Month: August 2025

Genesis 44

Genesis 44:1 Then he commanded the one over of his house, and this is what he said “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack,

Genesis 44:2 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph commanded him.

Genesis 44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys.

Genesis 44:4 They had gone only a short distance from the city. Then Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow after the men, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?

Genesis 44:5 Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil by doing this.'”

Genesis 44:6 When he caught up with them, he said these words to them.

Genesis 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your slaves to do such a thing!

Genesis 44:8 See, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?

Genesis 44:9 Whoever of your slaves is found with it will die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

Genesis 44:10 He said, “It will be as you say: he who is found with it will be my slave, and the rest of you will be innocent.”

Genesis 44:11 Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

Genesis 44:12 And he searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

Genesis 44:13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

Genesis 44:14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground.

Genesis 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?”

Genesis 44:16 And Judah said, “What will we say to my lord? What will we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has discovered the guilt of your slaves; notice, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.”

Genesis 44:17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found will be my slave. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

Genesis 44:18 Then Judah went up to him and said, “O my lord, please let your slave speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your slave, because you are like Pharaoh himself.

Genesis 44:19 My lord asked his slaves, and this is what he said, ‘Do you have a father, or another brother?’

Genesis 44:20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a younger brother, the child of his old age. His other brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’

Genesis 44:21 Then you said to your slaves, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

Genesis 44:22 But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, because if he ever left his father, his father would die.’

Genesis 44:23 Then you said to your slaves, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’

Genesis 44:24 “When we went back to your slave my father, we told him the words of my lord.

Genesis 44:25 Then when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’

Genesis 44:26 we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we can go down. Because we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’

Genesis 44:27 Then your slave my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave birth to two sons for me.

Genesis 44:28 One left me, and I said, he must have been torn to pieces, and I have never seen him since.

Genesis 44:29 If you take this one also from me, and injury happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs by hardship to Sheol.’

Genesis 44:30 “So now, as soon as I come to your slave my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his throat is bound up in the boy’s throat,

Genesis 44:31 as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your slaves will bring down the grey hairs of your slave our father grieving to Sheol.

Genesis 44:32 Because your slave has become a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, and this is what I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will absorb the failure before my father all the days.’

Genesis 44:33 So Now, please let your slave remain instead of the boy as a slave to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

Genesis 44:34 Because how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? Or else I could not look on the evil that would find my father.”

Genesis 44 quotes:

“Judah knew what it would mean if they had to go back to Canaan and face their father without Benjamin. The thought of that was something none of them could bear. Judah stepped forward. He made the most tearful plea you could ever imagine. The first thing he sought to do was turn Joseph’s wrath away from Benjamin. “Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh” (Genesis 44:18, italics mine). Judah’s aim was to persuade the governor not to be angry with Benjamin. He said in effect, “Turn to me, blame me.””

Kendall, R. T. God Meant It for Good. MorningStar Publications, 1988. p. 142.

“Reference to Joseph’s divining cup may seem strange, but we do not know that he actually used it for that purpose, and mention of it was probably part of his strategy to convince the brothers of his Egyptian identity.”

Williams, Peter. From Eden to Egypt: Exploring the Genesis Themes. DayOne, 2001. p. 36.

“As we pick up his story, we come to what seems to be a rather uneventful incident. In fact, Martin Luther had trouble with Genesis 44 and once wondered why the Spirit of God took the time to preserve such a trivial thirty-four verses.” Why indeed. The truth of the matter is that it is in the trivial and mundane details of life that our attitude is tested the most. Most of life is not “super-fantastic”! Much of life is just a cut above toothpaste — just plain, garden-variety, ordinary stuff, not that much to write home about.”

Swindoll, Charles R. Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness: Profiles in Character. Thomas Nelson, 1998. p. 136.

Genesis 44 links:

a pledge of safety
Excursus- Sheol- The Old Testament Consensus
Joseph- a test for his brothers
only those who love the Father
Sheol in the Bible- The Old Testament Consensus

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Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, January 25, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, January 26, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, January 27, 2021

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

Genesis 43

Genesis 43:1 Now the famine was heavy in the land.

Genesis 43:2 And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, purchase us a little food.”

