Genesis 43

This chapter is part of the Joseph narrative (chapters 37–50) in the latter portion of Genesis. In Genesis 42, the brothers made their first trip to Egypt, but Simeon was kept behind as a hostage, and they were told to bring their youngest brother with them the next time. This chapter recounts the second journey that followed.

Outline

• Verses 1–10 The famine is severe, and when the grain runs out, Jacob tells his sons to go again and buy food. Judah reminds him that "the man" had said they would not see his face unless their brother came with them, asks that Benjamin be sent along, and offers himself as surety for him.
• Verses 11–15 Israel (Jacob) has them take a present of balm, honey, spices, myrrh, nuts, and almonds, and carry double money, returning as well the money that had been put back in their sacks on the previous trip. He sends Benjamin, praying that God Almighty will grant them mercy.
• Verses 16–25 When Joseph sees Benjamin, he has his steward prepare a meal for noon. Fearing that they will be seized as slaves because of the money, the brothers explain the matter to the steward, who replies that their God has given it to them and brings Simeon out to them.
• Verses 26–31 The brothers present their gifts and bow down to the ground. Joseph asks after their father's welfare and blesses Benjamin; then, overcome with emotion, he goes into his chamber to weep, washes his face, and comes out again.
• Verses 32–34 Because the Egyptians do not eat with the Hebrews, separate tables are set. The brothers are seated in order of age and marvel at one another, and Benjamin receives five times as much as any of the others.

Key Verses

• Genesis 43:9 "I will be surety for him" — This reveals the change in Judah, who offers himself on behalf of his brother, and it leads into his plea in Genesis 44.
• Genesis 43:14 "If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved" — This captures both Jacob's resignation in sending his son and his entrusting of the outcome to God.
• Genesis 43:30 "Joseph made haste... and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there" — Here the emotions of Joseph, who is concealing his identity, surface strongly for the first time.

Characters and Places

• Jacob: In this chapter he is referred to mainly as "Israel."
• Judah: Jacob's fourth son, who speaks for his brothers in persuading their father.
• Joseph: The governor of Egypt. His brothers do not yet recognize him.
• Benjamin: Jacob's youngest son and Joseph's full brother, born of the same mother.
• Simeon: Held as a hostage in chapter 42, he is released in this chapter.
• Egypt: The land to which the brothers went down to buy grain during the famine.

Points for Reflection

• A widely known interpretation reads the scenes in which the brothers bow down before Joseph (verses 26 and 28) as part of the fulfillment of Joseph's dreams in Genesis 37.
• The text does not explain why Benjamin was given five times as much. The view that Joseph was testing whether the brothers would envy their youngest brother is a matter of interpretation.
• In Christian tradition, Judah's pledge is sometimes read in connection with Hebrews 7 (7:22), where Jesus is called "a surety of a better testament." Judah also figures prominently in the blessing of Genesis 49 and the genealogy of Matthew 1.
• Verse 32 is frequently cited as a passage showing the distance between the Egyptians and the Hebrews.

In Korean Churches

The Joseph narrative is frequently treated in Sunday school lessons and sermons, and this chapter is usually presented with a focus on the brothers' second visit to Egypt and Judah's pledge of surety.