Parsha Mikeitz
Genesis 41:1 – 44:18
In the name of Yahushua
Our Messiyah, (Jesus Christ)
I pray for the Spirit of
Understanding
The Spirit of Knowledge and
The Spirit of Wisdom
As I read through this
Parasha
Like the sixth days
of creation, which depict the sixth stage to our spiritual development, we see
Joseph entering into another stage of his spiritual enhancement. After years of
hardship, where the principles of the Heavenly Kingdom had been cemented into
his life, His final test was about to begin.
The life of a
believer is like studying for a major test, now a major corporation is in town
looking for the most qualified person to fill the role as Vice President, only
the best will do.
The time had come to
free Joseph and begin the chain of events that would bring Jacob and his family
to Egypt to fulfill the last part of the prophecy to Abraham that his offspring
would be subjugated and persecuted (15:13-16).
The events of this
experience begin two years after the release of the Cupbearers, and a total of
twelve years since Joseph was imprisoned. At this point Joseph was almost
thirty years old, Jacob 120, and Isaac 180. Isaac would die soon after.
Gen 41:1 And it came to be, at the end of two years’ time, that
Pharaoh had a dream, and saw him standing by the river,
- Pharaoh dream of
himself standing by the river Nile reflecting upon it suggests that his
thoughts focused on the river whose annual overflow determined the agricultural
fate of Egypt for the next year.
Gen 41:2 and saw seven cows coming up out of the river, fine
looking and fat, and they fed amongst the reeds, - The symbolism of Pharaoh’s dreams are
clear Since famine and abundance in Egypt depends on the overflow of the Nile,
Pharaoh saw the cows coming out of the river. Since cow oxen or cow usually
harnessed for this purpose, the fat cows, alluded to prosperity. They remain
the river symbolized that the ensuing prosperity would be limited to Egypt. The
cows or Oxen were beautiful alludes to years of prosperity.
Gen 41:3 then saw seven other cows coming up after them out of the
river, ugly and lean of flesh, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the
river. - The
other cows were symbolic of another season of plowing. The lean cows emerged
from the river immediately after the seven fat cows intimating that famine
would follow immediately on the heels of prosperity.
Gen 41:4 And
the ugly and lean of flesh cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows.
Then Pharaoh awoke. – The other cows, which represent leanness or lack of prosperity
eats, began to up all that the prosperity cows had accomplished. The land would
be worked, but crop was harvest. All the joys of the past seven years would be
forgotten.
Gen 41:5 And he slept and dreamed a second time and
saw seven heads of grain coming up on one stalk, plump and good,
- The passage did not
suggest that he dream more, but it suggested that he dreamt another dream. As
Joseph said in his interpretation, the repetition of the dream was to show that
it would be fulfilled quickly, not that it indicates a new message. Grain is a
symbol of harvest, that one stalk had seven ears indicated an abundance of
grain.
Gen 41:6 and saw seven lean heads, scorched by the east wind,
coming up after them. – Any attempt to harvest would be unsuccessful. All the new
crops would be scorched by the east wind.
Gen 41:7 And the seven lean heads swallowed the seven plump and
complete heads. Then Pharaoh awoke and saw it was a dream. – Pharaoh realizes that it was
significant, complex dream that require interpretation. The singularity of the
dream suggests that both were to be understood as one.
Gen 41:8 And it came to be in the morning that his spirit was
moved, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Mitsrayim and all its
wise men. And Pharaoh related to them his dreams, but there was no one who
could interpret them for Pharaoh. – EL YAHVEH has the power to move the spirit of Pharaoh as He also
has the power to place a dream on Pharaoh mind. However there were none who
could interpret the dream, even though there were interpreters’ galore.
Gen 41:9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I
remember my crimes this day. –
As EL YAHVEH
place the dream on Pharaoh mind, EL YAHVEH brought back to the Cupbearer the
memory of Joseph. He said I remember my crime against Joseph, what I was ask to
do I did not do.
Gen 41:10 “When Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in
confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief
baker, - The
Cupbearer reminded the King that when he was not in the kings favor and in
prison, with the baker he meet a man.
Gen 41:11 each one of us dreamed a dream in one night,
he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.
– The servant relates
to the king that he and the other dead servant both had a dream on the same
night. He was drawing a parallel to the kings two dream. The cupbearer was now
begging up Joseph to his King. Our good deeds will always precede us.
Gen 41:12 “And there was with us a Hebrew youth, a servant of the
captain of the guard. And we related to him, and he interpreted our dreams for
us. To each man he interpreted according to his own dream. –
An Hebrew youth, the
cupbearer recount how they both relate there dreams to this Hebrew youth who
translate both dreams
Gen 41:13 “And it came to be, as he interpreted for us, so it came
to be. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.” – both dreams were accurately translate
by the Hebrew.
It is
said that Joseph was released from prison on Rosh Hashanah in the year 2230
from Creation.
Gen 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Yosĕph, and they hurriedly
brought him out of the dungeon. And he shaved and changed his garments, and
came to Pharaoh. – Every case of Divine revelation comes hastily and
unexpectedly, that is why we as believer lives our lives with our spiritual bag
already pack and ready to go. So when the call to appear before the King comes
we are ready to respond. Joseph garment was changed before appearing before the
king. As believer our garment must be spotless before we can enter the Throne
Room. The garment of one who is a prisoner to the flesh cannot be worn when we
go before the King. Anyone in a prison garment will be slated for condemnation.
Gen 41:15 And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “I have dreamed a
dream, and there is no one to interpret it. Now I myself have heard it said of
you that you understand a dream, to interpret it.” – Even though Pharaoh had a lot of
interpreter, not was able to give the king an answer. When anyone is destined
for glory, another person cannot take it away. EL YAHVEH made sure that no one
else could interpreter the dream but Joseph.
Gen 41:16 And Yosĕph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me, let
Elohim answer Pharaoh with peace.” – Humbly, Joseph gave credit to the One to whom all credit is
deu, by his refusal to accept the imputation that he had any supernatural
power. Joseph integrity would not allow him to accept any credit for the
interpretation of the dream. Joseph like Daniel years later who also ascribe
all credit to EL YAHVEH. I Samuel :30b for them that honor me I will honor, and they that
despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Gen 41:17 And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “See, in my
dream I stood on the bank of the river. -
Pharaoh relates his dream. He
dreamt that he stood upon the bank of the river Nile, and saw the kine, both
the fat ones and the lean ones, come out of the river. For the kingdom of Egypt
had no rain, as appears, Zec. 14:18, but the plenty of the year depended upon
the overflowing of the river, and it was about one certain time of the year
that it overflowed. If it rose to fifteen or sixteen cubits, there was plenty;
if to twelve or thirteen only, or under, there was scarcity. See how many ways
Providence has of dispensing its gifts; yet, whatever the second causes are,
our dependence is still the same upon the first Cause, who makes every creature
that to us that it is, be it rain or river.
Gen 41:18 and saw seven cows coming up out of the
river, fine looking and fat, and they fed amongst the reeds,
Gen 41:19 then saw seven other cows coming up after them, poor and
very ugly and lean of flesh, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:20 “And the lean of flesh and ugly cows ate up the first
seven, the fat cows. –
Gen 41:21 “Yet when they had eaten them up, no one would have known
that they had eaten them, for they were as ugly as at the beginning. Then I
awoke. –
Gen 41:22 “Also, I looked in my dream and saw seven heads coming up
on one stalk, complete and good, -
Gen 41:23 then saw seven heads, withered, lean, scorched by the east
wind, coming up after them. –
Gen 41:24 “And the lean heads swallowed the seven good heads. And I
spoke to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” – Verse 17 – 24 Pharaoh gave his account
of the dream to Joseph holding back some of the details. Perhaps Pharaoh was
trying to see if Joseph would fill the blanks, which he did. A true prophet
will give an accurate interpretation of dreams, even if it was not properly
translate to them.