Genesis 43:3 But Judah said to him, “The man gravely warned us, saying, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

Genesis 43:4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and purchase food for you.

Genesis 43:5 But if you do not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'”

Genesis 43:6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so poorly as to tell the man that you had another brother?”

Genesis 43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us suspiciously about ourselves and our kin, and this is what he said, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we said to him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

Genesis 43:8 And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will get up and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.

Genesis 43:9 I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you will require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me absorb the failure all the days.

Genesis 43:10 If we had not postponed going, we would have come back twice now.”

Genesis 43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be this way, then do this: take some of the choice products of the land in your bags, and carry a gift down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

Genesis 43:12 Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Maybe it was an oversight.

Genesis 43:13 Take also your brother, and get up, go again to the man.

Genesis 43:14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as far as I am concerned, if I am to become childless, I will be childless.”

Genesis 43:15 So the men took this gift, and they took twice the money with them, and Benjamin. They got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

Genesis 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare it, because the men are to dine with me at noon.”

Genesis 43:17 The man did what Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house.

Genesis 43:18 But the men were afraid because they had been brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which had been replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are being brought in, so that he may attack us and fall upon us to make us slaves and seize our donkeys.”

Genesis 43:19 So they approached the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house,

Genesis 43:20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to purchase food.

Genesis 43:21 But when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks and noticed each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full measure. So, we have brought it again with us,

Genesis 43:22 and we have brought other money down with us to purchase food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”

Genesis 43:23 He replied, “Peace be to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

Genesis 43:24 And after the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and after he had given their donkeys fodder,

Genesis 43:25 they prepared the gift for Joseph’s coming at noon, because they heard that they would eat their meal there.

Genesis 43:26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the gift that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.

Genesis 43:27 And he asked about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”

Genesis 43:28 They said, “Your slave our father is alright; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.

Genesis 43:29 And he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God favor you, my son!”

Genesis 43:30 Then Joseph hurried out, because his emotion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to cry. And he entered his chamber and cried there.

Genesis 43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. And after controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.”

Genesis 43:32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, because that is repulsive[1] to the Egyptians.

Genesis 43:33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in shock.

Genesis 43:34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were cheerful with him.

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[1] תּוֹעֵבָה = repulsive. Genesis 43:32; 46:34.

Genesis 43 quotes:

“The ten came to dinner. What was their reaction to all this? “And the men were afraid…” (Genesis 43:18). Often one’s initial reaction to any work of God is fear. When good things are happening to us, or strange coincidences, are we afraid? We may say to ourselves, “There’s an unseen, higher power at work here.” The fear of God makes us reflect on our lives.”

Kendall, R. T. God Meant It for Good. MorningStar Publications, 1988. p. 126.

“As a final test, when his brothers are ready to leave, Joseph again has money put into the grain sacks, and his own silver cup put into Benjamin’s sack. After the brothers leave, Joseph sends his steward to catch up with them, search them, and accuse them of theft. The steward is ordered to say that Joseph’s sil¬ ver cup is missing, and sure enough, the evi¬ dence is discovered in Benjamin’s sack. Judah makes an eloquent plea to be punished and de¬ tained instead of Benjamin. Joseph can’t bear to hide his identity any longer and finally re¬ veals himself to his brothers in a heart-wrench¬ ing scene.”

McFarland, Alex. Stand: Seeking the Way of God. Tyndale House, 2009. p. 13.

“Before sending his sons on another trip to Egypt Jacob prayed that God Almighty (El Shaddai) would keep them and supply every need (Genesis 43:14). This is the Name by which Isaac blessed Jacob (Genesis 28:3) and the Name whereby God _ identified Himself when He appeared to Jacob and blessed him (Genesis 35:11). Its root, the Hebrew word for “breast,” Shaddai means allsufficient nourisher or bountiful provider. This name assures us that God is “more than enough” in our times of need.”

McQuay, Earl P. Joseph: Seeing God in the Worst of Times. Acćent Books, 1989. p. 89.

Genesis 43 links:

awful choices
facing challenging moments
family love
Joseph- a feast for his brothers
nothing good

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Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, January 25, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, January 26, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, January 27, 2021

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

Genesis 42

Genesis 42:1 When Jacob saw that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you stare at one another?”

