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- [00:00]
A
Foreign.
- [00:06]
B
Hey, this is Shelby and Scott. We are taking you through the book of Genesis and today we're in chapters 43 through 45. We've been walking through Joseph's story for a while now. Can you give us like a quick recap of where we're at before we get into these chapters?
- [00:20]
A
Absolutely, yeah. It'll be helpful. So last time, last episode, we saw that Joseph was giving his brothers a test by keeping Simeon in Egypt and then putting the silver back in their bags. They had come to Egypt. They were using to purchase food in Egypt to make it look like they stole. And so the test was to get Simeon back. They would need to risk returning into Egypt even though they look like they stole food. Another condition Joseph set for the brothers is that they would have to bring their youngest brother Benjamin with them in order to release Simeon. And for Jacob, their father, this was like a non starter for him. Benjamin is his most precious son now, and it's only with a lot of reluctance that he eventually agrees to let the brothers take Benjamin with them to return to Egypt to get more food and to rescue Simeon. So they, they passed the first test. They. They didn't leave Simeon behind in Egypt. They returned for him.
- [01:19]
B
Yeah. Okay, so what's the next test that they face? We see this whole, like, meal scene, which can be a little confusing.
- [01:27]
A
Yeah. So it's really interesting what Joseph. So, you know, they're fearing reprisal from Joseph. Instead, they're treated to this very lavish meal in his house. And it's like, seems like they're being treated a little too well. They're afraid of an ambush, but never comes. It's interesting though, he makes sure that Benjamin, at this meal gets like a much, much larger portion of food than the other brothers. And then of course, Joseph frames Benjamin for stealing this silver cup. And just quick sidebar on who Benjamin is. So Benjamin, like Joseph, is the son of Rachel, Jacob's favorite wife. And so that favoritism Jacob had for his wife extends to these sons. So we saw in chapter 37 that favoritism extends to Joseph. It's now toward Benjamin. And so I think it's brilliant what Joseph orchestrates here. So once again, these older brothers are having to watch one of Rachel's sons be shown favoritism over themselves. And then by framing Benjamin, Joseph is giving these brothers another opportunity to abandon one of Rachel's sons, to save their skin, to kind of move on with their lives. So he's put them in the situation of will. They repeat the events of 20 years prior, will they do to Benjamin what they did to Joseph Cliffhanger.
- [02:48]
B
But they don't.
- [02:50]
A
They don't.
- [02:50]
B
They don't repeat that.
- [02:51]
A
And this is where Judah comes in. Judah had guaranteed Benjamin's safety. That that's why Jacob agreed to allow Benjamin to go with them. And this scenario of Benjamin being enslaved in Egypt, this is Benjamin's this season. This is Judah's worst nightmare. And so he offers to take Benjamin's place, which is incredible. Joseph, who had been so selfish in chapter 37 and 38, is now willing to be enslaved in place of his younger brother. I think it's also important, Shelby, to see that he's not just concerned for Benjamin's benefit. He's concerned for their father, because he knows, like, if they come home without this son, his father is going to die of grief. And Judah is like, I cannot. I cannot let that happen. So he pleads with Joseph to let them switch. He's like, keep me in Egypt. Let Benjamin go home to our. To our father. So Judah here seems to be looking out for everyone but himself. And this breaks Joseph. So, you know, the waterworks come. He cannot keep up this ruse. He finally, at last reveals himself like he. His brothers have proved these are not the same men he. He had known. And they are understandably, quite freaked out because of what Joseph could do to them in retaliation. But he assures them not to be angry. He tells them, incredibly, that it was God who sent him to Egypt, not them, so that he could keep them Al. And then he starts to make these provisions to move everyone, including their father, down to Egypt to survive the rest of this famine.
- [04:31]
B
Yeah, man. What a beautiful moment in this story. I think my takeaway in this episode and in these chapters is seeing the different ways that people are displaying compassion towards one another. They're acting in a selfless way toward one another that's challenging to me. That's not always my natural disposition. And so as I go throughout my day, seeing their selfless actions is encouraging me to think how I can serve those around me. And my guess is those circumstances, for me will be much smaller and less emotionally entangled than the situation in which they're choosing to serve one another.
- [05:12]
A
Yeah. And what a picture from Judah of his descendant, Jesus, who takes our place to free us from slavery. So it's incredible.
- [05:21]
B
It's incredible. Well, love these chapters. We're nearing the end of the book of Genesis. Just a couple more. More episodes to talk through here. I'm excited to get through the rest of this with you.
- [05:29]
A
Me too. Me too.