Verse 25
– 36 Joseph then proceeded to offer EL YAHVEH dazzling interpretation of the
dream. He went so far as to tell Pharaoh, that the vision itself indicates, the
course of actions that would played out on Pharaoh country in the years to
come.
Gen 41:25 And Yosĕph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of
Pharaoh is one. Elohim has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:
- The dreams of Pharaoh
is a single one, both complementing each other. They are two components of a
cogent whole, the cows represent farming and the ears represent the harvest.
What EL
YAHVEH is about to do, was not hidden from His servant the Prophet. The dream
concerns the affairs of a State, the need to prepare for the coming calamity is
essential. Therefore, EL YAHVEH revealed it to the head of state. Since it was
a Divine communication, EL YAHVEH wished to reveal its interpretation through
His own servant Joseph.
Gen 41:26 “The seven good cows are seven years, and the
seven good heads are seven years – it is one dream.
– Seven and seven equal
fourteen years, the duration of this Divine intension. The dream or vision was
repeated to indicate the immediacy of EL YAHVEH’s plan. The matter has been set
in motions and it is to start. There must always be a sense of imminence on
behalf of EL YAHVEH’s people, in telling the world about the Kingdom of
Heavens. During the seven years of plenty, every effort must be utilize to
maximize it. Make hay while the sunshine, for there comes a time when one
cannot work.
Gen 41:27 “And the seven lean and ugly cows which came up after them
are seven years, and the seven empty heads scorched by the east wind are seven
years of scarcity of food. - Although the
dream began with the prosperous years, Joseph spoke first about the famine to
come. This was to attract Pharaoh’s interest. As prosperous a country is like
Egypt, a prediction of seven prosperous years would have elicited little
interest in the royal court. However, Joseph concentrates on the famine, and
Pharaoh could avoid it by the proper implementing the resource.
Gen 41:28 “This is the word which I spoke to Pharaoh: Elohim has
shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. – A true Prophet or Mature believer will
always know what EL YAHVEH is doing in the spiritual sense. He will then
instruct the people how to maximize of minimize every given situation.
Gen 41:29 “See, seven years of great plenty are coming
in all the land
of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:30 but after them seven years of scarcity of food shall arise
and all the plenty be forgotten in the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:31 and the plenty shall not be remembered in the
land, because of the scarcity of food following, for it is very severe. – Bad time will replace the
good, and the good will not even be remembered. - That is so true
when it come to the blessings of EL YAHVEH, years later when they were being
taken out of Egypt. They quickly forget the Red Sea crossing when a few day
without water was upon them.
Gen 41:32 “And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the
word is established by Elohim, and Elohim is hastening to do it. -
In the mouth of two or
three witnesses let everything be established.
Joseph
offered Pharaoh an advise as apart of the interpretation, as a part of the
Divine message contain in the dream, in such away that it was not cons crew as
imposing on Pharaoh authority. Urgency was imposed by Joseph, as to say it must
be done now.
Gen 41:33 “And now, let Pharaoh look for a discerning
and wise man, and set him over the land
of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:34 “Let
Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, to take up
one-fifth of the land
of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:35 “And let them gather all the food of those good years that
are coming, and store up grain under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep
food in the cities. - This grain should be a mandatory input into the store house
created by Pharaoh. All grain should be stored under Pharaoh supervision for
the drought to come.
Gen 41:36 “And the food shall be for a store for the land for the
seven years of scarcity of food which shall be in the land of Mitsrayim, and do
not let the land be cut off by the scarcity of food.” -
Gen 41:37 And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the
eyes of all his servants. - Pharaoh did
not get to be Pharaoh by being stupid; he was a man of immense intelligence.
Gen 41:38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Could we find another
like him, a man in whom is the Spirit of Elohim?” -
I believe Pharaoh
turned to his counsel and point to Joseph and said “can we fine another like
him, a man in whom is the Spirit of Wisdom.”
Gen 41:39 Then Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “Since Elohim has shown you
all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
- From prison to palace in 12 years. Wow.
Gen 41:40 “Be over my house, you yourself, and at your mouth all my
people shall kiss – only in the throne I am greater than
you.” This is exactly what every believer is called
to. To rule and reign with EL YAHVEH, only the Throne room is set aside from
us, that was what Lucifer tried to steal.
Gen 41:41 And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “See, I have set you over all
the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:42 And Pharaoh took his seal-ring off his hand
and put it on Yosĕph’s hand. And he dressed him in garments of fine linen and
put a gold chain around his neck. -
The King’s ring
contained the royal seal. By putting the ring on Joseph’s finger personally,
Pharaoh symbolized that Joseph would be the leader of the entire government and
would have the authority to seal any decrees, as he seems fit.
Gen 41:43 And he had him ride in the second chariot
which he had. And they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” And he set him
over all the land
of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:44 And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “I am Pharaoh,
and without a word from you let
no man lift his hand or foot in all the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:45 And Pharaoh called Yosĕph’s name Zaphnath-Paʽnĕaḥ. And he
gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. And
Yosĕph went out over all the land
of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:46 now Yosĕph was thirty years old when he stood before
Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim. And Yosĕph went out from the presence of Pharaoh,
and went throughout all the land
of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:47 And in the seven years of plenty the ground brought forth
generously. - The grain was so abundance that he stored up enough too
feed all of Egypt and the world.
Gen 41:48 And he gathered all the food of the seven years which were
in the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:49 Thus Yosĕph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the
sea, until he ceased counting, for it was without number.
–
Verse 50
– 52 stress that Asenath the daughter of one of the priest of Egypt bore Joseph
two sons who was dedicated to the ideals of Joseph, not to those of the
idolaters among whom they lived. The Torah tells us that she adopted Joseph’s
spiritual and moral outlook. To be the only Hebrew in a country and surround by
idolatrous priest, where she was one of there daughter. Yet she raises the
children who remain the model after whom all Hebrew would be later blessed.
48:20.
Gen 41:50 And to Yosĕph were born two sons before the years of
scarcity of food came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On,
bore to him. -
Gen 41:51 And Yosĕph called the name of the first-born
Menashsheh, “For Elohim has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s
house.” - For EL YAHVEH had made Joseph forget his
the years of hardship. Everything that was done was apart of the Divine Plan,
therefore Joseph bore his brothers no harm.
Gen
41:52 And the name of
the second he called Ephrayim, “For Elohim has caused me to bear fruit in the
land of my affliction. ”- Despite all the greatness and splendor
as Viceroy of Egypt , Joseph still regarded Egypt as the land of his suffering,
for he was still a son of Jacob’s and a native of the Holy land. His choice of
names for his sons is the greatest proof of his origins and his determination
not to be absorbed in the culture of Egypt.
Verse 53
– 57 Suddenly the water of the Nile seems to disappear, the seemingly fertile
Nile delta laden with the abundance of water which sustain all live in the area
seems to have disappeared a the water level drop below normal and continue to
drop for years to come.
Gen 41:53 And
the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Mitsrayim came to an end,
- Torah did not
elaborate much on the years of plenty, as it is human nature to forget EL
YAHVEH during prosperous time the ungodly is even worst. It is during the time
of suffering that people usually remember the prophecy foretold by Joseph seven
plus years ago.
Gen 41:54 and the seven years of scarcity of food began
to come, as Yosĕph had said. And the scarcity of food was in all lands, but in
all the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:55 But when all the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:56 and the scarcity of food was over all the
face of the earth, and Yosĕph opened all the storehouses and sold to the
Mitsrites. And the scarcity of food was severe in the land of Mitsrayim
Gen 41:57 And all the earth came to Yosĕph in Mitsrayim
to buy grain, because the scarcity of food was severe in all the earth.
- All the countries
affected by the famine came to Egypt to buy food, with the result that
Pharaoh’s treasury amassed huge amount of gold and silver. This was EL YAHVEH’s
way of preparing the way for the fulfillment of the prophecy to Abraham that
his offspring would leave the land of their enslavement wit enormous wealthy.
