Mikeitz

Parashas 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

Happy Hanukkah

Mikeitz is the tenth portion of the Torah Cycle, Veyeshev the portion before this one, ends with a tremendous amount of sadness. Jacob seems to have lost his favorite son Joseph, and is in a state of morning. The ten older sons were unable to ease the grief of Jacob. Miketz describe how Joseph was sold into slavery, how he was falsely accused, of sexual advances to his bosses wife, his sentenced to prison.

Miketz starts with Pharao'sh two dreams: One with the seven lean cows rising from the Nile and devouring seven fat cows, and the other dream where the seven withered ears of grain devour seven fat ears.

Pharaoh so-called wise men are unable to interpret his dreams, but the head wine steward, who had met the Kabbalah master Joseph in prison, he remember his extraordinary Kabalistic gift. Pharaoh orders Joseph taken out of prison and brought to the Palace.

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 will be 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.

The Kabbalah teaches that the twelve children of Jacob were not simply people; they were channels of the Light of the CREATOR. Each of them had their own spiritual task and his role as a spiritual channel in their generation, as it is ours.

Joseph’s task was to gather all of the light before it could be revealed to the world. He had the power then, as our Messiyah do now, that would unite the scattered light and prepare it to be manifested. When Joseph was sold into slavery, all his brother did not know why, they think that it was just a coincidence. Not knowing that the stone that the builder refused would become the chief corner stone.

This illustrates an important lesson. When we are not aware of those people in our life that support us spiritually and physically, we will not appreciate their assistance. It is only when those people are either taken away, that we begin to realize how much we need them.

The Kabbalists say that when Joseph was separated from his brothers, Benjamin took his place spiritually. Although Benjamin was not on the same spiritual level as Joseph, he still brought a measure of unity and spiritual elevation to the broken family. Now the rest of the story!

Gen 41:1 And it came to be, at the end of two years’ time, that Pharaoh had a dream, and saw himself standing by the river, - Pharaoh dream of himself standing by the river Nile, reflecting upon it suggests that his thoughts was 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 figurative since famine and abundance in Egypt depends on the overflow of the Nile, Pharaoh saw the cows coming out of the river. Since oxen or cow are usually harnessed for the purpose of plowing the land, farming the fat cows alluded to prosperity. They came from the river symbolized that the ensuing prosperity would be limited to Egypt. The cows or oxen were beautiful alludes to years of prosperity, in farming the land.

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 consume all that the prosperity cows had accomplished. The land would be worked, but poor crop was harvest. All the joys of the past seven years would be consumed by the lean years.

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 was 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 exaulting 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. This should also apply in prayer.

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, none 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 due, 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 2:30b 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 vision, the fat cow ones and the lean ones, come out of the river. For the kingdom of Egypt have very little rainfall, 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. The Nile can rise to fifteen or sixteen cubits, fore there was plenty of water; if the water level is only twelve or thirteen only, or under, there would be a water shortage. 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 command every element, 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, - The success of the Oxen ministry would depend on the flow of the water. Spiritually, the success of the prophetic ministry will always depend on the flow of the water above the heavens. When Torah is preach, the ministry will be fat.

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. – There will come a time and it is here now, when the so-called poor prophetic ministry will come out of the church to ministry among the people and the accomplishment of the previous effective ministry will be forgotten.

        

Gen 41:20 “And the lean of flesh and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. – Today, the establish pattern of Torah is almost forgotten in the Christian Churches.

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. – Regardless of how well the church manage to fight against the establish Word, by compromising the establish pattern of Torah with there own, there ugliness is only for awhile.

Gen 41:22 “Also, I looked in my dream and saw seven heads coming up on one stalk, complete and good, - One stalk, one man who have completed his seven days of Creation, will be complete and good.

Gen 41:23 then saw seven heads, withered, lean, scorched by the east wind, coming up after them. – There will come a time when those who are in ministry, the ugly oxen, the unprofitable ministry so-to-speak, will come after. This is known today as Christianity.

       

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 in 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.

Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams to mean that Egypt would face seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. He advises Pharaoh to store surplus grain during the seven years of plenty.  Impress by Joseph’s Kabalistic wisdom, Pharaoh appoints Joseph his second-in-command over Egypt.

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, darkness 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, - Having outline the general interpretation, Joseph now turns to the specific. This verse now implies that the abundance was only in the land of Egypt. The family however would extend to other neighboring countries.

       

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. And the scarcity of food shall destroy the land, the famine would ravage the land. - In the areas were the people will lack the foresight to make contingency plan, to lay away enough provision for the famine, they will be consumed.