Genesis 42:2 He said, “Notice, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and purchase grain for us there, so that we may live and not die.”

Genesis 42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to purchase grain in Egypt.

Genesis 42:4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, because he said. “or else something bad might happen to him.”

Genesis 42:5 So the sons of Israel came to purchase among the others who came, because the famine was in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 42:6 Joseph dominated the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed before him with their faces to the ground.

Genesis 42:7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to purchase food.”

Genesis 42:8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Genesis 42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the vulnerability of the land.”

Genesis 42:10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your slaves have come to purchase food.

Genesis 42:11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your slaves have never been spies.”

Genesis 42:12 He said to them, “No, it is the vulnerability of the land that you have come to see.”

Genesis 42:13 And they said, “We, your slaves, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and notice, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.”

Genesis 42:14 But Joseph said to them, and this is what he said “It is as I told you. You are spies.

Genesis 42:15 This is how you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you will not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

Genesis 42:16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.”

Genesis 42:17 And he put them all together in custody for three days.

Genesis 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, because I fear God:

Genesis 42:19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,

Genesis 42:20 and bring your youngest brother to me. So, your statements will be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so.

Genesis 42:21 Then they said to one another, “Certainly we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his throat, when he sought our favor and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

Genesis 42:22 And Reuben answered them, and this is what he said “Did I not tell you not to fail the boy? But you did not listen. So, notice there comes a reckoning for his blood.”

Genesis 42:23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, because there was an interpreter between them.

Genesis 42:24 Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

Genesis 42:25 And Joseph gave orders, and they filled their bags with grain. He also commanded them to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

Genesis 42:26 Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and left.

Genesis 42:27 But when one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he noticed his money in the mouth of his sack.

Genesis 42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; I noticed it in the mouth of my sack!” Their hearts failed them when they discovered this, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

Genesis 42:29 When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, and this is what they said,

Genesis 42:30 “The man, lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and thought that we were spies of the land.

Genesis 42:31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies.

Genesis 42:32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’

Genesis 42:33 Then the man, lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will determine that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.

Genesis 42:34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will give your brother back to you, and you will trade in the land.'”

Genesis 42:35 When they emptied their sacks, notice, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

Genesis 42:36 And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. Everything is going against me.”

Genesis 42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “If I do not bring him back to you, you can kill my two sons. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.”

Genesis 42:38 But he said, “My son will not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If injury should happen to him on the trip that you are to take, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Genesis 42 quotes:

“Prove you are a child of God. First, accept what God has said. Second, accept God’s alternative offer— His substitute for you. Third, accept totally the guilt of your own sin. “We are verily guilty concerning our brother” (Genesis 42:21). Are you ready to do that? Do not blame anybody else any more— your parents, society, the government, the world, or God. Blame yourself. And thank Him for finding you out.”

Kendall, R. T. God Meant It for Good. MorningStar Publications, 1988. p. 110.

“As the brothers bowed before Joseph he “remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them” (Genesis 42:9). The brothers were unaware that they were fulfilling the dreams that they had gone to desperate lengths to defeat. When they presented their request to Joseph, he curtly rebuffed them. To test them he used for his excuse the accusation that they were spies. “Ye are spies; Hereby ye shall be proved [tested]” (Genesis 42:14,15). Apparently Joseph wondered: “Are my brothers still the same, or have they learned their lesson and changed?””

McQuay, Earl P. Joseph : Seeing God in the Worst of Times. Acc´ent Books, 1989. p. 84.

“Because of Joseph’s wise foresight and planning there was plenty of bread in Egypt but hunger and need everywhere else. In that sense Joseph was indeed a saviour and giver of life, and through him God was opening up the way to preserve his own people during the time of famine. It is for this reason chiefly that many have seen in Joseph a type of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour.”

Williams, Peter. From Eden to Egypt : Exploring the Genesis Themes. DayOne, 2001. p. 222.

Genesis 42 links:

blame or believe
Excursus- Sheol- The Old Testament Consensus
Joseph- “there comes a reckoning”
Lakeside lesson #2 – jeffersonvann
Sheol in the Bible- The Old Testament Consensus
there comes a reckoning

Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, January 24, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, January 25, 2023

GENESIS in Jeff’s library