Chapter
42
We had, in the
foregoing chapter, the fulfilling of the dreams which Joseph had interpreted:
in this and the following chapters we have the fulfilling of the dreams which
Joseph himself had dreamed, that his father’s family should do homage to him.
The story is very largely and particularly related of what passed between
Yoseph and his brethren, not only because it is an entertaining story, and
probably was much talked of, both among the Israelites and among the Egyptians,
but because it is very instructive, and it gave occasion for the removal of
Jacob’s family into Egypt, on which so many great events afterwards depended.
We have, in this chapter,
I. The humble
application of Jacob’s sons to Joseph to buy corn verse 1-6.
II. The fright
Joseph put them into, for their trial verse 7–20.
III. The conviction
they were now under of their sin concerning Joseph long before verse
21–24.
IV. Their return to
Canaan with corn, and the great distress their good father was in upon hearing
the account of their expedition verse 25, etc.
Gen 42:1 And when Yaʽaqoḇ saw that there
was grain in Mitsrayim, Yaʽaqoḇ said to his sons, “Why do you look at each
other?” - It was the second year of the famine when Jacob learns that there
were grains in Egypt. Why do you look like you have a lot when you do not have
anything?
Gen 42:2 And he said, “See, I have heard
that there is grain in Mitsrayim. Go down to that place and buy for us there,
and let us live and not die.” - In order to get the boys to go to
Egypt, EL YAHVEH had to first convince the Patriot to send his sons. The idea
had been planted. We do not know how long after Jacob told them to go that they
went. We do not even know how long the journey took.
Gen 42:3 And Yosĕph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in
Mitsrayim. - We do know that they finally went to
purchase grain.
Gen 42:4 But Yaʽaqoḇ did not send Yosĕph’s brother Binyamin with
his brothers, for he said, “Lest some harm come to him.”
– However, Jacob did
not send his youngest son who would have been a teenager by now. It seems like
Jacob was a little bit protective of Benjamin. Jacob believed that some harm
would come of Benjamin, or maybe it was an idea planted by EL YAHVEH, so that
the scenario would play out the way Yah wanted it.
Gen 42:5 And the sons of Yisra’ĕl went to buy grain among those who
journeyed, for the scarcity of food was in the land of Kenaʽan.
– And the sons of
Yisrael went to purchase grain from the people of Egypt according to the
Sovereign Will of EL YAHVEH, because of the drought He caused in Canaan. We
must start to give credit were credit is deu.
Gen 42:6 And Yosĕph was the governor over the land, he was the one
who sold to all the people of the land. And Yosĕph’s brothers came and bowed
down before him with their faces to the earth. – As the governor over all the land
Joseph alone oversees all transactions. What an ideal way of keeping track of
those who come and go. Joseph must have more them ample time to reflect on his
dream. The global nature of the famine would have created the ideal situation
to full fill the dream. His first dream of his stack of wheat bowing down
before him was not been fulfilled partially. Only ten of them were there.
Gen 42:7 And Yosĕph saw his brothers and recognised them, but he
acted as a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly, and said to them, “Where
do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Kenaʽan
Gen 42:8 so Yosĕph recognised his brothers, but they
did not recognise him. - Self confidence in most criminals, usually cause their
downfall. The brothers had taught that since almost 15 years have passed since
Joseph was sold they became complacent. It is usually when we become too big
for our britches that EL YAHVEH takes us down a notch or two.
Gen 42:9 And Yosĕph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed
about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the
nakedness of the land!” –
Do you ever had a dream that you know was Divinely inspired, and you never
forget. The dreams Joseph had he will never forget. This is one of those Kodak
moments, as if it was written on Joseph mind, he recalled it. The first dream
in Genesis 37:7 the brother bowed down to Joseph. The second dream says that 11
would bow down to him, this was only 10.
Gen 42:10 and they said to him, “No, my master, but
your servants have come to buy food. – Listen very careful to their reply, “no my master, your servants
came for food”. In the mouth of two witness let every thing be establish.
Gen 42:11 “We are all one man’s sons, we are trustworthy, your
servants are not spies.” - One of the identifying marks of an immature believer is when they
continue to proclaim that they are trustworthy. We are all one man’s son.
Gen 42:12 But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the
nakedness of the land.” - I am beginning to understand why lawyers
cross examine witnesses. By accusing his brothers of a serious crime, place
psychological pressure on them. This pressure when associate with the intended
course of action will produce the intended result.
Gen 42:13 And they said, “Your servants are twelve
brothers, the sons of one man in the land
of Kenaʽan
Gen 42:14 And Yosĕph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying,
‘You are spies!’ - Joseph continues along the same line of
questioning, before, he used what his brothers says to get what hejoseph
wanted. This is a true sign of wisdom.
Gen 42:15 “By
this you shall be proven: By the life of Pharaoh, you do not leave this place
unless your youngest brother comes here. - The
leason to be learn from this Torah principle it very profound. “Yahushua is now
sitting at the Right Hand of His Father. He will not be given His share of the
Kingdom until His younger brothers joined Him at the Fathers Right Hand.”
Gen 42:16 “Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while
you are kept in prison. So let your words be proven to see whether there is any
truth in you, or else, by the life of Pharaoh, you are spies!”
- A brother signify a
mature believer, Send a mature beliver (a minister) to bring our younger
brother to meet the King. This is the object of all minister to bring their
brother to meet the one who bring Salvation. As Joseph bring salvation to
Yisrael.
Gen 42:17 And he put them all together in prison for three days. - They use the word prison, however this is not a prison as
such it is a holding area for those who have gone on before. In Revelation 6:9 we are told that And
when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that
were slain for the Word of YAHVEH, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice,
saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our
blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every
one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little
season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be
killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Gen 42:18 Now Yosĕph said to them the third day, “Do this and live,
for I fear Elohim: - Realizing
that none of the brothers would volunteer to fetch Benjamin, Joseph made a new
proposal, which he prefaced with a soothing declaration of his concern for
justice and fairness. Like many religious people today, who pontificate piously
about their devotion to morality and law, while their action despeak cruelty
and hatred. No one will ever how many young believers have bled under tyrant
who claim that they fear YAHVEH.
Gen 42:19 “If you are trustworthy, let one of your brothers be
confined to your prison house, and you, go, bring grain for the scarcity of
food of your houses. - The religious brothers would not voluntary go nad bring
their brother back unless they were force to. How many of us will go to our
brother who were born in Yisrael and bring them to out Saviour.
Gen 42:20 “And bring your youngest brother to me, and let your words
be confirmed, and you do not die.” And so they did.
– Our youngest brother
spiritually is the one who was the last to be born, is always the last to grow
up. Our Lord and Saviour is waiting petently for us to bring our Hebrew brother
to maturity.
Gen 42:21 And they said to each other, “Truly, we are
guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the distress of his life when he
pleaded with us, yet we did not listen, that is why this distress has come upon
us.” – Many
of us have seen our Hebrew (Jewish) brother in distress, and we have turned our
eyes away from him. Our Hebrew brother have wandered from country and have ask
for home and have been turned away. Many of the hard ship country have
experience is deu to our treatment of our Hebrew brothers.
Gen 42:22 And Re’uḇĕn answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to
you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ and you would not listen? And see,
his blood is now required of us.” – One valuable lesson I
personally learn from this is that the blood of my brother will be
required of me if I fail to tell them where to find the Messiyah or how to come
to maturity.
Gen 42:23 And they did not know that Yosĕph understood them, for he
spoke to them through an interpreter. - This affirm the importance of the Hebrew
language.
Gen 42:24 And he turned himself away from them and wept, but came
back to them and spoke to them. And he took Shimʽon from them and bound him
before their eyes. - The reason why Simeon was chosen is not clear, we know
that in years to come Simeon would display some serious acts of violence, and
his tribe would pay dearly for it. Joseph compassion was aroused and he wept at
their distress. This is also quite prophetic, just maybe Joseph was seeing into
the future pertaining to the life of Simeon.