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 days 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 crewed 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. - The qualification of such a person should be a discerning and wise man, enough to understand how much food to store, where to build the store houses and how to properly secure it.

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 in the seven years of plenty. - Let Pharaoh himself is active in the matter.  And motivate others to do like wise. Compelling others to store away one fifth of their harvest.

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.” - Pharaoh's counselors could no more improve the dream than his magicians interpret it; therefore it is said of him (Psa 105:22) that he taught the senators wisdom. Hence we may justly infer with Solomon (Ecc 4:13), Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king.

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.”  - To every believer the King of Kings is waiting to say to us “I have set you over all this land” but many of us will never reach that position of maturity.

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. - Pharaoh did all of the above to demonstrate publicly that all the authority of the throne was behind Pharaoh new viceroy. The importance of symbolism is essential in government and in all aspect of human relationship. Parent, minister or even a teacher cannot achieve maximum effectiveness unless their authority is recognizing, not symbolically but legally.

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.” - Without Joseph approval no work, no planning, no construction was to be done. Only the throne has the power to overrule any of Joseph decree.

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. - As one who is appointed to a new position was customarily assign a new name, one which commemorates the new role. Zaphenath - Paneah – one who explains what is hidden. From Prison to Palace had being complete. It is my wish that we all accomplish the rag to spiritual riches campaign in our lives.

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. -  Joseph’s age points to the hand of Providence. Were it not for the Spirit of Wisdom and grace, one so young could never have risen to the second highest position in a land like Egypt. Joseph became acquainted with all the population, as he learn about the country, as he prepare the people for the upcoming famine, as he construct  massive store house to store the abundance of grain.

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, and laid up the food in the cities. He laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. -  Joseph gathered all kind of food to ensure the there would be no waste. He apportioned rations to the people for their sustenance, and store the rest. As the grain, he amassed it in storehouse like the sand of the sea.

Gen 41:49 Thus Yosĕph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he ceased counting, for it was without number. – Isa 10:22  For though thy people Yisrael be as the sand of the sea. Gen 32:12  And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. 1Ki 4:29  And YAHVEH gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. Jer 33:22  As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. – The whole premise of the Kingdom of Heavens is to expand. The symbolism of the sand is euphuism for people who will inherit the universe. Those who will replace the 1/3 of the stars that rebel against the Name of YAHVEH.

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. – this verse 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.

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 years of hardship. Everything that was done was apart of the Divine Plan, therefore Joseph bore his brothers no harm.

Verse 50 – 52 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, Gen 48:20.

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.

During our time here on earth, it is the will of ABBA YAHVEH for us to succeed spiritually and produce the fruit of the Spirit, particularly during our affliction.

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 as 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 there was bread. -  The Torah did not mention the seven prosperous years, in the time of prosperity good people really remember EL YAHVEH, much less the unsaved. It was only when famine struck that the Egyptian acknowledges that they had a viceroy who had foretold what would happen.

Gen 41:55 But when all the land of Mitsrayim hungered, and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh said to all the Mitsrites, “Go to Yosĕph, do whatever he says to you.” - When all the individual cupboard was bared, the people cried and Pharaoh send them to Joseph for food. As Joseph is a form of Messiyah, and we are living in a time of spiritual scarcity, when we call on the name of Yahushua we will have access to an abundance of spiritual bread.

                                                                                                            

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.  - This was a global famine in scope, and Joseph had enough food to feed them all. The result of a mature leader, one who could understand the Mighty Hand of EL YAHVEH at work. It was one of the first global recessions.

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 with 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 Yisraelites 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. 

I.                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? Jacob sends his older sons to Egypt to buy grain for the family.

                                               

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. Going down to Egypt from the spiritual high grounds of Yisrael, is similar to the Sons of YAHVEH coming down to Earth from the Seventh Heaven to be developed into a Nation so that they may one day return to the Heavens and take on their inheritance.

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 HE 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 due. There is a part of the Kingdom of Heaven where Torah is scarce; this is similar to a spiritual famine. The is the area where the 1/3 of the angel who followed Lucifer reside.

Notice that when the Children of Yisrael return to Yisrael they had to cast out the Canaanites. All these stories are all a prophecy of things to come, they are not just some adventure story of a past time, but a story of a time still to come.

                                            

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 Viceroy 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 fulfill the dream. His first dream of his stack of wheat bowing down before him was not been partially fulfilled. 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 to buy food.” – Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, both because he expected and was looking for them. He, however, was a youth when they last saw each other; the years in prison must have made him into a robust man. Now he was dress in royal garment, the brothers would not even think that it was him. If they thought so they would not have approach Joseph, for the fear of there lives.

