Joseph

INTRODUCTION:  The famine is still sore in all the land and the sons of Jacob must return to Egypt.  The last trip was very troublesome, and this trip will have its share of troubles as well.

1. JACOB SENDS THEM BACK WITH BENJAMIN (Genesis 43:1-14)
1. The Brothers Must Return to Egypt (Genesis 43:1-2).
1. The famine was sore in the land (Genesis 43:1).
2. The corn that was purchased in Egypt was gone (Genesis 43:2).
3. Jacob told his sons to go again and buy some food (Genesis 43:2).
2. The Brethren Cannot Go without Benjamin (Genesis 43:3-10).
1. Judah pleads with Jacob concerning Benjamin (Genesis 43:3-5).
1. The demands of Joseph (Genesis 43:3)
2. They will go only if Benjamin goes (Genesis 43:4-5).
2. Jacob responds to Judahs request (Genesis 43:6).
1. Jacobs displeasure in his sons actions.
2. Jacobs displeasure in his sons words.
3. The sons explain why they had to tell of their family information (Genesis 43:7).
4. Judah offers himself as surety for the life of Benjamin (Genesis 43:8-10).
1. Judah reminds Jacob that none of them will survive if they do not make the return trip with Benjamin (Genesis 43:8).
2. Judah offers to take the blame if something happens to Benjamin (Genesis 43:9).
3. Judah declares that they would have already returned home by now if they had not lingered (Genesis 43:10).
3. Jacob Gives Counsel Concerning Their Return (Genesis 43:11-14).
1. Jacob advises his sons to take gifts (Genesis 43:11).
1. Take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels.
2. Offer them to the man for a present.
3. Take him some
1. Balm
2. Honey
3. Spices
4. Myrrh
5. Nuts
6. Almonds
4. Note:  The fruit plus the six gifts mentioned would be a total of seven different gifts taken to Joseph.
2. Jacob advises his sons to take extra money (Genesis 43:12).
1. Two scenarios exist:
1. The sons took double the money for the purchase of new corn, while also taking the money for the corn from the last trip to Eygpt.
2. The sons took double the money so that they could pay for the corn from this time and the corn from the last time.
2. Whatever the case may be, we know the sons took money to cover the cost of the corn they had purchased the last time they were in Egypt.
3. Jacob advises his sons to take Benjamin (Genesis 43:13).
4. Jacob calls for the mercy of God (Genesis 43:14).
2. JOSEPH RECEIVES THEM WITHOUT BEING REVEALED (Genesis 43:15-34)
1. The Brothers Are Received into Josephs House (Genesis 43:15-18).
1. The brothers journey toward Egypt (Genesis 43:15).
2. Joseph sees his brothers coming (Genesis 43:16).
1. Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers.
2. Joseph advises the ruler of his house to bring the men into his home and make ready for Joseph to dine with them.
3. The servant brings the men into Josephs home (Genesis 43:17).
4. The men fear because they are brought into Josephs home (Genesis 43:18).
2. The Brothers Explain the Money to Josephs Steward (Genesis 43:19-23).
1. The brothers tell the steward of their fear concerning the money in their sacks (Genesis 43:19-22).
2. The steward calms the brothers concerning the money (Genesis 43:23).
3. The steward brings Simeon out to his brothers (Genesis 43:23).
3. Joseph Arrives to Meet His Brothers for a Meal (Genesis 43:24-34).
1. The steward welcomes the brothers of Joseph into his home (Genesis 43:24).
2. The brothers prepare their gift for Joseph (Genesis 43:25).
3. Joseph arrives and converses with the brothers (Genesis 43:26-28).
4. Joseph weeps over Benjamin (Genesis 43:29-30).
5. Joseph and his brothers sit at the table for a meal (Genesis 43:31-34).
3. JOSEPH ACCUSES BENJAMIN OF STEALING HIS CUP (Genesis 44:1-17)
1. Joseph Sends His Brothers Away (Genesis 44:1-3).
1. Joseph gives instructions to his steward (Genesis 44:1-2).
1. He commands his steward to put as much food in each mans sack as they can carry (Genesis 44:1).
