope as that grain might be had for the purchase. Jacob clearly discerned that, while it was right in them to look to God for help in their distress, it was also expected of them by God that they should help themselves. Although God promises to give his people bread, he does not undertake to relieve them of all trouble in the matter. If he provides corn in Egypt, he expects men to go for it; and it is a mark of sound sense, if it is not a sign of grace, when men are able to detect in Egypt providential supplies for their necessities.
4. The important mission. Concerning which may be noticed—
5. The paternal reservation. "But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren." If Jacob's reason for detaining Benjamin was anxiety for himself, who was now an old man, and afraid to lose the lad who served him as the son of his old age, it may remind us of the feebleness and helplessness of age, and of the duty of the young, to comfort and assist the old. If it was anxiety for Benjamin, whom he feared to expose to the fate of Joseph, it is a beautiful example of the tenderness and strength of a father's love, and may well suggest the duty of rewarding that love with true filial affection. If it was anxiety for his ten sons, lest in the case of Benjamin they should repeat the crime which they had perpetrated against Joseph, it shows how difficult it is to remove from the minds of others, even of those who have the most disposition to judge us with charity, unfavorable impressions concerning ourselves when once they have been formed. There is good reason for believing that a change had passed upon the characters of Joseph's brethren since the dark deed at Dothan. Yet the old man was afraid to trust them. If once by our wickedness we forfeit the confidence of our fellow-men, these are not to be blamed if in future they fail to trust our integrity and honor.
II. THE INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR (Genesis 42:6-25).
1. Humble homage to the governor. Arriving in Egypt, the sons of Jacob were conducted to the presence of the viceroy, and they "bowed down before him with their faces." Such respectful behavior was due to the majesty of him in whose presence they stood (Romans 13:7), and was admirably fitted to the character in which they came. They who have a suit to press, at an earthly or a heavenly throne, should be "clothed with humility."
2. Non-recognition of the governor. The moment Joseph looked upon the Hebrew strangers he knew them to-be his brethren. But they entirely failed to discern him; because
3. Harsh treatment by the governor.
4. Bitter grief before the governor.
5. Unexpected kindness from the governor. Though he did not depart from his original demand that they should bring down Benjamin, and though he insisted on retaining Simeon as a hostage for their obedience, he yet granted their request for corn, and, unknown to them as yet, caused their money to be restored to their sacks. So Christ often deals with penitents; first blows and buffetings, then benefits and blessings.
III. THE RETURN TO CANAAN (Genesis 42:26-38).
1. The startling discovery. Resting for the night at a wayside khan, or lodging-place, one of the brethren, having had occasion to give his beast a little provender, opened out his sack, and lo! the silver money he had paid for his corn was in its mouth. The same discovery was made by the rest on reaching Hebron. The instruction which Joseph gave his steward had not been heard by them, and they had penetration to see how the circumstance might be turned to their disadvantage. They were innocent of any crime in this matter; but how were they to explain it to the austere and impenetrable man who sat upon the throne of Egypt? "Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all." The best that can be said of them in this connection is that they had piety enough to see the hand of God in the untoward affair.
2. The faithful report. On arriving at Hebron, they related to their father Jacob all that had befallen them in Egypt" beginning with the rough reception they had gotten from the governor, and ending with the startling discovery they had just made; in all which there was at least a symptom of improvement in the characters of those ten brethren. Here was none of the concealment and lying that marked them at an earlier stage in their history, as when they palmed off upon their aged parent the clever story of the wild beast and the bloody coat to account for Joseph's disappearance. They presented themselves as before without their brother, but this time they told the truth: Simeon was a hostage in Egypt for the bringing down of Benjamin.
3. The parental sorrow. In the anguish of the moment Jacob committed three mistakes.
4. The filial security. Reuben offers to undertake the charge of Benjamin, and to he responsible for his safe-conduct to Egypt and back again, and in so far the act of Reuben was generous and kindly towards both Jacob and Benjamin; but his proposal that Jacob should slay two of his sons if he failed to deliver Benjamin was rash, unnatural, and sinful, and accordingly was at once rejected by the patriarch.
See in this interesting narrative—
1. The fact of an overruling providence, exemplified in God's bringing Joseph's brethren to Egypt.
2. The strength of human affection, illustrated by Joseph's emotion in presence of his brethren, and Jacob's pathetic fondness for Benjamin.
3. The power of a guilty conscience, exhibited m the mutual recriminations of the brethren with reference to the sale of Joseph.
4. The beneficial influence of the discipline of life, as portrayed in the good effects produced by Joseph's rough handling of his brethren.
5. The short-sightedness of sense and reason, as seen in Jacob's lamentation, "All these things are against me," while, on the contrary, all things were working together for his good.