†. Gen 42:25-26 . . Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men's
sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each
brother's payment at the top of his sack. He also gave them
provisions for their journey. So they loaded up their donkeys with
the grain and started for home.
Returning his family's money was something that Joseph did for himself.
How could he possibly make his own desperate kin pay for food under his
control? He couldn't. In his position, Joseph could easily provide for all of
them at no cost to themselves whatsoever.
†. 1Tim 5:8 . . But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of
his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Joseph was a man of honor. No doubt he made up for their payment out of
his own pocket so that no one could accuse him of abusing his privileges and
giving Pharaoh's grain away for nothing to people who had demonstrated
that they had the wherewithal to pay for it. A man's reputation, after all, is
his singular most valuable asset.
†. Pro 22:1 . . Choose a good reputation over great riches; for being held in
high esteem is better than having silver or gold.
Giving them free provisions for the trip would have included food and water
not only for themselves, but also their beasts. That was a diplomatic
gesture, and would go a long ways towards making the family feel welcome
down in Egypt, and encourage them to return since they had certainly been
given a degree of fair treatment way beyond what they had any right to
expect from a foreign dignitary.
†. Gen 42:27-28 . . As one of them was opening his sack to give feed
to his burro at the night encampment, he saw his money right there
at the mouth of his bag. And he said to his brothers: My money has
been returned! It is here in my bag! Their hearts sank; and,
trembling, they turned to one another, saying: What is this that God
has done to us?
Why is it people always tend to blame God for their misfortunes? But in this
case, their perceived misfortune is not that at all. If only they hadn't been so
infected with guilt they would have easily seen that the Egyptian big shot
was demonstrating that he meant only the best by them. But no; instead,
they go off the deep end and interpret their host's graciousness as an ill
omen rather than a token of good will. Some people are so suspicious of
anything nice that people do for them-- always looking for an ulterior
motive.
†. Gen 42:29a . .When they came to their father Jacob in the land of
Canaan
If Jacob was still living in Hebron, the distance the men traveled to get back
home was roughly 250 miles if Joseph's headquarters was possibly either in,
or near to, the city of Memphis, which is about ten miles south of today's
Cairo. So it was maybe ten to twelve days travel time via burros.
†. Gen 42:29b-34 . . they told him all that had befallen them, saying:
The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us
of spying on the land. We said to him: We are honest men; we have
never been spies! There were twelve of us brothers, sons by the
same father; but one is no more, and the youngest is now with our
father in the land of Canaan. But the man who is lord of the land said
to us; By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of
your brothers with me, and take something for your starving
households and be off. And bring your youngest brother to me, that I
may know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then restore
your brother to you, and you shall be at liberty to move about in the
land.
When they got home, they proceeded to report to their father Jacob the
details of their experience. In spite of his age, which was near 130, Jacob
was still the dominant figure in the family; and apparently well respected
since no one seems to feel inclined to question his authority.
†. Gen 42:35 . . As they were emptying their sacks, there, in each
one's sack, was his money-bag! When they and their father saw
their money-bags, they were alarmed.
To Jacob, it must have seemed that his sons stole the grain, or why else
would they still have their money? To the men, it must have seemed like the
obtuse Egyptian big shot was toying with them; to set them up for a charge
of theft. As these thoughts raced through every man's head, Jacob became
paranoid; which Webster's defines as: a psychosis characterized by delusions
of persecution.
Cont.
/
sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each
brother's payment at the top of his sack. He also gave them
provisions for their journey. So they loaded up their donkeys with
the grain and started for home.
Returning his family's money was something that Joseph did for himself.
How could he possibly make his own desperate kin pay for food under his
control? He couldn't. In his position, Joseph could easily provide for all of
them at no cost to themselves whatsoever.
†. 1Tim 5:8 . . But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of
his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Joseph was a man of honor. No doubt he made up for their payment out of
his own pocket so that no one could accuse him of abusing his privileges and
giving Pharaoh's grain away for nothing to people who had demonstrated
that they had the wherewithal to pay for it. A man's reputation, after all, is
his singular most valuable asset.
†. Pro 22:1 . . Choose a good reputation over great riches; for being held in
high esteem is better than having silver or gold.
Giving them free provisions for the trip would have included food and water
not only for themselves, but also their beasts. That was a diplomatic
gesture, and would go a long ways towards making the family feel welcome
down in Egypt, and encourage them to return since they had certainly been
given a degree of fair treatment way beyond what they had any right to
expect from a foreign dignitary.
†. Gen 42:27-28 . . As one of them was opening his sack to give feed
to his burro at the night encampment, he saw his money right there
at the mouth of his bag. And he said to his brothers: My money has
been returned! It is here in my bag! Their hearts sank; and,
trembling, they turned to one another, saying: What is this that God
has done to us?
Why is it people always tend to blame God for their misfortunes? But in this
case, their perceived misfortune is not that at all. If only they hadn't been so
infected with guilt they would have easily seen that the Egyptian big shot
was demonstrating that he meant only the best by them. But no; instead,
they go off the deep end and interpret their host's graciousness as an ill
omen rather than a token of good will. Some people are so suspicious of
anything nice that people do for them-- always looking for an ulterior
motive.
†. Gen 42:29a . .When they came to their father Jacob in the land of
Canaan
If Jacob was still living in Hebron, the distance the men traveled to get back
home was roughly 250 miles if Joseph's headquarters was possibly either in,
or near to, the city of Memphis, which is about ten miles south of today's
Cairo. So it was maybe ten to twelve days travel time via burros.
†. Gen 42:29b-34 . . they told him all that had befallen them, saying:
The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us
of spying on the land. We said to him: We are honest men; we have
never been spies! There were twelve of us brothers, sons by the
same father; but one is no more, and the youngest is now with our
father in the land of Canaan. But the man who is lord of the land said
to us; By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of
your brothers with me, and take something for your starving
households and be off. And bring your youngest brother to me, that I
may know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then restore
your brother to you, and you shall be at liberty to move about in the
land.
When they got home, they proceeded to report to their father Jacob the
details of their experience. In spite of his age, which was near 130, Jacob
was still the dominant figure in the family; and apparently well respected
since no one seems to feel inclined to question his authority.
†. Gen 42:35 . . As they were emptying their sacks, there, in each
one's sack, was his money-bag! When they and their father saw
their money-bags, they were alarmed.
To Jacob, it must have seemed that his sons stole the grain, or why else
would they still have their money? To the men, it must have seemed like the
obtuse Egyptian big shot was toying with them; to set them up for a charge
of theft. As these thoughts raced through every man's head, Jacob became
paranoid; which Webster's defines as: a psychosis characterized by delusions
of persecution.
Cont.
/