2. He commands his steward to put every mans money in his sacks mouth (Genesis 44:1).
3. He commands the steward to put his silver cup in Benjamins sack (Genesis 44:2).
2. As soon as the morning was light, the men went on their way (Genesis 44:3).
2. Joseph Sends His Steward after the Brothers (Genesis 44:4-13).
1. Joseph advises his steward to go after his brothers to regain his silver cup (Genesis 44:4-5).
1. The servant was to ask the brothers why they rewarded evil for good (Genesis 44:4).
2. The servant was to say this is the cup from which Joseph drank and whereby he divineth (Genesis 44:5).
3. Note:  The steward, when he accused Josephs brethren of stealing his masters cup, exclaimed: Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby he divineth? Now we are not for a moment to suppose that Joseph followed the magical practices of Egypt: the words were merely in reference to a universal custom of the country, to enhance the value of the cup.  Quotation from Earths Earliest Ages by G. H. Pember, p.165
2. The steward overtakes the brothers and accuses them of stealing Josephs cup (Genesis 44:6-8).
3. The brothers offer the life of the one who took the cup (Genesis 44:9-10).
4. The cup was found in Benjamins sack (Genesis 44:11-12).
1. Every man speedily took down his own sack and opened it (Genesis 44:11).
2. The search began with the eldest and was found in Benjamins sack (Genesis 44:12).
5. The brothers rent their clothes and returned to Egypt (Genesis 44:13).
3. The Brothers Return to the House of Joseph (Genesis 44:14-17).
1. The brothers came and bowed down before Joseph (Genesis 44:14).
2. Joseph asked them why they had done such a thing and did they not know what he could do to them (Genesis 44:15).
3. Judah offers all of the brothers as servants to Joseph (Genesis 44:16).
4. Joseph offers to let all of the brothers go free except for Benjamin (Genesis 44:17).
4. JUDAH SPEAKS IN BENJAMINS BEHALF (Genesis 44:18-34)
1. Judah Reminds Joseph of His Request (Genesis 44:18-24).
1. Judah requests permission to speak to Joseph (Genesis 44:18).
2. Judah reminds Joseph of his request for the brothers to bring Benjamin (Genesis 44:19-23).
2. Judah Informs Joseph of Jacobs Words (Genesis 44:25-29).
1. Judah tells Joseph that Jacob sent them to Egypt again for more food (Genesis 44:25).
2. The brothers told their father that they could not return to Egypt without Benjamin (Genesis 44:26).
3. Jacob told his sons how important Benjamin was to him (Genesis 44:27-29).
1. He told the sons that his wife bare him two sons (Genesis 44:27).
2. He mentioned that Joseph had been taken from him and torn in pieces (Genesis 44:28).
3. He mentioned that if Benjamin also was taken from him, he would go down to the grave in sorrow (Genesis 44:29).
3. Judah Tells Joseph of What Will Happen to Jacob (Genesis 44:30-31).
1. Judah tells Joseph that Jacob will die (Genesis 44:30-31).
1. The life of Jacob is bound up in the life of Benjamin (Genesis 44:30).
2. Jacob will go down to the grave in sorrow (Genesis 44:31).
2. Judah tells Joseph that it will be their fault (Genesis 44:31).
4. Judah Requests to Take the Place of Benjamin (Genesis 44:32-34).
1. Judah tells Joseph that he became surety for the life of his brother Benjamin (Genesis 44:32).
2. Judah asks Joseph to take him as a bondman in the stead of Benjamin (Genesis 44:33).
3. Judah tells Joseph that he cannot return without Benjamin and see the evil it would cause his father (Genesis 44:34).

CONCLUSION:  The brothers of Joseph return to Egypt to buy more bread.  When they arrive, Joseph has a meal prepared to dine with them.  He gave extra portions to Benjamin (Genesis 43:34) to test them for jealousy.  He then framed Benjamin to see if the brothers would be willing to give their life for his.  They passed all his tests and showed that they were ready for reconciliation.