(Written
by Sheila Gail Landgraf)
Judah
was deeply troubled that Joseph thought Benjamin had taken his silver cup. He had offered himself as a substitute for
Benjamin’s punishment, knowing that if he did not return with Benjamin his
father would never forgive him. He had
also told his father that his own sons would be the one’s punished if anything
happened to Benjamin. This must have
been a terrible time for Judah, who had done no wrong and was caught in the
middle of Joseph’s scheme.
But, as
Judah was pleading with Joseph, Joseph could no longer control himself and he
cried out in a loud voice. “Have
everyone leave my presence!”
When
there was no one left in the room with Joseph, except his brothers, Joseph made
himself known to them. He wept so loudly
that the Egyptians heard him. Even
Pharaoh’s household became aware of Joseph’s state.
Finally,
Joseph said to his brothers; “I am Joseph!
Is my father still living?”
Upon
hearing his words his brothers became terrified! They could not speak or answer.
Joseph
beconed for them to come closer to him.
He said; “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be
angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God
sent me ahead of you. For two years now
there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no
plowing and reaping. But God sent me
ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a
great deliverance. So then it was not
you who sent me here, but God. He made
me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This
is what your son Joseph says: God has
made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to
me; don’t delay. You shall live in the
region of Goshen and be near me – you, your children and grandchildren, your
flocks and herds, and all you have. I
will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to
come. Otherwise you and your household
and all who belong to you will become destitute.”
Joseph
turned to his brothers who were still in amazement and continued: “You can see for yourselves, and so can my
brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. Tell my father about all the honor accorded
me in Egypt and about everything you have seen.
And bring my father down here quickly.”
At that
point, Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and wept. Benjamin embraced Joseph, weeping too. Joseph kissed all of his brothers and wept
over them. Afterward they talked and
talked. They had a lot of catching up to
do!
With
all the commotion and the confusion of Joseph’s assistants, the news soon
reached Pharaoh and all of his officials were pleased. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do
this: Load your animals and return to
the land of Canaan, and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt
and you can enjoy the fat of the land.”
Pharaoh
also told them: “Take some carts from
Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. Never mind about your belongings, because the
best of all Egypt will be yours.”
So
the sons of Israel did as they were instructed.
Joseph gave them carts as Pharaoh had commanded and he also gave them
provisions for their journey. He gave
them all new clothes, and to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver
and five sets of clothes. He sent ten
donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded wit
grain and bread and other provisions to his father for his journey back.
He
said goodbye to his brothers and sent them on their way admonishing them not to
quarrel on the way.
They
left Egypt in a daze. When they reached
their father Jacob in the land of Canaan they told him that Joseph was still
alive! Then they told him he was ruler
of Egypt!
Jacob
was stunned.
At first he did not believe
them. The carts full of provisions that
Joseph had sent finally convinced him.
Jacob’s spirit revived! Can you imagine his amazement? He was
full of joy knowing that Joseph was still alive and he would see him
again!
God was granting Jacob unexpected happiness in his old age! It was a glorious impossible that only God could have brought about.