On the
one hand, Joseph treated them considerately, sending back food not only for the
families of the nine who were going back to Canaan, but also for the family of
Simeon, and even extra provision for the journey home.
On the
other he secretly had his servants put the brothers money in their bags. When
they found it, they would surely suspect that it had been put there as a pretext
to denounce them as thieves.
Joseph
did this to symbolize atonement, measure for measure for those who had sold him
as a slave.
Gen 42:25 And Yosĕph commanded and they filled their
sacks with grain, also to put back every man’s silver to his sack, and to give
them food for the journey. And thus it was done for them.
Gen 42:26 So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and went from
there.
Gen 42:27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey
fodder at the lodging place, he saw his silver, for there it was in the mouth
of his sack!
Gen 42:28 And he said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned,
and there it is, in my sack!” And their hearts sank and they were afraid,
saying to each other, “What is this that Elohim has done to us?” - The money had been return annonously
this would certainly excentuate their fear. This was part of Joseph’s scheme.
He wanted his brothers to realize how fully they were in his power and that he
could do as he please with them.
Verse 29
to 38 the Torah records how the brothers reported their experiences to their
Father Jacob, but a comparison of the following verbatim recapitulation with
the naritive above shows that they concealed certain facts, to minize the
gravity of the situation.
They
minimized the harshness of Josep’s ultimatums to spare Jacob unnecessary
anguish, and because Jacob would never allow Benjamin to return with them if he
had known how rentless the Viceroy of Ehypt was.
They
told Jacob that the Viceroy of Egypt had judge them as if they were spies, not
that he had made a firm accusation against them. Theynomitted the strong
implications that their lives were at stake, and that he had jailed them for
three days.
Gen 42:29 So they came to Yaʽaqoḇ their father in the land of
Kenaʽan and reported to him all that befell them, saying,
- The report which Jacob’s sons
made to their father of the great distress they had been in in Egypt; how they
had been suspected, and threatened, and obliged to leave Simeon a prisoner
there, till they should bring Benjamin with them thither. Who would have
thought of this when they left home? When we go abroad we should consider how
many sad accidents, that we little think of, may befall us before we return
home. We know not what a day may bring forth; we ought therefore to be
always ready for the worst.
Gen 42:30 “The man, the master of the land, spoke to us harshly, and
took us for spies of the land. -
Gen 42:31 “But we said to him, ‘We are trustworthy, we are not
spies.
Gen 42:32 ‘We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no
more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Kenaʽan
Gen 42:33 “And the man, the master of the land, said to us, ‘By this
I know that you are trustworthy: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and
take food for the scarcity of food of your households, and go.
Gen 42:34 ‘And bring your youngest brother to me, then I know that you
are not spies, but that you are trustworthy – I give your brother to you, and
you move about in the land.’ ”
Gen 42:35 And it came to be as they emptied their sacks, that look,
the bundle of each man’s silver was in his sack! And when they and their father
saw the bundles of silver, they were afraid. - They knew that the money could not have
beeb left there by coincident, one maybe but all ten. It was an obvious plot
being implemented against them. The
deep impression this made upon the good man. The very bundles of money which
Joseph returned, in kindness to his father, frightened him; for he concluded it
was done with some mischievous design, or perhaps suspected his own sons to
have committed some offence, and so to have run themselves into a penalty,
which is intimated in what he says: Me have you bereaved. He seems to
lay the fault upon them; knowing their characters, he feared they had provoked
the Egyptians, and perhaps forcibly, or fraudulently, brought home their money.
Jacob is here much out of temper.
Gen 42:36 And Yaʽaqoḇ their father said to them, “You have bereaved
me – Yosĕph is no more, and Shimʽon is no more, and you would take Binyamin!
All this is against me.” – I am the one whom you bereaved. This Hebrew term refers
to one who has lost his children. Jacob’s remark could also implies that he suspected
them of having slain or sold Simeon and that they might have done the same to
Joseph.
Jacob
argued rather logically that since Joseph and Simeon has suffer misfortune when
they had been in the company of their brothers, he could not be expected to
submit Benjamin to the same jeopardy.
Jacob
used the Hebrew term (Ala) Your grief, as brother, cannot compare with mine as
a father. I cause Josep’s death by sending him into danger, and I will be
similarl held accountable for Simeon, and for Benjamin, as well, if I allow him
to go into a place of obvious danger.
Verse 37
– 38, As the first born, Reuben felt that it was responsibility to speak up,
His frightening statement was meant figuratively, for he surely did not mean
that Jacob would actually kill his two grandson; rather, Reuben was aluding to.
Reuben
spoke in the sense of been obligating himself under the penalty of a curse that
he would care for Benjamin. By espressing himself so emphatically, Reuben felt
that he would convince his father of his determination to guard Benjamin
zealously.
Jacob
did not reply directly to Reuben; he merely said that Benjamin would not go to
Egypt with them. This would be fulfill when years later, the Tribe of Benjamin
did not separate from Judah with the other 10 tribes.
The
reason Jacob gave for refusing Reuben’s request were sincere, and quite valid.
Nevertheless, Jacob acceded to Judah’s request because he had more confidence
in him, and because the timing of his offer was propitious.
Gen 42:37 So Re’uḇĕn spoke to his father, saying, “Take the lives
of my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I
myself bring him back to you.”
Gen 42:38 But he said, “My son is not going down with
you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any harm should come to
him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my grey hair with
sorrow to the grave.” – White hair is a metaphorically, old age, and in sorrow to
the grave means that I will never cease mourning. Benjamin is Rachel’s only
surving child, while he is with Jacob, he finds consolation for the lost of his
mother and brother. If he should die, it would be as if the three of them were
all dead.
Gen 43:1
But
the scarcity of food was severe in the land.
- The greatest engineer of circumstance is EL YAHVEH. Dispite Jacob
steadfast resolve not to send Joseph, the severe shortage of food create an
environment that forces Jacob to recant on his former resolved.
Gen 43:2 And it came to be, when they had eaten up the grain which
they had brought from Mitsrayim, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy
us a little food.” – Presumably the issue of a return trip to Egypt arose only
when there was only enough foof left to last until they could return. Seeing
how adamant Jacob had been when there was an adequate supply of food, is a
leason to us as mature believer. The leason we need to learn is if it is EL
YAHVEH will for us, so let it be.
Gen 43:3 But Yehuḏah spoke to him, saying, “The man vehemently
warned us, saying, ‘You do not see my face unless your brother is with
you.’-
Gen 43:4 “If you let our brother go with us, we go down and buy you
food.
Gen 43:5 “But if you do not let him go, we do not go
down, because the man said to us, ‘You do not see my face unless your brother
is with you.’ – verse 3-5 we see Judah quoting the Viceroy of Egypt in a
strong term, than that of his brother earlier in 42:24. Then, they had
minimized their predicament in order to spare Jacob and give him less reason to
opposed Benjamin’s go to Egypt.
Now that
EL YAHVEH had created a extreme urgent situation, Jacob was force to consent,
the situation warranted unabashed candor. Judah step forward and told his
father that the brother would refused to go without Benjamin.
Gen 43:6 And Yisra’ĕl said, “Why did you do evil to me to inform
the man that you still had another
brother?”
Gen 43:7 And they said, “The man kept asking about us and our
relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we informed him
according to these words. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your
brother down’?” – Yisrael was the name used to depict Jacob in his
spiritual development and in the role as Patriarch of the Hebrew people. In
this case, he referred to as Yisrael, because he offered them a teaching for
all future generation.
Whenever
the Hebrew people are forced to appear before hostile rulers, they should not
offer more information than the question requires. Since the seemingly
unfriendly viceroy had not asked them if they had any more brothers, they
should not have volunteered it.
They
defended themselves against Jacob’s charge that they had loose tongues, saying
that the man questioned them exhaustively, but not in such a way that they had
reason to fear the consequences of a full response.