This is similar to the Life of Messiyah who was sold by His brothers to be crucified; when He returns in His Royal Garments those who had rejected him will not be able to recognize him until he reveals himself.

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 thought 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.

Messiyah Yahushua will recognized His Hebrews brothers. It will not until He reveals His Nail Pearce Hands that they will recognized who He really is.  Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. John 19:37  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. Rev 1:7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

The same brother that sold Joseph into slavery come years later to him for salvation will be the same brothers who will come to Messiyah for help.

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 witnesses let everything be established.

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. And see, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” - This psychological pressure forces the brothers to reveal that one of their brother was no more.

                                                                                                                                   

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 he Joseph 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 lesson to be learns 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 signifies a mature believer, Send a mature believer (a minister) to bring our younger brother to meet the King. This is the object of all ministers 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 fellow servants 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 hold forth piously about their devotion to morality and law, while their action speaks cruelty and hatred. No one will ever know how many young believers have suffered under tyrants 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 and 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 Savior.

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 Messiyah and Savior are waiting patently 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 has wandered from country and has asked for home and has been turned away. Many of the hardship country have experience is due 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 affirms 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 brother’s 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 unanimously this would certainly excentuate their fear. This was part of Joseph’s scheme. He wanted his brothers to realize how totally 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 narrative above shows that they concealed certain facts, to diminish the gravity of the situation.

They minimized the harshness of Joseph’s ultimatums to spare Jacob unnecessary anguish, and because Jacob would never allow Benjamin to return with them if he had known how relentless the Viceroy of Egypt was.

They told Jacob that the Viceroy of Egypt had judged them as if they were spies, not that he had made a firm accusation against them. They omitted 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 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 think little 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 been 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 have suffered 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 Joseph’s death by sending him into danger, and I will be similarly 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 alluding to.

Reuben spoke in the sense of been obligating himself under the penalty of a curse that he would care for Benjamin. By expressing 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 fulfilled years later when 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 surviving 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. Despite 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 food left to last until they could return. Seeing how adamant Jacob had been when there was an adequate supply of food, is a lesson to us as mature believer. The lesson 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 easily shift the blame to another. Judah promise to take full responsibility 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) guarantee 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 the 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 Comforter 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 rendered is always a prerequisite of a redeemed community. That why the Jewish people are so bless, nothing for nothing.

Jacob instructs 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 reminds me of Moses, when he sends Joshua to do battle he remains behind and lifts 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 deeply moved by the sight of Benjamin is clear from the contender of the next couple of verses. Never the 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 powerful 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 purchase 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 purchase 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 steward 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 accomplished; 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 asks 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 declares may the MIGHTY ONES show favor to you my son. Why Joseph did 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 brothers who Messiyah have shed his blood at Calvary 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 deeply move because of the spiritual development of His brother that he hurried 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 reprehensive 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 is like the Egyptians they 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 sunshine.

                                                                                                                   

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 parallel his own. Our sins will always come full 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 Showbread they will be filled. The placing of each mans 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 on top 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 laid! 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 servants 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 elucidates the point that the brothers responded 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; Since they had come to return the money, it is logical that they had not taken it, how could they be accused of having stolen anything?

The brothers did not stop there, they vehemently denying the charge. So 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 hat rage of so vile a thing, they argue it as an example of their honesty. 

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?  -  The fact that they had brought their money back, and offered to submit to the severest punishment if they should be found guilty, is further proof of there innocence.

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 father’s 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 lesson do not swear an Oath if you can’t pay it. Even if it is out of a righteous intention!

                                                      

Gen 44:11 And they hurried, each man let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. – So eager was the brother to return home the hastily unload there sacks, in order to prove their innocent. The day when Messiyah will return for His Bride, each person will have to open their spirit life for examination.

Gen 44:12 And he searched, with the oldest first and with the youngest last, and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack. – Judgment always starts with the oldest first to the youngest. This cup is the 4^th 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 brothers will stand before our Messiyah and give an 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 necessary 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 themselves before Joseph. This was now their second appearance before Messiyah Yoseph, of the second coming of Messiyah Yahushua been rehearsed 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 steps forward in a time of crisis, and assumes responsibility.

Although they insisted they were innocent, how could one argue with the evidence? Judah’s remarks referred not only to his helplessness in replying to Joseph’s rebuke, but alluded to the promise made to their father.

We know we committed 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 confess 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 tongue 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 drink of the 4^th 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

1Ki 3:15 - A particular instance of his wisdom in deciding the controversy between the two harlots.

