-
†. Gen 42:24b . . Returning, he talked some more with them. He then
chose Simeon from among them and had him shackled in their sight.
Simeon was next in the line of seniority of the ten brothers (Gen 29:31-33).
Since Rueben had shown some good colors back at the pit in chapter 37, the
lot fell to Simeon; and it was a good choice since he and his brother Levi had
so far shown themselves to be the cruelest among the brothers in the matter
of Dinah back in chapter 34. Let's just give Simeon a taste of mortal fear for
a change and see how he likes it.
Later, at home, neither Jacob nor the others will seem overly concerned that
Simeon was selected to be detained, and the total focus will be upon
Benjamin's safety rather than upon Simeon's rescue; in fact, Jacob will write
him off as dead.
Apparently, Simeon wasn't all that appreciated by his own family: and no
wonder with that savage nature of his. They were probably all, including
Jacob, relieved to be rid of his company. Joseph's own lack of popularity
among his elder brothers was a natural friction stemming from old fashioned
sibling rivalry. But Simeon was just plain mean; while Joseph was likely a
pleasant sort of guy and easy to get along with. Difficult people shouldn't be
surprised when others around them spit on their graves.
†. 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.
"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." (1Tim 5:8)
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.
"Choose a good reputation over great riches; for being held in high esteem
is better than having silver or gold." (Pro 22:1)
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.
NOTE: In the millennia prior to mechanized conveyances, the greatest
obstacle to travel was distance. Today the average American zips around in
a vehicle that can easily travel 55 miles in just one hour. That same distance
would take eleven hours at a burro's pace. In other words; in the time it
takes a burro to walk 55 miles, an automobile at 55 miles an hour can travel
605.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
†. Gen 42:24b . . Returning, he talked some more with them. He then
chose Simeon from among them and had him shackled in their sight.
Simeon was next in the line of seniority of the ten brothers (Gen 29:31-33).
Since Rueben had shown some good colors back at the pit in chapter 37, the
lot fell to Simeon; and it was a good choice since he and his brother Levi had
so far shown themselves to be the cruelest among the brothers in the matter
of Dinah back in chapter 34. Let's just give Simeon a taste of mortal fear for
a change and see how he likes it.
Later, at home, neither Jacob nor the others will seem overly concerned that
Simeon was selected to be detained, and the total focus will be upon
Benjamin's safety rather than upon Simeon's rescue; in fact, Jacob will write
him off as dead.
Apparently, Simeon wasn't all that appreciated by his own family: and no
wonder with that savage nature of his. They were probably all, including
Jacob, relieved to be rid of his company. Joseph's own lack of popularity
among his elder brothers was a natural friction stemming from old fashioned
sibling rivalry. But Simeon was just plain mean; while Joseph was likely a
pleasant sort of guy and easy to get along with. Difficult people shouldn't be
surprised when others around them spit on their graves.
†. 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.
"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." (1Tim 5:8)
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.
"Choose a good reputation over great riches; for being held in high esteem
is better than having silver or gold." (Pro 22:1)
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.
NOTE: In the millennia prior to mechanized conveyances, the greatest
obstacle to travel was distance. Today the average American zips around in
a vehicle that can easily travel 55 miles in just one hour. That same distance
would take eleven hours at a burro's pace. In other words; in the time it
takes a burro to walk 55 miles, an automobile at 55 miles an hour can travel
605.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=