Gen 43:8 And Yehuḏah said to Yisra’ĕl his father, “Send the boy
with me, and let us arise and go, and live and not die, both we and you and
also our little ones. – Judah argues that if Benjamin were to go, it was not
definite that joseph would have him arrested, but if Jacob’s refusal made it
impossible for them to purchase food, they would all surely die of starvation.
It is better to set aside the doubtful in favor of the definite.
Gen 43:9 “I myself shall stand guaranty for him – from my hand you
are to require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you,
then let me bear the blame forever. - Judah tried to remove one of Jacob’s
fears. If all the brothers collectively guaranteed Benjamin’s safety, then no
one would be ultimately responsible. Each could easely shift the blame to
another. Judah promise to take ful responsebility for Benjamin. I will offer my
life for his doing anything necessary to secure his young brother safety.
This
much like what El Yahushua did for us when He came to earth. He came to
guarantee our safety, and some of us have fallen, therefore he had to die on
the Cross for our failure. This is exactly the principle Judah was portraying
to Jacob on behalf of Benjamin.
We must
remember that Benjamin was the only one born in the Promise Land a shadow of
Heavens. EL YAHVEH send is sons, in the form of our spirit to earth to get food
(Torah) El Yahushua (Jesus Christ) guarentee that He would secure the safe
return of His favorite son. Who is EL YAHVEH favorite son, those who come to
maturity. Isaiah 6:8 And I heard
the voice of יהוה , saying, “Whom do I send, and
who would go for Us?” And I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Gen 43:10 “For if we had not delayed, truly by now we could have
returned this second time.” - The first time he brothers went down
Simeon was imprisoned, he represent Adam. As Adam was imprisoned by the world
system; now Judah a form of Yahushua was guaranteeing the return of the
favorite sons, those who come to maturity.
Gen 43:11 And their father Yisra’ĕl said to them, “If
so, then do this: Take some of the best fruit of the land in your vessels and
bring a present down for the man, a little balm and a little honey, spices and
myrrh, nuts and almonds. – Jacob
instructed them that gifts were to be brought to the man. These gifts were the
anointing of the Holy Spirit. Notice it was six gifts. the Spirit
of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of יהוה These are the same gifts El Yahushua said He would send after He
return, the Comferter would bring.
Gen 43:12 “And take double silver in your hand, and take back in
your hand the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. It could
have been a mistake. –
Take twice as much money as you had; Payment for service rendeed is always a prerequisite of a
redeemed community. That why the Jewish people are so bless, nothing for
nothing.
Jacob
instruct them to carry the money in their pockets. Jacob reason for this is by
carrying it in the hand is a sign of honesty.
Gen 43:13 “And take your brother, and arise, go back to the man. –
Gen 43:14 “And Ěl SHADDAI give to you compassion before the man, so
that he shall release your other brother and Binyamin. And I, if I am bereaved,
I am bereaved!” - May El SHADDAI, the One who is sufficient in His mercies
and His hand is sufficient to give you whatever you need. This word other
brother also have a connotation of plurality meaning brothers. It is prophetic
in nature, meaning bring back all your brothers included Joseph. While Jacob
would be in constant intersection for them. This principle remind me of Moses,
when he send Joshua to do battle he remain behind and lift up his hand in
prayer for the men on the battle field.
Gen 43:15 And the men took that present and Binyamin, and they took
double the amount of silver in their hand, and arose and went down to
Mitsrayim, and stood before Yosĕph.
Gen 43:16 And Yosĕph saw Binyamin with them, and said to the one
over his house, “Bring the men home, and make a great slaughter, and prepare,
for these men are to eat with me at noon.” - Joseph was deply moved by the sight of
Benjamin is clear from the contence of the next cople of verses. Neverthe less
he refrained from identifying himself because he still had vital question to
ask. Had his brother lost their jealousy of Rachel’s sons? How would they react when he showed
favoritism to Benjamin? What would they do when he announced his intention to
detain Benjamin as a slave?
This is
an example of the Marriage Feast of the Lamb, when all the sons of EL YAHVEH
are finally united again under the umbrella of El Yahushua (Jesus Christ).
Gen 43:17 And the man did as Yosĕph said, and the man brought the
men into Yosĕph’s house. – And the angels did as EL YAHVEH said and brought the
brothers into wedding chamber.
Gen 43:18 And the men were afraid because they were brought into
Yosĕph’s house. And they said, “It is because of the silver, which was put back
into our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, to throw himself upon us
and fall upon us, to take us as slaves, our donkeys too.” – Their fear began when they were brought
to Joseph’s private palace. I will be the same when any person who have never
reach maturity stand before our King to give an account of our selves. This is
grace in action, being given a second chance at perfection, we still need to
give an account of our selves, even our ministry our donkey will be judge.
Gen 43:19 So they came near to the man over the house
of Yosĕph, and spoke to him at the door of the house.
- Fear is a fowerfull
emotion, it will cause us to even seek out the help of the servant, who is not
capable of helping us.
Gen 43:20 and said, “O my master, we indeed came down
the first time to buy food. – We were came here to buy wood, we had enough money to
purchage all the grain we need; we had no need to steal the purchase price. The
journey of the Brothers represent both journey of Yahushua to earth, just like
the parable in Matthew 21:33 Hear another
parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged
it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out
to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he
sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35 And the husbandmen took his servants,
and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the
first: and they did unto them likewise. 37
But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence
my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw
the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us Kill Him,
and let us seize on his inheritance.
Gen 43:21 but it came to be, when we came to the lodging place, that
we opened our sacks and saw each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack, our
silver in its weight. And we have brought it back in our hand. – There will come a time in every man’s
life when we all must give an account for what is in our spiritual sack, will
it be gold, silver or bronze. After this life is over every human will have a
spiritual sack derive from our life on earth, as the sons of Jacob found out. It
is essential that in our journey back to spiritual Yisrael, we should all
examine our sacks daily to see what is on the inside, and how we came by the
contents of the sacks.
Gen 43:22 “And we have brought down other silver in our hands to buy
food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.” –
As human our journey to
earth is to purchace for ourselves the spiritual food called the Word of YAHVEH. Yahushua says man shall
not live by bread alone but by every word that flow from the mouth of ABBA YAHVEH.
Since Egypt represent the world, the true sons of Yisrael came to earth to
purchase the Word. Hebrew 8:10
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them
in their hearts: and I will be to them a EL “God”, and they shall be to me a
people: John 6:47 Verily, verily, I
say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48I am that bread of life. 49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50This is the bread which cometh down from
heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man
eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The silver the sons
of Jacob found in their sacks were there attitude they will take back with them
to their father in heaven “Yisrael.”
Gen 43:23 But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your
Elohim and the Elohim of your father has given you treasure in your sacks –
your silver had come to me!” And he brought Shimʽon out to them. – The steward assured them that they had
nothing to fear, “I did not bring you here to charge you with any crime, you are
all guest of the Master.” The money you find is a Divine blessing; your money
was receive by me, it is in the city treasury.
Gen 43:24 And the man brought the men into Yosĕph’s house and gave
them water, and they washed their feet. And he gave their donkeys fodder. – Although they were brought there before, it was not until
they were assured of their personal safety that they enter the house.
Revelation 7:13 And one
of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in
white robes? and whence came they? 14
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are
they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15
Therefore are they before the throne of YAHVEH, and serve him day and
night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun
light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the
Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them
unto living fountains of waters: and YAHVEH shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes.
Gen 43:25 And they made the present ready for Yosĕph’s coming at
noon, for they heard that they were to eat there. – They had heard from the stewad and
from the members of the household who were preparing the meal that they were to
have a feast with Joseph.
Gen 43:26 And when Yosĕph came home, they brought him the present
which was in their hand, into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.
– The first prophetic
dream of Joseph was finally being accomplish; where all 11 brothers bowed down
before him.
Gen 43:27 And he asked them about their welfare, and said, “Is your
father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
– The sequence of
Joseph question seems strange; first he ask about his fathers health and then
whether he was still alive. The second question could also be interpreted as if
he is still vigorous.