(1Ki 3:16-28). And very great he looks here, both at the altar and on the bench, and therefore on the bench because at the altar.

An instance of the wisdom ABBA YAHVEH granted to Solomon we had in the close of the foregoing chapter. In this we have an account of his wealth and prosperity, the other branch of the promise there made him. We have here,

I. The magnificence of his court, his ministers of state (1Ki 4:1-6), and the purveyors of his household

I King 3:¹⁵ Then Solomon awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem 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 favor, 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 Jerusalem 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. – In this verse an example is given of Solomon’s wisdom, to show that the wisdom given to him, had a real effect upon him. The proof is shown, 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 the ordinary people who saw him as their judges.

The case opened, not by lawyers, but by the parties themselves, even-though they were women, which made it easier to such a piercing eye as Solomon, who 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 there 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 the judges being unable to determine it, that Solomon’s wisdom in deciding it at last might be the final authority.

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 gave birth to a son within three days of each another.

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. – 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.

       

I King 3:¹⁹ “And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him.- One of them rollover on her child on her bed in the night.

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. - She later exchanged her dead child with the other.

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 reluctant 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. The mother of the live child was now appealing to the highest court in the land for justice.

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 neighbors, 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 favor. 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 today’s churches that will fight to say that they bring this person to justification, initial salvation, like the harlot church, can never bring anyone to maturity, they all die in infancy, or in the first day of Creation.

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 have try which the child loved best, but instead he try which one loved the child best; both pretended to have a motherly affection, but their selfish ego will be exposed 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. Now the whole court is in expectation of what course Solomon’s wisdom will take to find out the truth.

One knows not what to say about this case; 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 fit 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 for the welfare of the other child, 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 did not 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 easily 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 unrelentless 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 had 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

Act 7:8, by which he was both bound by the divine law and interested in the divine promise; for circumcision had reference to both, being a seal of the covenant both on YAH's part - I will be to thee a EL SHADDAI all-sufficient and on man's part - Walk before me, and be thou perfect. And then when effectual care was thus taken for the securing of Abraham's seed, to be a seed to serve YAHVEH, they began to multiply: Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs, or roots of the respective tribes.

Secondly, Joseph, the darling and blessing of his father's house, was abused by his brothers; they envied him because of his dreams, and sold him into Egypt. From early did the children of Yisrael begin to grudge those among them that were eminent and outshone others, of which their enmity to Yahushua, who, like Joseph, was a Nazarite among his brethren, was a great instance?

Thirdly, YAHVEH owned Joseph in his troubles, and was with him Gen 39:2, Gen 39:21, 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 favor in their eyes. At length Yahveh delivered him out of his afflictions, and Pharaoh made him the second man in the kingdom, Psa 105:20 - 22. And thus he not only arrived at great preferment among the Egyptians, but became the shepherd and stone of Yisrael, Gen 49:24.

Fourthly, 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, Act 7:11. 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 purchase corn, Act 7:12.

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 brothers and had a dependence upon him (Act 7:13), whereupon, with Pharaoh's permision, Joseph sent for his father Jacob to come to him into Egypt, with all his kindred and family, the number of seventy-five souls, to be subsisted there, Act 7:13.

In Genesis said that they were seventy souls, Gen 46:27. But the Septuagint there makes them seventy-five, and Stephen or Luke follows that version, as Luk 3:36, where Canaan 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 patriarch, make the number seventy-five.

Fifthly, Jacob and his sons died in Egypt (Act7:15), but were carried over to be buried in Canaan, Act 7:16. 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. Joseph'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 sepulcher 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? 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 sepulcher 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 sepulcher 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 Jewish nation, 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 plainly showed that they had an eye to the heavenly country, to which it was the design of Yahushua to lead them.

Acts 7:⁹  “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But YAHVEH 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 among 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 help 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 favor 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 disaster in a land, the righteous inhabitance should always used it as if ABBA 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. By hearing that there was corn in Egypt  he sent out his son first to purchase corn. Sometime even in the Land of the righteous, there are shortage; it is not always a curse, but a sign for us to move on. In our spiritual sense, when we are at a place and the spiritual food become scarce, we need to ask ABBA YAHVEH if it is 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 journey they went to Egypt, 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 brother and had to dependence on him, with Pharaoh’s permission, Joseph sent for his father Jacob come to Egypt, with all his familyr of seventy-five souls.

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 Canaan 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 will 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 heart was never in Egypt. 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 back to Yisrael to be buried. 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 sepulcher 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?

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 sepulcher 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 sepulcher 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 plainly showed that they had an eye to the heavenly country, to which it was the design of this Jesus to lead them.