The famine is full on now and has spread past Egyptian borders. The land of Canaan is in the shit now and Jacob hears of Egypt's stores. Ten of Jacob's remaining eleven sons head to Egypt for supplies. Benjamin stays behind with papa. Remember Joseph? Right!
Joseph is Governor of the land, head honcho, seller of the grain. These ten idiots have no idea it is their brother they must speak with to get what they need. So here they are, in Egypt, in front of Joseph kowtowing, prostrate in front of him asking for grain. Joseph knows who they are, remembers his dream years before and plays along, not identifying himself to his siblings.
SPIES! He calls them. No, no, lord we are your servants, all sons of one man in search of food we are...get this (honest men). Rriiiiight, Joseph must say to himself. They go on explaining they were originally 12 sons, but one is no more. (Guess why?) And the other is with our father in Canaan. All but one of you will be jailed. If you're as honest as you say and are not spies, you will bring back your youngest brother Benjamin. This is to test your honesty. For three days they are locked up. Joseph says he fears God and will keep one of the brothers. The rest he sends back to Canaan with the grains needed to feed the starving people, but unbeknown to them he gave them back their money. Joseph kept Simeon and roughed him up a bit, bound and gagged him in front of the brothers and had him dragged off.
Holy Shit ! We're being punished because of Joseph, they said to one another. Joseph was getting stressed and turned away so they would not see him weep. Get it together Joseph! OK, I'm good.
Fills their sacks and gives provisions for the trek back. Unbeknown to them he places the silver back into the sacks. On the first bivouac they see the silver is returned. "What is this that God has done to us?
They get home and explain everything to Jacob. Schmucks! Why did you tell them of Benjamin? Is it not bad enough I lost Joseph. "But Daddy, the man spoke harshly to us and called us spies. We had to prove we were honest men." Jacob was not pleased, but when the time came to get more supplies Benjamin had to go.
So, off they go with little Benjamin plus the original silver, and enough silver to pay for new produce. "May God almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, I am bereaved. I am bereaved."
As they are brought to Joseph's house they badger the steward for answers. "Relax," he says. "Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received the silver." Then he brought out Simon, who has been kept in Egypt.
They ate and enjoyed the meal. Joseph asked them of their father and asked if this was the youngest, Benjamin. Seeing Benjamin he had to leave the room because he got all choked up. After the meal they were sent on their way with the goods. But Joseph was not done with them. He had a silver cup put into Benjamin's sack. Sent his forces out to intercept the brothers and accuse them of stealing.
They are really scared now. "WTF? We are honest men. We are not thieves." They say as the bags are checked. In the order of their age they are checked. "See you found......Oh shit!....Benjamin." Now they're tearing their clothes thinking "We're dead! Dad will kill us ...again! Woe is me, woe is me."
Dragged back like thieves, they try to figure out what is happening. "We're going to be slaves. Why me? Why me?" Duhh, dumb ass. This is all because of Joseph and the lies and our bad behavior. Joseph can take no more and reveals himself. Noooooooooooooo way!... Psyche! Got ya! But Joseph is one hell of a guy. He forgives his brothers for their misgivings and his sale into slavery, for if it was not for that he would not be where he was at this point in time.
So, Joseph makes nice-nice. Jacob gets reunited with Joseph, meets the Pharaoh and is given permission by the Pharaoh to move his family, all 70 of them, to Goshen, where they live fruitful and prosper.
Jacob dies, but before he does he gives blessings to Joseph and his two children, Manasseh and Ephraim. What is weird is he blesses the youngest with his right hand saying he will be greater than the oldest. No worries, he says, the eldest will also be a great man. Joseph was not pleased, but it is what it is. Jacob also blesses the other knuckleheads. Some were chastised for the misdeeds, but from Jacob came the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph takes Jacob's body back to Canaan with the Pharaoh's blessing.
Life goes on and we end the Genesis chapter of the bible. Joseph dies and his people are strong, multiplying and prospering in Egypt and the Egyptians are getting nervous. The next story.
Makes me think of my life and where I have been and have gone through. I have done some stupid things and made some choices that were not the best. Didn't try as hard at something or tried too hard for the other. Opened the door on the right instead of the left. Chose this Job. Was not so nice to this person or that person. Should have done this or that. But, after looking at the grand scheme of things I would not be where I am now with the person I am with and would not be as happy as I am. Oh, I have some regrets, but I consider myself very lucky.
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