Gen 43:28 And they said, “Your servant our father is in good health,
he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and did obeisance.
– They bowed and
prostrated themselves in gratitude fulfill Joseph first dream.
Gen 43:29 And he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Binyamin, his
mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?”
And he said, “Elohim show favor to you, my son.” – Like Yahushua, when the Favorite son
of EL YAHVEH, those who comes to maturity. When He sees him, He declare may the
MIGHTY ONES show favor to you my son. Why did Joseph called Benjamin his son?
Is this your brother? Meaning, are you now one; was Joseph concern to the group.
Gen 43:30 And
Yosĕph hurried, for his emotions were deeply moved towards his brother, and he
looked for a place to weep, and
went into his room and wept there. – Yoseph is a type of Messiyah. When
Messiyah Yahushua see is brothers those of us who have been through the
struggle of life and have finally made it to the Heavens, what a glorious day
that will be. Those brother who Messiyah have shed his blood at Calver for,
those who He was slain for, those for whom He had been place in the grave a
form of the pit. Those for whom He came to earth a form of Egypt. It is no
wonder why Yoseph like Messiyah will e deeply move with emotions.
Gen 43:31 Then he washed his face and came out, and controlled
himself, and said, “Serve the food.” – Joseph was deapely move because of the
spiritual development of His brother that he hurred into His room and wept.
Finally, it had been accomplish; the brothers were one in spirit; the same as
Yahushua is calling all believer to be one with His Father.
Gen 43:32 And they set him a place by himself, and them by
themselves, and the Mitsrites who ate with him by themselves, for the Mitsrites
could not eat food with the Heḇrews, for that is an abomination to the
Mitsrites. – The Egyptian or the Mitsrites is a representive of
servants, the 10 brother by them selves and Joseph and Benjamin by themselves.
The three fold division in Heavens. Those in the Outer Court the Egyptians,
those in the Holy Place the 10 brothers, and those in the Holy of Holies Joseph
and Benjamin. What stage will you be?
The
Christian church today are like the Egyptians thay dislike the Hebrew, and want
to have nothing to do with them. They would not even read the same Scripture as
them, they only want their New Testament.
Gen 43:33 And they sat before him, the first-born according to his
birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at each
other in astonishment. – Joseph assigns the seating arrangement according to the
seniority. Just like in Shamaem(Heavens)
we will be assign our position according to our accomplishment here on
Earth. This is a sobering taught, that we should make hay while the sun shine.
Gen 43:34 And he took portions to them from before him, but
Binyamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they feasted
and they drank with him. – Each brother was assign accordingly, except for the
favorite, he was given five time the reward. Is YAHVEH fair? No! But He is
Just! He will reward us according to our deeds. Matthew 25:15
And unto
one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man
according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents
went and traded with the same, and made them
other five talents. 17 And likewise he
that had received two, he also
gained other two. 18 But he that had
received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a
long time YAHVEH of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 And so
he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying,
Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them
five talents more. 21 His lord said unto
him, Well done, thou good and
faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee
ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of YAHVEH.
The
brother’s attitude towards the privileged shown to Benjamin showed that they
were no longer spiteful, but not all his doubts had been resolved. Would the
brothers be ready to fight for the sake of the younger Benjamin? Joseph created
a situation that would paralled his own. Our sins will always come ful circle,
when it does I pray that we pass the test the first time, or else the second
test will be even more harder.
Gen 44:1 And he commanded
the one over his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as they are
able to bear, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. – Fill the brother with as much food as
possible. Those who have more will be given. It is another principle of Torah.
Our Father requires us to grasp as much of Torah that is humanly possible. Est 1:5 And when
these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were
present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the
court of the garden of the king's palace; :6
Where were white, green,
and blue, hangings, fastened
with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the
beds were of gold and silver,
upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one
from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the
king.8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did
compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that
they should do according to every man's pleasure. It is said that If a person eat a small or even a large
amount from the Altar of Showbeard they will be filled. The placing of each man
money in his own sack is an example that if you are given one talent, one
talent will be given back to you, after you have filled each man their sack.
Our effort will produce our reward, it will be place ontop of grain in the
sack. When anyone open the sack, the ministry the first time that will see is
our reward.
Gen 44:2 “And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack
of the youngest, and the silver for his grain.” And he did according to the
word of Yosĕph which he spoke. – Here we see the frame work for the
final test being layed! Joseph was creating a scenario, just like our Heavenly
FATHER create scenario in our lives every day to test our resolved. What
scenario are you being tested with today? Are you being tested on past failure
to see if you have over come it? Are you viewing your sins a test, or weakness.
Sin is sin only if we continue to walk in them continuously, they become challenges
when we overcome them.
Gen 44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away,
they and their donkeys. –
Again we see that goodly men arise early in the morning to start the day.
Gen 44:4 And when they had gone out of the city, not
having gone far, Yosĕph said to the one over his house, “Rise up, follow the
men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for
good? –
When they had gone some distance, Joseph sends one of his sevant to chase after
the brothers. This is what you must say to them. They were not instructed to be
violent with them, just to speak to them only. They did not accuse the brother,
they ask a question, Why!
Gen 44:5 ‘Is this not the one from
which my master drinks, and with which he indeed divines? You have done
evil in what you have done.’ – up until now Joseph did not accused then as they did to
him. Is this not the cup of my master? It is found on you, this is a sign of
evil! One who would steel the cup from which the master drinks, demonstrates
disdain for the ruler. No ransom is adequate for this kind of sin. This
tantamount to rebellion!
Gen 44:6 So he overtook them and spoke these words to them.
Verse 7
– 9 elucidate the point that the brothers response with shock and indignation;
then they used a logical argument to try and prove their point. They used the
argument known in the Talmudic parlance as Kal
vachomer , a deduction from minor to major; If they had come to return the
money that they had no even taken, how could they now be accused of having
stolen?
The
brothers did not stop there, they vehemently denying the charge. S certain were
they that none of them was guilty, they volunteered to accept an unusually
harsh punishment if any stolen items were found among them.
Gen 44:7 And they said to him, “Why does my master say these words?
Far be it from us that your servants should do according to this word.
- How they pleaded for themselves.
They solemnly protested their innocence, and detestation of so base a thing,
urged it as an instance of their honesty that they had brought their money back
verse 8, and offered to submit to the severest punishment if they should be
found guilty.
Gen 44:8 “See, we brought back to you from the land of Kenaʽan the
silver which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then should we steal
silver or gold from your master’s house?-
Gen
44:9
“With whomever of your servants it is found – he shall die and we shall become
my master’s slaves as well.”-
These boys did
not learn from their fathers mistake when he spoke about the one who stole
Laban’s idols. Now they are putting their foot in their mouth so to speak.
Gen 44:10 And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words:
he with whom it is found becomes my slave, and you are innocent.” - The redeemed community must learn a very valuable leason do not
swear an Oath if you can’t pay it. Even if it is out of a righteous heart!
Gen 44:11 And they hurried, each man let down his sack to the
ground, and each opened his sack. – So
eager was to brother to return home the hastely unload there sacks, in order to
prove their innocent. The day when Messiyah will return for His Bride, each
person will have to open thir spirit life for examination.
Gen 44:12 And he searched, with the old est first and with the
youngest last, and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack.
– Judgement always
starts with the oldest first to the youngest. This cup is the 4th
cup of wine Messiyah says He would not drink until He drink of it in the world
to come. When all of Messiyah’s brothers are accounted for, the cup will be
discovered, or brought forward. Revelation says blessed is he who is invited to
the wedding feast of the lamb. This scenario is a rehearsal of the end of day,
when all spiritual brother will stand before our Messiyah and givean account.
Gen 44:13 And they tore their garments, and each man loaded his
donkey and went back to the city. - They were grief stricken over the effect
this would obviously have on his father that they rend their garment. Had the
older brother of Yoseph had the necessaru spiritual sense they would have seen
or understand the spiritual significant of what was taken place. They tore
there garment instead of putting on fresh garment a celebrate the first coming
of Messiyah.
Gen 44:14 And Yehuḏah and his brothers came to Yosĕph’s house, and
he was still there. And they fell before him on the ground. – They were taken back to the scene of the
crime and humble them selves before Joseph. This was now their second
appearance before Messiyah Yoseph, of the second coming of Messiyah Yahushua
been rehearse in their presence.
Gen 44:15 And Yosĕph said to them, “What deed is this you have done?
Did you not know that a man like me indeed divines?” - Every sin has its consequence, a price must be paid even if we
have repented, and is forgiven. The cup or purpose of Messiyah is one who sits
at the Right Hand of ABBA YAHVEH as Yoseph sits at the right hand of Pharaoh.
It is His responsibility to intercede on our behalf to Pharaoh and Yahushua
intercede to ABBA YAHVEH for us as our High Priest.
Gen 44:16 And Yehuḏah said, “What do we say to my master? What do
we speak? Or how do we clear ourselves? Elohim has found out the crookedness of
your servants. See, we are my master’s slaves, both we and he also with whom
the cup was found.” –
The true leader usually step forward in a time of crisis, and assume
responsibility.
Although
they insisted they were innocent, how could one argue with the evidence.
Judah’sremarks referred not only to his helplessness in replying to Joseph’s
rebuke, but alluded to the promise made to their father.
We know
we commited no wrong in this matter. Rather the matter emanates from EL YAHVEH,
Who caused all of this to happen. The creditor has found a way of collecting
the debt.
Judah,
who was chosen because of their love for the Laws of the Kingdom, step forward.
Judah confest that the time we spent on earth was to expose our evil
tendencies. Judah point out that he or anyone else have nothing to say to ABBA YAHVEH,
every thong must be silence. He went on the prophesy that in whose position the
Cup of the promise is found will be the Master slave. This is so true. Those
who dring of the 4th cup of wine at Passover are the one’s who will
be invited to the Wedding Feast. Been the Master Slave is just another way of
saying the Bride, the Wise Virgins.
Gen 44:17 But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in
whose hand the cup was found, he becomes my slave. And you, go up in peace to
your father.”- This has always been my position that Judah had been selected to
the Court of ABBA YAHVEH, while the other tribe will be in the court of
Messiyah Yahushua. In this verse I see that my opinion have been verified.
Messiyah “Yoseph” said to them the man whom the cup is found in their position
will be MY Slave, however you Judah go in peace to ABBA YAHVEH “Jacob”. Yoseph
was prophesying to them and they did not even know it.
Haftarah
I King 3:15 - 4:1
I King 3:15 Then Solomon awoke; and
indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Yerushalayim and stood before the
ark of the covenant of YAHVEH,
offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all
his servants. – In this verse we see the grateful return Solomon
made for the visit YAHVEH was pleased to pay him. He awoke, we may suppose in a
transport of joy, awoke, and his sleep was sweet to him, as the prophet
speaks (Jer. 31:26); being satisfied of YAH’s favour, he was satisfied with it,
and he began to think what he should render to YAHVEH.
He had made his
prayer at the high place at Gibeon, and there YAHVEH had graciously met him;
but he comes to Yerushalayim to give thanks before the Ark of the Covenant,
blaming himself, as it were, that he had not prayed there, the Ark being the
token of YAH’s presence in human, and wondering that YAHVEH had met him any
where else. YAH’s passing by our mistakes should persuade us to amend them.
There he,
(1.) Offered a great
sacrifice to YAHVEH. We must give YAHVEH praise for HIS gifts in the promise,
though not yet fully performed. David used to praise YAH’s Word, as well
as his works (Ps. 56:10, and particularly, 2 Sa. 7:18), and Solomon trod
in his steps.
(2.) He made a great
feast upon the sacrifice, that those about him might rejoice with him in the
grace of YAHVEH.
I King 3:16 Now two women who were
harlots came to the king, and stood before him. – An instance is here given
of Solomon’s wisdom, to show that the grant lately made him had a real effect
upon him. The proof is fetched, not from the mysteries of state and the
policies of the council-board, though there no doubt he excelled, but from the
trial and determination of a cause between party and party, which princes,
though they devolve them upon their judges, must not think it below them to
take cognizance of. Observe,
The case opened, not
by lawyers, but by the parties themselves, though they were women, which made
it the easier to such a piercing eye as Solomon had to discern between right
and wrong by their own showing. These two women were harlots, they had many
husbands, they were kept in a public house, and their children, some think,
were born of fornication, because here is no mention of their husbands. It is
probable the cause had been heard in the inferior courts, before it was brought
before Solomon, and had been found special, the judges being unable to
determine it, that Solomon’s wisdom in deciding it at last might be the more
taken notice of.
I King 3:17 And one woman said, “O my lord, this woman and I dwell
in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house. – These
two women, who lived in a house together, were each of them delivered of a son
within three days of one another. They were so poor that they had no servant or
nurse to be with them, so slighted, because harlots, that they had no friend or
relation to accompany them. One of them overlaid her child, and, in the night,
exchanged it with the other, who was soon aware of the cheat put upon her, and
appealed to public justice to be righted.
I King 3:18 “Then it happened, the third day after I had
given birth, that this woman also gave birth. And we were together; no one was
with us in the house, except the two of us in the house. –
I King 3:19 “And this woman’s son died in the night,
because she lay on him.-
I King 3:20 “So
she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your
maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my
bosom.
I King 3:21“And when I rose in the morning
to nurse my son, there he was, dead. But when I had examined him in the
morning, indeed, he was not my son whom I had borne.” What anxiety is caused by little children, how
uncertain their lives are, and to how many dangers they are continually
exposed. The age of infancy is the valley of the shadow of death; and the lamp
of life, when first lighted, is easily blown out. It is a wonder of mercy that
so few perish in the perils of nursing.
How much better it
was in those times with children born in adultery than commonly it is now.
harlots then loved their children, nursed them, and were loth to part with
them; whereas now they are often sent to a distance, abandoned, or killed. But
thus is was foretold that in the last days perilous times should come,
when people should be without natural affection, 2 Tim. 3:1, 3.
I King 3:22 Then the other woman said,
“No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” And the first
woman said, “No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.”
Thus they spoke before the king.- The
difficulty of the case. The question was, Who was the mother of this living
child, which was brought into court, to be finally adjudged either to the one
or to the other?
Both mothers were
vehement in their claim, and showed a deep concern about it. Both were
peremptory in their asseverations: "It is mine,’’ says one. "Nay, it
is mine,’’ says the other. Neither will own the dead child, though it would be
cheaper to bury that than to maintain the other: but it is the living one they
strive for. The living child is therefore the parent’s joy because it is their
hope; and may not the dead children be so? See Jer. 31:17.
Now the difficulty
of the case was that there was no evidence on either side. The neighbours,
though it is probable that some of them were present at the birth and
circumcision of the children, yet had not taken so much notice of them as to be
able to distinguish them.
To put the parties
to the rack would have been barbarous; not she who had justice on her side, but
she who was most hardy, would have had the judgment in her favour. Little
stress is to be laid on extorted evidence. Judges and juries have need of
wisdom to find out truth when it thus lies hid.
This story is a case
in point of todays churches who will fight to say that they bring this person
to justification, initial salvation, like the harlot church, can never bring
anyone to maturity.
I King 3:23 And the king said, “The
one says, ‘This is my son, who lives, and your son is the dead one’; and the
other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’ - It
proved an effectual discovery of the truth. Some think that Solomon did himself
discern it, before he made this experiment, by the countenances of the women
and their way of speaking: but by this he gave satisfaction to all the company,
and silenced the pretender. To find out the true mother, he could not try which
the child loved best, and must therefore try which loved the child best; both
pretended to a motherly affection, but their sincerity will be tried when the
child is in danger.
I King 3:24 Then the king said,
“Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. - The
determination of it. Solomon, having patiently heard what both sides had to
say, sums up the evidence. And now the whole court is in expectation what
course Solomon’s wisdom will take to find out the truth.
One knows not what
to say to it; another, perhaps, would determine it by lot. Solomon calls for a
sword, and gives orders to divide the living child between the two contenders.
This seemed a ridiculous decision of the case, and a brutal cutting of the knot
which he could not untie. "Is this,’’ think the sages of the law,
"the wisdom of Solomon?’’ little dreaming what he aimed at in it. The
hearts of kings, such kings, are unsearchable, Prov. 25:3. There was
a law concerning the dividing of a living ox and a dead one. (Ex. 21:35), but
that did not reach this case.
I King 3:25 And the king said,
“Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.” – She
that knew the child was not her own, but in contending for it stood upon a
point of honor, was well content to have it divided. She that had overlaid her
own child cared not what became of this, so that the true mother might not have
it.
I King 3:26 Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king,
for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her
the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be
neither mine nor yours, but divide him.”
- Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. By this it appeared that she knew her own title to
be bad, and feared Solomon would find it so, though she little suspected she
was betraying herself, but thought Solomon in good earnest. If she had been the
true mother she would not have forfeited her interest in the child by agreeing
so readily to this bloody decision.
I King 3:27 So the king answered and
said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is
his mother.” - The
case is plain,’’ says Solomon; "what need of witnesses? Give her the
living child; for you all see, by this undissembled compassion, she is
the mother of it.’’ Let parents show their love to their children by taking
care of them, especially by taking care of their souls, and, with a holy
violence, snatching them as brands out of the burning. Those are most likely to
have the comfort of children that do their duty to them. Satan pretends to the
heart of man, but by this it appears that he is only a pretender, that he would
be content to divide with YAHVEH, whereas the rightful sovereign of the heart
will have all or none.
I King 3:28 And all Yisrael heard of
the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they
saw that the wisdom of YAHVEH was in him to administer justice. - We
are told what a great reputation Solomon got among his people by this and other
instances of his wisdom, which would have a great influence upon the ease of
his government: They feared the king, highly reverenced him, durst not
in any thing oppose him, and were afraid of doing an unjust thing; for they
knew, if ever it came before him, he would certainly discover it, for they
saw that the Spirit Wisdom was in him, that is, that wisdom with which YAHVEH
had promised to endue him. This made his face to shine, Eccl. 8:1. This strengthened
him, Eccl. 7:19. This was better to him than weapons of war, Eccl.
9:18. For this he was both feared and loved.
I
King 4:1 So King Solomon was king over all Yisrael. – Messiyah will be King of all of Yisrael.
Brit
Chadasha
Acts 7:9-16
Acts 7:9 “And the patriarchs, becoming
envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him. - Joseph, the darling and blessing of his father’s house, was abused by
his brethren; they envied him
because of his dreams, and sold him
into Egypt. Therefore, early did the children of Yisrael begin to grudge
those among them that were eminent and outshone others, of which their enmity
to Messiyah, who, like Joseph, was a Nazarite
among his brethren, was a great instance. Jealousy will always be a
problem amoung those who fail to achieve spiritual maturity, against those who
have an undying love for the things of the Father.
Acts 7:10 “and delivered him
out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of
Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. – YAHVEH
owned Joseph in his troubles, and was with him (Gen. 39:2, 21), by the
influence of HIS Spirit, both on his mind, giving him comfort, and on the minds
of those he was concerned with, giving him favour in their eyes. Therefore,
after a while YAHVEH delivered Yoseph
out of his afflictions, and Pharaoh made him the second man in the
kingdom, Ps. 105:20–22. And thus he not only arrived at great preferment among
the Egyptians, but became the shepherd
and stone of Israel, Gen. 49:24.
Acts 7:11 “Now a famine and great
trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no
sustenance. – Jacob was compelled to go
down into Egypt, by a famine which forced him out of Canaan, a dearth
(which was a great affliction), to that degree that our fathers found
no sustenance in Canaan. When there is an desaster in a land, the righteous
inhabitance should always used it as if ABBA Hwhy YAHVEH is talking to us.
Where does HE want us to go.
Acts 7:12 “But when Jacob heard that there was
grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. – That fruitful land was turned into barrenness. But, hearing
that there was corn in Egypt (treasured up by the wisdom of his own
son), he sent out our fathers first to fetch corn. Sometime even in the
Land of the righteous, there are shortage, it is not allways a curse, but a
sign for us to move on. In our spiritual sence, when we are at a place and the spiritual
food become scarce, we need to ask ABBA YAHVEH is it time to move on or where
shall I go?
Acts 7:13 “And the second time Joseph was made known to his
brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. –
The second time that they went, Joseph, who at first made himself
strange to them, made himself known to them, and it was notified to Pharaoh
that they were Joseph’s kindred and had a dependence upon him, whereupon, with
Pharaoh’s leave, Joseph sent for his father Jacob to him into Egypt, with
all his kindred and family, to the number of seventy-five souls,
to be subsisted there. In Genesis they are said to be seventy souls,
Gen. 46:27. But the Septuagint there makes them seventy-five, and Stephen or
Luke follows that version, as Lu. 3:36, where Cainan is inserted, which is not
in the Hebrew text, but in the Septuagint. Some, by excluding Joseph and his
sons, who were in Egypt before (which reduces the number to sixty-four), and
adding the sons of the eleven patriarchs, make the number seventy-five.
The second times
Messiyah return He is make himself know to the Yisraelites, or Rabbinic
Judaism. He will open their eyes and they shall see Him who they had pierced.
Acts 7:14“Then Joseph sent and called his
father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. –
Acts
7:15 “So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. - Jacob
and his sons died in Egypt, but they were never apart of Egypt. They lived in
Egypt, they work in Egypt but they hated Egpty. We can be in the world, but we do not have to become like the world.
Acts 7:16 “And they were carried back to Shechem and
laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor,
the father of Shechem. - but were carried
over to be buried in Canaan. A very considerable difficulty occurs here: it is
said, They were carried over into Sychem, whereas Jacob was buried not
in Sychem, but near Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah, where Abraham and Isaac
were buried, Gen. 50:13.
Yoseph’s bones
indeed were buried in Sychem (Jos. 24:32), and it seems by this (though it is
not mentioned in the story) that the bones of all the other patriarchs were
carried with his, each of them giving the same commandment concerning them that
he had done; and of them this must be understood, not of Jacob himself. But
then the sepulchre in Sychem was bought by Jacob (Gen. 33:19), and by this it
is described, Jos. 24:32. How then is it here said to be bought by Abraham?
He supplies it thus:
Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers; and (our
fathers) were carried over into Sychem; and he, that is, Jacob, was
laid in the sepulchre that Abraham brought for a sum of money, Gen.
23:16. (Or, they were laid there, that is, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.) And
they, namely, the other patriarchs, were buried in the sepulchre bought
of the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem.
Let us now see what
this is to Stephen’s purpose.
1. He still reminds
them of the mean beginning of the nation of Yisrael, as a check to their
priding themselves in the glories of that nation; and that it was by a miracle
of mercy that they were raised up out of nothing to what they were, from so
small a number to be so great a nation; but, if they answer not the intention
of their being so raised, they can expect no other than to be destroyed.
The prophets
frequently put them in mind of the bringing of them out of Egypt, as a
aggravation of their contempt of the law of YAHVEH, and here it is urged upon
them as an aggravation of their contempt of the gospel of Messiyah.
2. He reminds them
likewise of the wickedness of those that were the patriarchs of their tribes,
in envying their brother Joseph, and selling him into Egypt; and the same
spirit was still working in them towards Messiyah and his ministers.
3. Their holy land,
which they doted so much upon, their fathers were long kept out of the
possession of, and met with dearth and great affliction in it; and therefore
let them not think it strange if, after it has been so long polluted with sin,
it be at length destroyed.
4. The faith of the
patriarchs in desiring to be buried in the land of Canaan
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